Effective Camp
for pastors and ministy professionals
Camp Wisdom Speaks
Lasting and intentional partnership between camps, churches, and families creates an incredibly impactful environment for campers of all ages. Outdoor ministry leaders and local faith community leaders are on the same team, working together to create spaces and expriences for people to get to know God and each other more deeply.
The 5 Fundamentals of Effective Camp lay out an ecology of characteristics of camps that create impact. Learn more about what these look like and how some also apply to your local church.
Share the story
When the 5 Fundamentals of Effective Camp come together, outdoor ministries become an integral part of the faith forming ecology. Use the resources below to help tell the story of how camp and the local church can work together toward effective faith formation.
Shareables
Below you’ll find your easy button on things to share about effective camp. These graphics and written statements help you tell the story of camps like yours and the depth of impact your ministry can offer in partnership with churches and families. The images are downloadable just by clicking. They are sized ideally for Facebook, work great in Instagram and Twitter, and can be embedded in your websites and emails as well.
“The Christian summer camp experience impacts campers in positive ways that extends to their families, churches and others.” Learn more at effectivecamp.com
“90% of those attending a Christian summer camp like ours report that they grew in faith.” Contact us at ______________to learn more and go to effectivecamp.com
“97% of those attending a Christian summer camp like ours report that they had fun!” Contact us at ______________to learn more and go to effectivecamp.com
“Kids report that they feel safe at Christian summer camp because of the powerful relationships they form.” Contact us at ______________to learn more and go to effectivecamp.com
“Kids report that by growing in faith at camp it helps them in their daily life back home.” Contact us at ______________to learn more and go to effectivecamp.com
“Camp doesn’t end when the week is over, research shows that it has lasting effective. Many campers read their Bible more, pray with their family more, and attend church more.” Contact us at ______________to learn more and go to effectivecamp.com
Articles + Blog Posts
Feel free to use and share these posts on your websites, in your newsletters, and in conversations with other leaders, pastors, parents, and supporters.
The Next Generation of Counselors: Day Camp at Genesis Church
In Noblesville, Indiana, an outer suburb north of Indianapolis, the counselors in training (CITs) create a cheering tunnel for more than 120 elementary-aged children and their families to welcome them all to day camp at Genesis Church. Between two campuses, Genesis...
We are Family – Beautiful Savior Day Camp
I felt like I was walking into a family reunion. I arrived around 1 pm on a muggy Wednesday afternoon to Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Bloomfield Hills is a city of about 4,000, but it appears to be growing quite rapidly. There was nothing...
Bringing Camp to the Congregation: Holy Cross Day Camp
There was a collective gasp in the crowd, as everyone’s attention focused immediately on our guest. “This is Tulip,” she announced affectionately. Rarely have I seen a presenter so effectively capture their audience, especially when the audience consists primarily of...
All of the Energy: Day Camp at Res Life
“Friends! The rope is ice cream!” shouts a counselor to their campers. The campers are doing the Flying Squirrel together, a high ropes course element that requires the entire cabin group to pull a rope attached to a camper wearing a harness who is then pulled into...
Affirmed Counselors Affirming: Day Camp at Epiphany UMC
It is an unexpected sight to walk into day camp in July and see a fully decorated Christmas tree with presents underneath and a big screen projecting a Yule log burning. That is how the meeting room at Epiphany United Methodist Church is adorned when SpringHill is on...
Crowns for Jesus – Spring Hill Day Camp at 2.42 Community Church
2.42 Community Church is unlike any church I’ve ever seen before. It functions as a community center – there’s a soccer field in the center of the church, a CrossFit room, an art school, a café and a variety of indoor activities available to the community seven days a...
Reaching the Mind of a Child: Day Camp at Oakwood and Whitestone
The Oakwood/ Whitestone/SpringHill day camp is a collaborative partnership between three organizations. The camp is held at Oakwood Church in Hartland, WI, just west of Milwaukee. The Whitestone church is 15 minutes away. The communities surrounding these...
Ministry for the Community: Day Camp at Trinity Lutheran
Three campers sit with nervous excitement in the middle of the parachute with their hands held above their heads. They sit back-to-back as the counselors and campers around the edges start to walk in a circle, slowly creating a twist in the parachute. The Living Water...
Graphics
You are free to use the 5 Fundamentals of Effective Camp and the Effective Camp Research Project graphics and logo whenever you are sharing about Effective Camp or the Research Project in your communications. The download package is a .zip file with a variety of logo styles and colors. For questions about style and brand standards, contact Jared.
Maximizing Our Impact. Together.
The 5 Fundamentals work. When each of these pillars are intentionally planned and faithfully practiced, the faith forming impact of camp is realized in the lives of participants, and extends to their families and communities back home.
Where do we go from here?
Below you’ll find your easy button on things to share about effective camp. These graphics and written statements help you tell the story of camps like yours and the depth of impact your ministry can offer in partnership with churches and families. The images are downloadable just by clicking. They are sized ideally for Facebook, work great in Instagram and Twitter, and can be embedded in your websites and emails as well.
Talk with a Team Member
