Annual Report 2016

75YOUNG LIFEAT

Legacy and Vision

“How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdomis an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.”

— Daniel 4:3 (NIV)

Dear Friend:

Throughout the Old Testament, God exhorted His people to keep their past always present through worship, festivals and feasts. Remembering God’s mighty acts prepared them to move forward in the future with faith. Then and now, hearts filled with gratitude provide fertile soil where vision can sprout and grow.

Our hearts are filled with gratitude as we celebrate 75 years of Young Life. We have much to remember as we move forward. God has given us the rich legacy of going where kids are and earning the right to be heard through incarnational witness. He has given us the cherished legacy of good humor, wild adventure and the ability to talk about Jesus in a way that invites kids to lean forward and listen. He has given us a treasured legacy of faithful leaders, generous donors and courageous committee who serve, give and lead sacrificially every day.

That’s just a taste of what God has given us in this mission, but I would like to take a moment to enjoy the annual feast of remembrance provided through this report. At the same time, please reflect upon the vision God has provided for our future. Our hearts are filled with gratitude, and “Forward” has grown organically out of that fertile soil. You can read more about Forward on pages 14-15.

We are encouraged by God’s provision from the past so we might move forward into the future with strength and focus. Thank you for joining us in this new movement!

In Christ,

Newt Crenshaw, President

CONTENTSCONTACT WORK 4-5 | CLUB 6-7 | CAMP 8-9 | TIMELINE OF OUR MINISTRIES 10-11

RWOK 12-13 | FORWARD 14-15 | CAMPAIGNERS 16-17 | COMMITTEE 18-19

MINISTRY STATISTICS 20-21 | FINANCIAL STATEMENT 22-233

In Tyler, Texas, Add Sewell made one of the greatest “discoveries” in the history of the mission. He was well aware the work there must run differently than the earlier “appearances” he and his fellow seminarians made in their weekly commutes to Houston. “You can’t have a Young Life club like that,” he said. “We had no contact with kids prior to or after those clubs.”

Sewell knew the missing ingredient was time. Kids needed adults who cared enough to come alongside them and spend time learning what was important to them. Looking for a better approach with the ministry in Tyler, Sewell started showing up at football practices, where he simply hung out and kicked the football around with the kids. In the process, he developed relationships with kids.

Sewell’s simple “discovery,” which came to be known as “contact work,” helped enlarge the staff ’s vision of what kids (and adults) needed.

As Wally Howard later reflected, contact work was actually an old concept. “Our message is a person. God made Himself known to us through a person. And He still makes Himself known through people. And that’s what Young Life’s all about.”

In 2016, more than 4,700 Young Life staff and 72,000 volunteer leaders went where kids were and earned the right to be heard. Their countless hours of sacrificial listening and loving helped to build bridges of friendship with kids.

MAKING CONTACT

4,700 YOUNG LIFE STAFF

72,000 VOLUNTEER LEADERS

GOING WHERE KIDS ARE!

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Jim Rayburn wasn’t pleased with the results of his weekly after-school meetings held in an English teacher’s classroom. The

kids sat at desks as Rayburn taught from Scripture; it felt like one more class tacked on at the end of a long school day. After months of averaging 10 kids each week, Rayburn began holding the meetings at night in the kids’ homes.

Once Rayburn moved the time and location of club, more kids came out and the relaxed surroundings put them at ease, which in turn created more energy and, consequently, more talk about the event in school the next day.

“When he had that Gainesville club he asked the rest of us to meet that night and to pray,” Wally Howard explained. The seminary students’ prayers were being answered, noted Rayburn. “They’d get down on their knees and spend hours praying for that club meeting. It’s no wonder we had a revival in that school!

That club went from 75 to 96, and then to 100, and then to 119, and 135, and the week before finals there were 170 kids there.”

“There’s no way to overemphasize the importance of that Gainesville club,” Add Sewell said. “If it hadn’t happened, Young Life might not have happened. It gave us an idea of what could be.”

102 COUNTRIES

50

STATES

7,300

MINISTRIES

In 2016, Young Life club provided kids around the world with the best night of their week. This year there were more than 7,300 ministries spread out across all 50 states and more than 100 countries.

