When Dave Wilkerson came to New York City in 1958, he was expecting results—but what he got was not what he expected. He was thrown out of court, ended up with his picture in the newspapers, and failed to talk to the seven teens on trial for the murder of Michael Farmer.
Disappointed and embarrassed, he could have gone home, stayed away from New York City and focused on ministry in his church and community. But he did not do that. He came back to NYC, and focused on evangelism of the young people who clearly needed Jesus. And in the months that followed, he saw results. People accepted Christ—including Nicky Cruz, Israel Narvaez, and many more.

Dave Wilkerson expected to see success in his evangelism—and he did. But the results were different again—he expected to bring these new converts to local churches and say, “Here pastor is a new believer. Please take care of him.” Dave’s intention was to go back out on the streets and continue his evangelism.

But the churches were not ready to assimilate these new gang members and drug addicts into their church youth groups. Soon Dave, and those working with him, realized that evangelism was not enough. They would also need to focus on the discipleship of these new believers. And so four years after coming to New York City, the long term, Teen Challenge, residential, recovery program was birthed at Rehrersburg, PA. This soon evolved into the 12 month residential, discipleship program that is still the trademark of Teen Challenge today.

Over the past 18 years, Skip Arp in Kentucky utilized what is now called Lifeline Connections (or Living Free Communities), a non-residential small group ministry to reach thousands of people in small and large cities across Kentucky. Most of those who have been helped through these outreaches have not gone into a Teen Challenge long term residential program. Some have—those who could not find success in their walk with Jesus while living in society—who needed a more structured and intense discipleship process to overcome their addiction.
So today in your city, your region, your ministry—what are the results you are expecting? Are you expecting God to show up and transform lives? What are the programs you expect will be the tools God will use to accomplish these transformations?

For many Teen Challenge programs today, the long term residential recovery program is the only program they are focusing on. But what if God is wanting you to expand your vision and what if He is wanting you to look for positive results utilizing other strategies?

So what are the results you are expecting in your area? How can you most effectively make disciples who can successfully live for Jesus? What is it going to take to make them successful? Are you locked into seeing only one option for ministry? Are you willing to consider other options, collaborating with others who may be able to handle some of those you are encountering in your ministry?

Are the “expected results” you are looking for to simply get people into the Teen Challenge residential program? Or are you looking for ways to evangelize and disciple people, using all possible means available in your community today? Are there options you are ignoring that could increase the effectiveness of the spiritual harvest in your community today?