About Youth Challenge
What is “Youth Challenge”?
Youth Challenge, Inc., is an interdenominational, non-profit organization committed to reaching teens for Christ. Founded in Holyoke, Colorado, Youth Challenge has expanded it’s ministry into western Colorado, the Denver metro area, NW Kansas, SE Wyoming and SW Nebraska. The staff of our ministry is accountable to a board of directors comprised of local businessmen who profess a faith in Jesus Christ. Youth Challenge works closely with area churches, Christian organizations and schools to provide Christ oriented meaningful activities for young people. Youth Challenge is a recognized 501c3 organization incorporated in the state of Colorado.
Our organization was founded in 1988 by Tammy Harmon, a local Christian who had a burden to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with teenagers. In 1989, Rick and Sonja Cleaver answered the call to become directors of Youth Challenge. Youth Challenge began to grow and in 1990 became an independent corporation in the state of Colorado. Today there are several full-time staff members and over 30 adult volunteers ministering to teenagers through our ministry.
” Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ “
-Mt. 28:18-20
Youth Challenge, Inc. Statement of Faith
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We believe the Bible in its original text to be the inspired, the only infallible and authoritative work of God.
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We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
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We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal, tangible return in power and in glory.
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We believe that for the salvation of any person regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
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We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life.
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We believe in the resurrection of the body of the saved and lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
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We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in Christ.
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We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female.
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We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single and exclusive union.
Meet Our Team
Rick Cleaver
Executive Director of Youth Challenge
Rick is a graduate of Christ Unlimited Bible Institute. Rick met his wife, Sonja, in 1979 and they were married later that year. In 1989 Rick and Sonja answered the call while they were serving Kansas City Youth For Christ to move and become directors of Youth Challenge in Holyoke Colorado. God has blessed them with over 30 years of ministry and they look forward to many more. They have 3 grown children and 8 grandchildren.
Amanda LaGrange
Chief Operating Officer
Amanda LaGrange is the Chief Operating Officer of Youth Challenge. She oversees the Bible Quizzing program as well as operating responsibilities of the ministry. She loves reading and being outside, especially in the summer. She has been married since 2002 and has two daughters and one son.
Mike and Micaila Frazier
Camp Machasay Manager
Mike Frazier was called to volunteer at Camp Machasay in the summer of 2009. Finishing the summer out, he was led by God to join the YC staff full time as the camp manager. With a background in construction, mechanics, and rodeo, he is a great fit. Mike has a gift for talking to anyone which has been a great blessing as he is involved with many people from different walks of life at camp and while doing ministry in the Holyoke, CO area. Micaila, has been involved throughout the years with different facets of the ministry. She has a great love for horses and uses them in ministry and discipleship. They have one daughter and one son.
Nathan and Valerie Brasby
Youth Challenge Outreach Director
Nathan and Valerie Brasby are natives of Northeastern Colorado and graduated in 2004 from Holyoke High School and Idalia High School (respectively). Both were involved in Bible Quizzing with Youth Challenge in Jr. high or high school. In 2005, they got married and now have five active sons growing into men in their home.
In 2008, Nathan joined his dad, Matt Brasby, with his construction business in Ft. Morgan, CO, then took over as owner in 2015. As he continues to pursue the path God has for his life, Nathan has chosen to close that chapter and step into the role of Outreach Director with Youth Challenge. He’s excited to see what God has in store for youth and families in this corner of Colorado and Nebraska.
James and Kara Hatcher
Camp Machasay Director
Shortly after James and Kara were married in 2000 they began helping Youth Challenge with bible quizzing. It was during this time that Youth Challenge acquired Camp Machasay. Rick invited them out to see the new campus and they began praying God would allow them to be a part of the ministry at camp.
What’s exciting is that even though God moved them to California instead, He never removed their desire to serve with YC from their hearts. When God moved them and their 4 boys back to the Perkins County area in 2020, they wasted no time as a family rejoining Bible quizzing and volunteering in the summers at Camp Machasay. It wasn’t long after that they began to pray about where God would have them be involved. God opened the door for them to join Youth Challenge as Camp Directors.
James and Kara are excited to introduce all that camp has to offer to churches in the area and to reach youth for the gospel of Christ. They believe now more than ever kids need the security and truth of the Scripture.