Who we are

We believe Jesus used the outdoors and experiance as
a powerful tool for training his disciples and the
multitudes. We desire to help train local churches to
use the wilderness and experience to disciple others
with a focus on young people.

We are connected to Nexus International. At Nexus, we
train leaders how to build relationships with young
people to share the gospel. We follow the model of
Jesus, who invested in a few to reach the many.

Our Vision and Mission

Vision:

Developing outdoor leaders who are
committed to local relational
youthwork, who are humble in the
heart, and who will excel in the skills
of safely and effectively introducing
young people to Jesus Christ through
outdoor adventure.

Mission:

That young people in every culture
will personally encounter Jesus
Christ and have an opportunity to
grow in their faith through
transforming wilderness experiences.

Why Wilderness

Throughout history, God has used the wilderness as a special place for transformation. The Biblical text indicates that God’s strategy for
developing mission-focused leaders has often involved transforming wilderness experiences. This is an integral part of God’s design for
apprenticeship. Yet today in our increasingly urbanized world, young people are less able to experience the wilderness. In developing
strategies today for recruiting, training, sending, and sustaining young leaders as cross-cultural or local youth workers who can
effectively introduce the young to Jesus Christ, we must re-emphasize this ancient apprenticing method, which produced leaders such
as Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Ruth, Jacob, David, Peter, James, John, and Paul. Each of them was profoundly called and shaped by
God in the wilderness.

Ministry Distinctives

  • Developing indigenous leaders

  • Starting and sustaining a culture of disciple-making in the local church

  • Relational training

  • Lifting up the young and the poor of our world’s cities

  • Providing young people the highest quality wilderness experiences at the lowest possible cost

  • Developing technical outdoor leadership skills equivalent to international standards

  • A team approach to leadership

  • International partnership and collaboration among outdoor leaders and youth workers.

Trainings We Offer

Heart of a Guide training

WFA: Wilderness First Aid

Trail Training

Heart of Guide Training

Heart of a guide training is learning to teach like Jesus. It is also knowing how to utilize the power of wilderness. Guiding is not just getting a group from point A to point B. Guiding follows the model of the good shepherd who leads the sheep with love. Here is the foundations of the theology of wilderness in the bible.

Dates: April 10-12

Location: YMCA Estes Park

Cost: $150 (includes food, lodging and training materials)

Space is limited

Topics Include:

  • Wilderness Theology

  • Full Spectrum Ministry

  • Discipleship on trail.

  • Basic Counseling

  • Program Planning and Management

  • Experiential Teaching

  • Sharing the Gospel on Trail

  • Conflict resolution

  • Group dynamics.

Wilderness First Aid

The Wilderness Ministry Institute offers a hybrid wilderness first aid course. The bulk of instruction will be done in an online course. This course must be completed before the in-person portion of the course. In order to participate in the in-person segment and final assessment.

WMI First Aid Online Course

To be completed before the in-person segment

$200

In-person segment

Fort Collins, CO

May 16th

$100

Trail Training

Put all the tools together and practice those tools.  Here we will practice guiding.  Learn
the hard skills like cooking, navigation and camp set up, combined with the ministry tools
that will help transform and disciple young people.

TBD

Late May to Early June

4-5 days on trail

WMI Colorado is a part of the Wilderness Ministry Institute and Nexus International

Wilderness Ministry Institute