Faith. Calling. Community.
Over the past several months, we’ve been asking an important question at Winebrenner Theological Seminary: What is God doing among the next generation, and how might we faithfully participate?
Our recent reflections on young adults, particularly those belonging to Gen Z, have reminded us that answering this question begins not with developing new programs or offering solutions, but with listening. These themes surfaced during our recent Board of Trustees gathering, where we considered the challenges and opportunities facing Gen Z. We were encouraged to listen carefully, cultivate meaningful relationships across generations, and recognize how God may already be at work in the lives of young adults.
Listening, however, also invites a response. If young adults are seeking meaningful relationships, exploring questions of identity and calling, and looking for ways to connect their faith with everyday life, how might we create spaces where those conversations can continue? One response is taking shape through a partnership between Winebrenner Theological Seminary and Camp Sonrise Mountain.
Beginning in October 2026, the Young Adult Fellowship: Faith. Calling. Community. will bring together young adults ages 18–30 for a shared journey of spiritual formation, vocational discernment, leadership development, and Christian community. The fellowship grows from a simple conviction: young adults benefit from opportunities to explore important questions of life and faith alongside others who are willing to listen, encourage, and walk with them. Rather than approaching young adults primarily as future church leaders or potential seminary students, we want to recognize them as people in whom God is already at work.
The fellowship will provide intentional space for participants to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ, explore their gifts and passions, develop meaningful friendships, and consider how their faith shapes their identity, relationships, work, and service. It is an opportunity not simply to learn more about Christian faith, but to consider what faithful living looks like in the midst of everyday life.
One theme that has emerged repeatedly from our conversations with young adults is the importance of relationships. Young adults are navigating a world characterized by significant change. Questions about belonging, vocation, identity, and the future are not abstract ideas. They are part of everyday experience. We believe these questions are best explored within relationships characterized by trust, encouragement, and a shared commitment to following Jesus. The Young Adult Fellowship is designed around that understanding.
Beginning this month, participants will gather online every other month for teaching, interactive conversations, guided reflection, and peer learning. Each gathering will focus on a theme connected to the experiences and questions young adults are navigating:
- October 2026 — Identity & Belonging: Exploring who we are in Christ and what it means to belong within Christian community.
- December 2026 — Faith & Formation: Considering the practices and relationships that shape ongoing spiritual growth.
- February 2027 — Calling & Vocation: Reflecting on purpose, gifts, passions, and the ways God may be calling us to faithful service.
- April 2027 — Leadership & Service: Exploring leadership as an expression of Christian discipleship in the church, workplace, community, and society.
Between gatherings, fellows will be encouraged to continue conversations, engage in personal reflection, and consider how these themes connect with their daily lives. The goal is not to provide predetermined answers to every question. It is to cultivate an environment where participants can listen for God’s leading, learn from one another, and grow in their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.
In our recent reflections on Gen Z, we considered the importance of older generations becoming a stable and faithful presence in the lives of young adults. This is an important part of the fellowship’s design. Each participant will be connected with experienced Christian leaders who can offer encouragement, accountability, practical wisdom, and support as fellows explore questions of faith and calling. These mentoring relationships are intended to complement the larger cohort experience, creating opportunities for more personal conversation and reflection. Mentoring is not simply about passing along information or telling someone what decisions to make. At its best, it is a relationship of mutual learning, grounded in a shared commitment to discern God’s work. We anticipate that these relationships will encourage not only the young adults participating in the fellowship, but also those who have the privilege of walking alongside them.
The fellowship will culminate with an in-person retreat at Camp Sonrise Mountain, June 4–6, 2027. The retreat will create space for worship, reflection, discernment, experiential learning, and community-building activities. As the weekend concludes, participants will be invited to consider their next steps in following Jesus and serving faithfully wherever God leads them.
The Young Adult Fellowship is designed for young adults ages 18–30 from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. College and university students, young professionals, tradespeople, ministry volunteers, emerging leaders, and others interested in spiritual and personal growth are encouraged to consider participating.
There is no expectation that participants have already discerned a particular ministry calling or have their future figured out. Instead, we’re looking for young adults who are willing to engage thoughtfully, ask meaningful questions, build relationships, and explore how God is at work in their lives.
There is no cost for the online fellowship gatherings. (A separate registration fee will apply for the June retreat, with additional details available at a later date.)
Those interested in participating will be invited to complete a brief application sharing their faith journey, their hopes for the fellowship, and their willingness to engage in the cohort experience.
As we continue reflecting on what God is doing among young adults, we’re reminded that faithful participation requires more than simply recognizing the challenges facing a generation. It requires relationships. It requires humility. It requires a willingness to listen and learn together. The Young Adult Fellowship is one way Winebrenner and Camp Sonrise Mountain are seeking to put those commitments into practice.
We don’t presume to know everything God will do through this experience. In fact, part of the opportunity is remaining open to what we may discover along the way. Our hope is that participants will grow in faith, develop meaningful relationships, gain greater clarity about their calling, and discover new opportunities to serve God in the world. And perhaps, as we walk alongside these young adults, we will continue learning something about what God is doing among all of us.
That’s the invitation at the heart of the Young Adult Fellowship.
For more information about participating in the 2026–2027 Young Adult Fellowship, contact Brent Sleasman at brent.sleasman@winebrenner.edu. More details and specific dates/times are coming soon.