Youth Ministries Will Split Into Independent Nonprofits
The Youth Leader Collective and Pray for Me campaign will transition into separate organizations by January 2027.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Christianity
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Beginning January 1, 2027, the Chattanooga-based Youth Leader Collective and the Pray for Me campaign will operate as two independent nonprofit ministries. This planned structural separation aims to provide each organization with greater mission clarity.
Why it matters
The split formalizes the independence of two distinct ministries that have operated under a shared umbrella since 2014. By becoming separate entities, both groups seek to better focus on their specific objectives in supporting area youth.
Founded in 2014, the Pray for Me campaign currently pairs each student with three adults for prayer. The Youth Leader Collective supports these efforts through five area networks of youth pastors.
The players
Tony Souder
He served as the chief executive officer of the Youth Leader Collective for 32 years.
Zach Wyatt
He is a youth pastor with 16 years of experience who will lead the Youth Leader Collective.
The details
Tony Souder, who led the Youth Leader Collective for 32 years, will transition to focus exclusively on the Pray for Me campaign. Zach Wyatt, who has 16 years of experience as a youth pastor, will serve as the executive director of the Youth Leader Collective.
Timeline
2014 marked the founding of the Pray for Me campaign.
September 28, 2026, is the date of a dinner to formally announce the split.
January 1, 2027, is when the ministries will begin operating independently.
Culture Shift
This move reflects the administrative maturation of local nonprofit ministry networks as they transition from incubator models to independent, focused operations. The separation follows a broader trend where mission-specific initiatives split from parent organizations to maximize specialized impact.
Area families participating in the Pray for Me campaign or the Youth Leader Collective should monitor updates regarding potential changes to program coordination or point-of-contact information. The separation is intended to maintain continuity of ministry services while clarifying the leadership structure for local supporters.
The takeaway
The transition marks the beginning of a new chapter for these ministries as they seek to sharpen their individual goals for community outreach. Supporters should anticipate a structured leadership change designed to foster long-term stability for both the mentorship and prayer initiatives.
What happens next
The organizations will host a dinner to announce the transition on September 28, 2026, followed by the official separation on January 1, 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about the religious landscape in Chattanooga.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Timesfreepress.
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