“D-Now” stands for Disciple Now, and this weekend retreat centers around youth discipleship and serving the community. However, in my own experience, God uses this weekend to do SO much more.

Recently, my church had its annual D-Now retreat, and it is easily one of the most important things we as a church do. If you are thinking of hosting your own, or attending another I would HIGHLY encourage you to prayerfully consider it.

Here are some reasons why:

1) Youth Lives Matter

Something I am so proud of, is that my church takes every opportunity they can to invest in the lives of our youth, and even the youth they have no connection to. Despite any circumstance, they do their best to love on, provide spiritual guidance, and take an active role in the experiences of these students. I know, because I was one of them.

Living in today’s society, it can be so easy to get discouraged or give into the ways of the world. Our youth are especially susceptible to this, and D-Now offers us the opportunity to reveal truth to young minds.

Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.”. How can we expect our young people to live a life according to His word, if we aren't intentionally sharing His word with them?

D-Now is the perfect place to expose God’s word to our youth, some of whom who may be hearing it for the first time.

We don't always know where they have been or what their life looks like before they walk into those doors, but while we have them we can intentionally love, encourage, and direct them to Christ.

2) Investing In The Community Matters

Throughout scripture, you can see various instances where God calls us to service, which leads us to the next element of D-Now. The service element of D-Now focuses on the importance of serving in the community of which you live.

It teaches our youth that you don't have to go overseas to share the gospel, and that the mission field is wherever you are!

Mission work in your own backyard is crucial. It connects people with local churches, and allows you to build long-lasting relationships with the people of your community. It is a reminder to the youth and leaders, that God can use you wherever you are, you just have to let Him.

D-Now is specially centered around youth service, because developing a servant’s heart at a young age sets a strong foundation for a lifetime of service. Serving within your community, also fosters positive relations between youth and older generations, and it inspires younger ones to get involved!

I can see this in the example of my own church. Youth don't stay youth forever, they grow up and a lot of them come back and serve as leaders. It’s a service cycle you definitely want to be a part of.

3) It Reinforces That Church Is A Safe Place

Church is a safe place because Christ is a refuge. D-Now opens doors for honest conversations of brokenness in safe, small group sessions, that shine a light on His mercy and grace. Some of these can be heavy and hard to talk about, but there is something about being in a room full of believers that just sets your soul at ease. I know this because I have felt it and seen it to be true in myself, and in my brothers and sisters in Christ.

For some, especially those who don't have a personal relationship with Christ, this experience might be the only time they ever feel the refuge that is Christ and His church. I honestly believe this is one of the reasons people come back year after year because there is no bond greater than that of the Spirit and the security that the cross represents.

God uses this weekend to do big things, not only in the lives of youth, but also the leaders and the people of the community we are serving. We all function as a part of the body of Christ, and it is a blessing to witness how He so perfectly networks one person’s experience with Christ, to change the lives of everyone else they encounter.

D-Now is not something you want to skip out on, trust me.