2016 Young Life Annual Report

75

YOUNG LIFE AT Legacy and Vision Annual Report 2016

“How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.”

— Daniel 4:3 (NIV)

Dear Friend: Throughout the Old Testament, God exhorted His people to keep their past always present through worship, festivals and feasts.

Remembering God’s mighty acts prepared them to move forward in the future with faith. Then and now, hearts filled with gratitude provide fertile soil where vision can sprout and grow.

Our hearts are filled with gratitude as we celebrate 75 years of Young Life. We have much to remember as we move forward. God has given us the rich legacy of going where kids are and earning the right to be heard through incarnational witness. He has given us the cherished legacy of good humor, wild adventure and the ability to talk about Jesus in a way that invites kids to lean forward and listen. He has given us a treasured legacy of faithful leaders, generous donors and courageous committee who serve, give and lead sacrificially every day.

That’s just a taste of what God has given us in this mission, but I would like to take a moment to enjoy the annual feast of remembrance provided through this report. At the same time, please reflect upon the vision God has provided for our future. Our hearts are filled with gratitude, and “Forward” has grown organically out of that fertile soil. You can read more about Forward on pages 14-15.

We are encouraged by God’s provision from the past so we might move forward into the future with strength and focus. Thank you for joining us in this new movement!

In Christ,

Newt Crenshaw, President

CONTENTS CONTACT WORK 4-5 RWOK 12-13

|

|

CLUB 6-7

FORWARD 14-15

MINISTRY STATISTICS 20-21

|

| |

CAMP 8-9

|

TIMELINE OF OUR MINISTRIES 10-11

CAMPAIGNERS 16-17

|

COMMITTEE 18-19

FINANCIAL STATEMENT 22-23 3

MAKING CONTACT In Tyler, Texas, Add Sewell made one of the greatest “discoveries” in the history of the mission. He was well aware the work there must run differently than the earlier “appearances” he and his fellow seminarians made in their weekly commutes to Houston. “You can’t have a Young Life club like that,” he said.

“We had no contact with kids prior to or after those clubs.”

Sewell knew the missing ingredient was time. Kids needed adults who cared enough to come alongside them and spend time learning what was important to them. Looking for a better approach with the ministry in Tyler, Sewell started showing up at football practices, where he simply hung out and kicked the football around with the kids. In the process, he developed relationships with kids.

Sewell’s simple “discovery,” which came to be known as “contact work,” helped enlarge the staff’s vision of what kids (and adults) needed.

As Wally Howard later reflected, contact work was actually an old concept. “Our message is a person.

God made Himself known to us through a person. And He still makes Himself known through people. And that’s what Young Life’s all about.”

4

In 2016, more than 4,700 Young Life staff and 72,000 volunteer leaders went where kids were and earned the right to be heard. Their countless hours of sacrificial listening and loving helped to build bridges of friendship with kids.

4,700 YOUNG LIFE STAFF 72,000 VOLUNTEER LEADERS GOING WHERE KIDS ARE!

5

THAT GAINESVILLE CLUB Jim Rayburn wasn’t pleased with the results of his weekly after-school meetings held in an English teacher’s classroom. The kids sat at desks as Rayburn taught from Scripture; it felt like one more class tacked on at the end of a long school day. After months of averaging 10 kids each week, Rayburn began holding the meetings at night in the kids’ homes.

6

Once Rayburn moved the time and location of club, more kids came out and the relaxed surroundings put them at ease, which in turn created more energy and, consequently, more talk about the event in school the next day.

“When he had that Gainesville club he asked the rest of us to meet that night and to pray,” Wally Howard explained.

The seminary students’ prayers were being answered, noted Rayburn. “They’d get down on their knees and spend hours praying for that club meeting. It’s no wonder we had a revival in that school!

That club went from 75 to 96, and then to 100, and then to 119, and 135, and the week before finals there were 170 kids there.”

“There’s no way to overemphasize the importance of that Gainesville club,” Add Sewell said. “If it hadn’t happened, Young Life might not have happened. It gave us an idea of what could be.”

