CASE STUDY • PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JACKSON HOLE • JACKSON HOLE, WY
From a single beloved trip to a year-round, multi-modal wilderness ministry
How a two-day training equipped wilderness ministry leaders with the vision, confidence, and practical tools to create more intentional outdoor experiences.
A Two-Day Wilderness Ministry Leadership Training. Spring 2026
WHAT WE BUILT TOGETHER
Wilderness Formation hosted a team of emerging wilderness ministry leaders for a two-day immersive training focused on building both practical leadership skills and a deeper theology of outdoor ministry.
Over the course of the weekend, participants engaged with the core Wilderness Formation framework:
The full WF curriculum, condensed for a team ready to apply it back home immediately:
Foundations of wilderness ministry, including theology, vocation, and the role of the outdoor facilitator
Trip design and logistics, with hands-on planning exercises
Risk management and participant care in the backcountry
Content development and facilitation for meaningful outdoor experiences
Spiritual formation through wilderness experiences
Building intentional, Christ-centered outdoor communities
Rather than focusing solely on outdoor skills, the training equipped leaders to create experiences that foster connection with God, community, and creation.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS TOOK AWAY
"You’ve given me a whole new perspective. I remember we were trying to start this and were sort of just flailing around, but now this is such a more significant effort and more clarification around building better programs. Thank you"
BILL K.
Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole
Leaders left with a clearer understanding that wilderness ministry is not simply organizing outdoor activities—it is intentionally creating experiences that invite spiritual reflection, meaningful conversation, and growth.
Greater Confidence in Leadership.
Hands-on trip planning exercises gave participants practical tools they could immediately apply.
Several participants highlighted trip logistics, facilitator training, and practice planning sessions as some of the most valuable aspects of the weekend.
The combination of ministry philosophy and practical systems helped leaders move from inspiration to implementation.
Personal Spiritual Formation.
The training also impacted participants beyond their leadership roles. One participant reflected on the concept of Shalom:
Creating a Stronger Foundation for Meaningful Outdoor Ministry.
THE IMPACT
The training strengthened the foundation for sustainable wilderness ministry by helping leaders:
Develop a shared vision for outdoor ministry
Understand the unique role of content and facilitation in trip experiences
Gain confidence in planning and leading trips
Build practical competency around logistics and risk management
Deepen their own spiritual formation and leadership intentionality
Most importantly, leaders left with a renewed understanding that wilderness ministry is about more than getting people outside—it's about creating space where faith, community, and creation intersect in meaningful ways.
Healthy Wilderness Ministries are Built by Healthy Leaders.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The most significant outcome of this training wasn't simply new information—it was a shift in perspective. Participants left seeing themselves not as trip organizers, but as facilitators of experiences that help people encounter God, connect with one another, and engage creation with intention.
When leaders gain both practical skills and theological clarity, they return home equipped to build outdoor ministries that are sustainable, meaningful, and deeply transformative for their communities.
A New Understanding of Purpose.
Participants repeatedly identified content facilitation and intentional trip design as the most valuable parts of the weekend.
"Strive for the thriving of all living things. That really got me thinking deeper about how I interact with everything around me."
ADAM J.
Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole
Others described becoming more intentional in their actions, relationships, and integration of faith into outdoor experiences. The weekend served not only as leadership development but also as personal spiritual formation.
Could your church be next?
If PCJH's story resonates, let's talk. A 15-minute conversation will tell us both whether Wilderness Ministry Training, at your church or with us at Snoqualmie Pass, is right for your community.