by Sacred Playgrounds | May 19, 2018 | Camp Research, Camp to Congregation
We close this series on the 5 fundamental characteristics of Christian camping with the one that is most prominent in camper descriptions: Camp is relational. This does not mean that it is more important than the other four. It is, however, the most valued. Let’s hear...
by Jared Rendell | May 1, 2018 | Camp Programs, Camp Research, Scholarly Publications
Very little research is available on the unique characteristics and outcomes of Christian summer camps, in spite of their prevalence in the industry. The Effective Camp Research Project is a mixed-methods study seeking to close the research gap. This article presents...
by Sacred Playgrounds | Apr 24, 2018 | Camp Research, Outdoors and Wilderness
The research is screaming at us from nearly every academic field. We nod approvingly, feeling that we are wiser. And then we go on doing exactly the same thing. We sit at our desks in front of computer screens. We demand more automation in our homes and our modes of...
by Sacred Playgrounds | Apr 3, 2018 | Camp Research, Camp to Congregation
Remember, these five characteristics have no particular order, but I thought it poetic to cover this one in the middle. This is the characteristic that sets Christian camps apart from all other types of camps. Every well-run camp in the country has the other four...
by Sacred Playgrounds | Mar 21, 2018 | Camp Research, Outdoors and Wilderness
This might be the most recognizable characteristic of camp. Think of the most iconic mental pictures of camping: a tent, a campfire, a grove of trees, a body of water. The philosophy of summer camp, from its beginnings in the late 19th century, has centered on...
by Sacred Playgrounds | Feb 28, 2018 | Camp Research
“The research is out!” “Research says that…” People use these phrases all the time, often to justify their own entrenched viewpoints. We have all heard people speak passionately about something (like camp!) and then throw in the phrase, “Research says!” without...
