CASE STUDY • BEL AIR CHURCH • LOS ANGELES, CA
A team that left ready to build.
Five days at Snoqualmie Pass with Bel Air Church and Calvary Westlake. Theology, facilitation, trip design, risk management, and an overnight workshop under the stars.
6
5 Days
LEADERS TRAINED
AUGUST 18-22
2
9-10
CHURCHES
EVERY RATING, OUT OF 10
THE BEFORE
Vision without a blueprint.
Lead Pastor Drew Sams knew that God uses the wilderness to form people. What the church didn't have was a way to turn that belief into a ministry with equipped leaders, systems, and a framework that could sustain years of outdoor ministry.
"I did not need someone to convince me that wilderness matters. I already believed that. What I was searching for was someone who could show us how to build a wilderness ministry that was theologically grounded, operationally excellent, safe, sustainable, and genuinely integrated into the mission and discipleship life of a local church."Drew Sams · Lead Pastor
WHAT THEY NEEDED
Leaders equipped with vision and repeatable systems
The whole stack underneath a wilderness ministry: the role of the outdoor facilitator, content development, trip design, risk management and incident response, the rhythms that sustain a volunteer-led ministry, and the ability to create experiences other leaders can reproduce. In Drew's words, "You do not have to invent this from scratch."
“As a volunteer facilitator, I simply set the table.” — Amanda Sinele
WHAT WE BUILT TOGETHER
Five Days in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington.
Wilderness Formation led the team through the full five-day wilderness ministry training. The week was scaffolded by experiential learning rather than a classroom approach.
The Role of the Outdoor Facilitator — leading ministry, not just organizing activities
Mission and Vision of Wilderness Ministry — building ownership and shared vision around contextual outdoor ministry in Los Angeles
Content Facilitation — creating and facilitating authentic and accessible trip content
Trip Logistics — the intentional trip plan, with hands-on practice
Risk Management — introduction to risk management with tools to implement in the field and on the backend
Stewardship and Creation Ethic — recovering our first job description as stewards of creation, forming an ethic that leads to a neighborly witness
Overnight Workshop — Group management, risk management scenarios, leave-no-trace best practices, creating teachable moments
MORE THAN LECTURE
A week of experiential training
Over five days, Wilderness Formation trained these leaders in the field, at the dinner table, and around the campfire. Leaders used the word “hospitality” to describe their experience of the week.
| TUESDAY EVENING | Leader training begins. Dinner and the mission conversation at the Dahlstroms'. Vision Born of Dissonance at sunset. The role of a facilitator, and the content theme for the week. |
| WEDNESDAY | Content and trip setup. Facilitation, content design, the intentional trip plan, and the complete experiential curriculum. |
| THURSDAY | Risk management and overnight backpack. Aid station, medchecks, organizational risk management, scenarios, and SOAP notes. Group facilitation and gear check. |
| FRIDAY | Outdoor facilitation workshop. risk management scenarios, leave-no-trace best practices, creating teachable moments. |
| SATURDAY | Systems and debrief. Sustaining a volunteer-led wilderness ministry. Communications, trip logs, debriefs and evaluations. |
| SATURDAY 12pm | Departure. |
“The goal of this training week is that leaders would see wilderness ministry modeled, be equipped with practical tools for creating and facilitating outdoor ministry, and leave as key stakeholders with confidence and clarity in what they’ve signed up for.”
JOHN WAYNE SEITZLER
Executive Director
The blueprint landed and Drew’s vision came to life.
“If you're a pastor or church leader who already senses that the wilderness matters but doesn't know where to begin, I can't imagine a better place to start.”
DREW SAMS
Lead Pastor
WHY THIS MATTERS
Front doors are ready to open.
Whether you’re a lead pastor, church staff, or a congregant who already believes the wilderness forms people, Bel Air is evidence that with training, the way God forms people in the wilderness can reach within and beyond the congregation.
“You guys did a great job. I would say we all feel equipped and able to take the next steps in starting a wilderness ministry. ”
Brian Williams
Calvary Westlake
Could your church be next?
If Bel Air’s story resonates, let's talk. A 20 minute conversation will tell us whether Wilderness Ministry Training, at your church or with us at Snoqualmie Pass, is right for your community.