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Club Game Of The Week: Raffle Your Luck

April 4, 2015, 4:00 am
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This game is played just like the regular raffle with a few twists. Game submitted by Nolan Branson, leader in Knoxville, TN.

Supplies 

  • 4 silly/regular prizes
  • 1 super prize (big deal)
  • 2 'zonks' (dollar store prizes or prizes no one wants such as an old shoe)
  • Raffle tickets
  • 6 Assorted size boxes labeled 1-6 or other creative ways to mask prizes. (Curtains, envelopes, pockets, etc...)

Possible skit characters: Clown, carny, ring master, movie themed characters, movie theatre employees, game show host.

How To Play

  • When it comes time for raffle either your skit character or game person needs to come up and select a ticket. When the kid with the corresponding ticket raises their hand to receive their prize, this is the time to announce raffle will be a little different tonight. 
  • Have the winner come up and give them the option to either take their prize (silly/regular) or trade their prize for one of the hidden boxes. They are allowed to keep trading until they either get a zonk or the big prize, but there are no take backs. 
  • The big prize should really be a "big deal." This typically requires your fellow leader to pitch in towards the prize and it can be something like a Spikeball set, gift cards or even better, a check towards camp!
  • Once both the zonks and the big prize are gone, the game is over. But if you have extra prizes leftover, use them to put on your posters for that week or promote small contest on social media. Example of a contest could be, "bring 3 cotton balls to club for a chance to win a prize." Several different items to bring will help give you the opportunity to give away multiple prizes if necessary.
  • It's a great way to encourage kids to come to club and it's a fun way to wrap up the game!
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How Spring Break Broke My Heart

April 6, 2015, 4:00 am
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I've tried to avoid social media this week.

It's Spring Break for my high school friends and the few tweets I've read (and Instagram's I've seen) have broken my heart. It seems everything we've talked about in Campaigners this year just got thrown out the window...

...of a jeep
...while speeding down the strip at Myrtle Beach
...along with a bottle of Absolut Vodka.

How do we respond when our high school friends make choices we know they're going to regret? What do we do when it seems like they're falling apart?

2,500 years ago there lived a man named Nehemiah, whose very name means 'Jehovah comforts.' He too was saddened over the lives of his friends.

This is how he responded:

"When I heard they were in bad shape, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God-of-Heaven.

I said, "God-of-Heaven, the great and awesome God, loyal to his covenant and faithful to those who love him and obey his commands:

Look at me, listen to me. Pay attention to this prayer of your servant that I'm praying day and night in intercession for your servants, the People of Israel, confessing the sins of the People of Israel. And I'm including myself, I and my ancestors, among those who have sinned against you.

"We've treated you like dirt: We haven't done what you told us, haven't followed your commands, and haven't respected the decisions you gave to Moses your servant. All the same, remember the warning you posted to your servant Moses: 'If you betray me, I'll scatter you to the four winds, but if you come back to me and do what I tell you, I'll gather up all these scattered peoples from wherever they ended up and put them back in the place I chose to mark with my Name.'

"Well, there they are—your servants, your people whom you so powerfully and impressively redeemed. O Master, listen to me, listen to your servant's prayer—and yes, to all your servants who delight in honoring you—and make me successful today so that I get what I want from the king."
Nehemiah 1:1-11 (MSG)

I've never mourned for days, fasting and praying over my high school friends.

When I first read the story of Young Life founder, Jim Rayburn, "Dance, Children, Dance," I was struck by how often he went away to pray. Rayburn prayed for hours and hours, often through the night, interceding on behalf of kids. It reminded me of another man who prayed at night, one who prayed so hard he sweated blood.

I wonder what would happen at our high schools if our Young Life teams prayed like that?

God of Heaven, give us the boldness of Nehemiah. Give us conviction and desire to pray. We pray now. We pray for our middle and high school friends, and include ourselves among those who have sinned against you, who have treated you like dirt. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.

Originally posted March 2012.
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Young Life Presents The 1st Annual #EpicHighFive Contest

April 7, 2015, 4:00 am
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This is a picture of an #EpicHighFive.

It was originally posted on Instagram by Young Life Camp Musician, Tim Halperin.

Over the next 10 days (until April 16) we'll be running an #EpicHighFive contest on the YL Leader Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Here are the rules:
  1. The Epic High Five must occur between a Young Life leader and a high school student or a WyldLife leader and middle school student.
  2. All 4 feet must be in the air in order for the high five to be considered 'Epic.' *This rule does not apply to those who are physically unable to get both feet off the ground.
  3. When posting the picture, use the hashtag, #EpicHighFive and tag @younglifeleader 

The most Epic High Five pictures will be featured on the Young Life Leader Blog and Instagram account.

