Swamp Camp Mission Alliance (S.C.M.A.)
Bridging Generations. Establishing Christian Legacy.
S.C.M.A. is a global Christian legacy organization equipping the next generation through sustainable camp culture, value-based leadership development, and inter-generational partnership.
The Need
Why This Matters
- The generation gap is wide—and growing.
- The younger generation longs for belonging.
- Faith must be experienced, not just taught.
The Model
Our Solution
- Creates space for belonging and spiritual formation.
- Trains and mobilizes the Next Generation as leaders.
- Gives the Older Generation a lasting legacy opportunity.
At a Glance
The Big
Picture
This one-page overview shows the need and the model—at a glance.
Three Years to a Locally Led Camp
How It Works
One
We lead and establish culture
Two
We train and co-lead
Three
Local leaders fully own the camp
By the Numbers
Proven Impact
16
Years Active
Click to see activity per year.
15,412
Camper Registrations
Number of Camper Impressions.
1,074
Young Leaders Mobilized
Number of young people volunteering to travel and train their peers and serve those younger.
$1.72M
Next Generation Investment
Monies personally paid by young leaders to start Swamp Camps.
3,921
Young Leaders in Training
Number of volunteer counselor who have applied to serve at a camp and be trained in country.
Interested in becoming a Legacy Investor?
One Week Can Change a Life
People Stories
The 5 Big Asks
What Can You
Do Now?
Most partners begin with one step and grow from there.
5 Asksfrom SCMA
Prayers
We want God involved. It’s not about “conquering” the world or numbers. It’s about keeping in step with the Spirit & doing God’s will.
Space
Create a space for God to fill with the next generation. Open your minds, hearts, & recognize the youth have a place in the Kingdom in parallel partnership with you.
Embrace
Make a decision & take action. Promote, sponsor, invest. Believe one week can change a life; one week can change the world.
Funding
To keep up with invitations, we need funding so that experienced directors and counselors can travel & train.
Wisdom
We need experience. We believe in continuous improvement & growth. Your input is valued.
For a Deeper Dive
If you’d like to explore our mission, values, and story in more detail, keep reading.
Why S.C.M.A.?
Isaac Newton said, “We build too many walls and not enough bridges.” Whenever there is a chasm, it’s bridge builders that are needed. How true in regard to the ever-present “generation gap.” How true in a broader, post-modern Christian context. Historically, there have often been gaps between the generations, especially in biblical history. We have a chance to do something rarely sustained in Judeo-Christian history: the Older Generation and the Next Generation working together for the same cause: to make God known and to experience His love and Jesus’ teachings.
Swamp Camp Mission Alliance (S.C.M.A.) can provide the bridge-building mechanism, via its Swamp Corps process, to bring this concept to reality and act as a catalyst for creating an alliance rarely experienced and so greatly needed. In this sense, S.C.M.A. does not function as a symbolic bridge-builder, but as a structural one—intentionally connecting generations, resources, leadership pipelines, and governance systems so that faith transmission and servant-leadership development can be sustained across generations.
Swamp Camp Mission Alliance exists as the catalytic organization designed to mobilize capital, governance, leadership development, and long-term continuity in order to sustain and multiply the global impact of Swamp Corps.
While Swamp Corps serves as the primary generative program establishing perennial camps wherever invited, S.C.M.A. ensures these efforts are strategically resourced, responsibly governed, and intentionally scaled without dilution of culture or mission.
Our Mission
Partnering with God to Bridge the Generations and Fulfill Psalm 72:5.
S · C · M · A
Our Core Values
Spirit-Led
Shadow the SpiritWe believe in balancing times to wait with readiness to act as we keep in step with the Spirit’s direction.
Collaborative
Count on ConnectionsWe rely on the power of internal and external partnerships and the strengths and talents of the many versus the few.
Mission-Driven
Move with the MissionWe believe our Mission utilizes its short- and long-term benefits as a guiding compass orienting us to Jesus' Mission.
