To borrow a metaphor from Jesus and farming, a church’s organizational culture is like soil — a living ecosystem that sustains innovation to varying degrees. A church’s culture constitutes the soil into which innovative seeds are planted. Healthy cultural soil is able to nourish innovative ministries that engage people’s assets and needs so the community […]
[1] Theological reflection doesn’t begin with the learning or recitation of scripture, but with an experience that prompts us to awe and wonder. Whether the blinding experience of Saul on the road to Damascus or the experience of a sixth-grader encountering the poverty of America, when our experiences upend our expectations or normal ways of […]
Meet Dwight Johnson: CYMT Alum and Theology Together Director The following is a transcript of an interview by Tiffany Malone of the Center for Youth Ministry Training with Dwight Johnson, taken from our admissions newsletter sent February 1st, 2021. Some of the questions and answers have been edited for brevity and clarity. Dwight […]
Meet Lisa Vegors, CYMT Coach The following is a transcript of an interview by Tiffany Malone of the Center for Youth Ministry Training with Lisa Vegors, taken from our admissions newsletter sent November 2nd, 2020. Some of the questions and answers have been edited for brevity and clarity. Lisa Vegors serves at St. […]
The following is a story from the Center for Youth Ministry Training’s Innovation Laboratory, taken from our email newsletter sent on Jan. 28th, 2021. Parts of the story have been edited for brevity and clarity. To be the first to read stories like this, click here to sign up for our newsletter. Pictured: Students hard […]
A Deep Dive Into a God View on the Wow The fourth step in the Theology Together’s Wow Theological Reflection Method is “God.” After exposing youth and youth leaders to a disorienting experience. After allowing young people to share their “wow” stories. And after examining what “the world” has to say about them. It is […]
Spring has sprung! In many areas, the weather has turned warmer, which means summer is, well, “hot” on its heels. Your youth ministry might be looking to make a difference this summer. Or, you might always go on a summer ministry trip every year. Or, you might feel like your youth need a little […]
We asked the teens of our partner ministries, “How is youth ministry shaping your life?” Teenagers are growing up in a rapidly changing culture and experiencing isolation, loneliness, and overwhelming anxiety. And in the midst of this, more youth are finding faith irrelevant to their everyday life. Today’s teens need leaders and spiritual tools that help […]
CYMT’s Innovation Laboratory hosted an online event on May 18 called “Thoughtful Conversations: Courageously Discerning What’s Next When ‘Normal’ Isn’t an Option.” Leaders from churches and non-profits around the country were led to ask deep questions about how the pandemic has impacted people in their communities. We talked about the changes being observed nationwide in […]
We recently celebrated the class of 2021 and interviewed them about their experience. Listen to what they had to say: Q: How does it feel to have graduated with a Master of Arts in youth ministry? A: It feels great. I don’t know if I would have survived a role in ministry […]
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