Dare 2 Share Takes 'REAL' Approach to Reach Millennials

By Lillian Kwon, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Dare 2 Share Ministries is taking a "REAL" approach to next year's GameDay conferences with new partner Group Publishing. Thrusting toward reaching one million Millennials by 2010, the youth ministry plans to make lasting impressions on students through the new partnership.

The five-year effort to train and evangelize one million teens enters a new level with Group's R.E.A.L. (relational, experiential, applicable, learner-based) approach – a more direct, and active experience, as opposed to only spoken communication.

"Dare 2 Share is thrilled to announce our partnership with the premier Christian resourcing organization in the nation, Group Publishing," said Greg Stier, president and founder of Dare 2 Share, in a released statement. "Between Group's excellent youth ministry resources and Dare 2 Share's powerful training tools and student conferences, youth groups across America could be transformed forever!"

According to statistics, only 10 percent of spoken communication is retained and media raises the average retention to 25 percent. Direct experience, however, was shown to have an 80-90 percent retention rate.

As a resource provider for ministries of the local church, Group Publishing caters to children, youth, adults and pastors with "life-changing ideas." Their R.E.A.L. approach will help enhance Dare 2 Share's conference experience "so that students will walk away retaining what they experienced on Saturday as they put their faith into action during the Outreach Experience," according to a news release.

Taking those statistics into account, Dare 2 Share will be incorporating the more interactive principles at its national conferences - GameDay - which is slated to kick off its third round in September.

Dare 2 Share launched a five-year tour series in 2004, reaching tens of thousands of youths in major cities. The organization completed a 10-city Revolution run this past spring and is now gearing up for its next series of conferences which will hit 11 cities.

The new partnership with Group also is also providing Dare 2 Share's network of youth leaders the opportunity to attend Group Magazine Live, a one-day training workshop in over 100 cities across the nation, with thousands of other youth workers.

"We are looking forward to the impact that our combined resources and training will make on churches and youth ministries," commented Group Publishing President Tom Schultz.