What is Camp? Part IV: Partner in Ministry

Christian camping is about ministry. Previous posts in this series have emphasized that camp is much more than fun and games. Camps are centers of faith formation. The ministry at camp focuses on meeting participants where they are in their faith journey and accompanying them through unique experiences.

But the ministry at camp does not stand on its own. Camping ministers have widely acknowledged this because of the nature of camping ministry as temporary. The fact that the experience has a set beginning and end heightens the awareness that participants have left something behind to which they will eventually have to return. It is this temporary nature that allows camping ministers to understand that they are partners in ministry, particularly with families, colleges, and congregations.

Partnership is an important concept in ministry. Congregations are sometimes seen as the centers of faith life, with other ministries subservient. This relationship is not a partnership. A partnership does not necessarily entail an equal relationship, but it does imply a mutual dependence. Congregations are not stand-alone ministries, and ministry professionals are increasingly acknowledging this. There is widespread recognition that the home is the epicenter of faith formation and that congregations are partners in ministry with the home. Camps should be seen as another partnership ministry that shares a mutual dependence with the ministry of the home, the ministry of the congregation, and other related ministries (among them, campus ministries). Camps are not expendable. Congregations and families depend on them as ministry partners.

The initial survey of the Outdoor Ministry Research Project shows that there is widespread recognition in Mainline Protestant camping that camp is a ministry partner. It is interesting to note that there is also evidence that the partnership is strained in some cases.

Intergenerational camp worship, with ELCA bishop (right)

78% of camp directors “moderately agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement, “Camp worship/programs are designed to get campers more excited about and engaged in their home congregation.” This item shows that there is intentionality in the camp programming with regard to partnering with congregations.

Directors were also asked to indicate the importance that their camp places on the items “Strengthen/support congregations” and “Strengthen/support families.” 74% indicated that “Strengthen/support families” is “very” or “extremely important,” and 58% indicated the same for “Strengthen/support congregations.” These numbers indicate that there is widespread recognition that camp serves an important role with respect to strengthening families. The comparatively lower number for congregations deserves closer attention.

The importance placed on “strengthen/support congregations” is sharply divided along denominational lines. On the high end, 78% of Lutheran (ELCA) camps indicate that this item is “very” or “extremely important.” However, less than half of both the Episcopal and Presbyterian (PC-USA) camps say the same (43% and 48%, respectively). Methodist (UMC) camps come in at the average (59%). These numbers raise serious concerns about how camping ministry is seen in certain faith traditions.

Clergy involvement also varies among denominational traditions. Significantly higher percentages of ELCA and UMC camps report “Many congregational leaders/clergy are heavily involved in the ministries of the camp” compared with the other traditions. Significantly fewer PCUSA camps report high clergy involvement than non-PCUSA camps.

The difference is also reflected in the camps’ evaluation techniques. Consistently across the denominations, about 50% of camps say that they survey parents “asking them to evaluate the experience of their children.” However, camps were also asked if they “survey clergy or other congregational leaders asking them to evaluate the programs.” While 54% of ELCA camps indicated that they survey clergy, only 25% of Episcopal, 22% of UMC, and 19% of Presbyterian camps indicated the same.

Taken together, these numbers suggest that there is a widespread recognition in the ELCA that camp is an important ministry partner with both congregations and families. The recognition of the partnership with congregations is in doubt in other traditions, most notably in the PC-USA.

These mixed results reflect a developing crisis in Christian camping ministry (see previous post). A deterioration of partnerships reflects problems in the ministry ecology of a faith tradition. If camping ministry is devalued, clergy and congregational leaders pull away from the ministry, and camping leaders may respond by also pulling away.

