Acquire the Fire

Acquire the Fire

Teen Mania International was an Evangelical Christian youth organization located in Dallas, Texas (formerly Garden Valley, Texas). Teen Mania focused primarily on four key programs, with a few additional smaller endeavors. It was one of the largest Christian youth organizations in the U.S.Its primary program included "Acquire the Fire" events, described by one writer as "a mix of pep rally, rock concert and church service," that were held in over 30 cities across the United States and Canada each year. The ministry focused much of its energy towards its domestic and overseas mission trips, operated under the title "Global Expeditions". Teen Mania operated a one-year-long residential leadership training program on its campus, titled the Honor Academy, aimed towards high school graduates, and college students. The ministry faced criticism for its use of overtly militaristic symbolism, as well as techniques that have been compared as similar to military training. This aggressive element is reflected in the vision statement: "To build an engaged ensemble of young people that are: radical, passionate, resilient, informed revolutionaries that will take the Gospel to the nations and multiply by teaching others to do the same." Teen Mania has also been criticized by some former interns and employees for what they characterize as spiritual abuse and financial mismanagement. In its final years it faced significant financial difficulties, including a foreclosure on their campus, a lawsuit for breach of contract, and over $5.2 million in negative assets. In February 2014 the ministry changed its name to "Teen Mania International" as part of a move from Garden Valley to Dallas after defaulting on the mortgage on their campus. In May 2014, Teen Mania announced that it would be expanding its work to include overseas churches.In December 2015, founder Ron Luce announced via Christianity Today that they "would cease operations," effectively shutting down all of its operations. Teen Mania filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy on December 17, 2015, closing the ministry permanently.

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