Operations Director Jason Brawner was born into camping…literally. His father, Jim, was a director at Kanakuk Kamps for 21 years and Jason grew up amidst the frenetic activity of summer camp.  Barnabas co-founders Paul and Cyndy Teas came into his life while they were on staff there. He also met his wife, Alison, when both were serving as counselors in 1996.  

Jason’s camp background, though, isn’t all that defines him. He’s a chaplain in the Missouri National Guard, a pilot and former youth pastor. He graduated from Drury University with a degree in Visual Communications and is currently doing seminary work at Liberty University.   He is also the owner of Brawner & Co, a project management firm.  Like all the other staff members, his path to Barnabas was uniquely God-designed.  

“I was in Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, doing additional training for the National Guard. Paul and Cyndy came over to help my wife, Alison, while I was away. (They have three young children:  Jackson, Millie and Smith, ranging in age from 6 years to 6 months.) Cyndy mentioned to Alison that they’d like us to be praying for Camp Barnabas as they were looking for a new camp manager. Later that evening, while Alison and I were on our nightly phone call, she relayed the request to me and I started praying.  

“As the next few days unfolded, I felt God pushing me in that direction. Funny how the person I ended up praying for was me! I called Paul (who I caught totally off-guard) and the rest is history. I feel I’m at Barnabas because God picked me up out of my world and set me in His to do what He needs of me.”   In addition to their three children, the Brawner family has two dogs, Woody (a black lab) and Winston (an English bulldog).