THAT GAINESVILLE CLUB

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Jim Rayburn loved introducing kids to the rugged outdoors, and the One who created it all. In the early days of the mission, Rayburn took several boys, like Bob Mitchell, out to the East Texas hills where the camping was primitive. The day’s activities revolved around armadillo and rattlesnake hunts, hiking, and reading from the New Testament by the campfire at night.

These sacred times paved the way for Rayburn’s larger dream of a Young Life camp for kids. Until this dream could be realized, Rayburn rented camp properties in the summers. Mitchell said, “It wasn’t the property itself that brought camping alive for us, but the way Jim gave us things to do and took us on all kinds of hikes. We got to know a man whom we knew had a special touch with God. Many of us opened our lives to Christ in these primitive camps.”

In 1946, Star Ranch became Young Life’s first camp; Herb and Gloria Taylor purchased the camp for $50,000 and leased the camp to Young Life for one dollar a year. Years later, when he stopped to calculate what his purchase had produced, Taylor couldn’t help but laugh. “Best investment I ever made,” he proclaimed. “Probably 30,000 kids heard the gospel at Star. That’s about a dollar-and-a-half apiece.”

In 2016, Young Life leaders enjoyed taking 280,279 kids to one of our

49 camps around the world, offering kids the opportunity to hear about the

good news of Jesus Christ in a place made just for them.

EARLY CAMPING

280,000

KIDS WENT TO CAMP

49

CAMPS

98

A TIMELINE OF OUR MINISTRIES

“The Apostle Paul would have made an excellent Young Life leader! His legacy and vision were for the men and women he befriended through his ministry:

‘For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when

he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy’ (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, NIV).

This has also been our legacy and vision for kids from the very beginning. For 75 years Young Life leaders have befriended all kinds of kids, so they

can introduce them to Jesus. We’re thankful to the Lord for His generosity through faithful donors and His direction of our talented team of staff, leaders and committees. Frankly, we can’t wait to see what He will do in the next 75 years!”

— John Brandon, Chair, Young Life Board of Trustees

1939YOUNG LIFE

1953INTERNATIONAL

MINISTRY

1956URBAN AND

MULTICULTURAL

1969MIDDLE SCHOOL

MINISTRY(LATER CALLED

WYLDLIFE)

1980AMICUS

1980MCYM

1986CAPERNAUM

1991YOUNGLIVES

1999SMALL TOWNS

INITIATIVE

2005YOUNG LIFE

COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY

MINISTRY TIMELINE

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This year saw the culmination of Reaching a World of Kids (RWOK), the mission’s seven-year initiative to double our outreach from one million to two million kids per year. Begun in 2009, RWOK ultimately helped the mission reach more than 2.1 million kids, mobilize more than 72,000 volunteers and establish more than 7,300 ministry locations. During this time, we also witnessed club attendance more than double from 354,352 to 804,966, affording even more kids the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus’ love.

REACHING A WORLD OF KIDSJUST SOME OF THE AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING RWOK

REACHING A BROADER LANDSCAPE OF KIDS

• Texas Latino Initiative

• Young Life College – 30 to 180 schools

• Explosive growth in focused ministries such as Capernaum and YoungLives

• The Atlanta Project

RAISING UP MORE LEADERS

• Developing Global Leaders

• Latino Student Staff

CREATING MORE CAMPING OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS

• New camps in Scotland, Armenia, Missouri, Oregon and North Carolina

• Campership Legacy Fund

• Camp On Wheels in Latin America and Africa

Abkhazia Bangladesh BelizeBulgaria Burundi Colombia Côte d’Ivoire Cuba Djibouti Ecuador El Salvador Georgia

Ghana Honduras Hong Kong Israel Jamaica Lithuania Macedonia Mali Morocco Mozambique NigeriaNorthern Ireland

Palestine Panama Poland Puerto Rico Scotland Senegal South AfricaSwaziland Tajikistan VietnamZambiaZanzibar

COUNTRIES WHERE MINISTRY BEGAN DURING RWOK

It took the mission nearly 70 years to reach one million kids annually. Through RWOK, it took us just seven more to reach more than two million.

