Josiah started going to Campus Life his freshman year. Maybe he heard about it on the announcements or from his Youth Pastor; he wasn’t sure, but he gave it a try and liked the pizza, the message, and meeting other Christians. “It was a place where I was welcome, and I felt like I was spiritually fed,” he shared.
He quickly joined student leadership, speaking, leading games, and carrying the responsibility and commitment for sharing Jesus with other students. “We’re looking to shine the light of Jesus on campus. We’re giving people who may not have friends, or feel welcome, a place to meet new people and learn about Christ.”
This is Josiah’s second full year with Campus Life and now the club has grown to over 100 kids! “I’m seeing new people; so many people I don’t recognize from church coming to check it out,” he said. 
This year YFC set Josiah up to lead prayer at United Worship and Prayer with over 1,000 other kids and to pray at the Fresno/Clovis Prayer Breakfast. “These other opportunities have been pretty cool. God is giving me a lot of experience before I hopefully go into a career in ministry. I’m learning how to do that and gain confidence.” Campus Life forms and encourages future ministry leaders.
This is a critical time for this generation. They are highly anxious, very lonely, and even suicidal. In the midst of this darkness, kids like Josiah shine very brightly. “What this generation needs,” he confided, “is spiritual guidance and encouragement on how to be bold in our faith. Adults have that wisdom and experience to pour into us. We need that.”
Each week YFC mentors are doing just that – training, encouraging, teaching, showing, and displaying a walk with Jesus. Each week they’re encouraging lost kids to check out church for the first time alongside student leaders like Josiah. In Josiah’s ministry corner are two key leaders, his youth pastor from CrossCity Church, and another youth pastor from Bethany Church. These guys, and these churches, are working together alongside YFC for kids to meet Jesus through Campus Life. This display of unity particularly spoke to Josiah as he saw both youth pastors encouraging kids to check out the other’s group.
As important as Christian adults are in the life of a kid, and they are extremely important, so is the impact and influence of a Christian peer. In fact, social acceptance and close friendships in the life of a teen are predictors of future well-being in relationships, jobs, and society. So many teens become Christian through the influence of a peer. Kids like Josiah are critical to reaching the lost effectively.
Right now, there are over 50 student leaders in Campus Life. These are future interns, volunteers, staff, and partners. Wherever God takes them they’ll be shining for Jesus and his sharing his saving gospel. But there is no need to wait; these kids are all about the mission, right now. 
What can you do to encourage and equip a student leader near you? Well, Josiah is asking adults with wisdom and experience to pour into them. That’s you! Take a kid out, listen to what they’re doing, encourage them to take risks and be bold, even offer to show up alongside them to support what they’re doing. Someone famous once said, “What gets recognized gets repeated; what gets celebrated becomes a habit.”
In raising up the next generation of leaders we can learn from Paul’s mentorship of Timothy. He commissioned him, empowered him, encouraged him, exhorted him, and commended him to others. If you can Identify the Josiah near you and put your arm around them, you can be just like Paul. Point out how you see God working in them and that you’re in their corner. After all, they may just be your next pastor.
Together for Every Kid,
Jameson | Executive Director