Cohutta Springs Youth Camp Celebrates 45 Years

Cohutta Springs Youth Camp Celebrates 45 Years

This summer Cohutta Springs celebrated its 45th year of campfires, water activities, and learning about Jesus at summer camp. Every year, about 1,200 to 1,400 campers go to Cohutta Springs Youth Camp to make friends, enjoy summer activities, and be enriched by the Christ-centered atmosphere.

“A big part of the Youth Ministries program at the Georgia-Cumberland Conference has been summer camp ministries at Cohutta Springs Youth Camp,” said Jonathan Montes, Georgia-Cumberland youth ministries director. “Everything we do at camp is directed toward showing and sharing the Gospel to the kids who come to camp. Camp is the perfect environment to encounter the love of God.”

Montes shares that the camp’s mission is to build the Kingdom by calling young people to a lasting relationship with their Lord and Savior. Through this unique evangelism, thousands of young people have made the decision to give their lives to Jesus. Many of those young adults continue to strengthen their walk as they continue in the ministry by going from camper to camp staff.

“Being a camper at Cohutta Springs Youth Camp impacted me spiritually in so many ways,” said Andrew Korp, former Cohutta camp staff member who now serves as an intern pastor for Duluth, Ga., Church. “I saw Jesus lay down his life for me in the plays, and I was also baptized in the lake. It led me to want to give back, and that’s why I became a camp staff. I wanted to be a part of kids giving their lives to Jesus, and allow His love to shine through me.”

To celebrate 45 years, the camp is holding their first alumni family camp, where former staff can re-join the fun and be ministered to as they ministered to others while they worked at camp.

Montes, who was also a camper turned staff and then turned director, knows how great a milestone this is.“Reaching the 45 year milestone speaks to the dedication of the Georgia-Cumberland Conference to reaching young people by creating a caring community connected to Christ through wholesome activities, nature, and relationships.”

Rachel Beaver

Georgia-Cumberland | August 2025