About Us

Camp on Wheels Is Born

In the fall of 2004, the Lord uniquely led Randy and Kathy Wilson into the ministry of Christian camping with a desire to serve churches throughout the Southwest.

Camp on Wheels was born out of a simple philosophy:

“With the right philosophy and the right people, you could do camp in a parking lot.”

Rather than waiting for a permanent property or established facilities, Randy and Kathy stepped forward in faith. They believed that effective camp ministry was not ultimately dependent on buildings or location, but on a biblical philosophy, the right people, and an intentional desire to point campers to Christ.

With that conviction, Camp on Wheels began—taking the camp experience wherever God opened the door.

Roughing It

Camp on Wheels acquired expedition tents for camper cabins, kitchen facilities, and staff housing, along with large tents for chapel services and a portable bathhouse.

Setting up and tearing down an entire camp was incredibly labor intensive, but God blessed the ministry in tremendous ways. Churches were served, young people were impacted, and lifelong memories were made.

Those early years demonstrated the philosophy on which Camp on Wheels had been founded: meaningful Christian camping could happen almost anywhere when the ministry was centered on God’s Word and carried out by people committed to serving others and pointing them to Christ.

Randy & Kathy Wilson — Founders & Visionaries

After completing their education at Bob Jones University and spending several years in Greenville, South Carolina, Randy and Kathy Wilson sensed the Lord leading them west to serve in church planting and ministry among Native American communities.

In 1988, God brought them to Arizona, where they planted Living Waters Baptist Church. Through years of ministry in the Southwest, the Lord continued to shape their burden for churches, young people, and discipleship.

God Provides a Permanent Home

As Camp on Wheels continued to grow, the need for a permanent location and home base became increasingly evident.

In the fall of 2007, God provided property in the beautiful White Mountains south of Springerville, Arizona. What had begun as a mobile camping ministry now had the opportunity to establish a permanent, year-round ministry.

Because the ministry would no longer be exclusively a “Camp on Wheels,” the organization was renamed Grand View Ministries.

The name reflected the beautiful views surrounding the property, but more importantly, it reflected the heart of the ministry: that people would know Christ as they see Him through His creation, His Word, and His people.

From 2007 until Grand View’s official opening in 2014, hundreds of volunteers from across the country gave sacrificially of their time, skills, resources, and labor to help develop the property. God also brought key full-time staff members with years of camp and ministry experience to help establish and grow the work.

What began with tents, portable facilities, and a willingness to take camp wherever it was needed became a permanent mountain ministry where churches and groups could gather, grow, and be encouraged.

Even as the facilities changed, the philosophy remained the same. Camp ministry was never primarily about buildings—it was about biblical truth, the right people, and intentionally investing in the lives of others for the cause of Christ.

Matt & Rachael Wilson Join Grand View

For Matt Wilson, camp ministry had already played a significant role in shaping his life.

Matt grew up in Sanders, Arizona, and began attending summer camp each year when he was six years old. Those experiences made a lasting impact on his life and eventually led him to spend six summers serving at The Wilds of the Rockies during high school and college.

After completing his undergraduate degree in Bible at Bob Jones University, Matt joined the university’s Dean of Men’s staff, where he served for seven years while completing his Master of Divinity degree.

Matt and Rachael were married on May 12, 2006, and in May 2011, the Lord led them back to Arizona to join the staff of Grand View full-time.

Today, Matt serves as the Director of Grand View, leading the ministry and its team as they seek to serve churches throughout the West.

Matt and Rachael also share a particular passion for investing in the young adults who serve on Grand View’s summer staff—discipling them, developing them as leaders, and encouraging them as they pursue the next step the Lord has for their lives.

Grand View Opens Its Doors

After years of prayer, construction, volunteer labor, and God’s provision, Grand View officially opened in 2014.

The opening marked an exciting new chapter, but the purpose remained unchanged.

The tents and portable facilities of Camp on Wheels had given way to cabins, a lodge, activity areas, and meeting spaces, providing new opportunities to serve churches and ministries throughout the West.

Through program camps, retreats, conferences, and customized events, Grand View continued pursuing the same goal that had shaped the ministry from the beginning: to provide an environment where people could step away from everyday distractions, encounter the truth of God’s Word, build meaningful relationships, and know Christ more deeply.

Serving Churches Throughout the West

Today, Grand View continues to be an ideal ministry partner for Biblically faithful churches throughout the West by providing program camps, retreats, conferences, and customized events.

Our Mission

Grand View exists to glorify God by serving local churches and using the unique atmosphere of camp to display the good news of Jesus Christ.

God has continued to grow the Grand View team, bringing together full-time staff, seasonal staff, volunteers, churches, and friends of the ministry who share a desire to serve others for the cause of Christ.

The story of Grand View is also a story of God’s faithful provision. From the earliest days of Camp on Wheels through the continued development of Grand View today, God has provided through countless people who have sacrificially given their time, talents, labor, resources, and financial support.

Volunteers have traveled from across the country to work on projects. Churches and individuals have faithfully supported the ministry. Seasonal staff have poured themselves into the lives of campers and guests. Again and again, God has provided the people and resources needed for the ministry to continue.

We are grateful for the facilities God has entrusted to Grand View, but buildings have never been the heart of the ministry.

Most of all, our desire is that people would see Christ in His creation, hear of Christ through His Word, experience the love of Christ through His people, and come to know Him more.

We seek to point people to Jesus.

Randy & Kathy

Wilson

Matt

Wilson

Rachael

Wilson

Joel

Balman

Kirstin

Balman

Isaac

Glandon

Matt Wilson

Steve Stodola

Jim Tillotson

Daniel Hicks

Wade Whitley

Josh Lindsay