The theme for YOUTH 2027 is (imaginary drumroll, please…) PROX. Rooted in the Latin word proximus—which can mean both nearest and next—our theme invites us to pay attention to what is close at hand while stepping faithfully into what comes next.

This theme will shape our experiences in worship, in our learning experiences, and how we form community together, and how we impact our host city of Dallas during YOUTH 2027.

PROX can mean:

• What’s Next? We know youth hear this question a lot. You’re constantly getting asked about the next chapter, sometimes forgetting to celebrate who you are in the present. Right now, you are leaders, advocates, and builders of the future. Where will your calling and gifts and skills take you and the church? Let’s find out together!
• The Next Right Step. Discernment time: What is the next faithful action each person can take based on the needs we see around us? We live in a world full of challenges, some huge and some smaller. We can explore how our immediate choices add up to larger transformation as we keep choosing the next right thing.
• Nearest Needs. PROX also means closest to us. The theme asks: What issues directly impact us today, and how can we collectively name and address those issues? Let’s discover how young people can help the church respond to what is nearest and to the most direct issues facing our age group and our communities.
• Surrounding Scriptures. We all have our favorite Bible verses. Some of us may even have them memorized them…But how many of us know what comes immediately before or after our favorite and most familiar stories or passages? Scriptures gain depth when we view them in their context—what came before, what followed, who the message was originally written for, and so on. PROX calls us to explore scripture not just in isolation, but also to build familiarity with and think through the verses and actions nearest to our favorite and familiar passages.

PROX: Pay Attention to What’s Nearest

• The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) teaches us that our neighbor is the one nearest in need, not just the ones we already know or expect.
• Bartimaeus by the Roadside (Mark 10:46–52) shows how Jesus notices and responds to the voice calling out closest to him.
• Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi (Ruth 1:16–17) demonstrates the power of choosing to stay close and faithful to those beside us.
• Micah 6:8 calls us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God—practical steps that start with the people and issues nearby.
• Matthew 25:31–46 (Sheep and Goats) reminds us that faith is expressed in attention to those right in front of us—feeding, clothing, visiting, and caring for “the least of these.”
• Peter and John with the Beggar at the Gate (Acts 3:1–10) encourages us to stop and see the one who is nearest, offering healing and dignity rather than ignoring them.
• Jesus, Jairus’s Daughter, and the Bleeding Woman (Mark 5:21–43) shows us how Jesus, when interrupted by the woman who touches his cloak, doesn’t dismiss her, but turns to the person nearest, even amid urgency.

PROX: Stepping into What’s Next

• In the Feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1–14), Jesus begins with what’s immediately available—the loaves and fish—and multiplies them into something greater. God often takes our next small act and transforms it into something bigger than we imagined.
• James 4:8 assures us that when we draw near to God, God draws near to us. Our next step always begins with nearness to God.
• In Genesis 12:1–3, God calls Abram to leave what he knows and go “to the land I will show you.” Faith often begins with the next step, not the full map.
• Ananias takes the next step in faith to meet Saul, who will become Paul, in Acts 9:10–19. God’s future can start with one courageous act.
• In Revelation 21:1–5, the vision of a new heaven and new earth reminds us that the ultimate “what’s next” is God’s renewal of all things.

At YOUTH 2027, we will explore how to be present to what’s nearest while boldly stepping into what’s next. Together, we will discern, act, and build the future God is already calling us toward.

What scriptures might you add to the list the YOUTH 2027 planners are already working on?

#PROX