Our 2025 Speakers
Joe Decker
Bro. Joe Decker was saved as a teenager in Louisville, KY. He was baptized at the Metropolitan Baptist Church, where later he served as an associate pastor for over four years. He then planted and pastored the Berean Baptist Church in Scottsville, KY, where he served for over six years. The Lord then moved him to Grace Baptist Church in Bowling Green, KY, where he served as an assistant pastor for nineteen years. Bro. Decker has worked with young people his whole ministry, working and speaking at summer camps, VBS’s, and youth rallies for the last forty-five years. Bro. Decker and his wife of forty-eight years, Denise, have five children. Their oldest daughter (Angie) is married to Jason Gaddis, Pastor of Southwest Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, OK. Their oldest son (Joe, Jr.) is Pastor of South Campbell Avenue Baptist Church in Springfield, MO. Their middle daughter (Rebecca) and her husband (Ben Logue) are on staff at Heartland Baptist Bible College in Oklahoma City, OK. Their youngest daughter (Beth) is a graduate of Heartland Baptist Bible College and serving South Campbell Avenue Baptist Church. Their youngest son (Andrew) is Youth Pastor at South Campbell Avenue Baptist Church.
Dean Herring
Brother Dean Herring was saved at 12 years of age after hearing the testimony of Bobby Richardson, the famous second baseman for the New York Yankees. He was called to preach during a revival preached by Carl Hatch. Dean enrolled in Baptist Bible College, and while there he met Susie Hillman. On August 9, 1975, they were married, and God blessed them with six children: Jason, Dixie, Tara, Georgia, Nathan, and Jonathan.After graduating from Bible College in 1976, the Herrings spent the next 30 years ministering in South Georgia. During that time, Dean spent 8 years as a youth minister, 2 years in evangelism, and 20 years as a pastor. In 2005, God called the Herring family to Idaho, to plant the South Valley Baptist Church in the southern part of the Treasure Valley. God has blessed the work there in a great way.Dean has had the privilege of preaching numerous youth camps, speaking at family/marriage conferences, along with preaching several revivals and mission’s conferences across America each year.
Our Mission
Purpose
BYCO exists for the purpose of helping local churches reach lost youth, and challenge saved youth to grow in their faith and listen as God directs them for the future.
Method
BYCO continues to carry on the spirit and passion of our camp's founders. We firmly believe that preaching and teaching held closely 50 years ago are relevant and useful today. Our desire is to expose today's youth to practical and conservative Biblical preaching.
Goal
BYCO's desire is to be a help to the churches that attend our camp. We realize that our campers will return to their churches and it is our desire that as they leave our camp, they are saved, revived, and stirred to serve our Lord Jesus Christ.
Statement of Faith
A Statement of Faith is a compilation of an organization’s or individual’s core beliefs. This statement is a brief and simple attempt at representing the doctrines of the Churches which participate in making this camp program possible. This statement is in no way intended to stand in the place of or replace each Church’s official Statement of Faith.
Inspiration of the Bible
We believe the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is the verbally inspired Word of God (II Timothy 3:16) and has been preserved by the promise of God (I Peter 1:23-25).
Preservation of the Bible
We believe God’s Word has been preserved for the English speaking people through the King James Version which is the only English Bible translated solely from the Masoretic and Received Texts (Textus Receptus).
Virgin Birth
We believe Jesus Christ was born of Mary the virgin, and is the very Son of God. (Matthew 1:23)
Christ’s Payment for Sin
We believe that Christ died for our sins (I Corinthians 15:3), and that He arose from the grave the third day. (I Corinthians 15:4)
Access to God
We believe that Jesus Christ alone is the mediator and intercessor between God and man. (I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:25)
Salvation
We believe that in order to be “saved” the soul must be born again, (John 3:3) through repentance (Luke 13:3) and faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) in Christ as Savior.
Baptism
We believe that every born again person should declare his/her faith through baptism by immersion in water. Baptism is an act of obedience and in no way contributes one’s salvation. Biblical baptism can only be administered under the authority of a local Church. (Acts 10:47-48)
Security
We believe that Christ keeps those who are born again eternally secure. (II Timothy 1:12; John 10:28)
Separation
We believe that Christians are called to be separated from worldly, sinful practices, and separated unto holiness and a life of usefulness for Christ. (II Corinthians 6:17) We will elaborate on two specific areas of separation that are pertinent to the camp setting:
- The camp dress code included in the camp rules is intended to act as a buffer between the extremes of the world’s lack of standards and the appropriate, Christ-honoring interactions between boys and girls we wish to provide at our camp. This dress code does not itself produce Godliness, but it does create an atmosphere that is distinct from that which is produced by the worldly attire children are typically exposed to on a daily basis.
- Human sexuality is a part of God’s design for the marriage between one man and one woman. Since campers are neither married nor ready to consider marriage, no physical romance is allowed between any campers. (for example: pairing off, holding hands, passing notes, kissing, or any other inappropriate/romantic touching)
The Church
We believe a church is a local, visible body of baptized believers whose mission is to preach and teach the Word of God, making disciples to do the same. (Matthew 28:18-20, II Timothy 2:2)