School of Discipleship 2026
Participants from across Australia gathered for a weekend of worship, learning and community, exploring what it means to reclaim discipleship and deepen faith in following Jesus
July 10, 2026
By Rev Adrian Sukumar-White, School of Discipleship Coordinator
School of Discipleship (SOD) is an annual conference that has been running since 2004, creating a space and community where university-aged young adults can be encouraged and challenged in their faith, deepen their formation as disciples, and take seriously the call to follow Jesus.
While the conference has grown to include ministers, church workers, children and retirees, SOD remains a ‘school’ where people gather to learn in community, be challenged and nurtured, and deepen their understanding of the Christian faith.
School of Discipleship 2026 was held from 26–28 June and was delighted to welcome Rev Dr Sunny Chen, the Assembly’s newly appointed Director of Faith and Theology, as keynote speaker. Sunny explored the theme, ‘Lost in Translation: Reclaiming Discipleship and the Foundations of Faith’. Across three engaging keynote sessions, he combined insight, humour and energy to examine how a 12th-century shift in Christian thinking made discipleship increasingly transactional, how key biblical concepts such as life, death, hell and redemption have become misunderstood, and how recovering their authentic meanings can help reclaim a discipleship grounded in relationship rather than transaction.
This year’s conference also marked a significant milestone as SOD returned to its roots as a residential event, relocating to The Tops Conference Centre at Stanwell Tops, an hour’s drive south of Sydney. The residential setting allowed participants to fully embrace the elements that make SOD so distinctive: inspiring worship led by Leichhardt and Hope Uniting Churches, small groups, shared community life, the much-loved Songfest, and a range of electives. Highlights included Sunny’s session on Paul as a misunderstood apostle and Rev Dr Robyn Whitaker’s exploration of how Christians can speak ethically about Israel and Palestine.
The conference welcomed around 120 participants. While many travelled from Sydney and surrounding regions, it was wonderful to be joined by people from the Synods of Queensland, South Australia, and a strong contingent from Victoria and Tasmania.
The National Assembly has been a long-standing supporter of the School of Discipleship, and it was a privilege to once again partner through Sunny’s participation as keynote speaker.
Planning is already underway for School of Discipleship 2027. To stay informed and join the mailing list, visit schoolofdiscipleship.org.au
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