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CHURCH HEALTH Joel A’Bell
Church Health is a significant portfolio of the National Executive that has been designated to Joel A’Bell in the past two year Conference period.
The health of any family is critical for all its members, and it is incumbent on every member to contribute to the health of the family. COVID has been the great revealer. It has magnified what has (potentially) been laying dormant inside of us. For those who have a confident hope in Jesus, this season has caused us to emerge relatively unscathed. For others of us, with an unhealthy expectation on others for our support and comfort, COVID has dealt a lethal blow. All in all, we cannot deny the stripping back of what we once held so dear, and an emergence of the new opportunities that lay ahead of us. Individuals across the earth have instinctively asked, “what is most important?” Is it any wonder that we are asking the same questions as faith communities? During my time on the National Executive, we have spent a decade measuring health by actual numbers. such as attendance, baptisms, salvations and volunteers etc. These make the most sense to us because they are easy to measure, and we can bench mark across the fellowship. We should continue counting. This next season will create appetites of new health conversations. Areas about atmosphere, posture, our tone in the community and our social responsibility. Whilst these are difficult to measure, the conversations will shape the way church is felt on our society. Mentoring has seen a huge spike in interest across the ACC (and other denominations) and will provide the necessary support to keep pastors healthy, which will in turn see health flow down the leadership ranks in to all our churches. With more than half of our churches in regional and rural Australia, I am excited about all the possibilities that await our future. It has been a privilege to serve you these last several years and I am more passionate about church health than ever before.
Looking forward to keeping the conversation alive.
JOEL A’BELL. National Executive Member
Youth Alive continues to have significant influence and impact on this generation as we engage thousands of youth and young adults across the nation with the truth of Jesus Christ. The national cohesion is greater than ever as we work together as one!
Leadership The National Leadership Team is made up of all Youth Alive State Directors. We thank them as they continually invest into this generation of young people with passion and dedication. The team includes:
Cameron Bennett (QLD) David Edgar (VIC) Sam Long (SA) Matt Sharples (TAS) Matt Wilesmith (NSW) Andrew Williams (WA) A special acknowledgment thank you to all of the State Directors that have finished in their capacity as Youth Alive State Directors since 2019. Craig Guntrip (TAS) Stephen Lott (NSW) John Mezbourian (WA)
Stats
The past season has been the most significant, yet challenging, in the history of Youth Alive with thousands of young people directly impacted through Youth Alive activities. At the beginning of 2020, the impact of Coronavirus and government responses gave us the opportunity to strengthen our online reach. Conferences, outreach events, leadership development and Academy all engaged in effective online strategies and delivery. Outreach Events
• 81,792 in attendance/views • 8,746 responses to follow Christ Conferences • 11,344 in attendance/views Schools
• 23,935 in attendance
Training & Resources In each state, Youth Alive equips young leaders through various leadership programs and events.
• 215 students trained in the leadership academy in partnership with Alphacrucis • 7,540 in attendance/views at leadership equipping events
UNITED WE STAND
in attendance.
Events
• United We Stand continues to be Australia’s largest Christian youth gathering with over 28,000 young people in attendance. In 2020, youth ministries and young people viewed our very first online UWS outreach. This was viewed in a variety of contexts dependent on local government restrictions. • Conferences across the nation have been growing at a rapid rate. Thousands have encountered Jesus in a real and profound way and many have had the call of God awoken in their lives due to these events.
• Leadership Equipping Events have different forms across the country to meet the needs of the local churches in that area. • Leadership Academy is a significant leadership environment that challenges, trains and nurtures the call of God upon students to reach this generation of young people. The Academy continues to innovate in its delivery strategies, to connect students across the nation and engage communicators from across the globe. This innovative approach allowed the Academy to adapt with strength through covid. Goals and vision
Youth Alive is being strategic and intentional towards outworking its mandate through: • Reaching the lost • Raising leaders • Resourcing the local church • Reviving a generation Youth Alive would like to thank Pastor Wayne Alcorn and the ACC National Executive for their ongoing support and belief in the next generation.
CAMERON BENNETT National Leader: Youth Alive
YOUTH ALIVE ACADEMY
I can say with absolute confidence that my time at Youth Alive Academy was one of the foundational growth opportunities that equipped and prepared me in my current role as a Youth Pastor leading a significant group of young people. Beyond the academic qualification, the constant, personal leadership development equipped and empowered me to lead teams, increase my personal organisational skills, and confidently tackle incredibly complicated and nuanced issues that affect young people. Youth Alive’s commitment to partner with and equip local churches meant that I could take the practical skills that I was learning in the classroom and immediately apply them to a real-life youth context in my community. The speakers that we were exposed to were genuinely world-class. Educators such as Michelle Mitchell integrated detailed lessons about how young people mentally function and is yet to be outclassed by any other tertiary training I have completed – including specific Secondary Education study in one of the top 5 rated universities in Australia. The commitment from Pastor Renee and the rest of the Youth Alive team to grow each student in their individual capacities is evidently demonstrated in the personal care that the team take to grow each student. Beyond the classroom experience, I had the opportunity to debrief complicated pastoral situations with some of the best Youth Leaders in the nation and those doors have remained open and are valuable resources to me as I have stepped into full-time ministry. It’s clear that the objective of the Academy wasn’t to get people through the door but to walk with each person in their unique leadership journey. I would not be in the position that I am today without Youth Alive Academy and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone interested in growing their leadership and ability to work with and lead young people.
– Sandy Collins Youth Pastor Life Church Brisbane South
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