Serving as youth pastors Scott and Jeff found camp ministry to be one of the most effective times for their respective student ministries.  Students found a relationship with God at camp.  Christian students renewed their commitment to walk with Christ each day.  The effectiveness of camp ministry was making an impact on these two young youth pastors as well.  The frustration they both shared was in the lack of quality programming and a camp ministry philosophy that would value the local church, its leadership, and the youth workers who invested so much time with their students. 

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God was planting seeds of vision in these early conversations, individually God began to stir a calling to leave traditional church ministry to effectively reach the lost generation each had been called to reach.

 

In 2006 Jeff founded a student evangelistic ministry under the banner Vertical Life Ministries.  In 2009 VLM hosted its first camp.  Taking over for Word of Life Ministries.  Jeff reached out to Scott and asked if he would help with camp programming.  This marked their first combined effort into camp ministry.  Around this same time, Scott and two of his college friends started Elevate Worldwide.  They agreed to provide programming at VLM’s second year of camp while they recruited and planned for a camp week of their own.  Elevate Worldwide recruited their first churches and in 2011 hosted their first camp.  

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In 2012 Elevate Worldwide and Vertical Life joined forces to form Elevate.  It has proven to be a fruitful partnership. Our common background, philosophy, and vision combined with different gifts have given us a strong foundation. God has since guided our families and added to our team. Duane Helle brings a lifetime of service and passion for students to our team.  Ridge Macintosh volunteered and came on full time in 2024. 

 

Elevate grew to filling 3 weeks of camp to capacity.  We added Unite Environmental Camps to our programming.  Elevate had exhausted the sessions available to us and had begun looking for alternate locations to host additional camp weeks.   While we searched God was moving in the hearts of the directors of Lassen Pines to find a buyer willing to continue the original vision of a Christian camping.

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In 2024 Elevate launched a CAMPaign to raise funds for a down payment.  The staff and board had long felt a calling to operate full time at Lassen Pines.  The timing had just not presented itself, until it did.  Just when we had given up on closing a deal, God provided financing and we were able to make an offer.  June 14th we closed escrow and launched our first season operating both the facility and Elevate camp programs. 

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With little time to prepare our team geared up and worked hard to provide for guest groups and then our own camps.  The summer was not without some difficulties as a fire threatened the camp.  Eventually we were forced to evacuate campers and cancel several guest groups.  God protected the camp property and we were able to re open.  

 

What's NEXT?  We have a long list of deferred maintenance to address. A cabin to rebuild and many improvements on our list.  We look to faithfully steward this great camp facility and reach as many with the gospel as we God gives us opportunity.