Young people from across North Pacific Union gathered in Ridgefield, Washington, for Young Adult Outreach Summit on Oct. 19, 2024. The event was organized by Rob and Velvet Lang, NPUC youth and young adult director and associate director.
“This event celebrates young adults putting their faith in action,” Rob Lang said. “We are here to encourage them, empower them and fund their good outreach ideas.”
“Our youth have a vision and a desire to do something for Jesus,” said John Freedman, NPUC president. “They can reignite the passion of older church members. We need their energy and creativity.”
The event highlight was Spark Tank 2024, where young adults pitched their ideas for ministries to an advisory board of conference directors and young adult representatives, hoping to win an investment of up to $10,000. This year’s six projects each received their target amount.
Spark Tank Presentations
Outdoor Ministry
Lyndsie Walker and Katie Anderson, Summit Northwest Ministries leaders from Post Falls, Idaho, in Upper Columbia Conference, requested funding for outdoor ministries including camping trips and paddleboarding. They also intend to train an outdoor leader.
“We want to build spiritual connections by fostering human connections and open dialog,” Anderson said. “When we go out to nature, more young adults come, and having an activity to do helps to build a community where real conversations can happen.”
Story Service
Eugene Storyline Church in Oregon Conference hoped to support two young adult student missionaries taking a gap year to focus on campus ministries. They want to create spaces to mingle with college students and get to know them by sharing stories over hot drinks, soup and salad. They also plan to set up a solidarity wall where people can encourage survivors during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April 2025.
“The discipleship ministry, ARISE, did a solidarity wall at University of Oregon,” said Benjamin Lundquist, Oregon Conference young adult director. “It was so powerful for the students that the university asked to keep the wall up for the rest of the year.”
Storyline’s relationship-building projects will culminate in CRAVE, a three-day public evangelism event designed to reach college students.
Peculiar People
Katelyn Weakley, Mount Tabor Church pastor in Oregon Conference, pitched a custom-made episodic role-playing game called Peculiar People. The idea is to spark conversations about what it means to be Adventist by filming young adults playing the game and then discussing the issues brought up during gameplay.
“Many young people are into these games because role-playing groups do life together,” said Danniel Shaul, Alaska young adult representative, in response to this ministry pitch. “It’s an opportunity to have an impact where we currently have none.”
Harvest of Hope
Mikerline Apollon, Kent Church young adult leader in Washington Conference, presented a plan for Harvest of Hope Festival 2025. This family-centered event held at Auburn Adventist Academy would include free dental and healthcare services, games, live music, care packages and prayer booths.
“We want to promote fellowship and compassionate engagement,” Apollon said. “We plan to work with the mayor’s office and local businesses as well as local churches to build community connections and give to people in need.”
Fire and Ice
Joshua and Rachel Boram, from Walla Walla Eastgate Church in UCC, pitched “Fire and Ice,” a sauna and cold plunge ministry meant to reach out to the health-conscious, connection-hungry, adventure-seekers in their community. The church plans to offer health talks and prayer ministries at each event.
“We want to minister through the health message,” they said. “We can teach about prevention of illnesses and wellness and give people an unforgettable experience that could draw in people who are not at church.”
Dental Screenings
Jazive Sanchez, Ynna Simeon and Danica Philadelphia, from LifeBridge Church in Washington Conference, requested funding for ongoing dental ministries. Located in University Place, LifeBridge usually hosts two dental clinics per year, offering free cleanings, fillings, extractions and other services to their community. Chaplains meet with patients at checkout and invite them to celebrate together the next Sabbath. At their last clinic, LifeBridge saw 250 patients over two days.
“This event is outreach that builds relationships with patients and inreach that gives space to serve to more than a hundred volunteers,” said Philadelphia. “And we are mentoring other churches from Puyallup to Las Vegas to Kauai.”
Celebrating Young Adults in Action
DiscipleTrek 2024
NPUC took part in DiscipleTrek, a North American Division pilot program for young adult collegiates at public campuses. It was a three-week experience of Adventist fellowship and featured expert advice on team building and facilitating Bible studies for campus ministries. They also connected with mentors.
“This is intentional discipleship,” Lang said. “Young adults can minister and their elders should empower and support them. When this happens, we’re preparing people to prepare others for eternity.”
