For nearly four decades, BigStuf has been creating spaces where students encounter God, build lasting friendships, and discover who they are becoming. And as BigStuf prepares for its 39th summer, there is a deep sense of excitement about what is ahead in 2026.
For BigStuf President Trey McKnight, this summer represents more than just another year of camp. It represents the continuation of something that has shaped generations of students, leaders, and ministries across the country.
“My first BigStuf camp was in 2005,” Trey shared. “I stepped onto that stage as a worship leader, and I had no idea that summer would help shape the entire direction of my life.”
Long before serving as President of BigStuf, Trey experienced firsthand the impact camp can have on a student’s life. Growing up attending camp in Wise, Virginia, he found friendships that lasted decades, grew deeper in his faith, and began sensing God’s call toward ministry.
“Camp didn’t just give me a great summer,” he said. “Camp was the background where I discovered the future God had for my life.”
That belief continues to shape the heartbeat behind BigStuf today.
Since joining the BigStuf staff in 2018, Trey has served in nearly every corner of camp life, including worship leader, host, Leader Lab speaker, Camp Director, COO, and now President. Across every role, one thing has remained consistent.
“What happens at camp is real,” Trey said. “Students arrive one way and leave another. The transformation is tangible, and it never gets old.”
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This summer’s theme, Welcome to the Neighborhood, will shape sessions, conversations, worship moments, and the overall direction of camp throughout the week.
At the center of the theme is a simple but powerful idea: every person we encounter carries dignity and worth because they are made in the image of God.
“This theme is a call to see the people around us differently,” Trey explained. “Not as strangers or background characters in our own story, but as neighbors.”
In a generation facing increasing loneliness and disconnection, the BigStuf team believes this message could not be more timely.
“The neighbor is not someone far away,” Trey said. “They are right next to you.”
That message will come to life throughout the week in sessions, small groups, free time conversations, late nights, and everyday interactions between students and leaders.
And while each summer brings something new, Trey believes the deeper legacy of BigStuf is found in the generations of students who have walked away from camp changed.
“Thirty-nine years is not a small thing,” he shared. “It represents decades of students who said yes to something bigger than themselves at camp and went on to lead families, churches, and communities from that foundation.”
As BigStuf enters its 39th summer, the team carries both gratitude for the past and anticipation for what is ahead.
“In 2026, we stand on the shoulders of every camp that came before this one,” Trey said. “And we carry that legacy into this summer with a deep sense of responsibility and an even deeper sense of hope.”
For students, parents, and youth leaders preparing for camp this summer, Trey had one final message:
“If you’re attending BigStuf this summer, I want you to know that we are ready for you.”
Welcome to the Neighborhood.
