Welcome to Baptist Youth Ministries!

You'll find a bunch of info on this page and the rest of the site including upcoming events, resources and links to other youth related stuff. Enjoy!

Andrew P
BYM Guy

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Revive08 is COMING!!!
Angela's Dish... Matt Corby... James Sutherland... BYM Worship Band... State Sports Ctr, Homebush... 7.30-9.30pm... $10 door entry... free parking for bus and mini-buses... more info coming SOON!!!

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Baptist Youth Ministries (BYM) is a network of leaders and youth communities from the east coast of Australia with a common heart: to glorify Jesus and to help young people experience MAXIMUM LIFE through Him!

We believe this is MAXIMUM LIFE: having a relationship with a personal, loving, faithful, powerful Creator. Out of this relationship we are compelled to making a difference in this world: working with others toward eradicating poverty and injustice and living lives that are compassionate, fulfilling and loving. Want to know more? Or click on the button below our forum bar on the right hand side of this page and buckle up for the best interactive site ever! If you are on dial up and hate slow downloads check this out! Or for a flash version click here!

When you've checked that all out phone or flick us an email and we'll put you in touch with a Church or youth group near your home so you can build some great friendships, have fun and learn more cool stuff about God and become a world changer!

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The word SORRY

Wednesday February 13, 2008 was a momentous day in Australian history. On this day the Australian Parliament officially apologised to the Aboriginal peoples of this nation for the systematic removal of their children during the early to mid 20th century.

This removal was deemed 'in the best interests' of the aboriginal children, in order to help them integrate into modern (white) Australia. In truth it was a disaster; causing great distress to parents and children alike, and robbing aboriginal children of their history, language and culture.

This damage cannot be undone.

We as a nation have benefited greatly from the riches of this country, and the ingenuity, courage and resourcefulness of our forebears. We celebrate the great things we have accomplished. We remember the men and women who have given their lives for our national freedom. And so we also accept the reality that the decision to remove aboriginal children from their parents was wrong and did great harm to our indigenous brothers and sisters.

Further, we at Baptist Youth Ministries recognise that to say sorry is a fundamental JUSTICE issue and is part of the path to healing and restoration of relationship.

Baptist Youth Ministries NSW and ACT wholeheartedly endorses the government's apology to the stolen generation, and we pray that God would continue his reconciling and redeeming work in the lives of indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

Andrew Palmer
BYM Director
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This year (2008) our theme is "RELEASED".

• We want to realease young people to live lives of excellence

• We want to release young people to work together to combat world poverty

• We want to release youth to live radical lives following Jesus; embracing the breadth of his life and teaching.

• We want to release young people to greater faith in an all powerful, all loving God.

• We want to release young people to proclaim freedom in Christ with their words and their actions.

It's MAXIMUM LIFE we're after!

So, we are part of a world wide youth movement engaging the Creator in deeper and more profound ways.

We are a youth movement engaging the community of faith in deep relationship; loving even when it hurts and shaping the Church in the 21st Century.

We are a youth movement engaging the wider culture with acts of service, love and commitment. We want to listen to the heart cry of our nation and world for truth, justice and mercy and respond with the grace of Christ.

And we are a youth movement that connects with creation, meeting with God in the majesty of all that He has made.

Yep, we reckon that this is MAXIMUM LIFE. Do you want to join us? We would love to connect with you!

Cruise the site for lots of news on upcoming events, useful stuff for thinking about youth ministry, great links to essential sites, and heaps of other things.

Plus we have a forum for you and your mates to trade ideas, opinions and meet a bunch of other people as well.

If you want all the cool info sent directly to you then you need to contact us at admin@baptistyouthministries.org.au

Livin' It...

We express "MAXIMUM LIFE" in lots of ways:

great events like Black Stump Festival, Back 2 Basics and unreal camps...
awesome training with some of the best thinkers and teachers from Australia and around the world like Michael Frost, Tony Campolo (US), Murray Brown (NZ), Andrew Menzies, Pete Ward (UK), Graham Hill and Duffy Robbins (US)...
service to youth pastors and leaders, serving the third world through partnership with Baptist World Aid Australia and rural and regional events and camps...
and by sharing the Jesus story in everything we do.

Global Impact...

We are committed to seeking and developing a more just and grace filled world. Part of this is making sure we put our money where our mouth is. For the past 2 years BYM has been financially supporting community development projects in Asia and Africa through Baptist World Aid

This year we are focussing our support on the Total Life Care project in Malawi.
Some extra info about the goals and activities of this project can be viewed on our
useful stuff page.

In other news:
So far over $3000 has been given to:
• a tsunami re-building project in Sri Lanka which has provided fresh water to many devastated communities; and
• the Integrated Youth Development Project in Uganda, Africa. This project assists young people who have lost their parents due to HIV-AIDS. The project offers supervision, counseling, support networks, education on HIV-AIDS, and training in an income generating activity.

Want to partner with us? We'd love you to!

Hook into Maximum Life! Hook into Jesus and get on board 'cause we're Free In His Grip!

Andrew P.
BYM Director Guy