Welcome to The 40-Day Challenge!

Congratulations!
You are joining Christian students from all over the United States who are participating in The “Yes, I Believe in God” 40-Day Challenge. Our desire is to live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission on our Middle School, High School, and College Campuses.

Our Vision Statement
"A Great Commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission leads to a Great Campus!"

What is the Great Commandment?
Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind [and with all your strength].” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39, NIV

What is the Great Commission?
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I [Jesus] am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20, NIV

When does the 40-Day Challenge start?
You should have/attend a Boot Camp sometime before the Challenge starts. Find out how to get your "Bootcamp in a Box" here.

Day One begins at your school on the same day as “See You At the Pole.”

Click here to open an article about SYATP from
The National Network of Youth Ministries

Principles of Fasting
How do I make this work?

What to STOP doing: Living out the Great Commandment and Great Commission over these next forty days is going to require intense focus on your part. “Fasting” is choosing to give up something you really want, to focus on Jesus and prayer for a period of time. The word “fast” doesn't mean to speed up, it means to slow down, to stop the common and ordinary things (like eating for example) in order to focus your attention on your relationship with Jesus. Prayer normally involves your spirit and your soul (mind, will and emotions), but when you “fast” you get your body involved. You are praying with your whole self. The Bible has numerous examples of fasting's effect:

1. It shakes the devil. Mark 9:29 (KJV)
2. It stirs your soul. Isaiah 58:6-7a
3. It submits your desires. Matthew 4:2

What to START doing: The most Biblical and profitable “fast” is to give up eating. Nothing like a hunger pain to cause us to pray. Some have “fasted” a meal a day, some a day a week, some have given up certain types of food for the whole forty days (fried, fast-food, soft-drinks, sweets). If you “fast” food, check with your parents and if necessary a doctor before getting too extreme in your “fasting”. Another type of “fasting” could be to give up something that you really like and consumes your time like playing video games, watching TV, talking on the phone, wearing make-up, your boyfriend/girlfriend (yes that has happened). Fasting these things can free your time and can focus you on your relationship with Jesus Christ.

One word of caution: There is no such thing as “fasting” things that God has called sin. You repent and turn from sin permanently not for a period of time. So make sure that what you decide to “fast” from for forty days is not something you need to run from for life.

Why 40 Days?
A goal of The 40-Day Challenge is for one day to lead to 40 days, and for 40 days to ultimately lead to a Lifestyle! Here is the significance of 40 Days:

Judgment. 40 Days was a sign in the Bible that God was removing evil. (See Noah and the Flood Story. Genesis 7:4)

Preparation. 40 Days was a sign in the Bible that God was getting people ready for action. (See the story about Jesus being tempted by satan in the wilderness. Matthew 4:2)

Restoration. 40 Days was a sign in the Bible that God wanted to win people to Himself. (See the story where Jonah preached repentance to Nineveh for 40 Days. Jonah 3:4)

It takes 21 days to create a habit.
In 40 Days you can form a lifestyle!

Bless. Pray. Serve. Tell.
These are ways you live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. You will see the icons below on each day of The 40-Day Challenge as a reminder of what each day is all about.

Bless. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29
Pray. Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ… Colossians 4:2-3
Serve. Serve whole-heartedly, as if you were serving the Lord and not men. Ephesians 6:7
Tell. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

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