Introduction to Youth Ministry

6 sessions

Effective youth ministry leadership requires insight into planning, counseling, youth development and working with volunteers.

You can enjoy this course as an individual learner, or use the content with a group of youth leaders and volunteers at your church. If using this for personal growth, simply work through the six sessions. Each session offers video content as well as links to learn more.

If using the materials with a group, check out the suggested approach below.

The Flourish Center also offers another youth ministry course called “Essentials for Youth Ministry.” It is a wonderful next step after completing this course.

Please note that the introductory video was taken from the “live” version of this course, where our team hosted weekly presence sessions for the purposes of direct conversation and community. As we develop more courses, we will continue to provide “live” opportunities before releasing versions for local use.

Please check the Flourish site for more information about upcoming “live” courses.

How to Use This Guide

This guide will be a resource as you go through the Introduction to Youth Ministry course. You can use this material for personal study by logging into the session pages, watching the videos, and reviewing the attached resources.

In case you are using this study with a group, however, the first section contains some ideas to kick off the course for your group, as well as a pathway through each session. Each session entry gives you the big idea, a list of videos for that session, and questions to use in the discussion with your group (or just to consider for yourself). Feel free to tailor your questions to whatever works best for your group if you are working through this with others.

—The Flourish Team

Group Use

If you are using this material with a group of youth leaders or volunteers at your church, here is an approach to try:

If you are unable to meet in person, agree on a technology for online meetings (Zoom, Google Meets, Microsoft Teams, etc.). Schedule meetings around each of the sessions and encourage participants to do their work in advance.

**Tip: Send emails to your participants in advance of each meeting, reminding them to do their work and re-sharing the necessary connection information for your group session!

Prior to the first session

Ask your participants:

What they are hoping to get out of this?
How long have they been involved with youth at church and in what ways?
What gifts do they feel they bring to the task of Youth Ministry?

Before each session conversation

Watch every video
Make a few notes of expected questions
Make notes of questions you hope to ask

A suggested pathway for each session

Start with prayer
Quick check in – how are people doing?
Review last week
Go through discussion about the video content (have a plan for what path you will take – but be open to the conversation’s flow)
Discuss any of the extra resources people accessed or enjoyed
Any final questions
Homework assignments (if there are any)
Close with prayer

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Go to Session One

Introduction to Youth Ministry and Discipleship

Big idea: Laying the groundwork for what youth ministry is, who it is with, and getting on the same page for this journey. Click here for the session guide.

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Go to Session Two

Developmental Theory and Youth Ministry

Big Idea: Taking a look at the teenage years and how that life stage is unique, and how faith intersects with it.