Camping ministry isn’t just a program of the church—it is holy ground.
Growing up, I never attended summer camp, and I never worked on camp staff. But every year, our family gathered for reunions at Camp Au Sable in Grayling, Michigan. Those weekends left an impact on my heart that cannot be erased.
Even now, I can smell the Fort bunkhouse. I remember the creak of the kitchen door followed by its familiar, slam! I hear Reveille echoing through the morning air as we stumbled out of bed. I remember the horses, the unmistakable scent of the nature center, swinging bridges, walks around the lake, and ping-pong balls bouncing in the cafeteria.
But most of all, I remember meeting Jesus.
Not just once—but many times. In quiet moments. In worship. In laughter with friends. In the stillness of nature. Camp became a place where heaven felt close, where God spoke softly, and where my heart learned to listen.
These moments shaped who I am today. They planted in me a love for ministry and a desire to serve—seeds that would one day grow into a calling.
Today, I have the privilege of serving as camp ministries director at Glacier View Ranch, a summer camp and conference retreat center in Ward, Colorado. Over the past two years, I have watched God move in powerful ways through our staff, volunteers, and campers.
Camp is more than a beautiful mountain setting. In a world overwhelmed by chaos, anxiety, social media pressure, and constant noise, camp offers something sacred—quietness, community, and the love of Jesus.
Summer camp also stretches kids to become leaders—teaching responsibility, courage, and faith through challenge and guided choices. Young adults discover space to slow down and hear God’s voice. Like I once did, they begin to understand who God is calling them to be.
When I asked Grace Carlson, one of our staff kids, why camp is special to her, she said, “It brings a lot of peace to people, including me. It brings you closer to Jesus because you know He’s here. Summer camp means making new friends.”
In 2025 alone, we served over 100 groups—55 Adventist groups and 38 non-Adventist nonprofit organizations from our surrounding community, along with countless individuals. Through these ministries, more than 23 baptisms took place at camp, and over 40 people committed their lives to Jesus with plans to be baptized in their home churches.
These are not statistics. These are souls.
As we move into 2026, we recognize just how deeply camp ministry has impacted the Rocky Mountain Conference and beyond. And we are leaning in—not pulling back. Now is the time to invest in the next generation, to help them feel loved and meet Jesus. And that makes camp essential to our ministry.
—Jonathan Carlson is the Rocky Mountain Conference camp ministries director.
Website: www.rmcyouth.org/camp
