To the editor:
Recent community resistance to Youth for Christ’s presence in Leland deserves thoughtful consideration. Many parents and residents are not objecting to faith itself, but to outreach practices they perceive as overly aggressive and directed at young people ages 11–18 - an age group particularly susceptible to adult influence and social pressure.
Youth-serving organizations carry a heightened responsibility to act with care, transparency, and cultural humility. Cultural humility is not merely a statement of good intentions; it is an ongoing practice of nonjudgment, listening, self-reflection, and awareness of power dynamics. For faith-based organizations, this includes recognizing how religious authority combined with adult influence can affect adolescents who are still forming their identities and beliefs.
