The Founder, Dr. Paul Patz
Northland Camp, formerly known as Northland Mission Camp, is the result of God's blessing on the life of Dr. Paul Patz (1911-2000) and his family. Born as the ninth of ten children into a life of poverty, Paul Patz trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at age 17. Paul would later recall developing a perplexing burden after his conversion. He felt God calling him into a ministry but was unsure what God could do through a poor farmer with only a third-grade education. As he pondered these things, he continued working the family farm through the dark days of the Great Depression.
Starting with the passion of a young farm boy, God has developed a ministry that has touched thousands of campers' lives, trained hundreds of college graduates for ministry, and influenced many around the world. Beginning in 1948, Paul Patz developed a series of inventions that would revolutionize the farming industry and lead to his financial success. He eventually founded Patz Sales, Inc., which now has been consistently manufacturing quality farm machinery for over 57 years.
1958-1960
Paul Patz and his family founded Northland Mission Camp on December 31, 1958. While looking for a new avenue of giving, Dr. Patz was inspired by Mr. Kraft at a meeting in Green Lake, Wisconsin. Like Paul Patz, Mr. Kraft owned his own company. He spoke of God's blessing bestowed upon faithful givers who donate financially to godly ministries. As Mr. Patz listened, he decided to give more than he ever had from his company's profits! In a short time, he and others in his church in Pound, Wisconsin, paid off the mortgage of their church property. Then, at age 47, Mr. Patz established a camp fund in the winter of 1958. This fund increased during 1959, and property was purchased in 1960.
1961-1981
Northland Mission Camp was the name Mamie Patz, Dr. Patz' wife, chose to identify the new 1,200 acres of property in Dunbar, Wisconsin. During the summer of 1960, construction began on the first camp building and was completed in the Spring of 1961. That year, that building housed all campers and some staff. Each year brought more improvements. A boys' dorm was built in 1963, the interior of the Dining Hall was finished in 1964, and the finishing touches of the Dining Hall were made in 1965. The Recreation Hall (Rec Hall) was constructed in 1970 and housed two large rooms--a canteen and a bookstore. Aerial
Northland Mission Camp was originally built to be used by various Baptist groups who could not find facilities large enough to meet their needs. The camp was rented to these organizations for several years. But as the Lord allowed, these groups were able to purchase their own facilities. As vacancies occurred and the need for more effective programming was evident, Northland Mission initiated its own program. The four oldest Patz children, all married by that time, had a large part in the organization and program. They helped in areas such as music, sports, crafts, and cooking. In 1967, Mr. and Mrs. Peterson were hired as full-time camp managers and began the Northland Mission Camp program that we know today, with full-time counselors and staff. The Lord blessed greatly during those years. After many faithful years of service at Northland, the Petersons moved elsewhere; and Northland Camp hired a new camp director in January of 1982.
1982-2000
Dr. Marty Herron was a graduate of Bob Jones University and the Camp Director's Institute of THE WILDS. He and his wife Tami spent several years traveling throughout the US with a revival team before Marty accepted the position of Camp Director at Northland Camp & Conference Center in 1982. His love for the Lord was quickly seen in his burden for the camping ministry. The Lord allowed Northland Camp to expand greatly under Marty's leadership. In 1999, Marty sensed God's call to the pastorate at Harvest Ministries on the island of Guam. He and his family set the standard for Northland Camp leadership through their devotion to the Lord and to the needs of His people.
2001-2002
Jeff Kahl assisted Dr. Herron for nearly two decades before assuming the role of Camp Director in 2001. Jeff, a graduate of Northland Baptist Bible College, served as Program Director for 15 years. His contributions to Northland include improving the Family Camp and Pioneer Village programs, as well as beginning the annual Freedom Celebration event. In 2002, Jeff and his family followed the Lord's leading to assume the leadership of Camp Cobeac in Michigan.
2003-2011
Steve Pettit served at Northland Camp for more than 20 years before taking over as Camp Director in 2003. His many years of experience as the Staff Evangelist at Northland, as well as his close friendship with Dr. Herron, made him invaluable to our summer program. He and his wife, Terry, were married in 1980 and, after five years in local church ministry, began traveling in itinerant evangelism. Steve pursued an evangelistic ministry because he desired to preach the truth about Jesus Christ while encouraging the ministry in local churches. The Steve Pettit Evangelistic Association (www.spea.org) is responsible for publishing several God-honoring instrumental and vocal CDs, and Brother Steve is constantly in demand as an author and speaker. While leading two different ministries was a daunting task, He has truly been a gift from God to Northland Camp!
A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Steve trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior at the age of 19 while a freshman at The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina. After graduating from The Citadel in 1978, he enrolled at Bob Jones University (Greenville, SC) and graduated in 1980 with a master's degree in pastoral studies. In 1997, he received an honorary doctorate from Bob Jones University, Northland International University, and Ambassador Baptist Bible College. He and Terry are blessed with four children: Rebecca, Rachel, Stephen, and Michael.
Steve's passion for discipleship and desire for excellence have greatly impacted Northland Camp. Under his leadership, many updates, improvements, and activities were added to the campsite. Our facility looks much better and is able to serve campers more effectively because of his vision! But the greatest and most rewarding impact he has made at Northland Camp is the implementation of a staff discipleship program that has revolutionized our ministry. Through his efforts and with the assistance of others, the study of each summer's theme passage has become the primary means of God's Word changing lives of staffers and campers.
In 2011, a transition in leadership that had been underway for a few years was completed when Paul Whitt assumed the role of Camp Director. This satisfied Brother Steve's desire to find a godly man to serve in that capacity, so that he and Terry could focus on his evangelism ministry and campus outreach.
2011-Present
Born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, Paul Whitt was saved as a teenager before earning undergraduate and graduate degrees from Bob Jones University. He began a career in sports journalism before responding to God's leading and entering local church ministry. Paul and his wife, Christie, were involved in youth ministry for 15 years in churches in Simpsonville, SC, and Atlanta, GA. As a youth pastor, his emphasis on discipleship and service was evident: dozens of individuals and co-laborers from their youth groups have gone on to Christian ministry.
The Lord worked in the hearts of the Whitts to bring them to Northland in 2005, and they jumped right into our camp ministry almost immediately. In addition to his responsibilities as Camp Manager, Paul has also served at Northland International University as Dean of Students, Youth Ministries professor, Head Women's Basketball Coach, and Vice President for Student Affairs. His administrative wisdom and perspective on Northland's scope of ministry have been invaluable assets to Northland Camp over the past 7 years, and his experience in assisting Brother Steve prepared him well to be our Camp Director.
Paul is committed to the sufficiency of God's Word to change lives. He is grateful for the opportunity to see campers and staff grow in Christ-likeness as they read, hear, and respond to Scripture. We are thankful that God has given Northland Camp another humble, godly man who desires to lead us in our mission of serving local churches. When not in the office or on the road, Paul enjoys playing and watching sports, running, interacting with college students, and spending time with Christie and their three children: Emily, Alex, and Jackson.
True to the Past, Expanding for the Future
Through much prayer, planning, and hard work, the camp has grown from 75 campers per week to as many as 500 campers per week. Because of our life-touching-life philosophy, we are passionate about seeing our staff and campers grow to become more like Jesus. To the glory of God, Northland Camp is accomplishing Dr. and Mrs. Patz's goal of reaching the hearts of young people for Jesus Christ.
