The following is an extended version of the article "Walking in Wisdom" in the Spring 2011 issue of Relationships magazine.
Young Life is a mission built on a firm foundation. Over our 70-year history we've learned much about the ever-changing culture of kids (clothes, music, media, etc.), their never-changing needs (to be loved, known, accepted unconditionally, etc.) and the importance of building relationships so they may know the Savior.
We're thankful for the more than 3,100 staff and 23,000 volunteers who spend months, years and, in some cases, even lifetimes working with kids. What follows are the thoughts and observations of seven "Young Life veterans." The men and women in this interview have a combined ministry experience of 167 years, working faithfully with kids from all over the world, in all kinds of circumstances.
This article is the first in a two-part series focusing on leadership in the mission. In the fall issue, we'll hear from leaders who are relatively new to Young Life about what they're experiencing.
Al Anderson — Ostrava, Czech Republic
Area Developer for Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia
20 years ministry experience
What excites you most about working with kids?
The opportunity to influence and share Christ with the first generation of kids who have grown up without communism. Communism fell 21 years ago. Before that time in the Czech Republic, there was very little sharing or knowledge about who Jesus is. Now we have the opportunity to plant the seeds for a new generation of Christians.
According to a recent European Union (EU) study, the Czech Republic is the country in the EU where people believe in God the least and Poland is the country where people believe in God the most. So things are much different between Czech and Polish kids, but they all need to have a real relationship with Jesus. It's been amazing to watch Czech teenagers, who say they never even thought about the idea of a God until they started coming to Young Life, then come to know Christ over a two- or three-year process. Almost every Czech student who has met Christ has atheist parents. It's great when an atheist parent comes to us and says, "I am so glad my son or daughter is involved in Young Life; it has been a great experience for them."
What unique opportunities do you find in working with kids in the Czech Republic?
It takes longer to get to know Czech kids, but once you're a friend, you're in. Czechs don't hop around and change their friends very much. Almost all Czech teenagers want to know English. As an American, this is a great opportunity. Even our summer camps usually have an English teaching component so kids can get to learn English.
What is your most difficult challenge at this point?
As with all ministry, and especially cross-cultural ministry, there are great joys and many challenges. Young Life has the value of meeting kids where they are. This means both spiritually and physically — actually going to where they hang out. This is one of the distinctives of Young Life. This concept is sometimes hard for people to understand in the U.S., and I would say even more so for many central Europeans. In the U.S. there are areas where you can take people to catch a glimpse of [contact work]. Here we're starting from the ground up and many times this idea of contact work is a hard concept to understand. I'm sure this was the same for Jim Rayburn when he started Young Life and when Young Life starts in most places. Most schools here have very few extra-curricular activities and they don't have volunteers working in schools, which makes it a little harder for contact work. In Ostrava, a Christian teacher helped get us into one school about four years ago; then other schools started hearing about this and asking for Young Life to come into their schools. So in Ostrava going into schools is beginning to work, but elsewhere this just sounds weird and is prohibited (at least initially). [We do visit] other places to meet teenagers, but the schools are where they are every day. It's great to see volunteers start to understand contact work, though.
What is your greatest desire for the ministry?
I believe the desire of Young Life internationally is to develop nationals working in their own country. Right now, we have two Czech area directors and other Czechs working on Young Life staff here. Our greatest desire is that this ministry can be run, grown and developed by the Czechs leading it, and we are moving in that direction. Additionally, we want Young Life to reach more and more Czech, Polish and Slovak kids — kids who have no interest in God but have interest in relationships. In order for this to happen, though, we have to develop a model to fund Czechs from within Europe. Currently, about 70 percent of our finances for our Czech staff come from the U.S. We are trying to develop different opportunities to come up with solutions to this issue. We feel this is one of the pieces that needs to happen for the ministry to really grow over here.
What has sustained you and kept you in ministry through the years?
John 15:1-8 are some of my favorite verses. The only thing that has kept me in ministry throughout the years has been staying connected to the vine, Jesus. When I forget this or get distracted from this, things don't go well. Also, Stacy and I feel God has called us here, so if things get discouraging we can rest on the understanding this is where God wants us. Finally, the relationships we have here with Czechs sustain us as well.
Any closing thoughts?
Living internationally expands my understanding of God. I get to interact with Christians who read the same Bible I do, but who help me see God in an even wider, deeper way because of their experiences and how they see God at work in their lives. As an American I didn't really understand what persecution was until I talked with people over here that were really persecuted for their faith during communism. That helps me see God in a deeper, bigger way — and there are many other stories like this.
