DAVID & JENNY WRAIGHT. David & Jenny Wraight have served in ministry and mission for 35 years.
After completing a horticultural degree David started his working life as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Essendon, a suburban area of Melbourne, Australia. Jenny’s education is in early childhood development and after completing her studies she took on a role as Director of a preschool in the Western Melbourne suburb of Thomastown. David and Jenny married in 1977.
Not long after they married, David and Jenny had a clear call from God to give up their careers to serve in ministry and mission. They moved to a remote area of Western Australia and served for four years at Kurrawang Aboriginal Christian Community reaching out to Aboriginal families and caring for neglected and abandoned Aboriginal children.
Following their time in Western Australia and completing further studies, David worked for six years as a pastor at Notting Hill Community Church in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Under David and Jenny’s leadership the church grew rapidly. David developed an extensive youth ministry reaching hundreds of un-churched young people. Jenny implemented a variety of family and children’s ministries include several playgroups that enabled the church to connect with many families in the area.
It was through his work with homeless and marginalized young people, and conducting youth outreach programs in local secondary schools, that David came in contact with Youth for Christ (YFC). David worked with YFC for a number of years in a volunteer capacity and in 1990 became the Executive Director of the ministry in Melbourne.
In 2004 David was appointed as International President of Youth for Christ and served in this role until the end of 2013. Prior to his appointment to the International President David served as Area Director of YFC Asia Pacific (2000-2004), National Director of YFC Australia (1994 - 2000), and Executive Director of YFC Melbourne (1990–1993).
During the ten years that David was International President, Youth for Christ pioneered or restarted ministry in 68 nations; connected with around 60 million young people with over 2 million giving their lives to Jesus; developed and implemented a prayer strategy that now has 237,000 prayer intercessors globally and involves 14 prayer initiatives; implemented a young leaders’ development and empowerment process that identifies, trains, equips and mobilizes thousands of strategic young leaders across the world and has been the catalyst for exponential growth of the movement. When David completed his term of leadership in 2013 YFC had ministry in 140 nations, over 30,000 staff, and was impacting around 6 million un-churched un-reached young people every year.
David’s passion and calling is to see as many young people as possible have the opportunity to meet Jesus and become life-long followers of Him. He also has a strong sense of calling to the local church and to seeing local churches become authentic Kingdom communities reaching the unchurched. He is the author of two books: The Next Wave which describes how God is raising up a generation of globally connected young people who—with the empowerment and support of the Church—have the potential to usher in the greatest mission movement this world has ever experienced; and Kingdom Come which explores what happens—or what should happen—when the God’s Kingdom comes in a person’s life, in the Church and in the world.
Jenny’s passion and calling is to children and families. After 10 years at home raising their 3 children, she returned to education and has many years of experience teaching preschoolers and supporting and equipping parents. She has a deep desire to see the church develop effective children and family ministries that serve and impact whole communities. She has served as a ‘Mentor Mum’ at two MOPS (Mothers Of Pre-Schoolers) groups providing support, teaching and encouragement to young mothers. Jenny is also called to music and worship ministry and has much experience in leading worship in various church and mission contexts.
David and Jenny have three children, Belinda, Tracey and Michael, as well as four grandchildren.
David Wraight
E: david@cccvat.com.au
M: 0437 075 777
CCCVaT Comment: David gained significant experience and insight into mission during his time at YFC and has a large repository of interesting testimonials about young people who risked all to spread the Gospel.