Director: Ben Simms

Visit the OWLS blog at: www.TheOutdoorClassroom.blogspot.com

Phone & Voice Mail: (770) 845-6900

Operating out of Atlanta, GA, the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School (O.W.L.S.) is a ministry of the registered 501(C)(3) corporation, Wilderness Works. This is an intense discipleship program, primarily designed for students who know Christ and have a real desire to grow closer to him, but also great for anyone open to seeing spiritual truths revealed or who might benefit from improved life skills and strengthened character. The "OWLS” program takes students out into the wilderness for one day to two week courses. During this time, our participants backpack, sleep, cook, rock climb, cave, whitewater canoe, mountain bike, and worship in the mountains, in the woods, along the coast, or on the river. These boys, girls, young adults, and families are challenged mentally, physically, and spiritually. Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School courses help equip students to be wise Christian leaders wherever they find themselves planted in today’s culture. We explore topics such as Jesus’ call to be the light of the world, how to get others to pay attention to the Good News, the difference between believing and walking in faith, making the most of our assets and time, the importance of each and every part of Christ’s body, and any other Biblical, discipleship, or life issue any student wants to discuss. Our goal is to reinforce the Spiritual armor of these young women and men so they can courageously stand against the post-modern and anti-Christian currents attacking them. These students are consistently under the leadership of passionate, mature staff members. OWLS staff undergoes intense training in each of their specific areas of outdoor skill as well as youth and Christian counseling.

The discipleship material is not simply the routine humanistic environmentalism or the rugged discovering and overcoming weaknesses that critics and participants often expect. Rather, Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School courses are sound Biblical teaching reaching the issues that today's youth are facing. The learning environment created by the wilderness is unlike any other. Getting out of the normal classroom setting and being completely surrounded by God's creation allows students to open up and explore areas of life and their Christian walk previously unexplored and often not even considered. This exploration of Christ is uninterrupted by all the distractions that have become a part of everyday life for almost all of us. Participating in an OWLS course is an immersion in Christian fellowship and growth, as every waking hour (and hopefully some dream time too) will be spent in a small group community of believers; led in worship and instruction in the Word, several times each day, by staff members who are passionate about helping each student build meaningful relationships with others and, most importantly, with Christ and to equip them with the tools needed to be a faithful witness to Him.

Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School exists to glorify God! We pray that a student “graduating” from an OWLS course will be truly equipped to grow in the faith, and in the community of their home church; and to be able to intelligently proclaim his/her faith in a loving Christ-like manner, to people with differing worldviews, different religions or no religion, to schoolmates, work associates, friends, and searching family members.