By Erik Cave, Director of NextGen Ministries, PacNWC
I recently had the privilege of spending a week in Alaska with young adults from around the world. It was the last week of a 90 day Discipleship School called Acts29 hosted by the Alaska Conference of the ECC. The time was full of stories of spiritual growth, seeing evidence of God’s work in the community and shared hope for the future.
Acts29 is an international multicultural mission movement of young people, whose lives have been discipled and transformed for missional leadership in the Church and in the world. It began in 2004 with a partnership between the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden and the Evangelical Covenant Church of Ecuador. Since then 12 countries have hosted three month long schools focusing on discipleship, leadership and mission.
The school I visited had about 30 participants from Chile, Thailand, Sweden, Argentina, Canada and the USA. The students arrived in February to settle into their rooms at the Interact Campus on Lazy Mountain in Palmer, AK. From here they took in the breathtaking snow covered mountain ranges that are typical in Alaska.
Students are required to give up their phones for six a week while at Acts29 so they can focus on relationships and spiritual growth. Each day begins with an hour of devotions. The mornings are filled with teaching from the book of Acts by the school leaders. Afternoons include more teaching, often by guests. Devotions take place each night after dinner. I was able to share my testimony and help the students prepare for the huge transition of going home.
Two full weeks and most weekends were spent in local churches doing all sorts of ministry in small groups. This meant many had to fly in small planes to reach the rural village in Western Alaska. The students stayed with church families while engaging in ministry, doing work projects and building relationships. These relationships and experiences were some of the biggest highlights students will bring home from Acts29.
The school in Alaska was the first Acts29 to take place in the USA. It came together after years of planning and prayer through the efforts and support of the Alaska Conference. Pulling off an event like this requires a lot of logistical coordination, financial backing and dedicated people. In talking with Curtis Ivanoff, Alaska Conference Superintendent, and local pastors it is clear to me that the benefit to the conference made all the work worth it. Churches and communities were blessed by the students local involvement in uncountable ways.
The obvious question is, “Will we ever host an Acts29 school in the PacNWC?” The answer is that we he hope so. Right now we do not have the infrastructure to make it happen. As we get more students from our area to go to other countries and the relationship between Acts29 and the ECC grows, we plan on being ready when the time is ripe. Until then, pray for Acts29 and encourage the young people you know to consider attending.
Acts29 will continue this Fall with schools in Nicaragua and Congo. You can get all the details on Acts29 by going to http://acts29.global.