7,300

MINISTRIES

102 COUNTRIES

50

STATES

In 2016, Young Life club provided kids around the world with the best night of their week. This year there were more than 7,300 ministries spread out across all 50 states and more than 100 countries.

7

EARLY CAMPING Jim Rayburn loved introducing kids to the rugged outdoors, and the One who created it all. In the early days of the mission, Rayburn took several boys, like Bob Mitchell, out to the East Texas hills where the camping was primitive.

The day’s activities revolved around armadillo and rattlesnake hunts, hiking, and reading from the New Testament by the campfire at night.

These sacred times paved the way for Rayburn’s larger dream of a Young Life camp for kids. Until this dream could be realized, Rayburn rented camp properties in the summers. Mitchell said, “It wasn’t the property itself that brought camping alive for us, but the way Jim gave us things to do and took us on all kinds of hikes. We got to know a man whom we knew had a special touch with God. Many of us opened our lives to Christ in these primitive camps.”

In 1946, Star Ranch became Young Life’s first camp; Herb and Gloria Taylor purchased the camp for $50,000 and leased the camp to Young Life for one dollar a year.

Years later, when he stopped to calculate what his purchase had produced, Taylor couldn’t help but laugh. “Best investment I ever made,” he proclaimed. “Probably 30,000 kids heard the gospel at Star. That’s about a dollar-and-a-half apiece.”

8

In 2016, Young Life leaders enjoyed taking 280,279 kids to one of our 49 camps around the world, offering kids the opportunity to hear about the good news of Jesus Christ in a place made just for them.

49 280,000 CAMPS

KIDS WENT TO CAMP

9

MINISTRY TIMELINE

1939

YOUNG LIFE

1953

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY

1956

URBAN AND MULTICULTURAL

1969

MIDDLE SCHOOL MINISTRY

1980 AMICUS

(LATER CALLED WYLDLIFE)

“The Apostle Paul would have made an excellent Young Life leader! His legacy and vision were for the men and women he befriended through his ministry:

‘For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when

10

he comes? Is it not you?

Indeed, you are our glory and joy’ (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, NIV).

This has also been our legacy and vision for kids from the very beginning.

For 75 years Young Life leaders have befriended all kinds of kids, so they

can introduce them to Jesus. We’re thankful to the Lord for His generosity through faithful donors and His direction of our talented team of staff, leaders and committees. Frankly, we can’t wait to see what He will do in the next 75 years!”

— John Brandon, Chair, Young Life Board of Trustees

1980 MCYM

1986

CAPERNAUM

1991

YOUNGLIVES

1999

SMALL TOWNS INITIATIVE

2005

YOUNGÂ LIFE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY

11

REACHING A WORLD OF KIDS This year saw the culmination of Reaching a World of Kids (RWOK), the mission’s seven-year initiative to double our outreach from one million to two million kids per year. Begun in 2009, RWOK ultimately helped the mission reach more than 2.1 million kids, mobilize more than 72,000 volunteers and establish more than 7,300 ministry locations. During this time, we also witnessed club attendance more than double from 354,352 to 804,966, affording even more kids the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus’ love.

COUNTRIES WHERE MINISTRY BEGAN DURING RWOK Abkhazia Bangladesh Belize Bulgaria Burundi Colombia Côte d’Ivoire Cuba Djibouti Ecuador El Salvador Georgia 12

Ghana Honduras Hong Kong Israel Jamaica Lithuania Macedonia Mali Morocco Mozambique Nigeria Northern Ireland

Palestine Panama Poland Puerto Rico Scotland Senegal South Africa Swaziland Tajikistan Vietnam Zambia Zanzibar

JUST SOME OF THE AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING RWOK REACHING A BROADER LANDSCAPE OF KIDS

• Texas Latino Initiative • Young Life College – 30 to 180 schools • Explosive growth in focused ministries such as Capernaum and YoungLives

• The Atlanta Project RAISING UP MORE LEADERS

• Developing Global Leaders • Latino Student Staff CREATING MORE CAMPING OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS

• New camps in Scotland, Armenia, Missouri, Oregon and North Carolina

• Campership Legacy Fund • Camp On Wheels in Latin America and Africa

It took the mission nearly 70 years to reach one million kids annually.

