“You don’t need to make it down to the field to accept Jesus. You can do that right here.”

These were the words Eric (name changed for privacy) spoke to a 12-year-old boy outside Angel Stadium after the Harvest Crusade in Orange County. The boy was in tears—not from joy, but from disappointment. With more than 6,000 people rushing forward for the altar call, the aisles became so packed that he couldn’t make his way to the field. The fire marshal had closed access once capacity was reached, and the boy thought he had missed his moment with God.

But God had a different plan.

As crowds streamed out, Eric—one of our Teen Challenge Ministry Institute students serving on the Prayer and Response Team—noticed the boy’s distress. He knelt down, placed a hand on his shoulder, and shared the truth that changed everything: Jesus meets us right where we are. Right there, outside the stadium, Eric led that young boy to Christ.

What makes this moment even more remarkable is Eric’s own story. Years ago, his father brought him to that very same Harvest Crusade as a child. Seeds of faith planted decades earlier had grown, been tested through the fires of addiction, and were now bearing eternal fruit. “I just saw myself in that kid,” Eric said. “I understand that real transformation happens in the follow-up, and in getting plugged into fellowship with like-minded believers.”

This is the heart of Teen Challenge: the rescued rescuing others.

Eric’s journey from addiction to redemption mirrors the transformation we’ve seen in countless lives. Once trapped in the muck and mire of substance abuse, God lifted him out, put a new song in his heart, and made him a messenger of hope. What was once ashes has become something beautiful.

Since David Wilkerson first left his house to meet Nicky Cruz on the streets of New York, Teen Challenge has carried a special anointing to reach the next generation. We continue in that calling today. Just as David didn’t wait for Nicky to come to church, Eric didn’t wait—he led that young boy to make a decision for Christ before he walked away.

The cross is still mighty. The message hasn’t changed. Jesus still meets us right where we are.

That night at Angel Stadium—with over 45,000 in attendance and more than 6,000 responding to the altar call—it wasn’t just the grand stage or the packed field that mattered to God. It was one former addict, now a minister-in-training, kneeling beside a young boy and showing him that God’s love doesn’t need a stage or bright lights to seek you out.

This is what Teen Challenge is all about. This is why we do what we do. It’s about leading people to Christ and bringing them into the family—one heart at a time.

Your support makes moments like this possible. When you invest in Teen Challenge, you multiply kingdom impact for generations to come. The seeds planted in Eric’s life 30 years ago just produced eternal fruit in a young boy’s heart.

Thank you for your support of this ministry.