Building Spaces for Belonging Cameron Anderson’s Call to Relational Ministry
When Cameron Anderson '16 reflects on his path from psychology major at Covenant College to Executive Director of Ridge Haven Camp in Brevard, NC, one theme rises above the rest: creating space for young people to make their faith their own.
“I've always felt a strong pull toward ministering to youth,” Cameron shares. That pull traces back to his own story. Though he grew up in the church, it wasn't until middle and early high school that his faith became personal. “It couldn't just be my parents' faith,” he says. “That moment of ownership shaped me.” From then on, he sensed a growing desire to help students wrestle with their faith and come to know Christ personally.
After graduating from Covenant in 2016, Cameron served as a youth intern and later youth director at First Presbyterian Church in Augusta while completing his MDiv at Erskine Theological Seminary. Ordained in the PCA that same year, he eventually transitioned from church-based ministry into organizational leadership, culminating in his current role overseeing Ridge Haven's camp and conference ministry. Each step in his career was built on the same foundation: serving students and strengthening the local church, but the heart behind his leadership was formed earlier, during his years on Lookout Mountain.
“One of the most impactful ideas I encountered at Covenant was the importance of living faithfully within a specific community,” Cameron explains. Reflecting on Christ's ministry, which included deeply investing in his 12 disciples that formed his community, he began to see ministry not as abstract programming, but embodied presence. “That model of embodied, relational ministry stuck with me.” Dorm life, late-night conversations, shared meals, and everyday rhythms shaped him as much as any classroom. “Growth in faith doesn't happen in isolation,” he says. “It happens through consistent, intentional community.”
Those experiences now influence how he leads. At Ridge Haven, the goal is not simply to host events, but to cultivate spaces where students are known, discipled, and encouraged in real relationships. At the center of it all is a faith that informs every decision. “My faith is the starting point and the center of everything,” Cameron says. Rather than compartmentalizing belief, he sees it as the motivation and purpose behind leadership choices, long-term planning, and daily responsibilities. The aim, he explains, is simple yet comprehensive: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. For Cameron, Covenant was more than preparation for a career. It was formation for a life of rooted, relational ministry—one that now creates room for the next generation to claim their faith as their own.