Jean–Jacques Weiler has been just about everything in YFC: Camp Director, National Director, Area Director, International Director.
In 1964 he joined YFC France for a year, and never left. He served as National Director for 24 years, developing teams, a camp, music ministry and most importantly of all, people. Under his leadership YFC France also helped to pioneer YFC work in eight Francophone nations in West Africa.
From 1987 he served with distinction as the Area Director for Europe, the Middle–East & North Africa, before being called by the International movement to become their head in 2000 at a time of crisis in the organisation. For the next four years under his godly leadership a Kingdom mentality of interdependence was fostered, the ship was steadied and a new course set going back to the fundamentals of The Word, prayer, servanthood, forgiveness, reconciliation, and an intentionality about allowing younger leaders to come through and develop. Countless hours and days were spent on planes and in airports travelling between his home in France and the Denver HQ and to many countries who needed to hear words of encouragement from Le Chef.
His key values are team work, a conviction that the leader is the servant of all, that he must allow his team members to develop their gifts, must be vulnerable and lead with humility, and must learn to hear God’s voice and the voices of the needs of young people.
Now in well–earned retirement in his beloved Alsace from the day–to–day details of ministry, Jean–Jacques and his faithful wife and partner–in–ministry Elsbeth continue to pray daily for the organisation and to encourage and uphold the younger leaders whom they have done so much to nurture.