Overall, Stacy and I believe that living internationally has been the greatest experience of our lives, but the hardest too. We wouldn't change it for the world. It's funny how God sometimes works like that and we know He is right here beside us through the great joys and the hard times too. We know He understands because He went through harder times while He lived here than we have ever experienced.
By the way, Stacy is my wife; we've been married 8 ½ years and we're expecting our first child in June.)
Martha Bice — Fort Dodge, Iowa
Volunteer Area Director
17 years ministry experience
What excites you most about working with kids?
Working with kids is a joy for me. I enjoy their friendships and just get to love them. Being on the other side of parenting has allowed me a different perspective. Situations that look scary can become manageable with the help of God. Today kids need adult mentors who care and listen. Each year kids are different because seniors graduate and we get new freshmen. Being a volunteer leader is never dull!
What unique challenges do you encounter as a volunteer area director?
We're part of the Heartland Region, which covers three states: Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois. I'm more than four hours from the regional office in Mt. Horeb, Wis., but never feel alone. Al Jackson, our regional director, has been affirming and supportive. He does monthly conference calls with all of us leaders and includes me in all regional events, which helps to keep me empowered and fulfilled. I treasure those Young Life friendships.
What’s been your Young Life experience?
In 1964, as a high school junior in La Grange, Ill., I attended Young Life club where everyone would sing from the small brown Young Life music books. I remember yelling out "# 56" — my favorite song ... "Trust in the Lord ... and don't despair ... He is a friend so true." That summer, I went to Frontier Ranch in Colorado. What a fun trip! Camp was a fantastic experience for me. I came back changed because I had truly accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and my life would never be the same.
Fast forward to 2011 ... I'm now a volunteer area director for Fort Dodge, a city of 26,000, north of Des Moines. I've been a volunteer leader for that area for 17 years, sharing my story. God is my daily pilot. He leads me, sustains me, gives me hope and I give Him the glory (Ephesians 3:20).
In 1995, I took six girls from Fort Dodge to Castaway with Waterloo. That was the beginning of a straight 16 years of kids going to Castaway. Over 350 kids from Fort Dodge have had the "best week of their lives" since then. Young Life Fort Dodge has grown because it's hemmed in by prayer.
What is your most difficult challenge at this point?
Sometimes it's difficult to recruit volunteer leaders, but I thank God for all the volunteers who have stepped forward. Many times I have waited on the Lord to come through with another volunteer leader, and He has always provided in time.
What has sustained you and kept you in ministry through the years?
First, my husband Tom has been a tremendous supporter. He cheers me on and comes with me to many high school events. We love kids and find being in their lives very rewarding. Tom has also allowed me to financially support our weekly club and prays with me.
My Young Life leader from La Grange, Ill. was Beenie Berry. She lives in Colorado Springs, and we've kept in touch over the years. She cheers me on, prays for the ministry, and loves hearing about the kids. My church has provided a meeting space for club. Right now we're meeting in an old synagogue we purchased — an amazing two-floor facility. My church prays for Young Life and supports financially. We've also had faithful prayer support from women's Bible study groups in which I participate.
What is your greatest desire for the ministry?
My dream is for Young Life in Fort Dodge to continue into the future, perhaps for 50 years as the La Grange club has. We'd love to have a paid staff person. I believe it will happen. Right now, many of my Young Life alumni are getting more involved. Many even have kids of their own. It's so exciting to see how this continues to grow and expand. I love being God's instrument to seek and save (Luke 19:11). Weekly Bible studies have kept me in the Word so I know that God is my power and that through the Holy Spirit the most amazing things happen. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." — 1 Corinthians 2:9, NIV
Any closing thoughts?
It's all about relationships. My #1 relationship is my walk with Jesus Christ and He provides many other relationship opportunities. We need each other and we need to belong. I thank God for making life a fulfilling journey. He is always faithful and trustworthy.
Vern Hill — Stillwater, Minn.
Senior Area Director
40 years ministry experience
What excites you most about working with kids?
I love kids because they have an energy no one else has. They're creative, bright and have all kinds of new ideas. But I especially like kids because I think they see the world differently — probably more clearly than I do, so they're my entrance into what the world is today. They keep me going; they keep me happy. We do a number of different programs in Stillwater and 15 years ago we started to concentrate on alternative populations — under-resourced kids, at-risk kids who spun us into kids in shelters, teen moms ministry, etc. … I find that all kids bring the similar energy of youth and I'm excited to walk alongside kids in this new era.
Are alternative kids more or less receptive to attempts at building relationships?
