How Christian Youth in Action® Is Changing Lives: Impactful Youth Ministry Activities

July 7th, 2025

The community room was filled with rambunctious kids who treated the indoors almost the same way they treated an outdoor playground. As the 5-Day Club® youth ministry activity progressed, the noise gradually died away as the kids gave the young CYIA® missionaries more and more of their attention. By the time the Bible lesson began, all eyes locked onto Alan, a recent high school graduate who had completed Christian Youth In Action® training, as he began to teach. Like many other Christian youth activities offered through this program, this club provided powerful tools to teach an exciting Bible lesson filled with spiritual truths for kids — one the children eagerly listened to.

At the end of the lesson, Alan invited the kids to accept Jesus as their Savior. Many children responded and went to talk with various leaders about how they could receive Jesus into their hearts. Matt, a young boy who had been known by leaders to be especially rambunctious, went up to talk with Alan and prayed to receive Jesus as his Savior. Overjoyed by his decision, Matt told the local CEF® director, who was overseeing the club, about his salvation commitment and she welcomed him into God’s forever family. His excitement beamed as he went to tell another lady about how he’d accepted Christ, and when he darted away to tell yet another person, the lady quickly got up and walked over to the CEF® director with tears running down her cheeks.

“Do you know what just happened?” she asked.

“Well, yes, ma’am,” the CEF director responded. “Matt just accepted Christ as his Savior.”

“Yes, but do you know who he is? Matt is the leader of the kids in this neighborhood. He has been preparing them for gang membership. Because Matt became a Christian, our neighborhood is going to change.”

This is the impact of Christian Youth In Action®.

Across the United States and around the world, young people, usually teenagers, tell stories like this each year when they join Christian Youth in Action®. Dedicating six weeks of their summer to attend 1-2 weeks of intensive training, they then go out in teams throughout the following 4-5 weeks to lead 5-Day Clubs® for boys and girls. Some join CYIA™ as shy teens who are very worried about embarrassing themselves. But all of them grow in confidence, faith, and leadership skills by the time they leave, to where people would be surprised to know they were ever shy.

After training is complete and it’s time to lead 5-Day Clubs®, while ministry coordinators set up the clubs and teen leaders prepare to help teach, adult volunteers drive teens to club locations. Some teams may teach up to three clubs a day in various locations. At every club, children gather in backyards, neighborhood parks, community centers, and daycare centers to sing, play games, study Bible verses, learn about missions, and hear a Bible lesson. Best of all, they get to learn about Jesus — often leading many to accept Christ as their Savior.

Only God knows how many lives will be impacted through these young missionaries and the children they reach after attending Christian Youth In Action®.

Through Christian Youth In Action®, every child can be used for God’s glory.

Janelle, a local CEF director, wondered if Sarah was ready.

“C’mon, Mrs. Janelle. You know I can do it!” Sarah implored, her eyes wide and earnest. “You know I took the same training everyone else did. I’m ready! Let me talk to these kids about believing in Jesus as Savior!”

Ten-year-old Sarah had been a helper at her mother’s Good News Club®. This past summer she attended Christian Youth In Action® along with her mother, who was on staff, and although Sarah was too young to be called an official CYIA™ missionary, this sweet, young girl kept up with the teens in all her classes. Bold and eagerly putting her all into the lessons, Sarah especially excelled at sharing the Gospel.

After CYIA™ training, one day, Sarah and her mother were with Janelle at a 5-Day Club®. Three girls had raised their hands, indicating that they wanted to talk about what it means to believe in Jesus as Savior. Sarah begged Janelle to be the one to share the Gospel with them.

“Alright, go ahead, Sarah,” Janelle told her, before she stood nearby and watched as Sarah put her Christian Youth In Action® training into practice.

Asking the girls the questions she had learned to determine their readiness to receive Christ, Sarah did exactly as she was trained to do and didn’t need any help. That day, Sarah led two girls to the Lord, and led the third one into assurance of salvation through Jesus.

A few weeks later, Sarah helped in another club — this time at a church-based daycare center with 37 kids in attendance. Each day, after Janelle taught, she let Sarah talk with the children about salvation. That week, the Lord used Sarah to lead 19 children to profess faith in Christ!

What if the children in your community could confidently share the Gospel?

Do you want to inspire children like Alan and Sarah to take action in your community? Maybe you know a high school or college-age student who is ready to grow deeper in their faith, become a bold, effective witness for Christ, and influence children’s lives for eternity.

Help them take action through Christian Youth In Action®! Send them this article, or learn more by visiting cefonline.com/cyia.

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