YFC Metro Maryland gears up for
back-to-school with a range of innovative programs
Jesse Lee, Campus Life Director for YFC Metro Maryland:
‘It’s about inviting students to take that next step in their faith’
August marks the start of the back-to-school season for over 70 million students in the U.S. In Metro Maryland, the local Youth For Christ (YFC, www.yfc.net) team is preparing to minister to young people from a wide range of backgrounds, many of whom are entirely unfamiliar with the gospel.
According to Stephen Kaiss, Executive Director of YFC Metro Maryland and a 45-year veteran of the ministry, “A number of our students have never opened a Bible and never been to church, not even for a wedding or a funeral. Last Christmas, we found that many of them didn’t even know the words to Christmas carols. And I just love that God is bringing them to us.”
For 80 years YFC has encouraged teens facing pivotal moments by connecting them with caring adult mentors.
In addition, YFC Metro Maryland offers the Shepherd Leaders initiative, an innovative program that develops today’s students into the next generation of ministry leaders.
Jesse Lee, Campus Life Director of YFC Metro Maryland, noted, “Shepherd Leaders are high school to young college-age students who are encouraged to lead their peers and their friends. It’s about challenging students to take that next step in their faith. This benefits both them and our local chapter, while reaching more lost young people for Christ.”
YFC is proving more critical than ever in reaching a generation that is struggling with a variety of mental health issues.
Kaiss shared, “I would estimate that more than half of the young people we work with are on some type of medication for anxiety, depression, insomnia or ADHD. There are a variety of reasons why, but a big one is technology, which has really damaged the way kids relate to each other. It’s important to have small groups available for young people where they can get together in a safe place and share their hearts, listen to others and be encouraged. These groups become a family to them, and our small groups play a big role in helping people move forward.”
Watch a 2-minute video and hear from Cole how a campus is being transformed!
Kaiss said, “At the beginning of the last school year, we had a group of five students who began studying the Bible with a couple of leaders every Friday morning. One boy, an athlete, eventually accepted Christ, and he began inviting his teammates to attend the group. Within a few months, that group of five students grew to 80 young people, gathering together at 7:00 a.m. to read the Bible and pray. It was beautiful to see.”
Ultimately, Kaiss says, YFC remains focused on ministering to young people at a critical time in their lives.
Kaiss said, “We underestimate young people. We forget that some of Jesus’ disciples were teenagers. Billy Graham was 15 years old when he came to Christ. At this age, young people are thinking seriously about their future, and the decisions they make now will impact them and the world. It’s vital that we prioritize reaching young people for Christ during this season of their lives.”