Dear Ministry Leader,
What could your camp or congregation do if it were truly well-informed by actionable research and well-equipped by quality training? Let's talk about how we can help
Finding Direction in the Midst of Covid-19
Camp: A Calm Port in the COVID-19 Storm
Summer camp looked different in 2020. For hundreds of camps across the country, it looked empty and quiet. Many were forced to make the difficult decision of cancelling their in-person programs. Millions of young people missed out on camp this summer, part of a...
Impacts of the Summer Camp Staff Experience
When we think about the impacts of summer camp, we most often think about the camper experience. Indeed, the lion’s share of camp research has focused on the campers (e.g. the Effective Camp Project and ACA’s Impact Study). The research provides compelling evidence...
Comparing Traveling Day Camp Models
Day Camp is a big umbrella term for diverse, community-based camping models. In faith-based ministries, there is a unique model called Traveling Day Camp. Shared characteristics usually include: camp counselors traveling to local communities in partnership with a...
Welcome to Sacred Playgrounds
Jake Sorenson spent his early career in congregational youth ministry and camping ministry. A lack of research on Christian camping and a general disdain for camp among some of his ministry collegues led him to dive deeply into research. He earned a PhD in practical theology from Luther Seminary and an Mdiv from Princeton Theological Seminary. His research and insights into ministry spaces that serve as sacred playgrounds, such as camps and campus ministry centers, have appeared in numerous ministry publications and academic journals. He has participated in and directed multiple research projects and is a contributing author to the book Cultivating Teen Faith.
Ministry Partners and Current Projects
The Camp and Church Leadership Project seeks to cultivate church leadership among young adults who have been engaged in camping ministries. This project has a special focus on examining the key characteristics and impacts of serving on summer camp staff. It centers on camps and congregations in the ELCA.
Since 2015, the Effective Camp Project has been gathering data on the key characteristics and impacts of the Christian summer camp experience. Through 2020, we have gathered data from more than 7,000 campers and more than 2,000 parents at dozens of camps across the USA and in Canada.
The Camp2Congregation Project, funded by the Lilly Endowment, is examining the impacts of Christian Traveling Day Camp programs on congregations, families, and young leaders in the church. The project gathered data from campers, parents, camp staff, and pastors throughout 2019.