Endorsements

“Youth for Christ came into being as a result of a conversation that Torrey Johnson and I had while fishing off the coast of Florida in late 1944. He had the vision and the plans in his mind of what could be done, and he asked if I could join with him and become the first associate and evangelist. It was my privilege to be the first full-time employee of Youth for Christ. The goal in those days was to reach not only young people, but also our servicemen who were on leave from wars. It grew rapidly, and thousands of young people came to Christ. After 60+ years, Youth for Christ continues to communicate the life changing message of Jesus Christ to our youth before it’s too late. We have been fortunate through the years to touch millions of lives and today, more than ever, we need to continue our quest to reach the lost youth around the world.

The harvest fields are riper, the grain is thicker, and the instruments that technology has provided are sharper. I see no reason why we could not touch the entire youth population of the world with the good news of the Gospel… let’s make that our goal!”

Billy Graham

 

“Like lots of kids in my town, I attended Youth for Christ when I was growing up. It fanned my spiritual flames during my chaotic high school years. In fact, I know it helped shape much of what led us to start Willow Creek and helped give me a vision for lost people.”

Bill Hybels, Sr. Pastor
Willow Creek Community Church

 

“My association with Youth for Christ is deeply in my family’s history since my father was their first full-time employee. I have also seen personally the long-term affects of their ministry here in the United States and around the world. Today’s young person is in great peril and we desperately need organizations like Youth for Christ to bring them the message of Christ’s truth, love and hope.”

Anne Graham Lotz

 

“Thank God for Youth for Christ. Over sixty years of ministry shows faithfulness to God, loyalty to the Scripture, and compassion in ministry. The Kingdom of God is greater because of Youth for Christ.”

Josh McDowell

 

“Youth for Christ has been a faithful and bold ally of the Church. Our world needs Youth for Christ to be propelled into the future with the same devotion it has shown in the past.”

R.C. Sproul, President
Ligonier Ministries

 

“It was Youth for Christ that reached me in high school. I will ever be thankful for the caring adults who were praying and giving so that I might make the most important decision of my life.”

Roger Cross, past President
Youth for Christ/USA

 

“There is no doubt that Youth for Christ has been the most significant movement of its time. It has been an instrument in the hands of God to reach multiplied hundreds of thousands of young people for Christ. It has also been the source of implanting in those young people a great vision to keep the light shining and to reach others for Christ. Thousands upon thousands have enrolled in the service of Christ because of the initial challenge that they received in the outreach of Youth for Christ.”

David Breese, President
Christian Destiny, Inc.

100+ Christian organizations launched by former Youth for Christ staff:
 