They're harder — you have to spend more time earning their trust. We feed kids in our tutoring programs and our at-risk programs, and when they come in they're testing us to see if we're really serious about serving them. But once you build trust with them, they're very receptive to the Gospel, because they know they have needs. It's not like some kids who build this façade that they can handle everything themselves. These kids know they're broken.
What has experience taught you that you didn't know when you were younger?
My advice to younger people doing ministry is to give themselves a lot more grace. Really trust God and trust the relationship. Our primary focus is to build friendships and meet needs and that gives us a platform to proclaim the Gospel. If we're building friendships and meeting needs, the Gospel is going to have a place to nest, a place to roost.
What is your most difficult challenge at this point?
Expanding ministry to care for those alternative populations. We're fortunate in our area — we get strong support from foundations to help us. Most alternative kids do not come from families who have resources to support ministry. I'm convinced we need to look at how we minister to kids.
What has sustained you and kept you in ministry through the years?
First of all, my wife, Ann, and I are partners, and we see our ministry in Young Life as a calling. We are very committed to that calling until we're called to someplace else.
How did you first hear the calling?
Personally, I was drawn to ministry. It was also confirmed by my communities. Ann and I got married after our sophomore year in college, so we had the advantage of walking through a lot of life together. It's also been confirmed year after year by the fruit that I see happening.
Any closing thoughts?
I'm passionate about working with disenfranchised kids. I tell young staff that if you're not finding a way to do ministry with some disenfranchised kids, you're really not doing what God's called us to do. That's where I find that God shows up most clearly.
BeBe Hobson — Largo, Fla.
Field Vice President for the Southern Division
20 years experience in multicultural/urban ministry
In what capacities have you worked with kids?
[I've been a] Young Life volunteer, area director, regional director, little league football coach and youth choir director.
What are your current titles/roles?
I'm field vice president for the Southern Division. I lead regional directors in their supervision and development of urban and multicultural ministry in the Southern Division.
What excites you most about working with kids?
When I see them reach their true God-given potential. To see kids really understand the true love that God has for them, no matter what their surroundings may be. When they really understand the God of the universe is madly in love with them.
What is your most difficult challenge at this point?
The largest challenge I see is lack of family structure and values. Most of our kids are being raised by single parents. They don't know what it means to live and be loved in a real Christian family with value.
What has sustained you and kept you in ministry through the years?
The fact that I was one of the kids I mentioned earlier. It was mentors and my Young Life leader who helped save my life with the help of my Christian praying mother.
What is your greatest desire for the ministry?
That every kid, everywhere, would have the opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Dyan Larmey — Tanzania, Africa
Area Developer/Women’s Initiative for Young Life Africa
26 years ministry experience
What has sustained you and kept you in ministry through the years?
At the risk of sounding cliché, I’ve been sustained through my call from God for kids to have the opportunity to experience His love through a pursuant relationship. The opportunity to mirror the Incarnation is exhilarating for me! I so believe one person can make all the difference in the life of another, especially during the teenage years, that I continue to be sold out daily to be a catalyst for this to happen both on a small scale (encouraging one-on-one mentoring relationships) and a large scale (expanding Young Life to the next town, state or country). I'll also add that God has always provided a supportive group of friends/partners to share in the journey. These relationships have helped sustain me through their godly encouragement and sacrificial partnerships.
What unique opportunities do you find in working with kids throughout Africa?
There are so many opportunities to work with amazing partners in ministry who teach me so much. Once unknown names like Fereselam, Nkosi, Hildegren, Lusayo, Tiowa, Mungai and Egide are now names of sojourner friends. The staff and volunteers of Young Life Africa are in the homes, cafés, shade of a tree or a daladala (bus) ride with kids. I'm in the background trying to help these hero leaders love kids in their neighborhoods, villages, towns and cities. I feel like my life is in the middle of a great big epic love story and God keeps introducing more amazing characters to get to know, love and learn from. Being a part of that story and its ever-unfolding theme of redemption is so humbling and beautiful. For eight years the setting has been in Africa. That makes it extra special, but I believe the stories are unique and beautiful wherever the scene is set. I still enjoy running a WyldLife club and raising up 12th-graders as the leaders. I love hanging out with international school junior high kids and talking about life's most important questions. Being with third-culture kids presents opportunities to affect the world through a single school.
What excites you most about working with kids today?
After all these years and even though I'm a mom of three teenagers now, I still love working with teenagers. But what is the most exciting thing about working with teenagers in my opinion? POTENTIAL!
"The faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for [them] in heaven and about which [they] have already heard in the true message of the gospel. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world — just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God's grace." — Colossians 1:5-6, NIV
This verse exemplifies how I see teenagers. So much need and so much hope. The potential they have is not only in terms of their "future" but they can be world changers in their "present". This is so tangible for me that I can barely stop writing about it to get to the next question!!!