The issue is not survival. This is not a "Join or Die" scenario. Congregations were around long before camping ministry became widespread in Mainline traditions in the 1940s and 50s. Congregations are not going away if camps die. Likewise, camps find ways to survive without congregational support. Comparing the camps in the survey that showed evidence of strong ties to their denominational traditions/teachings with those that showed weak ties, there is no significant difference in their 2014 camper enrollment capacity or enrollment trends. There is no evidence that strong congregational ties save camps from financial ruin. On the contrary, some camps may shy away from tying themselves to the sinking ship of their denomination. If both camps and congregations die, the Holy Spirit will enliven another expression of church. It is not a survival issue.

It is a ministry issue. We are stronger together, and we can minister more effectively with young people and families if we recognize the importance of partnership. Congregations do not need camps, and camps do not need congregations. But the Church needs both. God is at work in both. Isn’t that reason enough to strengthen our partnerships?

What is Camp? Part III: Center of Faith Formation

The American Camp Association published the Directions study in 2005 (click for the report), which gave empirical evidence that summer campers show significant gains in 10 positive development constructs, and most of these gains continue over time. One of these developmental outcomes was “spirituality,” and the study noted that campers attending religiously affiliated camps show the most gains in this outcome. This is a significant finding, and yet “spirituality” is a slippery concept. It was used in the Directions study in a way that could apply to all types of camps, not just religious camps. Christian camping ministry is a particular model of camp that goes beyond general notions of “spirituality” to Christian education, faith formation, and discipleship.

Some have expressed skepticism of camp’s commitment to faith formation, suggesting that camp is mostly a secular venture lightly seasoned with Christian rhetoric. In one of the precious few scholarly articles on Christian camping, Karen-Marie Yust studies a variety of Christian camps in Indiana, concluding that they do not look much different from secular camps.[1] She notes that Christian camps make claims of life-changing moments and “mountain top experiences” that are not backed up by much more than end-of-week surveys and anecdotal accounts. She suggests that camps are not the “idyllic” worlds they are made out to be, and she calls for more research.

The research project currently underway began in the fall with a survey of camps across the country in several Mainline Protestant traditions. Data is based on responses from 332 camps in all 50 states, and it represents Christian camping in the Mainline tradition.

More than 92% of camp directors “moderately agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement: 

Faith formation/practices should be incorporated into all aspects of camp life. 

Only one other item had as much agreement on the survey (see previous post).

Faith formation (not some generalized “spirituality”) is clearly a high priority in Christian camping. Rather than compartmentalizing faith activities from the fun and games of camp, these camps prioritize the incorporation of faith into all that they do. In fact, they rate faith formation higher than fun in terms of camp priorities. Both “individual faith formation” and “facilitating participants’ experiences of or encounters with God” were rated higher priorities than “fun for all participants” (see previous post).

The centrality of faith in camp is also evident in the schedule of activities. Camp directors were asked to give the expected frequency of various camp practices that all or the majority of their summer campers would engage in (from “rarely or never” to “many times per day”). There were five practices that stood out in terms of frequency, with an average at or near daily. They are, in order:

1)            Group prayer (98% report at least daily)

2)            Group singing (96% report at least daily)

3)            Worship (86% report at least daily)

4)            Group Bible study (90% report at least daily)

5)            Large group games/“all camp” (70.4% report at least daily)

There are several things to notice here in terms of faith formation. First of all, the faith practices of corporate prayer, worship, and Bible study all happen more frequently at our camps than large group games. Second, these are daily practices at camp. Even the young people most active in their home congregations seldom worship or participate in Bible study more than once a week, and the vast majority participate in these practices much less frequently. Third, remember that these camps prioritize incorporating faith practices into all aspects of camp life. That means that the songs they are singing together are Christian songs, and even the large group games are often related to faith.

These camps are not compartmentalizing faith experiences. Faith practices are at the very center of the camp programs. Campers at our Christian camps are embedded in what is unmistakably intentional Christian community. They live together, eat together, and play together. They also worship, pray, and study scriptures together. There are few places where young people can engage in this depth of Christian community for an extended period of time while “unplugged” from mobile devices and unhealthy social environments. Camp is a unique place of Christian encounter (with God and Christian community) that is indispensible to the Church.

