New National Director!

(from the YFC website)

On Saturday October 3rd over 500 people gathered in the centre of Birmingham to attend Youth for Christ’s Commissioning event and get a glimpse of what God is doing among young people in Britain today.

Over two exhilarating hours, YFC teams including new touring band, The Sense, showcased the variety of talents they use to connect with young people. Guests heard stories of changed lives, new creative arts initiatives for young people involved in and affected by crime and great work being done by local Youth for Christ Centres nationwide.

New National Director, Neil O’Boyle was among almost 100 people commissioned and YFC’s President, the Most Rev and Rt Hon Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu brought an inspiring message about overcoming from John 17. The Archbishop reminded commissionees that they are the Father’s gift to Christ, have been given power for holy living and can go out together in unity, truth and love to share the good news of Jesus.

At his inaugural public event Neil shared how, as a broken teenage boy, he “walked into the back of a Youth for Christ building and gave my life to Jesus.” After setting up a YFC Centre in Greenwich, Neil went on to work in the Middle East and Asia Pacific and pioneered Youth for Christ ministries in sensitive nations. Now that God has called him back to the UK, Neil maintains that, “If we do the possible, then God will do the impossible.”

As for the future, Neil said “I want to see Youth for Christ go back to being a movement again” and stressed the importance of remaining committed to reaching young people with the gospel of Jesus because “that is what excites me about this ministry.”