WHAT IS CHALLENGE?
Challenge is the EFCA’s biennial national gathering for students entering 7th grade through completion of 12th grade.
Since 1988, the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) has challenged students to live on mission for Jesus through student conferences. Grounded in the EFCA Statement of Faith, Challenge brings trusted EFCA speakers to teach gospel-centered disciplemaking to the next generation.
We are committed to helping you plant and water the gospel among the next generation. We want students to experience the joy of knowing Jesus and helping others do the same.
“I attended my first Challenge Conference in 2024—and it was phenomenal. There’s something powerful about watching students realize just how big their God is as they worship and learn alongside thousands of others.”
Challenge blends aspects of a conference, a mission trip and camp to create a catalytic environment that moves beyond the mountaintop moment to building missional momentum within your group.
More than a conference. Challenge blends the best aspects of a conference, camp and mission trip to offer a transformative environment for your students.
More than a weekend. For five days, your students will experience the presence of God, and have many opportunities to learn, grow and dive deeper into their walk with Jesus.
More than your youth group. As you worship alongside thousands of other students from across the country, you'll remember you're a part of something bigger than yourself.
More than one-size-fits-all. From Gatherings and Huddles to Recreation and Outreach, Challenge provides a customizable experience to fit your group's unique needs.
More than one event. Challenge is designed to build disciplemaking momentum—to equip your students to bring their experiences home into their local communities.
OUR VALUES
Jesus Centered
From start to finish, Challenge is about the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Cor 4:6). He’s the One we want students remembering and talking about when they go home.
Relationally Infused
We believe spiritual growth takes place best in the context of relationships. Therefore, we create intentional opportunities to strengthen the connections between students and leaders.
Synergistically Architected
We work hard to create an intentionally integrated environment that bleeds the central message throughout each of the diverse components of Challenge in order to create a stronger learning environment.
Missionally Driven
We long to see a posture of “sentness” that moves students out toward others both locally and globally as disciples who make disciples. While at Challenge, we seek to join God in what He’s doing in the city by strengthening local partnerships that will last long after we’ve gone.
Prayer Saturated
Transformation is a supernatural, God-dependent process. Therefore, prayer is not simply a tactic, it is our transformational strategy. When we pray we know God moves.
“Challenge forces my adult leaders to step out of their cultural comfort zone and into the student culture. This helps my students’ trust level of their small group leaders grow as they see their willingness to experience their culture.”
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