Through RWOK, it took us just seven more to reach more than two million.

13

FORWARD The Gospel is on the Move

The gospel is flourishing among us. We are in the lives of more than two million kids in over 100 countries worldwide. We are in awe of God’s provision, of the many new faces and places of Young Life. Yet we are aware that the gospel is not static, that we serve a God who is on the move — within us, among us and ahead of us. As we have prayed, discussed and planned over the last year, we believe a renewed vision is coming into focus, a plan for thriving, sustainable ministry that we’re calling Forward. Because that’s our gospel reality in Young Life — we lean into things, our hearts beat for the new and the next.

Moving Forward, we seek to increase our global impact through focusing on four mission strategies: DEEPER IN CHRIST – Seeking the Lord first and helping kids grow in their faith.

TOGETHER – Building and equipping teams that reflect the worldwide body of Christ.

INNOVATION – Creating new ways today to reach kids tomorrow.

GROWTH – Impacting all kids within sight and just out of reach.

As a mission, we’re uniting around these four mission strategies toward the vision of sustainable, worldwide growth both in kids impacted and lives transformed through discipleship.

14

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

— Philippians 3-13-14 (NASB)

15

GOING DEEP WITH CAMPAIGNERS Dawson Trotman, who in 1933 had formed the Navigators ministry, had seen Rayburn lead many kids into relationships with Christ. Trotman implored him to follow up with these newborn believers and shared his emphasis on discipleship with Rayburn, who then used the Navigators materials in Bible studies with his high school friends.

“The early leaders started meeting with kids who had become followers of Jesus,” Mitchell said. “They called these groups ‘Campaigners,’ from the early tent meetings which were called the ‘Young Life Campaign.’ Our group of boys met at Jim Rayburn’s home on Sunday afternoons. For two hours we each gave a weekly report on our assignments, studied Scripture, memorized Bible verses and learned to pray.

“The same things went on in the girls’ Campaigners groups, led by Gladys Roche, Ollie Dustin, Kay McDonald, Wanda Ann Mercer or Anne Cheairs, some of the first women to join the Young Life staff. These women, and many others, would be legendary in their contribution to the mission.”

16

In 2016, 115,407 kids came out to Campaigners, Young Life’s group designed to help kids grow in their faith through study and service.

115,407 CAMPAIGNERS

17

A COMMITTEE IS BORN By 1950, Bill Starr acutely felt the disconnect between Young Life and the local church. He wanted to make sure Young Life was “not simply outside the church, but a part of the ministry of the church. I wanted us to have a representative body out of the congregations. So it forced me to go to pastors, explain who we were, what the goal was, and how we wanted to participate with them rather than outside what they were doing.”

Starr visited local churches in Portland, Oregon, and asked for someone from each congregation to become a part of the area ministry. And thus was born the Young Life committee.

All historical excerpts taken from Made for This: The Young Life Story.

18

“None of these people had any Young Life connection,” he said. “There were a couple of things motivating me: I wanted them to be part of the overall ministry taking place in Portland at that time. I also thought this could help decentralize fiscal responsibility.

“Jim took it all on himself; he’d go out and raise money and distribute it. Well, that seemed to me to be unfair to him and to us. We needed to assume and accept our responsibility, and the move really freed us up to grow.”

Rayburn’s reaction? Starr laughed, “I think he was thrilled!”

CARING ADULTS

19,000

In 2016, more than 19,000 caring men and women served on Young Life committees in their local areas.

These adults provide support and direction for the local staff and leaders.

19

MINISTRY STATISTICS RWOK Begins 08/09

09/10

10/11

11/12

12/13

13/14

14/15

Annual % Growth Average 15/16 Since RWOK Base Year Growth

U.S.

113,352

119,456

129,890

135,557

138,257

145,316

153,266

157,105

39%

5%

International

33,445

37,927

46,913

60,288

78,184

102,463

113,971

141,139

322%

23%

U.S.

