In a short time span we can invest in people and watch God work. But only over the longer haul do we see how that investment has significant influence. This "long haul" story will inspire you about that influence.

 

Randy Leading in Siberia

From Randy Riggins...

 

Randy Riggins has applied Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry in four churches.  He has a deep and wide influence because he seriously invests in people.

 

Randy & Barry -- Friends

Randy and I enjoy doing ministry together, and he is superb at it. In the last year we have led his  RockPointe Church Family Camp, traveled to Siberia to coach Reach Out's Siberia team and speak at a Youth Leadership Conference, and ministered together in Cuba to Reach Out's Eagle Leaders and at a Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry Conference. Randy serves on our Texas Team to develop and execute our Texas strategy. In any context Randy reads the situation and speaks into it with biblical insight, a personal touch and practical reality. I have confidence in Randy in any situation!

 

To Johnny Derouen...      

Johnny & Randy

 

Step back in time to Randy Riggins' teenage and early youth ministry days when Johnny Derouen,his youth pastor, took Randy under his wing. Johnny played a significant role in Randy's life and ministry.  He laid a solid foundation for Randy's future ministry by teaching him how to implement JFYM.  But more, Johnny served as his coach, mentor and friend, especially during the tragic death of Randy's first wife. Years later they remain close friends.

 

Dr. Derouen

Now, because of Randy, Johnny and I have become good friends. He teaches youth ministry at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas where he built his class on the JFYM philosophy and strategy.  Together Johnny, Randy and I are envisioning how to move students beyond classroom instruction into practical ministry application by placing them in local JFYM churches.  This will have global influence because Johnny teaches students from all over the world. 

Val & Janette - Forever Friends

 

 

To Val Robinson...

 

Now step further back in time... One of the great privileges of my life has been to know Val and Janette Robinson. Since 1972 Val and Janette have prayed for my family, Reach Out and me.  As youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Lake Charles, Louisiana from 1975-1978, Val and Janette helped me develop JFYM, and served as "guinea pigs" to try it in their church. 

 

Val with Johnny's Youth Group

One of the teenagers in their youth group was Johnny Derouen! Under Val and Janette, Johnny got into a discipleship group and later helped lead the ministry, where he learned and implemented JFYM.  With JFYM in his DNA Johnny has used it as a youth pastor and as a professor at Southwestern, where Randy Riggins learned and implemented the same! 

 

 

 

Amazingly from 1972 until now... from Val to Johnny to Randy, I have had the privilege of engaging with these leaders and watching their "impossible to measure" influence. The return on the investment that we have made in each other, and that they have made in countless others, will only be known in eternity.

 

To You and Your Role...   

 

Investing in Christ-centered relationships with people leads to impossible-to-measure influence for both now and eternity. And your investment in Reach Out allows us to pursue this relational ministry in 30 countries around the world. The funds you invest produce fruit in people over time. The "return on investment" for the long haul could not be higher!