Reach Out Youth Solutions has been involved in evangelism and discipleship within the state of Texas for over 45 years. The Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry paradigm has been a primary way in which youth leaders, parents, and students have been resourced to reach the next generation for Jesus. Texas youth leaders continue to rely on JFYM to help in anchoring their personal lives and their ministries in Jesus as they face the societal, missional, and spiritual challenges of today.
After attending a JFYM Forum last fall, Mickey Matlock (seen below with his family), the youth pastor at First Baptist Church, Canton, saw the youth ministry impacted almost immediately. Prayer triplets began. Adults became more energized and excited about the semester. Additionally, he started a Student Leadership Team. The team made “going deeper with Christ” their focus. Mickey said he wishes he had initiated this concept years ago because using the principles found in JFYM and watching God change his team’s mindset to a primary focus on Jesus has “changed everything.”
(Read stories from two members of Mickey's youth group below)
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Mickey Matlock and his beautiful family |
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Mickey + wife, Carissa, featured with Kevin + Angela Miles at our TX Celebration |
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A few words from those who attended a recent JFYM Forum in Texas . . . |
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“JFYM helped me realize that I needed to spend more time with my leadership team.”
-Tim Newton, Youth Pastor,
Alsbury Baptist in Burleson, TX
“I’m planning on implementing the prayer triplet this fall. I remember doing a prayer target as a student….that had a big impact on me."
-Blaine Bernstein, Family Pastor,
Tolar Baptist Church, Tolar, TX
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During the pandemic, Lamar Slay, a pastor at Gateway Dallas, recently shared with us that they experienced a significant increase in their online student discipleship groups, by using the discipleship material associated with Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry.
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Lexi is a freshman in high school, and part of the student leadership team with Mickey Matlock . . . As a result of how God impacted Lexi through JFYM, she began sharing the gospel and teaching a Bible study on Facebook. Now, she posts lessons daily. She has become a leader not only among her peers but also with the older students in the youth group. He said that her life is proof that “…if you put yourself in the Word, it will give you the authority you need.”
Seth is a sophomore in high school. As a result of the student leadership team in Canton with Mickey Matlock, he realized he wanted mentoring. Nine months after the Forum, Seth is still being mentored every week in discipleship and leadership. Seth now knows that God is calling him into some sort of vocational ministry.
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“Ryan Gilchrist, youth minister at SBC Stephenville, describes the impact that truly living out the essential characteristics taught in JFYM has had on their ministry:
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"JFYM is a game-changer in student ministry. Instead of our ministry being about 'come and sit,' we're about equipping students to 'go and do.' As we have invested and cast a vision for our leaders, they, in turn, are investing in our students outside of our regular scheduled ministry, and those students are discipling other students. As we're nearing the end of the school year, it's fun to look at our Senior Class and see how the Lord has worked in their lives while they've been in our ministry.
When Kyle (shown below) was in 7th grade, he began meeting with a high school student. They've continued to meet, and Kyle is now discipling one of our current 7th-grade students."
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"Another Senior, Adyson (shown below), has been discipled throughout high school, and this year she has helped lead a junior high girls discipleship group.
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Kyle and Adyson are two of many examples of our discipled students looking for opportunities to make disciples and show how JFYM's approach to youth ministry is so beneficial for the long-term sustainability of a youth ministry. Instead of just inviting their friends to church, our students are coming together to pray for their lost friends, looking for opportunities to share the gospel, and then walking with them in discipleship.”
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Whether rural, urban, suburban, multi-cultural, small, or mega-sized . . . churches who focus on the essential characteristics of Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry are reaching the younger generation for Jesus. If you are interested in hosting a Forum for the leaders in your church, or if you would like to host a Forum for a grouping of leaders in your city, please contact us for more information at: JFYM@reach-out.org.
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If you are interested in partnering with us financially to bring Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry to under-resourced villages, towns, and cities in the US and around the world, just click the donate button below and you’ll be connected to our website for more information on how to give. |
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We are now combining our monthly newsletter with the monthly prayer letter, providing even more people the opportunity to join us as we pray over the needs and thank God for the blessings throughout this ministry each month. |
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