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[1] Karen-Marie Yust, “Creating an Idyllic World for Children’s Spiritual Formation,” International Journal of Children’s Spirituality 11 (2006), 177-188.

What is Camp? Part II: A Place to Unplug

The Outdoor Ministry Research Project questionnaire was distributed last fall, and more than 300 camps responded. One section of the questionnaire asked camp directors to assess their camp’s overall philosophy with respect to 13 statements on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). There was widespread agreement on several of the statements, but two were far and away the ones with the most consensus. These two statements are:

Camp is a place to unplug from technology (no cell phones, computers)

Faith formation/practices should be incorporated into all aspects of camp life.

The second of these two will be taken up in a subsequent post. For now, let’s focus on camp as a place to unplug. This statement had the most consensus of all the philosophy statements on the questionnaire. Fully 93% of directors say that their camp’s philosophy “moderately agrees” or “strongly agrees” with this statement, and there is no significant variation across denominational or geographic lines. That is to say, nearly every mainline Protestant camp in every corner of the United States has a philosophy that says camp is a place to unplug from technology.

But what does it mean to unplug? Those of us in the camping world know that debates rage about how to incorporate technology into camp programs and atmosphere. Some camps pride themselves at being primitive camps, but we can’t even agree on what that means. It might mean no running water, no electricity, no engines, and meals cooked over the open fire, but it might simply indicate that the cabins don’t have AC. In fact, many of the Christian camps in the United States do have AC in the cabins, and they might use an LCD projector to display song lyrics or show videos during instructional times. These camps all agree with the philosophy of camp is a place to unplug. The debate about primitive camps and resort camps is nothing new in the camping world. Even the earliest camp directors in the 1880s lambasted each other for running camps that were too resort-like.

Of those camps that “strongly agree” that camp is a place to unplug from technology, more than 1/4 report that their typical campers “use or see multi-media/technology” at least daily (just over 1/3 say “rarely or never”). 1/3 of them do not even have outdoor cooking on a weekly basis. The purists among us are ready to cry, “Foul!” What does it mean to be unplugged if it does not mean separation from technology and multi-media devices?

Clearly, most of our camp directors do not consider unplugging from technology to mean the absence of electronics. On the contrary, some use electronic gadgets to enhance their ministry (like showing end-of-week videos or projecting song lyrics). Some even use electronics to enhance the experience of the outdoors (like using a night sky app to stargaze or an electronic field guide to identify plants). How do we ask our campers to unplug from all electronic devices when their Bibles are electronic?

Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods describes the epidemic of nature-deficit disorder. Louv identifies tremendous consequences of our young people losing connection to the natural world. I deeply resonate with his concerns, and I passionately believe that we need to get people outside. That is part of the camp philosophy of unplugging, but there is even more at stake than connection with nature. The ability to unplug at camp allows space for face-to-face relationships that are becoming increasingly rare in youth culture.

To unplug at camp means much more than casting aside technology in favor of a more primitive lifestyle. It means unplugging from routines in order to envision a radically new way of living. Camp intentionally takes people out of their home environments and brings them together in Christian community. More and more, young people in our society live in routines that involve constant screen time. Their very relationships and ways of interacting with other human beings are mediated by electronic devices.

Unplugging means showing our own faces – not the polished profiles we use in our online personalities, but our true faces, complete with our imperfections and frailties. Camp means encountering the other and being forced to reckon with their humanity. When a dispute arises at camp, we teach forgiveness and reconciliation as opposed to posting disparaging comments or unfriending. Face-to-face interaction means showing a depth of self beyond emoticons. Unplugging at camp means giving young people a chance to explore their identity and faith in a safe place away from home, giving them a chance to own their faith and live into their identity as child of God.

I have spoken with many camp directors and counselors who talk about their campers going through a period of detox after arriving at camp. They say that it often takes young people several days to grow accustomed to life without texting their friends or checking their social media accounts every few minutes. Our young people need these times to unplug. They need times of genuine encounter – with the outdoors and, more importantly, with their fellow human beings.

