A group of 16 individuals have completed a “life-changing event” that will equip them for ministry in their local churches and inspire them to be active disciples.
Catalyst is a 12-week immersive, skill-based discipleship adventure hosted on Avondale University’s Lake Macquarie campus and this is the third cohort to graduate. An initiative of the South Pacific Division (SPD) Centre for Discipleship, the program includes a week in the wilderness, where participants focus on adventure, team building and self-discovery.
According to Dr Gilbert Cangy, director of the SPD’s Centre for Discipleship, participants explore the foundations of discipleship as Jesus modelled it and experience genuine and purposeful community.
“We believe it will be the launching pad for changing many young people’s lives and engaging them in the life and mission of the church,” Dr Cangy said.
The third group of participants started at the end of July, with the program running for three months.
“The highlights of this cohort were consistent with what had been previously experienced with cohorts one and two; they came as a bunch of strangers heading to the wilderness of Bungonia National Park for a week and came out of there as a family,” Dr Cangy explained.
“Catalyst caught them all at different stages of their spiritual journey; some were seasoned believers and others, babies in the faith; the mature believers naturally assumed the role of mentors for the others.”
Attendees from this cohort ranged from professionals to tradespeople, aged in their 20s to 50s.
“Some came because they were at a spiritual crossroad, experiencing some kind of holy discontent, wondering if God had a greater purpose for their lives; others knew that they were called to serve and came to sharpen their skills, and some showed up because parents and pastors strongly encouraged them,” Dr Cangy said.
“For all concerned, the experience was transformational.”
Dr Cangy reported that feedback from participants was positive, claiming it had exceeded their expectations and changed them for the better. Others felt it was the best part of their life so far helping them to know and grow closer to God.
“With their new skills and mission focus, the young people will have a deeper sense of who they are, their identity in Jesus, and what discipleship is. They will be equipped to serve in leadership roles and contribute to the ministry goals of their local church,” Dr Cangy said.
“They will be a huge asset to growing our local churches and church plants—this is a tangible way to future-proof our Church.”
Earlier in the year, Catalyst also held a weekend event in Western Australia which was booked out with 70 participants and a waiting list of more who could not be accommodated. Catalyst will host two events such as these in early 2025: one for teens and another for the church.
Local churches and individuals can support Catalyst through the “Adopt a Disciple” campaign, where they can sponsor young people to attend the program.
For more information about the Catalyst program and how to get involved, click here https://catalyst.c4d.au/ or email catalyst@c4d.au.
