"I thought it would be what most good kids would do to get brownie points with Jesus, but it was a spiritual experience that was much more than I expected." That’s 15-year-old Brian Dent’s reflection on the Youth for Jesus program sponsored by Adventist-Laymen’s Services and Industries (ASI). A member of the Ypsilanti (Michigan) Church, Brian joined 25 other young people from across North America in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the five-week youth evangelism program.

ASI is an organization of Seventh-day Adventists in business and ministry whose purpose is to share Christ in their marketplace.

Youth for Jesus was created from a passion to equip young people with tools to share Christ, recognizing that they have unique gifts and influence that can be used effectively in Christian witness.

In its six-year history, Youth for Jesus has trained over 400 young people in the rudiments of public evangelism — visitation, greeting, ushering, providing special music, giving health lectures, working with a children’s program — everything it takes for a successful evangelistic campaign. Several of those youth participated as speakers for youth-led evangelistic series. Hundreds have been baptized as a result of the work of these energetic young people. Probably the most notable outcome is what has happened in their lives. Many share Brian’s testimony about his Youth for Jesus experience. “You’ll never be the same after you do it. Your whole view of life changes and you discover the joy in doing God’s work.”

Brian says it was some of the experiences he had that sparked this change. A church member took special interest in his nephew, traveling one hour each way to bring him to the meetings. It was clear the nephew wasn’t very interested and only attended at his uncle’s request. When Brian and another youth befriended the nephew and explained what they believed, he became more open and receptive. He began asking his uncle to pick him up for church meetings.

Another experience that left a deep impression was the passion for evangelism demonstrated by his peers. One person Brian speaks of is Chelsea Jordan from Minnesota. “It was refreshing to see a young person really on fire for God.”

Looking back, Brian says he had a lot more fun than he expected. “We even got to play basketball,” he said with a grin. But more than fun, making new friends and witnessing over 60 baptisms, Brian’s heart is changed.

“After I got back home, I was playing ball with a friend. As we talked, I led the conversation to spiritual things. He had a lot of questions and I happened to have a Bible study guide that would address some of his questions. Now I look at life through spiritual eyes and see people as a contact for Jesus.”

Brian wants to go on a mission trip to do as Jesus did — community service and evangelism — but he mainly wants to do evangelism. Brian says, “The Gospel is important work and all of us should be involved.” It seems that is the magic formula — hands-on equals changed hearts.

Debbie Young is a Lake Region Conference volunteer correspondent