About Teen Challenge Armenia
Teen Challenge Armenia is a faith-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in California, USA, with active ministry work in the Republic of Armenia. Our ministry in Armenia operates through our officially registered NGO, Teen Challenge Armenia, which serves as the Armenia branch of the California organization.
We exist to bring hope, healing, and Christ-centered transformation to individuals and families affected by addiction, trauma, homelessness, and life-controlling issues—both in Armenia and within the Armenian community in the United States.
The Beginnings – A God-Orchestrated Story
It all began in 1990, when classmates Samvel Minasyan, Gagik Mkrtchyan, and Arshak Sargsyan encountered the Gospel during a time of historic change in Armenia. A pastor, Samvel Navoyan, led by the Holy Spirit, began teaching Christianity at their school. Through these lessons, the boys were deeply touched by the Holy Spirit and gave their hearts to Jesus. The hostile classroom they once knew was transformed into a place of love, forgiveness, and unity.
Soon after, Gagik moved to Russia and, through difficult circumstances, became involved in the criminal world. Yet he never forgot the peace and joy he once had with Christ. In 2006, God brought him back to Armenia, where he and Samvel were reunited. Their restored friendship ignited a calling to serve those struggling with addiction, homelessness, and brokenness.
From 2006–2014, Samvel and Gagik began ministering to addicts, troubled youth, and street teens with very limited resources. With compassion and faith, Gagik and his wife Lusine opened their home, taking in those who had nowhere to go. Many who arrived in addiction or crime encountered Christ, were transformed, built families, and later began serving others.
Growth, Impact & God’s Faithfulness
In 2014, Samvel connected with Teen Challenge representatives and introduced them to the ministry already taking place. This opened the door for Teen Challenge to be established in Armenia. That same year, Samvel moved to the United States, and Gagik and Lusine continued leading the ministry in Armenia, faithfully serving those in need.
Through the years, by God’s grace, the ministry has reached some of the most vulnerable and forgotten, including:
• Men and women battling addiction
• Street teens and youth in crime
• Women rescued from abuse and exploitation
• Homeless individuals needing dignity and hope
• Social orphans with no family support
• People affected by severe illness and TB
Lives were transformed, families restored, and many now serve Christ and help others. After the 2020 war in Armenia, donor support shifted toward wounded soldiers and grieving families, making it harder to sustain the full scope of ministry branches. Yet through faith and God’s provision, the work continues.
The Mission Today – Armenia & USA Together
Teen Challenge Armenia continues to serve in Armenia through trained leadership who carry the daily work of the ministry. Gagik and his family have now moved to the United States to join efforts with Samvel, with a united vision to expand the mission further.
Our vision is two-fold:
1) Strengthen and support the ongoing ministry in Armenia
2) Establish a Teen Challenge Armenia Rehabilitation Center in California, offering Christ-centered recovery in a familiar Armenian cultural and language environment
Our mission remains the same:
To bring hope, healing, and Christ-centered transformation to the addicted, the broken, and the forgotten — in Armenia and in the Armenian community in the U.S.