Welcome to Breakpoint, a daily look at an ever-changing culture through the lens of unchanging truth.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street.

Well, apparently camp isn't just for kids anymore.

According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, there's a growing market for adults sleepaway camps.

These camps offer all the nostalgia of bunk beds, hayrides, campfires, cabin competitions

with war paint the whole package, only with more bartenders than camp counselors and less lights

out. For example, and I quote from the article here, at Camp Social, creating chemistry is everything.

Campers are divided by age, which range from the 20s to the 60s into bunks

of 8 to 10. Each is staffed with a trained counselor who serves as a camp concierge, a bonding

facilitator. They are even tasked with coming up with a bunk cheer, end quote. Now what inspired

the creator of this camp for grownups? Here's what he said, quote, I created what I

wished existed. We're expected to figure out friendships without a blueprint, end quote. For the many

who have happy memories of going to summer camp or maybe just watching the parent trap too many

times, the appeal of this is understandable. A 1998 film Indian Summer portrayed groups of adults hoping to relive the childhood

joy of summer camp. What's driving today's real-life adults back to camp, however, is not just

nostalgia. It's loneliness. As the Wall Street Journal article described, quote, when you're in your

20s and 30s, you don't make tons of friends unless you're doing something that bonds you, end quote. Well, interestingly, most of the people in the photos that

accompany the article are women. But this new industry is only one indication among several that

points to a profound lack of connection that affects both men and women. Even more, it reveals

an incredible opportunity

for the people of God. Responding to this Wall Street Journal article on X, author and scholar

Dr. Anthony Bradley tweeted this, quote, my goodness, how sad is this? Just go to church. In other words,

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