Project History

The Leadership Adventure Project has been in existence as a national project for six years.  Originally designed as a student project as part of Crusade's school of leadership, it has developed in recent years into a dual-pronged, independent project, building into both students and Crusade staff. Leadership Adventure Project 2008 will be at Acadia National Park in Maine, sponsored by the Northeast region.

The project stemmed from the outdoor ministry called Lifelines, originated at the University of Maine.  Due to the success of that ministry in developing God-fearing leaders and in seeing lives transformed by the gospel, there was great excitement among the UMaine staff in creating a project that would serve students nationwide.  The project was in many ways more effective because students became part of a grace and truth environment for a whole summer, operating under the premise that grace and truth over time equals growth.  Rather than having a full day of process learning, students on project were given a full month or more for development. 

The project met with such success among students that the team then decided to initiate a project for staff.  If students could grow in a small group through growth model ministries, then imagine how it could transform the way our staff teams relate to each other as the body of Christ.  In the summer of 2000, thirty-two new staff from the northeast region were sent on a ten-day Leadership Adventure project in the Maine woods.  Staff from New York City and Boston Metro to UNH and the University of Buffalo met together at Little Indian Pond for their first night under the stars.  It was during this project that we realized we were way too physically intensive, as the four staff teams alternately hiked Katahdin, white-water rafted, rock climbed and paddled an overnight canoe trip.  However, the learning and bonding that took place for the region were unparalleled.  In ten days, performance and isolation barriers were broken down, staff began taking responsibility for what was theirs and setting healthy boundaries on their time and energy.  We began to see how such skills could positively effect staff teams, leading to longevity in ministry and to transforming Christ-like relationships - a must for any team that is seeking to represent Christ and be a light to the world.  Moreover, how people relate to each other is often the same way the relate to God.  We want those relationships to be authentic, reconciling the world to Christ and each other.

The 2001 Leadership Adventure project was in Colorado, based out of Fort Collins.  This was the first attempt at merging the staff/student project.  Coaches trained staff facilitators who then practiced their skills in team building and process learning with student groups.  That summer, one of the staff couples that was trained went back to Denver and began incorporating these principles on the Denver metro campuses.  Another staff facilitator, who was working with Student Venture, the high school ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, was so enamored by the project and one of the coaches, that she married into the Leadership Adventure family and has been working with the outdoor ministry ever since.  :)

In 2002 Leadership Adventure moved to Sugarloaf, Maine.  The staff/student project was a huge success, with rewarding life change across the project and a number of staff and students making career changes to pursue ministry, and growth model ministry in particular.  Of ten students, two are in seminary (again, they married each other - though this really is not about that!), one is now on staff in France, one is on her second year of STINT with Crusade in Kazakhstan, and one is on staff in Colorado.  Of the thirteen full-time staff who were trained that summer, two of them chose to spend two years in outdoor ministry training at UMaine and have now begun a Lifelines program at UVA.  Others have since gone overseas and back to director positions across the country.   

Again and again we hear stories of how staff and students have been affected and changed through this project.  They are the true testimony to how effective the Leadership Adventure Project has been.  Currently there are four campuses with a Lifelines ministry.  We are excited that God continues to provide resources and opportunities to build this project, and we eagerly anticipate what He has in store for 2008 and the years to come. 

Listen to what others have to say about the Leadership Adventure Project.