YOUTH FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL

Youth for Christ in Australia can focus on what we are called to do. We are compelled by the love of Christ to reach the youth of Australia. We focus on the age group of 12-24 years, and we create opportunities to connect with young people in order to share the Gospel with them and make disciples. As a movement we are vision driven and follow the leading of God’s Spirit, therefore we are dynamic and flexible. We are mobilising an army of young people who have a passion for reaching their peers with the message of the Gospel.

Youth for Christ has nine regions around the country, with over 35 missionary staff and hundreds of volunteers reaching young people through peer to peer evangelism, school and afterschool activities and programs, events and camps. For 60 years, we have been building genuine, honest relationships with young people. Given that only one in five young people are ever likely to wander into a church, we choose to actively go into their world, sharing honestly about our own lives and giving them an opportunity to find new life in Christ.

Over 32 local ministry centres throughout the country are reaching Brazil’s youth by means of bible clubs, school assemblies, camps, Youth Guidance, rallies and all media possible, including radio, television, and publications. Their prayer initiative, “Arise Deborah” is one of the most vast in Youth for Christ with over 50,000 mothers all over Brazil signed up to pray for their children and the youth in their areas daily.

The team in Uganda is committed to evangelism and discipleship of its young people. Their current ministries include gospel outreach and crisis pregnancy counseling.

Outreach ministry takes place in school, church, sports, university and leadership development programs. They challenge youth to commit their lives to the Lord, abstain from sex until marriage and live exemplary Christian lives.

Counselling and care for girls who are faced with crisis pregnancy and who have been rejected from home. There is a scholarship program which helps the young mothers, and their children, go back to school and also Operation Hannah encourages families to pray for their children and the nation.

Youth for Christ has been in existence in Uganda for 19 years, reaching youth with the love and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Over the years, programs have targeted the needs of young people i.e. gospel programs, sex education HIV/AIDS, crisis pregnancy. However, towards the end of 2007 there was a change in ministry strategy in order to be more effective in reaching youth.

Beginning 2008 the focus changed to building lasting relationships. This strategy was incorporated into the existing programs and new programs were also developed (i.e. life skill education and leadership development).

This has proved to be very effective. This is because there is now more time with the youth to build trustworthy relationships and they are discipled for a longer period. All staff and volunteers are excited for the many more years to come building lasting relationships with young people that through it many will come to know and live for the Lord.

Young people in Britain are being reached through:

1) More than 70 Local Centres: Local Youth for Christ Centres tackle the real issues facing young people today, such as: family breakdown, binge drinking, bullying and self-worth. Activities such as: drop-in youth clubs, school lessons, social-action projects and detached youthwork on the streets.

2) Yfcone: Youth for Christ’s unique approach to mission is to reach young people with young people. Teaching young-adults how to use their individual gifts in music, sport, leadership, dance, youthwork, and communication, to share their faith with their peers, and place volunteers in teams located around Britain.

3) Resourcing over 1000 Churches: to reach out to their local young people with relevant youth resources and evangelistic activity holidays. Mettle, a new resource, enables churches to reach and disciple 14-18 year olds with fresh, ongoing material.

4) Reflex: is the nationwide initiative helping Young Offenders in custody to build a fresh start. Youth for Christ is investing in young people on the fringe of society, building their self-esteem by encouraging creative reflection and positive expression. Care is also provided for ex-offenders, meeting them at the gate after their release and helping them to find a place to live, a job and a church.

Young people are being reached through high school clubs, home clubs, leadership training schools, sports events, career guidance seminars, music teams, talent contests, village outreaches and youth magazines.

The largest Community Development project to date has been the Ragpickers Project. Ragpickers and street young people are not unusual in Chennai city. Through a survey, Youth for Christ found approximately 25,000 of these socially abused young people inhabiting alleys, pavements and digging into the garbage dumps. These kids have been driven to this unwholesome way of life, either due to broken homes or due to the viciousness of a foster-parent. They leave their homes in a bid to become self-sufficient.

The Ragpicker Project’s aim is to rehabilitate at least 20 ragpickers a year, build their self-image and help them to be self-reliant. It also provides nutritious food and give lessons in hygienic living so that they can have a healthy strong body. This teaches them to be self-reliant and to lead a life of dignity.

Basic education is provided in areas such as math, English, Tamil, and general knowledge. Training in basic vocational skills like electrical work, tailoring, carpentry and cooking are also a part of the program.

Short-term mission teams have helped Youth for Christ build the main youth living centre where 21 boys currently live. The Centre has been functioning since 1996 and 126 boys have already been rehabilitated. Some have reconciled with their families and have returned home to help their parents financially.

Youth for Christ is able to minister to youth on the entire island through:

-sports clubs

-youth counseling by phone and in person

-Gospel films available to churches and other ministries

-weekly meetings in a juvenile correctional center

-Project Serve

-Youth Guidance programs

-Discover Jesus Mission – the evangelical outreach arm; a weekend evangelism event with speakers, music, and more, held in different cities each year.

Young people who are suffering because of poverty, homelessness, war, poor medical care, corruption, and AIDS are learning about the hope that Jesus Christ offers. Youth for Christ has local ministries in Lubango, Namibe, Huambo, Cunene and Kuito. They are reaching young people through school ministries, outreaches, clubs, training on abstinence, correspondence Bible Courses and Bible studies.

Young people in Benin are being ministered to through:

-English training
-music and drama teams
-street evangelism
-sports ministry
-school and university clubs
-farm ministry
-hygiene training for mothers in villages
-help for street children and much more.

Youth for Christ in Benin was formed in 1989.