Lately I’ve been wrestling with the word “every”. You see, “every” is a word held dearly by YFC ministries across the country and, for that matter, around the world. To our YFC family it signifies our call to reach every kind of kid in every situation, engaging them in the life long journey of following Jesus Christ.  On it’s own, the word is inspiring and a call to excellence. In light of real numbers, it’s overwhelming, daunting and faith stretching.

Here in Pierce County alone there are over 70,000 11-18 year olds, YFC’s primary target audience.  If we run the numbers of those kids that Tacoma YFC is reaching each year (4,000) plus add in in fellow youth ministries such as Young Life, FCA and the thousands of kids already reached by local churches and youth groups, our best estimation is that there are still 50,000 kids who aren’t being reached– 50,000!  When we did that math last month at some of our strategic planning meetings I was stunned and humbled.

How do we impact those kids? It’s obvious to us at TYFC that we can’t do it alone but rather we need to be “catalysts” for Kingdom work across Pierce County. We need Young Life and FCA and local churches to join us on high school and middle school campuses, we need their expertise and partnership in neighborhoods and communities alike.  The Great Commission won’t happen on it’s own…and it won’t be accomplished by one organization but rather through Christians uniting together to reach lost kids with the life changing message of Jesus.

This “burden” to reach the every was brought home as our Truman Campus Life director, Ken Schmidtke, shared a story about one of the kids he’s working with, Ethan.  As Ken was visiting Truman MS at lunch a couple of weeks ago he caught sight of Ethan out of the corner of his eye.  With long straggly hair and eyes focused on the floor directly below, Ethan was clearly communicating one simple message–”I want to be anonymous”.  Ken walked over and began a conversation with Ethan that day and for the next several days said hi until finally Ethan began to open up.

Ethan can’t stand large groups but finds his “identity” in online chat rooms. “I can be myself there…no one knows me by name and I like it that way.”  Ethan will probably never come to Campus Life nor show up on his own to a youth group but he would be reached through some sort of online interaction. Although it may not be relational in approach, we need to think of creative ways to connect with other “Ethans” across Pierce County.  Ken walked away and his mind was racing, “How do we meet him on his level? Who do I find that knows that better than I do?”

Reaching the “every”…50,000…one at a time. Daunting, overwhelming…yes…but “do-able” through the power and unity of God’s power. Just some thoughts.