About Us

WHO WE ARE

For over 85 years, Forest Home has been a movement of God, seeing the winds of revival blow throughout Southern California and into the farthest reaches of our world.

Encounter Jesus. Experience Transformation. Engage the World.

Since 1938, millions have come to Forest Home and had their lives epically marked by God.
Our chapel is filled with thousands of pages of written history from campers documenting their life changing decisions, prayers, and cries to God.

MISSION STATEMENT

Forest Home exists for people to Encounter Jesus, Experience Transformation, and Engage the World.

VISION STATEMENT

Forest Home Ministries will partner with the Church to create a revolutionary Christ-centered experience in which people of all ages hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, explore the Word of God, pursue God’s call for their life, engage in Christ-centered relationships, and connect with God through His creation.

STATEMENT OF FAITH

DOCTRINAL

We believe in the inspiration of the Old and New Testaments, and hold them to be the very Word of God: infallible, inerrant in the original writings, and of supreme and final authority in faith and life.
We believe in one true and living God, who is infinite and all-knowing, perfect in all His attributes, and eternally existing as three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His substitutionary atonement for sin, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return to power and glory.
We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit and His work of conviction, regeneration and sanctification, Who indwells every Believer.
We believe in the necessity of the new birth, in Salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone, and in the importance of a life committed to the Will of God, in Christ.
We believe in the Church, the living spiritual body of Christ, made up of all who have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation, with Christ as its head.
We believe in the Great Commission given to the Church to go into all the world and make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching those who believe to obey all that Christ commanded.

PRACTICAL

We believe that the Bible, as God’s inspired Word, is the sole authoritative source of guidance and direction on all matters relating to lifestyles and relationships of individuals, couples and families.
We believe in the sanctity of all human life, which is precious and a gift from God to be respected and protected through all its stages, from conception to natural death.
We believe that marriage is a sacred union ordained by God between one biological man and one biological woman. We also affirm that sexual intimacy is a gift from God, to be enjoyed exclusively within the covenant of marriage.
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person in His own image as two distinct and complementary sexes, male and female, and that sex and gender are synonymous in God’s creation.

OUR CORE VALUES

Surrender To Christ (Romans 12:1-2)

Abide with the Lord daily through study of His Word and prayer
Surrender to the Lord daily through obedience to His Word
Worship the Lord with the Forest Home Community
Commit to grow in your faith through regular attendance at a local church
Prioritize God, Family, and Work appropriately
Be prepared to share your testimony with staff or guests
Walk in Biblical purity (1 Timothy 4:12) by rejecting one’s sinful nature

Love (1 Corinthians 13)

Display the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22)
Be respectful to others
Demonstrate compassion

Serve (Philippians 2:3-11)

Give generously to God and others through time, talent and treasure
Seek to put others’ needs above your own
Demonstrate humility in both spirit and deed
Actively look for ways to serve

Walk in Integrity (Titus 2:11-12; Proverbs 4:23-27)

Show loyalty to others, even when they are not present
Do the right thing, even when others are not present
Extend trust and seek to believe the best in others
Ask for forgiveness quickly when necessary
Be truthful and transparent with others

Strive for Excellence (Colossians 3:23-24)

Demonstrate accountability with time and resources
Request and receive training
Desire to improve and challenge others to do the same
Commit to exceeding guest expectations
Refuse mediocrity

Engage in Community (1 Thessalonians 5:11-13)

Seek first to understand before being understood
Communicate clearly, empathetically and respectfully
Work through conflict Biblically (Matthew 18:15-17)
Participate in intentional and purposeful community activities
Partner with teammates for the goal of unity and team effectiveness
Play and appreciate “campy” fun
Faithfully pray for one another

Innovate (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Dream Big
Proactively seek solutions
Think outside the box
Dream, plan and execute new ideas
Acknowledge and trust that all things are possible through Jesus Christ our Lord (Matthew 19:26)

Board of Directors

Paul Preston | Bruce Beals

Howard Booker | Callie Carson

Joe Colace | Tim Crow

Richard “Monty” Curtis | Ted Haberfield

Chris Pavlovic | Jane Sciarro

Sue Wirick

Our Founder Henrietta Mears

“Dr. Henrietta C. Mears … has had a remarkable influence, both directly and indirectly on my life. In fact, I doubt if any other woman outside of my wife and mother has had such a marked influence… She is certainly one of the greatest Christians I have ever known!” – Dr. Billy Graham

The Story of Forest Home

In 1937, our founder Henrietta Mears visited Forest Home–then a privately owned resort in the San Bernardino Mountains. She declared, “Don’t bother to stop … we can’t afford all of this.”

The property was appraised at $350,000 in 1937. Where would that kind of money come from?

CELEBRATING 85+ YEARS

After the 1938 floods, the Forest Home Resort was sold to
Henrietta Mears for one tenth it's asking price.

It took an act of God to make that possible.

It wouldn't be his last...