A new semester presents a new opportunity to begin investing in your community. YOKE launched at three new schools this year, bringing the total up to 30 schools across five counties. Since many leaders are college students, a new semester can also mean a change of schedule for some people. This can lead to some of teams needing a little extra help if some of their team members have schedule conflicts—but for others, a schedule change can mean some time freed up. Would you consider serving this semester?

Here are some of the benefits that come with becoming a YOKE Folk:

• You will gain valuable experience working with a team. There is a team of YOKE Folk dedicated to each one of our 30 schools. Each week, these teams are responsible for planning and leading an afterschool YOKE Club, as well as spending quality time with middle school kids outside of club. As a valuable member of a YOKE Team, you will be presented with opportunities that will challenge you and help you grow, with your teammates right beside you every step of the way.
• You will have the opportunity for lasting impact on a student’s life. Every child deserves a caring adult that will step into their life and be present through the good and the bad. From afterschool clubs to weekend camps, everything that we do is designed with the end goal of forming meaningful relationships between students and mentors, some that will last for years to come.
• You will have access to training and resources that will equip you for a lifetime of service. YOKE ensures that all volunteers have what they need to effectively impact middle school students. This includes training sessions, online ministry resources, and an annual Leadership Summit where YOKE Folk from across five counties gather to worship and learn together.
• You will become part of the YOKE Community. YOKE is more than a program or a volunteering opportunity—it’s a family. While YOKE Folk form valuable relationships with the students they serve, they also form deep bonds with the other leaders they serve alongside.

Jeff Bronner, a Team Leader at Northwest Middle School, was once a YOKE kid himself. Recalling his time in YOKE, Jeff said, “In every dark corner of my life, God held me fast, guiding me closer and closer to exactly where He wanted me.”

“I can’t imagine where I would have ended up without YOKE,” added Jeff. “This ministry is so much more than a mentoring program; it is a vessel that God uses to mend broken hearts and find lost souls.”

If you are interested in learning more about how you can get involved with YOKE, contact program director Eli Cockrum: eli@yokeyouth.com or  fill out an application on our website and someone will follow up with you soon.

YOKE is more than our weekly after-school clubs. YOKE is about being present, when and where kids need us the most. This might be a club or a camp or a Bible study. More often than not, it’s a basketball game, a concert, or lunch in the cafeteria.

I joined our team at Jefferson Middle School recently for lunch at the school. It always feels awkward walking into a cafeteria full of middle school students, even for someone who does it for a living. Our plan was to walk around and check in with all the YOKE kids, and see what doors might open to invite others to club.

We began making the rounds talking with our kids, answering questions about who we were, and inviting kids to club. We saw a couple of young ladies that had been to YOKE in the past, but hadn’t come in a while. As we walked over to greet them, we noticed that two of the girls (one YOKE Kid, one young lady that we just met) were fighting back tears. When we asked them what was going on, the flood gates opened.

This scenario happens over and over again when you show up for kids. Maybe it was bullying, bad grades, parents not getting along, a fight with a friend, or being excluded. We’ve experienced it before because we choose to be present. We take the opportunity to sit and listen, to let them talk and share about their lives. That presence earns us the opportunity to speak in to their lives. We are not just another voice talking at them, rather we are entering into their lives. When that happens, we have opportunities to share the love and the truth of the Gospel.   

25 years ago, I was that student. I still remember where I was sitting in the Halls Middle School cafeteria, seeing my YOKE Folk walk in the door and sit down across from me. In my three years of middle school, I rarely missed a YOKE Club, camp, or summer adventure. But the moment that is clearest of all my YOKE memories is that one - the YOKE Folk that made himself available to me.
After the tears stopped, we talked about the situation for just a few minutes. The bell rang and they were off to their next class. The interaction was brief and the advice was practical, but more importantly, for those few minutes you could see in their eyes that they felt heard and loved, and that was enough.  

"…so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well." 1 Thessalonians 2:8 (NIV)

This is a message for all of the YOKE Folk, serving in 30 schools in 5 counties. Thank you so much for all that you do to invest in kids in the schools that YOKE serves. I know that it is hard sometimes to tell if you’re really making a difference, but I assure you that you are. Your presence makes a difference to those kids, to the school, and to the community. In my position, I have the privilege of hearing this on a regular basis from kids, parents, teachers, principals, community partners, and pastors.