What is Camp? Part I: More than Fun and Games

In the fall of 2014, Christian camps across the country were surveyed to get a first of its kind snapshot of Christian camping ministry. Directors from 332 camps in all 50 states and representing multiple mainline Protestant denominations responded to the survey. In the 4 denominations targeted (Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, and Presbyterian), there was a 62% response rate, making this a very reliable sample. In a series of questions, they were asked to rate the importance their camps place on 17 items (from “1 - not important at all” to “5 - extremely important”).

As expected, “Fun for all participants” was rated very highly in terms of importance. Those who direct Christian camps agree that it is very important for camp to be fun. It is significant to note that “fun” was not rated the most important part of camp. In fact, it came in at number 6. If “fun” is used as a benchmark for what everyone agrees that camp should be, then the 5 items that Christian camps across the country rank as more important should be considered the top priorities of Christian camping ministry. These items include, in order of rated importance:

1) Participant safety

2) Fellowship and community building

3) Self esteem and character building

4) Facilitating participants’ experiences of or encounters with God

5) Individual faith formation

6) Fun for all participants

These priorities of Christian camps paint a picture of the ministry that includes but goes far beyond fun and games. It is no surprise that “safety” is ranked number 1, given the tremendous responsibility that camps have in caring for other people’s children. The other items are instructive to those who tend to dismiss camp as glorified babysitting or simply fun and games.

Camps are places of fellowship. People of different generations gather together and form community. In so doing, they have face-to-face encounters with those who are different from them and learn what it is to be in intentional Christian community.

Camps focus on self esteem and character. It is important for each camper to know that he or she is a beloved child of God and that God has a plan for his/her life. It is important for campers to recognize that they have been given spiritual gifts that make them unique individuals and vital members of the Body of Christ.

Camp is a place where experiences of God are taken seriously. God shows up in this world, and camps are liminal spaces where participants have a heightened awareness that God is present and active in this world.

Camps are places of individual faith formation. Camp directors want the young people in their care to grow in their faith, and the programs reflect this priority.

These four priorities – fellowship, self-esteem, encountering God, and faith formation – are contained in an environment that is SAFE and FUN. This is what camp is.

Camp sometimes gets a bad rap. When people ask me about the field I am studying for my doctorate and I say, “Camp,” I get a lot of sniggers and raised eyebrows. No, seriously, what are you studying?

There is something about the word “camp” that makes people laugh or roll their eyes. It’s almost like “camp” is a 4-letter word. Some have suggested (and I have seriously considered) dropping the word because it is difficult to take seriously. There is something more official-sounding about the term “outdoor ministry.” Besides, it encompasses a greater diversity of programs than a word like “camp” (e.g. retreat ministries and adventure trips). It is usually not a positive comment when something is described as “campy.”

But I am not ready to give up on the word. Say it to someone who has been there, and the word transports them to another place, a place of fellowship, acceptance, and the movement of the Spirit. At the word “camp,” I have seen people break into smiles, tear up, and (most frequently) launch into stories. For those who have had a camp experience, the word is loaded with meaning. For those who have not been there, camp people seem a little crazy. Camp seems banal, overdone, and outrageously artificial – in short, campy.

Academics (and many clergy members) stay clear of camp because it is viewed as theologically shallow and of dubious educational value. Camp seems to be not much more than fun and games.

I am not opposed to the fun and games of camp. On the contrary, I think this is one of camp’s greatest strengths and a primary reason to retain a playful word like “camp.” Camp is recreational and experiential. In a world that is increasingly sterilized and standardized, especially for our young people, we need more places like camp. However, it is a mischaracterization to reduce camp to “fun and games” because there are more important priorities that camps focus on. These new data demonstrate that truth.

Camp is a place of fellowship. Camp is a place to build self-esteem. Camp is a place to encounter God. Camp is a place to grow in faith.

And we have fun doing it!