Finding God on the Ropes Course
Ropes courses are more than just a playground, or an adrenaline rush. They are an opportunity for participants to push their boundaries, step outside their comfort zone, try new things, and grow as a person. Much of this change and growth can be at a spiritual level, if the experience is presented correctly. Of course there is probably a high level of prayer on any ropes course, even a secular commercial one, but there are far deeper levels we can go in that environment. Depending on how we design the exercise, and how we debrief to help the participants process the experience after it is over, we can illustrate a variety of Biblical truths and reveal the truth of God to participants in new ways as they grow and progress throughout the day or week.
High Ropes: There are a lot of direct spiritual analogies that can be applied to high ropes elements and climbing. The most obvious and popular one being that the belay line can be like God’s grace and protection, even if you can’t always feel its presence there with you.
- Having faith isn’t always about seeing, and seeing a belay system doesn’t always convince people that it will protect them. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
- A“belief” in the sufficiency of a rope to hold us up is of no value if we’re unwilling to step out on the wire and actually trust it in the real world. True meaningful belief requires risk. (Joshua 1:9)
- There is a difference between knowing about something intellectually, and having experienced it yourself first hand. We can read about God in the Bible, but that is not the same as knowing
him, or experiencing a relationship with him. (John 5:39) - Trusting God/your belayer-you can claim to trust God, but that isn’t true if you refuse to do what he tells you to. You can claim to trust your belayer, but if you refuse to let go of the tree, or
follow their guidance, that trust isn’t being demonstrated. - The courage to take the next step is important. If we let ourselves be paralyzed by fear, we won’t be able to move forward in life. Getting used to taking initiative is key to continued growth.
Low Ropes: Group exercises present a totally different set of opportunities, more focused on interactions between different members in the church as part of Christ’s body.
- God gives people different skills and talents. Some will have an easier time on the ropes course, others can draw a more artistic picture, others are good at motivation and delegation. We all have different gifts and strengths that are designed to be combined by working together as a team. The church is one body with many parts. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
- Need to listen as part of a team. Need to consciously listen to hear God (besides the rare occasion that he thunders from the heavens). (Proverbs 1:8-9 & 19:20)
- Spotters are there to make sure you don’t get hurt, but won’t do it for you. God is with us no matter what happens, but he won’t necessarily protect us from “life” and he won’t live it for us.
Some of the spiritual benefits are indirect: growth requires stepping out of our comfort zone.
- Getting used to being uncomfortable makes it easier to push oneself forward into new things and experiences. Those who learn to step out in faith on the ropes course are frequently the same people who later step out in faith when spiritual opportunities are presented.
- Getting used to stepping out of our comfort zone is important. That is the only way we grow.
- Those trapped in their own little bubble of control are stunting their own growth.
- Patience and calm responses to challenges and trials is important. (James 1:19)
- Maintaining focus on Him and not letting ourselves be distracted so that we can reach our goal.
Finding God on the Ropes Course PowerPoint
Safety on the Ropes Course
Long Term Issues and Maintenance
Safety is critical to the ministry potential of a ropes course. (Dead campers are difficult to minister to.) Much of the safety concerns are very immediate and straightforward. Gear must be working properly, staff must be working properly, participants must follow directions, etc. But there are other concerns that aren’t as immediately pressing, as they build up over time.
STAFF: In many camps, more experienced staff members train new recruits (usually summer staff) in the operation of the camp. And they were trained by existing staff when they were new, and knowledge and wisdom is passed down through the generations of staff members naturally. But if you have ever seen the game telephone played, you will know how inaccurate 2nd and 3rd hand information can be. Some camps have their staff trained in ropes course facilitation by an outside vendor, and therefore won’t suffer the effects of this process. But those that don’t, need to make sure that someone in the chain is receiving outside training, both to refresh their understanding of good operating practices, and to keep up with changes and shifts in the industry.
ELEMENTS: Inspections are key to maintaining a safe course, with various things being inspected at different levels of scrutiny annually, monthly, and even daily. I highly recommend having a full body utility harness and adjustable tethers for holding you and your tools when doing maintenance work. Annual maintenance should be done in a consistent timeframe every year so it doesn’t get overlooked. That should include:
- Tightening any cable clips (U-Bolts) to the correct torque (45ft-lbs for ⅜” hardware).
- Pounding in staples to tighten them, especially on pole courses.
- Add wood chips to the ground to avoid soil compaction with high foot traffic and soften landings.
- Adjusting or lengthening bolt backup cables, especially as trees grow.
- Loosening lag bolts on platforms and elements to allow for tree growth.
- Adjusting or replacing platforms as trees grow, to give them room to continue growing.
- Treating the dead wood and lumber parts of elements to prevent rot.
- Modifying elements to add new challenges between years, resetting climbing walls, etc.
GEAR: Not just elements out in the weather, but the rest of the safety gear should be regularly inspected as well. Ropes are the prime focus, with usage logs and such, but harnesses are susceptible to wear as well, and should be replaced every 7-10 years. Usually the stitching is the best weak point to test. Helmets are less critical in general, so they don’t always have a strict retirement cycle, but carabiners should be inspected for smooth functionality on a regular basis. Aluminium ones should be replaced if the anodization wears through, or any other visible wear. Steel ones should be replaced if their gate mechanism no longer operates smoothly. ATCs should be replaced if they get worn to any sharp edges. The rescue kit should be checked regularly, and reset after each use. (Knots re-tied and gear pre-positioned correctly)
