Authentic Christ-Sharing Relationships

Posted on by Heidi Brunsting

By Gareth Unruh, Chief Ministry Officer

I’ve always had a pastor’s heart for our staff. Before joining the Youth For Christ family in Denver, I was pastor at a local church in Arvada. Many of the youth I served in our local youth group spent time in the facility that serves Jefferson County youth.

 

The first time I shadowed one of the Denver Area Youth For Christ staff at this facility was for a girls’ bible study. My heart broke as I learned the stories of these young ladies. I knew the stories of my own youth, but my heart was drawn to all the youth at this facility, not just the ones I had been visiting from my youth ministry.

 

This started my transition from local church ministry to parachurch ministry in 2006. I’m now currently serving as the Chief Ministry officer, leading the team of staff and volunteers of 25 ministry sites all over the Denver Area. I want to share a bit of our ministry models below through updates staff have shared with me as they build authentic Christ-sharing relationships.

 

“Lacey gave her life to the Lord tonight!”

 

                From our Parent Life Director, working with teen parents after many months of walking through the worst stuff in life and incredible trauma in her past.

 

“This is the most fun I’ve had all year, I look forward to Camp Inside every year!”

 

                One of our girls who is in a long term youth facility, commenting on our Juvenile Justice Ministry program that brings camp to the girls that have never experienced anything like this.

 

“They invited me over to drink. I wanted to hang out with my friends but I was afraid to drink, so I just didn’t reply. I later heard there were people there that were not okay, I’m glad I didn’t go.”

 

                I long for these students to not only know Christ but to identify the true light of Christ in their lives. By sharing the love of Christ, I pray these students will not give into the daily temptations they are presented with. From one of our Campus Life staff working with Middle Schoolers.

 

 Thank you for being a part of the ongoing conversation with youth in our city and helping us share God’s story.  It's our honor to be the storytellers on your behalf who meet kids right where they are and give life to their story.

 

Providing young people in our community with the opportunity to make an informed decision to be a follower of Jesus Christ and become part of a local church.

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