Louisiana Teen Challenge 1.0

HISTORY

Teen Challenge was started in Brooklyn, New York in 1958 by Rev. David Wilkerson.

Wilkerson was a young country preacher pastoring a church in eastern Pennsylvania. One February afternoon, Wilkerson read an article in LIFE magazine about seven teenagers who were on trial for murder. During a gang fight in Manhattan, these teens had beaten a young man to death. Troubled by what he read in the article, and sensing God was wanting him to do something for the teens, Wilkerson made a trip from his hometown in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania to the urban area of New York City.

Some time after this, Rev. Wilkerson resigned his church in Pennsylvania and moved to the New York City area to work full time with teenage gang members. This new work was eventually called “Teen Challenge.” Soon, Teen Challenge began to also offer help to those addicted to drugs and alcohol.

During these early years, a large home was obtained on Clinton Avenue in Brooklyn. A year-long residential discipleship program was started in this facility. The Teen Challenge program is still helping people change their lives today! Due to its success, residential Teen Challenge centers began cropping up in cities all across America.

Most of the centers offer a 12-18 month residential program for men, women, boys, or girls. These centers are designed to help individuals learn how to live drug-free lives. The programs are discipline-oriented and offer a balance of Bible classes, work assignments, and recreation.

As of January 2002, at the beginning of the 45th year, there were 178 Teen Challenge programs in the United States and another 150 in other countries around the world. A study completed by NIDA in 1974 claimed an 86% success rate 7 years after graduation. Other studies have been completed since that time that confirmed those findings.

The rest of the story of Teen Challenge is told in the best-selling book, The Cross and the Switchblade. This book has sold tens of millions of copies and has been translated into 35 different languages. Another exciting book that is available, Run Baby Run, tells of notorious gang member Nicky Cruz who was one of David Wilkerson’ s early converts in New York City. Beyond the Cross and the Switchblade and The Cross is Still Mightier than the Switchblade also detail important early history of Teen Challenge.

Today, Teen Challenge has grown into one of the largest and most successful programs of its kind in the world.

MISSION STATEMENT

To provide youth, adults and families with an effective and comprehensive Christian faith-based solution to life-controlling drug and alcohol problems in order to become productive members of society. By applying biblical principles, Teen Challenge endeavors to help people become mentally sound, emotionally balanced, socially adjusted, physically well, and spiritually alive. Through committed staff and effective programs, Teen Challenge seeks to produce graduates who function responsibly and productively in society, and who have healthy relationships in the work place, family, church and community.

LOUISIANA TEEN CHALLENGE

Teen Challenge has been in Louisiana for over 30 years. The Greater New Orleans Teen Challenge was established in 1987 and began operating as the Induction Center for Men in the state of Louisiana at that time. Recently, Louisiana Teen Challenge has been able to expand in two locations. In January 2002, GNO Teen Challenge expanded and opened the Mt. Grace Training Center in Dodson, LA. The Training Center was created for the program's second phase - an 8 month training phase that follows the 4 month induction phase. In March 2006, Louisiana Teen Challenge was further able to expand with the opening of a second Induction Center, Ruston Teen Challenge, in Ruston, LA.

Students entering Louisiana Teen Challenge can expect their life to advance through 2 main phases: the Induction Phase and the Training Phase. As mentioned, Louisiana Teen Challenge has 2 Induction Centers - Greater New Orleans Teen Challenge and Ruston Teen Challenge. These centers serve as a "front door" for all new or prospective students. Students entering the program begin their stay at Teen Challenge in one of our Induction Centers where they can expect to live for approximately 4 months before graduating to the Training Phase. Upon entering the Training Phase, students will be relocated to the Mt. Grace Training Center in Dodson, LA. Here students will complete the residential phase of the program over an 8 month period, bringing their total stay at Teen Challenge to 12 months.

Upon completion of our residential program, students may choose to stay on with the ministry in a 6 month internship or become active in a church congregation local to their home. During this 6 month period, any student choosing not to participate in an internship is required to stay accountable to their local pastor and Mt. Grace Teen Challenge staff in order to meet eligibility requirements for graduation.