YL Capernaum Everywhere

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”  Colossians 3:16 NIV “Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives.” Colossians 3:16 The Message Dwell Among You. Plenty of Room. I invite you to read Colossians 3:16 again.  What words stick with you.  As I have sat in this passage I have been stuck in the word "dwell" and in the Message version "plenty of room."  I love the visual of spaces where there is “plenty of room” for Christ to “dwell among” our hearts.  How beautiful to have Christ dwelling in BIG spaces of our hearts - how do we grow these spaces and how do we walk with others to grow these BIG spaces as well?  In my role with Capernaum Discipleship,  I often find myself learning and unlearning the practices of discipleship and my own unde...

Our friends in Capernaum long for authentic relationships like every other teenager. They want to be know. They want to belong. They want to engage with their peers. Yet, often relationships can be hard and confusing for our friends. Danielle Dodge and her team in San Antonio, TX put together an incredible resource for us in Capernaum to use with our friends! An entire series on relationships. They dive deep, they explore it all and they have seen great growth in their friends through this. It shows dignity to our friends, treats them like teenagers and invites them to dive in! We hope that you enjoy this great resource as you continue to journey alongside of your friends! Link here  to Relationships Campaigners Link here  to Relationships Campaigners Workbook

Jim Branch has written many great books that have been used in campaigner groups and leadership meetings.  There have been hundreds, if not thousands, of kids who have gone through them while serving on work crew or summer staff. It was exciting to hear that Micaela Otal took the time to create a booklet of Jim Branch’s book Beginnings to do with some of her Capernaum friends during campaigners!  She took time to include definitions of words that could be new or challenging, as well as included scripture and questions!  Huge thanks to Micaela for sharing it with us! You can just print the booklet out for each person in your campaigner group and you’re off and ready! Enjoy!

All of our friends are longing for deep, authentic friendships. They are hungry to grow in their friendships and to learn more about Jesus’ friendships. So if you’re looking for a great series for your campaigners?! Look no further! Thanks for our friends in Carolinas Region, here is a four week series on Friendship. Great questions, great activities and a deep look at scripture!  

Here’s a great blog post from Amber Waldron! Check out this great campaigner/small group lesson based on John 13:34. Amber Waldron and her team paraphrased this verse into “I love you- love others the same way!”. Along with the lesson, they created two pages to help engage your friends in the content of the conversation! We love getting to learn about loving others well! Thanks for creating this great small group conversation! Have some from your small group?! We’d love to see and share them! Send them our way!

We are so grateful to Katie Vidal, Area Director, Tucson Capernaum Young Life for all her amazing and intentional work on these discipleship plans!  Thank you so much, Katie! Over the last few months, we have been brainstorming ways to be more intentional about providing our friends and their families with resources as they transition out of Young Life Capernaum and into a lifelong faith community. We know that across our country, people with disabilities are underrepresented in our churches. Many of our friends and families expressed that they weren’t sure how to begin conversations with church leaders about the skills and gifts God has equipped them with and the ways that they want to use those gifts to serve in the Body of Christ. We wanted to create a tool that our friends can bring to their churches to express their individual discipleship goals and the ways that they would like to serve in their church. We modeled our Capernaum Personal Discipleship Plan after the on...

Cary Collins is an artist in Little Rock, Arkansas that focuses on bringing scripture to life. Following the skills she taught in her lettering class, Amber Wladron has created additional scripture letters to share with her Capernaum friends during their small group time. Amber loves it because it is written as a letter to our friends from Jesus. These can be made by hand or you can use different fonts! This template of making scripture a letter to our friends has made us think about scripture differently and reminds us that it is written by God for them! 1001freefonts.com is a great resource for finding fonts! Cary makes beautiful work that can be found at https://carycollinsdesigns.com ! Feel free to create and upload your own scripture letters (as PDFs) to share here . Using the drive link will allow you to download a few letters that Amber has already created! We’d love to fill this drive folder with hundreds of verses, so please upload or share any that you create for you...

by Tasha Taylor- Chicagoland Regional Coordinator When preparing club talks for my Capernaum friends, one obstacle I am always thinking through is how to avoid an “adult or program voice.” You know - that voice that we are overly familiar with using when we are up front that may speak over a question being asked or a comment being made. That voice that is easy to tune out. That speaker’s voice that becomes like the mom in Charlie Brown. Muffled noises. This can be true in Capernaum if you have one leader who gives the majority of the talks at club and Campaigners. Their voice can become overly familiar. Capernaum’s collective journey to find the most engaging way to share the Gospel with all our friends has pushed us to explore answers to this challenge. The Jesus StoryBook Bible does a wonderful job of telling the Bible stories, but still I have found when I am the one reading them when giving the club talk, my “adult or program voice” can take effect. So, for a couple years now I h...

