Celebrating 50 Years of Camp Paradise
About Camp Paradise
One year after Willow Creek Community Church began, the church was gifted land in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A courageous few ventured North with a map on a napkin and a mission to find Popp’s Cabin. Through the decades thousands have experienced camp to be Holy Ground. While the offerings have changed, the impact remains—and we are celebrating 50 years of transformation through Camp Paradise. Today, Camp Paradise provides space for participants to grow spiritually and relationally in a distraction-free wilderness setting. We invite you to check out our father-child retreat (Dads Camp), women’s retreat, summer staff, and volunteer work weeks opportunities.
The Power of Saying Yes
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The Camp Story
Camp Paradise has a rich history of life change, impacting generations of kids, students, and families. Let’s look back at 50 years of impact, starting at the beginning.
1975
Willow Creek Given Land to Build a Camp
A benevolent donor gave Willow Creek 720 acres in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Armed with directions written on a napkin, Tim Vanden Bos and a handful of others head north to find the land and a dilapidated early-1900s cabin.
1976
Camp Paradise is Born
Camp Paradise was born. Volunteers from Willow Creek and a church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, join together to build the first cabin and the original lodge.
1977
First Lodging is Built
4 cabins, 2 shower houses, and an outhouse are built just in time for the first campers to arrive in June.
1977-1991
The Early Days of Camp
Camp Paradise welcomes thousands of junior high, high school, and college-age students from Willow Creek along with church staff retreats. Hundreds begin a relationship with Christ and are baptized in the Tahquamenon River.
1991
Camp Continues to Grow
Willow’s student ministries grow to the point where they can no longer be accommodated at Camp Paradise and begin to transition to other locations over the next few years.
1991
Dads Camp Launch
In 1991, Camp Paradise began its next adventure. The first Dads Camp welcomed 37 dads and 37 sons for a father-child retreat experience like no other.
August 1993
Father-Daughter Camp Launch
Dads Camp took root and grew to include fathers and daughters in 1993. The intentional, one-on-one experience created spiritual and relational connections, making memories that last a lifetime.
1991-2019
Dads Camp Flourishes
Camp facilities expand from 8 cabins to 12 to meet the increased demands of Dads Camp. Thousands of dads, sons, and daughters have come across the river to Camp Paradise to grow spiritually and relationally with God, each other, and in community at Dads Camps.
2011-2014
Camp’s Journey to a New Chapel
Camp begins its first major fundraising campaign to build a dedicated Chapel along with four new cabins to replace ones built in the 1980s. The Chapel at Camp Paradise is completed in under two years by hundreds of volunteers.
2015
40th Anniversary
Willow highlights Camp Paradise at its 40th anniversary service. Thousands of green wristband lights reveal “immeasurably more” lives impacted than expected!
2021
New Lodging for Teams
New volunteers and summer staff cabins are completed, providing expanded lodging for teams of men and women who serve seasonally.
April 2023
Expansion to 1,303 Acres
Through its generous community of donors, Camp purchases 320 acres of land south of the Chapel expanding its property to 1,303 acres.
July 2024
First Women’s Retreat
66 campers participate in the first Women’s Retreat expanding Camp Paradise’s reach to serve women and families.
2025
More Cabins for Staff
Two full-time staff cabins are completed to support the team and prepare the ministry for the future.
2026
Camp Turns 50!
Immeasurably more lives than we could ask or imagine have been transformed since Camp Paradise started in 1976. As Camp celebrates 50 seasons of ministry, we are grateful for God’s guidance and provision every step of the way. Nearly 1,000 campers will say yes to summer 2026. And we’re eager for what God will do over the next 50 years!
