When Pastor Richard Wager took the senior pastor position at a church in the Lawndale area of Chicago in 1967, he was hesitant because he had been running fruitful ministries, including the founding of an inner-city school and a camp, Phantom Ranch, in southern Wisconsin. Wager, his wife Joyce, and his faithful secretary Roberta Berggren, were all loathe to leave these ministries behind. However, God had other plans. In November 1967, Rich found a camp for sale in an abandoned girls' camp, located on a nice lake and just minutes away from the raging white water activities of the Wolf River. Nestled in the Nicolet National Forest, it had lake and river access and was perfect for future horse and ski trails. With faith and grace, Rich borrowed the down payment and the Silver Birch Ranch was born.