From Insights to Impact
Camps are sacred playgrounds, where people explore their way to lives of lasting, difference-making faith. Together, we're gathering the stories and stats that power outdoor ministries forward through effective organizations and intrepid leaders. SHOW ME HOWWe generate insights, equip leaders, and connect partners to help camp ministries thrive.
What could happen if you had access to the resources and research, stories and stats, tools and training to fully maximize your camp or connected ministry? Let’s find out.
Currently Researching
Insights. Ideas. Answers.
Maybe you’re getting ready for staff training, or wondering about connections between camp and church leaders. Maybe you’re planning next summer’s program and are looking for innovative ideas based on current culture. Whatever you’re looking for, this ever-growing body of research projects, articles, and resources is designed to lead you there.
The Sacred Playgrounds Podcast
Behind the mic. Behind the research.Founder and Lead Researcher for Sacred Playgrounds, Jake Sorenson PhD, is joined by host and camp enthusiast Jared Rendell for insightful conversations about camp, why it matters, and how to help it thrive based on the latest research and insights from across the Christian camp landscape. Each episode, we explore one big thing that’s making a difference right now in outdoor ministry.
The Latest Episodes
& Articles
The 5 Fundamentals: Camp is a Safe Space
“You are on God’s belay.” My friend and mentor Paul Hill always signed his emails and letters this way. Even in retirement, Paul has always been a self-proclaimed “adrenaline junky,” feeling most at home paddling through a surprise rainstorm in the Boundary Waters of...
Camper Confidence Over Time: Summer 2025 Insights
Each fall, early in our podcast season, we try to spend time talking through some of our, really your, learnings from the summer. We aggregate data from Effective Camp and Power of Camp projects - those that focus on campers and families - and run it through a variety...
5 Fundamentals Series & Self-Assessment Tool Launch
Start here. Camp has the potential to be deeply impactful. Many of us have seen it with our own eyes and felt it in our own souls, having had personally transformative or life-changing experiences. Yet, camp doesn’t always have the same impact on everyone. Sometimes...