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The Gospel is on the MoveThe gospel is flourishing among us. We are in the lives of more than two million kids in over 100 countries worldwide. We are in awe of God’s provision, of the many new faces and places of Young Life. Yet we are aware that the gospel is not static, that we serve a God who is on the move — within us, among us and ahead of us. As we have prayed, discussed and planned over the last year, we believe a renewed vision is coming into focus, a plan for thriving, sustainable ministry that we’re calling Forward. Because that’s our gospel reality in Young Life — we lean into things, our hearts beat for the new and the next.

Moving Forward, we seek to increase our global impact through focusing on four mission strategies:

DEEPER IN CHRIST – Seeking the Lord first and helping kids grow in their faith.

TOGETHER – Building and equipping teams that reflect the worldwide body of Christ.

INNOVATION – Creating new ways today to reach kids tomorrow.

GROWTH – Impacting all kids within sight and just out of reach.

As a mission, we’re uniting around these four mission strategies toward the vision of sustainable, worldwide growth both in kids impacted and lives transformed through discipleship.

FORWARD

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

— Philippians 3-13-14 (NASB)

1514

Dawson Trotman, who in 1933 had formed the Navigators ministry, had seen Rayburn lead many kids into relationships with Christ. Trotman implored him to follow up with these newborn believers and shared his emphasis on discipleship with Rayburn, who then used the Navigators materials in Bible studies with his high school friends.

“The early leaders started meeting with kids who had become followers of Jesus,” Mitchell said. “They called these groups ‘Campaigners,’ from the early tent meetings which were called the ‘Young Life Campaign.’ Our group of boys met at Jim Rayburn’s home on Sunday afternoons. For two hours we each gave a weekly report on our assignments, studied Scripture, memorized Bible verses and learned to pray.

“The same things went on in the girls’ Campaigners groups, led by Gladys Roche, Ollie Dustin, Kay McDonald, Wanda Ann Mercer or Anne Cheairs, some of the first women to join the Young Life staff. These women, and many others, would be legendary in their contribution to the mission.”

GOING DEEP WITHCAMPAIGNERS

In 2016, 115,407 kids came out to Campaigners, Young Life’s group designed to help kids grow in their faith through study and service.

115,407 CAMPAIGNERS

1716

By 1950, Bill Starr acutely felt the disconnect between Young Life and the local church. He wanted to make sure Young Life was “not simply outside the church, but a part of the ministry of the church. I wanted us to have a representative body out of the congregations. So it forced me to go to pastors, explain who we were, what the goal was, and how we wanted to participate with them rather than outside what they were doing.”

Starr visited local churches in Portland, Oregon, and asked for someone from each congregation to become a part of the area ministry. And thus was born the Young Life committee.

“None of these people had any Young Life connection,” he said. “There were a couple of things motivating me: I wanted them to be part of the overall ministry taking place in Portland at that time. I also thought this could help decentralize fiscal responsibility.

“Jim took it all on himself; he’d go out and raise money and distribute it. Well, that seemed to me to be unfair to him and to us. We needed to assume and accept our responsibility, and the move really freed us up to grow.”

Rayburn’s reaction? Starr laughed, “I think he was thrilled!”

All historical excerpts taken from Made for This: The Young Life Story.

A COMMITTEE IS BORN

In 2016, more than 19,000 caring men and women served on Young Life committees in their local areas. These adults provide support and direction for the local staff and leaders.

