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This past weekend saw youth from Decatur County and across southwest Georgia, from 6th to 12th grade, gathering in church for this year’s Disciple Now (DNOW) weekend ministry program. Big group services were held at Grace Church on Friday night, as well as Saturday morning and evening, with the kids wrapping up the ministry program at their home churches on Sunday. Additionally, small group meetings were held at different host homes throughout the weekend.

According to Steve Brooks, Associate Pastor and Youth Pastor at Climax Baptist Church, DNOW was introduced to the area roughly 25 years ago at First Baptist. At the time, only three churches were involved. This year saw 10 participate, though Brooks stated that as many as 16 churches have participated in the past.

“It’s an event that pulls our churches together across denominations,” Brooks said. The main theme of this year’s message was “Unashamed”, inspired by Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Having been around for almost three decades, DNOW now has several local youth pastors preaching in the program, pastors who had once gone through the program. Andrew Donaldson, Associate Pastor of Youth and Family at First Baptist Church, is one of them. “It’s a long-standing event here,” he said. “It’s to encourage students in their faith, in their walk with Jesus… it’s pretty amazing to be a part of DNOW as a youth pastor after being a part of it as a high school student and college student.”

Brooks hopes to build on the momentum of this year’s turnout for next month’s Day of Service food drive, where the youth will put together food bags for those in need in the community.