Step Away from the Panic Button: Crafting Your Preaching and Teaching Process

Editor’s Note: The following article is a summary of material presented at the Center for Youth Ministry Training’s conference From Txt2Speech: Proclaiming scripture to youth in a digital age, held Nov. 30 – Dec. 2, 2012 in Nashville, Tenn. by Travis Garner “It’s 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. The youth will be at the church […]

From Txt2Speech: An Overview

by Laura Larsen The first major conference hosted by the Center for Youth Ministry Training, From Txt2Speech, held at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, November 29 through December 1, 2012 was not to be missed. Focused on how to proclaim scripture to youth in a digital age, the three-day conference was packed with innovative main […]

A Counterintuitive Pedagogy

Editor’s Note: The following article is a summary of material presented at the Center for Youth Ministry Training’s conference From Txt2Speech: Proclaiming scripture to youth in a digital age, held Nov. 30 – Dec. 2, 2012 in Nashville, Tenn. by Stephen Ingram The days of up front proclamation, assumed authority, and prescribed theological fences are […]

Innovative Curriculum

by Andrew Zirschky The careful balance and integration of coaching, church experience, cohort interaction, and the academic study of youth ministry are at the heart of the Center for Youth Ministry Training‘s (CYMT) mission to educate and equip youth ministers as practical theologians. By bringing together expert-guided congregational practice and theological reflection within a cohort […]

Making Your Ski Trip a Spiritual Experience

by Peter Carlson Youth group ski trips are often a highlight of the year to both students and adult leaders (especially if your church covers the cost of your leaders’ lift tickets). However, when planning these trips it’s easy to focus on the logistics of this event and place any spiritual element as an afterthought. […]

Dealing with Conflict in Youth Ministry

by Jason Sansbury When you’ve been in ministry long enough (and sometimes when you’re just starting out), there are certain “moments” that you’ll experience. One of those moments is when the “haters” come for you. I wish I could tell you that being in the church world and in ministry meant that you wouldn’t have […]

Get Trained

Editor’s Note: This letter is an excerpt from CYMT’s book Letters to a Youth Worker, edited by Mark DeVries. Dear Theologian, Yes. You are a theologian. Anytime you open the Bible and read the scriptures, anytime you talk about God or your Christian faith, you do theology. It may not be intentional, but it’s inescapable: […]

Seeing God in Color

by Samantha Tidball Recently, I had a conversation with someone about his understanding of the function of church. He told me that he once heard a preacher say that the church is about saving souls. This preacher believes that if there are any activities in the church that are not about saving souls and doing […]

Plan B: Do You Have One?

by Mindi Godfrey One of my very dear friends dubbed me “Queen of Plan B.” In most situations, especially when working with teens, I have a “Plan B.” I hate to be unprepared and caught off guard even though I’m quite capable of thinking on my feet. And perhaps because I, along with my family, […]

Married in Youth Ministry: The Newlyweds

Editor’s Note: This is the first in our short series “Married/Single in Youth Ministry.” Over the coming weeks we’ll profile three married couples and two single folks to get their insights on youth ministry as it relates to varying stages of both married and single life, including no kids, adding kids, and having seen it […]

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