4 Prizes Will Be Awarded  

  • All pictures will be entered into a random drawing and the winning selection will receive YL swag for both the leader and the student. 
  • There will also be a prize given to the MOST EPIC high five picture, so go get creative with your middle and high school friends. 

Move over fist bumps. Hello Epic High Fives. 
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WyldLife Wednesday: Getting Urban Kids To Camp

April 8, 2015, 4:00 am
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LaTonya Stevenson has been leading WyldLife with four inner-city schools for more than 14 years. So how does she fill a bus to Southwind every summer? She says the key is talking to the parents and guardians of her middle school friends.

“You may have to work a little harder or be more creative to get in front of parents,” says LaTonya. “But parents are the key to getting kids to camp.”

Five years ago, LaTonya began hosting weekly parent meetings in the spring, at least 4-6 weeks before the camp trip. She and her leaders are available every Tuesday from 6-7 pm at a church that is centrally located between the four middle schools. Parents can stop by anytime during the hour to:
  • Learn more about the camp trip
  • Talk with parents whose kids went to camp last year
  • Make a deposit and register for camp
  • Get fundraising information
  • Make camp payments
  • Complete health forms and other paperwork
When kids come to club throughout the year, they complete club cards which ask for parents’ or guardians’ mailing addresses and cell phone numbers. In early spring, LaTonya mails a camp registration form to every parent, along with an invitation to the parent meetings. Then they send a text to every parent, inviting them to attend a meeting. Some parents come once and others come several times to make payments or complete paperwork.

LaTonya says that having a consistent time, day and location makes it easy for parents. They don’t have to worry about kids losing money or forms bringing them to school or club. “Face-to-face is so much better,” says LaTonya. “Parent meetings are the key to our camp sign-ups.”

Written by Julie Clapp.
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Camp Musician Of The Month: Tyson Motsenbocker

April 10, 2015, 4:00 am
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Our featured camp musician for April is Tyson Motsenbocker. 

Tyson became involved with Young Life as a freshman in high school and met Jesus at Washington Family Ranch the following summer. He served on Work Crew in high school and was a volunteer leader in Spokane, Washington while attending Whitworth University. After college Tyson moved to San Diego, California where he led music for San Diego State college and weekend camps for Young Life and WyldLife. 

Tyson now plays music full-time and has released two EP's, as well as a full length record coming out this summer on Tooth and Nail records. Tyson has done 9 summer assignments at Young Life camps around the country and is available for banquets, weekend camps, concerts and high-fives. This summer Tyson will be the camp musician at Malibu Club during second session. 

Visit Tyson’s website: www.tysonmotsenbocker.com
Follow Tyson on Twitter: @tmotsenbocker 
Download music from Tyson here. 
Email Tyson to play at your Young Life camp or banquet.

What other Area Directors are saying about Tyson: 

Tyson is an incredibly honest and inspiring musician. He is a treasure within YL. He relates to kids in a way I've truly never seen. Our students fell in love with his music, related to his story, and knew they were not alone. We had the pleasure of having Tyson fly to our area to put on a concert for us after camp. It was a gift. His story and songs are still being talked about by our students and they are finding hope in Jesus because of his words.  - Tracee Cobb, Area Director,Lee's Summit, MO

The first time I heard Tyson play in front of a group of kids I knew that 1 Thes. 2:8 summed up his heart for music. Without a mask Tyson continually steps on the stage with a refreshing honesty that penetrates the hearts of Young Life kids through the beautiful storytelling of his music. As one who once sat in the audience as a Young Life kid, Tyson is invaluable to our mission and has a knack for connecting with kids unlike any other musician I know. He continually gives himself away to the world around him. Tyson played an old acoustic guitar for years that was etched with a picture from one of his favorite books. One week at camp Tyson put this longtime favorite guitar in the hands of a girl who needed it. This sums up what Tyson does often. He continues to give a little piece of himself away through playing his music for our kids, sharing his life with them, and connecting kids to the one who is Life. I've had the privilege of speaking at multiple camps when Tyson was our special musician, and each time I have felt set up well and supported wholeheartedly. Tyson is artful at creating space for kids to process life and the gospel. I hope we we have the opportunity to proclaim the gospel together again someday! - Christian 'Bo' Gross, Area Director, Rancho Del Sol Young Life

"Tyson is an amazing person - certainly part of that is being a sweet musician, but it is more than that. Tyson's genuine care for people, love for the Lord, and passion for Young Life's relational style is always evident. He was always eager to serve as we have had multiple assignments and other projects we have worked on together." - Eric Scofield, Chief Development Officer, Young Life
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5 Yard Games To Play Outside Before Club Starts

April 11, 2015, 6:42 pm
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Here are some of my favorite yard games to play outside before club starts, especially during spring-time weather. 


