Youth For Christ was founded in 1944 by Dr. Torrey Johnson and a group of young leaders including a young evangelist, Billy Graham, concerned about youth who were not active in the Church. The organization grew and chapters began popping up all over the country.
In 1955, Rev. Jerry Major Jr. started working with the Greater Scranton chapter and was the director for 18 years. The chapter then closed in 1973.
In 1994, Jerry ‘Maj’ Major, III restarted the chapter. As a volunteer, Maj’s goal was to reach students in northeast PA once again. The chapter started in Scranton, yet seeing the great need to share the love of Jesus with students beyond Scranton, the chapter was named Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Youth For Christ. Jerry Major III has now served as our Executive Director for over 28 years.
In 2004, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Youth For Christ fulfilled a mission that was 10 years in the making. New staff were brought on to broaden the ministry into Wilkes-Barre, PA. Through the years, the ministry team has changed as volunteers, interns, full-time and part-time staff poured energy into the lives of students. We even have a number of former students who have joined the staff of YFC because of those efforts.
On April 16th, 2010 the ministries of the Montrose Youth For Christ combined with the ministry of Scranton/Wilkes Barre Youth For Christ to form Northeast Pennsylvania Youth for Christ.
In 2014, the ministries of Pocono/Slate Belt YFC were also grafted into NEPA YFC.
As of now, NEPA YFC has 5 people on staff and 3 key ministry site leader volunteers. Our ministry covers from Susquehanna County, all the way down to Wilkes-Barre and even into the Poconos.
We currently serve pregnant and parenting teens through Parent Life. We reach high school students through Campus Life and City Life. We often take students on short-term service trips through Project Serve to Ghana, West Africa.
We’re blessed to have seen God grow this ministry over the years and we can’t wait to see what God is going to do next through NEPA YFC.