It Happens: When Youth Talks Go Wrong By Matt Laidlaw In order to generate some enthusiasm around teaching the Prophets of the Old Testament to our high school students, we began our Wednesday evening together with a game we ...
Stress & Anxiety Case Study Teenagers are stressed out and over-scheduled more than ever before, creating students who often want to come to youth group but can’t figure out how to “fit it in” amongst a host of other extra-curricular ...
Imperfect Churches By Dietrich “Deech” Kirk Every church is a work in progress. That realization has led me to believe that working at the church might just be harder than working anywhere else. Why? Because we expect it to be ...
Finishing Well: Wrapping Up Your Time In a Youth Ministry Position By Christian Hesling, CYMT Alumni Most all of us, at one time or another, will leave a church job. No matter the manner of our ending and no matter ...
By Andrew Davis Years ago I served at a small church and I’ll never forget when Madi and Mckenzie joined that youth group. Their presence brought a season of excitement and refreshment to a group that, if I am being ...
Setting Aside Assumptions to Listen to Your Context Throughout my years in ministry, I have seen faith communities (churches and religious non-profit organizations) create and implement well-intentioned and well-informed ministries that met the needs of their wider communities and ...
If you have attended one of the Center for Youth Ministry Training’s graduate residency intensive retreats in the past three years, you know the importance of comradery to this group. Eating and studying together is not just eating and studying ...
Innovation enacted with intention can transform people’s lives. Consider an example from the medical field: In the early 1990s laparoscopic surgery became commonplace and today accounts for the majority of abdominal surgeries, generally resulting in shorter recovery times, reduced pain, ...
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 ...
Research Findings Drive Innovation Lab Forward Since the Innovation Lab launched in 2018, we’ve seen God transform individual faith journeys, ministries, and entire churches. We’ve hosted numerous training events with leaders around the country; created resources and curriculum on ...
Classroom: One of CYMT’s 5 Components of a Holistic Ministry Training Experience CYMT values the role of theological education in the life of a youth or children’s minister. We believe that being theologically informed helps youth ministers to lead ...
3 Strategies for Creating More Adaptable Ministries Meghan Hatcher explains that churches capable of adapting in response to the needs and assets of a community make it possible for more people to experience the transformative love and grace of ...
BIG News From the Innovation Lab: Lilly Endowment Grant & Introducing James The Center for Youth Ministry Training (CYMT) recently received a $1.19MM grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., to fund the next phase of the Innovation Laboratory. The grant ...
Residency Spotlight: Professional Education Track CYMT offers two excellent education and ministry training choices: The Placement Track and the Professional Education Track. Interest in the Professional Education Track continues to grow among youth and children’s ministers. Those already employed in ...
4 Ways to Nurture a Church Culture More Open to Change Ministry innovations are more likely to take root in a congregational culture that is receptive to change. Meghan Hatcher who works with the Innovation Lab at the Center ...
CYMT Loves Our Camping Ministry Friends! We asked our Residents to share some of their favorite camps with us and here is what they had to say: Beersheba Springs Assembly, TN Nominated by alumnus and Director of Operations at ...
Summer: Service, Connection, Theological Reflection, and Fun These are a few words that describe what our Graduate Resident Youth Ministers have been up to this summer and are also characteristic of what your future could look like if you join ...
There are many great reasons to choose CYMT’s Graduate Residency in Youth Ministry, and the fact that our alumni still choose to engage with CYMT events and curriculum is another testimony of CYMT’s training outcomes.CYMT’s new partnership with CSM, City ...
Graduation reflection from Jonathon Creekmore, Class of 2021 Feet are dirty, and so is youth ministry...Now that you're confused, you'll have to finish reading! I write this past midnight after a very busy day, when I should be finishing up ...
Meet Hannah Cooley. Hannah Cooley is a 2nd-year Graduate Resident at CYMT who serves at University Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, TX. Hannah recently took her youth group to Camp at Mo Ranch in Hunt, TX where she was able ...
