“We just had to move at the speed of obedience.”— Ben Myers
Ben Myers was pursuing a degree in camping ministry when he spent a summer at Arrowhead Bible Camp. The work was closely connected to what he had been studying. At twenty-one, he left college and joined the ministry full-time, taking on responsibilities while learning how the camp operated.
Arrowhead’s ministry to people with developmental disabilities put that learning in a demanding, personal setting. Staff had campers to care for, schedules to manage, and coworkers to rely on. Decisions affected people they knew and served each day.
Over time, Ben noticed what former staff members were doing after they left. Their camp experience was helping them move into disability services, nonprofit work, ministry, and other leadership roles. Responsibilities that had seemed like ordinary parts of running camp were also preparing people for later work.
Arrowhead began making that development more deliberate through programs including The Launch Initiative gap year and the Leadership in Disabilities internship. Students could spend an extended period in the ministry, with mentoring and learning connected to their responsibilities.
The setting brings several kinds of learning together. Students serve campers, live and work with a team, handle disagreements, and develop practical skills. Coursework can draw on those experiences, giving students a reason to study a question carefully and a place to use what they learn.
Shepherd’s Camp remains central to that work. Its service to people with developmental disabilities also supports families and caregivers. Students encounter the responsibilities of that ministry firsthand, rather than treating service as an exercise arranged around a class.
Ben’s own education took an unconventional turn when he stayed at Arrowhead. In developing pathways for later students, he has helped create ways for them to keep serving while continuing their education. The camp provides the work and relationships; the learning pathways help students examine and build on what they are doing.