I am writing to encourage you to register for our 2019 Leadership Summit. We told you about this when you first signed up, and now the time is here. The Summit will be held January 18-20 at Carson Springs Retreat Center in Newport. I know that you will enjoy our time together. We plan this weekend every year with three things in mind.

First, we want you to be refreshed. It’s a weekend that you can get away and spend time being encouraged by your friends. Hopefully, you can take some time off of work, put the school books away for a weekend, and just have some fun.

Second, we want you to enjoy being a part of the YOKE community. We want YOKE to be more than just a service opportunity; we want it to be a family. This weekend is a chance for you to get to know and interact with our staff and other YOKE Folk from around our service area. Friendships are forged through YOKE that will continue to impact your life for years to come, but only if you make yourself available.

Third, we want you to be equipped for ministry. Yes, we want you to be the best YOKE Folk that you can be, so we’ll try to help you “do” YOKE better. But we also want to equip you to be better employees, better neighbors, better friends, and better leaders wherever God may take you. We hope that your time with YOKE prepares you for a lifetime of service in God’s Kingdom.

I hope that you’ll sign up today. If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so by clicking here. Our time together will be enriched by your presence. I look forward to seeing you at Carson Springs!

​Thanks to your generous support, YOKE now has clubs in 30 middle schools across 5 counties. Those clubs are not the end, though; they’re simply the means to an end. YOKE is all about relationships and it’s amazing how God can transform a student’s heart through accepting, loving, and life-giving relationships with YOKE Folk.

Skylar wasn’t sure what to expect when he got invited to participate in YOKE’s Summer Adventures. He didn’t know anyone and he feared he wouldn’t be able to fit in or make friends. Skylar was also carrying an additional burden. Earlier that year, he’d witnessed the death of his little brother in a traffic accident as the two played together in front of their home.

“It rocked our family and left him questioning God, his own place in the world, and how to function through the guilt,” said Skylar’s mom, Heather. “He no longer smiled, he wasn’t connecting with people, and he feared he might never be seen as anything other than wounded ever again.”

When we asked him what his first experience with YOKE was like, he breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “Normal,” he said. Skylar made friends, exchanged phone numbers and eagerly anticipated the beginning of a new school year.

   “YOKE changed the way I thought about God, about people, and about myself,” said Skylar.

"The staff and YOKE Folk helped me through some tough times by talking with me, encouraging me, and by offering wisdom in my grieving. Having YOKE to look forward to each week saved me.”

One of Skylar’s favorite memories is from camp later that year, where he made a decision to follow Jesus. “They had this giant sledgehammer and smashed all kinds of stuff! I was wet and dirty with chunks of watermelon all over me. I hadn’t laughed that hard in a very long time,” he said. “That felt good, just to be a kid.”

“YOKE gave my son life again,” said Heather. The relationships and experiences put a smile back on his face. I’m thankful every time he comes home sweaty, covered in whipped cream and mud, and smiling from ear to ear because it means one less day of pain and guilt for him. I hope that people will continue to invest in this beautiful, amazing program that gives so much to so many.”

When you give to YOKE, this is the kind of transformation that you make possible. Would you consider making your year-end gift to YOKE to help us continue reaching young people like Skylar? Mail your gift to YOKE at P.O. Box 3492, Knoxville, TN 37927. Or make a secure gift online anytime with your credit card. 

We are grateful for your partnership!

Hillbilly Camp was the theme for YOKE's fall camp, with students and YOKE Folk alike donning flannel shirts and overalls. More than 400 kids and leaders attended one of two camps held over two weekends this month. 

Campers had an opportunity to enjoy storytelling by Phil Campbell (son of Hee Haw host Archie Campbell), and watch Hillbilly themed skits. They played hillbilly games, and participated in YOKE's Frontier Adventures which included bull rides, hatchet throwing, marshmallow roasting, sack races, and face painting.

One of the biggest highlights of camp  was the baby pig that spent each weekend at camp. Teams got to vote on a name for the pig, while YOKE Kids at each school picked one of their YOKE Folk to kiss the pig.