When I think of the scene of Christ’s birth I think of all the  “favorite things”  of many of my Capernaum friends. Elizabeth’s  Dream  💫Come True Mary’s  Choseness👯 Angels Announcements of 📣 Good News A Donkey🐴 as Transportation The  Music  🎶of Mary and Zechariah The Birth of a Baby  Winning🏆   over an Evil King A  Sparkly🌟  Star Gifts 🎄and Surprises🎉  from Fancy Magi Animals  🐎🐄🐑in a Stable  Silence  🙉and  Holiness😇  in the Night A  Baby 🍼  who is Christ the Lord!!!! Right from the beginning God takes great care including a variety of sensory details in Jesus birth story. He does not want anyone excluded from the thrill of hope, peace or joy that Jesus has come to offer!!  What a thoughtful, detailed and inclusive God! In Young Life we have a founding quote from Jim Rayburn that has been repeated in our mission for over 75 years...

By Lauren Ford Purpose: It’s something we all want and yet often don’t know where to find. As an adult with a college degree and a wonderful job, I still find myself looking for purpose on a regular basis. Imagine you were back in high school. You’re a small fish in the large sea of students. You’re the one your parents are constantly worrying about, unsure if you will ever graduate high school or have a job. You’re asking yourself questions: “Why do I look different than them?” “How come no one asks me to hang out?” “Will I ever be able to drive a car like my peers?” For a lot of our Capernaum friends, questions like these are at the forefront of their mind. They consume all hours of the day. For others, thoughts like these are subconsciously affecting their self-worth and confidence. Regardless of how these thoughts populate our friends’ minds, many of us struggle with the word “purpose.” At our Capernaum Campaigners, we share this:   You were created on purpose, with a purpos...

In a country where children with disabilities are often considered a shame for their families and put into group homes, Young Life has the unique opportunity of going into these facilities and sharing the love of Jesus through Capernaum ministry. YL leaders from the community love on these teens and young adults through weekly clubs and meetings and summer camps. Sadly, in Palestine, these kids are normally kept separate from general public and an average teenager in high schools would not have any opportunity to know, let alone go to camp with, anyone with disabilities. However, for 53 Palestinian kids from the local YL club in Bethlehem that changed last November, when they were given that opportunity to attend a YL discipleship camp.  The three-day camp consisted of messages about finding God in the hard times, Jesus came for everyone, and how to read and understand scripture. On the second afternoon of camp, after hearing the message about Jesus coming for everyone,...

James spent a month serving on summer staff last summer. Since then, he has continued to walk with his Young Life leader and grow in his faith. Together they are pursuing Christ and leaning in to the truth. Recently James wrote this poem in reflection of his year post-summer staff! (We have permission from James to share this) ______________ God I love that I awake with breath in my body That you are in my mind and heart God I love that you took away sin no matter How bad I screwed up I know you are with me all the way so I Pray to you God As often as I can Even though I don't go on my knees I do believe you will listen to my prayers All I can really do is say thank you God For giving me a chance with Life --

Recently, an area in Northern Virginia took a really deep look at what discipleship might mean for their area. They were encouraged and challenged by the process. We wanted to share what they came up with… Friends… We call the kids that are participating in Capernaum our friends, but are they really? Are we developing friendships with them in a way that is reflective of the gospel? Or do we treat our relationships with them more like work? John 15:13-17 “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his masters’ business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I have learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit- fruit that will last- and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command:...

As kids with varying abilities spend time in Young Life, they are being given chances to serve and grow in their communities, much like many kids who are a part of traditional Young Life. Every time we hear about opportunities where kids are growing in their faith, we’re celebrating! Our friends in San Francisco spent time serving this summer! What a great way to build relationships,  serve and earn some camp scholarship money! Last summer kids came from various parts of Mainland China to go to camp at Woodleaf, but before they went to camp, they did some sightseeing and stayed in nearby homes. That’s when San Francisco Capernaum kids sprang into action! Our friends in Capernaum helped host the Chinese students, showing their hospitality and service by making lemonade, setting up dinner tables and chairs, serving food, and participating in club several nights. There were so many ways our friends could use their abilities to serve and be hospitable! Plus, in helping to host ...

