29 March, 2024

Christ In Youth: Calling the Next Generation to Christ

Features

by | 8 July, 2007 | 0 comments

By Lindsey Bell

A couple outfits per day, plenty of candy to help me survive those afternoon hunger pains, and more shoes than you can imagine””I was 14 years old and preparing to attend my first Christ In Youth event, a weeklong summer conference.

My thoughts focused on the fun I would have with my friends. I looked forward to being away from home for a week and staying up every night talking with the girls in my room. I had no idea God was preparing to do a major work in my heart and in the hearts of thousands of other students.

God used that week as a defining moment in my life. The theme for the summer was “The Burn.” I returned home from the event a completely different person. I had a fire in my heart and a renewed passion for Jesus Christ. I noticed a depth in my relationship with God that had been absent before. My brother and I even spent time reflecting upon what we had learned and praying for the change to continue long after summer was gone.

In 2008, Christ In Youth will celebrate its 40th anniversary. In preparation, CIY will reflect on its past and look toward its future as it ministers to a third generation of students and church leaders.

CIY”s History

In 1968, the Holy Spirit led Bob and Nell Stacy to develop a ministry that would adapt to the changing needs of youth in American culture. Bob, who was then an Ozark Bible College professor, answered this call by developing Christ In Youth. In the first few years, volunteer students led CIY by conducting youth rallies and high school assemblies.

In 1970, 585 students attended CIY”s first weeklong summer conference in the Kiamichi Mountains in Oklahoma. The next year, attendance more than doubled. Conferences have grown ever since. This year, CIY expects to reach more than 50,000 students and leaders through more than 100 program events.

In the first years of its existence, Christ In Youth focused primarily on conferences for high school students. In the mid-1980s, the ministry began to look at other ways it might encourage the church. As CIY widened the scope of its ministry, it developed youth leader training, urban and international mission trips, service projects, and other programming for high school students.

In the “90s, the ministry expanded again with summer conferences at multiple college campus locations and development of events for junior high students. Most recently, CIY has added a preteen program called SuperStart!

This year, CIY is excited about another opportunity to support the local church. Standard Publishing has partnered with Christ In Youth. CIY is recognized as an expert in student ministry, and Standard Publishing has been providing resources to churches for more than 140 years. Together, the partnership will be able to reach more students for Christ by putting resources into the hands of churches and youth leaders all across the country.

CIY”s Heart

During the past 40 years times have changed, but CIY”s mission has remained the same. The ministry”s primary desire is to partner with the church in calling each generation to know Christ and advance his kingdom. CIY believes calling students to life change cannot be done alone. While CIY provides events, trips, and resources that call students to transformation, the local church nurtures this change to maturity. CIY exists to serve the church”s natural function of building disciples.

Churches can partner with Christ In Youth in a variety of ways:

“¢ When students return from CIY events, ask them to share their experiences. One way to do this is to set aside a church service to talk about the event. Another way is to divide students into groups and have students share their experiences with a Sunday school class or small group.

“¢ Assign each student a mentor within the church to promote accountability for decisions made at events.

“¢ Encourage more students to attend events by offering event scholarships.

“¢ Pray for the students. Designate specific people to pray for each attendee every day of the event.

“¢ Pray for the worldwide impact of Christ In Youth.

“¢ Encourage other churches and youth/children ministries to become involved in CIY programming by inviting them to come with your group.

CIY”s Health

A healthy ministry is a growing ministry. Christ In Youth began with one man following God”s call. Now, CIY employs more than 40 individuals and partners with hundreds of volunteers. In 2006, 50,000 students and leaders attended CIY events in 21 different countries.

Numerical growth is important, but it is not the only measure of a vibrant and effective ministry. God has blessed Christ In Youth through story after story of spiritual growth that has occurred in the lives of individuals who have attended CIY events. At CIY Summer Conferences in 2006, 612 people made decisions to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. Nearly 4,000 rededicated their lives, and more than 1,000 accepted the call to go into vocational ministry. This type of kingdom growth will affect the church for generations to come.

Igniting a Fire

Nine years have passed since I attended my first Christ In Youth event, but I continue to feel its impact. The Lord used that week at Summer Conference to ignite a fire in my heart for Jesus. A few years later, through the mentoring of my church family and the encouragement of other CIY events, I decided to attend Ozark Christian College. Now, as my husband finishes his last semester at Ozark, we are preparing for our own ministry. We look forward to seeing how God might use us to impact the next generation for Christ.


 

 

Lindsey Bell serves on staff with CIY in Joplin, Missouri, and also writes from her home in Webb City, Missouri.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Features

Follow Us