by Sacred Playgrounds | Apr 13, 2021 | Camp and Church Leadership, Camp Research
Not all pastors value camp. Some are benignly dismissive, while others are almost hostile. We collectively call this group the camp skeptics. In our recent survey of ELCA pastors and deacons, just under one in five (18%) were categorized as skeptics. These folks do...
by Sacred Playgrounds | Apr 6, 2021 | Camp and Church Leadership
Most congregational leaders value camping ministries. In the previous post, we took a closer look at the most fervent supporters, which we call camp enthusiasts. Those are the folks that bring congregation members to camps and retreats, give of their time and...
by Sacred Playgrounds | Mar 30, 2021 | Camp and Church Leadership, Camp Research
Most congregational ministers recognize the value of outdoor ministries. When we probe a little deeper, we reveal three categories of pastoral connection to camp. We uncovered these categories in a large survey of pastors and deacons in the Evangelical Lutheran Church...
by Sacred Playgrounds | Mar 23, 2021 | Camp and Church Leadership, Camp Research
The Christian camp experience depends on congregational support and recognition. If church leaders are skeptical of camp’s benefits or ministry methods, they will be less supportive. This has two critical impacts. First, it means fewer people experience camp, since...
by Sacred Playgrounds | Mar 17, 2021 | Camp and Culture
Confession time: I am a bit of a spaceflight junkie. I am fascinated by stories of the Mercury 7, and I love learning about the accomplishments of Apollo-era engineers and mathematicians. I obsess a bit over the recent progress of SpaceX in reusable rocket technology...