What is your most difficult challenge at this point?
I don't know if I can say the "most" difficult challenge because it seems each season of ministry in my life has had its unique joys as well as difficulties. However, here are two challenges that initially come to mind: first, my ever changing roles in Young Life as my phase of life changed (single, married and sharing ministry, married but only me being on staff, shifting from direct ministry to area director, having children ... and having more children, moving to Ethiopia, then to Tanzania, different needs of Africans, working in an international setting). These are difficult because I love all aspects to the ministry of Young Life and therefore want to be involved in all aspects ... but the reality is I can't be. This is difficult as I miss some of the roles I've had in the past but still am so enthused for how I get to serve in my current roles.
The second challenge is related to the first. The ever teeter-tottering balance of work and play, and passion and rest when they seem to all have fuzzy lines of differentiation. I've always seen my "job" in Young Life much more as a vocation that makes for busy but very fulfilling days. I'm also called to be the best mom I can be. Balancing these two calls is a part of the "healthy" struggle of being in ministry for the long haul.
What is your greatest desire for the ministry?
That Young Life all over the world would bring glory to God. I don't mean to sound overly spiritual, but it's really how I feel. It's easy to bring glory to a great program, an amazing person, or even a life that has been "turned around." My prayer is that our collective efforts as a Young Life family (not just staff and volunteers but our committee, prayer and financial partners as well) would be the "sweet aroma of Christ," pleasing and glorifying to God in every nook and cranny of Young Life.
Any closing thoughts?
Did I mention I've had the privilege of partnering in ministry for over 20 years with my husband and best friend, Steve? Did I mention I have four amazing children: Tesfaye (16), Caleb (13), Zoe (13) and Epiphany (9)? Did I mention how grateful I am for all the people who have believed in our family and have supported our call to Young Life through the years? Did I mention I wake up every day excited to see what God has in store for me that day?
Nick Palermo — San Jose, Calif.
Founding Executive Director, Young Life Capernaum
25 years ministry experience
What's one perennial problem all leaders face, and how can they address it?
Discouragement — it eliminates people. One of my heroes, Tom Raley (longtime Young Life staff), told me if you stay around long enough in ministry, you're going to go in the valley, where many people quit. But if you stay, you'll come out of that valley and end up on a mountain. Then, if you stay long enough, you'll come back to another valley! One little verse I've come to love is in Acts 14:22. After their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas go back to the churches to strengthen and encourage them, and they said to them, "We must enter the kingdom of God through many trials and hardships." Recognize that. Don't expect a smooth road; expect an absolute war zone.
What excites you about Capernaum and reaching kids with disabilities?
With Capernaum, I feel like we're reading the book of Acts. It's a Holy Spirit wave. We've gone from one ministry in 1986, and for [the next] 14 years consisted of five ministries. In the last 10 years, we've grown from five to 148 in 14 countries. People often ask if we're going to break Capernaum off from Young Life and I say, "NO! Never! We are Young Life. We are a 'parasite' on the host that's Young Life and that's how we grow." Everywhere there's Young Life, now kids with disabilities are in the culture. I've been told several times we're the largest ministry for teens with disabilities in the world. Families are used to agencies and services; they're not used to volunteers coming in and reaching out to kids with no agenda.
Leaders involved with camp weeks say the same thing: "This is like 'reverse camp.' It's affecting all of us!" I believe God calls us to any disability ministry to heal, transform and grow the body of Christ. We are so disabled. The real disability is not in our friends with disabilities. We tend not to recognize our own, because we can see theirs so vividly. The simplicity of kids who can't walk or talk impacts everybody. What a message to us that it's not about doing, it's about being. I've really seen how incredibly disabled I am in terms of addiction to performance, achievement and people's opinions. If a non-verbal kid was talking to me, he'd say, "What the heck are you worried about? God loves you! Just be."
What do young leaders most need to succeed as they start out?
When I first came on staff a pastor named Nick Cooper shared this one sentence that for 25 years now I've held on to: you are paid to be spiritual. He explained people are looking to you for spiritual feeding and development, but if you're not developing yourself in Christ, you have nothing to offer anybody and you're paid to do that — there's an accountability to it. For me it's like the Vince Lombardi story where after a big Packers loss he takes them into the training room and says, "Men, this is a football." He went right back to the basics of men who lived and breathed football. I think more than anything, young leaders have to realize "this is Christ." We have to be completely wrapped up in Him in our own personal lives. I think ministry is the most dangerous place to be a Christian in terms of feeding yourself in Christ. We do Bible studies and talks and mistake that for thinking it's our own development. So I would say, you're paid to be spiritual and you need to be immersed in Him. It's the first priority of your job.