Throwing Challenge
Fun and simple. All you need is a tarp and a football. Cut out shapes in the tarp and label each shape with a different a point value depending on size.


Cornhole/Bag Toss
If you've been to a tailgate party over the past few years, you've surely already had the sheer joy of tossing a corn-filled bean bag through a hole in a wooden board 45ft away. If not, trust me, you're life is incomplete. If you don't own a set of cornhole boards, you should. But if not, odds are that a friend of YL in the area does, so Tweet it out and borrow a set. Heavier boards are way more fun than the $30 plastic set at Walmart, but it would be fun to build your own custom YL set. Could be a great Campaigners project! I'd recommend purchasing well constructed bean bags instead of making your own.


Fricket ("Frisbee Cricket" or "Flimsee" or "Cups")
This is a cheap, fun, and unique game that any skill level can play. It basically involves throwing a frisbee between two 5 ft poles with plastic cups on top of each pole. You score points in a variety of ways by either avoiding the cups or by knocking them off. You can get the rules at the "official Fricket website." I went to Home Depot and bought skinny pvc pipe and made my own poles, but they don't stick in the ground very easily. Here is a set you can buy for $20 on Amazon. Ski poles actually work, but you want a flimsy pole (thus its sometimes referred to by the name "Flimsee".) Here's a random video of some folks playing.


Ladder Golf
You swing a rope with a ball on each end and try to get it hung on a "ladder." Its easy to play for any skill level, cheap, and easily portable.


Washers
I like this game for its old school simplicity. You just need 2 old large cans (coffee or Costco green beans) and a few washers from the hardware store. Not as fun as cornhole, but the same principle and its cheaper.
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Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day

April 13, 2015, 5:00 am
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Tomorrow, Tuesday April 14th, is Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's nation-wide. Noon-8pm. Grab your middle and high school friends and enjoy a cone.


Find your nearest Ben & Jerry's here.
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How Young Life Leaders Say Goodbye

April 14, 2015, 4:30 am
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Some of your Young Life teammates are probably about to enter a season of transition.  Maybe they're graduating and moving this summer. Maybe they're burned out. Maybe they're called to another ministry. 

Their absence will be noticed. Not just by you or your team, but by the kids. Change is hard. Trust is expensive. Abandonment issues are real.

Would you consider sharing this post with any of your teammates who are transitioning out of being a YL leader at your school?  Hopefully it will help them and the middle and high school friends they leave behind.

How Do We Say Goodbye To Our High School Friends? 

Years ago I worked at The Dale House Project in Colorado Springs. It's a residential care facility started by Young Life for at-risk teenagers who cannot return home. During my one year internship, the counselor on staff spent time training us in how to say goodbye. He was firm in urging us to not make promises we couldn't keep. The specific population of kids we were working with had been repeatedly abandoned and rejected by their families and friends. Now we had come into their lives for a short time, loved them in a way they had never experienced, and soon we also would be leaving them. It wasn't easy. It didn't seem right. It hurt deeply, both us and the kids.

Jim encouraged us to speak to the kids in a language that was honest, loving, and leaving. He prompted us to say things like:
  • I'm so thankful for the time we've shared together and so sad to have it end.
  • Sadly, our relationship is probably never going to be the same that its been this year.
  • I want to keep in touch with you, but I also know that life and distance will not make that as easy as it has been.
  • I will pray for you when I think of you. 
  • I will miss you when I'm gone.
In this digital age we have the tendency to make false promises. We think because we're Facebook friends we can be real friends, when in reality its much more difficult when your paths aren't crossing regularly. In our busy lives, it's typically true: "Out of sight, Out of mind."
 
Dunbar's number asserts that we all have a relational capacity of around 150 people. Yet when I became a Young Life leader I was told to "make friends like you are going to know them for the rest of your life." That year alone I became friends with over 150 high schoolers, and now, many years later, those numbers have continued to grow.

I think I missed one key word during that YL Leader training. "Make friends LIKE you are going to know them for the rest of your life." As leaders, we are to befriend kids with the mentality that we would love to be a groomsmen or bridesmaid in their wedding one day, to be roasting them at their 40th birthday party, to be old friends on that "YL 100th Birthday Alumni Caribbean Cruise 2045." 

But we must also not be so arrogant to think that without us in their lives, they will never know Christ or have others love them and influence them in the way of Jesus. God calls people in and out of our lives for specific seasons.

The reality is that we're not going to know all of our high school friends for the rest of our lives. So...we must learn how to say goodbye.

