Young Life

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Young Life is the name of Christian outreach organizations around the world.

Young Life in the United States of America was a founded by Jim Rayburn in Texas in 1941. Rayburn borrowed the name "Young Life", with permission, from the National Young Life Campaign in the UK. It was the philosopies of this US version that founded or inspired work in more than 50 other countries, reaching an estimated 1 million teenagers annually.

Young Life's ministry philosophy is called "incarnational" ministry or "relational" ministry. Young Life's goals are to build positive mentor-like relationships with teenagers and to convert teenagers to Christianity. Young Life encourages teenagers to explore the purpose of life and the Christian faith through weekly clubs, bible studies and growth groups, relationships with adults and peers, as well as a variety of camping experiences.

Most Young Life leaders are volunteers, although each area has at least one paid staff member. Weekly meetings include Club, an evangelical outreach, and Campaigners, a Bible study meeting. Teenagers who attend Young Life Club meetings are encouraged to attend one of its 23 camps in the summer or on weekend retreats. At camp, teenagers are presented with the gospel message in the hope that they will accept it and in return invite others.

[edit] Young Life in the USA

Campers relax in the pool at the Young Life camp Wildhorse Canyon, located in Antelope, Oregon.

Young Life is active throughout all 50 states in the United States of America. More than 75,000 teenagers spend a weekend during the school year or a week during the summer at one of Young Life's 21 camping properties in the United States and Canada.

Young Life ministries has intentional ways of reaching out to youth throughout the world. Young Life has continued to learn and refine methods of connecting with youth, through what the ministry considers the 5 C's.

Contact Work This is when a Young Life leader reaches out to teenagers through attending sporting events, visiting the high school and hanging out where teenagers hang out. This is a time that is spent to connect with teenagers and begin the stages of building relationships.

Club A time each week that teenagers in a particular area come together to hear a talk about Jesus Christ, while participating in a funny skit and singing along to popular songs on the radio. The talk is given by one of the Young Life leaders, while the students are involved in the skit and the humor.

Campaigners A time for those Young Life teenagers who have been impacted by the message of Jesus Christ and are at a point of longing for more of the story. This is similar to an intimate bible study and is a time for high school students to ask more questions about the Bible with their Young Life leaders.

Camp "The Best Week Of Your Life" Every summer Young Life leaders take a group of their Young Life teenagers to a camp and spend a week having fun through adventurous camping. Young Life camps are staffed by high school students and college students who are committed to the ministry of Jesus Christ. The camp typically lasts for seven days and is filled with many activities, including "club" and a time to reflect on the life of Jesus Christ.

Committee A group of adults who are committed to supporting Young Life and making sure that the ministry continues to flourish. These are the adults who invest time and money to make sure that Young Life leaders are able to reach "every kid, every where, for eternity"

Individual ministries at Young Life include:

WyldLife for middle school children

Urban Young Life for inner-city teenagers

Capernaum for teenagers with mental and physical disabilities

Young Lives for teenage mothers

Young Life College for college students

National Ministries Young Life Staff share their lives with young people in foreign countries

International School Ministries for students living outside their home countries attending English-based schools

Military Communities Youth Ministries for teens worldwide living on military bases

Young Life Expeditions short-term trips around the world

Amicus International Student Exchange foreign exchange students from other countries live with American families and attend Young Life events and camps

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