Jim Rayburn, Jr (July 21, 1909 – December 11, 1970) was an American ordained
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
minister and the founder of
Young Life
Young Life is an evangelical Christian organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado which focuses on young people in middle school, high school, and college.
Week-long Summer camps are a major focus, and these have a definite evangelizing asp ...
.
Early life and education
He was born in
Marshalltown, Iowa
Marshalltown is a city in and the county seat of Marshall County, Iowa, United States, located along the Iowa River. It is the seat and most populous settlement of Marshall County and the 16th largest city in Iowa, with a population of 27,591 at ...
to James Chalmers Rayburn, Sr. (an evangelist for the
Presbyterian Church), and Elna Beck Rayburn. Rayburn was the oldest of four sons and grew up in
Newton, Kansas. His younger brother,
Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
, became the founding president of both
Covenant College
Covenant College is a private, liberal arts, Christian college in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, located near Chattanooga, Tennessee. As the college of the Presbyterian Church in America, Covenant teaches subjects from a Reformed theological w ...
and
Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary, informally called Covenant Seminary, is the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Located in Creve Coeur, Missouri, it trains people to work as leaders in church positions and elsewhe ...
.
Rayburn graduated from
Kansas State University in 1941 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mineralogy. In 1936, Rayburn began his seminary education at
Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) is an evangelical theological seminary in Dallas, Texas. It is known for popularizing the theological system dispensationalism. DTS has campuses in Dallas, Houston, and Washington, D.C., as well as extension ca ...
. While there, he was significantly influenced by the seminary's founder,
Lewis Sperry Chafer
Lewis Sperry Chafer (February 27, 1871 – August 22, 1952) was an American theologian. He co-founded with his older brother, Rollin T. Chafer, Dallas Theological Seminary and served as its first president, and was an influential proponent of Chr ...
.
Career
Rayburn founded
Young Life
Young Life is an evangelical Christian organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado which focuses on young people in middle school, high school, and college.
Week-long Summer camps are a major focus, and these have a definite evangelizing asp ...
(originally known as Young Life Campaign), a Christian
youth organization
The following is a list of youth organizations. A youth organization is a type of organization with a focus upon providing activities and socialization for minors. In this list, most organizations are international unless noted otherwise.
...
, after earning his master's degree. Rayburn left the presidency of
Young Life
Young Life is an evangelical Christian organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado which focuses on young people in middle school, high school, and college.
Week-long Summer camps are a major focus, and these have a definite evangelizing asp ...
in 1964.
He was a pioneer in the field of
evangelism and was admired by many of the leading Christians of his day. He was known for his ability to communicate the gospel and his passion for Christ. Rayburn's personal journals were published in 2008 as ''The Diaries of Jim Rayburn''.
Personal life
In 1932, Rayburn married Helen Maxine Stanley. The couple had three children. Maxine Rayburn died in 1997. He died on December 11, 1970, at his home in
Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Further reading
His life is described in several books including:
*Cailliet, Emile; ''Young Life'' (1963)
*Meridith, Char; ''It's a Sin to Bore a Kid: The Story of Young Life'' (1977)
*Miller, John; ''Back to the Basics'' about the early years of Young Life including a lot of Rayburn's life.
*Rayburn, Jim: ''The Diaries of Jim Rayburn'' (2008) Rayburn's personal journals, edited and annotated by Kit Sublet
Morningstar Press and Whitecaps Media
*Rayburn, Jim III; ''From Bondage To Liberty - Dance, Children, Dance'' a
biography
A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...
by his son (2000)
**The earlier edition was simply called ''Dance, Children, Dance'' (1984)
External links
The Jim Rayburn FoundationYoung Life WebpageThe Diaries of Jim Rayburn
1909 births
1970 deaths
American Presbyterian ministers
Dallas Theological Seminary alumni
People from Marshalltown, Iowa
20th-century American clergy
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