top of page
Our Story & Leadership
OUR STORY
Frontier Camp has 50 years of camping success rooted in making disciples of Jesus by sharing God’s Word in His creation. Established in 1969, we are licensed as a youth camp by the Texas Department of State Health Services. In addition, Frontier Camp is accredited by the American Camping Association and is a member of the Christian Camping and Conference Association.​
Using Christian camping and outdoor recreation as a platform, we exist to assist the local church in fulfilling the Great Commission through the evangelizing of all ages and discipling believers toward greater maturity in Christ. Frontier Camp has a twofold ministry. For 10 weeks of the summer, we offer a camping program for youth. Throughout the rest of the year, we are a retreat facility for churches and other religious organizations of similar beliefs. In both cases, we want to facilitate exposing people to Christ and encourage their growth toward spiritual maturity through the Word and by reflecting His character in our actions. We offer top quality recreation and exciting programming for our campers, but the most important aspect of camp is the spiritual one based on the inerrant Word of God.
OUR LEADERSHIP

Hans Meinardus

Frontier Camp looked very different when Hans Meinardus first set foot on the property back in 1974. He came as a camper that summer, and later served summers as a Counselor and then as Program Director. After serving in the Corps of Cadets and graduating from Texas A&M with undergraduate and graduate degrees in Geology, Hans spent 14 years working in the field of hydrogeology before God called him to his real job as Summer Camp Director here at FC in 2004. Now in the role of Executive Director, he oversees FC’s ministry and its development.  He still gets to work with play with rocks and fossils as he teaches campers about God’s creation. Hans’s wife, Autumn, serves in many different capacities here at camp.  They live right behind the rodeo arena and have three adult children and six grandchildren.
Matt first came to camp in ‘01 as a Senior Counselor, and Liz grew up as an FC camper before joining the summer staff as a teenager. But between the two of them, they have done just about every job at camp over the years! Matt, who has a Bachelor of Science from Tarleton State, is the Assistant Director. Known for his love of watersports, Matt also directs our aquatics program—ask him about our cable lake! Liz, who has a Bachelor’s degree from Baylor, heads up the Recharge program, a mail-based outreach program for campers, in addition to being a full-time mom. Matt and Liz make their home across the road from camp with their five children, Emily, Brandon, Sarah, Owen, and Jack.

Matt and Liz Henderson

Bonnie Patterson

Bonnie joined the full time staff as the Registrar and Office Manager in March 2002.  She and her husband, James, had just moved to Grapeland from the Fort Worth area, where she had spent 20 years in the banking industry. For more than two decades now, Bonnie has kept camp running as she handles the bookkeeping and business administration for camp, oversees camper registrations, and keeps the rest of us on track. James recently went to be with the Lord, and we all miss his support and friendship to this ministry.  Bonnie still lives close to camp on Houston County Lake.  They have four grown children and eleven grandchildren.

Anhel Owens

Anhel attended camp for the first time in 2005 and annually until she was old enough to serve on summer staff. She has served in many roles over the years. Starting out on the work crew in 2012 she has held several positions including Activity leader, Assistant Cook, Lifeguard, Work Crew Leader and eventually Head Cook in her last summer on staff in 2017. In the non-summer months you would find her working retreats and waiting for summer to come again. In the fall of 2018, Anhel took a break from camp life and attended community college and then Stephen F. Austin State University to pursue a degree. Lo and behold, the Lord had other plans. He has called her back to Frontier Camp to serve on Full-Time Staff.  She is excited to be the Registrar and is blessed to be a part of Frontier Camp’s Ministry.

Ashley has a long family history with Frontier Camp, as her parents met at FC when they were summer staffers in the 80’s! Ashley started attending camp as a camper in 2004, and she continued to come annually until she was old enough to join our summer staff, where she served for many years.  After attending and graduating from a small Bible Institute in Wyoming, God called Ashley back to Frontier Camp’s summer ministry as our Work Crew Leader in 2018. After the summer ended, Ashley stuck around as an intern, and she joined our full-time staff in January 2019 she has enjoyed serving in various roles and now enjoys the opportunity to serve as the Staff Director. 

Ashley Higgins

Garrett Long

Garrett attended camp as a camper for many years before working on summer staff in 2016. He returned as a staffer every summer since then, and he has served in many different roles at camp. He began attending the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2019 where he met his wife, Lily, and graduated with a degree in Finance. Garrett joined full time staff as the Hospitality Coordinator in January 2022 and then started as the Program Director in October 2023. Lily works at a local hospital as a Registered Nurse.

