The roots of Young Disciple magazine go
back to California in 1990. At that time, Janet Evert, an SDA mother and junior-teen leader, realized her students
were ready for serious Bible study and began putting
together her own studies and collections of stories for her
students. The magazine began to be
professionally produced in 1992. There was an enthusiastic
response from all over the world, from young people,
parents, and youth leaders who had been looking for such
material. Since then, Young Disciple magazine has received
subscriptions from individuals and Sabbath Schools around
the world. Currently it is being used in many SDA churches.
There has been much positive and enthusiastic response at
all levels of church leadership—as well as by the young
people themselves.
The Young Disciple Youth Bible Camp
program has been operating since 1993. The one-week camps
emphasize developing and maintaining a personal devotional
life, and include Bible memorization, training in outreach
skills, wholesome recreational choices, and fellowship with
young people who are serious about their walk with the Lord.
In 2001 we extended the camp program to a yearly mission
trip to the Philippines, where YD campers conduct an
evangelistic
crusade.
Other aspects of Young Disciple
Ministries include Bible memory aids, production of CDs and
videos for young people, and a popular youth-based web site.
Young Disciple Ministries is a member of
ASI, and has an excellent working relationship with the
local church and conference. Its materials, including Young
Disciple magazine, are carried by several Adventist Book
Centers. Staff members have appeared on “3ABN Presents,” and
later returned to 3ABN to tape eight programs in the
“Teen Pathways” series. Young Disciple Ministries has its
own nonprofit [501(c)(3)] status.
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“Though I was raised a Christian, I
found that something was missing in my life. It was empty of
something, but I didn’t know what! I started to get Young
Disciple magazine, that really inspired me. And by and by I
started to be drawn closer to God and love Him more and
more. I wanted to obey Him, and also I was more happy and
felt better about myself. Now I am so happy and I am doing
as many things as I can for the Lord. Though my life is not
perfect, the Lord is still working in my life to do what He
says!” Girl, age 11, California
“I’ve been raised in a Christian home.
However, I seemed to always be doing the wrong things and
getting myself in trouble. I was very unhappy this way.
Since I started reading Young Disciple magazine, I
came to know more about God, and found that they drew me
closer to Him. I learned to love Him much more than I did
before. Now I feel more comfortable with my life, and find
that I am not always in trouble anymore. I'm much happier.
What a difference coming to love God has made in my life!”
Boy, age 14, California
“Over the past year I have been going
through some struggles. I had gotten to the point where I
didn’t want to hear anything religious. I was constantly
fighting with myself , my mom, dad, and brothers. I was
always depressed and snappish. And my carload of crummy
‘friends’ didn’t help at all. Yet through this, I continued
to read Young Disciple magazine. Sometimes at night,
after I had reread several issues, I would cry myself to
sleep because I saw in the testimonies of the readers a
peace and joy. Something there was real to them. It was
something I didn’t have and I wanted it desperately. Your
magazine was like a light in my dark world. Still, I
continued to resist. I didn’t want to yield myself to the
Holy Spirit. But eventually He won (praise God!). I realized
that I was fighting for nothing. I finally saw that I could
have the peace and satisfaction that so many YD readers had.
The Lord was working on me through you. I have recently been
baptized and I can truly say that it was largely a result of
your hard work in the YD office. I hope and pray that my
testimony will encourage you to continue onward and upward.
You are doing a great work! God bless you!” Girl, age 14,
Alaska
“I just wanted to say thank-you for
faithfully keeping up with this publication! It truly is a
blessing, and the message gets sent world-wide—literally! My
fiancé is in the Army and is deployed in Hungary right now,
so I save up my copies and send him them at the end of every
month. He really enjoys them, and I know he is sharing them
with his sergeants and other acquaintances over there also.
He was a Roman Catholic, but has come a long way, and is now
arguing the Sabbath with his sergeant. After showing him
Bible passages for half an hour, my fiancé convinced the
sergeant that Saturday is the day! Praise God! Please
remember us in your prayers, and may God bless you always!”
Young woman, New York
“I am thankful to God that there is a
magazine like YD that reaches so many young people’s hearts.
There are young people who are searching and who—I’m sure—YD
has reached. I know it has with me and some of my friends.
It’s an incredible encouragement to know there are other
young people out there who share the same goal in life—Get
the message of salvation to a dying world!” Girl, age 17,
Kentucky
“I don’t know how to thank you enough
for your Young Disciple magazine. It has been such a
blessing to our children and to our young people in our
church. We started getting it several years ago. I want more
than anything else for my children to love the Lord and be
raised for Him. We have home schooled them all their lives
and when the need arose for a church magazine for them that
would be much like the Youth’s Instructor, the Lord answered
our prayers through your magazine, Young Disciple.
