What is Youth Venture

Youth Venture is a community based, Christ centered, guidance program open to all youth between the 6th and 12th grade. The teen center and Skate Park offer adult supervision and friendship, after school and on weekends. Youth Venture, a ministry of Foothills Christian Church, was formed to assist teens in learning the basic principles for successful living found in the Bible, and to help establish significant relationships for those teens with mature adults. Youth Venture serves to support the efforts of parents to instill in their children sound character and sound life goals. Youth Venture seeks to develop a peer group for teens that is drug-free, moral and goal-oriented.

YV Rules & Ages | Hours & Locations | Lessons

A Message from Mark

What a wondrous year! Youth Venture has concluded its most effective year ever. At our centers we have done record numbers of mentoring lessons, we have distributed over 10,000 copies of our Kids like Us testimony books to area youth- over 4,500 through our on-campus Higher Ground Clubs. We have translated our mentoring lessons into Spanish, trained over a hundred Pastors and youth workers from across Cuba and have provided the lessons for them to use all over the island. We have also assisted in opening a youth center in Ensenada, Mexico, helped to outfit it with games, and supplied the mentoring materials. In Kenya, 10,000 youth are being reached through Youth Venture clubs in dozens of schools and four teen centers.

A Message from Jeremy

Everyday, I am reminded of the impact of Youth Venture in kids’ lives and how important the work we are doing truly is. As I hear kids’ stories, the hurt and pain they’ve experienced, and the healing and hope they found through the love of God at Youth Venture, I am reminded of how many people it takes to make all of this possible. I wonder how many hours served by volunteers, how many dollars donated, how many meals served, how many acts of love and selflessness, are reflected in each one of their testimonies. For many of these kids, it takes years to see the fruit of all the love that has been invested in their lives. And it is worth every bit. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing men and women who, in so many different ways, make this all possible. The testimonies of transformed lives go on and on, and continue to grow every day. And you are a part of it. It is impossible to measure the eternal impact that every little bit has but I am so grateful for each one of you that makes this all possible. We couldn’t do it without you.

ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING

Our mentoring program steps students through lessons, each geared towards a particular step in their growth and development. Students start off with three lessons in the Junior Varsity curriculum, preparing them for a relationship with God the Father. As student move forward into the Varsity curriculum, their understanding deepens and their commitment to growth gets stronger. Our Advanced curriculum is for the students who wish to really settle in and develop the character needed to make a lasting change in their lives.

Short excerpts from these curriculum are found below.

It’s easy to become confused about how to fit in, how to succeed or where our life is going. Sometimes it seems that the people around us don’t care very much. Sometimes they don’t seem to be trying very hard. So why should you? I mean, what’s the point?

Do you ever say:

Why should I care?
Why should I try?
Do you ever just feel like saying, “WHATEVER . . .WHO CARES” about everything?

Most young people feel this way sometimes. It’s easy to become confused about how to fit in, how to succeed or where our life is going. Sometimes it seems that the people around us don’t care very much. Sometimes they don’t seem to be trying very hard. So why should you? I mean, what’s the point?

Everyone, at some time, asks themselves:

How did I get here?
Am I here just by accident or was I specially designed and planned?
Is there a reason that I am here on earth?
Is there a plan for my life?

Our answers to these questions determine how we look at life and feel about
ourselves. In fact, our answers to these questions determine how we feel about our
future and whether we believe we can overcome our problems.

To download the full Junior Varsity Lesson Book (lessons 1-3), click the link below.
YV JV Lessons
To order lesson books click here

Some of the greatest heroes in the Bible were wicked men, terrible failures and giant screw-ups until they tried again with Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It is still the same today. Every church is full of people who had terrible problems and got a fresh start with Jesus.

When a person gives their life to Jesus and becomes a Christian, their life begins to change in many wonderful ways.
Today let’s look at 5 of these wonderful changes.

1. First, as a Christian you get a clean, FRESH START.

Nobody would like to step up to the plate to bat and have two strikes against them. You want a new count every time you come up to bat.

In life, many people feel like they are already behind in the count. Perhaps because of some bad things that have happened to them, or because of mistakes they have made they feel like they already have two strikes against them.

However, when we give our life to Jesus and invite Him in to be Master of our life, we get a new, fresh start. Having Jesus in your life changes everything. It changes how you feel and think. It changes how you treat people. You may have failed at things in the past (like school or getting along with family members) but now with Jesus’ help it can be different.

You are a new person-the past is finished and gone. You have a new count. You’re at bat with no strikes against you in the game of life.

Some of the greatest heroes in the Bible were wicked men, terrible failures and giant screw-ups until they tried again with Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It is still the same today. Every church is full of people who had terrible problems and got a fresh start with Jesus.

To download the full Varsity Lesson Booklet (lessons 4-7), click on the link below
YV Varsity
To order lesson books click here

Sometimes we grab for things that seem to sparkle, glitter and shine and forget about things that are far more important and necessary. Many people struggle to gain possessions or fame and yet neglect something far more important, their inward character.

Aim for the heart

On the night of April 14, 1912, the great ocean liner, the TITANIC, crashed into an iceberg in the Atlantic and sank, causing great loss of life. There were not enough lifeboats for all and so women and children were seated first. One wealthy woman who had a place in one of the lifeboats asked if she could return to her state room for something and was given just 3 minutes to do so. As she hurried through the corridors, she stepped over money and precious gems littering the floor where they had just been dropped in haste. In her own stateroom she ignored her own jewelry, and instead grabbed three oranges. Then she quickly returned to her place in the lifeboat.

Perhaps, the woman had spent her entire life collecting her jewelry and fashions, but on that day her values changed, as she recognized that food was necessary for life, but jewels were not.

Like her, sometimes we grab for things that seem to sparkle, glitter and shine and forget about things that are far more important and necessary. Many people struggle to gain possessions or fame and yet neglect something far more important, their inward character.

Your character is whom you truly are inside. It is the combination of habits, traits, strengths and weaknesses that make you who you are. It is possible to develop good character; it is also possible to develop bad character.

To download the full Advanced Course Lesson Booklet (lessons 8-12), click on the link below
YV Adv. Lessons
To order lesson books click here

YV Locations & Hours

Youth Venture has four locations in East County, open 7 days a week! All centers are open from3-8p on weekdays and 12-6p on the weekend.

Santee Youth Venture

Youth Venture Santee SPECIAL HOURS: 2-8pm Weekdays 10251 Mast Blvd, Santee, CA 92071, USA 619-258-9606 Site Director: David Matranga 619-820-2825 More Details >

Lakeside Youth Venture

Lakeside YV Center 9828 Channel Road (and Woodside) 619-390-8007 Site Director: Jeremy Miller 619-992-0603 More Details >

South El Cajon Youth Venture

South El Cajon YV Center 1080 Estes St. El Cajon 619-442-9550 Site Director: Josh Simmons 619-201-4302 More Details >

North El Cajon Youth Venture

El Cajon YV Center 277 Broadway (across from Target) 619-442-8007 Site Director: Isaiah Lepper 619-366-1880 More Details >

Youth Venture | El Cajon

Youth Venture | Santee

Youth Venture | El Cajon South

Youth Venture | Lakeside

If you wish to order the lessons or want to find out more about our mentoring program, contact us using the form or send your request to:

Youth Venture

c/o Foothills Christian Church
350 Cypress Lane
El Cajon, CA 92020

About Youth Venture | Contact Form