Photo by Adam Lum
This weekend (March 4-6, 2011) roughly 80 guides will participate in an intense weekend of wilderness ministry training in preparation for leading hundreds of kids in the wilderness this summer. I am often asked, “What the critical components to developing and sustaining a high quality outdoor ministry program”, and I would say that excellent guide training is the top of my list.
This weekend’s “Counseling and Content” training will equip guides in the heart and skills of safely and effectively introducing kids to Christ and helping them grow in their faith through guided wilderness adventures. Guides from Young Life’s Wilderness Ranch, and Young Life’s RMR as well as guides from Mountain View Backcountry and several other churches will be participating in this weekend’s training as part of their preparation to guide next summer.
I’ve listed the schedule for our weekend below to illustrate Wilderness Ministry Institute‘s approach to teaching the soft skills of guide training:
Day 1 (Friday):
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
8:45-9:30 Devotion Kyle
9:30-10:30 Heart of Guiding: Ash
10:30-11:00 Morning Tea
11:00-12:00 Full Spectrum Youth Ministry: Ash
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-1:45 Why Adventure Camping? Tom
1:45-2:00 Break
2:00-3:00 Basic Counseling: Jon
3:00-3:15 Afternoon Tea
3:15-4:15 Gospel on the Trail: Jon
4:15-6:00 Free Time / Fun run
6:00-7:00 Dinner
7:00-7:30 WMI Vision: Ash
7:30-8:30 Prayer: Matt
Day 2 (Saturday):
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
8:45-9:30 Devotion
9:30-10:00 Small Group Dynamics: Tom
10:00-10:15 Morning Tea
10:15-11:15 Teachable Moments / Techniques: Tom
11:15-11:30 Grab bagged lunch for the road
11:30-12:30 Leave & drive for afternoon combined training with YL at Frontier Ranch
1:00-2:00 Game of Guiding (Time Management): Doug Clapp
2:15-3:15 Jesus’ intentionality in using Outdoors: Outcomes / Objectives: Ash
3:30-4:30 Run (2 miles–timed in BV w/ WR)
4:30-5:15 Drive back toCabin
5:45-6:15 Gear / Pro Deals: Thomas
6:30-7:30 Dinner
7:45-8:30 Worship Naomi
Day 3 (Sunday):
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
8:45-9:45 Girl / Guy Prayer Time
10:00-11:00 Leading Great Discussion and Setting-up Great Quiet Times (Inductive Study): Jon 11:00-11:15 Morning Tea
11:15-12:00 Conflict Resolution: Kathleen
12:00-12:45 Lunch
12:45-1:15 Decision Making: Jon
1:30-2:30 Managing Wilderness Ministry Programs (Discussion Panel)
2:30-3:30 Pack-up / Clean / Leave
If you would like more information on how to start a wilderness adventure or outdoor ministry in your church or organization, feel free to contact our wilderness ministry architects at WMI.
Ashley Denton
Author, Christian Outdoor Leadership: Theology, Theory, and Practice & Director, Wilderness Ministry Institute
