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about Us

What would you do if you learned the family living one street over from you, practically in your backyard, put their children to bed hungry every night?

  Did you know that the effects of poverty reach far beyond the checking account and that those in poverty often suffer from depression, uncontrollable anger, low or no self-worth, feelings of being forgotten or unimportant, and an overwhelming sense that nothing can ever truly change their circumstances?

 

At Young America Ministries, our mission is to stop the cycle of poverty in children and families by sharing the love of Jesus in practical ways. Our vision is to see communities where children and families thrive through a personal relationship with Christ and fellowship within the local church.

  Deuteronomy 6 says that we are to train our children to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. That begins by showing them they are loved by Him!

 

The cycle of poverty, crime and abuse is a cycle that requires more than just "Get a job" statements. It requires complete healing and freedom that can only be found in the One who came to set the captives free, to bind up their wounds, and restore their homes.

Who we are

In 2004, Young America Ministries began ministering to children in Northwest Georgia who were living in poverty. Over the years, God has expanded our outreach to include discipleship programs for teens and adults as well. We are committed to sharing the hope and love of Jesus, who brings forever heart and life change, to the families we encounter. For over 12 years, Young America Ministries has been consistently sharing the love of Jesus with families living in poverty - by building positive relationships, holding weekly Bible clubs, Bible studies and teen nights. We work with youth living in trailer parks, hotels, apartment complexes and inner-city projects. We are committed to stopping the cycle of poverty, crime, abuse and neglect in the lives of children living in our "own backyards."

a glance into our daily programs
Young America Ministries
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what we do

Kid's Bible Club -Monday 5-7PM

Kid’s Bible Club for ages 3-11 meets each Monday from 5-7:00pm. Our attendance has risen in the last two years from forty to sixty children weekly, due to on-going relationships and our commitment to following the children when they relocate, as they are very transient. During the first hour, we provide a safe environment for kids to play inside (crafts, video games, board games, coloring) or outside (playground, basketball court, other field games). During the second hour, we have a special upbeat worship time and a Bible lesson followed by small group question/answer times. We are currently using the Gospel Project Curriculum. We provide a full meal before sending the children home with snack-packs to get them through the week. Volunteers to provide a meal for sixty children each week are needed.

Teen Night Bible Study -Tuesday 6-8PM

Teen Night Bible Study for ages 12-19 meets each Tuesday from 6-8:00PM. Teen Night has always been our largest group, but it has grown from an average of 45 in two years to 65+. For the first hour each week some of our teens hang out inside playing video games and visiting with friends, while outside there are typically a few intense basketball games going on. During the second hour they are served a full meal and then enjoy an upbeat time of worship and learning from God's word. 

     Our teens are growing spiritually, building healthy relationships, and learning how to serve others. We provide various opportunities throughout the year for our teens to participate in service projects in their local community and leadership development camps with mission projects in surrounding states. 

     We provide one-on-one school tutoring, job interview etiquette, and basic life skills as needed. We are in need of volunteers to provide a meal for over 65 hungry teens each week.

Teen Life Groups -Thursday 6-7:30PM

Teen Guys: 20+ teen males age 12-19 meet every other week on Thursday evenings 

6-7:30PM. Our focus is on deeper discipleship, which we foster best through the small group setting. We spend many of our evenings doing service projects, whether that be maintenance at our community center or moving single moms in to a new home; we are building a community of young, godly men going in a positive direction.

Teen Girls: 20+ teen females age 12-19 meet every other week, opposite the guy’s group. Our focus this year has been on spiritual growth, purity, relationships, and identity in Christ. We spend the first part of our night in Bible study, then we get a meal or ice cream to celebrate just simply being in our community of friends.

     We have doubled our attendance in both groups over the last year. Our needs for each group are additional volunteers of each gender to help provide more one-on-one discipleship time for their specific group.

Adult Discovery Classes -Weekly

Ladies Discovery Group is one of our smaller and more intimate groups. We meet each Monday from 12-1:30PM. We began a new study on Monday, January 22nd and are studying "Biblically Sound," by Donna Gains. This is a study through the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. We will focus on God's Word, the history of our faith, learning Godly discernment and understanding, and letting Him do what He is so good at - heart work.

Men's Discovery Group meets once a week at various times depending on job schedules. 

We gather as a group men, looking towards scripture  to learn how it applies to being a man, walking through this world as husband, and becoming leaders in our homes and community. We acknowledge the attacks on faith and family and strive to dig into the Word in a way that combats them daily. 

Our group verse is: 1st Corinthians 6:13 "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."

Monthly Ministries

We strive to have at least one big event each month that brings our neighborhood together. Along with our partners, we have hosted mattress giveaways, block parties, an annual trunk or treat, coat drive, passing out 450 Christmas lunches, and many others. We use this time to get to know the neighborhoods we serve on a more personal level. While what we do inside the walls of our community center is very important, it is reaching the families right outside our doors that allows us to be actively sharing Christ with our neighbors and inviting them to be a part of all God is doing at Young America Ministries.

Summer Camps & Leadership Development

The summer camps, youth retreats, and home mission groups reach kids on a deeper level by getting them out of their usual environment and exposing them to Christian volunteers, uplifting bands, speakers, and fun activities. We host various day camps for the children throughout summer and our teens attend a camp in Millington, Tennessee called MERGE, which merges evangelism with missions. We spend a week literally merging our lives with the community of Millington and reaching the people there with the Gospel through our many acts of service. We also receive daily evangelism training and ministry discipleship classes. We have seen the most spiritual growth out of the students who choose to participate in these camps and leadership development opportunities.

     Our two greatest needs for the summer programs are: volunteers willing to take a week dedicated to becoming the hands and feet of Jesus, and funding as these trips and activities cost several thousands of dollars we typically host fundraisers to raise. 

Christmas Ministries

Our annual Christmas party for the children who regularly attend Young America Ministries is always a great celebration. They each receive a fun gift along with other practical gifts to help meet their physical needs, a full meal, a time of worship and learning the Christmas story, and a visit from Santa.

     Our teens travel to a Christmas retreat in Gatlinburg, Tennessee each year where they are exposed to many great Bible teachers and Christian musicians. We use this time to remove them from their normally chaotic environment, and to introduce them to an atmosphere where they can better focus on their relationship with Christ. Young America provides all expenses for this rewarding trip.

    

We need child & teen Christmas Sponsors each year to be able to provide for the needs of our ever-growing community.

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what we Believe

We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.

 

We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.

 

We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.

 

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.

 

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of eternal punishment.

 

We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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