MYC Graduates

MYC Graduates

Here at the Mission Youth Center, there is a small but consistent and slowly-growing group of boys who are still coming to Club after high school graduation. This is encouraging development in our ministry and is a natural result of our relationship-based work. We pray and hope that we can continue to meet some of the needs of these guys, and that eventually some of our MYC graduates will be working here. On every high school Club night this fall we have had from three to six graduates.

I know that some of the reasons that these boys have continued to be involved with us may be thought by some as negative reasons, such as not going off to college or not having a dad around and so they still need to continue their relationship with the men who work here. Other reasons are simple, such as a chance to see their friends or play some basketball or just for something to do. Our favorite reasons are that they value the relationships and positive role models here. This is one of the reasons why I am so thankful for the staff here at MYC and the long-term commitments they make and examples they set. Whatever the reason, it is an opportunity for ministry and discipleship that we value. So far it has only been the boy graduates who keep coming, and we hope that will change, but we understand that most of our girls are not as attracted by the chance to play in our gym, and some are expected to babysit and to take over other responsibilities around the house for their families once they graduate.

One of the “growing pains” we experience by having kids who are no longer in school had been simply to figure out what these guys could be doing during the time the other Club kids are doing homework. Our solution to this has been to have a special “graduates only” class which hopefully will challenge them to think about serious issues, make wise choices from a Christian worldview, and mature to the next level. I tell them that this is an exciting and critical part of their life because it is when they decide who they really are and what they really believe. I try to challenge them to explore what they believe and why they believe it, versus just going with what they have been taught. I emphasize that you know what you really believe by the choices you make. We are using the True U: Does God Exist? from Focus On the Family, which is sort of a college level version of The Truth Project. This series pits four worldviews against one another to see which one gives the best answers and the best life. I have enjoyed the questions and conversations which have come from watching portions of the videos, but more importantly some of the boys seem to really be thinking and getting into the subject. I hope they can see that real Christianity is the only worldview that gives hope, inner peace, and purpose to our lives.