The following is an excerpt from the student’s devotions in our 2015 theme material at Live It and Serve this summer. A few years ago, I was wandering through a mall in the city in which I work. I had finished a meeting with one of my friends from the street and was off to another meeting. […]
Catching a glimpse of what God is doing across North America would be instantly overwhelming. It could be like what Moses experienced on the mountaintop (Exodus 33) when he asked to see God’s glory. In that passage, God agreed to show himself to a man, to a friend, but not in fullness. Youth Unlimited has […]
Having just finished a humongous fudge-like brownie one night around 10:00pm, I was inspired to write about youth conventions, high school mission trips, camps, retreats and the like. Earlier that day, I had a well-balanced meal complete with a side salad, broccoli and a great main course full of protein in the shape of a […]
Faces of ThereforeGo – Planning Team Member Edition Kandace Brands Q. Serving and volunteering on a ThereforeGo planning team is a huge commitment, why do you do it? A. For the lives being touched for Christ! I know this is the obvious answer, but truly it is our heart of the planning team. It is […]
In a recent issue of a Youth Ministry magazine, I read Ned Erickson’s description of a relational (youth ministry) economy… A round of Frisbee golf = a month of meetings A milkshake out = a month of meetings A day hike, camping trip or a weekend retreat = a semester of meetings A weeklong camp […]
Happy (almost) New Year! At Youth Unlimited, 2015 is all about “The Other 51”, our theme for Live It and Serve this year. We are so excited for the many students whose lives will be changed through these faith-forming experiences and their interaction with The Other 51. To learn more about what these students will be learning and participating […]
While serving a remote village in the mountains of Haiti, I spent an afternoon inviting people to church. The most common response: “I don’t have nice enough clothing.” The heart of this response keeps people away in every culture: the fear of judgment, the rags of shame and the scars of old stones. The Jesus-revolution […]
For decades there has been an ebb and flow of unity among churches in New England. It seems the water is rising again! Student ministries gathered for a few hours to advance unity and intentionally create synergy among churches. It sounds way too cliché to paint the evening as an event full of […]
Did the students you took on Serve (or another faith-forming experience) this summer return home with an experience and a teaching that will forever impact how they live their lives? Hopefully your answer is a yes that causes you to celebrate God’s goodness. I know my life was forever changed by a trip I took back in […]
Have you ever heard the phrase, “words and pictures don’t do it justice”? That is how I feel right now as I type this post. You see, last summer I had the joy of traveling to many Serve Sites, The Chicago Project and Live It. I witnessed students commit their lives to Jesus Christ, seek […]
Jeanette Hielkema Q: Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning? A: Depends on the weather. During the summer I’m out in the gardens. In winter, I’ll be in my favorite chair with a good book and a cup of coffee. Q: Where’s your favorite place to meet with students, and […]
For more than a year the staff of Youth Unlimited prepared for this past summer. We prayed that students who attended a Youth Unlimited experience would come to understand that what we do grows out of who we are in Christ, and that being in Christ changes us and our actions. Romans 12:1-2 says, […]
