This past year, Younger Generation Church [YG] had the honor of participating in the Ministry Innovations with Young Adults [MIYA] coordinated by Fuller Youth Institute [FYI] in collaboration with the Lily Foundation.

Anthony Fonseca, Valeria Morales, Kenneth Rose, and I represented YG last Spring amidst dozens of local church teams developing a project to be implemented locally for the benefit of young adults ages 23-29.

As part of our project development process, our YG team took a look at what were the sentiments of young adults right now [current narrative] and explored what we would hope and wish young adults might experience at YG [Jesus-centered narrative]. He… — As part of our project development process, our YG team took a look at what were the sentiments of young adults right now [current narrative] and explored what we would hope and wish young adults might experience at YG [Jesus-centered narrative]. Here’s the outline of the contrasting narratives:
**CURRENT NARRATIVE:** *I don’t belong, I feel like an outsider. I feel a bit lost in the midst of the crowd.*
**JESUS-CENTERED NARRATIVE:** I AM ACCEPTED AND EMBRACED
Overtly and repeatedly, Jesus pursues the outsider and claims them as His own (insider). This pursuit and encounter with Jesus transforms all who meet Him. Likewise, young adults today can experience His acceptance and embrace. Their story matters to Jesus.
*• HE CHOOSES ME*
Jesus repeatedly lets me know that I am a beloved child of GOD, chosen by Him.
*• HE KNOWS ME*
Jesus completely knows everything about me and embraces me without hesitation.
*• HE WANTS ME TO BE WITH HIM*
Jesus has made a way for me to spend eternity in a love relationship with Him and His family. Belonging to Jesus need not wait; My eternity with Him can begin now.

#YGSTORIES We named our MIYA project, “Stories of YG,” and set out to implement a variety of facets to help young adults feel a sense of authentic belonging within our church. — **#YGSTORIES**
We named our MIYA project, *“Stories of YG,”* and set out to implement a variety of facets to help young adults feel a sense of authentic belonging within our church.

#YGSTORIES SERMON SERIES We held an extended sermon series that covered each of the three aspects of our MIYA project’s Scriptural basis. To culminate the series, several of our YG leaders and members shared their stories from the pulpit, expressing… — **#YGSTORIES SERMON SERIES**
We held an extended sermon series that covered each of the three aspects of our MIYA project’s Scriptural basis. To culminate the series, several of our YG leaders and members shared their stories from the pulpit, expressing how they found belonging at YG and ultimately in Christ Jesus.

YOUNGER GENERATION MAGAZINE Our young adults launched a multi-media campaign with the goal of using as many platforms as possible to tell the stories of YG. This ambition included the creation of the inaugural edition of Younger Generation Magazine.… — **YOUNGER GENERATION MAGAZINE**
Our young adults launched a multi-media campaign with the goal of using as many platforms as possible to tell the stories of YG. This ambition included the creation of the inaugural edition of *Younger Generation Magazine*. Our young adult teams also sustained a variety of social media campaigns that afforded YGers to share their experiences. Some of those posts are included below.

#YGSTORIES • OPEN ARMS ”Younger Generation Church is a compassionate faith community for everybody—young, older, all people. They welcomed a woman like me with a disability with open arms! I’m so blessed to be a member of this amazing church.” —Gab… — **#YGSTORIES • OPEN ARMS**
”Younger Generation Church is a compassionate faith community for everybody—young, older, all people. They welcomed a woman like me with a disability with open arms! I’m so blessed to be a member of this amazing church.” —Gabrielle
magazine.ygchurch.com

#YGSTORIES • TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNITY "I once only knew Younger Generation Church for its contemporary worship service streamed live on Facebook. I now realize that YG Church is so much more than a service. YG is a transformative community, powered… — **#YGSTORIES • TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNITY**
"I once only knew Younger Generation Church for its contemporary worship service streamed live on Facebook. I now realize that YG Church is so much more than a service. YG is a transformative community, powered by the unconditional grace and love of God. YG gives me the opportunity to share the love of Christ with others through daily interactions." --Tim
magazine.ygchurch.com

#YGSTORIES • REDEFINING LOVE "Growing up, I attended a very conservative church and was baptized at the age of ten. I 'knew' about God and His love, but never truly knew its full extent. I did not learn about the 'real' love and grace of God until … — **#YGSTORIES • REDEFINING LOVE**
"Growing up, I attended a very conservative church and was baptized at the age of ten. I 'knew' about God and His love, but never truly knew its full extent. I did not learn about the 'real' love and grace of God until I was nineteen when His love and grace was presented to me in a new light. Since then, I have been constantly amazed by the depth of God’s love for me and strive to remind others of how much He loves us.
*Younger Generation Church* provides a nurturing environment that allows me to grow spiritually, relationally, and emotionally. I am not the same person I was when I first came to YG. I have learned that there is nothing I can do that will make God love me any less. He will pull me through difficult situations just as He did in the past. The love of God has redefined every part of my life." --Jennifer
magazine.ygchurch.com

