Our Mission
The Youth Leadership Initiative at Azusa Pacific University exists to equip youth to live their calling with a lifelong faith by grounding them in Scripture and resourcing their Christian communities.
Studies show that between 60% to 80% of teenagers leave their faith or church communities after graduating from high school. We guide and encourage students to find their place in the church and the world by discovering their Christian calling. In our framework, youth deepen their faith, reflect on their call, and explore their contributions to church and society.”
Calling
Our vertical relationship with God allows us to hear and discover our purpose.
When we cultivate a personal relationship with God, we more clearly hear his call. Like Moses and Paul, we can discern our place in the world when we are in constant conversation with God.
Calling
Our vertical relationship with God allows us to hear and discover our purpose.
When we cultivate a personal relationship with God, we more clearly hear his call. Like Moses and Paul, we can discern our place in the world when we are in constant conversation with God.
Character
Our calling leads us to reflect the life of Christ.
As image bearers, we are called to reflect God’s goodness, justice, and love in the world. The New Testament teaches us that Jesus redeems and sanctifies us so we can reflect his life and the fruits of the Spirit.
Community
Our life calling is not discovered alone – we need Christian community to help us. As we discern our calling, we discover ways to serve our communities and love our neighbors. Our calling leads us to be the priesthood of all believers in our world.
Community
With the support of other Christians, we discern ways to love our neighbors and communities.
Our life calling is not discovered alone – we need Christian community to help us. As we discern our calling, we discover ways to serve our communities and love our neighbors. Our calling leads us to be the priesthood of all believers in our world.
Our Team
Freddy Rivas, M.Div.
Program Director
Freddy oversees the Youth Leadership Initiative at Azusa Pacific University. Freddy has served in various church ministry and higher education roles.
He has over 20 years of church youth ministry experience. He is an adjunct faculty member in the APU School of Theology’s Department of Practical Theology. He also leads in the the Vocāre program and serves as a mentor to APU undergraduate and seminary students who are discerning a call to vocational ministry.
He holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Azusa Pacific University and a M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is an ordained pastor with Friends Church Southwest and the lead pastor of a church he planted, Living Hope Church, in Temple City, CA.
He is passionate about supporting the faith formation of high school students and collaborating with ministry leaders. He enjoys roads trips with his wife and four children.
Hannah “Gibs” Gibson, B.A.
Graduate Intern
Gibs works under the supervision of Freddy Rivas for the Youth Leadership Initiative. Gibs has experience working with various church ministries and student leadership roles during her time as an undergraduate.
These positions included student government association (SGA) Vice President, Resident advisor, and Action team leader. She is currently working as a pastoral intern at Living Hope church where she assists in the young adult ministry.
Gibs is also in her first year of pursuing her Masters in Divinity at Azusa Pacific Seminary where she will graduate in the spring of 2024. Her goals include supporting students in discovering their vocational call through building a deeper relationship with Christ.
Rev. Jenn Graffius, D.Min.
Executive Director Center for Vocational Ministry
Jenn leads the Center for Vocational Ministry and teaches courses in the Department of Practical Theology. She is passionate about the development, support, and success of students on their journey of discernment into ministry and their life in ministry. Jenn is an ordained minister and an APU alum (BA ’00), has pastoral leadership experience in church ministry, denominational leadership, and campus ministry, and mentoring is one of her areas of primary focus. Jenn has a Master of Divinity from Princeton Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Duke University. Her dissertation is titled “Transformational Mentoring for Ministry.” She is a frequent guest preacher and retreat speaker.
Our Beliefs
The Youth Leadership Initiative is a program of Azusa Pacific University. Find out more about what APU affirms as a faith community by visiting “What We Believe,” please go to https://www.apu.edu/about/believe.
Our Location
We are located on West Campus at Azusa Pacific University