Helpful Articles & Resources

This book is like a training manual on how to approach life – a beginner’s guide to Christian ethics. It provides a framework for approaching any topic in a biblically faithful way, explaining why Jesus and His word helps us to live in freedom. It then gives practical examples of how to use this framework to think biblically about 6 key youth topics: study, money, suffering, violence, sex, and identity. Buy it here. 

2. Who Am I And Why Do I Matter? 

Who am I? Where do I fit in? Am I good enough? What do people think of me? What does God think of me? Christian Studies teacher and school chaplain, Chris Morphew, has been answering big questions from kids for over a decade. In this book, he shows children how to embrace and enjoy their identity as those loved by God and made in his image. He also gives lots of practical advice on how to remember what God says about who they really are. Readers will be helped to replace fear and anxiety with faith and confidence as they find their self-worth in what God says about them. Buy it here.  

3. A Doubter’s Guide to Jesus: An Introduction to the Man from Nazareth for Believers and Skeptics   

In A Doubter’s Guide to Jesus, John Dickson stretches the imaginations of both believers and skeptics alike, confronting the beliefs on both sides. Dickson peels back the layers of the past to provide an eye-opening introduction to the major portraits of Jesus found in the earliest historical sources. Discover for yourself the many portraits of Jesus understood throughout ancient history. Buy it here.  

4. Days of Your Youth 

The book of Ecclesiastes follows the journey of a teacher searching for meaning. After searching everything and everywhere for it, he makes a conclusion for the young: “Remember your creator in the days of your youth”. Buy it here. 

5. A Dozen Disappointing Disciples 

Jesus’ disciples were intolerant, selfish, violent, and dull. They were exactly the sorts of people you would think God couldn’t use. Except that he did, and they changed the world. A Dozen Disappointing Disciples gives an engaging and hilarious look at the stupid stuff the twelve disciples did. You’ll discover how Jesus used them, and how he can use you too. Fun, encouraging, and challenging, this book will help you see that not even your stupidity is any match for the power of Jesus. Buy it here. 

6. Young Women 

There is so much pressure on young women today to live with differing expectations. Over six studies, Young Women addresses the issues that young women face. How can you be a good friend? What kind of relationships does God want you to have with the opposite sex? Does it matter how you dress? Is it wrong to gossip? What does God say about how I should view myself? Buy it here.  

7. How Do We Know That Christianity Is Really True? 

Big questions deserve good answers. This pithy, fun and fast-paced book looks at what the Bible says to help 9-13s think through this big question for themselves. It explains why we can trust the Gospels as real historical documents and walks through the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection. Lively stories and illustrations make this book easy for this age group to engage with. Buy it here.  
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According to the KYCK team, a fourth weekend was necessary for reaching new youth groups who, due to calendar clashes in the past, have not been able to come. Wrangling youth to and from convention can also be a logistical nightmare, especially for leaders of larger youth groups. Having both April and September dates enabled bigger churches to split up attendance by age groups, which eased the organisational pressure of many youth leaders.  

The introduction of a fourth weekend attracted many groups who attended the convention for the first time. According to Tina Gosling from Boambee Community Baptist Church (BCBC), her youth were engaged with every part of KYCK and hope to return with a “mini bus” load of youth in 2023:  
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“Our youth have been buzzing in sharing about their time away at KYCK with their families, rest of BCBC youth, and friends at school. They are already determined to come back next year. As we were heading to our car to leave the convention, we saw a mini bus that another youth group must’ve came in, and we declared, “Lord, this time next year lets bring a mini bus of BCBC youth!”

“Attending KYCK will resonate a deep foundation within our youth as they surround themselves with other Christian youth their age, from across our nation, who have chosen to gather to connect deeper with Christ in fun times, in worship, in delving into the Word, and in fellowship. They will leave KYCK convention impacted.”  

Amanda Bailey from South Wagga Anglican echoes this desire for larger-scale fellowship, especially since most of her youth live in non-Christian homes in rural New South Wales. According to Amanda, youth in country churches can feel isolated, so events like KYCK are valuable in showing youth that their faith and priorities are shared by many:  

“When we arrived, not only were they unable to comprehend how big God’s family was, but they looked around and saw other Christian youth and leaders committed to following Jesus. Their shock and excitement was utterly amazing!” 

“Watching our youth come home, passionate and confident in what they believe has been amazing. Three of our youth stood up and shared their testimonies for the first time at our church service the following Sunday, and many of them have started reading Mark’s gospel. We truly believe that God has done something special in their hearts, and for us, this has certainly changed the trajectory of our ministry.”  
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The youth from South Wagga Anglican was able to attend KYCK for the first time after receiving support from the Country KYCK Bonus—an initiative which offers financial support for youth from country churches.  

KYCK will return in 2023 over three weekends in April and one in September. The theme will be ‘Meet Jesus’ from the Gospel of Mark.  

Weekend 1: 14-16 April 
Weekend 2 & Online: 21-23 April 
Weekend 3: 28-30 April 
Weekend 4: 22-24 September 

Tickets will go on sale Tuesday 8 November, 9.30am AEDT from our website. 
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The KYCK Country Bonus will also return in 2023. To learn more or to apply visit our website: www.kyck.org.au/country-kyck-bonus/  

Camps have always been an integral part of our youth ministry at South Wagga Anglican. We know how special they are and that they are a place where youth make significant steps in their faith.  

