world report

2025 Australia Youth Retreat

location
Melbourne
posted
June 19, 2025
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WORLD REPORT

The 2025 Australia Youth Retreat was held in Melbourne the weekend of June 6-8. Several of our young people came from New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, and South Australia to participate. They traveled to Melbourne or joined remotely to witness the power of God to transform lives, as well as to earnestly contend for the faith.

Friday

The weekend started with an evangelistic service in Frankston. The service began with a flute and clarinet duet by Afoma Chukwu and Faithful Asogwa. A sing-spiration followed and included “Blessed Be the Name of the Lord” and “Open the Eyes of My Heart.” Then several praised God through testimonies, and James Abisagboola sang “How About Your Heart?”

The message was given by Emmanuel Tshuma of Sydney, based on text from I Samuel 16. He encouraged the young people to maximize the privilege of attending special meetings and get all their blessings. Then, focusing on the importance of conversing with God, he referred to how Samuel answered God’s call and became God’s friend. In response to the message, the young people were moved to the altar to pray down the power of God. 

Saturday

Everyone gathered at the Ernst Brook Drive location for a plethora of services and youth-oriented activities. The services began with congregational songs and choruses led by Remilekun Abisagboola of Sydney. This was followed by a Bible study segment titled “Highlighting our Heritage—Our Origin: Examples to Follow.” The Bible Study was led by Taboka Tshuma and Tianosi Akerejola, also of Sydney. The key verse for the study was “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace (Psalm 37:37).

Lekan Olagookun, the youth leader from Melbourne, summarized the Bible study by stressing the importance of having good examples to follow as well as being a good example. He used the analogy of having different shoes for different occasions to illustrate how to be useful in the vineyard of God. He also used the description of a split stalk of celery dipped in colored water to caution against being influenced by a sinful environment. A good prayer service followed.

In the afternoon, the young people engaged in recreational activities. Then they gathered for an interactive session on applying Bible principles to the challenges and difficulties they experience daily in their academic, social, and spiritual lives. Before the conclusion, they pledged their allegiance to God with the intent of putting their challenges in God’s hand for assured help.

In the evening, the young people gathered to listen to a presentation titled “Understanding, Defending, and Living Out the Christian Faith in Today’s World.” Brother Lekan used excerpts from the rich history of the Apostolic Faith Church headquarters in Portland, as well as the church history in Nigeria and Southern Africa. He challenged the young people to keep the Gospel flame burning on the Australia continent. A good altar service followed.

Sunday

The day’s activities began with Sunday School anchored by Michael Chiutare of Perth on the topic “How Do I Pray?” The young people took center stage, showing their rich understanding of the Word of God and the plan of God for their lives.

The morning devotional service started with the orchestra playing “I Love You Lord” and “Sweet, Sweet, Spirit.” The choir also sang “Let Your Glory Fall” and “God Reign in Me.” Later in the service, after the last special of “He Will Carry You” by Foluke Olagookun, the guest minister took his message from Matthew 11:28-30. He listed different kinds of burdens young people might carry. These included spiritual, social, psychological, peer, and academic pressures. He encouraged the young people to come to the Lord irrespective of their burdens, saying the Lord would give them rest. There was a very good response to the message at the altar service afterward.

In the afternoon, the youth embarked on an outreach mission by enthusiastically distributing tracts in the neighborhood. The concluding evening revival service of the retreat started with an organ voluntary by Brother Tianosi. Later in the service, the testimonies were given by representatives from around Australia: Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. Brother Lekan took the Bible text for the message from Exodus 32:26. He focused on the question that Moses posed to the Children of Israel in a pivotal moment of their history: “Who is on the Lord’s side?” He admonished that being on the Lord’s side is the best decision that anyone could ever make. He further explained that being on the Lord’s side is a call to courage, purity, and discipline. The altar service that followed was very lively.

The youth retreat weekend was a great time of spiritual refreshing with so many young people consecrating and rededicating their lives to God. We thank God for this!

occasion / dates
2025 Australia Youth Retreat
June 6-8, 2025
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