YOKE Folk led the students in worship, and spent valuable time answering questions and encouraging students in their faith throughout the weekend. Brandin-Lea Stevens, Team Leader at Halls Middle explained, "The younger generation is listening. They so badly want to have someone care for them, to walk with them, to love on them. They have REAL struggles, they fight REAL battles, and they welcome the HOPE of JESUS."

Alan Duncan, Team Leader at Gibbs Middle said, "Spending time with the middle school students will continue to be a bigger blessing to me than I can ever hope to be to them." 

​One parent from Blount County wrote, "I wanted to tell you how full my heart is after hearing all about Daniel's weekend! It makes a mama happy to know her kids are being loved and encouraged by such great, Christian role models! Y'all make it easier for these young teens to imitate Jesus because you're doing such a good job of it. You all have influenced my boy in a big way!"

Matthew Best, who serves in Emerald Youth's Calling and Career Ministry, and Jared Boyd, Youth Pastor at Heritage Fellowship in Jefferson County, were our guest speakers. Over the two weekends, eleven students made first time decisions to follow Jesus. Thank you to everyone who gave to make YOKE camp possible! 

On Tuesday, November 6th, all students were out of school for Election Day. Since many of our YOKE Clubs meet on Tuesdays, we decided to take this opportunity to come together for All County Club, rather than taking a week off.

YOKE Folk and kids from 22 schools came together at two separate locations for All County Club—in Knox County (with two Anderson County schools joining as well) and in Blount County. The theme of both events was “School Spirit”, so students and leaders were encouraged to come dressed in their school’s colors and compete for a Spirit Award.

The Knox All County Club was held at Emerald Academy. More than 160 middle school students and leaders packed into the gym for a fun-filled night resembling one of the YOKE clubs that our students attend on a weekly basis—only much bigger. Between Knox and Anderson counties, 16 schools were represented at this event. The night concluded with a devotional talk from Brandon Blair, the Student Pastor at Fairview Baptist Church, and with Halls Middle School taking home the Spirit Award.

The event in Blount County took place at Camp Tipton, a youth camp in Maryville which is a short drive from most of the schools YOKE serves there. More than 70 students and leaders from six schools were represented for an evening of high-energy games, songs, and worship. Adam Crisp, the Student Pastor at RIO Revolution Church, was our guest speaker. At the end of the night, Union Grove Middle School was given the Spirit Award.
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It’s always fun to gather so many of our students and leaders into one location, especially this year, with the addition of three new schools. The students who attended got a glimpse of the larger YOKE community beyond their own school. All County Clubs are fun, and they provide one more opportunity for middle school students to develop meaningful relationships with their mentors.

Dear Friend, 

My name is Courtney Rader. I am starting my third year as a YOKE Folk, but YOKE has been a part of my life for the last 10 years – since I started attending club in 6th grade. I love YOKE because it gives me the opportunity to be a missionary right here in Knoxville.

In the two years I’ve served, I have had the opportunity to lead dozens of girls to Jesus. 

Like many YOKE Kids, camp was the highlight of my year. In fact, the two best nights of my life were at YOKE Camp – nearly 10 years apart.

7th grade was without question the most difficult year of my life. My parents were not getting along, my grandmother took her own life, and I was constantly harassed by a group of girls at school. They would knock my books down as we passed in the hallway, stuff me into empty lockers, and once cut off my ponytail. I so looked forward to YOKE Camp, but as it turned out, my tormentors decided to attend as well.

On Friday night I remember the speaker saying that we needed to forgive others like Christ had forgiven us. I was so moved to accept his love and forgiveness that I went forward and prayed with my YOKE Folk. When I was done praying, I knew I needed to go back into the room and forgive the girls who had bullied me, so I did. They all started crying and decided to accept Christ that night as well. What a night! I didn’t think there was any way that it could get better – until last year.

Last year, I was the YOKE Folk who got to lead an entire cabin full of girls to Christ.
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I was so nervous that I wouldn’t know what to say or that I would somehow mess it up, but God used me anyway. I could hardly contain my excitement as we returned to the fellowship hall for the evening fun. I was invited to come up front and participate in a game where I was blindfolded. When the blindfold was finally removed, there was my boyfriend, Cameron (also a YOKE Folk), down on one knee holding out an engagement ring! YOKE Camp had always held such a special place in my heart – it had been my dream to share this special moment with my YOKE family. (I said yes!)

