Evangelism Is Focus for
Youth Center Exhibit
Center unveils iPhone application at session
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The Center for Youth Evangelism (CYE) has the rare distinction of operating one of only a handful of exhibits—at the 2010 General Conference session—geared almost exclusively toward young adults. “CYE does offer resources for kids, youth, young adults, and leaders of youth and young adult ministries,” explains Ryan Whitehead, booth volunteer and second-year seminary student at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. “But we don’t provide as many resources for the younger age groups.” And here at the session, most of the material CYE is sharing supports youth and young adult ministries and programs by providing opportunities and resources to connect, teach, and help leaders and laypeople.
There are postcards and brochures promoting Cruise with a Mission (both a young adult vacation and a mission trip), the Youth Leadership Development (YLD) Summit, Church of Refuge (COR), and a plethora of other youth- and young adult-focused ministries. CYE is attempting to use their booth to get the word out on COR, which went from pilot program status during the past three years to being an available resource for any and all churches.
COR, primarily for churches wanting to reach out to ages 18-35, is based on Deuteronomy 19. “The program’s criteria, or a focus [of the program], is on being accepting, building community, and giving youth leadership positions,” Whitehead says. “TED [the Trans-European Division] has accepted the program and will use it for their churches, with some [modifications].”
CYE is also encouraging young adults and leaders to get their new iPhone application, which became available just in time for the GC session. Says Whitehead: “People can go to the app and pull up a COR church on Google maps, they can access resources, as well as all the ministries of CYE, including We Care mission trips, Cruise with a Mission, COR, and they can access the YLD fall conference—all summit meetings are available online as part of CYE resources for ministry leaders. It’s a huge training resource for youth and young adult ministry leaders.”