With God and Others
Created for Relationships
God has advised us from the beginning that people are “hardwired to connect.” We are created as relational beings and will only be fulfilled when we are in healthy relationships with both God and other people. Yet, the art of building authentic relationships seems to be a disappearing skill in our culture. We believe that all efforts to impact our communities with the gospel must be built on an effort to build relationally redemptive contexts.
Our Blueprint for Ministry
The How of What We Do
Meeting teens in their pivotal moments. Building time-tested relationships with them. Guiding them to a life of contentment in Jesus. These passions drive all that we do at Central Ohio Youth for Christ. Our Holistic Community Development Model provides the blueprint for how we navigate our work to effectively impact teens. See below for details on this unique and compelling ministry model.
How It All Comes Together — Relationships
We have a saying at YFC: “Students won’t care how much we know until they know how much we care.”
Our passion is to build authentic Christ-sharing relationships with teens. As we help them navigate their education, or as they seek to learn job and life skills, we walk with them every step of the way. Our staff and volunteers impart practical knowledge while offering spiritually based guidance in all areas of life.
We have identified five key areas that will help teens learn to thrive. In each context we have created specific programs to address deficits students may encounter.
Spiritual and Moral Literacy
From the great commission we understand that our mission is disciple making. This encompasses both the mandate to share the gospel and the need to help believers align their lives with the spiritual and moral directions taught in Scripture.
► City Life Club for high school youth.
► JV Club meetings for middle school youth.
Economic Literacy
From Scripture we’ve been given the mandate to provide for our families through meaningful work and Godly stewardship of the resources produced from that work. We believe that we should be concerned that people have the ability to find meaningful work, and that they understand Godly stewardship as a means for providing for themselves, their families and their communities.
► Job-skills training program in auto mechanics.
► Financial literacy training through an online program called Economis.
Education
We believe that people should have the ability and opportunity to succeed educationally. For those who cannot read, both the Bible and a universe of written wisdom is practically out of reach. We believe that a good education is a critical tool in disciple making.
► Parent Life program that helps teenagers who are parents with community, mentoring and physical needs.
► Tutoring for students in need of extra instruction.
Basic Health and Safety
Jesus spent much of his ministry healing the sick and protecting the weak. Also, practical experience shows that people with significant health and safety concerns are distracted from making much progress in spiritual matters until their situation is stabilized and their fundamental needs are met.
►Abstinence education
► Free health clinic for the community
► Homeless ministry (provides a meal and companionship)
Civic Literacy
Too often people do not know how to resolve conflict, appreciate diversity, or solve problems together within the social or governmental institutions of society. We believe we are called to teach and model how people can life in peace and become agents of positive social change within the systems of that community.
► Volunteers in Training (VIT) program for students 18-21.
► Student Leadership program for students under 18.
How You Can Invest in Teens
We love sharing the story of Jesus with teens and we invite you to join us.