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Youth
/ College Ministry
Youth
and college ministry is a tremendous place to use real, well-facilitated
adventure ministry for many reasons, not the least of which
is that it's such a departure from the mainstream of hype-based,
smoke-and-mirrors style of "ministry" that is so
prevelant today. After many years in the youth ministry trenches
of VA, NC, TN, and NY, we've found that very few things have
the potential to carry students substantially down the path
of transformation into Christlikeness, and living in Christian
community like focused adventure ministry. Our brand of adventure
programming is a stark departure from the average "Christian
adventure camp" where adventure activities are mere gimmicks
and hooks to get kids to come to camp, so that they here the
talks during the "real ministry" of the evening
sessions. For students who come to an Adventure Guild camp
/ retreat experience, each day, from moment to moment, is
shot through with Kingdom Reality and with spiritual parallels
that weave together to create a tapestry of experiential learning
that can be truly remarkable! When you combine our 6-month,
Spiritual Challenge discipleship program with a culmination
Spiritual Challenge camp or trip, you maximize learning and
growth potential. Visit our "Download Forms"
page to download a free overview of our Spiritual
Challenge for youth groups.
Men's Ministry
John Eldredge, in his landmark book
Wild at Heart, noted that men long for "...an
adventure to live!" Men's adventure ministry is an incredibly
powerful tool for life change among men, because in the midst
of experiencing adventure, they begin to see the spiritual
parallels that point to the real adventure of Christian living
that God has called all men to. Through various adventure
experiences, directed meditation on Scripture and Creation,
times of solitude and silence, deep interactive discussions,
and other spiritual disciplines, men begin to truly connect
with God - some for the first time in their lives - and begin
to catch a vision for the possibilities of life in God's Kingdom,
of what it might mean to have an adventure to live.
Women's
Ministry
Among women's ministry, we are not aware of any other organizations
that are leading adventure-based women's ministry. However,
from what we've experienced, it's an approach that holds deep
opportunities for healing, hope, growth, and the development
of real "organic community" for women within a congregation
who are willing to step out and risk. Women's adventures can
be mellow or extreme, depending upon the needs of a particular
group, and they typically take place within a camp setting
in order to provide some measure of comfort for those who
need it. In development now, is "Metamorphasis",
our ladies study that provides groundwork and preparation
for ladies adventures. Call Kim, our co-owner and office manager
to find out more about this cutting-edge ministry tool!
Marriage
Ministry
Trust, Communication, Risk, Planning, Problem-Solving, Love,
Commitment and Support. All these are critical components
to a healthy, loving marriage. All of these issues are also
routinely illustrated through the activities and elements
undertaken in adventure ministry, which makes adventure ministry
a natural and powerful tool for positively impacting Christian
marriages. Through adventure-based marriage retreats, couples
experience a "laboratory" where they can explore
these issues (and many others), along with their attendant
emotions, and begin to apply the strategies developed in the
adventure activities to their own lives and marriages. It's
a potentially deep and bonding experience that can yeild great
spiritual fruit for couples who are willing to take the journey!
Marriage retreats can be either camp-based or backcountry
based.
Part
of the youth staff for 2nd Reformed Church - Marion, NY
on their Spiritual Challenge Trip - 2002
Church
Staff Team Development
Church leadership - both lay leadership and professional leadership
- is at best in today's world, a joyful challenge. At worst,
it can be a difficult couldron of tension, power-mongering,
anger, resentment, and a whole host of other ugly things that
bring ministry to a halt and leaves people wounded and bitter.
It should not be so - or so says the Scriptures! The Bible has
much to say about church leadership and the relational dynamics
that go with it. At The Adventure Guild, we have a passion to
help church leaders learn to lead effectively, not only as individuals,
but as a well-meshed team, as illustrated by the Body of Christ.
Because we have been there, in leadership, in the Board and
Business meetings, in the trenches of church ministry, we understand
the struggles of leadership within the church and what it takes
to be successful - from God's perspective. Adventure ministry,
with its attendant dynamics make a perfect classroom for working
out the issues of church leadership. Not only the team issues,
but the soul issues, which underlie all that we do. Jesus said,
" a student is not above his teacher. But when a student
is fully taught, he will be like his teacher." Which means
that the church will never learn to work together and love one
another, if their leaders don't. Maybe it's time for a Church
Staff Team Development Retreat for your church's staff.
Christian
Camp and Conference Center Staff
The Adventure Guild provides many levels of staff training,
particularly technical ropes course staff training, for camps
and conference centers all around the southeast. An additional
training that we have begun offering is the philosophy and
techniques that underlie distictly Christian facilitation
- the way that The Adventure Guild does adventure ministry.
For many camps and retreat centers, thr ropes courses and
adventure activities have never really been used in direct
ministry, or to make ministry applications. Through our staff
training, we teach Christian camps how to use every element
of thier camp day to make an impact for the Kingdom of God!
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Students
from NJ experience the Spiritual Challenge on the Fiery
Gizzard Trail, in East Tennesee!
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