After adding eight camp locations in 2025, Lifeway camps are expanding once again in 2026, adding four new locations, in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas and South Carolina, as well as bringing new camps to previous locations.
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The expansion of Lifeway camp locations reflects the sustained growth of these camps. In 2025, Lifeway camps saw their fifth consecutive year of growth, hosting over 120,000 campers representing over 4,200 churches. Among those who attended, Lifeway is aware of more than 5,100 salvations and 900 commitments to pursue a vocational ministry calling. Additionally, through MFuge camps, over 20,000 students served at 525 mission sites, contributing almost 200,000 hours of community service to local ministry partners.
“It’s been great to see the continued investment churches are making in the lives of kids and students. Camp is one of the many ways Lifeway can come alongside churches in their efforts to disciple young people,” said Brad Barnett, Lifeway’s director of camps ministry. “We have demand to host churches we haven’t been able to supply. Putting new teams on the road and opening up new locations helps us to host more churches.”
Lifeway is home to FUGE Camps (Centrifuge and MFuge), CentriKid, Student Life Camp and Student Life Kids Camp.
FUGE Camps
In 1979, Centrifuge opened its doors as a youth summer camp for sixth through 12th grade students. Centrifuge was created with the idea of sending teens at camp to different experiences while fixing them to an immovable center — a relationship with God.
Now known as FUGE Camps, this camp model combines small group Bible study with recreation, track times, worship and church group time. In 1995, Lifeway added MFuge, a camp that arranges missions experiences for students to participate in.
Today, FUGE Camps provide churches with the option of either a recreation-focused or missions-focused camp experience. These camps are designed for students to experience fun, discipleship and Bible study alongside their leaders and peers.
Created to allow church leaders to focus on building relationships with their students, FUGE Camps aims to take the load off leaders by taking care of core essentials like lodging, meals, programming and activities.
This summer, FUGE Camps expects to serve their 2 millionth camper.
FUGE Camps’ 2026 theme — The Good Shepherd — will be based on a study of Psalm 23. This summer, as students dive into Psalm 23 and the life of David, they will learn what it means for God to be their shepherd.
Student Life Camp at Samford
Since 1993, Student Life has served churches through inter-denominational Christian summer camps, conferences and resources. Striving to support student ministries with gospel-centered experiences that transform students into devoted followers of Jesus Christ, Student Life exists to help people know Christ through His Word.
Student Life Camp experiences are designed to inspire sixth through 12th grade students through engaging worship, sound biblical teaching and community-building in small group Bible studies. With an emphasis on discipleship that occurs within the context of the local church, Student Life Camp facilitates relationships between students and leaders from their local church that serve as a catalyst to discipleship that continues long after camp ends.
While Student Life Camp arranges programming, a camp pastor and worship, this camp model is designed to allow the local church to be the heart of week, with local church volunteers leading the Bible study time for their campers.
In 2026, Student Life Camp is expanding with locations at Samford University in Homewood, Alabama, and University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas. Barnett said Student Life Camp has had a long history of hosting camps at Samford University and is pleased to return to this location for the first time in over a decade.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Marissa Postell Sullivan and originally published by Lifeway.
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