passages
Cliff’s achievements are many. He provided key leadership for many of Young Life’s specialized ministries — including Capernaum, YoungLives and WyldLife — and he helped develop the Student Leadership Project for highjune 6, 1940 - july 4, 2012 school students. Cliff served as chairman of the board Cliff for The Dale House Project in Colorado Springs, provided Anderson, leadership in Young Life’s German Church Partnership, longtime and was involved in an ongoing dialogue with the Catholic Young Life Church about best practices in youth ministry. He developed staff, is with Young Life’s partnerships with many seminaries and was his Savior instrumental in establishing the Fuller Seminary extension after a program in Colorado Springs, where he taught classes as an “Uncle Cliffy” on stage courageous adjunct professor. battle with cancer. He leaves behind a long and profound legacy of “Cliff served until 2006 when he officially retired but, of relational ministry through Young Life. course, unofficially did not. Since then, Cliff continued to be Cliff first encountered Young Life when he was a teacher involved in a variety of ways as part-time staff and volunteer. in a suburb of Chicago. Visiting his first club with other He last was working on a history project lending his 50 years teachers, he met the speaker, Bill Starr (who would later of experience to telling the Young Life story. He also provided become Young Life’s second president). Soon after that a listening ear and served as a compassionate counselor to meeting, he became a volunteer leader for the next eight staff and volunteers. At our Service Center, I’d see Cliff pop years before becoming the area director in northern Chicago. into this office, then that one, talking with staff. Fifty years He later served as regional director of the Indiana/Michigan of service. A long obedience in the same direction. And I was region from 1978 to 1988. privileged to walk with him for 19 of those 50 years. In 1988 he came to Colorado Springs to make the city “One of the questions on Cliff’s original Young Life a separate Young Life region. Eventually his responsibilities employment application was: ‘How long do you anticipate turned more toward training. He became interim director working for the Young Life Campaign if accepted?’ His for the Institute of Youth Ministry in 1993 and then training answer was, ‘Forever.’ Cliff Anderson fulfilled his contract. director of Continuing Education. Named vice president And because he did, Young Life and all of us will never be of Training in 2000, Cliff remained in this post until his the same.” retirement in 2006. — Denny Rydberg, president
John clifford “cliff” anderson
Jim Shelton
nov. 13, 1930 - aug. 1, 2012
Jim Shelton, a legend in this mission who served on Young Life staff for more than Jim Shelton in the Malibu 40 years, Band in the ’60s passed into the arms of Jesus on Aug. 1, 2012. His roles included area director in San Jose, Berkeley, and La Canada, Calif.; regional director in Southern California; running the Fuller Seminary/Young Life Training Institute for a decade, and speaking 18 summers in a row while on assignment at Malibu Club. After retiring from Young Life, he served on the Gold Coast and Central California regional committee, and trained staff and volunteer leaders in how to proclaim the Gospel to kids. Shelton leaves behind his wife, Anne, seven children, 14 grandchildren, and one greatgrandchild. “Jim Shelton had an uncommon appreciation for the Incarnation, and he could hardly talk about it without tears. He taught us to ‘have this attitude in yourselves that was
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in Jesus Christ, who, though He was God did not cling to His privileged position, but emptied Himself ...’ The first training I ever had in proclaiming the Gospel was a day with Jim, sitting at a picnic table at Oakbridge. That was almost 25 years ago, and I can still remember the stories, the examples and the lessons he shared. He was one of the most powerful Gospeltellers I have ever encountered, and most of anything that I do in sharing the good news stems from his influence over the years. Finally, Jim was a passionate San Francisco Giants fan, and it’s no surprise, because he was one ... a giant of a man. — Scott Lisea, former Gold Coast regional director and current volunteer with Young Life in Santa Barbara, Calif.
“Jim’s life touched and transformed our lives, and helped expand the kingdom of God. I get teary thinking of the foundational impact that Jim had on me, and on our 41 years of ministry, spawned by his Spirit-filled teaching and modeling. Not a day goes by that I don’t use the Incarnational, servant lifestyle Jim ingrained in us. He was such an inspiration to me. Jim was always a fan, of sports, and of you and me. He has now joined that crowd of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) who are looking down on us, praying for us and cheering us on. ‘Lord, help me to live a life worthy of the love and time that Jim invested in me.’” — Randy Giusta, senior area director, San Diego North Coast
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