Could you sell it all, walk out of the church building, and live in a trailer?
The surge in campsite reservations during and after the COVID-19 pandemic was remarkable, with a 192% increase between 2020 and 2021, and a staggering 220% increase from 2020 to 2022.
It was clear there was more interest in a lifestyle that many don’t know even exists. Additionally, it was discovered that 22% of RV owners were young families aged 18-34, indicating a significant demographic seeking alternative living options, and traditional Sunday service is not always an option for them (rvia.org).
With rising home prices, more families are exploring the idea of a small and mobile lifestyle. It was within this context that one particular family’s calling and mission became clear: to plant people (chapters) and guide them in fostering connections with God while equipping others within the nomadic community to do the same.So how does a pastor and his family out of northern California make disciples within a community of people living and changing locations every few days, weeks, or months? The answer sounded simple, but not so easy. This expression of the church started out looking very similar to the early church with some modern comfort. Instead of living in tents on the ground, these nomads live on mission above the dirt and on top of wheels, making it easy to head right where the next group of people can be found.
The reality is that RVing, coupled with modern communication technology, has afforded us the ability to live, work, and school anywhere we want with an unprecedented flexibility and freedom. The ability to see new sights and build new relationships while crisscrossing this great country has built a strong community of RV enthusiasts that enjoy those freedoms. This nomadic lifestyle often leaves a spiritual void, however, as these same RVers travel away from their church home.
“The world is multiplying while the church adds (at best).” Ralph Moore
Finding Church on the Road
Finding “a” church on the road can be a challenge. Some RVers may not be comfortable with a denomination different than they are accustomed to. Others are simply uncomfortable being the focal point as a visiting family or guests in a local church. Visiting a new or different place of worship comes with the uncertainty of what the expected attire might be, and what offerings or services they may or may not have for the kids. More often than not, we end up skipping worship time, or perhaps watch an online sermon or bible teaching.
What do you do then about this mission field of RVers that may not step back into the local church? Skipping church wasn’t an option for the Boyd family. So Gathering of Nomads was born to fill that spiritual void that Jesus believing RVers found themselves experiencing at campgrounds across the United States.
Gathering of Nomads doesn’t just build up the current faith community but is actively adding new believers to the Kingdom of Heaven. Oftentimes the folks that would never walk into a church find themselves wandering into a campfire where people have smores and Bibles in hand. These moments lead to tons of questions, friendships, and salvations.
Connecting The Nomadic Community
Pastor Shane Boyd, after years of serving in traditional ministry, recognized this shift in the culture as more and more people took to full-time and part-time RVing, spending long periods on the road. As the COVID surge, remote work, road-schooling, and new technology afforded aspiring RVers the ability to pack up and hit the road, they often didn’t consider the spiritual implications of cutting ties with their local church.
Shane knew God was calling him and his family to something different. It was a calling that would push them far out of their comfort zone and into the ever-growing communities of nomadic RVers in campgrounds and RV resorts with every amenity except one… a church.
While most will associate the word “church” with a building, from a larger, theological perspective, Christianity views the Church as a community of people who follow Jesus Christ and are united with each other in Christ. The Boyd family felt led to bring community, teaching, and worship to this new mobile body of believers that didn’t have a physical church home through Gathering Of Nomads.
As of 2025 it is believed that over 5 million people live in RVs as a primary dwelling.
Gatherings, Chapters, and Church
In the spirit of Matthew 18:20, Gathering of Nomads holds and helps organize Gatherings to bring RVers together. It’s not complicated, Gathering of Nomads celebrates a unique way of life that combines the love of travel with a deep commitment to faith. As they travel, campfires and picnic tables become places of communion, where stories and prayers are shared, friendships are formed, and the spirit of fellowship thrives. Gatherings are not just casual meetups. They are purposeful assemblies where they uplift one another and share the message of God’s love.
Leaning on modern technology, Gathering of Nomads provides a browser-based app to connect believers to each other, find gatherings, join Chapters, and find “Nomad” recommended churches in their area. Like other organizations that have communities of like-minded thinkers, Chapters are formed to help bring together these folks when a regular physical location does not exist. Chapters can meet anywhere, and in the case of Gathering of Nomads, very often anywhere means a thriving campground with spiritually hungry RVers.
Gathering of Nomads is like almost any other ministry from yearly events (rally’s), group messages for the community, and has a growing online Facebook group as well.
Church can often look like a traditional church service with worship, preaching, and even local announcements to what may be happening in the campground that week. And oftentimes, church looks like 10-50 people sitting under a pavilion, around a fire, in a pop-up tent, or hopping on a Zoom. When thinking along the lines of growth, Gathering of Nomads looks to multiply the people doing these simple church gatherings, and tend to focus less on the size of the gatherings. This model has led to having 20 other families who host church, Bible studies, and fellowships all across North America in RV parks.
Giving Back to the Church
Gathering of Nomads also gives back to the community, especially to RVers in need. Shane, his family, and fellow Nomads stand ready to help RVers that may be experiencing an emergency of any kind; financial, logistical, or spiritual. To this effect, it is very easy for any RVer looking to follow their heart and assist the RVing community by supporting Gathering of Nomads and the work they do.
Giving While on the Road
When you don’t have a regular church home, the practice of tithing, or simply giving in general, can falter. We all want to be obedient, but as it is often said, we prefer to give back to those who feed us. When you spend a great deal of time on the road, your focus changes, and you begin to see different needs. You wonder if your tithe could be better spent elsewhere?
If you feel led, you can give and support Gathering of Nomads and their chapters. We can’t all be the boots on the ground, but we can support those that are. If you ever want to see where your money is going, just fire up the app, join the Facebook group, or find them at the park they are in and join Shane and his fellow nomads at their next gathering!
Join the Gathering of Nomads
If your walk is faltering, you are looking for a fresh spiritual connection, or you simply want to hold hands with another believer and pray your black tank holds its contents until you get to a dump station, then join Gathering of Nomads. Whether you need to be fed or wish to feed others, it’s important to connect with other believers to “bear one another’s burdens.” Visit gatheringofnomads.com for more information.
