Dodie Wilbur has been the Director of IAM Youth Ablaze for the past ten years and has worked with teenagers in many capacities over the last 28 years.  Her hearts cry is for each young person to experience God the reality of His love and purpose for them and be equipped and mobilized to walk in fullness with Him.  

At IAM Youth Ablaze she has trained and led teams on short term missions to Peru, India, Africa, Russia, Mexico, and Uganda.  She has also facilitated several teams to the Inner City of Albany, NY.  Part of her responsibility has been to prayerfully develop childrens programs for the nations and handbooks for all IAM Youth Ablaze missionaries. 

Dodie oversees all programs at IAM Youth Ablaze, including Refiners Fire Ministry, IAM Youth Ablaze East Africa and The Samuel Project.

 Jesse and Rachelle Digges both have a heart after God and desire to see their generation lay down their lives for Him.  Their family, including three year old daughter Hadassah, moved to Tororo, Uganda in 2008.  They currently labor together at the IAM Youth Ablaze East Africa Base, where Jesse serves as Director.  Their desire is to see young people of all nations mobilized and discipled to love Jesus, fulfill the Great Commission and usher in the second coming of Christ.  They are raising up Ugandan young adults to spread the gospel to the unreached people groups of northern Africa including Sudan.

Jesse and Rachelle have been on the leadership team of IAM Youth Ablaze for the last four years, but have been involved with the organization for the last six.  Before moving to Uganda, they ministered in prayer and teaching to many of our mission teams, helping prepare them to go out and fulfill the Great Commission.

They spent two years at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO where Jesse graduated from the Forerunner School of Ministry and where they were both part of the 24/7 prayer ministry. 

In 2004 they helped start up the Northeast House of Prayer where Jesse was a teacher and prayer leader, and Rachelle was a worship leader.  Jesse also spoke throughout the Capital Region encouraging teenagers to live wholeheartedly for Jesus through a lifestyle of prayer and worship.  During this time they also labored together leading the 24/7 Youth Ministry at Light of the World in Latham, NY. 

They have spent the past six years working with youth and young adults.  Their desire is to see the sons and daughters of this generation walk wholeheartedly with Jesus Christ.  The Lord is raising up an army in these last days, filled and empowered with His Spirit to go into the nations and reach the lost with the Gospel in order to usher in the return of Jesus.

Bob has attended Light of the World Christian Church for 20 years. He is an intercessor and operates in the prophetic.  Bob became involved with IAM Youth Ablaze in 2006 and took his first trip with the organization in April 2007.  He has a Father’s heart for the fatherless and has a desire to see young men rise up and run after Jesus with their whole hearts.

"It is he that will go as a forerunner before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the Fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."   Luke 1:17

Patty first became involved with IAM Youth Ablaze in March 2001 when she went on a Mission to Mexico with a team from Light of the World.  She was so impacted by the Boot Camp Experience before the trip, that she has been involved with Youth Ablaze in one way or another ever since. 

Patty has attended Light of the World Christian Church for the past ten years.  During that time she has served as a Youth Leader for the 24:7 youth ministry and also served on the leader team of a Church in the House (a small group meeting in someones home - where Bob & Patty met).

Bob and Patty have both been involved with the House of Prayer at Light of the World and have a desire to disciple people and see them walk in the fullness God has for them.  As part of IAM Youth Ablaze they are helping lead a Leadership Disciple Program for young adults where hearing God’s voice and living a life of holiness and righteousness are the goals.

Jon Belschwinder

Jon Belschwinder is currently serving as a youth leader and ministry intern at Our    Savior's Lutheran Church in Colonie, NY and has been since September 2007.  While in this position he has served in a broad range of areas such as Junior High Youth Group, biblical education, and Confirmation classes.  During this internship he has received both practical and biblical training through the Senior Pastor, Ken Cobb.

He also works with the South Colonie STATIC (Students Taking Action To Introduce Christ) group to help them bring the love of Jesus to students in CCHS.  He participates in the OSL worship band, Joy Furnace, which he has been a part of for several years.  He also plays the acoustic guitar and bass guitar using those gifts to minister on the church's worship team. 

Jon attended Colonie Central High School and graduated in 2006.  Then he moved on to HVCC and graduated early in the summer of 2007 with an Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences.  He is currently a full-time senior at Siena College fulfilling the requirements for a bachelors degree in History.

"I truly believe that God is doing something miraculous in this generation.  He is calling us into the fire to be refined to his mirror image, to set us loose on this world, especially our country.  It all starts with the baby basic principle of falling in love with Jesus."  Jon Belschwinder

Adam McGowen

Adam McGowen has been attending Light of the World Christian Church ever since he can remember. He feels as though he hasnt always lived a life worthy of the calling that the Lord has placed on him, but in His grace He took him back like a prodigal son.

God has given Adam a heart for the fatherless and orphaned.  He has shown him the need for Godly young men and women to stand in the gap for this wicked and perverse generation. He is excited to see what God has in store for Refiner's Fire Ministry this year and is glad that he can be a part of it.

“I look forward to meeting with all of you and building God's Kingdom together! If I can encourage you all in one way it's through the scripture Ephesians 5:8 "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light..."”  Adam McGowen

Theresa Rawlings

Theresa Rawlings is a twenty-two year old, who graduated from Shenendehowa in 2006, and also graduated from Hudson Valley Community College with an Associates Degree in Individual Studies in December, 2008.

She feels honored to be part of Youth Ablaze as they stand beside the youth of this generation. She first realized the truth of the reality of Christ's salvation as a freshman but began a relationship with God her senior year of high school.  She is so grateful to God for opening her eyes to the truth as the promise of Jeremiah 29:13 became her personal testimony.

Theresa is a member of Light of the World Christian Church in Latham, NY and has labored there in the 24/7 Youth Ministry for three years.  She is also co-leading a RealLife small group at Hudson Valley Community College and spending some of her time sharing the Gospel on campus as God leads.  Theresa is currently working part-time as a nurses aide and coaching rowing at Shenendehowa for their middle school program. 

She has been a young adult leader here at IAM Youth Ablaze for one year pouring her efforts for the Lord into Refiner's Fire Ministry at Our Savior's Lutheran Middle School.  She also labored with us in Uganda in the summer of 2008.  Romans 10:14 states "And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?"  Her goal is to preach the message of repentance, love, and redemption, as well as to train others to live this way.

Brittany Krimsky

Brittany graduated from Berne-Knox-Westerlo in 2007 and she attends Rock Road Chapel in Berne, NY.  After high school she spent 16 months overseas in England laboring with Lightfoot Grove Church.  While in England she was a leader in the church's youth ministry, was invloved with youth outreaches, and enjoyed coaching basketball. 

In 2004 Brittany joined with IAM Youth Ablaze as a student missionary in the Albany Outreach and again in 2005 when she went to Peru.  She has spent the last eight months serving full time with International Accelerated Missions and IAM Youth Ablaze.  Some of her responsibilites include aiding in translating the Bible curriculum into other languages, and fulfilling administrative duties with Refiner's Fire and IAM Youth Ablaze.  Brittany also is a young adult leader with Refiner's Fire Ministry.