One of the greatest gifts a Young Life Committee can give to an area is to provide a base of stability from which vital ministry can spring forth.  In most areas, Area Directors come and go every four or five years and it is up to the committee to provide the ongoing stability required to keep Young Life functioning in the community.  In Lee County, where the staff has remained constant for twenty-five plus years, the committee has not had to be the sole source of stability, and has, thus, been robbed of its most basic function.

 

As we look to the future, one important goal is to allow the Young Life Committee to play a larger role in the day to day ministry of Young Life in Lee County.  The following is a reflection on the things an Area Director needs from the Young Life Committee in order to maintain a healthy balance of work and rest and that a committee needs to feel successful.

 

• A combination of personal support, friendship and accountability
• Regular prayer for the ministry and for the staff and leaders
• Help the staff build bridges into the community
• Recruiting new committee members
• Someone who will lead the committee, making sure that regular meetings are scheduled, organized and well run, and that necessary information is communicated between the staff and committee
• Willingness to attend meetings and volunteer for special projects
• Willingness to attend one Committee Workshop every other year
• Willingness to serve for a minimum of two-three years
• Help with fund-raising events
• Willingness to take initiative in calling staff to see how things are going
• Willingness to introduce the Area Director to friends, co-workers, etc. who may be potential supporters of Young Life
• An understanding that Young Life belongs to the community, not to the staff

 

Keeping these things in mind, a committee member can expect to give approximately 5-15 hours per month, depending on the time of year.  They can also expect to reap the rewards of being involved in one of the most exciting and meaningful endeavors of their lives… helping to introduce kids to Jesus Christ.