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STORIES FROM SACRED PLAYGROUNDS
A Time for Renewal
Happy New Year! I love preaching on the first Sunday in Advent because I can always greet the congregation with those delightfully provocative words. For churches that follow the liturgical calendar, Advent started this week and spans the four Sundays leading up to...
S2 E6 3 Circles of Gratitude
Happy Thanksgiving! There are many studies that connect happiness and even productivity with an attitude of gratitude. We have a lot to be thankful for in our own lives and in our ministries. Can I get an, "Amen?" Starting within ourselves and moving concentrically...
The 2 Questions to Ask Every Time
We know by now the idea that camp stops after the summer is a myth. Camp staff, leaders, supports, even campers and parents, continue to be impacted by and contribute to ministry year-round no matter what the non-summer season looks like. So while it doesn't stop,...
S2 E5 What Does the Mom Say?
Say it louder for the folks in the back! For outdoor ministries focused mostly on kids and families - parents are your primary constituents. Camp is one of the spaces where the final decision makers are not necessarily the ones having the experience, yet their...
What do camper parents need most?
When I was a camper - a long time ago – I forgot to pack my toothbrush. I wrote a letter to my mother and posted it on the first morning of camp. The next evening, I had a toothbrush and a note from my mom. The mail reached her in 24 hours and she was able to drop...
S2 E4 Plugged Out: Is it Still the Great Outdoors?
We hear it and see it from parents, youth, and society - plugged in to some kind of technology is our near-constant state of being. There are precious few places and it takes more intentionality than ever to get ourselves outside - yet it matters as much as ever for...
Searching for Connection
The church is about connection. You know the analogies: vine to branches (John 15), different parts to make one body (1 Corinthians 12), grains of wheat gathered to make one bread. The church connects the people of God to one another and connects them all to Christ....
S2 E3 Take Me To Your Leaders: An Executive & Board Episode
The relationship between your Executive Director and your Board of Directors is a vitally important - maybe the most important - relationship in the infrastructure of your ministry. There are ways to keep it healthy and thriving, giving foundation from underneath,...
Camp Director Annual Evaluation
Here's one thing you can do that is good for your ministry center, good for your board, and great for your camp's executive director or CEO: an annual review for you executive leader. A good evaluation process means that board and staff leaders all know what is...
The Pocket God and Emerging Adult Ministry
Like most people, I had a summer reading list. I finally got around to finishing Back Pocket God (Denton and Flory, 2020), the latest book from the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR). It is full of fascinating statistics and implications for...
S1 E17: Preview! Holy Ground: A Guide for Summer Camp Staff
Spoiler alert. The key ingredient in the secret sauce to an effective summer camp experience is a well-equipped, well-trained, faith-filled camp staff. It makes so much sense to give them the support they need to thrive. That's what Holy Ground: A Guide for Summer...
The Summer Camp Staff Experience
This summer, thousands of young adults will serve at Christian camps across the United States and around the world. Serving on summer camp staff will be one of the most rewarding and highly impactful experiences of their lives. They will walk away from the experience...