In 1941, a man named Jim Rayburn believed that every kid had the right to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and decide how to respond to what they heard. He began meeting with a handful of kids on a weekly basis, and eventually acquired a couple of ranches in Colorado where he began taking these teens to camp in the summertime. This ministry evolved into what the ministry of Young Life is today, which meets with more than 50,000 kids each summer at 32 different Young Life camp properties in America.
Jim Rayburn had a vision to take the church to the unchurched, and to love the unloved. Jim went to middle school and high school aged students on their playing field. He went to their schools, their games, he met them on their turf instead of making these kids come to him. He was the constant in these teenagers' lives that they didn’t know they needed. I started attending Wyld Life in middle school, and continued to attend Young Life every Monday in high school — I had absolutely no idea just how much it would change me.
My Young Life Leader wholeheartedly pursued a friendship with me at all costs, no matter how awkward it was. Not only that, but no matter what time of day it was, my leader was there for me. From the breakups, to the decision-making of prom dress shopping, to the need for a bagel at Panera, my leader was a text message away. Our leaders showed up to our sporting events, they went to our school dances and took pictures, they made it to our after-prom events to keep us out of trouble. They were the constant in our high school careers that we all needed. They showed us love no matter how stupid we were, they never made us feel inadequate.
Young Life brought me out of my shell. There is nothing like getting pulled up on stage in front of 400+ people at a Young Life camp, getting blindfolded and told to play musical chairs. There’s something about looking like an idiot in front of 300 strangers that has to bring you out of your shell. From the food fights, to belting “Don’t Stop Believing” at the top of my lungs, to the games of mortal combat outside of the club room, Young Life taught me that it is OK to be goofy.
Young Life taught me what real love looks like. Young Life leaders are taught to love kids regardless of their response. No matter how many times we let our leaders down, no matter how many times we canceled on them, they loved us. Our leaders taught us that no matter how broken we are, God still wants us, and that is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about. Relentless, unconditional love.
Young Life has supplied me with friendships and connections around the country to last a lifetime. From leaders, to friends I met at club, I always have a friend at home. From the friends I met working at a camp in California, to the friends I will meet this summer in Michigan, Young Life has given me the opportunity to experience real Christ-centered friendships. Young Life has shown me that a group of people can come together with one thing in common, and that is Jesus.
Young Life was my safe haven in high school. It was where I could entirely be myself, no matter the circumstances. It was my constant no matter what. It was what got me through. No matter how damaged and broken we are, God still wants us. That is how Young Life changed me.
Christ is the strongest, grandest, most attractive personality ever to grace this earth, but a careless messenger with the wrong approach can reduce all this magnificence to a level of boredom. –Jim Rayburn
