As witnesses for Christ, Greater Cleveland Youth for Christ/Campus Life ministry combines healthy relationships with creative programs to help junior and senior high young people make good choices, establish a solid foundation for life, and positively impact their schools.  They are committed to partnering with the local church to reach teens with a message of Hope.  They seek to introduce teens to the ultimate relationship, one with Jesus Christ.   

Youth for Christ comes alongside young people on their school campus, in the community and with local congregations.  The teens are instructed in the “Balanced Life” philosophy.  This encourages character growth surrounding the choices that they make in the four crucial areas of their lives: mental, social, physical, and most importantly, spiritual.  They are instructed about the need to grow in each of these four areas in order to develop to their fullest potential in Christ.  Their staff and volunteers come alongside the teens, week after week, to help them achieve this.

As a partner of Youth for Christ, BPC supports their regional efforts but places special emphasis on collaborating with them as they impact near west side Cleveland middle and high schools.  Together, YFC and BPC have partnered to organize Project SERVE for four summers, bringing together urban, suburban (including BPC teens) and rural youth for a week to serve in Cleveland.

Recent Statistics

YFC/Campus Life has impacted tens of thousands of students over the past 64 years.  The following are a few statistics for Greater Cleveland from last school year’s programming (July 2006 through June 2007)

• 56,520 student contacts (coaching, lunchrooms, serving at school events, invites to programming)
• 21,539 Teen Attendance (Campus Life Outreaches/Clubs, Camps, Small Groups, Mentoring)
• 400 Teens made a decision for Jesus Christ!
• 75+ Collaborating Partners (Churches, such as Bay Presbyterian Church, The Boys and Girls Club, City Mission, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Campus Crusade for Christ, ASAP: All Schools Assembly Program, Ministry of Reconciliation)
• Assemblies in 40+ High Schools and Middle Schools in 2006/2007

YFC’s Five Essentials

Widespread Prayer
YFC deliberately engages lots of Christians to intercede on behalf of the ministry site.

Loving Relationships
YFC consistently pursues lost kids and engages them in lifelong relationships with Jesus.

Faithful Bible Teaching
YFC accurately handles biblical truth, regularly coaching kids to apply it in their lives.

Collaborative Community Strategy
YFC intentionally works together with local churches, agencies and other partners to provide sustainable youth and family ministry.

Adults Who Empower
YFC strategically develop leaders to reach young people from every people group.

 Volunteering

There are many opportunities for involvement with Greater   Cleveland Youth for Christ.  Needs range from direct one-on-one discipleship with kids, to assisting with big events, to office work.  Please contact us with your ideas, and we will share our possibilities with you.

   Here are 4 ways in which great people like you can get involved with some really great kids and adults.

1.  Direct Ministry - Hands-on involvement with kids in any of our wide ranging ministry programs.  This can include leading games or a small group of teens or even a one on one mentoring relationship.

2.  Ministry Support Team - Front line support of our direct ministries like; drivers, equipment set up, meals or snack        preparation.  Also, many of our community wide events require hundreds of support volunteers just once or twice a year.

3.   Administrative Support Team - YFC office support needs abound.  Perhaps you could: answer phones, assemble mailings, and provide clerical support all on very flexible schedule.  Additionally, we’re looking for people who can assist us on a special event or project committee, ministry task force of committees.

4.  Community Liaison - Connect YFC to your Church or community group or employer.  Perhaps hosting a table of friends at our Annual Banquet is right for you.

 Testimony from C.W. Allen Jr. –

At the critical age of 13, C.W. came to a YFC club as a decent; yet lost teen.  From Cleveland’s near west side he lived with mom and his sisters next door to a ‘crack-house.’  Dad was an absent and alcoholic father; so C.W. was tutored by the temptations of city life.  He recommitted his life to Christ at YFC and was quickly plugged into Scranton Rd. Bible Church to sustain long term discipleship. 

C.W. grew in the Lord and remained a student and now adult leader with Lincoln West and other YFC clubs.  C.W. is using his Rap Music skills and desire to share the gospel with unsaved teens across Greater Cleveland.  He is currently in taking college courses, discipling several teen boys and having a tremendous influence on their lives. 

God has impacted C.W.’s whole family through his life.  C.W. witnessed to his father through his high school year’s at Rhodes HS.  C.W. led his alcoholic father to Christ one night and saw his dad go to rehabilitation.  Now his father is stable, is holding a job and sitting in church every Sunday with his faithful son C.W.!   His mom and sisters are also saved and in church with him.  Praise God!

C.W. is a ‘rock’ that God has thrown into the ‘lake’ of Cleveland and we are seeing the ‘ripple effects’ of God’s work in his life.