If you've ever had a chance to sit in a smaller circle of folks and intimately learn the ins and outs of youth ministry, share emerging ideas, and look at your theology of youth ministry with people who do what you do, then you know the feeling of a peer community and the security of relating with other youth ministers. If you haven't had this opportunity, then it is now knocking on your door.
The Youth Ministry Institute (YMI) in the North Georgia Conference (UMC) is an informational, practical, and relational training for people who serve in youth ministry. Whether paid staff or volunteer, a ministry presence of Christ in the lives of teenagers is important and deserves to be treated as such.
Because adult leaders with youth are at various stages in their ministry and education, YMI offers three “tracks” that are designed to help the youth leader thrive in ministry with youth and the congregation.
[NOTE: it is not required to take track 1 before track 2 nor track 2 before track 3. They are designed for your needs.]
Churches and senior pastors: a great way to show support to your youth minister and youth ministry is to make sure his or her registration fee is covered.
Youth ministers: a great way to give support to your youth ministry team is to register, bringing all these great opportunities to your volunteer team.
Track 1Track 1 of YMI begins in August of each year. Track 1 is generally for beginning youth workers, as it focuses on the basics in ministry with youth. Here’s what you get with Track 1:
Cost for Track 1 is $650 which includes the cost of the retreat and all sessions.
Track 2 of YMI is currently scheduled to begin in August. This second track is generally for youth workers who recognize youth ministry as a long-haul career, offering training in areas that help promote sustainable youth ministry. Think of it this way: If Track 1 is high school football (how to learn the plays, the tricks, and conditioning) then Track 2 is college football (reading the field and understanding the intricacies of the game). Here’s what Track 2 it looks like:
Cost for Track 2 is $950, which includes all meetings and the registration, transportation, and housing cost for the Perkins School of Youth Ministry in Dallas, Texas, in January (meals not included at the convention).
NOTE: Currently the North Georgia Conference provides a grant covering half the cost of YMI registration, making the cost for NGA churches only $475.
The third track to YMI is the Youth Ministry Coaching Program – a whole-life coaching focusing on transformation and youth ministry development. This is a cohort led by The Youth Cartel’s Mark Oestreicher exclusively through the North Georgia Conference. YMCP (Track 3) is scheduled to begin with an overnight retreat in September (beginning at dinner time) at Glisson Camping and Retreat Center (near Dahlonega). Each cohort meets six times in the year – every other month for two full days at Glisson.
Critical thinking and theological reflection are extremely important for youth workers who don’t merely want to perpetuate the way things have been done in the past. However, thinking and reflection are merely one portion (though a significant one) of what will help youth workers stay true to their calling and also grow in maturity and effectiveness. Emotional, relational, and spiritual health are essential to long-term impact. This third track of YMI (YMCP) is designed to provide both an opportunity for critical reflection and discussion of youth ministry issues, but also to provide a safe place to experience holistic growth.
In most ways, the YMCP will surpass the training that can be offered by seminars and conventions. It will even surpass the experience of formal education. This is specifically due to the structure of the program (a small cohort with accountability, safety and shared shaping of the content), as well as the content of the program (thoughtful youth ministry dialogue, real life application, customized personal development, emotional honesty, and spiritual direction).
Since its launch in 2010, YMCP has seen over 400 youth workers graduate from the program, and the results of have been astounding. Regardless of their age (from 24-60 years old) or experience in youth ministry (from one year to three decades), the ramifications of YMCP have resulted in profound personal and Kingdom impact.
After completing Youth Ministry Coaching Program, participants will have had the following experiences and opportunities:
Each YMCP face-to-face meeting will be two days.
Sample YMCP 2-Day Meeting Schedule
Day 1
8:00 – 9:15 am Highs & Lows, Report on Homework
9:30 – 11:00 am Teaching and interaction on a youth ministry subject
11:15 am – 12:00 pm Personal Sharing
12:00 – 2:30 pm
• Lunch break
• Personal coaching sessions with coach
• Spiritual direction appointments
2:30 – 3:15 pm Focused Input: cohort participant
3:25 – 4:10 pm Focused Input: cohort participant
4:25 – 5:00 pm Quick Input Blocks
5:30 – 6:00 pm Break
6:00 – 7:30 pm Dinner together
Day 2
8:00 – 9:00 am Reflection and Prayer
9:15 – 11:00 am Teaching and interaction on a leadership subject
11:30 am – 12:00 pm Book Discussion
12:00 – 2:30 pm
• Lunch break
• Personal coaching sessions with coach
• Spiritual direction appointments
2:30 – 3:15 pm Focused Input: cohort participant
3:30 – 3:45 pm Homework Assignments
Cost for Track 3 (YMCP) is $3500 which includes meals and lodging on each of the two-day meetings at Glisson.
Accepted participants will have an opportunity to speak into the actual meeting dates, but once set, the dates will not be flexible.
It is expected that churches will provide the funding through continuing ed or special reimbursement for YMI and not expect the youth minister to pay for YMI from his or her own personal funds; however, not all congregations can afford such an expenditure, and we do want a diversity of churches represented in each cohort.
If the church is unable to provide the necessary funds for YMI there is a grant available that will help. The YMI Grant is for any of the three tracks and is a matching grant. (A question on the registration informs us of the need for a grant.)
Choose which track is right for you and submit an application:
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