Letters to a Young Life Leader

One of the first people to come to faith in Christ through the ministry of Young Life, Bob Mitchell rose through its ranks to fill every conceivable position in the ministry, from being a club kid in Jim Rayburn’s legendary “Club 37” all the way to serving for a decade as the mission’s president.


For years people have asked “Mitch,” a beloved and gifted communicator, to put his insights in a book. Now in his eighties, Mitch has finally done so. Written in the form of 37 letters to the Young Life family, Letters to a Young Life Leader is like sitting down and having a conversation with Mitch himself. Combining humility, deep spiritual wisdom, and Mitchell’s trademark humor and gentle spirit, you will find each letter to be a gem worth reading over and over.


The book is arranged in five different sections, each introduced by a story from Mitch’s remarkable history with Young Life.


Sit down, open to any letter, and be encouraged!


Letters to a Young Life Leader includes 37 letters, covering topics like

- prayer in Young Life

- why we do club, camp, and Campaigners

- building relationships with “outsiders”

- servant leadership

- Young Life and the Church

- understanding the youth culture

- balancing your family and ministry

- spiritual formation


Bob Mitchell served as the third president of Young Life, from 1976 to 1986. After becoming a Christian at the Dallas “Young Life Campaign” in the summer of 1940, Mitch became one of the first-ever Young Life club kids. Mitch and his wife Claudia have been married since 1954 and live in Monument, Colorado. Since leaving Young Life staff the Mitchells have continued to serve Christ through various ministries, including World Vision, several Presbyterian pastorates, and an extensive speaking schedule.