The Youth Minister as Cultural Diagnostician

The Youth Minister as Cultural Diagnostician

The Rev. Dr. David C. Mahan delivers a lecture entitled, “The Youth Minister as [Cultural] Diagnostician.” The difficulties of connecting young people with faith requires every minister to become an able diagnostician of contemporary culture. With the glut of generational profiles, however, we often strain to figure out how to make that connection with the individuals in our churches and ministries. This talk will offer a different model, called “Faultlines,” that will help us not only to make faith relevant, but resonant with young people today.

Parents, The REAL Pastors

Parents, The REAL Pastors

Professor Christian Smith delivers Yale Divinity School’s Ensign Lecture, entitled, “Parents, the REAL Pastors: The Absolute Centrality of Parenting in Passing on Religious Faith and Practice to the Next Generation.”

Sustainable Youth and Children’s Ministries

Sustainable Youth and Children’s Ministries

Rev. Mark DeVries delivers a lecture entitled, “Sustainable Youth and Children’s Ministries.” In the the world of youth and children’s ministry, there are a handful of constant factors that allow ministries to thrive over the long haul. This workshop introduces children’s workers, youth workers, and senior pastors to those patterns that notoriously keep ministries stuck and to systems and strategies most likely to result in culture change. The thorny challenge of building healthy and engaged volunteer teams will be used as a culture-change case study for participants to workshop.

Interpreting the Experience of Divorce

Interpreting the Experience of Divorce

Dr. Andy Root delivers a lecture entitled, “The Children of Divorce: Interpreting the Experience of Divorce for Youth Ministry and the Church.” This presentation will explore the impact of divorce on young people. Usually (both in the church and culture) we have seen divorce as a painful occurrence that can nevertheless be overcome if the young person can be taught to think correctly about the divorce of his or her parents (“it isn’t your fault!”). Yet, such a perspective tends to distract us from larger realities. Divorce at it core thrusts young people into questioning their very existence, “if I […]

Mission Trips

Kevin Weikel on Mission Trips

YMI Director Rev. Jill Olds interviews Rev. Kevin Weikel about mission trips. This interview was conducted over Zoom (due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Organizing Mission Trips

Caroline Hughes on Organizing Mission Trips

YMI Director Rev. Jill Olds interviews Caroline Hughes about Mission Trips (remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

Mission Trips

Rev. Sharell Shippen on Mission Trips

Rev. Sharell Shippen discusses mission trips in youth ministry.

You Are My Beloved Child

You Are My Beloved Child

Dr. David F. Ford, Rev. Canon Chris Russell, Rev. Michael Bird and Shane Claiborne discuss God’s love for humankind.

Welcome and Surrender

Welcome and Surrender

Dr. David Anderson Hooker discusses grand hospitality and community focused critical consciousness.

Sculptor Meditation

Sculptor Meditation

Rev. Michael Bird talks about the value of using Christian image, symbol, and story.

Prayer Word

Prayer word with Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean

Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean discusses the importance of not mistaking emotional highs for the presence of God.

Loving Your Enemies

Loving Your Enemies

Miroslav Volf discussed God as the first giver and forgiver and James K.A. Smith discusses the image of the Kingdom of God.

Yale Youth Ministry Institute