If you are leaving...

You'll Be Missed More Than You Realize
Do not assume kids won't notice that you are gone. Whether you realize it our not, you are one of the only "adult friends" these teenagers have. They most likely feel closer to you than you feel to them. Even though they sometimes act like they don't even know you when you show up in the cafeteria or to a game, they will notice when you are gone. And it will be a loss for them.

Give An Explanation
When leaving, we must be intentional to actually say goodbye. It is easier to just leave without the hoopla, but kids need to know the truth. They need to hear it from you, not someone else. If you asked them to trust you and to be your friend, you at least owe them the time to tell them goodbye. In some cases, it may be complicated as to why you are leaving, but it is important for you to give the kids an honest, clear, and well thought through explanation.  You don't owe them all the details, but you at least owe them a reason for why you are leaving them.

Leave With Grace
Maybe you are leaving under not so great circumstances. Maybe you had a fall out with a teammate or a staff person. Maybe you're not a fan of the way things are being run. Even if you are leaving with tension, don't tear down others or verbally attack the ministry. Revenge doesn't mean that you win, it means that everyone loses. Choose your words carefully. Be truthful, but speak with grace. 

Be A Cheerleader
When a kid calls and tells you that "Young Life sucks since you left," encourage them to step up and be a leader instead of a critic. Be positive and support the leadership that is in place. Your voice still carries weight and influences the direction of the ministry. 

Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep

  • It hurts less initially if you say "I'm not going to be a leader, but we can still hang out all the time." But it hurts way more down the road when you aren't at all their games like you were last season.
  • It hurts less initially when you say "I'm moving, but we'll still talk all the time, that's what Twitter and cell phones are for." But it hurts way more down the road when you don't make those phone calls they were expecting.
  • It hurts less initially when you say "I'll come back and visit all the time." But it hurts way more down the road when they see pics on Facebook revealing that you were back in town and didn't call.

Tell them that you are sad that your relationship will never again be the same. Acknowledge the loss and hurt that comes with goodbyes.

Expect Anger
Not from many kids, but probably from the ones you are closest too. They have a right to be angry. You have chosen something else instead of them. But choices are part of life. Jesus chose only twelve disciples. He chose to spend more time with only three of them. Our choices affect others. Many kids have been wounded by one day coming home to find out their mom or dad have moved out. Many of them have experienced real abandonment and they will be angry at you, or even God. As I have moved I have had kids say to me, "You're leaving me just like everyone else in my life leaves me." We have got to trust that God is in control and if we are being obedient to Him, then His plan is for ultimate good, even when it results in anger and hurt.

Make The Hand-off
It is your responsibility to do whatever you can to set up the high school friends you are leaving with another YL leader or someone else who can invest in their life. While it's easier to just roll out, it's worth the extra effort to introduce the new leaders to kids and even create hang out events where the new leader can be set up well to begin to earn the right to be heard. Also, be strategic in introducing new leaders to school faculty and parents of kids that you know. A true sign of good leadership is the success of an organization after a leader leaves. Leave well.

Do you know a YL leader who is moving on? Feel free to share this with them.
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WyldLife Wednesday: 5 Ways To Get Parents Involved

April 15, 2015, 4:00 am
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5 Ways to Get Parents Involved

BOOSTER CLUB
Gather an official team for the school with one parent for each grade. Ask these parents to be your advocates. They can find locations for club, ask for supplies, and look at school calendars to set schedules. They are the “face of WyldLife’ – always informed and ready to talk to other parents.

KEY PARENTS 
You can also work with parents more informally. Identify key parents for each grade whom you can call to check dates for club and camp. You can also ask them to help find people to drive, bring snacks and provide crowd control at club.

COMMUNICATION 
While kids may not use email, their parents do. And parents may be more likely to read an email from another parent than from a little known WyldLife leader. Find parents who can help you get the word out about club, Campaigners and camp. You can write the email, and they can forward it to their parent lists or club card lists.

LEADER CARE 
Match parents up with college-aged or high school WyldLife leaders. Give parents an opportunity to care for the leaders who are serving their middle school kids. They can invite them to dinner with their families and look for other ways to encourage them.

WYLDLIFE LEADERS 
Not every parent will make a good WyldLife leader, but some will be great in that role. Look for parents who love Jesus and who kids enjoy. Parents sometimes think they can’t be as cool as younger leaders, but adults can bring much needed stability to the ministry.



Parents are a wonderful and necessary resource for WyldLife, but can bring challenges, as well. The parents most willing to help may be the ones whose kids are not your target. If you have Christian parents who want to help, give them a vision for reaching other kids. You need parents who are about the whole school and not just their kids.