Karsten & Ana Wood

Karsten first came to camp as a camper in 2014, and that first week as a camper started a long and joyous journey with Frontier Camp. After 5 years as a camper, Karsten joined the summer staff program in 2018, serving in various capacities like Work Crew, Counselor and Work Crew Leader. In late 2021, Karsten’s FC adventure continued when he moved out to camp to become Frontier Camp’s on-site retreat host and housekeeper. In 2022, he joined our Resident Staff program, and in 2023, he took up the mantle of Assistant Program Director.

Ana first came to hear about Frontier Camp when a lady from a short term missions group told her about it, while she was living in Africa as a missionary kid. She then came on summer staff for the first time in 2018 starting out as Camp Store Manager. Loving camp so much she continued to return on summer staff for four summers. After summer 2021, she started working remotely for the Staff Hiring Team. Ana started on Full-Time staff in April of 2022 and is excited to be the Assistant Staff Director.

Karsten and Ana met at camp when they were both on summer staff. They got married April 2024. Karsten and Ana love camp ministry and are excited to be here at Frontier Camp. 

Ben Helmer

Frontier Camp has always been like another home to Ben Helmer. He started out as a camper and came for many summers before joining summer staff in 2014. He and his wife, Ginny, met on summer staff in 2015 and served together in 2016 before marrying in 2017. While on summer staff, Ben served as a counselor, cable park manager and program facilitator. Ben and Ginny have worked full time at two other Texas camps and returned to Frontier Camp in February of 2022, where Ben now serves as the hospitality maintenance manager. They have two little boys, two dogs, and when not at camp, you can find them enjoying the outdoors, working on projects, or playing board games.

Tim Bentz


Tim Bentz heard about Frontier Camp from his good friend Ana Eberle while they were students at Liberty University in Virginia. He came and worked for half a summer as a Worship Leader in 2022, then returned in 2023 as Teen Camp Program Manager. Tim joined full time in September 2023 and is excited to be the Assistant Hospitality Coordinator.

Elizabeth Moore

Elizabeth never imagined she would be serving as the equestrian director of a Christian camp when she graduated from SFA with a Bachelor's in Music Education in 1999. At that time she and Robert had just found out that they were blessed with their first child and Elizabeth stayed home to care for their growing family. Over the next 20 yrs, that family grew to include six children. In 2005, Robert, a Licensed Professional Counselor, had been called into ministry as a pastor at Grace Bible Church in Palestine, TX. As their children got older, the Lord opened up an opportunity for Elizabeth to be trained as a Wrangler at another Christian camp in TX. From there the Lord opened opportunity after opportunity for her to train that led to a board certification combining horsemanship and education (CEIP-ED). It also led to being certified through PATH Intl. as a Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. Elizabeth is thrilled to use her skills to share God's Word in His creation at Frontier Camp. Robert has also been able to serve at the camp using his mental health background as Volunteer Staff Care.  

Ruben was first introduced to Frontier Camp when he worked as a counselor on summer staff in 2019. He quickly grew to love the camp's heart for God’s Word and the gospel and returned each summer through 2022. Ruben graduated from the University of North Texas in 2023 with a degree in marketing. In September 2024, he married his high school sweetheart, Avery, and joined year-round staff as Assistant Staff Director the following month. Avery works at a nearby daycare, and together they are excited to serve the Frontier Camp community, grow in their faith, and share the love of Christ with others.

Ruben Payne

Phoebe first came to know camp because of rental retreats with her church youth group. After graduating high school in 2022, she pursued missions and did a Discipleship Training School with the organization YWAM. After returning home from 6 impactful months, she worked her first summer at camp as a counselor! After that summer of 2023, she stayed to work retreats and joined the Hospitality Team! Phoebe worked summer 2024 as a counselor and store manager, and has joined full time as a Frontier Camp Pathfinder! 

Phoebe Cook

Cierra Espinoza

Cierra first heard about camp after winning a camper scholarship from the local AWANA program. She was a camper for six years and later joined staff. In her six years as a staffer, she also became involved in retreats. Over the years she has done just about every job here! Cierra graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences and a minor in Educational Psychology, WHOOP! She has just started a Master of Theological Studies, and certificate in Biblical Counseling, program through Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Over the years Cierra felt her love for camping ministry grow as the Lord kept leading her back to Frontier Camp. This year she will serve in a new role as a Pathfinder, a resident program. 

Karlee had been a camper for 6 years and had been on summer staff from 2018-2023 embracing many different roles. During her time at camp she began to understand who the Lord was and started fully pursuing Him. Karlee attended Stephen F. Austin State University where she studied Criminal Justice and graduated in December of 2023. During college, Karlee was involved with her church where she served as an Intern for the youth program and led many different Bible studies with the college students. Her time serving in ministry allowed the Lord to work in her heart and seek out camping ministry. Karlee will serve in a new position at camp known as the Pathfinders, a resident program. She continues to grow in her relationship with the Lord and continues to trust His plan. 

Karlee Secrest

bottom of page