Kanakuk Kamps

Kanakuk Kamps is a company that operates nine Christian summer camps based primarily in Southwestern Missouri with one camp in Durango, Colorado. Its motto is "Exciting Adventure in Christian Athletics". The boys camp was started outside Branson, Missouri in 1926 as Camp Kugaho. The camp was soon taken over by Bill Lantz, a Tulsa, Oklahoma, high school coach. In 1956, Spike and Darnell White built a corresponding girls camp, Kamp Kanakomo.

Nine other Kanakuk Kamps (the word "Kanakuk" supposedly translating from an unspecified local Native American dialect as "loved one") have been built in Missouri and Colorado since 1979. The current Kanakuk president is Joe White, a regular speaker with the evangelical Promise Keepers movement. Joe also hosts AfterDark in connection with the Kanakuk ministry, which reaches out to non-christians at college campuses. The camp's theology reflects its evangelical Christian background.

In 1979, K-Life Ministries was begun in St. Louis, Missouri as a follow-up ministry to campers and their friends.

In 1993, Kids Across America (KAA), a non-profit sports camp for urban youth was established in Golden, Missouri. Originally under the Kanakuk umbrella, it is now an autonomous and independent ministry, although it remains affiliated with the Kanakuk organization. KAA is currently divided into four camps: KAA-1 for ages 10-12, KAA-2 for ages 13-14, KAA-3 for ages 15-18, and Higher Ground, which is a leadership camp for youth ages 15-18.

In 2002 the Kanakuk Institute was created in order to train college graduates in practical ministry. In collaboration with John Brown University, it offers its students the opportunity to obtain a in Family and Youth Ministry. The year-long program consists of classes and speakers, an internship, discipleship, and small groups as well as many other academic functions and forums.

In 2006, Kanakuk opened Kanakuk Family Kamp (K-Kaua'i), its first camp for families. Designed with a Polynesian theme in mind, K-Kaua'i offers families a chance to spend a week together doing traditional Kanakuk activities, such as water sports, field sports, and outdoor excursions.

Each summer Kanakuk enjoys several visits from various music artists from the Christian genre including, but not limited to, Michael W. Smith, Lecrae, Steven Curtis Chapman, Grits, and Watermark, as well as witnessing the spiritual conversion and commitment to the Christian faith of over 200 children per camp session.

Throughout the 7, 13, or 25 day sessions children learn to deepen their Christian faith and learn more about the life of Jesus Christ, complementing their spiritual instruction by enjoying outdoor settings while living in tepees, barns, or cabins, with the primary goal being that of maintaining a deeper level of spiritual commitment after the camp session has ended.

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