If there’s anyone who believes in the power of a good Christian youth programme, it’s Gnica Brangman.

The 38-year-old was determined to get young people away from their television sets and video games and outside where they could learn about God and have fun.

Her church — First Church of God North Shore — is to host a series of exciting events, starting with Bermuda Youth Survivor next Saturday.

The event aims to take young people age 12 to 18 out of their comfort zones and expose them to activities such as sand golf and kayaking.

Ms Brangman, the owner of Orchid Nail Spa, said: “This event came about after a team brainstorming session and we based it on something in between Survivor and The Amazing Race.

“There are several individual locations spread out around the Island. Each one will have a different activity, like abseiling, attached to it.

“For example for the ‘Need for Speed’ activity, we will be taking the young people to a dock and they have to dip a bucket into the water as fast as they can because it will have holes in it. They then need to use those buckets to fill a barrel in order to get their clue for the next activity.”

The activities will also have a small spiritual component involved — each clue will be linked to a passage in the Bible, which needs to be identified in order to successfully get to their next location.

“We are asking for teams of four and a driver,” Ms Brangman explained. “And the teams should have at least one Bible with them.

“The kids won’t have to know the Bible inside-out as the questions should be pretty easy.

“I just want to give them exposure to different activities available on the Island that they can do. We will also be partnering with groups like Outward Bound and the Bermuda Regiment, so hopefully they’ll feel comfortable getting in touch with them if they want to continue on with that sport.”

She said one of the main focuses of the event was to promote team-building. But she also wanted to break young people out of the mentality that they have to be inside with their video games or technology in order to have fun.

“These are good healthy outdoor activities that will be physically challenging for them as well,” she said.

And the added bonus is they might be so busy having fun, they don’t realise they are also learning and growing in their faith.

Ms Brangman said the reason she wanted to serve with this particular age group is because a lot of young people think church is boring.

Sometimes they end up being dragged to church with their parents or grandparents and find themselves just sitting in the pew, singing hymns.

“They probably don’t realise church can be a social experience as well,” she said. “I believe church can be a place to go whenever you need friendship and comfort and people to rely on.

“People don’t seem to feel that way about church anymore. They see it as a weekly ritual, but if you can get a good youth group together and provide young people with peers they can socialise with it’s a building block in reference to them creating that relationship with God.

“It can also lead them towards a more positive lifestyle.”

Bermuda Youth Survivor is a non-denominational event, which means it’s open to young people no matter which church they attend.

The cost is $50 per person (which includes all the sports and activities and lunch); there is a discounted price for teams of 12 or more.

Event organisers are appealing for sponsors to help with prizes for the winning teams. For more information, e-mail: limitlessbda@gmail.com or visit the church’s Facebook page: FCOG Bermuda.