Episode 024 - The Courage to Collaborate and Reach 10 Million Young People w/ Ray Chang

SUMMARY In this engaging episode, Christopher Wesley sits down with Ray Chang, Executive Director of the TENx10 Initiative, to talk about the future of the Church and the bold goal of reaching 10 million young people over the next 10 years. Ray shares how his global upbringing, ministry background, and work in higher education led him to champion a collaborative movement for youth discipleship. Together, they explore the urgent challenges churches face—burnout, programming fatigue, lack of diversity—and how embracing contextual, relational, and collaborative ministry can reinvigorate the Church. Ray emphasizes that sustainable change requires discernment, shared leadership, and a willingness to reimagine our models without discarding what’s sacred. Listeners will hear reflections on the Future Focus Church framework, ministry “machines,” church hierarchy, spiritual nourishment for Gen Z, and why real transformation happens not through content alone, but through authentic community. Takeaways TENx10 is a collaborative effort to help 10 million young people make faith matter in the next decade. Ray's passion for youth ministry grew out of seeing faith drift in college students and the need to go younger. The Future Focus Church framework focuses on young people, kingdom diversity, and loving our neighbors. Churches often operate like machines, leading to unnecessary burnout and unsustainable programming. Ministry leaders need time and space to reflect and reassess what’s truly essential. Change must be approached slowly, thoughtfully, and in community—especially for new leaders. Hierarchy isn’t inherently bad—it can provide safety, accountability, and theological grounding when done well. Collaboration across differences invites deeper discernment and innovation in ministry. Trends fade. Transformation is relational, contextual, and Spirit-led. Young people long for a Church that is a reliable source of spiritual nourishment in both dry and abundant seasons.