Youth For Christ Reaches One Teen at a Time in Cape Cod, Massachusetts: ‘We Are Committed to Sharing God’s Message’
Ministry Delivers On-the-Ground Hope and Kindness with Kids Who Are Struggling, Frustrated, and Alone
BOSTON— Long known for its vital ministries that reach out to teens with the love of Jesus, Youth For Christ (YFC, www.yfc.net) is not only helping to change an entire generation—from teens living in dysfunctional families to juvenile offenders—it’s doing so in local areas across our land more effectively than ever. And it’s continuing its work even through COVID-19, using Zoom calls and other novel methods.
Youth For Christ—through ministry arms such as Campus Life, Deaf Teen Quest, Campus Life Military, City Life, Parent Life, and Juvenile Justice Ministry—extends the unconditional love of God and caring support to teens whose choices and circumstances might lead them down into a negative spiral. YFC helps teens overcome the dark temptations by sharing the light and hope of Jesus Christ—one person at a time.
Says Emelio Gassibe, ministry director of YFC Cape Cod, “We started out with a Friday night club for the kids, where we shared God’s love with them through the Gospel. Over time, some wanted to go deeper into God’s Word, which was exciting. We’re running a program now called the Backyard Club, which we hold right outside our church. We also do one-on-one sessions with kids who just need compassion and empathy.”
Gassibe sees both tremendous need and tremendous potential on Cape Cod. “We are happy to share positive messages with the kids, and we engage with them every week. Some will pick up the phone and say, ‘Hey, guys, we need to pray. We are struggling.’ Some have dads in jail or other problems in the house. Some are struggling with opioid addiction issues. Whenever they reach out to us, we are there for them.”
Helping teens find God-focused role models around them and a new peace in Christ, no matter what issues they’re dealing with, is the goal of all of YFC’s ministries, no matter where they’re located.
“Our job is to come into that area and to just love them and be present with them, to let them know that this is not the end of the road,” said Gassibe.
Over 160 YFC chapters across the nation seek out and serve youth from all walks of life. Many teens are silently struggling through a variety of challenging issues—and now they see the living power of a loving God.
The relationships YFC is building with teens is proof that YFC’s mission and vision are God-sized.
Emelio Gassibe believes that the real challenge for today’s teens lies in the erosion of the family.
“Absent fathers are a big issue on Cape Cod as well,” says Gassibe. “Often, kids experiment with drugs because they don’t want to be at home. And so we work with teens at our gatherings, and we are happy that we can offer hope to them. We’re committed to sharing God’s message.”
Youth For Christ staff and volunteers are encouraged by the YFC 3Story concept, which is based on the belief that kids will be reached for Christ when they are met at their point of need—and as workers connect their stories with Jesus’s story. The ministry efforts of Youth For Christ are changing lives, one at a time.
Youth For Christ’s 3Story encourages staff and volunteers to be good news while also sharing the stories of the Good News of Jesus. It involves building relationships through the ups and downs of everyday life in order to lead people to Christ. For more information, visit 3Story.org.
Nationally, Youth For Christ is telling inspiring stories like these through #YFCBeTheStory, an initiative to help spread the word across the nation about how YFC chapters are making a difference in their communities.
Youth For Christ has been a pillar of missional ministry since 1944, when the Rev. Billy Graham served as YFC’s first full-time staff member. Since then, Youth For Christ has continued to be both a rural and urban ministry on mission, and it is always about the message of Jesus. YFC reaches young people everywhere, working together with the local church and other like-minded partners to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus who lead by their godliness in lifestyle, devotion to the Word of God and prayer, passion for sharing the love of Christ, and commitment to social involvement. Youth For Christ operates in over 100 nations and has more than 160 chapters that impact communities across America.
Visit the Youth For Christ media page here. Learn more about Youth For Christ at its website, www.yfc.net, Facebook and Instagram pages, Twitter feed @yfcusa or on Vimeo.
