The FBBC Contenders are serving at Iowa Regular Baptist Camp once again this summer! This 2026 team of students is excited to serve alongside each other in many areas that keep camp running smoothly.
Pastor Phil Betz has sought out a team of Faith students every year to serve as Contenders. This program has created an incredible impact on these students’ lives as they learn all about camp ministry, collaborate with their teammates and other camp staff, and grow through discipleship.
“I love watching a Contender take off out of the gate and begin to realize this is not sustainable without God’s strength.” Pastor Phil states that there are two main things that the members on the team learn during the summer: relying on God and relying on their team.
Meet the Team!
The Contenders team consists of many different personalities that bring enthusiasm and energy to the ministry. This year’s team includes Andy Hackley, Lily Dowden, Cara Simpson, Kelsy Welch, Tyler Tuller and Russel Rodman.
Andy Hackley served on the Contenders last year and is returning to lead the team in this summer’s ministry. Andy is from Riverside, California and just graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership. He is excited to come back to the ministry and have “another opportunity to grow with the team this year.”
As the Contenders get to participate in a lot of different areas at camp, there is one aspect that Andy is most excited about: “One of the things I love about Contenders is the amount of contact that we have with the campers, especially with co-counseling. There are so many opportunities through conversation and events to show the love of Christ!”
Among the other new members of the team, Lily Dowden said she is “over the moon pumped” to serve on Contenders this year. She is from Ames, Iowa and is currently studying Secondary English Education. Lily is excited to “teach the 1st and 2nd graders at family camp, scream my lungs out at Jr. Girls, run around in the rain like a madman, make a fool of myself on stage doing silly skits, and point others to Christ as I learn more about Him myself!”
Cara Simpson is excited to work alongside of “5 of my favorite buddies” as she joins the Contender team this summer! Cara is from Lapeer, Michigan and is studying Elementary Education at Faith. She is excited to employ what she is learning as she gets to teach the 4s and 5s class at camp along with “wearing a spacesuit on stage, do super silly stuff, drink all the coffee, laugh until I can’t anymore, serve all the people I encounter, share God’s goodness with others, and actively grow in my own relationship with Christ…”.
Kelsy Welch, out of Farmington, Iowa, is currently at Faith completing her 2-year degree in Cross Cultural Ministry. She is looking forward to serving in many areas at camp this summer! “Whether that be leading games, in the Kitchen, teaching, or cleaning. I am excited to connect with staff, campers, and especially my students in the 2s and 3s.”
Also joining the team is Tyler Tuller from Des Moines, Iowa. He is “excited to serve through the various games and activities as well as building relationships with staff and counseling during youth camps.” Tyler is currently in the Pastoral program at Faith.
Last but not least, meet Russel Rodman! Originally from Missoula, Montana and studying in the Organizational Leadership program, Russel is “excited for the opportunity to teach, grow in my relationship with God, and hopefully be an impact in people’s lives.”
The Contender team has spent a lot of time preparing for the summer together. Members of the team will be able to directly apply some of the tools they have been equipped with during their study at Faith, but they will also be able to showcase the unique aspects of being a Contender! During the school year, they meet regularly to create lesson plans for the summer, practice the skits they will perform on stage, and bond as a team.
They are excited to help out Pastor Phil and the rest of the staff at IRBC this summer!
“I believe a summer or two serving as a Contender will give them extensive experience in how to serve well together with a team while relying on God’s strength. When they cross the finish line of the summer, they look back and say that was worth it!”
Please join us in prayer as the Contenders take on camp ministry and take the Word to the World!
Want to see them up at camp? Visit IRBC’s website to learn more about the weeks of camp that they offer: www.irbc.org
Written by Kaylee Crosson, Organizational Leadership
