Celebrating 100 Years: Crusaders' Director Matt Summerfield

As Christian youth organisation Crusaders celebrated their 100th anniversary 20 May 2006, Executive Director Matt Summerfield took a moment to share his vision and goals with Christian Today. In this interview, Summerfield talks about Crusaders' new name, their goals as they enter a new century, and what challenges they face when reaching out to young people in today's generation.


What’s one of the greatest milestones in the history of Crusaders?

One of the greatest milestones, I think, is the fact that this movement has been around for 100 years. There’s probably no single moment in the history that stands out to me. For the last 100 years, we’ve had thousands and thousands of faithful leaders and volunteers that have given so much of their lives to tell hundreds of thousands of young people and children the good news of Jesus. And I think this is really something to celebrate. Knowing that those men and women have passed on the baton to us, and expect us to keep doing that for the decades and centuries to come.

After 100 years, why did Crusaders decide to change its name to ‘Urban Saints,’ and what does it stand for?

We felt that it was time for a change. We’ve been Crusaders for 100 years, and we’re breaking into our second century. There was a real sense that God was refreshing the movement that we are coming into a new season, and a new season needed a new name. And I guess what lies in our hearts is that we want to see young people follow Jesus and become like Jesus and be agents of change and transformation in their world.

The name ‘Urban Saints’ stands for a young person who is living a life of faith, hope, and love. As you are a part of the Urban Saint movement, you could be an Urban Saint, following Jesus with His mission and bringing the good news of Jesus to wherever you are, and whoever you connect with. Editor’s note: Crusaders will operate under the name Urban Saints starting 1 January, 2007.

What’s the greatest challenge of reaching out to young people in today’s world?

I think the biggest challenge is that young people are fed a lie that they don’t realise. And the lie is: if you have the right clothes, if you have money, if you’re a party animal, if you have status and hang around with the right people, then you will be fulfilled. Our challenge is to kind of lift the curtains and tell them that it’s not true. To tell them: You can have all those things and still, there will be a gap, a big hole in your life. And true fulfillment only comes from knowing Christ. Somehow, we’ve got to find a relevant and challenging way to get that message to nine million children and young people who just don’t know.

|PIC2|What changes do you wish to see in today’s society regarding the youth?

We live in a culture today in UK where maybe 90 % of the nation’s youth have no contact with the church. Firstly, I’d love to see more young people have an opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus, and really go for the great life that He offers them.

Secondly, I would like society to look more positively at young people. In this country, the press are always putting young people down, suggesting that they will beat you up or steal your car. And always, the minority spoils it for majority. Part of the Urban Saints movement is saying, ‘we don’t want to say young people are yobos and bandos. We want to say that they could be Urban Saints – they could be men and women that could be transformational for the Kingdom. We would definitely love to see the society’s view of young people change.

What’s the main goal that rings in your mind as Crusaders enters its new century?

Right now we have about 450 groups reaching across the country working with 5-18 year olds— about 20,000 young people. Our big emphasis for the next few years is to double that number: How can we reach 50,000+ young people in the next 2 or 3 years? All the while knowing that that’s only half a per cent of the population. As we aim towards that in the next 2 or 3 years, our eye is on 10 years: What would it take to reach millions of young people? Being able to bring them together into a community to hear the good news about Christ is our focus.

What does Crusaders want to be remembered as?

We want to be remembered as a movement that loves young people. One that has invested so much time, money, and people into the task of preaching the good news to them. We want to be remembered for having set a standard that’s provocative and prophetic to the church, and that we’re the watchmen/women over this generation.