"And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again."  Deuteronomy 6:5-7

Spiritual Mission of the YMCA

In 1841, George Williams arrived in London to work as a fabric manufacturer at the firm of Hitchcock and Rogers. Having recently begun to grow in his relationship with God, he was concerned about the spiritual condition of the 140 workers at his company. What he saw did not look good according to this journal entry. “I found no means of spiritual interest of any kind,” He then quickly thought to himself ‘“What can I do for these young men?” His answer, he began to pray.

Shortly thereafter, he discovered that a fellow worker was an active Christian. They began to discuss something that God had put on George’s heart to help introduce the other staff to a relationship with God in Jesus Christ. Their plan was simple. They prayed by name for each of their fellow employees and confidently expected them to become Christians.  

Williams soon made this matter-of-fact entry in his diary: “We met, our numbers grew, and the room was soon crammed. In answer to prayer, the Spirit of God was present…”

An observer of the spiritual activity at Hitchcock and Rogers commented that when Williams came to the firm in 1841, it was almost impossible for a young man there to be a Christian. By contrast, three years later, it was almost impossible to be anything else!

Others became aware of the spiritual fervor at the fabric company and wondered why something like this should not be tried in other firms. In 1844, 12 men met in a small room and an organization was formed that would impact the world. The YMCA.

In time, the YMCA grew to embrace all aspects of a person’s life, including spirit, mind, and body. As buildings were built, emphasis was place on the fitness and recreation side. Spiritual programming became minimal or non-existent in many YMCA’s. Today, there is resurgence in the emphasis on the spiritual. Many in the Y have come to realize that a holistic approach is needed in working with today's busy, stressed out families and individuals. Programming aimed at renewing the spirit is being implemented in Y’s throughout the world.

The YMCA has a unique ability to reach into all segments of society. From its humble beginnings as a simple prayer group to an organization that spans the world, the YMCA will help its communities to grow and prosper as never before by keeping an emphasis on “spirit, mind, and body.”