Young Adult Resource People
1 Timothy 4:12 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young
but set an example for the believers in speech,
in life, in love, in faith and in purity."
Young Adult Resource People
1 Timothy 4:12 As legend has it, YARPs were born in a snowstorm in San Antonio, TX! What'd you say!? Snowstorm in San Antonio, TX! That's right, the infamous snowstorm of 1985. A group of youth, young adults, and adults involved with youth ministry in the Texas-Louisiana Synod of the LCA met at the home of Jean Richards. Their purpose was to do some visioning for youth ministry in the synod. During the evening, a rare snowstorm hit San Antonio, and the group was actually snowed in for the weekend!
Provided with quite a bit of additional time for discussion, the group looked at the plight of young adults in the church. Traditionally, upon graduation from high school, a young person was congratulated, then told to come back to church when he/she married and had a family…
And so the concept of YARPs was created as a way of allowing young adults to use the leadership skills gained during active years of youth ministry, to remain active in and contributing to the church during the young adult years, and to offer a close Christian community which would encourage spiritual growth and growth in leadership abilities, while offering to congregations which needed youth ministry help, talented and committed volunteers.
Today, YARPs and former YARPs hold leadership positions at camps, universities, churches, and youth groups around the country. To see more about YARPs and former YARPs in various other ministries today, click here.