Written by Julie Clapp.
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Young Life Coffee House

April 16, 2015, 8:25 am
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A guest post by Charlie Heritage, YL leader in Greensboro, NC. 

On Monday night, we held our 1st annual Young Life Coffee House.  We invited a few kids from each school in the area to share their talents. 

In 15 years of being a YL leader, this is one of the most memorable nights I have ever been a part of.  Why? Because it was simple, kids were the stars of the night, and the Good News was delivered. 

We were fortunate to be able to use a local warehouse (turned into church) space which created the perfect intimate setting for this event.  We provided a few light snacks and drinks at the beginning, turned the lights down low, and the show began.  

There were no judges. No prizes to be won. No need to be perfect in order to claim victory. One by one, kids stepped up to the mic and became heroes. From guitar players to a high school acapella group, the night was all about giving these high schoolers an opportunity to stand in front of their peers and do what they love.  

After half of the kids had performed, two seniors shared their testimonies and at the end of the night a leader gave a short talk. I know that there were kids in the audience who had never been to YL club before, but they were there to listen to their friends perform. Everyone in attendance got a chance to hear the Gospel and to hear from a couple of their high school friends what it means to have Christ in their lives.
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More MashUp Songs With Chords And Slides

April 18, 2015, 8:06 am
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Club Game Of The Week: Real or Fake Song Titles

April 19, 2015, 5:00 am
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Game idea submitted by Marty Fleszar, volunteer leader in Gross Pointe, MI.

Supplies
How To Play
  • Label 1 wall of the room as "FAKE" and another wall as "REAL."
  • Show the first PowerPoint song title and give the students 15 seconds to get up and move to the wall indicating if they believe the song title is real or fake.
  • Advance the slide to reveal if the song is indeed real or fake.
  • Advance through the 7 song titles and have the kids keep track of how many they get right.
Another Variation: Real or Fake Movie Titles
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Summer Movies: Opening Dates and Trailers

April 20, 2015, 7:37 am
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The summer movie season begins in just 10 days. Our job as YL leaders is to lead our middle and high school friends into the adventure of following Christ. Part of that means helping them discover better ways to use their time than just settling for the big screen. But another part of our role is to meet them right where they are, and this summer they're likely to be at the movie theaters.

We can take advantage of this by planning well. Last summer I wrote in my calendar the opening nights of the blockbuster movies. A couple weeks before one I wanted to see came out, I started talking it up with kids. We went to see a couple midnight showings and they thought it was cool that their YL leader was willing to drive them around in the wee hours of the morning.

One night we met at a field around 10pm to play "Glow in the Dark Ultimate Frisbee" before the movie. Another night we hit up Waffle House after the film. Great bonding and memories.

Disclaimer
I haven't seen any of these movies below and would highly recommend you checking out reviews on kids-in-mind.com before taking kids to see a movie you might regret. When in doubt, talk to your Area Director. Also, be sure to communicate well with parents, especially if you're keeping their kids out late at night. Don't just settle for 'my mom said it was cool.' Go ahead and make that phone call to a parent.

Below are the opening dates for some summer movies you might want to see with your middle/high school friends. You can view the trailer for each movie by clicking the movie title below.

May 1 - Avengers: Age of Ultron
May 15 - Pitch Perfect 2
May 22 - Tomorrowland
June 12th - Jurassic World
June 19th - Inside Out
July 10th - Minions
July 17th - Ant-Man
July 24th - Pixels and Pan
July 31st - Mission Impossible V
August 7th - The Fantastic Four
August 14th - The Man from UNCLE

What movies are missing from this list? Any 'movie contact work ideas' you can share? Shoot us an email.
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What To Do After College Graduation: The Dale House Project

April 21, 2015, 4:00 am
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If you're about to graduate from college and are still trying to figure out what to do this coming year, I can't think of an experience I'd more highly recommend! The Dale House Project is hiring 1 male position starting in June and another male position starting in September. 

When I look back over my life, I'm convinced the most difficult year I've ever had was the one I spent working at the DHP. It was also some of the most significant twelve months of my life. (I worked there in 2003.)

  • Imagine a view of Pike's Peak from your bedroom every morning (14,000 ft elevation).
  • Imagine getting to be a Young Life leader that lives in the same house as your high school friends AND your YL team.
  • Imagine learning from wise and experienced staff who've worked with at-risk adolescents for dozens of years.

What Is The Dale House Project?

The Dale House is a residential care facility in Colorado Springs for at-risk teenagers. Many of these teenage residents are juvenile offenders transitioning out of lock-up facilities back into society. Some have been neglected, some abused, and most are not able to return home, if home even exists.

