Young Life
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Young Life is an evangelical Christian ministry based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Jim Rayburn started the organization on Oct. 16 1941 in Dallas TX. Young Life operates and supervises many different branches of young adults, including:
- Young Life, which is geared towards high school students
- Wyldlife, which focuses on middle school students
- Young Life Capernaum, which focuses towards mentally and physically handicapped youths.
- Young Life Military, which focuses on children of active military personnel
- YoungLives, for middle and high school girls that are pregnant or raising children on their own
- College Life which ministers to college students and also trains college students to be leaders and encourages them to follow their own path with Christ as well as help others in their own faith where ever they are.
Young Life also offers college students and adults opportunities to participate through volunteering at either a Young Life camp or a local Young Life club.
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Young Life Camp [edit]
Young Life maintains camps in 14 American states as well as three camps in British Columbia, Canada and camps in the Dominican Republic and South America.[1] Referred to as "The Best Week of Your Life," these camps are well attended and incorporate Christian messages based on the grace of God into an environment stressing fun and safety, with many secular activities mixed in to include non-Christians. Although the camps vary in activity type and location, many camps include a waterfront or lake, hiking, mountain climbing, mountain biking, ropes courses and many other activities. These camps are attended by students from around the world, and are staffed by a mix of full-time Young Life employees and student, young adult and adult volunteer, with the average camper to staff ratio being about 5:1. Young Life camps introduce and reinforce the essential beliefs of Christianity to Christians and non-Christians alike with the aid of comedy and pop culture.
List of Young Life camps by location [edit]
- Arizona
- Lost Canyon, Williams, Arizona
- California
- Woodleaf, Challenge, California
- Mountain Lodge, Soda Springs, California
- Oakbridge, Ramona, California
- YoungLife Adventures, Scott's Valley, California
- Colorado
- RMR Backcountry, Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado
- Wilderness Ranch, Creede, Colorado
- Trail West Lodge, Buena Vista, Colorado
- Frontier Ranch, Buena Vista, Colorado
- Crooked Creek Ranch, Fraser, Colorado
- Florida
- Southwind, Ocklawaha, Florida
- Georgia
- Sharp Top Cove, Jasper, Georgia
- Michigan
- Timber Wolf Lake, Lake City, Michigan
- Minnesota
- Castaway Club, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota
- Missouri
- Clearwater Cove, Table Rock Lake, Missouri
- New York
- Lake Champion, Glen Spey, New York
- Saranac Village, Saranac Lake, New York
- North Carolina
- Windy Gap, Weaverville, North Carolina
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- Carolina Point, Pickens, South Carolina
- Virginia
- Rockbridge, Goshen, Virginia
- Washington
- Buttercreek, Centralia, Washington
- British Columbia, Canada
- Malibu Club, Princess Louisa Inlet
- Beyond Malibu, Princess Louisa Inlet
- RockRidge Canyon, Princeton, British Columbia
- Dominican Republic
- Pico Escondido, Jarabacoa
- South America
- Fazenda Salto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Algo Nuevo, Peru
- Central America
- La Finca, Nicaragua
Young Life Club [edit]
Young Life Club is a club for high school or college students and their leaders, and serves both as an opportunity to relax and spend time with friends and to learn about Christianity. There are more than 700 Young Life Clubs worldwide.
Criticism and Controversy [edit]
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 [as in that of Young Life]." This statement alludes Young Life's Calvinism .[2] Tony Jones describes Young Life’s Statement of “non-negotiatables” 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".[3] Eight members of Young Life's teaching staff based in Durham, North Carolina resigned their positions after these "non-negotiables" were announced.[4]
The income of the president of Young Life, Dennis Rydberg, has stirred controversy.[5][6][7]
References [edit]
- ^ "Find Young Life". Younglife.org. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
- ^ "Gospel Talk". Christianity Today. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
- ^ "Something is Wrong at Young Life". Patheos. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
- ^ Lawrence, Rick (17 December 2007). "Heartbreak and Controversy at Young Life". Simply Youth Ministry. Retrieved 28 November 2012. Text " YouthMinistry.com " ignored (help)
- ^ "Young Life & The Problem With Nice People « christianagnostic". 14 September 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ Maples, Leland (14 May 2007). "Money Makers". Right Division. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ Sumner, Dr Robert L. (2007). "MORE ABOUT MINISTRY! http://www.biblicalevangelist.org/index.php?view=Off+the+Cuff!&id=502&issue=Volume%2038,%20Number%201". Off the Cuff (Part 2). Retrieved 28 November 2012.
Further reading [edit]
- Cailliet, Emile; Young Life (1963)
- Meridith, Char; It's a Sin to Bore a Kid: The Story of Young Life (1977) ISBN 0-8499-0043-3
- Miller, John; Back to the Basics about the early years of Young Life including a lot of Rayburn's life.
- Rayburn, Jim III; From Bondage To Liberty – Dance, Children, Dance a biography by his son (2000) ISBN 0-9673897-4-7
- Rayburn, Jim: The Diaries of Jim Rayburn (2008) Rayburn's personal journals, edited and annotated by Kit Sublett Morningstar Press and Whitecaps Media ISBN 978-0-9758577-7-9
