YFC supports teens looking for a sense of belonging and offers hope and encouragement through meaningful relationships

April 11, 2022

DENVER— As Christians around the world prepare to celebrate Easter, Youth For Christ (YFC, www.yfc.net) isreflecting on the impact the Easter story has on its ministry. In addition to rejoicing at the resurrection of Christ and His defeat of death, YFC acknowledges the struggle and sacrifice that was necessary for Christ to have faith in God’s plan as a perfect man amongst imperfect sinners.

YFC CEO Jacob Bland commented, “Leading up to the cross, Jesus demonstrated relentless trust in Pontius Pilate, of all people, in order to help fulfill God’s perfect plan for humanity. How could Jesus be so trusting in that moment of an imperfect leader? The key is that Jesus wasn’t ultimately trusting Pilate, but in His Father who was — and is— relentless trustworthy.

“This leads me to consider the situations we all face in life and in ministry with kids who endure hardship and trials. How could we invite a kid in a juvenile detention facility, for example, to trust our staff — given all they’ve been through and all they face? It’s because ultimately we aren’t encouraging them to place their trust in any person or organization, but in Christ, who relates to their circumstance because He lived it. We invite them to place their trust in the God of the universe who knows them, loves them, and has prepared their future in advance. So, yes! We can authentically encourage youth to release any burden, and to trust in God who knows and cares for them.”

A recent study by Springtide Research revealed that 51% of youth are unsure of how to connect to a new faith community, with 47% of youth claiming they do not trust any type of religion, faith, or religious leaders. These findings are reasons why YFC is committed to coming alongside young people and showing them the love of Christ during key pivotal moments in their lives.

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, 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 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 over 130 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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