Alliance-Happy
Build BridgesWe are happiest when we see open arms of acceptance, space for new ideas, and resources flowing between generations.
Swamp Corps?
What Is
Swamp Corps?
In Swamp Corps' third year, Director Jennifer Rorabaugh made a rather prophetic, albeit back-burner, observation. She said, "The Older Generation plants churches, the Younger Generation will plant camps." This insight has been maturing and developing and is ready to come to fruition.
A group of experienced campers and counselors who spend three years establishing a Swamp Camp: a safe, spiritual, and relational summer camp specifically designed for 9-18 year olds. See Process Details...
The Next Generation
Why Does Swamp Corps Work?
The broader ecclesiastical context in which the Next Generation find themselves has changed as has the missional landscape relative to that experienced by the Older Generation. On some level, the younger generation goes to "their parent's church" and they are searching for their place to make a difference in the wider Christian movement. In addition, they are wary of the way missions has been historically discussed and implemented; together with a greater awareness of institutional failures in education, religion, politics, economics, and marriage, to name a few, the Next Generation has a tainted view of postmodern Christianity. And yet, per the Barna Group's extensive Gen Z research and our own experiences over the last few decades, the one thing the Next Generation longs for is Jesus and a return to his organic movement. The S.C.M.A. Swamp Corps model allows for the Next Generation to find its place in our collective desire to present Jesus and the gospel to a broken world and to guide a forlorn generation back to an organic Jesus focus. By participating in Swamp Corps they establish camps in parallel ways that the Older Generation is planting churches reviving the true spirit of Jesus' missionary desire in them and work in partnership with the Older Generation to spread the gospel.
Heroes
Wanted:
Are you a seasoned Christian with a passion for nurturing the future? S.C.M.A. needs you! Join our dynamic initiatives where you, the Hero, make space for the Next Generation by providing the resources (prayers, wisdom, funding) that together change the world—fueling their aspirations with your experience. Together we can partner to build the Christian legacy.
Great Question!
Answer...
A Hero's Reward
You Become a
Hero Who...
Embeds
a legacy of Christian faith and servant-leadership in the Next Generation by giving young people a space to belong and grow in their faith; after all people who belong, believe.
Perpetuates
faith from one generation to the next fulfilling Jesus’ great commission making a difference in the lives of young people.
Feels
greater levels of spiritual satisfaction knowing Jesus’ teachings will continue into the future acknowledging all that Jesus has done for you, and expressing deep feelings of gratitude and thankfulness. (We call our Swamp Corps donors, investors, because they invest in the future not just donate to the present.)
Breaks
the cycle of failed faith conveyance often seen in the Bible. Great is the reward of those who help raise new servant-leaders trained and devoted to continuing the bridge building pattern.
Creates
a sense of assurance in salvation and faithfulness to Jesus’ teachings to “go and make disciples teaching them to obey everything I have taught you,” by inspiring young hearts that "love God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength," assuaging any guilt or shame, which may come, from using resources for temporal or non-eternal pursuits.
The Legacy Cycle
A Hero Who Perpetuates the Legacy Cycle:
As a hero, you keep alive Jesus’ ministry in the face of competing requests and desires and provide a legacy opportunity allowing others all around the world the opportunity for belonging together in Christ's love, the experience of becoming closer to God, and bequeathing the heart to serve others and pass on Jesus’ teachings from this generation to the next forever.
Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Partner with the Next Generation. Complete the Legacy Cycle!
“My child spends more time in one week of camp being spiritually influenced by young heroes and the spiritual, fun-filled Swamp Camp culture than with their church in an entire year.” Parent of Two Campers
One Week Can
Change a Life.
One Week Can Change the World.
Swamp Corps Motto
Our Story
How It
All Began
Watch the amazing journey from a dream to a concept to a single camp in Georgia, USA to 25 camps spanning the globe offering togetherness through play, connection, community, and wonder.
The Future of Faith
Depends on Partnership
“May He endure… through all generations.” Psalm 72:5
Become the bridge.