RIDGECREST, N.C. – This week Lifeway Christian Resources celebrated the 2 millionth camper to attend FUGE Camps since its launch in 1979.
Showered by balloons and confetti, Madelyn Sugg, of Westside Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky, was named the 2 millionth camper during the opening celebration of a combined Centrifuge and MFuge camp at Ridgecrest Conference Center, June 28. This week’s combined camp boasts 1,253 campers from 42 churches.
Sugg, a recent graduate of Murray High School, said she was honored to be named the 2 millionth camper. “I love spending the week at camp focused on God and growing in my faith,” Sugg said. This is her second year attending FUGE Camps. She shared how excited she was to bring friends along to experience camp for the first time this summer.
“Camp is the perfect environment to let go of the normal things of life that distract us and helps you focus on your relationship with God,” Sugg said. She also said she’s using the time at camp this summer to prepare spiritually for beginning her freshman year at Murray State University this fall.
Sugg’s student minister, Micah Bice, joined her on stage for the celebration. “It’s a great honor for our church to be recognized and so sweet to see Madelyn named the 2 millionth camper,” Bice said. “She loves camp, and she loves the Lord. I’ve seen her grow so much in her faith the past couple of years.”
Impacting campers since 1979
In 1979, Centrifuge launched as a youth summer camp for sixth through 12th grade students at Ridgecrest and Glorieta Baptist Conference centers. 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. That first summer, Lifeway (then the Baptist Sunday School Board) hosted 7,000 campers. Now known as FUGE Camps, this camp model combines small group Bible study with recreation, track times, worship and church group time.
Nearly five decades later, FUGE Camps have served over 2 million campers and seen nearly 80,000 students make decisions to place their faith in Jesus Christ. In addition, campers have given more than $15 million to the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board through the annual camp missions offering, which began in 1984.
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.
“As a student minister, I love seeing students grow in their faith and in their relationships with one another,” Bice said. “Camp provides a great environment for that to happen.” This year, Bice and several of his students will be participating in MFuge. In 1995, Lifeway added MFuge, a camp that combines evangelistic outreach with hands-on missions experiences. Students participate in activities like serving at food banks or assisted living facilities or doing light construction projects.
“MFuge challenges students’ faith and gets them out on the mission field,” Bice said. It gives them a picture of how to serve in a different way outside the walls of the church and outside our own community.”
Rooted in the truth of Scripture
Engaging Scripture through small group Bible study and large group Bible teaching is a significant part of the camp experience. FUGE Camps’ 2026 theme—The Good Shepherd—is based on a study of Psalm 23. This summer, as students dive into Psalm 23 and the life of David, they are learning what it means for God to be their shepherd. After camp, students can continue to study the theme of The Good Shepherd through a five-day devotional series hosted on the YouVersion Bible App.
“FUGE has never been about counting campers. It’s been about grounding students in a deep relationship with Christ while engaging them through a dynamic, relational camp experience,” said Joe Hicks, manager of FUGE Camps. “It’s always been about life-changing moments, transformation, and the gospel.
“While reaching this milestone is incredible, what makes it truly meaningful is what it represents—millions of opportunities to share the hope of Jesus and countless lives impacted over the past 47 years.”
In addition to FUGE Camps, Lifeway operates CentriKid, Student Life Camp and Student Life Kids Camp. This summer, Lifeway will host over 124,000 students across all its camps.
“For over four decades, FUGE Camps have helped generations of students grow in their faith, discern ministry callings, and return home equipped to impact their churches, schools and communities with the gospel,” said Lifeway President and CEO Ryan Blackwell. “What a blessing that Lifeway gets to steward this incredible ministry!”
