This year, Baptist Youth Ministries (BYM) launched M28 Discipleship Camps, creating space for young people to go deeper in their faith, be challenged in their walk with Jesus, and take their faith seriously.
Since M28, BYM have been hearing some incredible stories of how God has been at work in young people, in youth leaders, and in churches. Below is a story from Sacha Olsen, Senior Pastor at Henderson Baptist Church.
This year has been a year of seeing God move in surprising ways. Over the past three years Henderson Baptist Church has been seeking God to grow our young people as we had only one youth and one young adult. We talked about being a regenerative forest, where every layer contributes to its thriving. We waited and prayed.
Then, just before Easter Camp this year, our one young adult said yes to God, and offered to take youth to camp. What we thought might be one or two young people attending, turned into twelve within a couple of weeks. Needless to say, we were thrilled. Easter Camp led to a fortnightly youth group and Youth Alpha together, and from there we offered our youth the chance to go to the new BYM M28 Discipleship Camp. Again, we didn't know whether anyone would want to go, but just one week before camp, four youth signed up — two boys who regularly attend our youth group, and two of their friends.
Our youth key leader couldn't attend, so I went instead. I'm not sure I knew what to expect from this camp, but I was glad to be there with four very quiet youth. As we drove to Rotorua, I wondered what four days would change. Would the car be full of noise on the way home?
Looking back, I couldn't be more glad that I went. This is a camp where youth are invited to go deep in their faith, and it was a joy to watch. They were stretched, encouraged to step into the uncomfortable so they could grow — and while that was tough for my four, they did it. In our first small group time, they were encouraged to pray out loud, which they were all pretty tentative about. With some gentle teaching and encouragement, they each shared short, beautiful prayers. I didn't realise how significant that moment was until a couple of days later, when I found two of the four had become disciples of Jesus at Easter Camp 2026, and a third was still deciding whether to follow him. For us as a new youth group, this was profound — not only for their spiritual growth, but for the luxury of unhurried time to really get to know each of them and build a space of trust where they could be vulnerable and know they were loved.
I saw God at work throughout the camp, particularly in the personal quiet times, where the youth learned to put down their phones and talk with God. One of them wanted to learn how to pray more deeply, so I gave him a simple guide for praying through the Lord's Prayer. He loved it, and it's helped him engage with God far more intentionally.
On the drive home from camp, the car was full of noise, and none of them wanted to leave. It was obvious how much the camp had impacted each of them.
Later, when I was dropping a couple of them home, they asked if they could pray for me. The tears came quickly as they spoke some of the kindest, most encouraging prayers over me — two youth so new to faith, yet so hungry to learn and grow. I don't know if there's much better than that in life.
I would wholeheartedly recommend taking your youth to this camp. God will move in their lives — I have no doubt.
Photos supplied by BYM.
