It's easy to impress people with the wonder of the great outdoors. Whether it's the beauty of the Blue Mountains or simply a star-filled, cloud-free night in the country sky, God certainly knows how to impress with his creation.

It is no surprise that the wonder of our world is used as a platform for spirituality in outdoor education. Atheists love to speak of the marvel of evolution and the wonder of nature. Christians often do the same, using this 'natural' beauty to testify to God's existence.

Yet, the power of outdoor education or outdoor recreation as a platform for Word ministry is not in the wonderful and awe-inspiring environment.

Instead, the reason outdoor education works so well as a context for ministry is because of the way it challenges the participants to grow in trust in the context of concentrated relationships.

It is a great sight to see an outdoor minister challenge a young abseiler to push through the fear barrier to descend a cliff on a rope. To see the way a student develops trust with his or her instructor shows the powerful influence of an outdoor minister on the people he or her ministers to.

Challenge and trust are key themes in evangelism. We challenge people to repent from their sins, and we lead them to trust in Jesus. We make the most of every opportunity, whether it's the formal one-hour Bible teaching sessions, or the many moments throughout the day when the outdoor ministers gossip the gospel at every chance, pushing their skills in apologetics to the limit.

Ironically, this means that outdoor ministry doesn't have to happen outside! We could run outdoor programs in a windowless bunker, if we had a means to physically challenge the participants. It's more about personal challenge than admiring God’s creation.

If you love the outdoors, teamwork, young people, and most importantly, Jesus, then why don't you consider serving as an outdoor minister? Applications are open for 2010 to join the teams at Crusaders www.crusaders.edu.au/summit/jobs/fulltime and Youthworks www.youthworks.net/outdoorministry.

And, if you are the person who books and organises the outdoor education at your school, then make sure you steer your school towards camps that include Word ministry in the outdoor education. Make sure you ask your Christian outdoor education provider if they actually teach the Bible as part of the program, and whether the instructors are committed Christians, passionate in ministry of the Word of God.