Hand Off

Hi Friends, it’s been almost a year since we packed everything and moved west. You may have noticed the Campus Life position has been vacant since then. It wasn’t for a lack of effort, our leadership team reviewed applications and conducted interviews. It just never felt like we had the right candidate, until last week.

I present to you Evan Penn. Evan isn’t a stranger to Campus Life or Pekin. He attended Washington High School but traveled to Pekin most weeks to attend youth group with his friends. He accepted Christ through the ministry of First Baptist and found community in Campus Life trips and events.

I’m pretty protective of our Pekin Family, Team & Ministry. I’ve known Evan for a few years and I don’t hesitate in welcoming him as our Pekin Campus Life intern.

Again, this is not a farewell from the Briggs’. If the world cooperates we plan to return to Pekin for a week later this summer. We want to help make Evan’s transition as smooth as can be.

If you’d like to connect, then call, text or email and we’ll do our best to make arrangements. We’d love to see you and introduce you to Evan, at an appropriate distance of course.

Jarrod Briggs

Ladies and Gentlemen, Evan Penn…

Hello All!

I am so excited to join YFC staff as an intern with Campus Life in Pekin. It seems to me as if life is coming full circle. I thought my time in youth ministry had come to a close - however, it appears God has other plans.

As Jarrod stated, I grew up in Washington. However, I attended youth group at First Baptist Church in Pekin, and I spent some time at Campus Life for worship nights as well as a trip called “Breakfast in New York.” Campus Life played a significant role in my faith growing up, and I am so excited to see what the Lord does through Campus Life and in the lives of students.

In the coming months, I cannot wait to meet you and get to know you! If you are interested in a phone call, a Zoom call, coffee (when appropriate or allowed - I love coffee and miss coffee shops!), or just get to know me, shoot me a text or call me at 309-258-9917.

Please continue to pray for teens in Pekin.

Evan Penn

This is not a Farewell

Leading up to my sabbatical last summer, there was a stirring indication that my time as the leader for Pekin Campus Life might be coming to an end. Coupled with a dream Ky and I have had of retreating to the mountains of Colorado when we retire, opportunities began to arise.

I guess our ‘later’ dreams were challenged as we began to investigate whether ‘later’ was actually sooner. And encouragingly enough some pieces began to fit. Since March, Ky has accepted a job in Colorado, we purchased a piece of land there for a fraction of asking price and our home here in Pekin sold without listing. Whew, all of those things were such a relief!

It has been an honor to call Campus Life work and Pekin home for the past 10 years. Along with serving on the team prior to employment, it’s been an incredible 15 years of ministry. It feels almost selfish of me to not pass this on so someone else can share in the joy of how God works through relational ministry in Pekin. The word ‘work’ doesn’t really describe it. Calling Youth for Christ my vocation has allowed me to take my ordinary life and live an everyday mission of helping teens discover a relationship with Jesus. 

But as the title states, this is not a farewell…

Sure, Ky, Norton and I are moving, and won’t be physically here but we’re still ‘here’ because relationships are not tied to proximity. We hope to make a home there soon and we’d love to have you stay over as our guest as soon as possible.

Pekin Campus Life isn’t going anywhere. Your Youth for Christ leadership is still committed to ministry in Pekin. We’re not ready to announce the who, what, or when’s of the transition but a plan is in place. Also, my employment with Youth for Christ is not over. I will transition into a remote role, supporting the Peoria team in marketing, communication and technology.  

So there it is, my attempt to wrap up 15 years of ministry in 400 words or less. Ky and I would covet your prayers in this transition. Lives were and will continue to be changed by God through this ministry!

Complacency

We all like our conveniences and comforts. High school students aren’t any different. It’s easy for them to come to the same place every week, hang out with the same people and be generally comfortable. But Campus Life is most successful when people from different backgrounds get together and find community with people they normally wouldn’t spend time with. 