The Dale House opened in 1972 as a special project with Young Life. It was started in response to the alarming nation-wide proliferation of broken homes, child abuse, teenage pregnancy, incest, and drug and alcohol abuse. The DHP is located just a half mile walk to the Young Life Service Center. The Dale House is a led by a Christian community of staff that models community living for the residents. The staff relationships are a priority along with sharing Christ through this community with the residents.

The DHP has a goal to not just share Jesus verbally, but to holistically care for these teenagers by teaching them the skills necessary to live independently.

Each year the Dale House takes in hundreds of troubled young people. Most are referred by the Department of Human Services or the Division of Youth Corrections. Though licensed to house children ages 16-21, most residents are around 17 years old and average a length of stay of six to nine months.

Funding for the Project comes from a combination of government agencies who place children at Dale House along with contributions from churches, civic organizations, and individuals.

If you're interested in finding out more about the possibility of working at the DHP (starting this June or September) you can call the DHP at 719-471-0642. They'd love to chat with you. You can also visit find out more here.

You may have read this article about The Dale House in an issue of Relationships magazine from last spring.
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When Club Isn't Working

April 23, 2015, 4:00 am
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Last week I received an email from a YL staff person looking for activities to do 'when club isn't working' or if you have to 'punt' when there aren't very many kids at club. Below are a few options.
  • Poor Man's Paintball
  • Bigger, Better, Best
  • T-Shirt Rally 
    • Similar to Bigger, Better, Best, but with t-shirts instead. Just go knock on doors and try to get the most t-shirts given to you.
      • 1 point = T-shirt 
      • 2 points = Long sleeve t-shirt
      • 10 points = A t-shirt from your high school
      • 20 points = Bring back a high school friend who has never been to Young Life
      • 30 points = Bring back a summer camp deposit
  • Instagram Scavenger Hunt 
  • Matball
    • Similar to kickball except you have extra large bases for 1st and 3rd and both are switched in opposite places
    • After batting, you will run left to get to first base and proceed clockwise around the bases
    • The large mats can have as many people as you like on them
    • If you leave 1st or 3rd base you can go back with no penalty as long as you don't touch or pass 2nd or home plate. If you do go past those, you must continue to the next mat.
    • After passing home you continue back to first base. However, your run does not count unless you safely make it to first base.
  • Angleball
  • Manhunt
  • Find Your Leader
  • Couch Olympics
  • Cookout/Bonfire
  • Trampoline park
  • Dodgeball
  • Stickball
  • Field Trip To The Pet Store or Animal Shelter
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  • Go visit folks at a hospital or nursing home

If you have other ideas, please email us here and we'll add them to the post. 

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Tom & Recie Raley: Leaving A Legacy

April 24, 2015, 4:00 am
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Written by Alan Smyth, Regional Director for Greater Los Angeles. 

Tom & Recie Raley are true icons of the faith and treasured gems of our mission. They were among the first staff people in our mission and helped shape it into what we know it to be today. The Raley’s had several stops around the country following God’s lead and pioneering work along the way. They left a rich legacy and long history of changed lives everywhere they went.

One of their stops was San Jose, California in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Tom served as the Divisional VP of the west and they led club at Leland High School. Young Life Club was big and fun and weekly Campaigners at their house was deeply meaningful. There are a bunch “50 something’s” running around today carrying a huge debt of gratitude for the Raley’s and the impact they made on our lives.

Tom passed away several years ago and Recie just last month. This group of old “Leland buddies” remains close today, but Recie’s passing gave them new cause to reminisce and be grateful for Young Life and specifically the Raley’s.


To that end, the Leland class of ’81-’82 has created a way to honor Tom & Recie by creating a legacy in their name. Greater Los Angeles YL, led by one of these Raley disciples from 1981, is launching an effort to plant Young Life in Compton. Compton is a part of South Central LA that happens to be one of the toughest spots in our country. All the urban issues exist in Compton and in great volume. Tom & Recie pioneered Young Life everywhere they went and it makes perfect sense that we attach their name and legacy to this pioneering effort in Compton.

The Class of ’81 & 82 is asking anyone who was impacted by the Raley’s, or perhaps just loves the idea of Young Life in Compton, to help us in creating this living legacy. We are asking four things:
  1. Pray for Compton.
  2. Become a monthly donor to the newly formed Compton area.
  3. Give a onetime gift to this area.
  4. Share, pass along, retweet and e-mail this to everyone you know!

You can go to www.Younglife.org and search for area CA571 “Compton” to make your gift.

