Youth for Christ of Northern Ohio/Sandusky Valley
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Our Vision , Mission, & History

Here we will tell what we are about.

Our Vision

As part of the Body of Christ, our vision is to see every young person, in every people group, in every nation have the opportunity to make an informed decision to be a follower of Jesus Christ and become part of a local church.

 

Our Mission


To participate in the Body of Christ in the responsible evangelism of youth, presenting them with the person, work and teachings of Christ and discipling them into a local church.

 

Our Statement of Faith

1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.

2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.

4. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.

5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.

6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in Christ.

 

Our Core Values

1. EVANGELISM AND DISCIPLESHIP

We are committed to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all young people and always seek to do so with urgency, using the most culturally acceptable presentations. We are further committed to provide a ministry of discipleship for each new believer, and to work in partnership with others who desire to accomplish the same mission.

2. SCRIPTURE

We are committed to the Word of God as the foundation and final authority for life and ministry. We discipline ourselves to study it diligently, apply it daily, and teach its truth to young people.

3. PRAYER AND FASTING

We are committed to pray and fast for the salvation of lost young people and for the empowerment of God’s Holy Spirit in taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them.

4. CHURCH

Believing that the Church is the expression of the body of Christ, we are committed to work in partnership with the local church in fulfilling the Great Commission.

5. PEOPLE

We are committed to people. We believe that young people, volunteers, board members, ministry partners, staff and their families are important first as individuals, and all are vital in the fulfillment of our mission.

6. MOBILIZATION

Knowing the size and urgency of our task, we are committed to mobilize all the available resources of young people, adults, prayer and finance to accomplish our mission.

7. INTEGRITY

We are committed to a life of integrity through personal and organizational accountability in lifestyle, relationships, finances, ministry management and responsible evangelism.

 

Our History

Since 1944, Youth for Christ has had a distinctive history of youth
evangelism. In the early 1940s, during World War II, many young men, mostly ministers and evangelists, were holding large rallies in Canada, England and the United States. As the hunger for God's Word grew it became evident that there needed to be someone to coordinate this movement, providing leadership, strategy, and coordinating speakers, musicians and locations.  Beginning in dozens of cities at the end of World War II, YFC quickly organized into a national movement. Billy Graham became YFC's first full-time staff member.

 

Starting with Saturday night youth rallies in the late 1940s and early
1950s, YFC's ministry methodology turned to Bible Clubs in the late 50s and 60s. It was in this period of ministry that the concept of teen to teen evangelism was birthed. Then in the middle sixties and early seventies Campus Life and Campus Life/JV ministries to senior and junior high youth began to be the thrust of YFC ministry. Since that time there have been several ministry models that have been created. Youth Guidance became an avenue in reaching at-risk and institutionalized young people. Teen Moms developed to mentor and equip young mothers with parenting skills as well as the love of Jesus Christ. Urban Ministries reach the millions of young people in our major urban communities, partnering with the church and other organizations. Ministries are tailored to reach youth in urban,  suburban, and rural settings.


In addition, the YFC sponsored DCLA Student Evangelism "Super Conferences," held every three years, challenge and equip thousands of young people from hundreds of youth groups to effectively impact their schools for Christ..The YFC sponsored Niagara / Joshua Revolution Conference is held every December 27-30th in Niagara, NY by Western New York YFC and has the same objectives.  It is really considered a 'GOD Encounter' event.

YFC/USA is a chartered program of Youth for Christ International. Over
1,861 paid staff members and 16,571 volunteers serve in over 100 countries around the world. As a part of the YFC/USA commitment to serve the world, we offer Project Serve, which provides overseas short-term mission opportunities. In addition, well over 100 YFC staff members from the U.S. have ministry assignments with YFC programs in other nations as part of YFC/USA's World Outreach Division.

Throughout YFC's history there has been an unwavering commitment to youth evangelism and biblical Christianity. One of YFC's slogans over the past fifty years has been "Anchored to the Rock, Geared to the Times"-the message of the gospel will never change and YFC is flexible to creatively communicate this message of hope, grace and love in the context of different cultural settings.

The local YFC organization was started by volunteers in 1988 as a club in Bellevue High School   In 1992 it became became YFC/Sandusky Valley, a ministry affiliate of the Eastern Great Lakes Region of YFC/USA.  In 2002, the YFC/SV affiliation was changed to being a ministry module of Findlay Area YFC, Inc.  Then in 2005, YFC/SV joined with YFC of Medina County to form Youth for Christ of Northern Ohio with Steve Pausch as our new Executive Director.  YFCNO represents YFC to over 65,000 teenagers in the seven Ohio counties of Erie, Huron, Lorain, Medina, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Seneca. 

 

YFCNO/Sandusky Valley is responsible for the three western counties (Ottawa, Sandusky, and Seneca) and has over 20 approved volunteer staff representing YFC on six High School and Junior High School campuses.  YFCNO/Sandusky Valley currently has six volunteers who do Youth Guidance at the Sandusky County Juvenile Detention Center.   

 

For more information, you may reach YFC/SV by email at: JROUSH@cros.net or contact Dr. John Roush, YFCNO/SV  Coordinator at ph.419-334-9504.  Or write to YFCNO/SV, 400 S. Taft Ave., Fremont, OH 43420.

“And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Colossians 3:17