LOUISVILLE (BP) — Lance Howerton had a few errands to run, just days into retirement. Like usual, he began with his morning devotional and then made a to-do list, the latter a 40-year habit. He took his mom to a doctor’s appointment, then looked at buying a pressure washer and new mower, one of the electrical ones he’s heard so much about.

It’s a different schedule for Howerton, who retired earlier this week after a five-decade career leading Christian camps. Most of that time was with Lifeway and Centrifuge from the early 1980s through 2014 in roles like managing director and director of operations. In 2014, he joined Crossings Camps, serving as director of operations, vice president and then president. His retirement sendoff was Monday, Aug. 18.

Crossings was founded in 2000 and grew out of consolidating Kentucky Baptists’ two camps under an entity that operated alongside, though independent of, the state convention.

“There is no one I know who has had a more profound impact on student and children’s camping across America than Lance Howerton,” Rusty Ellison, Howerton’s assistant, wrote in a piece for Kentucky Today.

By its nature, camp requires leaving your normal routine. That desire is what drove Howerton — at the time a young music minister finishing a Master’s degree — to a different place of service in the summer of ‘82.

“I was looking to do something else, and God sent me to camp,” said Howerton, who spent those months as a worship leader for Centrifuge at Hannibal LaGrange College.

“Camp just does something to you. For a lot of students, it’s the first time they’ve been entrusted with something. You work these crazy-long hours. You’re on a team and seeing God changing lives. The experience taught me strengths I didn’t know I had.”

The visual that comes with “camp” is games and music and overall fun times together. Howerton loved those but also had an affinity for the business side, even before moving into a director’s role that placed him in an office more often. If there were a Hall of Fame for camp nerdery, Howerton’s bust would be in the foyer.

“When I was at Lifeway, a lot of the guys came from the local church, and I did too, but most were heavy on the ministry side,” he said. “For some reason, I really gravitated toward the business aspect of it. I loved working with numbers and spreadsheets and marketing, so the corporate side of camp fit me well.”

Todd Gray, Kentucky Baptist Convention executive director, spoke on the importance of those qualities at Howerton’s retirement.

“There are three things every organizational leader must do for the organization they lead: advance the mission, solve problems and care for people,” Gray said. “It is hard to imagine anyone doing those three things more effectively than Lance Howerton has done during his tenure with Crossings Ministries.”

COVID made the summer of 2020 the only one when Howerton didn’t have a camp. But it didn’t change his basic principles.

“I prioritized making sure our folks were cared for but also intentionally over-communicated,” he said. “We worked with our board to make some tough decisions. But once we got aligned, we moved on to take care of our people. We scheduled online meetings, answered questions and stayed in touch. That included starting a weekly leaders meeting that we’ve continued to this day.”

Henry Dutton was a summer staffer for CentriKid Camps in 2008 when he met Howerton. The ensuing years put them in close proximity as Dutton served as camp director during the summers of 2010-2012, joining the CentriKid team full-time as camps and events coordinator in 2013.

“I learned so much from Lance, like ‘Always be a student, not a critic,’ or ‘There is something you can learn from any person and any situation,’” said Dutton. “But one that stuck with me was ‘Be the right thing, and you will do the right thing.’

“Leadership coaches will push you to focus on your actions first, but Lance pushed the opposite. Focus on your relationships and identity in Christ. Ask Him to change who you are. If Christ is your identity, you will naturally and consistently make the right choice.”

Success follows if you care for those you lead. Howerton followed the formula and will still preach it to any who call his number. One thing retirement brings is a lot more opportunities to share what you’ve learned.

“Your job, as a leader, is to help others succeed,” he said. “Take care of them, and they’ll take care of your organization. You also take care of the business. You’ve got to balance those two, so that they work together.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Scott Barkley is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press.)