Why combine Bible study with outdoor adventures?

Seeing the forest from a new perspective along the Pinhoti Trail.

Why outdoor adventures? It’s a question I get quite often about Reboot. Some people think it’s a novelty, but I believe it’s a very effective way to reach people and help them grow as Christians as well as have some fun.

Here are six reasons why I strongly believe spending time on a short adventure in God’s creation can be significant to your spiritual growth. We incorporate all of these concepts into each of our Reboot trips.

1. Change of place = change of perspective

The wilderness provides a chance for a mountaintop perspective. We often get so wrapped-up and focused on the routine of our day-to-day lives down in the valley that it’s easy to lose that big-picture perspective. Getting away from the busyness of our day-to-day lives for a short backpacking or camping trip or even just an afternoon of hiking can give us time to pause, reflect and focus on God’s voice and what He is calling us to do.

Also, the views from the top of a mountain or a spectacular sunset on the river are the type of very humbling reminders of our Creator that are easy to miss when we are stuck inside our homes or workplaces during our day-to-day lives.

 2. A break from technology

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed at the amount of connectivity at our fingertips. I love social media and how it allows us to connect with our friends, family and co-workers but sometimes it is just too much and can even add clutter to our days. Out in the woods, there is no Wi-Fi. It gives us a chance to unplug and recharge. Plus, it is a lot easier to focus on the word of God and hear His voice in the wilderness away from the constant noise and distractions.

3. An outdoor journey

A hike is a journey. You have to exert energy to get from point A to point B. There are times when you are tired, thirsty and challenged. There also are times of exhilaration, celebration and reflection. In short, it sort of mirrors our faith journey.  In my opinion, it’s also much easier to learn something or take away a lesson when you are active and involved in the trip, not just sitting in a room inside a building.

Reboot participants build a campfire near McDill Point in the Cheaha Wilderness.

Plus, it’s outside. It offers a chance to move away from our tendency to hold meetings, classes and Bible studies inside of a building. There is something about the fresh air of the woods, the smell of the campfire, the feeling of physical exertion and sweat on your brow. It feels like living real life.

Also, trends show that more and more younger people are less likely to attend Bible studies and other events inside of a traditional church building. By taking the Bible study into a more adventurous setting, it will hopefully attract people who wouldn’t set foot inside a church building and reach them for Christ and help them get plugged into a church.

4. Time to fellowship with others

The Bible tells us that Christians aren’t meant to travel alone on our faith journey. Wilderness adventures, particularly backpacking trips, are very effective at building relationships between participants. We share meals together, talk about our lives while we are hiking, encourage and motivate each other to not only push through the physical challenges of hiking with pounds of gear on our backs, but also encourage each other to grow spiritually. There is almost no other short-term experience where you get to know other brothers or sisters in Christ so quickly.

Backpacking and camping trips are also very effective at strengthening chemistry and bonds within Bible study groups, Sunday School classes and other already-established groups.

5. Time to be still and be in awe of our Creator

We live in the age of instant gratification. In the city, it is hard to be still with all of the noise and distractions around us. The wilderness gives us a chance to notice things that we would brush right by in our urban lives. Time in the outdoors also heightens our awareness of God by observing His wonderful creation. In fact, Psalm 148 says all of God’s creation sings His praise. There are few experiences more powerful that spending individual quiet time studying and meditating on God’s word and praying while out observing and enjoying His creation.

A Reboot participant studies a passage from Luke on top of Mount Cheaha.

6. Jesus’ model

In the book, “Christian Outdoor Leadership,” author Ashley Denton points out that Jesus led wilderness adventures designed to produce faith. He taught along roads, in fields, on mountains and in boats. Jesus used many “props” from nature to illustrate His points. He often used experiences in the wilderness to test his disciples and grow their faith. The wilderness is a place where God gets our attention.  See Mark 4:37-41 for an example.

Denton also points out a frequent pattern of Jesus and the disciples during His ministry: They would have intense periods of teaching, healing and spreading the Good News in cities and towns followed by brief periods of rest, reflection and prayer in the wilderness. To me that points out the need for us all to have what Denton calls a tempo of retreating to the wilderness to be with God, and then engaging the world with the message and the ministry of the gospel.

I hope you will join Reboot on an overnight or day hike trip and consider it not only just a fun getaway but also a chance to experience God in His creation, fellowship with other believers and be challenged to grow in your faith.