#YGSTORIES • CONNECT WITH GOD "Younger Generation Church has given me a place to fit in. I am thankful for the worship atmosphere which lets me worship in the way I do best--serving alongside friends who share my passions. I know that this is a pla… — **#YGSTORIES • CONNECT WITH GOD**
"Younger Generation Church has given me a place to fit in. I am thankful for the worship atmosphere which lets me worship in the way I do best--serving alongside friends who share my passions. I know that this is a place where I can worship in ways I best connect with God without being judged." --Seth
magazine.ygchurch.com

#YGSTORIES • YOU HAVE A HOME "Younger Generation Church is an amazing church that treats you like family--very welcoming and I think that's one of YG's best qualities. They try to get you involved which I think is another great quality, so you feel… — **#YGSTORIES • YOU HAVE A HOME**
"Younger Generation Church is an amazing church that treats you like family--very welcoming and I think that's one of YG's best qualities. They try to get you involved which I think is another great quality, so you feel like you have a home." --Jimmy
magazine.ygchurch.com

#YGSTORIES • CONNECTION WITH GOD “Being part of YG Worship has equipped me to grow as an individual and as a musician. The relationships I make and the encounters I experience every week give me the ability to not only see Jesus, but to also be Jesu… — **#YGSTORIES • CONNECTION WITH GOD**
“Being part of YG Worship has equipped me to grow as an individual and as a musician. The relationships I make and the encounters I experience every week give me the ability to not only see Jesus, but to also be Jesus to those around me.
*For me, worship is all about my connection with God in that moment and through each and every day. Worship should be continual because God’s love for us is neverending.*
*Don’t let the world constrain your gratitude and praise. Reach for the sky. Reach for Jesus. Make worship your lifestyle.”* —Melody
magazine.ygchurch.com

#YGSTORIES • WELCOMED AND LOVED "Many people perceive church as a place where you need to have your act together and act a certain way to be accepted by its members. I don’t want anyone to feel that I have it all together, to think that I always lo… — **#YGSTORIES • WELCOMED AND LOVED**
"Many people perceive church as a place where you need to have your act together and act a certain way to be accepted by its members. I don’t want anyone to feel that I have it all together, to think that I always love my family, friends, and fellow church members as perfectly as God loves me. While I strive to love perfectly, I still fall short. My community at Younger Generation Church has shown me, 'That’s okay, we’re going to try our best, together.'

Loving others as God does, or maybe even learning what that actually means, cannot be done alone or in the dark; it requires a community. It requires a place that welcomes you exactly how you are, at this very moment. If that isn’t where you are, then keep searching. Fortunately, I found that community here. In my early high school years, I found YG to be a place that fostered the love of Jesus and welcomed me to do the same. Today, in my mid-twenties, I find that YG is still that place for me." --Roman
magazine.ygchurch.com

#YGSTORIES VIDEO Our YG media team worked diligently to curate videos that helped our members tell their stories which augmented their testimonies of belonging and welcome shared in person and online. The video above features Gabrielle Harris, a you… — **#YGSTORIES VIDEO**
Our YG media team worked diligently to curate videos that helped our members tell their stories which augmented their testimonies of belonging and welcome shared in person and online. The video above features Gabrielle Harris, a young adult with cerebral palsy who recently joined YG’s media production team.

#YGSTORIES INSTAX PHOTOS In an effort to have members and newcomers pause on their way out of YG worship services, we used Fuji Instax cameras to capture images and names, helping us to connect with folks who otherwise may have slipped by without ou… — **#YGSTORIES INSTAX PHOTOS**
In an effort to have members and newcomers pause on their way out of YG worship services, we used Fuji Instax cameras to capture images and names, helping us to connect with folks who otherwise may have slipped by without our notice.

#YGSTORIES FACES, NAMES, AND SMILES The photos were a great hit and offered invitation to newcomers to pause and meet “the regular YG crowd.” Over the holidays, a fun variation to this MIYA facet was to hang the photo “ornaments” on Christmas trees … — **#YGSTORIES FACES, NAMES, AND SMILES**
The photos were a great hit and offered invitation to newcomers to pause and meet *“the regular YG crowd.”* Over the holidays, a fun variation to this MIYA facet was to hang the photo *“ornaments”* on Christmas trees in our lobby welcoming space.