19,0

00

CAR

ING

AD

ULT

S

1918

RWOK Begins 08/09

09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16% Growth

Since Base Year

Annual Average RWOK Growth

Kids Involved Weekly in Club

U.S. 113,352 119,456 129,890 135,557 138,257 145,316 153,266 157,105 39% 5%

International 33,445 37,927 46,913 60,288 78,184 102,463 113,971 141,139 322% 23%

Kids Involved Weekly in Campaigners

U.S. 42,331 45,244 49,555 53,144 56,983 61,476 66,804 69,482 64% 7%

International 8,978 10,278 12,393 14,947 22,023 29,963 33,299 45,925 412% 27%

Kids Impacted by Young Life1 1,029,411 1,106,326 1,199,347 1,228,082 1,434,869 1,686,061 1,864,257 2,122,456 106% 11%

U.S. Life-Stage Ministries 3,769 3,818 4,039 4,297 4,500 4,787 5,040 5,217 38% 5%

High School 2,612 2,611 2,751 2,911 3,034 3,179 3,330 3,448 32% 4%

Jr. High/Middle School 1,118 1,151 1,208 1,281 1,328 1,438 1,517 1,553 39% 5%

College 39 56 80 105 138 170 193 216 454% 28%

U.S. Focused Ministries

Capernaum 125 148 167 173 210 249 273 295 136% 13%

YoungLives 89 99 165 218 236 258 286 305 243% 21%

Multicultural/Urban 644 620 622 673 753 844 959 1,006 56% 7%

Small Towns 796 830 902 965 1,009 1,053 1,100 1,120 41% 5%

Military 7 15 17 22 17 19 14 11 57% 14%

Other2 57 48 41 41 39 39 37 37 -35% -6%1 Estimated, based on “club cards”

collected by each Young Life mission unit. Includes U.S. and International.

2 Young Life ministry in unique, non-school settings.

3 ThisfigureisincludedintheInternational Ministries total.

4 As of FY2016, Capernaum is retroactively included in senior high outreach.

5 All summer-season campers, leaders, caretakers and adult guests at Young Life-owned properties or Young Life ministries camping at non-Young Life properties.

6 All school-season campers, leaders, caretakers and adult guests at Young Life-owned properties or Young Life ministries camping at non-Young Life properties.

7 All school-season campers, leaders, caretakers and adult guests.

8 Includes leaders accompanying campers, Young Life Expeditions participants and other campers.

RWOK Begins 08/09

09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16% Growth

Since Base Year

Annual Average RWOK Growth

International Schools/Ministries 721 829 969 1,171 1,437 1,627 1,896 2,117 194% 17%

International Military3 48 44 46 42 62 54 54 56 17% 4%

Schools/Ministries Total (U.S. & International) 4,490 4,647 5,008 5,468 5,937 6,414 6,936 7,334 63% 7%

Total Young Life Staff on Payroll 3,228 3,136 3,209 3,415 3,477 3,792 4,093 4,205 30% 4%

iStaff 367 387 493 528 585 678 707 93% 12%

U.S. Volunteers 28,351 29,827 31,266 39,245 44,414 48,205 50,998 52,836 86% 10%

Leaders 17,348 18,650 20,125 25,452 28,050 30,197 31,805 32,480 87% 10%

Committee and Ministry Support 11,003 11,177 11,141 13,793 16,364 18,008 19,193 20,356 85% 9%

International Volunteers

(Leaders Only) 4,016 4,567 5,273 6,254 8,425 9,554 10,786 12,215 204% 17%

U.S. Young Life Camping

Senior High Summer Outreach Campers4 37,680 38,842 39,469 40,027 41,163 43,352 45,110 44,032 17% 2%

WyldLife Summer Outreach Campers 12,189 12,679 12,938 12,793 13,723 14,929 15,885 15,687 29% 4%

Summer Guests at Young Life Events5 73,531 75,687 77,872 79,289 81,333 85,835 91,217 91,501 24% 3%

School-Year Guests at Young Life Events6 61,281 58,572 61,837 60,251 63,933 72,847 73,324 73,023 19% 3%

Total School Year Guests7 145,276 140,873 147,605 149,010 149,356 159,007 158,584 155,955 7% 1%

International Young Life Camping

Young Life Campers 22,765 27,963 34,117 45,343 55,327 62,362 75,637 85,735 277% 21%

WyldLife Campers 2,574 1,591 2,016 2,877 2,717 4,797 6,662 4,992 94% 17%

Total International Guests8 40,461 46,777 57,365 76,919 85,143 101,673 113,858 124,324 207% 18%

MINISTRY STATISTICS

2120

$23 millionFundraising

$26 millionManagement

$77 millionCamping

$205 millionMinistry to Kids

8%

62%7%

23%Comment: Our complete audited

financial statements, along with the

Independent Auditors’ Reports, are

available at younglife.org under

About/Financial Integrity.

