Alone, at 14 years of age, Noah jumped on a plane and flew to Sydney.
A member of Trinity Church Unley, Noah Laforest first heard about Leaders in Training (LIT) from some family friends in Sydney. After chatting with his parents, Noah decided to give it a try. It was such a good experience Noah flew back to Sydney for LIT in January 2026.
Noah shares, “Leaders in Training has been a fantastic experience for me. I learnt so much about the Bible through LIT. LIT is not just another Christian camp – it’s a well-tailored and all-round brilliant training event that builds knowledge and confidence in Jesus and his word.”
Noah’s dad Pete adds, “LIT really helped Noah develop his skills and confidence as a Christian leader. I would recommend this camp to any parent of a young person.”
Growing up in China, then moving to Wollongong when he was 15 years old, and now serving as a Trinity Church Adelaide Youth Leader, Elijah Li reflects that, “Participating in LIT as a teen helped me be inspired and equipped to serve God at school, church and uni. The opportunities LIT opened and equipped me for have laid the foundation for the ministry I continue to do as an adult member of Trinity Church Adelaide”.
The Trinity Network’s commitment to church planting creates particular challenges and opportunities as we seek to establish new youth ministries in new areas and establish young people in the gospel.
Youth programs can be hit hard when a core team is sent to plant a new church. Resources and numbers are initially reduced in both the sending and sent youth ministries.
On the positive side, there is a spiritual openness amongst youth who are not connected to churches – 68% of non-Christian Australian teenagers would consider attending church if invited*.
And the youth members of our churches hold powerful relational influence within their peer group. 43% of Australian teenagers identified friends as people they would trust if they wanted to learn more about Jesus^.
During the teen years, young people are forming some of their deepest convictions about identity, purpose, truth, and the direction of their lives. They are asking significant questions about what matters, who they want to become, and how they should live.
How can we most wisely invest in the faith of the youth in our churches and wider communities?
At the recent Network Training Day for senior Trinity Network leaders, Tim Blagg (Trinity Church Adelaide Youth Pastor) encouraged churches across the Network to intentionally lead ’through youth’.
What does it look like to minister through our young people? Witnessing to their peers in the local school, to kids younger than themselves at church, being empowered members of church teams and encouraging the faith of older members of their church?
What might happen if we not only taught young people about following Jesus, but intentionally equipped them to become servants, leaders and witnesses through whom God builds his kingdom?
This is the heart behind Leaders in Training (LIT).
We invite you to join us in this vision.
Pray for your young people. Encourage them. Invest in them. Walk alongside them. Send them. For the glory of God.
Take the next step and get involved in the January launch of LIT SA:
Summer 2027
Friday 22 – Tuesday 26 January, 2027
Rymill Centre,
Woodhouse Adventure Park
37 Spring Gully Road, Piccadilly SA 5151
For more info and to register:
www.youthworks.net/lit-sa
Or contact LIT SA Committee via: LiT.SA.Support@gmail.com
* Openness to church: 68% of non-Christian Australian teenagers would consider attending church if invited (30% said yes, while 38% were unsure).
OneHope – Global Youth Culture Australia, 2020, p. 12
^ Friendship influence: 43% of Australian teenagers identified friends as people they would trust if they wanted to learn more about Jesus.
Barna – The Open Generation, 2021 research