#YGSTORIES LOBBY [BEFORE] In our newly remodeled church lobby there are “waiting roomish seating” areas that were comfortable for a few but didn’t necessarily lend towards community-building and fostering a sense of belonging. — **#YGSTORIES LOBBY [BEFORE]**
In our newly remodeled church lobby there are “waiting roomish seating” areas that were comfortable for a few but didn’t necessarily lend towards community-building and fostering a sense of belonging.

#YGSTORIES LOBBY WELCOMING SPACE [AFTER] With light transportable backdrops and banners, our YG MIYA team was able to transform a sedentary space into a great gathering point to take photos, to share welcome gift bags with newcomers, and to mingle w… — **#YGSTORIES LOBBY WELCOMING SPACE [AFTER]**
With light transportable backdrops and banners, our YG MIYA team was able to transform a sedentary space into a great gathering point to take photos, to share welcome gift bags with newcomers, and to mingle with our young adults.

#YGSTORIES OPENTABLE Inspired by the MIYA project of the Blackhawk Church in Wisconsin, and with their gracious mentorship, YG adapted their OpenTable concept to afford newcomers an opportunity to share a series of home-based meals with other YGers. — **#YGSTORIES OPENTABLE**
Inspired by the MIYA project of the Blackhawk Church in Wisconsin, and with their gracious mentorship, YG adapted their OpenTable concept to afford newcomers an opportunity to share a series of home-based meals with other YGers.

#YGSTORIES OPENTABLE In a casual, informal home environment, OpenTable afforded dinner guests opportunity to meet each other and sharing about themselves in a relaxed more comfortable setting. — **#YGSTORIES OPENTABLE**
In a casual, informal home environment, OpenTable afforded dinner guests opportunity to meet each other and sharing about themselves in a relaxed more comfortable setting.

#YGSTORIES OPENTABLE At a recent church board, we presented what we had started to experience with OpenTable and to our delight several board members excitedly offered to host it in their home once YG was ready to expand the number of host homes. — **#YGSTORIES OPENTABLE**
At a recent church board, we presented what we had started to experience with OpenTable and to our delight several board members excitedly offered to host it in their home once YG was ready to expand the number of host homes.

#YGSTORIES • CARLOS MORENO
Carlos is just one many stories of belonging sparked by a sense of acceptance and embrace. MIYA has helped us expand our family and help them truly feel like they belong. We are excited for the things we’ve learned and applied through MIYA and have high hopes to continue to innovate and impact.

THANK YOU. It was a delight, but also a lot of hard work, to be involved with the Ministry Innovations with Young Adults project. We are determined to continue to foster a culture of belonging that resonates with young adults. We’re reminded that Je… — **THANK YOU.**
It was a delight, but also a lot of hard work, to be involved with the *Ministry Innovations with Young Adults* project. We are determined to continue to foster a culture of belonging that resonates with young adults. We’re reminded that Jesus was emphatic in conveying to outsiders that they belong to Him. So if they belong to Him, they belong with us.

On behalf of Younger Generation Church, thank you for the honor of taking part in MIYA.

MIYA POST-PROJECT ASSESSMENT In order to help FYI evaluate the outcomes of MIYA, we are asking your help in completing a 10-12 minute online survey. When you go to the online assessment, this is the information to submit at the beginning of the surv… — **MIYA POST-PROJECT ASSESSMENT**
In order to help FYI evaluate the outcomes of MIYA, we are asking your help in completing a 10-12 minute online survey. When you go to the online assessment, this is the information to submit at the beginning of the survey:
1. Church Name: **Younger Generation Church**
2. City, State: **Arlington, TX**
You can begin the survey by clicking the eyeglass photo above. Thank you so much for your kind help in completing this online survey.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YG CHURCH• TEXT: Text @YGConnect to 81010 to receive updates as to YG activities and events.• YG BLOG: We've just launched our YG Blog on our website to give you great information about our vibrant young adult ministry. blog.ygch… — **FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YG CHURCH**
• TEXT: Text @YGConnect to 81010 to receive updates as to YG activities and events.
• YG BLOG: We've just launched our YG Blog on our website to give you great information about our vibrant young adult ministry. blog.ygchurch.com
• FACEBOOK: You can also go to our Facebook page for all the latest events and updates, facebook.com/ygchurch
• INSTAGRAM: And of course you can follow us on Instagram, @ygchurch or check out our website, ygchurch.com