In one of Young Life’s most recent podcasts regarding Forward, Lyn Brewer defined discipleship as: "Discipleship is helping others grow in their love relationship with Jesus Christ by teaching them about their faith with the aim of maturity in Christ. But this is a relationship, a journey that we are going on for a lifetime. Our job to help set the table for their growth in Christ." To help you set the table, we’ve put together an Individualized Discipleship Plan for you to use. This tool is designed to help you and your team, walk alongside of each of your friends in an individual way. We know that a one-size fits all approach will not be effective because our friends in Capernaum have so many gifts, abilities, talents, ways of learning and hopes for growing and serving.    In a small group setting, have leaders go through this document with one of their friends. Encourage everyone to take their time with it, to be in a posture of listening with an unhurried...

As we continue to journey with each of friends in Capernaum, let’s consider the best ways for them to engage in scripture. Maybe it’s a bible that is different than what you use, maybe it’s an audio bible or maybe it’s an app. There are many options available, but here are a few for you to consider. If you have come across other great options, please send them our way! Great Bible Options for Capernaum 1- Large Print 2- The Complete Illustrated Children’s Bible by Emmerson (mature art work) 3- Jesus Story Book Bible 4- Almighty Bible 5- The Story of God’s Love for You (Jesus Storybook Bible without the pictures) 6- NIrV Discoverer's Bible for Early Readers, Revised Edition 7- Easy to read bible stories by Douthit 8. Bible/Art Journal with a huge margin to encourage own illustrations Rebekah Jones  -Bible, colored pencils, card stock in between pages Apps: Awana has free or cheap ones with memorizing scripture or songs Girls 4 God Olive Tree Bible App ...

How can you grow your Capernaum ministry either initially or into a phase of discipleship? Adopt this biblical model, adapted from the works of Parker Palmer. Build a Joshua committee- like Joshua, gather a group of people who will pray and begin relationships with kids; bringing kids with disabilities from their personal wilderness into their own land of promise. It may not happen quickly; it is an ongoing process of learning from reaching out and then figuring out what is needed next. We have the opportunity to journey with our friends in unhurried relationships, full of patience and promise. Develop a Jericho strategy- gather a community together and engage in persistent celebration; an image based on the Biblical story of the walls coming after the Israelites prayed and paraded, in great celebration, around them over and over. Positive vision, hope, joy… draws people in and breaks down walls. Let’s believe and act on the reality that we are better together.  Use a fis...

As we have continued to pray and dream about our camping progression and what discipleship looks like in our area, there was one local option that has become such a great win!  For the past few years, a community group at a local church has provided and served meals for club. In looking at our summer camping schedule and wanting to help our older friends transition in young adulthood well, we started looking for ways to serve our city. There is another local ministry that brings in groups from across the country to help restore, rebuild and preserve dignity to homes in some of our more forgotten communities.  Each week is adopted by a local church to serve the groups coming into Memphis to serve our city. We adopt a week along with the local church that has been serving us all year. Each day we deliver popsicles to the job sites to provide a short relief from the heat, which also allows us to get to know the home owners and others serving. In the evenings, we set up, s...

As we continue to engage in ways to help our friends in Capernaum grow in their faith, we’ll be highlighting some ideas that are happening in different areas! YL Capernaum leaders are doing amazing things with their friends when it comes to discipleship! Let’s all be creative and prayerful as we consider what’s best for our friends and their needs. Sometimes we can get overwhelmed by thinking we have to dream up something big, but free yourself to remember that discipleship happens in relationships and those can be simple times together! Enjoy this great Girls Discipleship Sleepover idea… The overall hope of the time together was to continue to teach some of our girls how to be a disciple of Jesus in an age-appropriate way! We know that they are more than capable to jump in small groups, fellowship and service around their church communities so we want to help them to see their gifts more clearly, spend time with Jesus and grow in their love and understanding of Him. We gathered ...

Jaco Hamman is a wise man and friend who loves Young Life dearly. He serves as the teacher for YL’s training timeline class, “Personal Health and Ministry”. But more than that, his heart is keen for our friends with disabilities. He knows and understands the beauties and challenges that come with doing ministry with our friends with disabilities and speaks so beautifully into some unique ways that we can continue to learn from our friends.  Jaco has written multiple books, including “ A Play-Full Life: Slowing down and seeking peace ” which would be a great follow up read from this post for you. Jaco is also on the Board of Friendship House which works alongside persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (friends), their families and institutions to secure safe, affordable community-oriented housing. We are honored to have Jaco contribute to our blog and to encourage us as we continue to do ministry with our friends with disabilities! Play! Learning ...