42,331

45,244

49,555

53,144

56,983

61,476

66,804

69,482

64%

7%

International

8,978

10,278

12,393

14,947

22,023

29,963

33,299

45,925

412%

27%

Kids Impacted by Young Life1

1,029,411

1,106,326

106%

11%

3,769

3,818

4,039

4,297

4,500

4,787

5,040

5,217

38%

5%

High School

2,612

2,611

2,751

2,911

3,034

3,179

3,330

3,448

32%

4%

Jr. High/Middle School

1,118

1,151

1,208

1,281

1,328

1,438

1,517

1,553

39%

5%

39

56

80

105

138

170

193

216

454%

28%

Capernaum

125

148

167

173

210

249

273

295

136%

13%

YoungLives

89

99

165

218

236

258

286

305

243%

21%

Multicultural/Urban

644

620

622

673

753

844

959

1,006

56%

7%

Small Towns

796

830

902

965

1,009

1,053

1,100

1,120

41%

5%

Military

7

15

17

22

17

19

14

11

57%

14%

Other

57

48

41

41

39

39

37

37

-35%

-6%

Kids Involved Weekly in Club

Kids Involved Weekly in Campaigners

U.S. Life-Stage Ministries

College

1,199,347 1,228,082 1,434,869 1,686,061 1,864,257 2,122,456

U.S. Focused Ministries

2

20

Annual % Growth Average 15/16 Since Base RWOK Year Growth

RWOK Begins 08/09

09/10

10/11

11/12

12/13

13/14

14/15

721

829

969

1,171

1,437

1,627

1,896

2,117

194%

17%

48

44

46

42

62

54

54

56

17%

4%

Schools/Ministries Total (U.S. & International)

4,490

4,647

5,008

5,468

5,937

6,414

6,936

7,334

63%

7%

Total Young Life Staff on Payroll

3,228

3,136

3,209

3,415

3,477

3,792

4,093

4,205

30%

4%

367

387

493

528

585

678

707

93%

12%

28,351

29,827

31,266

39,245

44,414

48,205

50,998

52,836

86%

10%

Leaders

17,348

18,650

20,125

25,452

28,050

30,197

31,805

32,480

87%

10%

Committee and Ministry Support

11,003

11,177

11,141

13,793

16,364

18,008

19,193

20,356

85%

9%

4,016

4,567

5,273

6,254

8,425

9,554

10,786

12,215

204%

17%

Senior High Summer Outreach Campers4

37,680

38,842

39,469

40,027

41,163

43,352

45,110

44,032

17%

2%

WyldLife Summer Outreach Campers

12,189

12,679

12,938

12,793

13,723

14,929

15,885

15,687

29%

4%

73,531

75,687

77,872

79,289

81,333

85,835

91,217

91,501

24%

3%

61,281

58,572

61,837

60,251

63,933

72,847

73,324

73,023

19%

3%

145,276 140,873 147,605 149,010 149,356 159,007 158,584 155,955

7%

1%

International Schools/Ministries International Military

3

iStaff U.S. Volunteers

International Volunteers (Leaders Only)

U.S. Young Life Camping

Summer Guests at Young Life Events

5

School-Year Guests at Young Life Events

6

Total School Year Guests

7

International Young Life Camping Young Life Campers WyldLife Campers Total International Guests

8

1 Estimated, based on “club cards” collected by each Young Life mission unit. Includes U.S. and International.

2 Young Life ministry in unique, non-school settings.

3 This figure is included in the International Ministries total.

22,765

27,963

34,117

45,343

55,327

62,362

75,637

85,735

277%

21%

2,574

1,591

2,016

2,877

2,717

4,797

6,662

4,992

94%

17%

40,461

46,777

57,365

76,919

85,143

101,673

207%

18%

4 As of FY2016, Capernaum is retroactively included in senior high outreach.

5 All summer-season campers, leaders, caretakers and adult guests at Young Life-owned properties or Young Life ministries camping at non-Young Life properties.

113,858 124,324

6 All school-season campers, leaders, caretakers and adult guests at Young Life-owned properties or Young Life ministries camping at non-Young Life properties.