Over this long winter complacency set in. New faces became rarer and it’s something we needed to talk about. We did something we’d hadn’t done before. We pulled back the curtain to share with students the fundamentals of Campus Life. That our hope was to go where students are, build a rapport with them, earn the right to speak into their life, show them The Gospel in a real and tangible way pointing them both to Jesus and the local church. We explained the kind of students we want to see at Campus Life, often don’t quite fit in anywhere else.

The challenge was accepted and there was even more dialogue as the night was ending. 

The next week Evan shows up at the invitation of a fellow student. It didn’t take long to introduce him around. Evan was enthusiastic to make new friends and sit down for a snack. A couple of leaders made a really good connection and he returned the next week!

It’s a big win to have Evan be a part Campus Life with us as well as the others that friends are inviting. It’s also a win for students to hear a message and act on it for the benefit of their friends.

Please take a moment right now and pray for Evan and those like him and the leaders working to bring them a hope and life in Jesus.

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Just a few spots left for meals!

Most of our dinners are provided by friends in the community. If you’d like to bring us a meal or send dinner to us, we’d love to eat whatever you send our way. We’re not picky and it would be great if you stayed to eat with us too. To bring us a meal pekincl.com/meal or call Jarrod!

Grounded

Research shows 90% of consumers trust peer recommendations. We find this to be true when it comes to high school ministry as well. When a new student shows up to Campus Life for the first time it’s typically because a friend gives a recommendation or extends an invitation.

Things were different for Sam, a sophomore at PCHS. He came to Campus Life because his mom made him. She told Sam he would be grounded if he didn’t at least try it. Sam’s a great student and a generally trouble free kid so his parents never really had a reason to ground him. However, he obliged his orders and showed up at Campus Life one week.

At first Sam appeared to be shy and introverted as he kept his interactions to a minimum. But over the course of his first semester he began to participate more and more. And by summertime Sam was ‘all in’ and went to YFC Camp with a group of his newfound friends.

Through YFC Camp his eyes were opened to faith in a different way than he ever experienced. The way he lived and acted began to change. He started to invite his friends to Campus Life so they could experience the same life change he did. The next summer he brought one of those friends along to YFC Camp and now their life is starting to change too!

It’s Sam’s senior year and Campus Life is still a big part of his life. Every week he and a ministry leader work out at the gym and then work through a Bible study together. 

As the only time I can recall a student being so strongly urged to try out Campus Life. I wouldn’t recommend it for most but in the case Sam’s life is forever marked by God because of it.

Our Refrigerator is a Mess

Photos, notes and other artifacts collect haphazardly on our refrigerator throughout the year. It’s easy to choose what goes up and hard to pick what comes off. In particular I have a difficult time letting go of the graduation party invites, even though the occasion has long passed.

I have a like/dislike relationship with those parties. I like the free meals for weekends on end. The bottles of water and cans of soda swimming in a cooler are great but the cake! So much cake. And the party itself represents so much in the student’s life. The success of finally being done with high school and being able to move on to whatever is next: college, jobs, military services, life…

I selfishly dislike that these students have graduated. I dislike them not being around at the next Campus Life or the next trip. I dislike that in some cases it means they won’t be sitting on my couch or eating a meal with us as often. After all we’ve often spent the last 3 or 4 years together.

So it’s fun to have everyday reminders to pray for these students who are in their post-high school lives. I guess it’s why we leave it up there so long. It represents the tapestry of God’s work in our lives.

Even though it’s difficult to see ‘our kids’ growing up and moving on, it does make room for great changes. We’re seeing new faces at Campus Life every week. And just because we have new faces doesn’t mean we forget about the old … Our ‘grown up’ students will always have a place in our lives and will forever be a part of our ministry. Before long we’ll start seeing college graduations, weddings invites, baby showers and other important life celebrations coming from this group, just like the ones from past teens are arriving now.

