Jumpstart - Australia

JumpStart Australia

What is JumpStart?

An Awesome 5 Day Teaching Camp

God’s Word + mandatory fun!

JUMPSTART is a 5 day dynamic and directional teaching camp aimed at Christian home-educated teens between 15-17 years.

This camp is uniquely designed to provide solid foundational Bible teaching, contemporary apologetics, and to address some key life issues that Christian youth may be facing today. Jumpstart also offers a variety of planned recreational activities, meaningful worship, and the opportunity to develop wholesome and lasting friendships with peers who love Jesus.

Spiritual foundations will be reinforced, friendships will be strengthened, and most importantly, one’s relationship with Jesus Christ ‘as our LIFE’ will be taught, nurtured and encouraged.

Jumpstart is not only about equipping the next generation in the Word and ways of God, but even more importantly to help them discover who Jesus Christ really is, and all He wants to be and do in their life!

“See to it that NO ONE takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to CHRIST” (Colossians 2:8)

Camp Theme 2026

THE PROGRESS OF REDEMPTION
From Genesis to Revelation

“But truely, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord” - Numbers 14:21

Have you ever read (or tried to read) the Bible and wondered if it makes any sense? Often, when we read about God’s plan for the world in the Bible, we are confused and uncertain about what He is actually doing. We read the books (or parts of them) that we find in the Bible, attempt to piece together the different names and events, and often do so without clarity of understanding, or any concept of the historical situation and/or Bible characters. We look at all the oblique parts of the Bible and cannot grasp the big picture or the grand storyline that is ultimately unfolding before our very eyes.

The Old Testament narrative of the Bible recounts the grand story of God calling a people to be His own. God chooses, saves, and spares that nation as He builds them into a channel of redemption in order to spread His glory over all the earth. Ultimately, through this nation God sends His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the world. What appears to be a defeat in the death of God’s Son becomes a victory, as Christ accomplishes redemption and conquers death in His resurrection!

In the New Testament we come to understand that God is still surely at work in His world through His new channel – the Church. These ‘born again’ followers spread the good news of Jesus Christ’s work on the cross and His powerful resurrection, beginning from Jerusalem, to the surrounding areas, and ultimately to the “ends of the earth.” They explain that Jesus died FOR YOU, so that He would live IN YOU, so that He could live THROUGH YOU as a member of the new channel to spread His glory over all the earth, and that it takes Jesus IN us to live the life that God requires OF us. They also announce the imminent return of Jesus Christ to earth a second time, and who alone will judge the world and bring redemption to completion.

This year at Jumpstart we will go on a journey through the entire Bible and trace the unifying theme of redemption as it progresses from Genesis to Revelation. We will see how the grand story of God’s redemptive plan begins, unfolds, and finishes! There is hope, and Jesus Christ is alive and involved in our world of need!

Speakers

Dale Epp

JumpStart Director

Originally from Canada where he worked in construction by day and played in a ‘heavy metal’ band by night, Dale has been with the Capernwray ministry (formally Torchbearers International) for nearly 30 years. He and his wife Patti first spent several years on staff at His Hill before moving to NZ in 2003 to pioneer and lead the Bible school there for 11 years.

Dale is a regular guest teacher at several of the Torchbearer Bible Schools, and is also a self-employed builder in NZ. He is the Founder and Director for Jumpstart - a growing camp ministry in NZ and Australia aimed at home-educated teens. Dale and his wife have 2 adult children.

Geoff Westlake

Worldview Australia

Geoff is the Biblical Foundations Coordinator for Worldview Australia, teaching young people to think and live from a Biblical worldview.

Previously a labourer, diesel fitter's trades assistant, and truck driver, Geoff served as an ordained minister in the '80s & '90s, and has specialized in outreach since then. School religious education incursions, church-based outreaches, adventure camps, with teams of volunteers, including WVA's Youth Leadership Camps.
And in 2003 he & Sally began Cheers Neighbours Network, a suburban volunteer outreach in Perth's north, while raising four (now adult) children, on a small bush-block with a menagerie of chickens, parrots, dogs, etc.
Geoff teaches about Jesus: what we know, how we know, and why it matters, from first-hand experience, science, history, archaeology, & seeing how different believers live out the same Biblical faith. He speaks in ways most Aussies appreciate, and has seen many come to trust Jesus for themselves.

