Who We Serve

Our member camps and conference centers are led by some of the most amazing people you’d ever hope to meet. Their dedication to serving campers is why we work hard to provide them with training, resources and encouragement to maximize their ministry. We want to develop tools that will be helpful for them as they create life-changing camp experiences and reach out to campers.

Most of us at CCCA have either experienced camp ourselves as kids, or are now parents looking for great camp experiences for our own children. We understand that there are a lot of options for parents to consider, which is why we help point them toward a CCCA member camp that will create wonderful memories and positive life-change for their children.

Most CCCA member camps also host adult guest groups, retreats and conferences. Many member camps also offer family camp at one or more times throughout the year.

Statement About Camper Safety and Abuse

CCCA exists to maximize ministry for member camps and conference centers. We encourage the commitment to camper safety for every member. This includes the physical, emotional, spiritual, and sexual safety of campers, staff members and volunteers.

As an association we have always and continue to condemn in the strongest terms any wrongful act or practice that places campers at risk. We are especially grieved by any case of camper sexual abuse, the harboring of abusers or the lack of reporting of suspected or reported abuse. Our member camps and conference centers should not be a safe place for abusers, so action by leadership if abuse is reported should be swift and in full compliance with the law, including reporting the allegations to local authorities.

We will continue our long-standing commitment to advocate for camper safety, camp accountability, and transparency as well as encouraging training on camper abuse prevention and impeccable safety practices at camp. And we will continue to promote programs that train and support camps and help them keep campers safer, as CCCA has done for decades.

Maximize Your Ministry

What does it mean to “Maximize Your Ministry”?

1. To help Christian camps and conference centers improve their performance and impact, above and beyond what they’re already doing well.
2. To help our member ministries expand their outreach and increase attendance/occupancy so more people become committed disciples of Jesus Christ.

One of the hallmarks of CCCA is its ability to provide quality education and training opportunities for the Christian camp and conference professional. Whether in management, food services, programming, guest services, grounds keeping or marketing, CCCA offers resources and education that have long-lasting impact for its members.

Another way CCCA works to maximize your ministry is by helping members enlarge their spheres of influence. In other words, the association helps increase demand for members’ properties and services—with the purpose of filling camp beds—through marketing tools, instruction and examples of others’ success.

Become a member of CCCA and learn how we can help you maximize your ministry. For additional information about membership, call a member relations associate toll-free at (888) 922-2287.

Statement of Faith

We believe in...

• The Holy Scriptures as originally given by God, divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct;
• The Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
• The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His substitutionary atonement for sin, His bodily resurrection and His personal, visible return to earth to reign in righteousness and glory;
• The Person of the Holy Spirit and His work of conviction, regeneration and sanctification, who indwells every believer equipping them with gifts for service and witness;
• The necessity of new birth, in salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone and the importance of a life fully committed to the will of God in Christ; and
• The church as the one universal body of Christ who is the Head, called to be God's redeemed people.

Leadership

CCCA is run by a dedicated staff and led by a committed board of directors.

History

Driven by the need to solve common problems and gather new ideas, several regional groups of Christian camp and Bible conference leaders in the United States and Canada began to meet informally in the late 1940s and early 1950s. These independent coalitions later combined their efforts under the name Christian Camp and Conference Association International, and eventually incorporated in 1963.

As the association’s influence spread around the world, the name was changed to Christian Camping International (CCI). In 2005, the leadership of CCI/USA decided to eliminate the often misleading term "camping" from the organization's name, and return to the moniker Christian Camp and Conference Association (CCCA). Today, CCCA is the largest of 21 autonomous associations on six continents.

Most major denominations and church associations, as well as many nationally recognized youth and adult ministries, are represented in CCCA. About half of the nearly 900 member camps and centers are independent organizations.

There is an incredible, healthy diversity among the CCCA constituency. Though they share basic values, no two CCCA members are the same in terms of programs or facilities.

Every year, more than 5.5 million people are involved in the programs of CCCA member camps and conference centers, and tens of thousands come to faith in Jesus Christ through that experience. What’s more, 130,000-plus churches in America are served by CCCA member organizations, and more than 400,000 adults are now involved in full-time Christian work as the result of decisions made at CCCA member camps and conference centers.

(Figures taken from CCCA's 2009 Waypoint Research)

Become a Member

We love camp, and we believe in the power of the camp experience to transform lives. We want to help maximize the ministry of your camp or conference center. We’re here to provide you with support and essential tools to expand your reach, grow your ministry and deepen the experience campers have when they come to you.

As a CCCA member, you’ll have access to resources and education that cover topics all camps address: fundraising, marketing, management, food services, guest services, programming and facilities management.

Join CCCA today to become part of our camp family, and let us help maximize your ministry.

If you’re a business or ministry with an interest in serving Christian camps, you can become a business member. Join CCCA today through our business member program.