Adopt a Young Leader
Success Rate
Having seen firsthand what happens when you invest in a Young Leader, we have high expectations. YFC's Young Leader Development and Empowerment process will yield amazing results.David Wraight, International President of Youth for Christ and Author of The Next Wave
Success Stories
Molly - USA
When the Lord gifts someone with particular passions, He has a way of moving them into positions of leadership. As a Young Leader, Molly poured herself into the Campus Life program of Youth for Christ in Grand Rapids, Michigan. However, that is not where she remained. Molly attended the Young Leader's Conference in Brazil 2003 where she was engaged and equipped further in her ministry. Leaders at USA's national office were drawn by her passion and recruited her to develop and direct a national camping ministry.
The camping ministry is only in its fourth summer and Molly and her staff are working with over 1,000 kids and have mobilized over 80 YFC staff to serve in leadership positions at the four camp locations in British Columbia, Colorado, Indiana and Florida. As Molly explains it, "Our official vision is, 'To provide an excellent experience through which Jesus Christ would forever alter the life of every young person who comes to camp—that they, in turn would be driven to alter the lives of those around them for Christ.'”
Rodrigo - Brazil
Rodrigo grew up on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, eventually becoming a key leader in a street gang. This young Brazilian's job was to smuggle weapons into soccer matches past police and ground staff. After the match his gang would divide the weapons and begin massive street brawls with rival gangs.
One day, a group of women approached Rodrigo and told him that they were 'prayer mothers' from Youth for Christ Brazil and they were praying for him every day.
It was not long after this encounter that Rodrigo was separated from his gang during a street brawl. He was severely beaten and close to death. When his gang found him, he was taken to the hospital, dropped on the front steps and abandoned.
Rodrigo woke up in that hospital to see a group of 'prayer mothers' around his bed. He recalls, "When I looked into their eyes, I saw the love of Jesus." It was that love that melted his heart and drew him into a relationship with Jesus.
After coming to Christ, Rodrigo's life journeyed in a whole new direction. He was equipped by Youth for Christ to effectively minister to gangs, a role he filled for a number of years. He was empowered to lead and given ministry leadership and today he is working in full-time ministry with a local church and continues in ministry with YFC reaching other gang members.
Youth for Christ is engaging, equipping, and empowering hundreds of thousands of Rodrigo's around the world to impact their world for Christ each and every day.
Lionel - Netherlands
His brother was just out of jail and he was heading in the same direction. As one of the Netherlands' Caribbean immigrants, Lionel was an unchurched teenager with only trouble ahead. That is until he was invited to join the "Divine Colours", a YFC street dance group designed to engage young people on the streets just like him. Led by a YFC volunteer, the group tries to make contact with unchurched teens, teach them discipline, build positive self-esteem and eventually introduce them to Jesus.
Though not made up of Christian teens, the group performs to Christian music. Using a Caribbean pop version of Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen, for instance, provides the volunteer coordinator an opportunity to share the meaning of the song. As the group performs in churches and at other events, they hear Scripture and the message of Jesus preached.
For Lionel, it wasn't a particular moment that turned him to Christ, but a process of hearing and understanding and, bit-by-bit, surrendering to Him. Lionel now leads the group, both musically and spiritually. He reads the Bible, prays for the group, picks out Christian music, goes to school, works, and tries to be a good example. Lionel is still "coming around" as his YFC staff person says, but Jesus is continuing to make a life-changing difference in his life.
Tolentino - Guinea Bissau
Young Leaders are really the backbone of the Youth for Christ ministry. Jack Wilson knew this to be true as he and his wife set out to pioneer a Youth for Christ youth training center in Guinea Bissau. Tolentino, a passionate Young Leader, joined the Youth for Christ program in 2003, about three years into the development of the ministry in this West African nation. Since then, Tolentino has proven himself faithful in everything that he has done. Jack has invested a lot of time in mentoring and coaching Tolentino in the ministry, and today, the Lord has raised him up into a position of leadership. Tolentino is currently the acting director/manager of the youth center in Guinea Bissau. Jack describes him as a man of integrity who is well respected by church leaders, committed to prayer and reaching the young people of his nation.
Irene - Taiwan
Creativity and innovation are traits Young Leaders display in abundance. Irene Lin exemplified these traits. With a Masters degree in communication, she joined Youth for Christ in Taiwan with a vision to reach Taiwanese youth where they "live” and play – online. Irene and a team of five other gifted professionals set out to create a virtual world to reach their young people. In the face of much opposition and scepticism, this team of Young Leaders created "Walei" World (Walei meaning "cool" in Mandarin).
In its first year of operation, more than 17,000 members signed up, 72% of which were non-Christians without any church affiliation. 1,880 young people became Christians, approximately 4,000 young people were counselled for other issues, 28 face-to-face outreach programs were conducted and the Walei team worked with 281 public schools and 33 local churches.
Walei now has a membership of approximately 40,000 regular users and is seeing thousands of young people come to faith in Christ each year. As for Irene, she is now the National Director of Youth for Christ in Taiwan.
Samu - Fiji
Samu provides a poignant example of the value of investing in just one Young Leader and the multiplication effect this can have throughout a nation. Samu was chosen by his National Director to participate in Youth for Christ's IGNITE program, a forerunner of the 2-Year Young Leader Development and Empowerment process. Training, mentoring, equipping and empowering this Fijian Young Leader has allowed him to realize his potential and directly impact many more young people who were previously untouched by Youth for Christ in Fiji. Further, the influence of this Young Leader has opened up ministry in other nations of the Pacific.
Randy - USA
Young Leaders who…lead by their godliness in lifestyle; are devoted to the Word of God and prayer; have passion for sharing the love of Christ; and are committed to social involvement. That would be Randy. Randy first got involved with Youth for Christ as a teenager and now he is ministering to youth on the streets of Bolivia. He works with shoe shiners – young men between the ages of 10 and 30 who run a small business shining shoes – with bi-weekly basketball practices and lunches. He also leads them through a weekly Bible study, and four times a year he ventures out into the Andes on backpacking trips with the shoe shiners. Since these young men are hard to reach and do not invite others into their ranks easily, Randy has found that the most effective method for introducing these guys to Jesus is by shinning with them. About once a week, Randy hits the streets of La Paz to shine shoes where he sits with the guys and talks about life, and the Creator of life.
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We encourage you to invest in your Young Leader by communicating with and praying for them.
Youth for Christ reaches young people everywhere, working together with the local church and other like-minded partners to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus who lead by their godliness in lifestyle, devotion to the Word of God and prayer, passion for sharing the love of Christ and commitment to social involvement. » Learn more on the YFC website
Vision Statement:
As part of the Body of Christ, to see that every young person in every people group in every nation has the opportunity to make an informed decision to be a follower of Jesus Christ and become part of a local church.
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Mailing Address:
PO Box 4555
Englewood, CO USA 80155-4555
Physical Address:
7670 S. Vaughn Court
Englewood, CO 80112
Telephone: +1 303.843.9000
Fax: +1 303.843.6017
E-mail: info@yfci.org
Website: www.yfci.org