It’s a humbling opportunity to be involved in these student’s lives, both the messes and the celebrations. All of these occasions are an opportunity to point to a Savior who loves them so much more than we ever could.

And none of this is possible without you. So thanks for all the prayers, support, love, gifts, etc … Let’s keep at this critical work, friends. After all, there will always be the next generation desperate to hear the Good News…

Woah

stole cutting jealously unhappy screwed mistreated pregnancy unsure worthless empty violence drugs loneliness inadequacy  broken failure depressed crash self-hatred sadness lost anxiety rejection smoking numb death lies careless hiding abuse drowning overdose hatred anger family cutter lonely uneasy lust alcohol confused sex hurtful unloveable deceit mess self-doubt emotionless dead faker pride idolatry suicide bipolar parents darkness pornhub pills unnoticed liar hypocritical rape sad stuck inconsistent uncertainty confused shame alone unpredictable fear controlled     Woah, it’s right there in black and white. We gave students the chance to anonymously share their secrets in just one word. I also have some secrets up there. Maybe there are some words up there that could apply to you.  Can I go as far to say “our secrets”? Because haven't we all had secrets? Secrets and sins so big it felt like we couldn't bring them to God? Here's the beautiful message we shared with these brave teens from Ephesians 2:4&5. But God…  “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead." Understood in the context of God's gift of grace, those words can lose their powerful hold of guilt and shame. So these are the very real secrets and painful issues students are facing on a daily basis. And because of you, we get to continue to lead them towards God, who is bigger than their secrets. Thanks for your part in sharing Hope and Truth with young people.

Monday is the Day!

The Big Day!

“Monday is the day! Can you bring a camera?” He texted out of the blue one night, after many weeks of waiting. We showed up at the courthouse a week later, not knowing what to expect but excited none the less. 

I haven’t attended many court hearings but I'd imagine very few go this well. Both sides were in agreement, full of anticipation and it almost seemed unnecessary to have a preceding.

The judge asked: "Young man, is this what you want?" 

Kevin answered: “Yes, it is.” 

The judge then asked: "And Mrs. Smith, do you agree to raise Kevin as you would your own son?" 

She quickly answered, “Of course, he's already been living as my son.”

A few quick signatures and the adoption proceedings were over.  After nearly a decade in the foster care system, Kevin had found a forever family with his aunt. Family can have many forms, such as an aunt caring for a nephew as her own son.

Kevin also knows the family of Christ through Youth for Christ. This is demonstrated to him week after week by our team of leaders and students in Pekin. And people like you who continue to pray and give to make all this possible. Thanks for being a part of the family.

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As 2015 ended, we told all who would listen, “YFC finances are behind”. We prayed and we asked for a generous December. And Then … It Happened. People gave a bunch. We finished our 1/2-year budget of $485,000 ahead by 2%. Thank You Friends. Thank You Jesus! We hope you will continue generously, because Jan-March income is typically lower than the rest of the year. Wow. That was big. Happy New Year!!!

- Dan L

Where Everything Changes

Like a good neighbor, what’s in your wallet, I’m lovin’ it...catchy slogans and all memorable, but are they all true? We say YFC Camp; Where everything changes...

We pay a high price to take students to YFC Camp and I believe God uses it. But instead of me telling you that our slogan is more than words, I'd like you to hear from students who worked hard all summer to be able to go.

I’ve realized it’s not always about me and when I’m not always making it about me I can focus on helping and caring for my friends.

I’m not hanging around bad friends as much.

A change for me is that I just think about God more, I feel connected closer and that I actually have a relationship vs Him just existing! Things have kinda gotten worse just because family things but I've been trying to see the positives.

My relationship with Christ hasn't been growing like it should so I need to work on it and keep up with it.

Please take a moment to pray right now for these students and that the seeds God planted would grow. We know that change can be good, bad, difficult, easy...but we know God is faithful through it all. Pray these students begin to learn this and can point back to YFC Camp 2015 as when it all began to change...