What makes for long-term service and success?
Refer to the above answer! However, also realizing I'm not the Messiah and I can't save everyone. Otherwise we'll overextend and bankrupt ourselves; there's a line there that says Jesus is the Savior, whether I minister to this kid or not, whether he comes on my camp trip or not. It's not like I'm the only one who has the ability to do anything. Jesus is taking care of that kid. I have to relax and stop playing God and realize I'm human with limitations; Jesus uses my limitations to reach others and change the world, and that's enough. The other thing is to refuse to be isolated, and that means living in community — refusing to be a Lone Ranger. For a number of years in Capernaum I was by myself. Eleven years ago, one of my best friends brought this army of people on staff. She said, "You’re not alone anymore; you're with people who love you and want to hold you accountable — talk to us. Let us pray for you, let us know how you're doing, let us counsel you." That was a wake-up call. Live in community, make decisions in community, pray in community, confess in community, and minister in community. Don't do it alone.
Any closing thoughts?
This is the 25th anniversary of Young Life Capernaum. We're walking the fine line of organization versus organism. There's a tightrope that as you grow you have to have structure and infrastructure, but the danger is you systemize the life out of a ministry.
Also, there are two types of thinking out there: scarcity mentality and abundance mentality. When there's a scarcity mentality, there's not enough money, leaders or whatever to go around. Abundance mentality is "God's got the whole world. Cattle on a thousand hills — there's more than enough for everyone. I'm going to give it away." Because when you feel like you need to keep these things, it's really hard. It's like when the undertow comes and you want to resist it, but you really need to swim into it to survive. You need to give it away and believe God has your back. That blesses everyone, expands everyone. It's a challenge, it's scary. You ask yourself, if I do this, am I going to die?
Emilie Schreiber — Eugene, Ore.
YoungLives Western Divisional Coordinator
19 years ministry experience
What excites you most about working with kids?
First, I love the challenge of connecting with hard kids and/or kids who wouldn't go to church. Kids you really have to seek out and engage. Secondly, I love the conversations after you've earned the right with them. I love how they have such good questions and want to know the truth.
Funny thing is, right now, I'm leading a Campaigners group at a sorority and then I hang out with teen moms. One group is confidently pursuing the world, while the other is haphazardly navigating survival. The first seems to know all the answers, while the second is actually fulfilling their dreams (in parenting).
What unique opportunities do you find in working with teenage moms?
I find these girls are really honest and raw. They're real with nothing held back. I'm humbled by their authenticity as well as their selflessness in parenting! It's a unique opportunity to witness God shape and influence their lives in powerful ways. I'm blessed beyond anything when a girl surrenders her life to Jesus at camp, with her baby on her hip, and her mentor at her side. With the tears of absolute surrender cascading down her cheeks, a whole family's path is changed.
Working with teen moms has propelled me into understanding how, as it says in James 1:27, "religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." [For me that means] to serve widows and orphans HERE in my city, in my country, and be changed myself by being there with them. I know that I have no experience that relates to the depth with which these girls have experienced loss, but I know where I lack, God makes up for it. By simply showing up, I'm blessed and my life is changed!
What is your most difficult challenge at this point?
Time. Before I had kids, Robb and I could give all our time to our Young Life kids. Now, it's hard for me to know how to balance my time between raising my own kids and still feel like I can effectively dig deep into kids' lives and walk alongside them. It's been rewarding, however, to bring my kids with me. When I go hang out at the sorority, my kids love the "girl party." Likewise, when I hang out with teen moms, my kids have babies to play with! Then, at home, my girls have a real picture of what we read in the Bible and when we pray for our friends.
What has sustained you and kept you in ministry through the years?
The peace and passion of God, my Father. First, His peace. It has changed my life. In an uncertain world, God's peace transforms my character and my heart. Next, His passion. It excites me to share what Jesus has done for the world, in my own life, and for each teen mom and girl at my old sorority (God led me back to my old college sorority and introduced me to some girls who were ready to dig into a relationship with Jesus — it's been an exciting journey). I feel more alive when I walk away after time spent in the Word and with each of those girls.
What is your greatest desire for the ministry?
That every teen mom (in Eugene and Vancouver, in the Western Division, in the world) would have the opportunity to "trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly (and) love extravagantly," as it says in The Message (1 Corinthians 13:13), and that they would experience God's extravagant love. That translates into YoungLives by establishing a club in every town (one that's winsome, presents the Gospel, and meets teen moms' needs in that community) and providing a mentor for every teen mom.