1. Ankerberg Evangelistic Association / Floyd Ankerberg
2. Adam Children’s Fund Int. / Wayne Coombs
3. ARC Ministries / Chris Ward, Marv Hollenbeck
4. Barry Moore Ministries / Barry Moore
5. Berry Publishing Services / Bill Berry
6. Bible Light Int. / Elmer Josephson
7. Billy Graham Evangelistic Association / Billy Graham
8. Bob Neff Tours / Bob Neff, Sr.
9. Brazilian Evangelistic Association / Keith Britton
10. Camfel Productions / Jim Hullihan
11. Campus living Association / Joe Shultz
12. CareForce, Int. / Jim Wilson, Ernie Taylor
13. Carmichael Enterprises / Ralph Carmichael
14. Carpenter’s Tools / Dave Lien
15. Center for Divorce Recovery / Jim Smoke
16. Chicago Urban Reconciliation Enterprise (CURE)/Russ Knight, Peter Sjobolm, Tom Lach
17. Christian Aid Mission (C.A.M.) / Bob Finley
18. Christian Projects Services, Inc. / Reid Jepson
19. Christians in Government / Hubert Mitchell
20. Common Ground / Mark Pollard
21. Compassion International / Everett Swanson
22. Concerned Women for America / Beverly LaHaye
23. Continental Singers / Cam Floria
24. Destiny Ministries / Dave Breese
25. Doug Ross Communications / Doug Ross
26. Dynamic Communications, Int. / Ken Davis
27. Earl Bailey Ministries / Earl Bailey
28. Emerging Young Leaders / Dick Wynn
29. Encounter Ministries, Inc. / Stephen F. Olford
30. Encouragement Resources / Ray W. Carpenter
31. Eurovangelism / Dave Foster
32. Evangelical Enterprises, Inc. / Willis Stitt
33. Faith in the Family / Martin Granger
34. Family Life Ministries (F.L.M.) / Dick Snavely
35. Family Life Radio / Warren Bolthouse
36. Family Ministries, Inc. / James Leckie
37. Global Concern / Merv Rosell
38. Goehner Resource Group / Don Goehner
39. Gospel Films / Ken Anderson
40. Gospel Witness Films / Henry Grosh
41. Go-Tell Communications / Keith D. Strugnell
42. Greater Europe Mission (G.E.M.) / Bob Evans
43. Hal Webb Evangelistic Association / Hal Webb
44. Impact Christian Communications, LTD / Andrew Goh (Impact Magazine, Singapore)
45. Interaction / Dave C. Pollock, Jimmy Di Raddo
46. International Needs / Ray Harrison
47. International Students / Bob Finley
48. International Youth Foundation / Rick Little
49. Institute for American Church Growth / Budd Arn
50. Ken Anderson Films / Ken Anderson
51. LCM, Inc. / LaVerne Campbell
52. Leighton Ford Ministries / Leighton Ford
53. Lexicon Music, Inc. (Inc. LIGHT) / Ralph Carmichael
54. Living Waters Circle C © Ranch / Wes Aarum
55. The Livingstone Corporation / Bruce Barton, Jim Galvin, Dave Veerman
56. Missionary Flights, Inc. / Don Beldin
57. Morning Chapel Hour / Wilbur Nelson
58. Motivational Media Assemblies / Jim Hullihan
59. National Center for Fathering / Chuck Aycock (co-founder)
60. National Counseling Resource Center / Wendell Amstutz
61. New Life (Leves Leben) / Anton Schulte
62. National Council on Child Abuse & Family Violence / Alan Davis
63. New Life Publishers (Editora Vida Nova) / Art Brown
(Pioneered in Portugal, Established in Brazil by Russell Shedd)
64. Orville Butcher Ministries / Orville Butcher
65. Outreach for Christ Int. - Reachout Singers / Keith Knoff
66. Outreach of Delaware, Inc. / Ralph Cavanaugh
67. Overseas Crusades (now OC International) / Dick Hillis
68. Personal Relationships Inc. / Bob Stone
69. The ProSource Group / Alan Davis
70. Quiet Place Ministries / Franklyn Miller
71. Ravi Zacharias Int. Ministries / Ravi Zacharias
72. REAP Mission / Kenny Joseph
73. Reese Research / Ed Reese
74. Rocky Mountain Lodge / Don Landis
75. Ron Hutchcraft Ministries / Ron Hutchcraft
76. Russ Reid Company / Russ Reid
77. Sakhisizwe Christian Ministries / Sicelo Duze
78. Samaritan’s Purse / Bob Pierce
79. Sky Ministries / Bob Simpson
80. Songtime / John DeBrine
81. Splendor Productions / Thurlow Spurr
82. Steve & Maria Ministries, Inc. / Steve & Maria Gardner
83. Teamwork International / Rick Englert
84. Ted Place Ministries / Ted Place
85. Teen Discovery / Joe Ellis, Jr., Dick Weidner, Chuck Nichols
86. Teen Missions / Bob Bland
87. Teen Ranch / Ray Clendenan
88. Timothy Group / Bob Hobbs, Pat McLaughlin
89. Tips for Teens and Young World Radio / Mel Johnson
90. TransWorld Radio / Paul Freed
91. Veerman & Associates / Ralph Veerman
92. Venture for Victory Basketball Teams / Don Odle
93. Venture International / Len Rodgers
94. Voice of Christian Youth (Milwaukee) / Vic Eliason
95. Werner Burklin Ministries / Werner Burklin
96. World Impact / Keith Phillips
97. Worldwide Leadership Council / Jim Groen
98. World Opportunities / Roy McKeown
99. World Servants / Jack Larson
100. World Thrust / Bill Boerop
101. World Vision / Bob Pierce
102. Yeldall Christian Centre (formerly Operation Concern) / Bill Yoder
103. Yellowstone Boys & Girls Ranch / Franklin Robbie
104. Youth Evangelism Association / Al Metsker
105. Young River Ministries / Rolly Richert
106. Youth Front / Al Metsker
107. Youth Guidance, Inc. / James Leckie
108. Youth Haven Ranches / Morry Carlson
109. Youth Outreach / Jerry Landrum
110. Youth Specialties / Mike Yaconelli, Wayne Rice

Compiled September 10, 1993 by Earl Schultz
Revised November 25, 1996