Thank you so much. It has meant so much to us! God bless you
as you continue to lead others to the Lord through your
wonderful articles.” Mother, Idaho
“We received the packet of Young
Disciple magazines, and we just want to shout, ‘Praise the
Lord!’ My children, and even my wife and I, love to read YD.
We appreciate your conservative stance and the wonderful
character-building stories. Living in a foreign country has
its share of trials and adjustments. Having YD to read
during those lonely times brings comfort and a little bit of
heaven to us. Thank you so much for your ministry.” SDA
mission family, Mali, West Africa
“Blessings upon you! My son has just
joined the junior Sabbath School and faithfully studies and
is challenged by your lessons and publication every week. He
just purchased a Strong’s Concordance with his own money so
he wouldn’t have to borrow Daddy’s so much. Bless you!
Thanks again for your ministry to our young people.” Mother,
Washington
“We really enjoy reading YD magazine and
have been uplifted so far as spiritual life is concerned. We
also gave the magazine to other students and they also
enjoyed them. In fact, most of them have received the
message and are now making a decision. We request you to
remember them in your prayers that the Lord may help them to
make a good decision to worship Him in truth and purity. We
pray that we can meet with you in Heaven to rejoice
forever.” Three girls, Kenya
“I want to thank you so much for your
magazine. The lessons and stories are just what I need. We
use YD in SS Class and everyone likes it. Thank again.”
Girl, age 12, Washington
“I would like to thank you and all the
YD staff a million times for what you are doing in my life
and surely the lives of thousands of other young disciples.
If Jesus doesn't come by then, I plan to continue to support
and also study YD magazine when I'm OLDER. :) I think
they're great!!!” Boy, age 16, Virginia
“I want to thank you and your wonderful
ministry. God has just been working mightily through YD
magazine and has helped me make my decision to be
baptized last Sabbath. I want to let you know that I will
always support Young Disciple and that I'm looking so much
forward to going to Camp this summer! May God bless!!” Boy,
age 16, Oregon
“I teach the youth class at Sabbath
School and appreciate the Young Disciple lesson
studies. They are Bible-based, in-depth, yet at a level they
can comprehend. Thank you.” SS Teacher, Indiana
“I'm a 15 year old girl who, like my
older sister and younger brother, are so overjoyed to read
Young Disciple magazine. I could almost spend hours reading
it! I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate
the Bible lessons. I do them for my devotions every day.
They are a real blessing for home and for our Sabbath School
class.” Girl, age 15, Tennessee
“I am really enjoying this new quarter
of Young Disciple! The studies have been real good. This
year my resolution is to spend more time in the morning in
communion with the Lord, digging deeper into reading and
studying God's Words, and to memorize at least one verse a
day. Thank you for all the hard work you put into helping
other youth by your publishing ministry. It is a blessing to
me.” Girl, age 16, West Virginia
“We ordered the CD, ‘Here I Am,’ several
months ago. Our whole family loves it! It is a beautiful CD
that truly lifts our souls heavenward. We had already
purchased ‘His Song In My Heart,’ along with the music book.
All of us are diligently memorizing the songs, one by one.
We make it part of our family worship each day. What a
blessing it is for each of us! Our daughter wanted me to
tell you that she is memorizing Ephesians 6 as part of our
family worship.” Mother, Oregon
“I love your magazines and the stories.
They're messages to today's youth! I think you guys are
great. I just think your ministry is awesome. Keep up the
good work, you guys. God bless your ministry to all the
world!” Boy, age 16, North Dakota
“Even though I am almost 40, I
thoroughly enjoy the study in the magazine and my 12 year
old is using the stories for now. He has also begun to use
our Strong’s Concordance for the first time! I saw him doing
so the other day, even when it wasn't ‘Bible time.’ My heart
was very encouraged. I know he picked it up from your
magazine, and I am so thankful. He is constantly telling me
about the stories he reads in there. Thank you for such a
great work and for giving such a beautiful example of a life
led by Christ. I am always blessed by the comments made by
the youth! I didn't realize there were young people so
serious about following Jesus. Please continue to be a
beacon in the night!” Mother, California
“I have been enjoying your magazine. It
has been giving me more help than you can imagine. They have
been opening the truth of the gospel much more. Your
magazine has truly blessed me with the knowledge of the
Lord.” Mother, Nebraska
“I'd been looking for magazine to use in
ministering to young people. A girl next door received Young
Disciple, and when I saw it, I said, ‘This is it! God has
answered my prayers.’ I've received loads of good response
from the young people I’ve been sending YD to. I want to
send YD to many more young people in needy countries. A
year’s subscription is so cheap. Even a dress costs more,
but what comparison is a dress with a young person saved for
eternity? This is something I love, and truly God’s
blessings come back to us!” Girl, Georgia
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