User:PatrickSewell/Younglife
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[edit] Plan
- Intro / Mission
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Young Life is a non-profit, non-denominational organization founded by Jim Rayburn in 1941. Young Life's mission is to "introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ"*[1] and help them grow in their faith. Teenagers are encouraged to explore the purpose of life and the Christian faith through weekly clubs, healthy relationships with adults and peers, as well as a variety of camping experiences. Young Life's ministries in high schools are called "Young Life," but ministries in middle schools are commonly called "Wyldlife."
Young Life is active in all 50 states and more than 45 countries, reaching an estimated 1 million teenagers annually. More than 90,000 kids spend a weekend during the school year or a week during the summer at one of Young Life's 24 camping properties in the United States and Canada.
[edit] Young Life's Vision and Mission
Vision Every adolescent will have the opportunity to meet Jesus Christ and follow Him.
Mission Introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. This is accomplished by...
- Praying for young people.
- Going where kids are.
- Building personal relationships with them.
- Winning the right to be heard.
- Providing experiences that are fun, adventurous, and life-changing.
- Sharing our (the leaders and staff) lives and the Good News of Jesus Christ with adolescents.
- Inviting them to personally respond to this Good News.
- Loving them regardless of their response.
- Nurturing kids so that they might grow in their love for Christ and the knowledge of God's Word and become people who can share their faith with others.
- Helping young people develop the skills, assets, and attitudes to reach their full God-given potential.
- Encouraging kids to live connected to the Body of Christ by being an active member of a local congregation.
- Working with a team of like-minded individuals - volunteer leaders, commitee members, donors, and staff.
- History
- The Five C's:
- Christ
- Club
- "Club" typically meets once a week and has been described as an experience in "controlled chaos." Leaders combine songs, humor and group interaction to create an hour of energetic fun where kids can express that teenage tendency to push the limits.
- Camp
- Young Life's camping history spans more than 50 years and reaches coast to coast. Young Life has 23 camping properties across the United States and Canada. Last year Young Life leaders brought more than 75,000 kids for a weekend during the school year or a week during the summer to experience "the best week of their lives" at a Young Life camp.
Depending on which camp you go to, you may ride horses, go rock climbing and rappelling, take a dip in a hot springs pool, learn to water ski or parasail or challenge yourself on a ropes course or a thrilling zip line. It is camping to the extreme!
- Campaigners
- Committee
- Other Countries
- Young Life Australia
After being officially started in 1941 by a Texas youth pastor named Jim Rayburn, in 1972 Arthur Ongley introduced Young Life to Australia. While serving in the Australian Navy, he happened upon a book about Young Life in a second-hand book shop. After reading it and seeing merit in the ideas behind it, he aimed to offer a Christian model that was credible in its foundations and principles while acknowledging that young people have many questions regarding meaning and purpose to life. In keeping with the priciple of meeting young people in their own environment, this meant going into schools and connecting with young people outside of what are sometimes seen as normal outreach methodologies.
Since its inception, Young Life in Australia as seen many ups and downs. From times where there were groups operating in cities, regional centres and number of small towns (such as Bowral) Young Life then faced a period of difficulty where many 'old hands' moved on. For sometime this continued until a time of rebuiling under the current CEO, Glyn Henman, with greater organisation and focussed direction, Young Life in Australia is now found in a number of locations around Sydney and Melbourne, as well as Armidale, Canberra, Tamworth, and a pinoneering group in Belarus. In addition to these areas, there is a Ski Mission arm that utilises water sports like Wakeboarding as means for outreach and building friendships by travelling to each area and holding event days. It also takes part in one of the two camps that takes place each year.
- Links to Statement of beliefs, etc.
- == Young Life's Statement of Faith ==* Young Life USA