"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” - Colossians 1:28

Location & Times

Capernwray Torchbearers Australia
596 Moss Vale Road,
Burradoo, NSW
Australia 2576

7th - 12th May, 2026

Capernwray Australia

Pricing

The price represents incredible value for money and includes all accommodation, meals, teaching sessions and activities.

All prices are in AUD.

$430.00 / person

$410.00 - for each member of same family (if more than 1 attending)

*Please note, the actual costs for these camps are nearly double the stated costs. These camps could not be possible without the generous donations of individuals, Christian businesses, and Churches. Not only this, but the youth leaders are also taking valuable time off school or work in order to volunteer for each week of camp - a real sacrifice on their part. THANK YOU for supporting this unique ministry and investing in the gospel to and for the next generation!

Testimonials

All
Board of Reference
Campers
Parents

Geoff Westlake, Worldview Australia Director.

I wish something like Jumpstart had been available when I was a teenager. In just one week, campers can gain a solid foundation in both the written and living Word of God—enough to give them a truthful framework for navigating life. They also benefit from meaningful shared experiences with their “tribe,” forming positive relationships that can last a lifetime. I highly recommend Jumpstart camps for homeschoolers.

S.S

Hi Mr. Epp,
Thank you so much for running Jumpstart again this year. I had such a wonderful week. I really loved all the classes and found them fascinating. In your session ‘The Devotional Life’ I was really interested in the plan you had for reading your Bible every day as I had recently been losing my enjoyment of reading the Bible and so I tried your idea and I find it is really working for me. Thank you so much.

I don’t have any recommendations for you, as I loved every minute of it and I am looking forward to Jumpstart 2016!!!!

Thanks for a great week and may God bless you as you continue doing His work.

P.P.

Both of my kids came home having grown in their faith further.

Misc

Dear Dale, Patti, and all involved in Jumpstart,
I just want to say how deeply I appreciate Jumpstart being available for Christian young people.

My daughter first attended in 2019. Shortly afterwards we were driving together and I mentioned that I was struggling to understand "the old man". Immediately, she explained what she had learned at camp and let me borrow her notes on Colossians. They were a great help to me.

She returned with full notes from Jumpstart 2020 and I was able to take a week's retreat to read through and copy them for myself. It was a rewarding investment of my time. I am grateful for the clear teaching both in Eschatology and Life Issues. I well remember struggling to apply the spiritual to the practical when I was young. Jumpstart would have been a great help!

I am thankful to the Lord for including me in the ripples of blessing that extend from what you have allowed Him to do through you.

Yours because His,

R & G

We highly recommend Jumpstart for all young adults. It offers absolutely exceptional bible teaching and discipleship and a whole lot of fun as well. It seeks to solidly ground young people in the Word of God and view the big issues of life from a godly perspective – to honour the Lord with their whole life. The teaching is “meat” but it is also interspersed with a truckload of fun. Our children say that they never laugh so hard and so much anywhere else! It has been such a blessing to our family and is always one of the highlights of the year for our teenagers. We reckon no Christian family should miss out on this wonderful opportunity.

L. F.

My daughter attended Jumpstart 2011 alongside other homeschooled teenagers and I cannot express how wonderful it was for her. She had the best and most valued time she has ever experienced away from home. Take all these testimonials above, multiply it and believe it. Their feedback has had to be edited for the sheer size of their positive testimonies to the value and impact of Jumpstart and its teachers. I highly recommend you give your Christian teenagers the gift of attending jumpstart. Jessica is definitely going again in 2012!

L. G.

All the parents I know who sent their children previously have been so impressed with the venue, teaching, atmosphere and value for money and have booked them in for next year. They seem to have the right balance of clean loopy fun and deep thought-provoking, faith-stretching teaching and discussion. I am hoping that all my children will be able to go at least twice to deepen their faith, make great friends, both with other homeschoolers and also the wonderful students and teachers at The Crossing, and to experience the fun and great teaching that is Jumpstart. My 2 older children are both keen to go again and again.

N.T.

Thanks so much for what you guys do - it was honestly such a wonderful experience for Max and seeing him come back a different kid was great. What he showed me he learnt warmed my heart so much - tackling the big topics and sharing truth. It was such an absolute blessing.

So many friends asked if you ran a weekend one for school kids - desperate to see their children taught solid biblical concepts that aren’t watered down!!!

Will definitely be praying for you guys in all aspects but for widening the area of influence.

Thanks for all you and the team do - it’s appreciated more than you guys can realise.

View All Testimonials

Contact

If you require any further information or have any questions or queries please call
Dale on +64 27 398 7099 or email register@jumpstart.nz