School’s start heightens anticipation for ministry this year.

USA (MNN)–Hurting young people in the United States is a huge mission field for one organization. As students are now back in school, Young LIfe is reaching out to those in need.

Denny Rydberg is the President of Young Life. Rydberg says today’s generation is hurting. “Today’s kids are more wounded and broken than before. Some of it is coming from disfunctional families, some of it is just the cultural pressure.” Rydberg says all of this is causing young pople to look for answers.
Rydberg says, “But, at the same time there’s the God’s shaped vacuum in everyone’s heart. And, if we can reach out to kids and befriend them, I think kids are still real open to the Gospel. We haven’t found a big “fall-off” in terms to kids responding to Christ when they haven an opportunity to hear the message.”

According to Rydberg this is an important time in a young person’s spiritual life. He says, “More people make a commitment to Christ when they’re in junior high and high school than they do in college and adulthood. He adds, “because of that it gives you a special sense of urgency.”

Rydberg says prayer is needed as they reach out to over one-million students this year. “These are one-million kids we know by name. We consider it a big deal to know kids by name and know a little about them. So, when I’m talking about a million kids, these are a million kids around every state in the Union.”

Rydberg says about a-third of them typically give their hearts to Jesus during the year. Pray that many of them will grow in their faith and will continue participating in Young Life activities.