Not long ago I was handed a dog-eared pencil-and-ruler-drawn chart showing contribution growth in 1962. When Jim Rayburn looked at that year’s donations — almost $840,000 from over 7,300 faithful friends — my guess is he praised God for His lavish provision. What would Jim think if he saw these numbers today? Over 214,000 financial partners contributed millions of dollars so more kids than ever could hear the good news of a God who considers each one of them His beloved. And for the first time in Young Life history, we received over one million individual gifts in a single year! (Thanks to our one millionth donor, Corlea, whose gift served kids in Houston!) Jim would be blown away and humbled. As are we.

Cynthia Koerner, Chief Financial Officer

62% 7%

Land, Building and Equipment $254 million

Cash for Operations $91 million

Pledges, Cash and Investments for Camp $32 million

Insurance and Other Reserves $31 million

Other Assets $2 million

Net Assets $410 million1%8%22%

Expenses $331 million

Salaries and Benefits $188 million

Club and Camping Activities $63 million

Property Expenses $39 million

Travel, Training and Professional Services $26 million

Events and Other $15 million

4%8%12%19%57%

Revenue $356 million

Donations to Local Ministry $239 million

Camp Fees $79 million

Donations to Future Camps $29 million

Investment Gains $6 million

Other $3 million

67% 1%2%22% 8%

FINANCIALS

Of each dollar spent by Young Life, 85 cents directly supports ministry with kids, either in the field or at camp.

85CENTS

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2016-2017 BOARD OF TRUSTEESJohn Brandon — CHAIR Retired Vice President of International Apple Inc. Atherton, CA

Nanette Ballbach Retired Counselor and Outside Sales Rep Bryn Mawr, PA

Sue Beré Retired Family Therapist Neenah, WI

Malcolm “Mac” Briggs Chairman and CEO Andesa Strategies Inc. Bethlehem, PA

Jerry Colangelo Chairman USA Basketball Phoenix, AZ

Newt Crenshaw President Young Life Colorado Springs, CO

Jody Dreyer Former SVP Marketing The Walt Disney Company Hilton Head, SC

Doug Eaton President and CEO Vantage Mobility International Paradise Valley, AZ

Brooks Entwistle Partner and CEO The Everstone Group Singapore

Berto Guerra Chairman and CEO Avanzar Interior Technologies San Antonio, TX

Bill Haslam Governor State of Tennessee Nashville, TN

Bruce Hosford Hosford Investments Seattle, WA

John Hummel President AIS Capital Management, L.P. New Canaan, CT

Susan Hutchison Chairman WA State Republican Party Seattle, WA

Regg Jones Founder and Managing Partner Greenbriar Equity Group LLC Old Greenwich, CT

Moyo Kamgaing Group Head of Investment Bank Ecobank Capital Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria

Clyde Lear Retired Chairman and CEO Learfield Communications, Inc. Lohman, MO

Kevin McVaney Physician Emergency Medicine Littleton, CO

Curtis McWilliams Retired President and CEO CNL Real Estate Advisors, Inc. Winter Park, FL

Susan Peterson Owner Cabell’s Designs Peachtree Corners, GA

Boone Powell Jr. Retired President Baylor Healthcare System Dallas, TX

Chris Roberts President Cargill Foodservice North America Proteins Minnetonka, MN

Mark Rodriguez Owner The Growers Company, Inc. and R & S Mexican Food Products Inc. Yuma, AZ

Robert B. Rowling Chairman and CEO of TRT Holdings Chairman of Omni Hotels Dallas, TX

Michael Stain SVP Regional Manager Citizens Business Bank Clovis, CA

Thomas L. Thomas Retired CEO CSI Division Thomas-Reuters Tax and Accounting Group Ann Arbor, MI

Phyllis Washington Chairman Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation Indian Wells, CA

Mark Zoradi CEO Cinemark — Dallas, TX Burbank, CA

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