Youth for Christ facts for kids

Youth For Christ (YFC) is a global Christian group. They work with young people, especially teenagers. Their main goal is to share Christian messages with them.

It started in New York City in 1940. A person named Jack Wyrtzen began holding special meetings for teenagers. During World War II, these meetings spread to other U.S. cities. Large crowds gathered in Chicago, led by Torrey Johnson. He became YFC’s first president in 1944. Johnson hired Billy Graham as YFC’s first employee.

Many people who worked for YFC later started other Christian groups. These include the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and World Vision. In 1962, the original Youth For Christ International became Youth For Christ USA. A new international group was formed in Switzerland.

Today, YFC International supports over 100 national YFC groups. Each group works on its own but shares the same goal. They all want to reach young people everywhere. The U.S. group helps young people in over 1,300 places across the country. Leaders from around the world meet every three years.

The Start of Youth For Christ

How YFC Began in the 1940s

An advertisement for a Youth for Christ event in Stockholm, Sweden, from April 1946.

Youth for Christ meetings first happened in New York City in 1940. They were organized by Jack Wyrtzen. He was a young man who used to sell insurance and played the trombone. The idea of Youth for Christ meetings spread quickly. It went to cities like Washington, D.C., Detroit, and St. Louis.

In 1944, Torrey Johnson held a big event in Chicago. He was a pastor from Chicago's Midwest Bible Church. His event was very successful. Johnson was chosen as YFC's first president. Billy Graham became its first full-time speaker.

Growing Around the World

After World War II ended, the movement grew to other countries. In 1945, Charles Templeton from Canada and Torrey Johnson met with youth leaders. They met in Winona Lake, Indiana. They decided to form an international organization. The name "Youth for Christ International" was chosen in 1946.

By 1946, Youth for Christ International had about 300 groups in the U.S. It also had over 200 groups overseas. The average meeting had about 350 people. The biggest meeting at that time had 70,000 people. It was held at Soldier's Field in Chicago. Fun events like Bible quizzing started as Youth for Christ activities. Many Christian churches still do Bible quizzing today.

Billy Graham was the first full-time speaker for YFCI. He took over Johnson's radio show called Songs in the Night. This show was on a local station in Illinois before YFCI started. The movement also got help from newspapers and magazines. These were owned by William Randolph Hearst. Big meetings were held at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. These were organized by Wilbur Nelson in 1949 and 1950.

YFC's Journey Through the Years

The 1960s to the 1980s

In 1968, leaders from different countries met in Jamaica. They created the International Council of Youth for Christ. Dr. Sam Wolgemuth became the first International President. By then, Youth for Christ was active in over 100 countries.

Youth for Christ kept growing in the 1970s and 1980s. They developed new ways to reach young people around the world. During this time, the current Youth for Christ logo was created. It was adopted by the global organization.

The 1990s and Early 2000s

In 1996, a report was given to the Youth for Christ movement in Taiwan. It suggested ways to change how the organization worked. In March 2000, the Youth for Christ organization met in Germany. Most of the leaders attended this meeting. The worldwide Staff and Leadership Conference was held later that year. It took place in Denver, Colorado.

Who Leads Youth For Christ Today?

Dave Brereton is the current International Director of Youth for Christ. Jacob Bland is the 10th President and CEO of Youth For Christ USA.