7 All school-season campers, leaders, caretakers and adult guests.

8 Includes leaders accompanying campers, Young Life Expeditions participants and other campers.

21

FINANCIALS Revenue $356 million 22%

67%

8%

2% 1%

8%

4%

Donations to Local Ministry $239 million Camp Fees $79 million Donations to Future Camps $29 million Investment Gains $6 million Other $3 million

Expenses $331 million 57%

19%

12%

Salaries and Benefits $188 million Club and Camping Activities $63 million Property Expenses $39 million Travel, Training and Professional Services $26 million Events and Other $15 million

85CENTS Of each dollar spent by Young Life, 85 cents directly supports ministry with kids, either in the field or at camp.

22

$205 million Ministry to Kids $23 million Fundraising $26 million Management

$77 million Camping

7% 8%

23%

62%

Net Assets $410 million 62%

22%

8%

7%

1%

Land, Building and Equipment $254 million Cash for Operations $91 million Pledges, Cash and Investments for Camp $32 million Insurance and Other Reserves $31 million Other Assets $2 million

Not long ago I was handed a dog-eared pencil-and-ruler-drawn chart showing contribution growth in 1962. When Jim Rayburn looked at that year’s donations — almost $840,000 from over 7,300 faithful friends — my guess is he praised God for His lavish provision.

What would Jim think if he saw these numbers today? Over 214,000 financial partners contributed millions of dollars so more kids than ever could hear the good news of a God who considers each one of them His beloved. And for the first time in Young Life history, we received over one million individual gifts in a single year! (Thanks to our one millionth donor, Corlea, whose gift served kids in Houston!)

Jim would be blown away and humbled. As are we.

Cynthia Koerner, Chief Financial Officer

Comment: Our complete audited financial statements, along with the Independent Auditors’ Reports, are available at younglife.org under About/Financial Integrity.

23

2016-2017

BOARD OF TRUSTEES John Brandon — CHAIR Retired Vice President of International Apple Inc. Atherton, CA

Brooks Entwistle Partner and CEO The Everstone Group Singapore

Clyde Lear Retired Chairman and CEO Learfield Communications, Inc. Lohman, MO

Nanette Ballbach Retired Counselor and Outside Sales Rep Bryn Mawr, PA

Berto Guerra Chairman and CEO Avanzar Interior Technologies San Antonio, TX

Kevin McVaney Physician Emergency Medicine Littleton, CO

Bill Haslam Governor State of Tennessee Nashville, TN

Curtis McWilliams Retired President and CEO CNL Real Estate Advisors, Inc. Winter Park, FL

Bruce Hosford Hosford Investments Seattle, WA

Susan Peterson Owner Cabell’s Designs Peachtree Corners, GA

Sue Beré Retired Family Therapist Neenah, WI Malcolm “Mac” Briggs Chairman and CEO Andesa Strategies Inc. Bethlehem, PA Jerry Colangelo Chairman USA Basketball Phoenix, AZ Newt Crenshaw President Young Life Colorado Springs, CO Jody Dreyer Former SVP Marketing The Walt Disney Company Hilton Head, SC Doug Eaton President and CEO Vantage Mobility International Paradise Valley, AZ

John Hummel President AIS Capital Management, L.P. New Canaan, CT Susan Hutchison Chairman WA State Republican Party Seattle, WA

Boone Powell Jr. Retired President Baylor Healthcare System Dallas, TX Chris Roberts President Cargill Foodservice North America Proteins Minnetonka, MN

Regg Jones Founder and Managing Partner Greenbriar Equity Group LLC Mark Rodriguez Old Greenwich, CT Owner The Growers Company, Inc. and R & S Mexican Food Moyo Kamgaing Products Inc. Group Head of Investment Yuma, AZ Bank Ecobank Capital Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria

www.younglife.org

Robert B. Rowling Chairman and CEO of TRT Holdings Chairman of Omni Hotels Dallas, TX Michael Stain SVP Regional Manager Citizens Business Bank Clovis, CA Thomas L. Thomas Retired CEO CSI Division Thomas-Reuters Tax and Accounting Group Ann Arbor, MI Phyllis Washington Chairman Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation Indian Wells, CA Mark Zoradi CEO Cinemark — Dallas, TX Burbank, CA