‘It’s Truly Amazing to See God Work in the Lives of the Students’
August 30, 2021
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.— As schools are starting all around the country, many students are nervous about the idea of returning to the “typical” education model. After a year of virtual or hybrid learning, students will have to readjust back to in-person classes and interacting with their peers directly instead of through a computer screen.
As the students head back to school, so is Youth For Christ (YFC, www.yfc.net). For the Indian River YFC Chapter, the coronavirus pandemic and fragmented school year failed to slow down their mission of connecting with local youth and pointing them to Christ. Indian River YFC was active throughout the summer, holding movie nights, summer camps, and other youth events. These events, while great for having fun and meeting local youth, have a more eternal purpose—to foster relationships with students in order to lead them to the Lord.
One such story is that of Vivica, a young woman who experienced abuse and heartbreak at a very young age. Struggling with her sexual identity and trust of men due to her traumatic past, Vivica was understandably cautious when coming to a YFC Campus Life event this past summer. One leader said, “She was visibly uncomfortable and guarded. But God is good, and she came back. And she keeps coming back, not only to Campus Life events but also to a Church youth group. We are praising God for what He is doing in her life.”
Vivica’s story is a good reminder for Indian River YFC about how vital their ministry is for the local youth. In preparation for the upcoming school year, leadership held their annual prayer walk on August 7th in two different locations: one at the local high school and the other at a nearby park. Youth and adults alike came together to pray for the students, teachers, administration, and government.
“The goal was to foster unity, both for the students as well as the parents and the local volunteers,” said Libby Sanderson, executive director of Indian River YFC. “It’s truly amazing to see God work in the lives of the students, and having that dedicated time to pray for this school year and what’s to come was incredibly powerful.”
Something Indian River YFC aims for is to always have an event or activity to invite kids to—to have something prepared to encourage more relationships. Looking ahead, the Indian River YFC is planning middle school clubs (starting August 30) and high school clubs (starting September 14). These clubs will have events such as movie nights, dodgeball events, and laser tag tournaments. Also, a worship night is planned for local pastors, leaders, and YFC board members. For information about these events and more, click here.
YFC haschapters impacting thousands of communities across the nation that seek out and serve youth from all walks of life. Many teens are silently struggling through a variety of challenging issues—and now they see the living power of a loving God. YFC 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 in order to lead people to Christ.
YFC has been a pillar of missional ministry since 1944, when the Rev. 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. YFC 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. Youth For Christ operates in over 100 nations and has approximately 140 chapters that impact communities across America.
Visit the Youth For Christ media page here. Learn more about Youth For Christ at its website, www.yfc.net, Facebook and Instagram pages, Twitter feed @yfcusa or on Vimeo.
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To interview a Youth For Christ representative, contact Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Jeff Tolson, 610.584.1096, ext. 108, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.
