“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NKJV
As a member of the seventh grade boys glee club, when the curtains went up I had serious stage fright as we began to sing “Stout Hearted Men”:
“Give me some men who are stout-hearted men, Who will fight, for the right they adore, Start me with ten who are stout-hearted men, And I’ll soon give you ten thousand more.” (By Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II).
Within a couple of years, God sent dynamic pastor Charlie Pedersen to our home church. Pastor Pedersen and his wife Mary meshed with my Dad and Mother.
“Hearts can inspire other hearts with their fire; for the strong obey when a strong man shows them the way,” “Stout Hearted Men” continues.
Charlie Pedersen and his wife Mary invited my Mother to attend Moody Founders week in Chicago, February 1948, bringing back my first copy of Youth for Christ Magazine.
Meanwhile, Pastor Charlie Pedersen and my Dad met to pray and layout plans for bringing Youth for Christ to Mount Carmel. Other pastors willing to cooperate chose two teenagers from each congregation to serve on the YFC committee. I was chosen as one to represent Grace Memorial; Mary Greer was asked by her Dad, Pastor J.C. Greer, to represent First Baptist. Our first rally was December 4, 1948.
Fast forward: October 1960, I became advertising and circulation director of Youth for Christ Magazine. Working with Dave Breese, director of Chicagoland Youth for Christ, we put together “Splendor of Sacred Song” at Chicago’s Arie Crown Theater at McCormick Place, filling all 5,000 seats.
Traveling across America, we set up Splendor of Sacred Song concerts in cooperation with Youth for Christ rallies in multiple communities, including Evansville.
For 59 years, TTT Christian Youth Ministries continues the mission: Telling The TRUTH to/through teenagers … to win them to Christ and train them for Christ … teaching them how to share their faith through their local churches, on their campuses, throughout their communities, and into their world, wherever God leads them in their future. Only God knows the ultimate results.
“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 NKJV
Beginning Good Friday 1970 with the first Faith Festival at Evansville’s Roberts Stadium, year after year leaders and students from churches cooperating in youth evangelism with TTT have criss-crossed the tri-state sharing God‘s glorious Gospel.
Over 50 were trained at TTT in peer evangelism in preparation for the October 29, 2000 event with Carman at Roberts Stadium. A crowd of 13,000 filled the stadium to capacity.
Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote in “Stout Hearted Men”: “Give me some men who are stout hearted men, who will fight for the right they adore. Start me with ten who are stout hearted men, and I’ll soon give you 10,000 more!”
Summer after summer, TTT teams have taken Fair Share to Tri-state county fairs and street festivals.
There are open doors in at least 13 Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky counties for Fair Share to happen this summer. Leading Youth evangelism training is available every second Saturday: April 12, May 10, and June 14. Scholarships are available for students and adults, covering the cost of materials, evening meal, and more. The deadline to receive these free scholarships is 5 PM the preceding Thursday.
Adult youth leaders and students trained to share one-on one “God’s ABC’s of salvation,” invite others to respond and personally “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
“Then he said to me, ‘Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.’” Daniel 10:12 NKJV
The men and women on the TTT team serve the Lord together to reach 10-19 year-olds: leading youth to Christ and for Christ. Connections continue, using every means and media to keep evangelizing youth, sharing God’s greatest gift. The consistent vision: Every youth, before turning 20, to hear the Gospel with an invitation to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”