The Young Life Blog
Culture is changing. The next generation is searching for friends, hope, truth — and much more. We live at this intersection, offering insight, encouragement, and practical ways to show up in the lives of students.
A coach’s belief brings wins to the court, the community, and the Kingdom. “You don’t go to Riverside if you want to win.” This was a common belief among many residents of Kanawha County, West Virginia, when it came to high school sports. Jacob Billanti knew all too well of the school’s reputation when he…
Outwardly, Inwardly, and Communally One of the hallmarks of Young Life, along with humor, incarnational witness, intentionality and others, is adventure. In fact, if you look back almost nine decades and reflect on the stories of Jim Rayburn and the early pioneers of the mission, you’ll find adventure woven into our very fabric. From the…
The Young Life Bible App Makes It Easy A way to connect without pressure or perfect answers. A quiet, nagging longing: How do I talk about faith? Whether you’re a parent, leader, grandparent, aunt, or neighbor, talking about faith with an adolescent does not always feel like a simple proposition. Add to this your own…
How Jim Rayburn’s Adventures with Kids Inform Ours Today Rattlesnake and armadillo hunts. Jeep rides and gravel slides. These adventures of the 1940s Young Life teen were a little different from today’s. But adolescents, be they members of the greatest generation or today’s Gen Alpha, have always been full of energy, exuberance, and a hunger…
Just a Few of the Ways Businesses Fuel Camp You might not always think of businesses being such an important part of Young Life camp, but over the years, we’ve seen businesses and professionals come together to get creative with how they’re using their professional backgrounds to make these camps happen. The intersection of faith…
He achieved everything. It wasn’t enough. In our achievement culture, we’re all faced with a choice that beats in the background of our lives: what matters? Milt Abel II left home and achieved all he set out to do. The legendary pastry chef moved from some of the top restaurants in the U.S., to the…
What if your next trip accomplished more than just taking you somewhere beautiful? What if it brought you closer to God, deeper into community with others who love Young Life, and left you with memories you’ll carry for the rest of your life? That’s the heartbeat of Young Life Expeditions trips. Expeditions trips create service…
In 1995, a high school student from Nashville boarded a plane for only the second time in his life. He hadn’t grown up in church. He didn’t really understand the gospel. And he didn’t expect a week at camp to shape the direction of his life. But that’s exactly what happened for Brandon Heath. Today,…
Listening is an overlooked form of love. I went to Coachella for the first time this year and for the three days I was there, I kept returning to this account from the eighth chapter of Acts: 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot…
What follows is a conversation with AI — on AI, how it’s influencing the next generation, and what adults can do about it. Below are questions given to AI, along with its responses. What should adults who care about adolescents know about AI that they probably don’t? Most adults underestimate how personally integrated AI already is in adolescents’ lives — it’s not just a tool, it’s becoming a thinking partner….
What Young Life is doing to save marriages. Prior to 2022, Ukraine consistently ranked among the countries with the highest divorce rates in the world. This was before the war. In the past year, divorce rates have jumped up by another 50%.* Today, separation rates are staggering, fueled by military draft, economic hardship, trauma, and…
Helping young adults find what they most need in this moment. Imagine you have just graduated high school. For years, your life has been shaped by familiar rhythms and relationships — classmates you have known since grade school, familiar hallways, and a community that feels like home. But now you are taking your first step…
Alaska bush pilot found her wings in Young Life. “It was hard for me as a kid. I would just be wandering in the dark, not knowing what to do, or my purpose, just looking for love or people to accept me … Those kids who are in the middle of nowhere — in these…