Since 1979, Youth Alive has been a resource for students to share their faith. Youth Leaders used Youth Alive resources to inspire a generation of students to share their faith with classmates at school. Many started clubs, hosted outreaches, and sponsored school assembly programs. Sometimes, the right to a student’s freedom of speech was denied. Bridget Mergens was one of those students. The American Center for Law and Justice took her case to the Supreme Court, resulting in a decision that has given our students the Equal Access Act, allowing them to share their faith freely and non-disruptively.
With tremendous growth in student-led ministry at public schools, our fellowship saw the need for district missionaries to champion the cause of students reaching students across America. In 1998, eight districts, along with Pastor Mark Dean, created the Youth Alive missionary position. Richard Baker, along with Bobby Loukinen and Kelli Patrick, answered that call and the Lord has provided incredible ministry since.
Prayer Zone Partners is a way for adults and students to engage in prayer every time they drive through a school safety zone. Officially, 660 people pray for schools in this way. Approximately 80 bikers travel Minnesota every August, praying for every public high school. Every January, people join a prayer reminder thread uniting in specific prayer needs of students for that month.
Since 2020, more than 1600 students have received training on how to share Jesus. Many received a “Youth Alive FireBible” to use for campus clubs, sharing their faith and the study of God’s Word. As a result, 349 MN schools have a student leader/missionary and/or a club at school.
One student, Leah, felt like God was asking her to lead a change in her school. She organized their first “See You at the Pole,” started a campus club, and even got permission to organize a school assembly with Terrence Talley. This opened doors for seven more high schools in Leah’s county. Recently, our team visited three more schools because of Leah’s tremendous influence at that first little school.
Whether you need help connecting with your local school, motivation for students, a school assembly program, or want to pray for every student/school in Minnesota; contact YA directly at .