Thank you for helping us honor Tom & Recie by participating in this pioneering effort and joining Team Raley!
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At The End Of The School Year, Don't Forget To Do This

April 27, 2015, 7:20 am
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As the school year comes to an end, let's be Young Life leaders who thank people well. My Area Director in college repeatedly drilled three things into our skulls:
  1. Pray First.
  2. Thank People Well.
  3. Have good breath when doing contact work.
Who Do You Need To Thank?
  • Administration
    • The principal at your school didn't have to let you come to lunch. Send them a note with a $10 Subway gift card saying 'Thanks for letting us eat lunch with your kids this year. Enjoy a lunch on us this summer. Sincerely, the Smith Middle Young Life Team"
  • Athletic Director
    • Remember those athletic passes your YL team got at the beginning of the year. Think how much $ they saved you. What about a picture of your YL team holding a sign saying 'We heart Coach Mac' for the AD's office?
  • Club/Campaigners Host Homes
    • That family let you have fifty middle schoolers invade their basement. 
    • The mom who cooked dinner for your Campaigners group more times than you can count. 
    • That dad is still repairing the damage from when your sumo-suit put a crater in his garage wall. 
  •  Area Director
    • Being a YL AD is no easy task. Area Directors spend tons of time making it possible for us to be YL leaders. Send them a note of encouragement thanking them for leading well and be specific about how they've encouraged you.
  • Spouse
    • If you're married, make the effort to thank your spouse for allowing you to pursue this calling. What if you gathered some of your high school friends to put on a mini 'YL club' for the purpose of celebrating your spouse? Or how about a needed Date Night now that club is taking a summer break?
  • Middle/High School Friend
    • Do you have some kids in your YL club that went the extra mile to help out at YL this year? Model gratitude for them by sending an unexpected note. Print a pic of you with your middle/high school friend and turn it into a postcard.
  • Jesus
    • Celebrate this year by thanking the One who made it all possible. Build an ebenezer. Remember God's faithfulness!

Psalm 100:4- Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, give thanks to Him and praise His name. 
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Hilarious Synchronized Swimming Skit

April 28, 2015, 4:30 am
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We're doing 'Senior Club' next Monday night and one of the skits the senior guys are performing is this Synchronized Swimming skit.



I'm not sure who originally made this video, so if you know, let us know. It was shared with us from a 5th grade talent show but we thought it would make a great skit for a Campaigners group or Senior Leaders to do at club.
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WyldLife Wednesday: The Curious Stage

April 29, 2015, 4:30 am
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Part of being a WyldLife leader is simply remembering what middle schoolers are experiencing. I entered middle school over 25 years ago but still vividly recall my fear of Wednesday nights.

I enjoyed going to youth group and loved playing basketball afterwards...until the first time I got picked to be on the 'skins' team. I was a 'late bloomer' and while many of my friends had already hit puberty, my 4'11 frame still carried more baby weight than I wanted the ladies to see. After being told to remove my shirt I faked sick and then gave up playing Wednesday night ball for good. 

Physical development is one of the most confusing parts of being a middle schooler, especially in the age of 'selfies.' Our teenage friends are looking in the cameras...and in mirrors...and at their peers...and asking the question, "Am I normal?' They're probably also asking 'Why is hair growing in my armpit?' (Or, why isn't it?)

Because puberty occurs at different times and at a different pace for every kid, there is a huge battle of mental comparison and personal criticism. This can result in young teenagers feeling inadequate, out of place, and out of control.

What is going on physically with your middle school friends?

  • Growth spurt
    • Females typically add 8 lbs/year and grow 7 inches during adolescence. This begins at an average of age 12 for females.*
    • Males typically average adding 10 lbs/year and grow a total of 9.5 inches during adolescence. This begins at an average of age 14 for males.
  • Uneven Skeletal Changes
    • The bones in their feet and legs may grow while everything else stays the same. 
    • This can result in lack of coordination and growing pains. 
  • Hormones
    • In males, testosterone levels often increase 18x as much as they were before puberty.
    • In females, estradiol levels often increase 8x the amount they were before puberty.
    • Increase in adrenaline, resulting in energy highs and lows, often leading to extreme exhaustion and mood swings.
    • Active sweat glands often lead to oily hair, acne, and a need to purchase deodorant. 
    • Increased appetite. 
    • Voice changes, hair growth, and physical growth might lead to one extreme:
      • More timid personality (ex: wearing baggy clothes)
      • More confidence (ex: wanting to display a more mature body)
These physical changes impact their emotional, social and spiritual development as well. As they develop a capacity for abstract thinking, young teenagers become more curios about life- and faith, too. But because this curiosity is often stifled by insecurity, middle schoolers have tons of questions they're often afraid to ask. 

