FYI is helping lead TENx10, an unprecedented collaboration to help you and young people

The Change the World Project.

That was the name of the document on my laptop where I started brainstorming and dreaming 15 years ago: What could God accomplish in young people if believers and leaders across Christian faith traditions united in their prioritization of youth discipleship?

The title of our various brainstorming documents evolved over the years. We now call it the TENx10 Collaboration, which seeks to help faith matter more for 10 million teenagers in the next 10 years in the spirit of John 10:10.

But the core vision remains the same: What might God do in and through young people if Christian churches across the US prioritized relational discipleship radically focused on Jesus?

Why is TENx10 needed?

If recent trends in the United States continue, over 1 million young people are likely to walk away from the church and from the full, abundant life Jesus offers. It doesn’t have to be this way. We are at a tipping point, and now is the time for the body of Christ to act.

Who is TENx10?

TENx10 is a diverse group of Jesus followers; a mosaic of cultures, ethnicities, traditions, and backgrounds. The 100 organizations who have officially agreed to be part of TENx10 don’t agree on everything, but what we have in common is clear: Young people matter to God, to the church, and to us. TENx10 is rallying all parts of the Church to reimagine how we form the faith of young people—together.

What are TENx10’s strategic priorities?

TENx10’s 4 strategic priorities are to:

1. Raise youth discipleship to a top priority for US ministry leaders by generating national prayer and awareness, as well as advocacy among senior leaders.
2. Center leaders of color and their strategic organizations and networks to reflect the diversity of the body of Christ and US young people today.
3. Curate, create, and disseminate core resources and training that equip local ministry leaders to enact lasting change.
4. Connect and mobilize partner organizations to collectively impact 100,000 diverse faith communities nationally.

What is FYI’s role in TENx10?

FYI is the “backbone organization,” and I ultimately oversee both the FYI team and the TENx10 team. FYI’s Senior Director Chuck Hunt is also part of TENx10’s core Project Leadership Team. As both TENx10 and FYI have grown, it’s been helpful to develop separate teams that still look for ways to support each other in accomplishing their respective missions.

How can youth leaders benefit from TENx10?

While TENx10 is for youth leaders serving in diverse settings, it’s also for any adult who wants to see Jesus move in the next generation. As we prepare to launch, here are 5 action steps we at the Fuller Youth Institute hope youth leaders take so TENx10 can make a difference in the young people you care about most.

1. Watch this video to learn more about TENx10’s mission.
2. Visit the official website at TENx10.org where you can check out the 7 Discipleship Emphases (TENx10’s discipleship pillars grounded in FYI’s and others’ research) and sign up for ongoing free tools to empower you to help faith matter more to the next generation.
3. Take a quick, free 2-minute quiz on TENx10.org so you can begin receiving curated tools specially designed to respond to your top ministry needs.
4. Access free resources from FYI and other partners to learn more about how you can grow personally, champion change, mobilize volunteers, partner with families, and help young people find Jesus’ best answers to their identity, belonging, and purpose questions.
5. Tell other leaders you know about the free resources available at TENx10.org. Share with full-time, part-time, and volunteer diverse youth leaders in your network, denomination, or city about all the free resources available so they can more effectively serve on the front lines for our young people.

How can senior leaders and lead pastors benefit from TENx10?

If you’re a senior leader or pastor, visit TENx10.org to take advantage of turnkey sermon outlines and leadership meeting templates so your church can reimagine how to prioritize and form the faith of the young people in your community.

Tweet this: Young people matter to God, to the church, and to us.

We at the Fuller Youth Institute are thrilled to be part of this God-inspired collaborative rallying the church to reimagine how we form the faith of young people—together.