Like many of the kids that I now serve, I never would have been able to go to camp without the financial assistance that donors like you provide.  Fall camps are coming up in November.  Will you consider a gift to impact the life of another middle school student like me? 

 It costs approximately $125 to send a kid to camp, so your gift could help in the following ways:
                $125 – sponsor one YOKE kid.                   $250 – sponsor one YOKE kid and their YOKE Folk
                $500 – sponsor a cabin of YOKE kids.       $1,000 – sponsor the cost of a whole YOKE club.

Click on the button below to make a secure, online donation, or mail your gift to YOKE at P.O. Box 3492, Knoxville, TN, 37927. 

Thank you for investing in this ministry that has had such an impact on my life!

Courtney Rader

At YOKE, we value collaboration. We love to partner with churches who desire to engage students and families at their local middle schools. Because many of the kids YOKE serves are not involved with a church community, our leaders are often able to help get them connected to local churches where they can find community and grow in their faith.

A lot of churches want to be involved in schools, but simply don’t know where to start. That’s where YOKE comes in. Our time-tested program and network of relationships provide an avenue for churches to extend their ministries beyond their own walls and build relationships with students in their own neighborhoods.

Montgomery Ridge Intermediate School in Blount County is one of three schools where YOKE is launching new programs this year. One of the first steps involved with starting a new YOKE club is identifying a team leader. Earlier this year, Lee Wagenblast, youth pastor at Blount Christian Church, reached out to us and asked how he and his church could get involved with YOKE. He had only recently heard of YOKE, but wanted to know how he could help launch the program at Montgomery Ridge.

“I initially reached out to YOKE because we wanted to reach the community beyond the four walls of our church,” said Lee. “YOKE provided us with a platform to share the gospel with young people in Blount County by helping us get involved at Montgomery Ridge.”  Lee has since helped s put together a team for the new club, set to begin on September 18th.
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YOKE is grateful for the partnership of Blount Christian Church and all of the other churches who have come alongside us to help reach middle school kids. If you would like to get your church involved on a local middle school campus but don’t know where to start, YOKE is here to help. Contact us at 865-522-6907 or yoke@yokeyouth.com.

We have a saying at YOKE: "once a YOKE Folk, always a YOKE Folk." It implies a couple of things we've found to be true. First, there will always be a connection to the organization. Second, the relationships you built through the ministry will often outlast your time with YOKE. The following text exchange, shared by a former YOKE Folk, demonstrates that truth. It's a relationship that began 20 years ago!

On August 28th, more than 500 guests joined us at the Hotel Knoxville for the YOKE Banquet. The annual event, presented by Pilot Flying J, celebrates what God has accomplished through the ministry, helps cast vision for the next twelve months, and helps raise funds to support the programs and services that YOKE provides. 

Our theme was Illuminate from Ephesians 5:8. There Paul says, "For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!" The program presented ways that YOKE is carrying light into the communities that we serve. 

Jeff Jarnigan joined us to promote the annual YOKE Golf Classic and some of our YOKE Folk used a skit to remind us that everyone has an important role in the body of Christ. Executive Director, Jonathan Haskell updated the crowd on some of the important milestones that YOKE has achieved over the last year. 

The main story of the night was about how YOKE is bringing light to the Farragut community. James Council, our team leader at Farragut Middle, shared how dark his life was until he found light in Christ, and how that has given him the desire to share light with others. The video included testimonies from some of the kids he's impacted and even from the Principal at Farragut. 

With the investment from sponsors, gifts at the event, and pledges to give over the next 12 months, YOKE raised nearly $180,000. Thank you to everyone who gave to help make this event such a success, including our sponsors listed below. 

For information on getting involved with the 2019 YOKE Banquet, call 865-522-6907 or write to yoke@yokeyouth.com. 

​Protomet, Appalachian Title, Bob Johnson Insurance, Brown Bag, Cedar Bluff Towing & Chestnut St. Transport, Foothills Bank & Trust, Fulghum Macindoe, LeConte Wealth Management, Prompt Physical Therapy, Standard Kitchen & Bath, Stowers Machinery, Tedford/Tellico, and Wallace & Wallace Realty.