TeenPact’s mission is to train youth to understand the political process, value their liberty, defend the Christian faith, and engage in the culture at a time in their lives when, typically, they do not care about such things.

TeenPact is a comprehensive leadership experience that brings young people closer to Jesus Christ, makes them better leaders, and positions them to impact the world around them. Students leave TeenPact events  inspired to be leaders and challenged to change America for Christ.

Our core program consists of the State Classes we offer around the country. We have both a Four Day program for teenagers and a One Day program for children 8-12 years old. Both classes are fast-paced, hands-on, dynamic experiences where we cast a vision for citizenship and coax students out of their comfort zones. Students enjoy times of praise, worship and devotions, meet important officials, interview lobbyists, analyze legislation, discuss current events, pray for their leaders, improve their public speaking skills, write their own bills, and conduct their own TeenPact legislature.

Additionally, once a student completes the Four Day class, they are invited into the world of our Alumni Community. Here they can participate in national camps which offer more specific training and more intensive discipleship opportunities. Once an Alumni, students can also apply to serve in volunteer staff capacities where they are trained to step up and lead their peers.

Find out when TeenPact is coming to your capitol. Sign up, get involved and play your part in helping to change lives to change the world!

THE SPIRITUAL CAPACITY OF YOUNG PEOPLE

TeenPact believes young people are really young adults—capable of enormous impact now…and later. We tell students that God wants them—all of them.  We challenge students to dream big and believe that God can use them to change America.  We ask students to step out of their “comfort zones.”  For some, that will mean doing a better job in their own family—cooperating with parents or serving brothers and sisters. For others, it may mean changing their ambitions or taking seriously God’s leading in their lives…. Students need to be challenged in a variety of areas and on a variety of issues—learning to trust in Christ all along the way.  We believe that we must prepare the next generation of political, business, and cultural leaders.  Scripture admonishes the older to train the younger, (Titus 2:3-5) and our failure to do so will have grave consequences on our country’s future.  God has important work for the next generation of believers to do—starting today.

THE BEGINNINGS OF TEENPACT

by Tim Echols, Founder of TeenPact
Little did I know that God would use an early morning prayer meeting to give me my next assignment way back in the Spring of 1993.  There I was, only 32 years old, being mentored by my Pastor, John Rowell, and with him that day for a weekly prayer meeting he participated in at the State Capitol in Georgia.  In the room were Atlanta area pastors and one state legislator, Rep. Ron Crews. As we said “Amen” after a lengthy time of intercession, I shared with the men that I believed God wanted me to bring young people to the Capitol to learn more about the legislative and political process.  They agreed wholeheartedly, and suggested the name “TeenImpact,” which was shortened to “TeenPact.”

In an effort to get confirmation from God on this, I took a prayer trip to South Georgia to meet with another Pastor, and some close homeschooling friends on the coast.  Everyone concured that this was needed, and the families agreed to participant if I started the program.  I called Gregg Harris in Washington State to get his advice on the structure and pricing, and then began to write the curriculum.

In the summer of 1993, Family Concerns, Inc. President Nancy Schaefer (now deceased) announced she was going to run for Mayor of Atlanta.  She asked me to be her campaign manager based on three other campaigns I had been involved with in 1992, including the successful campaign of Andre Debski for Norcross City Council.  After Nancy’s loss, which was expected by all, she asked me to be the CEO for Family Concerns and launch TeenPact from her ministry.  I came aboard and did just that with three TeenPact classes in the winter of 1994.

The very first class had just 18 students.  Several moms were my “staff,” and a former legislator hung with the class all week to provide some expertise.  Very quickly we brought back outstanding students to “staff” the next two classes.  I had been a part of a Student Council program in high school that used this model.

Our first TeenPact DC trip was to lobby on behalf of homeschooling when it come under fire in the US House of Represenatives that winter.  TeenPact was an instant hit, and I left Family Concerns and dedicated my full-time to growing TeenPact in an office at Northside Community Church.

At this point, a decision needed to be made about whether to stay in Georgia and expand with local chapters, or move on to other states.  After much prayer, and with the help of Kristina Twitty and Jenna Pocoroba, my first interns, the ministry grew to South Carolina in 1995. John Alan Rowell came on as the first Program Director, and we officially incorporated the ministry in 1996.

The rest is history.

Read more about Tim Echols.