Effective Camp
for outdoor ministry professionals
Camp Wisdom Speaks
What you do as a leader in outdoor ministry is a critical part of the ecology of faith formation. The experiences and encounters you dream up, create, and execute for campers serves to nurture faith, build character, strengthen families, and support congregations for the sake of each camper and for the sake of the world.
The wisdom of camp works when 5 Fundamental Characteristics come together in balance.
Share the story
When the 5 Fundamentals of Effective Camp come together, outdoor ministires become an integral part of faith forming experience. Use the resources below to tell the story of effective camp, and the difference it can make in the lives of campers. These resources help you make the case for camp.
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.
Ministers who Undervalue Camp, Group 3: Skeptics
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...
Ministers who Value Camp, Group 1: Enthusiasts
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...
Do Pastors Value Camp?
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...
Surprise! The Most Influential Ministry Space
We set out to study the impacts of working on camp summer staff. In our survey of more than 3,000 pastors and deacons, we made a surprising discovery about the most influential ministry space.
COVID-19 Slams Outdoor Ministries Like Steel on Flint, Sparking Innovation
COVID-19 devoted camp and retreat ministries in terms of guest numbers, revenue, and staffing. In the midst of the pandemic, directors have used their creativity to survive and set their ministries up for new life in a post-pandemic world.
There WILL be Camp! 5 Reasons we will have summer camp in 2021
Millions lost out on summer camp in 2020. Amidst the ongoing uncertainty with the COVID-19 pandemic, there is great hope for summer camp 2021! Camp staff are deemed essential workers, half of U.S. adults will be vaccinated by summer, and people are clamoring for camp!
New Publication: Christian Camp Shines
Sacred Playgrounds collaborated with other researchers on a new publication about the impacts of summer camp (see the article HERE). Those of us who have experienced the power of camp and witnessed the impacts on hundreds of campers and staff over the years know that...
Camp: A Calm Port in the COVID-19 Storm
Summer camp looked different in 2020. For hundreds of camps across the country, it looked empty and quiet. Many were forced to make the difficult decision of cancelling their in-person programs. Millions of young people missed out on camp this summer, part of a...
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 Your Impact
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.
Conduct research at your camp
Talk with a Team Member
Take the E-Course!
Gather your outdoor ministry team and engage the Effective Camp research through an interactive E-Course! This will guide you through intentional reflection on the five fundamental characteristics in your specific context.
