Happy Birthday, Young Life! The preeminent ministry to high school students turns 75 this year.  It is worth a celebration.  Faithful to their vision, “Every Kid, Every School”,  Young Life has developed ministry to reach as many teens as possible: Wyld Life for Middle School; Young Lives for teen moms; Capernaum for students with disabilities; and of course YL Clubs at as many high schools as they are able – and still counting.

I am among the beneficiaries.  It was through Young Life in Nashville, Tennessee during the early 1980’s that Jesus ceased to be a historical yet mythical figure in my mind, and by grace that ignited faith, I understood that not only was he a real person in history, but that he is a real person in reality.  In short, through Young Life I became a Christian.  My involvement continued into college, where I participated in the preparation program to become a Young Life leader to a high school campus.  Due to other commitments I never did become a Young Life leader. But in subsequent years I have had the opportunity to on the local boards (“Committee” in Young Life lingo), even serving as chairman in Pittsburgh and for a brief time in Williamsburg, where I now live.  Perhaps, one day in the future, I will again have that opportunity.

In the mean time, I will join the celebration; excited that both of my sons are presently volunteer Young Life leaders in East Tennessee; delighted to have several of my closest friends serving as Area Directors and Regional Directors scattered around the USA.

Check out Young Life 75 celebration video: It All Started With a Prayer