Young Life


Young Life is a religious organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The organization was started in Gainesville, Texas in 1941 by Presbyterian minister Jim Rayburn. Young Life operates globally using several different organizations with different focuses.
As of 2019, Young Life had chapters in 8,513 schools, with average weekly attendance at 369,600 across the organization. Young Life also has 67,000 volunteers as of 2019.

History

In 1939, Presbyterian minister Jim Rayburn started the Gainesville, Texas chapter of the Miracle Book Club for high school students. The book club became Young Life on October 16, 1941. The headquarters moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1946. Young Life volunteer leadership began in the 1940s at Wheaton College, Illinois. At the beginning of Young Life's ministry its focus was directed almost completely to suburban high school students. By the early 1950s, it had begun ministries in approximately 25 urban areas. Young Life now has over 700 ministries located in 324 cities, reporting about 18,000 members.
In November 2007, Jeff McSwain, the Area Director of Durham and Chapel Hill, along with others, was fired after taking issue with the organization's "sin talks." McSwain's theology emphasizes that "God has a covenant, marriage-like relationship with the world he has created, not a contract relationship that demands obedience prior to acceptance ." Tony Jones describes Young Life’s Statement of "non-negotiables" as telling staffers that "they must not introduce the concept of Jesus and his grace until the students have been sufficiently convinced of their own depravity and been allowed to stew in that depravity". Eight members of Young Life's teaching staff based in Durham, North Carolina resigned their positions after these "non-negotiables" were announced.

Camps and clubs

Young Life maintains summer camps in 18 American states as well as camps in British Columbia, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Scotland, Armenia, and France. These camps incorporate Christian messages presented in a camp setting along with typical camp activities. The most recent Young Life property is Camp Lonehollow in Vanderpool, Texas, purchased in the Spring of 2019.
The largest of Young Life's camps is the Washington Family Ranch in Antelope, Oregon. The ranch was formerly the site of Rajneeshpuram, an intentional living community centered on the Rajneesh movement, which in September 1984 used it to carry out the largest terrorist bioweapons attack on US soil.
Young Life also runs local Young Life clubs for high school and college students, held weekly and in local areas, which include singing, skits, and where the Christian gospel is explained in short talks. There are around 700 Young Life Club chapters worldwide. Throughout the United States, some Young Life clubs are held in places such as churches or other places such as barns, fields, etc. Not every Young Life is set to one school. Each club is composed of volunteers who contribute their time to mentor and assist high school students based on Christian values and principles
Young Life also has branches specifically for teen moms called Young Lives, and for adolescents with special needs and disabilities called Capernaum.
There is also an opportunity for high school and college kids who are walking in a relationship with Jesus to serve at camps for 3-4 weeks. High school students are invited to do “Work Crew” which includes serving campers meals, cleaning up around camp, and doing outdoor work. College-age students help with the activities around camp such as lifeguarding, ropes course helper, snack shack worker, etc.

Additional properties

In addition to camps, Young Life operates clubhouses. Young Life operates two clubhouses in Topeka, KS directly adjacent to Washburn University at 1615 SW College Ave and 1616 SW Boswell Ave. The property on College Ave is owned by Aim 5 Foundation. The property on Boswell Ave is owned by Our Rock LLC.
Young Life also allows students and families to do mission trips and serve in other countries such as Africa, the Dominican Republic, and others. Throughout the world, Young Life is held in over 100 countries as well as all 50 states. There are not specific camps in all of these but in all these areas, there are high school students learning and strengthening their relationship with Jesus.

Young Life International

Young Life began an international program in the 1940s focusing on teens living on military bases. Shortly after that, Young Life expanded from military bases to ministry with local adolescent kids. Young Life International reports divisions in more than 100 countries.

Controversy

In November 2007, Jeff McSwain, the Area Director of Durham and Chapel Hill, along with others, was fired after taking issue with the organization's "sin talks." McSwain's theology emphasizes that "God has a covenant, marriage-like relationship with the world he has created, not a contract relationship that demands obedience prior to acceptance ." Tony Jones describes Young Life's Statement of "non-negotiables" as telling staffers that "they must not introduce the concept of Jesus and his grace until the students have been sufficiently convinced of their own depravity and been allowed to stew in that depravity". Eight members of Young Life's teaching staff based in Durham, North Carolina resigned their positions after these "non-negotiables" were announced.
Young Life allows LGBTQ students to participate in Young Life activities, but does not allow them to volunteer or take leadership roles. In the organization's forms homosexuality is described as a "lifestyle" which is "clearly not in accord with God's creation purposes". Conner Mertens, the first active college football player to come out as LGTBQ, was active in the group as a teenager, and planned to work with the group in college, but not allowed due to his sexuality.
Young Life's policy also extends to LGBTQ allies. Local leader Pam Elliott stepped down after being asked to remove a photo from her Facebook page showing her support for the LGBTQ community.

Notable people