Nov 5, 2025

Peer-Reviewed Article in the Journal of Youth Development

Camp Research, Rhythms of Faith, Scholarly Publications

Promising Strategies for Impacting Youth Development Systems From Christian Summer Camps

Jacob Sorenson, PhD, Sacred Playgrounds
Rachael Botting, Wheaton College
Karen K. Melton, Baylor University
Rob Ribbe PhD, Wheaton College

Abstract

As research on summer camp continues to expand and both scholars and practitioners gain a better understanding of the impact of the experience, it has become important to explore how the experience of summer camp is connected to the larger ecology of youth development. This study explores strategies of Christian summer camps for impacting faith in the home through interviews with 20 Christian summer camp leaders across three faith-based camping organizations: Christian Camp and Conference Association (CCCA), Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (LOM), and United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries (UMCRM). Using semi-structured interviews and an appreciative inquiry approach, this study identified six themes that provide an additional framework for understanding continuity of care and ecological partnerships involving summer camps.

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