January 20, 2026
YFC Houston’s Campus Life and Juvenile Justice Ministry programs are reaching a generation ready to hear the Gospel
Jonathan Frost, YFC Houston Executive Director: ‘When we share hope, joy and grace with young people, they respond’
HOUSTON — Much has been made of the decline of Christianity in America, yet new research reveals a meaningful shift: Younger generations are increasingly expressing belief in Jesus and reengaging with the church. Indeed, studies show that two-thirds of 13-year-olds identify as Christian, while Gen Z and Millennials are now the most regular churchgoers, overtaking older generations in attendance frequency.
For those on the front lines of ministry at Youth For Christ (YFC, www.yfc.net),these studies serve as both validation and a mandate.
According to Jonathan Frost, YFC Houston Executive Director, “Young people have repeatedly told us that YFC programs provide a place where they feel comfortable. Plus, everybody wants to show up to something where they feel wanted, and we work hard to help teens experience that kind of environment.”
For 81 years, YFC has been committed to reaching young people with the hope of Christ, whatever their circumstances. That legacy continues in Texas, where YFC Houston is seeing God move in incredible ways through two proven, practical programs.
Campus Life is YFC’s pioneering on-campus ministry, where students can have fun with friends, talk about relevant issues and be heard without judgment.
“When we first started Campus Life here, we were meeting once a week at a church,” Frost noted. “While we had a roster of about 40 students, only 14 to 16 people showed up regularly. So we started meeting during lunch at their school. As soon as we made that change, in the first few weeks, we had about 140 kids showing up. We recently expanded to a new high school where we’re seeing 150 to 170 kids each week. That represents about 10% of the students attending there, which was our goal.”
YFC Houston is also seeing powerful results in their Juvenile Justice Ministry (JJM), which is geared toward fostering holistic connections and secure relationships with young people at any point of contact with the juvenile justice system. Frost recalls the story of one young man, Jordan.
Frost shared, “We first met Jordan in juvenile detention about nine years ago, and planted seeds through weekly mentorship and sharing the hope of Jesus with him in jail. Then the pandemic hit, which resulted in restrictions that prevented visitors. As a result, we lost touch with him.
“But Jesus continued to water those initial seeds of love and grace. Jordan and I recently reconnected, and he shared with me his testimony of how Jesus saved him from a dark time. Jordan is now married and expecting a baby, and is fully immersed in a local church. He was even commissioned by the church to help plant a new campus in another state.”
But while such stories of life-change are extraordinary and encouraging, Frost says they’re not surprising.
“When we share hope, joy and grace with young people, they respond.”
Youth For Christ (YFC) has been a leader in missional youth outreach for 81 years and is dedicated to uncovering God’s story of hope in the next generation that desperately needs it. YFC reaches young people everywhere, working together with the local church and other like-minded partners to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus who then 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.
YFC chapters impact thousands of communities across the nation, seeking out and serving youth from all walks of life. Young people are silently struggling through a wide variety of challenging issues — and through the YFC ministry, God empowers them and they see the living power of a loving God. YFC trains its leaders in a proven, relational ministry model called 3Story®, which encourages staff and volunteers to be good news while also sharing the stories of the Good News of Jesus. It involves building relationships through the ups and downs of everyday life to lead people to Christ.
YFC has been a pillar of missional ministry since 1944, when Dr. Billy Graham served as YFC’s first full-time staff member. Since then, Youth For Christ has continued to be both a rural and urban ministry on mission, and it is always about the message of Jesus. Youth For Christ USA has over 113 chapters that impact communities across America and is one of over 100 nations within Youth For Christ International.
Learn more about Youth For Christ at its website, www.yfc.net, Facebook and Instagram pages or on Vimeo.
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To interview a Youth For Christ representative, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, Dawn Foglein, ext. 100, or Daniel Moyer, ext. 104.
