In an era when many children’s ministries are competing with packed schedules, digital distractions, and shrinking volunteer teams, the most effective programs are often the ones that turn faith formation into something tangible. Camping Sticks Inc., led by Chief Operating Officer Joleen Steel, has built a discipleship approach designed to help kids move beyond simply hearing Bible stories to living out a clear, repeatable pathway for spiritual growth.
At the center of the ministry is a simple but powerful tool: a physical hiking stick paired with books, devotionals, and activities that guide children to explore God’s world, discover God’s love, and journey God’s way. The result is a format that supports Christian parents and leaders who want children to develop a resilient faith—and the confidence to share Christ naturally and often.
Why a hiking stick works as a discipleship tool
Children learn best when lessons connect to action. Camping Stick Kids uses the hiking stick as a “learning vehicle” that turns abstract ideas—like obedience, prayer, and evangelism—into concrete experiences. Kids earn emblems for their stick as they progress through the pathway, creating visible reminders of what they’ve learned and practiced.
That physical element also becomes a conversation starter outside the church. Parents have reported being surprised by how easily their children share the gospel with strangers because the stick and its emblems invite questions. In other words, the tool doesn’t just reinforce learning; it prompts real-world application.
A clear message: love God, obey His Word, explore His world
Camping Stick Kids is built around one core message: providing a clear pathway for children to understand how to love God, obey His Word, and explore the world He has created. This framing matters because it integrates head knowledge (Scripture), heart formation (love for God), and hands-on discipleship (exploring and engaging the world with purpose).
For churches and families, that combination can help close a common gap in children’s ministry: kids may know the stories, but they may not have been guided into personal discipleship practices that form durable faith over time.
Meeting today’s biggest kids-ministry challenges
Children’s ministry leaders across the country are facing overlapping pressures that make consistent, deep formation difficult. Camping Sticks Inc. identifies several realities that resonate widely:
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Family participation and engagement: Many children attend irregularly, and parents may feel disconnected from what’s being taught.
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Volunteer retention: A shortage of trained adults limits what ministries can deliver week to week.
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Cultural distractions: Technology can keep children in unhealthy cycles of distraction and reduce attention for meaningful engagement.
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Depth of spiritual formation: Bible knowledge doesn’t automatically translate into discipleship habits or gospel confidence.
What makes the Camping Stick Kids model notable is how it addresses these issues with a repeatable system. The pathway is designed to be used by parents, church leaders, and community volunteers—helping distribute the work of discipleship across the whole faith community rather than relying on a small group of overextended leaders.
From church walls to community spaces
Camping Sticks exists not only to serve Sunday programming but also to equip leaders to take ministry into public spaces. The organization encourages outreach at state fairs and community events, where leaders can share the gospel and distribute hiking sticks. This approach aligns with the idea that children’s faith is strengthened when they see it lived out in everyday settings—not restricted to a classroom.
The ministry also advocates for “five-day clubs” and other outreach efforts outside the four walls of the church, reinforcing a missional mindset early in a child’s spiritual development.
A strategic partnership aimed at reaching boys
Camping Sticks Inc. has a strategic partnership with Trail Life USA, supporting efforts to reach boys who may not otherwise walk into a church. This kind of alignment can be especially effective when it connects discipleship to outdoor skills, character formation, and service—areas where many families are already seeking healthy alternatives to passive entertainment.
Technology that supports, not replaces, formation
While digital overload is a real concern, Camping Stick Kids uses technology as a tool for reinforcement and accessibility. The ministry hosts a podcast that correlates with each book, maintains an active YouTube channel with original songs, videos, and DIY resources for parents and leaders, and publishes a weekly newsletter with strong engagement.
Rather than positioning screens as the center of the experience, these resources function as supports—helping families and leaders stay consistent, prepared, and encouraged between gatherings.
How spiritual growth is nurtured week after week
Sustainable discipleship requires more than a single event or lesson plan. Camping Sticks Inc. emphasizes ongoing spiritual support through prayer, weekly encouragement, and devotionals built into its resources. A dedicated prayer team intercedes for the ministry and its members, while regular “word of the week” prompts help keep families oriented toward Christ in practical ways.
This combination—prayer, devotion, and hands-on practice—reflects a holistic view of formation that many children’s ministries want but struggle to implement consistently.
Serving beyond the local community
The ministry’s impact extends internationally as well. Camping Sticks Inc. recently engaged with a missionary group in the Philippines, sending hundreds of books and resources for use in Vacation Bible School programming. Efforts like this highlight how a structured, tool-based pathway can travel across cultures and contexts, especially when it is simple to train and easy to reproduce.
Expanding into a Sunday-morning kids ministry format
Looking ahead, Camping Sticks Inc. is expanding resources to fit more seamlessly into a Sunday morning kids ministry structure. Like many growing organizations, the biggest marketing initiative is awareness—helping churches, parents, and leaders understand what the pathway is and how it can be implemented with the volunteers and time they already have.
For ministries evaluating new curriculum or discipleship tools, the question is often practical: will it help our kids grow, and can our team actually deliver it? A system that pairs story-based learning with a physical object, clear milestones, and community-ready outreach can be an effective answer.
How to involve older kids and build young leaders
One of the most overlooked opportunities in children’s ministry is leadership development among older children. Camping Stick Kids encourages participation through skits, worship, and arts, while also prompting older kids to help lead younger ones in small groups—reading stories, guiding devotionals, and modeling engagement. This approach not only multiplies leadership capacity but also strengthens the older child’s ownership of faith.
Where to learn more about Camping Stick Kids
Church leaders and parents exploring hands-on discipleship resources can learn more about the books, hiking sticks, and the broader pathway by visiting Camping Stick Kids. The ministry’s model is designed to help children understand the gospel clearly, practice faith actively, and carry those habits into everyday life.