A discipleship weekend experience had been a dream for Area Director Erin Iafrate ever since kids from her area participated in the Student Leadership Project, Young Life’s summer discipleship program for high school juniors and seniors.
Watching her students come back from SLP changed and challenged in their faith and worldview, Erin realized that Young Life has been doing this type of discipleship really well for a long time.
Over the years, the Western Great Lakes Region has sent many kids and staff to participate in the Student Leadership Project, but the region has never had an “SLP-like” discipleship weekend during the school year. And with Young Life’s new initiatives to grow in discipleship and diversity, many felt there was no better time than now to begin one.
“Our hope was to use Discipleship Weekend to propel kids into some of the other discipleship experiences we have in Young Life like Work Crew, SLP, backpacking trips, and the Discipleship Camp at Timber Wolf,” shared Erin.
Erin teamed up with Regional Capernaum Coordinator Sara Webb and Grand Rapids City YL Area Director Lateefah Gofoe to put on the region’s first-ever Discipleship Weekend, held March 9-11 at Timber Wolf Lake.
Sara and Lateefah, both of whom had prior experience leading SLP, planned the content and teaching while Erin focused on the logistics for the weekend. Together they sought wisdom from previous SLP directors and YL staff from the region to make this weekend just what kids here needed.
22 kids from different areas in the region participated. “By keeping the group smaller we could be more intentional about having a diverse group of kids and leaders,” shared Erin. “Our hope in this was for kids to see the Kingdom more clearly than they would have back at home, in their school or club.”
“Getting the chance to go on Discipleship Weekend was everything to me.” shared Tania, a high school student participant. “I had a whole weekend away from technology and away from family and friends. Being apart from everything gave me the chance to have a one-on-one connection with God and allow my faith to grow in Jesus.”
The weekend theme was Who Is My Neighbor? focusing on the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10.
In the opening talk by Sara Webb, students heard how Jesus changed the culture by associating with the Samaritans. The group wrestled together with big questions like Who are the ‘Samaritans’ in your life? Who is hard to love? Who is not seen in our culture?
“From Discipleship Weekend I truly learned to love my neighbor,” shared Halee, a high school participant, “but not just my neighbor, the people that truly need love and help.”
Lateefah Gofoe shared in her teaching time that “you can have diversity without the Kingdom, but you can’t have the Kingdom without diversity.” She also challenged the group to consider how our love for God is reflected in our love for others.
The weekend included a time for prayer and community-building as the group learned about lament, entered into the pain of our world, and cried out to God on others’ behalf.
Joelle, another student participant reflected on the weekend this way: “My view on things like racism, privilege and lamenting was changed. I felt truly cared for by everybody there and like I was there for a purpose and a reason.”
In between the teaching times, the group participated in various hands-on learning activities to build community. The bean game taught about privilege and what it looks and feels like to start behind. The lockbox activity created a space where everyone was needed and groups had to work together and communicate to solve the puzzles to open the box.
“Kids grew from each other—more than anything we could teach them—as they practiced listening, compassion, lament, courage, rest, honesty and celebration,” shared Erin.
For Sara Webb, it was inspiring to watch kids who might otherwise never have connected, find deep community with one another. “What started as forced community by the end of the weekend was authentic and real. Kids were put into situations where they had to get to know each other and connect in small groups and at meals. It was really beautiful to watch.”
Discipleship Weekend Student Testimonies
“I felt very welcomed and loved by everybody there. It was a great mix of free time, activities, worship and conversations. My view on things like racism, privilege and lamenting was changed. I felt truly cared for by everybody there and like I was there for a purpose and a reason.”
“…Discipleship Weekend was everything to me. I had a whole weekend away from technology and away from family and friends. Being apart from everything really gave me the chance to have a one on one connection with God and it was a great opportunity for me to allow my faith to grow in Jesus. I grew up in a Catholic home where going to church every Sunday has been part of my earliest memories. I cannot remember going a Sunday without it. Along with the wishes of my parents, I took classes to further confirm my place in the Catholic church, but I never really understood what was going on. Now that I am older, I feel that I am more capable of making decisions in my own faith. It is up to me to decide whether or not I want to put my whole faith in Jesus. Currently, I am reading the Bible for the very first time and I am really excited…Discipleship Weekend was just another way of God reaching out to me and leading me towards his son and good grace. This is one weekend I will never forget and one I will always cherish.
“Discipleship Weekend was a fun-filled weekend with an amazing atmosphere to share your passion for God with others around you. I loved being able to talk with students from around Michigan and get an idea of cultural diversity. From discipleship weekend I truly learned to love my neighbor but not just my neighbor, the people that truly need love and help. Discipleship weekend was an amazing experience where I met new friends and connected with old friends while embracing our shared love for the Lord.”