Our youth group is a bit odd; almost 70% of our youth come from non-Christian homes, most of them have never owned a bible, and a scary amount had never heard the gospel message until this year. We met most of our youth through Special Religious Education (SRE) class, and from there they have plugged into our Friday night youth group and become part of our family at SWAC.  
 
So, when it came to choosing a camp, we wanted to choose one that could show our youth that living for Jesus was something people chose to do and prioritised in their life. That’s one of the tricky things about living in the country, but that’s exactly what happened! When we arrived, not only were they unable to comprehend how big God’s family was, but they looked around and saw other Christian youth and leaders committed to following Jesus. Their shock and excitement was utterly amazing!

2. What was your personal highlight for the weekend?  

Watching 15 of our 19 youth stand up and receive prayer to either follow Jesus for the first time or recommit their lives to him was INCREDIBLE. It was such a special moment and one that we won’t forget as a stepping stone in their faith.  

But more than that, watching our youth come home, passionate and confident in what they believe has been AMAZING. Three of our youth stood up and shared their testimonies for the first time at our church service the following Sunday, and many of them have started reading Mark’s gospel. We truly believe that God has done something special in their hearts, and for us, this has certainly changed the trajectory of our ministry.  

3. Why do you think youth groups should prioritise conferences like KYCK?  

I honestly believe that youth of every age and spiritual stage can draw something from KYCK. Whether your youth are sceptical to the faith or have been following Jesus for a long time, KYCK is a place that says, ‘come on in’. It’s both accessible and challenging, and the encouragement from being with other brothers and sisters is unreal.  
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We’ve loved that KYCK called our Christian kids to a higher understanding of faith but at the same time, made the gospel message clear to those who are wrestling. I would encourage all youth groups to make camps like KYCK a priority (they also have barista coffee on site for leaders…so that’s that). 

Trusting that the Bible is God’s good word to us can seem harder today than in the past. To our culture today, the idea that the Bible could be true, trustworthy, and inspired by God seems unbelievable.

Christians can feel the pressure of that scepticism and hear the culture’s logic of doubt. At times, we can even share the confusion of what is good and true. This is why in today’s world, it is vitally important for us as Christians to understand what we believe. But together with that, it is crucial for us to know why we believe it to be true. 

As Christians living in a post-Christian, post-truth world, we need: 
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Our confidence that the Bible is true and trustworthy, emboldened. 
Our conviction that believing the Bible is intellectually respectable, confirmed. 
Our experience that having the Bible shape our lives is a necessary good, galvanised. 

Our family-friendly program will empower you to have confidence in the Bible’s authority, while refreshing your desire to hear, understand and live by God’s word in a world of confusion. In a time of varying and conflicting ‘truths’, Easter Convention will ground your soul by showing you that the Living Word of God is a treasured possession, worthy of our wholehearted and joyful submission.  

Whether you have been a Christian for many years, or still figuring out your faith, Katoomba Easter Convention is the place for you to grow a ‘Rock Solid’ faith in the Bible.  Join us today!  

Whether you join us in the beautiful mountain air of Katoomba or from your living room or holiday home elsewhere, our absolute priority is to provide a program that will continue to be a time of significant spiritual impact for you. 
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For more information on ticket types, pricing, family packages and children’s programs visit our website: https://easterconvention.com/ 

One of the many toxic and damaging principles of a past era.

​A call to suppress tears in fear of being labelled as a lesser man.  

A truth producing men with unprocessed grief…until it finally explodes in anger or anxiety.
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Men feel ashamed of their sadness, so they channel it into madness, causing further damage to their relationships with God and one another.

In 2023, Executive Director of the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF), Alasdair Groves, will be joining the BASECAMP platform to help men unravel their emotions. By combining Scripture and Christian counselling experience, Alasdair will help men of all generations to have a biblical view of what their emotions are, how to handle them well, and how to help each other process with God and one another.  

Sydney: 5 August 2023 Mountains and Online Livestream: 11-12 August 2023 

Registrations for BASECAMP men’s conference will open on Thursday 1 December 2022.  
For more information or ticket prices please visit our website: www.basecampmen.com  

Katoomba Easter Convention is returning on the 7-10 April 2023 and will centre around the theme “Rock Solid: Trusting God’s Word in a World of Confusion”.  We are thrilled to announce that Dan Paterson will be joining the KEC platform to address this topic over three sessions.  

Dan is the founder of Questioning Christianity, a ministry helping you connect the Christian story to life’s deepest questions. He has experience as a pastor, lecturer, and public speaker, having studied Theology and Apologetics in Australia and at Oxford. Dan currently lives in Brisbane with his wife, Erin, and their favourite job is raising three wonderful boys.  
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Get a taste of Dan’s teaching here:  

Contradictions, propaganda, historically inaccurate; the criticisms of the Bible are vast. Can we really trust a book that’s been translated so many times, and used to support slavery and Holy War? 📖 While this is only an introduction to such a broad question, it’s a great starting point for anyone beginning to investigate the trustworthiness of the Bible.  ​