Post In Youth Articles
Added by Andi Topping on Friday 26th September 2008

Almost every week stories about young men fighting, drinking on street corners and getting involved in anti-social behaviour hit the headlines.

In light of that and the pressures our young men face Knock has established the “Passage” programme to help provide structure and discipline to our young men and guide them in becoming men of God.  

This year Passage took on a ‘Dads and Lads’ theme under the leadership of two towers of manhood, Neil Gilmore and Paul Brown - well one tower and one stump - ably assisted by Ross McCabe.  

“We recruited 11 dads and 13 lads to journey through 8 weeks of challenges, Bible studies, discussion groups and a weekend away. When I say we recruited, Neil recruited and I begged, cajoled and manipulating – but in a nice way!” explained Paul Brown.

The programme concluded with the weekend away which provided an opportunity to deepen relationships with the dads and lads hanging out together and playing paintball.  

“Paintball was a lot of fun and very sore, one of the funniest parts of the day was in the penultimate game, when David Hill had two young lads pinned down behind a bunker then got shot only to say ‘Ooh I have been shot in the mouth’,” added Paul.

The day pitted the dads against the lads in combat with a variety of games, lots of fun and in true competition, the dads started of well and faded in the afternoon with the onset of pain and tiredness letting the lads come back strong.

“On the Saturday night we had a great BBQ, even if I say so myself, and finished the night of with a session giving both the dads and lads time to talk about what they had learned during Passage.  

“Interestingly most of the dads where apprehensive about coming to Passage not really knowing what to expect, but greatly surprised by how much they enjoyed it, the friendship they had made and how proud there where of the lads.  

“The boys talked about how they enjoyed passage, how they appreciated the things the dads had said.  Each lad took time to say something about the challenge of being men of God and what that meant to them.  It was truly a privilege and blessing to be part of it finishing of on the Sunday with the Dads encouraging the boys and praying for them.  

“At the end of the weekend there was a sense of sadness that it had to end, or the lads just wanted to beat the Dads at something!  So we are planning a Dad’s versus lads football match followed by a BBQ for the group and their families in May,” Paul concluded.

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