One remedy I've seen for this dilemma is a 'Questions Box.' Every week at Campaigners there's a box, slips of paper and pens. Anonymously, kids can write any question they have about anything and leaders will attempt to answer them on specific 'Q & A nights' throughout the semester. When we as leaders take these questions seriously and offer thoughtful responses, we speak to one unspoken fear: Am I strange/weird/odd even for asking this? Our responses say, "Of course not."

The bottom line is this: Your middle school friends are confused and curious. They have questions and want answers. Questions about anything from God to their bods. Many of them feel too awkward or insecure to talk to real people so Google ends up being their source for truth. 

Let's remember where our middle school friends are coming from as we get to know them and point them to Jesus.

And let's remind our teenage friends that they can ask us hard questions without fear of rejection. 

Curiosity doesn't have to kill the cat, it can also open a heart. 


Written by Drew Hill. 

*I used a few different sources for the stats above, but this book on adolescent development was the most helpful.

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A Darth Vader Scavenger Hunt: May the 4th Be With You

May 1, 2015, 9:50 am
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A guest post from Jason Talley.

Last year around the end of the year we decided to do a “Ninja Scavenger Hunt” where a bunch of awesome adults dressed up as ninjas around town and the kids went off to find them! This year, during our planning meeting our scavenger hunt landed on Monday, May 4th. Immediately one of our leaders said, “May the 4th be with you!” and we all started freaking out about how cool it would be to have everyone dress up as Darth Vaders instead of ninjas.

HOW TO DO A DARTH (or ninja) HUNT

Contact The Police

The first step in this process is to call your local police department. For us, this was to initially let them know what we were doing. Having a bunch of random people standing around town in business and on street corners dressed as ninjas (or Darths) might seem a bit suspicious. However, that call ended up being way better than I could have hoped. After being transferred several times I spoke directly to the chief of police who was probably more excited about the event than I was. He offered to open up any public facility that I wanted to place a ninja at. So, we have Darths this year at City Hall, the Police Station, Fire Department, and Public Transportation stations. In addition, they raised the amount of patrol during the time of our event to make sure all the locations and kids were safe. So so cool!

Contact Businesses

We also will have Darths at several local businesses. I contacted, Dairy Queen, Jack in the Box, and Taco Bell. They were all down to help us. They also donated some things for kids to use as challenges. – We’ll get to that in a moment.

Contact Awesome Adults

I mean, who wouldn’t want to dress up as a ninja or Darth Vader and have some fun with high school kids for a couple of hours on a Monday night?! Haha. I got some volunteers from my church, our committee, and kids parents. This year we have a total of 12 Darth’s all over the city. I gave them detailed instructions on how the night will go (email me if you’d like a copy of these documents.) I also provided them with a simple Darth mask from Party City and asked them to dress in all black. Last year I had everyone make a t-shirt into a ninja mask. You can find out how here.

Set-up

You will want all your locations to be within 2-3 miles from the club room or from one-another if your club location isn’t close to a lot of places. Map out how the kids will flow from one location to the next. I made a huge circle from one location to another on a map and the kids went in that order from location to location.

How the night works

The goal here is not so much for the kids to find the Darth’s. It’s for them to get to as many as possible before their time is expired. Kids meet at the Club Room at 7:02. I have them divide into teams of 4-5 with a leader or approved driver in each team. We give the kids intense instructions on not speeding if they are driving or they will be disqualified. I give them a score sheet and the location of their first Darth in a sealed envelope. They are to open the envelope all at once on the count of three and then they can leave.

Once they arrive at their first Darth, they are given a challenge – also in a sealed envelope. Here’s a list of some of the challenges:

• Each team member eat an order of cinnamon twists (donated by Taco Bell)
• Each team member eat a kids ice cream cone (donated by DQ)
• Run around the entire school (our HS is right by our club room.)
• Play a quick game to two points of sand volleyball (Park close by club room)
• Form a human primed.
• Sing the theme song to “Sponge Bob Square Pants”
• Recite the ABC’s forwards and backwards
• Run around your car five times (Chinese Fire Drill – done at the fire station)
• Name the Mayer of our city and how long he has been in office (City Hall)
• Do 20 Jumping Jacks and 5 Pushups

Once they complete their challenge they give the score sheet to the Darth who signs off on it and gives them a random amount of points between 100 and 500. I’ve told the Darth’s these points are not based off merit, but just random.
After signing off on their challenge, the Darth gives the kids their next location in a sealed envelope.

They have until 8:45 to get to as many Darth’s as possible.

At that time they must all meet at Taco Bell for a giant group picture and to tally the points. For every minute they are late they loose 100 points.

Once the picture is taken and the winning team is decided, each team member of the winning team gets a $5 gift card to Chipotle and a small Darth Vader Lego keychain.
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