“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” -Isaiah 43:19
Last month, I wrote in this space about the event that the Youth Ministry Institute hosted about innovation. The Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean and the Rev. Matt Overton spent a day with our local church leaders, leading them through exercises and conversations about how to be very expansive about what youth ministries can look like.
As a local church pastor, I’m well aware that the mere idea of innovation can sound daunting. How to make a hundreds-year-old church try something new? Unless under duress, change can be difficult for so many.
As a follow-up to May’s event, our office is pleased to present our “How to Innovate” Guide. Innovation can be as large as trying a new endeavor; it can be as small as taking a step towards trying something new. But as long as we are open to the Spirit’s voice in our midst, innovation is possible. We hope this will be a helpful resource as you consider what might be next for your youth ministry.
As we ease into these summer months, we at the YMI wish for you a time of rest, renewal, and dreaming as you look ahead.
Missed May 7th’s event on Innovation with Kenda and Matt? Check out all of the videos here from the event and its corresponding interview with our presenters!
On the journey with you,
Rev. Jill, Director of the Yale Youth Ministry Institute
How We Teach the Bible – and Why
This year at Summer Study, Dr. Joel S. Baden gave the keynote address on “How We Teach the Bible – and Why“. The way the Bible is taught at Yale is not the way it’s taught in church or in traditional Bible study groups. Baden explores the particularities of a Bible education at YDS: why it works the way it does, and why it’s so important for both YDS students and the wider community. You can hear the keynote address it in its entirety here.
2022 Upcoming Events and Offerings
Mark Your Calendar!
We are excited to announce that this Fall, we will be holding our Yale Youth Ministry Institute events in-person at YDS and online on Zoom (register for the online ticket). Our YBS events will still be held virtually. Check out below some of our upcoming events and be sure to check back on our YMI webpage, YBS webpage, and our Center for Continuing Education webpage for more events as they are added.
The Storm Isn’t Over: Ways to Support the Social Emotional Needs of Youth with Dr. Szu-Hui Lee, PhD, ABPP September 7th; 12 -1 pm We will discuss the key social emotional impacts of the public health pandemic and social cultural epidemic we’ve all been experiencing and witnessing.Register at: The Storm Isn’t Over: Ways to Support the Social Emotional Needs of Youth |
Talking about Sex, Tech, and Faith with Teens with Dr. Kate Ott October 5th; 12 – 1:30 pm This event will provide a nuanced approach that prioritizes honesty and discernment over fear and judgment. Also, you will receive curricular practices that draw on core values of the Christian tradition to help teens develop a just and flourishing sexuality in the digital age.Register at: Talking about Sex, Tech, and Faith with Teens |
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy: An Online Bible Study with Dr. Joel S. Baden Sept. 15, 22, 29, Oct. 6, 13, & 20; 8 pm Join us for the last three books of the Pentateuch – Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In these six sessions, we will make our way through this maze of material, and see how the most challenging material can also be the most rewarding.Register at: Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy: An Online Bible Study |
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