December Newsletter – Yale Youth Ministry Institute

December 2025 News

Season Greetings!

Spread Kindness This Season
Can you believe that the holidays are upon us? As we patiently wait to celebrate the arrival of Jesus Christ, you may find your calendar jammed packed with never-ending tasks and events. We encourage you to slow down and think about “the reason for the season.” Although Thanksgiving has passed, we can continue to show our gratitude and compassion for others. Does someone in your community need some joy? Is there someone who is struggling and is embarrassed to ask for help? How can you show kindness to the folks you encounter?

Learn more and download our Kindness Activity Calendar here.

Advent Calendar of Scripture
The Season of Advent is hectic as you prepare for the holidays. We hope you will slow down and take a minute to focus on the themes of Advent. To help, we have included scriptures for each day of December, which you can find here.

“What Do We Do with a Book like Revelation?” Bible Study
Did you miss our live Bible study on the Book of Revelation with YDS Professor Yii-Jan Lin this fall? The Book of Revelation is a strange book, full of conflicting timelines, bizarre images, and coded language. This Bible study looked at the many different ways to read and interpret this ancient text by analyzing its historical and literary context and exploring the many different ways people have used the book. You can watch the full series or listen to it here.

From the YMI Director: Gratitude and Hope

Dear youth ministry friends,

As I sit in my office on this chilly fall day, I find myself filled with both gratitude and hope. Both of these feelings are incredibly timely as the ever-shortening days begin their slip towards the winter holidays.

Read full message here.

	Last Chance – The Anticipation and Arrival of Jesus in Luke 1 and 2 with the Rev. Dr. Allen Hilton Zoom \| December 4, 11, and 18 \| 7:30 pm \| 3 Sessions The Gospel of Luke offers our most extensive biblical look at the anticipation of Jesus’s advent. Through angel visits, the enthusiastic response of faithful women, the lowly circumstances of the birth, and the earliest days of the incarnation, the Gospel trumpets the significance and shape of God’s appearing among us in Bethlehem. Learn more and register here
	Conflict Management for Innovators with Ryan Dunlap Zoom \| December 9 \| 12 – 2pm EasternIn partnership with Berkeley Divinity School Innovation in ministry often disrupts the status quo, creating resistance rooted in fear, uncertainty, or a sense of loss. This workshop will equip church leaders with the skills to transform conflict into collaboration, helping individuals and teams move from actively resistant to active participants in innovation. This program empowers leaders to lead with wisdom and compassion, transforming resistance into collective action that drives meaningful innovation and lasting ministry impact. Learn more and register here
	A Scholarly Stroll Through the Sermon on the Mount Zoom \| January 5 – February 23 \| 7:30 pm Eastern \| 8 Sessions The Rev. Dr. Allen Hilton will lead us through the “Sermon on the Mount” for both academic insights and spiritual applications. This course will see it through ancient eyes first, then move it toward our 21st century, lives, churches, and world. Learn more and register here
	When Leaders Get in the Way with Rabbi Elan Babchuck Zoom \| January 21 \| 12 – 2pm EasternIn partnership with Berkeley Divinity School Innovation in ministry often disrupts the status quo, creating resistance rooted in fear, uncertainty, or a sense of loss. This workshop will equip church leaders with the skills to transform conflict into collaboration, helping individuals and teams move from actively resistant to active participants in innovation. This program empowers leaders to lead with wisdom and compassion, transforming resistance into collective action that drives meaningful innovation and lasting ministry impact. Learn more and register here

How Young Minds Navigate Social Interaction: From Infancy to Childhood with Dr. Youjung Choi
Zoom | February 4 | 12 – 1:30 pm Eastern

We will explore how infants and young children make sense of the multifaceted nature of social interaction. Drawing on a series of empirical studies, we will examine how they understand and navigate social relationships—how they initiate, maintain, and adjust them by attending to various social cues.

Learn more and register here

Not Too Little to Lead: The Value of Children as Leaders in our Worship with Brandy McDonald
Zoom | March 4 | 12 – 1:30 pm Eastern We all love having children present in the church, but what does it look like when our children are full and active participants in the leadership of our worship services? In this webinar, I will share the successes and challenges my church has faced in our intentional approach to ensuring children feel empowered to be active participants in the leadership of our worship services.

Learn more and register here

As you plan your end-of-year giving, please consider supporting our work. While we are grateful to have access to the faculty and expertise of Yale, we are not funded by Yale. We are funded solely by donations. Your gift will enable us to continue to provide the necessary tools and resources that support life changing ministries. Help us achieve our mission by making your gift today.

Connect with Yale Youth Ministry Institute

Connect with the Center for Continuing Education and Yale Bible Study

	Last Chance – The Anticipation and Arrival of Jesus in Luke 1 and 2 with the Rev. Dr. Allen Hilton Zoom \| December 4, 11, and 18 \| 7:30 pm \| 3 Sessions The Gospel of Luke offers our most extensive biblical look at the anticipation of Jesus’s advent. Through angel visits, the enthusiastic response of faithful women, the lowly circumstances of the birth, and the earliest days of the incarnation, the Gospel trumpets the significance and shape of God’s appearing among us in Bethlehem. Learn more and register here
	Conflict Management for Innovators with Ryan Dunlap Zoom \| December 9 \| 12 – 2pm EasternIn partnership with Berkeley Divinity School Innovation in ministry often disrupts the status quo, creating resistance rooted in fear, uncertainty, or a sense of loss. This workshop will equip church leaders with the skills to transform conflict into collaboration, helping individuals and teams move from actively resistant to active participants in innovation. This program empowers leaders to lead with wisdom and compassion, transforming resistance into collective action that drives meaningful innovation and lasting ministry impact. Learn more and register here
	A Scholarly Stroll Through the Sermon on the Mount Zoom \| January 5 – February 23 \| 7:30 pm Eastern \| 8 Sessions The Rev. Dr. Allen Hilton will lead us through the “Sermon on the Mount” for both academic insights and spiritual applications. This course will see it through ancient eyes first, then move it toward our 21st century, lives, churches, and world. Learn more and register here
	When Leaders Get in the Way with Rabbi Elan Babchuck Zoom \| January 21 \| 12 – 2pm EasternIn partnership with Berkeley Divinity School Innovation in ministry often disrupts the status quo, creating resistance rooted in fear, uncertainty, or a sense of loss. This workshop will equip church leaders with the skills to transform conflict into collaboration, helping individuals and teams move from actively resistant to active participants in innovation. This program empowers leaders to lead with wisdom and compassion, transforming resistance into collective action that drives meaningful innovation and lasting ministry impact. Learn more and register here