Reach-Out Ministry to Host Texas Youth Ministry Forum

Nationwide youth ministry, Reach-Out, will host the first of a series of Jesus Focus Youth Ministry (JFYM) forums in Rockwall, Texas, near Dallas from Aug. 29-31.

According to Brook Sutter, Reach-Out Executive Assistant, the ministry has always been interested in reaching to “local youth ministry workers” seeking answers for issues concerning the field.

Founded in 1977, Georgia-based Reach-Out Youth Solutions has performed similar forums nationwide in states ranging from Colorado to Florida.

Additionally, the ministry has featured JFYM forums in Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, South Africa, Australia, Cuba and Egypt

“We hold mentoring forums for youth [ministry] leaders in order to help them because we feel that the youth is disconnected, and that we must bring them back to,” says Luwanna St. Clair, late-wife of Reach-Out founder Dr. Berry St. Clair.

She explained that in the past years co-working with Berry in youth ministries, she has seen many workers continue “floundering [in] figuring how to reach the kids.”

The ministry’s website stated that the methodology of each forum is to invite local youth ministry workers to talk with “Eagle Leaders” on solving ministry-related issues and problems. The discussion groups at each forum, Luwanna explained, is comprised of no more than five ministry workers per “Eagle Leader.” Some ministry leaders have commented that the forums were indeed helpful.

“Several years ago, two years into youth ministry, facing burnout and ready to quit, I met Barry,” said Bubba Thurman of Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall, Texas. “I learned the value of developing leaders and discipline students.”

“We really take a paradigm shift in training youth leaders. We are not an event-focused ministry, we are relational focused ministry,” St. Clair said.

The Reach-Out ministry was founded by Dr. Barry St. Clair in 1977. Since young adulthood, he has been actively involved with campus ministry forming a Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at his college, playing on the first Athletes in Action team for Campus Crusade for Christ, and founding Super Summer camps and youth leadership training for the North American Mission Board.

In addition, he has co-founded the National Network of Youth Ministries, Youth Ministry Executive Council and Campus Alliance. Dr. St. Clair has authored 20 books. He currently resides in Atlanta, Ga., and has nine children, and seven grandchildren.