Our Reasons For Going
Camp of the Unknown God
For the original post on substack, click here.
by Carl Teichrib
https://www.givesendgo.com/CampoftheUnknownGod
In the heat and dust of northern Nevada, an eclectic week-long gathering annually takes place in the Black Rock Desert. Burning Man, renowned for its hedonism and pagan spirituality, draws to itself tens of thousands of attendees from around the world – it is a global event, with ramifications that spill far past the boundaries of the desert.
Since 2017, a small group of evangelical Christians have been attending under the banner of their unofficial theme camp, the “Camp of the Unknown God.” Pulled from Acts 17 wherein Paul visited Athens and leveraged the pagan culture-of-the-day to advance the Christian message, our camp likewise seeks opportunities to engage with those enmeshed in the culture.
The Camp of the Unknown God began with two people who met online – Bob Worley, who had been witnessing in different settings for years, and Carl Teichrib, a Christian socio-religious researcher and writer. Together they decided to see if a dedicated camp inside the Burn would be feasible. With the hype around Burning Man’s decadence, would it be possible to have good conversations about God, Jesus Christ, and the Christian message? Might a positive impact be made in people’s lives – a seed planted, a seed watered – and furthermore, could this experience be used as a springboard to encourage other Christians to engage more broadly?
Yes – many times, yes!
Since 2017 there has been a presence from this camp within the Burn community. Last year, eight people from three countries worked together in setting up this important outreach, spending a week engaging with people from all walks of life. The encounters were encouraging, to say the least; many meaningful conversations for Christ, many good interactions, many probing questions and serious discussions – tears, prayers, and new friendships and discipling opportunities.
The reason for these believers attending is multifaceted:
1) To have genuine conversations in a way that exhibits Christian truth and grace. Sometimes the discussions are long and continue over many days, and other times it’s as simple as gifting an item of crucifixion jewelry, telling the person to trust Jesus, and in that moment the person’s heart softens and the tears pour. We don’t know their stories – where they came from or why they are attending; but we do know they are our brothers-and-sisters in Adam, and we desire they become our brothers-and-sisters in Christ. Effective outreach is the prayer, the hope, and the heartbeat of the Camp of the Unknown God.
2) To research the movement itself. Numerous Christian apologetic and worldview ministries already exist, tackling a range of beliefs and trends, but very little has been done specific to the Burning Man phenomenon. Some of our team, however, have been on the cutting edge; doing on-site surveys, conducting interviews, and attending workshops on the movement’s growth (there are over 100 regional Burns around the world). This information is used in classroom settings, podcasts, and other venues to help Christians grasp the cultural and spiritual context, and begin formulating responses (hint: Acts 17:16-34 is an important model).
3) Research broader worldview issues. Although the event is renowned for its party atmosphere, there is a serious side that is little known or understood; that is, Burning Man is a place for global conversations, with workshops on a range of issues – from new economic models to United Nations’ programs to the in-roading of psychedelics to new social trends. For some in our camp, this level of research is crucial to understanding the issues of our day, which is then communicated back to the Christian community.
How can you help?
Financially: Attending is expensive; tickets and fees, travel costs (many of our team are traveling two or more days), supplies for the week (there are no vendors, everything must be brought-in and taken-out by yourself), along with the necessary gear and equipment to maintain oneself in a harsh desert environment for a minimum of 10 days. This fundraiser is listed at $9,900 Canadian dollars – approximately $7,200 USD – and all donations up to that number will go towards offsetting entrance fees. If extra funds come in, they will be used to help cover travel expenses and other associated costs.
Informational: If you have been to Burning Man or another transformational event of a similar nature, and would be willing to talk about it, we’d love to listen – and pick your brain! Likewise, if you’ve interacted as a Christian in an apologetic fashion within this field of study, we would love to hear from you! If this is something you’d be willing to do, reach out via my webpage at www.forcingchange.org or www.gameofgods.ca.
Pray: For our team, that we would be humble, honest, attentive, recognizing when to speak and when to remain quiet, when to advance the conversation and when to walk away, for wisdom and discernment – and for our ability to function well with each other. And for those who we will be interacting with; that God would open hearts and minds, soften and prepare, and that they would be receptive to the call of the Holy Spirit towards repentance and reconciliation – to move from being brothers-and-sisters in Adam, to brothers-and-sisters in Christ Jesus.
