It is often said that leadership is an inherent trait. This may be true, but encouraging the discovery of that characteristic is something young-adult leaders in the Central Florida Diocese want to ensure for their peers.

To that end, 16 people ages 17-23 recently attended the Young Adult Leadership Discovery Conference at Camp Wingmann in Avon Park. The three-day event was open to young adults in college as well as juniors and seniors in high school.

Among the featured speakers was Steve Schneeberger, executive director of the Youth Ministry Institute and youth ministry consultant for the Diocese of Central Florida. Schneeberger said the event had a nice, familiar spirit.

“They (the participants) were all people who grew up in the diocese going to Camp Wingmann,” Schneeberger said. “The young people were engaged with each of the speakers, taking notes, and processing leadership concepts.”

Schneeberger said each of the five speakers focused on a Bible character and outlined different aspects of the character’s leadership style.

Also speaking were the Rev. Deke Miller, director of Camp Wingmann; the Rev. William Yates, Vicar of the Church of the Redeemer in Avon Park; the Rev. Dr. Jon Davis, executive director of the Canterbury Retreat & Conference Center in Oviedo; and Kevin Bartle, seminarian at Asbury Theological and Gordon-Conwell Theological seminaries and leader of “New Beginnings” weekends.

Participants also discussed a variety of topics, including “What is Christian leadership?”; “Do you have to be ordained to be a Christian leader?”; “Does being a Christian leader mean that I have to be one of those ‘crazy evangelists’ that stand on the street corners?” and “What does the Bible say about being a Christian leader?”

“We also worshipped together and were challenged in low ropes team building,” Schneeberger said. “It was a great weekend. We all hope it builds momentum like our other Diocesan events. I expect it will happen again and that more people will attend.”

For more information on future events at Camp WIngmann, call 863-453-4800.