West Metro for Christ
Last year, West Metro for Christ, also known as WMX, in Oregon Conference received funding to develop outreach for bicultural young adults on behalf of Forest Grove Spanish Church, Beaverton Spanish Church and Hillsboro Spanish Church. Eli Martinez and Mayra Vasquez, young adult leaders, shared the successes of their monthly events, including Friday vespers, Friendsgiving and Sabado Jóvenes.
“We have seen lots of new people, and 80 youth show up consistently at each event,” Martinez said. “We get local attendees and people from all over — even Salem and Newberg. At our first event, we ran out of food. We realized it wasn’t a problem but an opportunity to meet a felt need. It’s also helped us collaborate with other churches in our district to do unified, cohesive outreach. We’ve learned that we’re not limited by what we can do but by what God can do.”
The natural progression of WMX’s events is evident in the wonderful news that six previously unaffiliated young adults were baptized at Hispanic Bible Camp at Washington Family Ranch, and many are also participating in the Bible study series "Rooted."
Togiak Mission Trip
Generation of Youth for Christ Northwest did not request funding at Spark Tank 2023, but NPUC did support their mission trip to Togiak, Alaska.
“I’m an RN, and I gave health talks on topics based on their requests every day,” said Virginia Polihronova, mission trip participant from Canada. “They were like sponges! There were many new Adventists with questions about the health message, and we got to introduce haystacks to them. When we talked about depression and anxiety, one lady said, ‘I never knew the Bible talked about these topics before!’”
“We were warmly received and had wonderful participation,” said Mitchell Merrill, mission trip participant from Winlock, Washington. “We had a really well-attended VBS program. On the first day, we had 44 children when we only expected 30, and the number increased daily. More than 15 stayed every night for our own worship services and listened intently. Every child who came for two nights or more received a Bible, and several gave their lives to Christ.”
GYC Northwest plans to return to Togiak next year and continue its ministry.
Outdoor Ministry
LifeBridge received funding in 2023 to buy gear for outdoor ministry. Jonathan Kovach, young adult leader, reported that the group has worked to host at least two events per month doing a variety of activities including backpacking, skiing, paddleboarding and rock climbing.
“We’ve been able to connect with many people outside the church,” Kovach said. “I met Kevin backpacking, and he brought his wife to play pickleball. My new friend Ala is now a volunteer at our dental clinic.”
“Our outdoor ministry has been a key focus area of ours and has a dynamite team,” said Dustin Serns, LifeBridge pastor. “The fruit of everything should be church plants, and we’re getting ready to start one here!”
Closing Remarks
Byron Dulan, keynote speaker, reflected on his years of ministry as a young adult and drew lessons from Moses’ call to ministry in Exod. 3–4. “God is looking for us to lead the changes He wants to make in the world,” Byron said. “The call of God will not keep you out of trials, but God gives you the wisdom and peace to face them. Whatever your need, God will provide it at the right time.”
The young adults focused on building connections and supporting each other. They also offered encouragement to anyone else interested in starting a ministry.
“I had fears when I began in ministry. I thought, ‘What if they don’t like me?’” Vasquez said. “What helped me was intentional prayer for every person in the group. Getting to know them and praying for their spiritual needs changed everything.”
Danny Ramos, Oregon Conference young adult advisory board representative, said, “It’s important to build meaningful connections with intentionality. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. What is up to you is to take that first step; then God opens things up. With the disciples, Jesus called people willing to do the work and then prepared them to do it.”
“We’re there to plant a seed,” Sanchez said. “That’s all we have to do. The rest is up to the Holy Spirit.”
John Winslow, Alaska Conference Young Adult Director; Ynna Simeon, Jazive Sanchez and Danica Philadelphia, LifeBridge Church Spark Tank recipients; Velvet and Rob Lang, NPUC youth and young adult team; and Jeff Wines, UCC youth and young adult director pose for a photo to mark the occasion.
Young Adults Outreach Summit and Spark Tank attendees gather from across NPUC to share ideas and successes.
Danny Ramos, praise leader, prays over the event and its attendees.
Katie Anderson and Lyndsie Walker, Summit Northwest Ministries leaders, present during Spark Tank.
