GLACIER VIEW, ALASKA – A piece of Alaska’s Christian history was lost this week as Spruce Lodge, the beloved chapel building at Victory Bible Camp, was destroyed by fire.
According to a statement released by Victory Bible Camp, the blaze occurred late at night and consumed the chapel located near the camp gym. No one was inside the building at the time, and no injuries were reported. Thanks to calm conditions and quick action from local residents, surrounding trees and nearby structures were spared.
“The community of Glacier View was amazing with so many people coming and bringing water tanks and hoses and staying late to help,” the camp shared in a Facebook post. “While our hearts are heavy, we know that God is good! And just like you can see the cross in the picture through the flames [see the camp’s Facebook post for this image], we will see His hand guiding us through this.”
Nearby Kingdom Air Corps, a Christian aviation ministry located about 14 miles from Victory, also posted words of support. “Please be in prayer for Victory Bible Camp,” their message read. “We are so very thankful no one was hurt.” The post included a passage from Isaiah 61:3, reminding readers of God’s promise to bring “a crown of beauty instead of ashes.”
For many who have spent time at Victory Bible Camp, the loss of Spruce Lodge feels deeply personal.
Some places truly help shape who you become, and for me, Victory Bible Camp was one such place. From my early twenties into my thirties, Victory touched my life in countless ways. During several summers, I served as a camp counselor at Teepee Camp—later renamed Frontier Camp—spending those long Alaskan days ministering to children and growing in my own faith. Even after I aged out of being a camp counselor, I still often returned for school retreats, to speak at events, or simply to reconnect with friends who shared the same love for that sacred valley.
When I left Alaska in 2014, Victory was still the place in all of the state that felt the most like home. A year later, I returned with a missions team from Florida, leading students to the top of Teepee Ridge, where the mountains, glacier, and winding river stretched to the horizon and beyond. For many of my students, it was their first time seeing snow—and it happened right there, as if God Himself wanted to give them that memory.
Now, hearing that Spruce Lodge is gone, it feels as though a part of my Alaskan home has been lost. So many memories were made in that building – from chapel sessions, to sharing the Gospel one on one with kids, to camp leadership meetings, and I even once hunkered down in there and read the whole book of Luke. Yet even in my grief, there is gratitude. No lives were lost, and the ministry continues—strong in faith and purpose.
Victory Bible Camp has been a place of spiritual renewal for generations of Alaskans and visitors alike – a place where the name and Gospel of Jesus Christ have been declared without apology. I suspect that the loss of Spruce Lodge will not even slow that mission down. While buildings may burn, the work of God continues through His people. As Victory’s post declared, even through the flames, the cross could be seen—a powerful image of hope that endures.
Photography Credit
The featured image is by BrokenBeardsman from Pixabay.com. It is used by permission. The image is used for artistic purposes, but is not an actual image of Spruce Lodge burning.
All other photography is the creation of the author and does portray Victory Bible Camp. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2025 David Scott Fields II. All Rights Reserved.
