84 Years of Going Where Kids Are: Young Life's Enduring Mission
It all started with prayer and a seminary student with a wild idea. In 1933, a group of faithful women began praying across from Gainesville High School in Texas, and in 1941, Jim Rayburn turned those prayers into action by hosting weekly clubs for teenagers who couldn't care less about church. Fast forward 84 years, and that small-town Texas dream has grown into a global movement reaching kids in over 100 countries.
Plot twist? The mission hasn't changed one bit: introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith.
From day one, Young Life cracked the code that so many miss: kids don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Jim Rayburn figured out that showing up, building real friendships, and genuinely loving teenagers was the best way to share the gospel. Eight decades later, that same approach is still working, now serving over a million kids annually with the same recipe of authenticity, fun, and hope.
The Young Life Method: It's All About Relationships (and Maybe Some Dodgeball)
Here's how Young Life rolls: pray for students, show up where they hang out (yes, even at their terrible garage band concerts), build genuine friendships, and earn the right to share Jesus. We call it "contact work," but honestly, it's just being a good friend who actually cares.
Then there's Club: the legendary weekly gathering that Young Life describes as "a party with a purpose." Think controlled chaos meets meaningful message. There's singing, ridiculous games, maybe someone getting hit with a pie, and then a simple, compelling talk about God's love. It's intentionally fun, purposefully wild, and surprisingly deep.
For kids who want to dig deeper, there's Campaigners, a weekly gathering for study and leadership that prepares students to be world-changers and go deeper in their faith.
And then there's Camp. Oh, the camp experience! Kids genuinely say it's the best week of their lives, and they're not exaggerating. Imagine breathtaking locations, adrenaline-pumping activities, deep friendships, and life-changing encounters with Jesus.
We are still focused on reaching every kid; it’s the DNA of how Young Life has expanded from traditional high school clubs to include WyldLife for middle schoolers, YoungLives for teen parents, Capernaum for students with special needs, and specialized ministries for military families, small towns, and urban communities. There's literally a Young Life for everyone.
From Texas to the World (and Beyond!)
Young Life's story reads like an adventure novel.
First camp property in 1946? Check.
International expansion to France in 1953? Oui!
Middle school ministry pioneered in 1969? Brilliant.
Young Life College launched in 2005? Let’s go!
Today, Young Life operates 26 camps worldwide (from the mountains of Colorado to the beaches of the Dominican Republic to the Highlands of Scotland) and works in more than 8,000 locations across the United States.
We’re proof that you can stay true to your roots while growing like crazy. Those praying women in 1933 Texas probably never imagined their prayers would ripple across continents and generations, but here we are 84 years of showing up, building friendships, and pointing kids to Jesus.
"The best Young Life work has yet to be done." After eight decades of impact, that's not just optimism, it's faith. With a global reach that keeps expanding and a mission that never gets old, YL is proof that some things are worth doing the same way for 84 years.