Dear Friend,
Thank you for making this school and ministry year a great one for Youth For Christ. Of my many years serving kids through this outreach, there was something special about this year. It would not have been possible without your generous partnership.
As I reflect upon the year, I see the faces of dozens of students who discovered the love of Christ through our faithful leaders. The students who needed a friend not only found a friend, but also a caring adult who cared and listened to them. Our leaders entered their lives at just the right time. Listening became a bridge to open hearts to the Gospel. Young people who doubted God, didn’t trust followers of Jesus, or had never walked through the doors of a church became followers of Jesus themselves. As a side note, many of these youth experienced a church service for the very first time. And we were able to be there with them.
Additionally, the lives of leaders were changed. As you may know, a large part of our ministry is developing young college leaders for ministry. Over 50 University of Alabama (UA) students were leaders at ministry sites for us this year. In these settings, they had opportunities to put their faith into action. They shared the love of Christ not just with their actions, but also they communicated their faith through words. In large groups, small groups, and one-on-one appointments they shared the hope they have in Christ. For many of them, this was a new earth-shaking experience that strengthened their faith. What could be more powerful than sharing about Jesus and seeing God use those words to bring high school and middle school students to faith in Christ? One leader shared “This ministry gave purpose to my whole college experience.”
This year our leaders built Christ-sharing relationships with over 450 youth in our community. Wow! And as of today, 130 youth want to surrender their lives to following Jesus.
The lives of kids were changed. Young leader’s lives were changed. And I must say I will not be the same either after this year. My vision for what God desires to do across our community has grown. I fear I have too often played it safe, aiming only for what I could control. What if God is calling us to more? “More than we can ask or even imagine.”
Please continue to partner with God and your YFC ministry team as we reach more young people than ever before.
In Christ,
Mike Green, Executive Director