YL Capernaum Everywhere

It can be hard to follow someone that you don’t know, even harder to follow someone that you are a little bit afraid of.  We live in a culture that teaches us to be afraid of people that are different than us; so being led by one of these people can either be a bit of a disaster or something life changing.  This summer, it was life changing, to say the least.   My friend Owen spent the month of June serving on the program team at Carolina Point.  Owen is full of life and ultimately has two speeds- dancing and asleep.  He, along with three other people, spent the month breaking down the tough walls that high school kids build up.  He made them laugh, he led them in games during club, he declared big cookies for all, he led them in dancing, he led them in mixers and well, led them in just about everything that camp has to offer.  This in and of itself isn’t unique.  It’s what we do in YL camping. ...

Sherlock Holmes once said, “You see, but you don’t observe”. Jeff McNair takes this quote from Holmes and quickly put it’s to use by discussing how our society only sees disability. He notes that if we were to observe, the church and the community would be in a different place. How is your ministry, your life and your community becoming a different place because of your willingness not only to see, but to observe? Join us for part 2 of Dr. Jeff McNair’s talk from our Capernaum Pre-Conference. https://vimeo.com/165002782

During our Capernaum Pre-Conference at YL75, we had the privilege of hearing from Dr. Jeff McNair. Dr. McNair spent his time with us discussing the reality that God is not yet finished with His church. He so beautifully challenges and encourages our vision of the church. The church needs to be a place where faith is developed in an integrated fashion. A place where all are united. A place where all people can express their gifting, not just high profile gifts and a place where ALL people are loved. It’s clear to see, in our world today, that God is not yet finished. Grab a cup of coffee, a pen and notebook, and enjoy Part 1 of Dr. Jeff McNair! https://vimeo.com/164455444

by Brad Mowry In all of Young Life we need to mindful of parents. Yes, we are working to reach their kids, but they are the gatekeepers and we need to think about how best to approach parents. When I led a traditional Young Life club, I met a number or parents of many of the kids who came to my club. There were also many that I did not meet. When I led a WyldLife club, I became keenly aware that parents played a larger role in their kids’ lives. I couldn’t just see a kid at the school and take him for a milkshake – I needed to plan ahead. Contact Work almost required a permission slip. That comparison goes a step further with Capernaum. The parents are much more involved as gatekeepers for their children, and just as middle school kids are more naïve and vulnerable than high schoolers, kids with disabilities are some of the most vulnerable in our culture. How do I know this? I lead a Capernaum club, but I also have a 16-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy. So, my perspective on th...

The Olympics combines many sports, much gear, many medals and many adaptations… so why stick with just one when it comes to club! Go all out in one of your club’s this fall with a Pizza & Donut Olympics Night! Two things are important for the Olympics to occur... The National Anthem and the Olympic theme, preferably from the 2012 Olympics, it was the best year... Begin the night with Pizza Olympics- to get everyone excited, and because who doesn't love pizza? Pizza Olympics:   Order pizza from multiple places ahead of time. Don't tell them you did this though, that would be weird! Have a streamer/ finish line for them to run through as they arrive, making sure you're playing the Olympic theme during this whole experience Everyone cheers, every time Present them with their pizza medal – a win is the paper plate/ streamer medal idea Take a group picture and send them on their way! Donut Olympics: Now just go ahead and set the Olympic music on repea...

Allen, Texas sure doesn’t skip a beat when it comes to throwing an incredible prom night for their friends in Capernaum! Enjoy this great video that captures the night!

The driving ambition of any Young Life team is to get to know (and eventually reach for Christ) as many kids in a given school, town, or neighborhood as possible. Therefore, it is befitting that one of our mission goals this year is for all clubs around schools to involve a minimum of an additional 1% of the student population. In other words, we are not only interested in thinking about how to get the next new ministry started, but all of us, staff, committees, and volunteer leaders also want to strategize how to reach more kids for Christ through our existing ministries. Most of us have experienced the sense of fulfillment that follows a great club meeting – one where the program clicked, lots of kids, both new and old friends filled the room, and when the speaker shared the message all eyes were forward and you could hear a pin drop. The Lord continues to meet kids in the local club in powerful ways, just as He has for the past seventy-five years in Young Life and the last thir...