ABOUT US

Set in the forested heart of Georgia, Woodlands offers a place to reflect on God’s natural creation, while learning truth from His revealed Word.

Woodlands Camp is situated on twenty five acres in Concord, GA beside a seven-acre pond. The land was donated by missionary Ruth Scheltema in honor of her departed husband, Hank. The camp is operated by Berean Baptist Church in Griffin, GA.

We are thankful for what the Lord has provided at Woodlands and we look forward to further expansion in the future.

We have a big vision for Woodlands. Maybe you’d like to be a part of making it all happen? Contact us at (770) 227-5817 or send us an email.

 

Our Mission and Philosophy

By definition, our camp is a service ministry to the local church, using the natural creation to evangelize and edify all to the glory of God. In this age, God has called the local church to accomplish His will on earth (Matthew 16:18). Camping is a tool that can be used by the local church to assist her in fulfilling its God-given responsibility. Our purpose is to support the local church in its responsibility of reaching the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:19-20) and developing the believer to reflect the image of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).

We will accomplish these purposes by:

  1. Providing Biblical programs as the needs of the church are made visible

  2. Instructing (preaching/teaching) campers in the Bible and its principles for daily living

  3. Encouraging churches to avail themselves to this tool of ministry – camping

  4. Maintaining a Christ-honoring environment in personal relationships, dress, and music

  5. Assisting the pastor and his staff to set “spiritual-value” goals with each member in mind

  6. Recording personal decisions so the pastor may follow-up

  7. Using the camping ministry to have an intentional, experiential encounter with the Lord of Creation

  8. Training qualified, spiritual leaders to direct the camping ministry at Woodlands

By distinction, our camp maintains a Biblical philosophy in every service it provides to the local church (Colossians 2:6-8). Whether in our preaching, instruction, counseling, physical activities, or eating; the Bible is the only basis for what we say or do (1 Corinthians 10:31). We believe the Bible has all the answers for the needs of man.

The greatest need of man presented in the Scriptures is salvation. The Bible clearly displays how God provided salvation for man and how he may receive it for himself. Seeking lost souls must be a central theme of the camp (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). The Bible is just as clear on the need for the edification of the believer. God wants His children to reflect the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. So, a second central theme for the camp is to produce the “quality product” of holiness and purity of life in the believer (Ephesians 4:11-13). A third central theme to be accomplished by camping is to have purpose-oriented fun. Every activity at camp is designed to breakdown barriers, eliminate distractions, and prepare hearts for receiving God’s message. The desire is to provide wholesome fun not just play.

By desire, our camp utilizes the unique influence of the camping ministry to serve local churches by challenging every camper to conform to the character of Christ through salvation, obedience to God’s Word, and surrender to faithful service. Philippians 3:10 states this goal when it declares, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” The first challenge is to bring the individual to personal faith in the Savior. The second challenge is for each person to conform to His will through a life of obedience. The final challenge to conformity is found in surrender to His will. We will challenge each camper to surrender to God’s plan and will for his life. This entire mission is summed up in the word “transformation.”

Biblical Beliefs

Without meaning to be unfriendly or unkind to anyone, we feel it is only fair to say we do not agree with the modern-day charismatic movement, and we believe that those who are a part of the modern-day tongues movement should seek their camping experience elsewhere as they would not be allowed to participate in or promote any charismatic activity.

 

Our History

In 1979, Hank and Ruth Scheltema, aviation missionaries in the Amazon, Brazil, began to develop the Association of Baptist for World Evangelization (ABWE) International Airbase. They scrimped and saved to buy the sixty-six acres of pine tree harvested land. On this land, Hank and volunteers built the ABWE hangar and a home in Concord, Georgia.

From a swamp surrounded by wild woodland, Hank developed a 7-acre lake to use as a float plan base to train missionary pilots. Many pilots and mechanics have served the Lord from this airbase, and their ministry has been influential throughout the world. You can read more about this life-changing ministry in Ruth's book, In the Air for Him.

After retirement, Hank envisioned a camp ministry for children, young people and families on the 25 acres across the lake from his home. But Hank was never able to see his vision completed. Hank died unexpectedly in 2003 while temporarily replacing a missionary pilot in the Amazon. He was buried in the jungle town where he served 25 years of the 45 years he spent in missionary aviation.

The Lord burdened Ruth to help Hank's vision come to fruition by donating the camp grounds to her local church, Berean Baptist. It is now Woodlands Baptist Camp.