A Protestant/Evangelical Youth Ministry is a Christian Ministry intended to instruct and disciple youths in what it means to be a Christian, how to mature as a Christian, and how to encourage others to claim Jesus as their Saviour through Evangelism and apologetics. This is accomplished through teaching, relationship building and/or mentoring. Youth ministries may vary widely depending on their denomination, size, liberal or conservative outlook and geographic location. The ministries themselves are almost always built on relationships between the youth minister and the student and their shared perception of their relationship to God. Youth have become an integral part of nearly every church’s ministry programming, and youth ministries continue to have a profound impact on the societies in which they exist.
A summer camp or sleepaway camp is a supervised program for children conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camps are known as campers. Summer school is usually a part of the academic curriculum for a student to make up work not accomplished during the academic year.
Young Judaea is a peer-led Zionist youth movement that runs programs throughout the United States for Jewish youth in grades 2–12. In Hebrew, Young Judaea is called Yehuda Hatzair or is sometimes referred to as Hashachar (השחר), lit. "the dawn". Founded in 1909, it is the oldest Zionist youth movement in the United States.
Assemblies of God youth organizations include two youth organizations operating under the auspices of the Assemblies of God, the Royal Rangers and the Mpact Girls Clubs.
Life Teen is a Catholic youth ministry organization in the United States.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is an international non-profit Christian sports ministry founded in 1954 and based in Kansas City, Missouri. It has staff offices located throughout the United States and abroad.
Great Commission Churches (GCC) is a fellowship of independent evangelical Christian churches. The Great Commission church movement began in the United States in 1970. Other associated organizations include Great Commission Ministries (GCM), Great Commission Latin America (GCLA), and Great Commission Europe (GCE). The movement has grown in size and scope through its focus on church planting in the United States and abroad. GCC is a member of the National Association of Evangelicals, and one or more organizations within the movement has continuously been a part of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability since 1992.
Kesem is a national 501(c)(3) organization that supports children who are affected by a parent's cancer. It provides year-round programs and services to support these children, ages 6–18, at no cost to families. It has a presence at more than 130 college and university chapters in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Kesem is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
Super Summer is a youth evangelism and leadership camp associated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas for youth graduating from 7th grade to 12th grade.
FUGE Camps is a series of Christian summer camps for children, youth, and young adults centered on Bible study, worship, mission work, and recreational activities organized by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. FUGE Camps is the world's largest summer camp, as well as the world's largest Christian camp. FUGE Camps offers four different styles of camp, where churches can choose to attend either Centrifuge or Mission Fuge. At "combo" locations, churches can choose to do a mixture of these, if they desire, to meet their student's needs. A Student Leader Apprentice program is also offered for students entering or leaving their senior year of high school. College students and adults may apply to work as a staffer when they turn 19 years of age, and have been out of high school for at least one year.
Youth ministry, also commonly referred to as youth group, is an age-specific religious ministry of faith groups or other religious organizations, usually from ages 12 to 30, whose mission is to involve and engage with young people who attend their places of worship, or who live in their community. Christian youth ministry usually encompasses one or more of the following:
WinShape Foundation is an American charitable organization founded in 1984 by Truett Cathy, founder of fast-food restaurant chain Chick-fil-A, and his wife Jeanette Cathy. WinShape's sister foundation, Lifeshape, was started by the Cathys' daughter and her husband, Trudy and John White.
Camp Tel Yehudah is the official national teen leadership camp of Young Judaea, a Zionist youth movement in North America. It is located in Barryville, New York and provides immersive, summer experiences for Jewish teenagers from ages 13–17. It is located on the banks of the Delaware River.
Teens for Christ (TFC) is a non-profit organization whose aim is that of "turning teenagers into fully committed followers of Jesus Christ". To reach young people, Teens for Christ hosts weekly meetings during the school year in various locations throughout local communities.
Douglas Evans Coe was an American evangelist who served as the associate director of the Fellowship Foundation, a religious and political organization known for hosting the annual National Prayer Breakfast. Coe has been referred to as the "stealth Billy Graham". In 2005, Coe was named one of the 25 most-influential evangelicals in the United States by Time. Coe was an ordained ruling elder and lay minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Precept is an interdenominational Christian evangelical organization based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, US.
The Calvinist Cadet Corps (CCC) is a non-denominational, non-profit Reformed Christian organization that equips men to mentor boys. The ministry establishes clubs primarily in churches. Clubs meet weekly or biweekly and participate in Bible study, crafts, projects, games, and merit badge achievement programs that explore a boy’s specific interest areas. Outside of the club meetings the members participate in church and community service projects, camping, and other outdoor adventure opportunities. The organization also sponsors a triennial international camporee which is a week-long wilderness camping experience. The event typically draws more than 1200 men and boys.
Jesus Youth(JY) is an International Catholic Movement, approved by the Holy See.
ThereforeGo Ministries is a Christian youth ministry for short-term mission trips in the United States and Canada that was formed in September 1919. The organization is a non-denominational ministry that has its roots in the Christian Reformed Church in North America, but partners with other Christian denominations. ThereforeGo is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission (SOE). It is one of two youth ministries under the Dynamic Youth Ministries umbrella organization, with the Calvinist Cadet Corps.
Youth organizations in the United States are of many different types. The largest is the government run 4-H program, followed by the federally chartered but private Scouting movement groups: the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). Another somewhat smaller but co-ed Scouting derived group is Camp Fire. Other youth groups are religious youth ministries such as the evangelical Christian Awana, Seventh-day Adventist Pathfinders, and Assemblies of God Royal Rangers.
