Uprising on the verge of going deeper

06 May 2021

By Gil Corr

Creating a more intentional discipleship pipeline for youth is at the heart of a reshaped format for Uprising camp in 2021.

Traditionally, Uprising has focused on high school students in Year 10 and up, engaging them in their own discipleship journey, but this year it will include two new age groups – Verge (for Years 6 and 7) and Deeper (for Years 8 and 9).

The new format is pioneering a cohesive discipleship journey for the next generation, engaging students in formation and discipleship practices from late primary school, all the way into young adulthood.

Historically, Verge and Deeper have run as separate camps during the school holidays under the guidance of The Tops staff, but a collaborative effort between The Tops and Fresh Hope will bring these camps together, to create longevity and continual support for teenagers throughout some of their most formative years.

Charlie Burke, Spiritual Leadership Catalyst, has championed the idea since its inception. “This is an exciting step for Fresh Hope and The Tops to be taking into the future,” Charlie said.

“One of the things I’m passionate about is the fact that in God’s Kingdom, no one is too young to participate. No matter where you are in the journey of life, Jesus always gives an invitation into more.

“Creating a space where young people, of all stages and ages, learn to grow more in love with Jesus is always a win.”

Adam Stewart, Program Manager at The Tops, was a key contributor to Verge and Deeper in previous years. His hope is that this partnership will yield real fruit in the coming years.

“It is so exciting to be collaborating. This gives us the unique opportunity to create consistent mountain-top experiences that intentionally build the capacity of a young person to understand how much God loves them in a deeper way as they walk through their growing years,” Adam said.

“I hope the fruit of this pathway is a growing cohort of resilient, God-empowered young leaders that dynamically shape the future of Fresh Hope and beyond.”

Uprising will be running from July 5-8 at The Tops Conference Centre in Stanwell Tops, and this year’s theme is ‘Grit’, focusing on developing healthy, resilient and foundational faith in the lives of young people.

To register, or find more information, head to: https://thetops.com.au/events