How to pick a youth ministry training course

Since writing my post on why you should train for ministry, I have had a couple of emails asking my opinions on various courses. With that in mind, I thought I’d write this.

There are three basic things to look out for when you visit potential training courses: Curriculum content, community support, and outside opportunities.

Curriculum content

Whatever the particular focus, each youth ministry curriculum should include these four areas. They might be labelled differently, or be mixed into various modules, but I think the core should still be there:

Theological foundation

How to handle the Bible, think theologically, and grapple with historic doctrine. There should be exegetical training, along with time spent on the fundamentals of systematic theology. This should not be reduced to only include things obviously pertinent to youth ministry. You might also want to make sure they sign up to mainstream creeds, or are members of something like the Evangelical Alliance.

Youth work theory

How does youth work interact with the disciplines of theology, psychology, history, education, sociology, and politics? Evaluation of various models, and time spent on things like contextualised mission, vision and strategy, and church integration. This should ideally include a little bit of counselling theory too.

Youth work practice

How to operate a youth ministry in safe and legal way including developing a team, managing volunteers, safeguarding, data protection, and health and safety law. How to create projects, evaluate, and change them, and how to work in tandem with the wider vision of the church. This should also include self-care, crisis response and reflective practice.

Ethics and apologetics

How to facilitate healthy conversations and manage discussions around complex areas. How to respond appropriately to the most frequently asked questions by teenagers. How to talk with nuance and subtlety, learning to think critically in an emotionally complex tapestry of personalities.

Community support

Some courses will offer you more of a community environment than others. There are three things I’d be looking for.

Spiritual engagement

Is it common practice to pray during lectures? Are there regular chapel services, prayer meetings, and compulsory student support style groups? Do students have personal tutors, and is there an emphasis on spiritual growth in those times? Are families encouraged to get involved? Are you going to grow your heart in tandem with your head? Linked with this is how accessible and open are your professors?

Student body

It’s important to look at things like age and gender spread, but also consider if there is a particular theological leaning, church background, or class type. Will your connections be superficial, or strong and lasting? On the flip side could you be too comfortable and not challenged? Is there a student union with reps, social events, and recognition by a national body? An NUS card is a wonderful thing!

Partnerships

Are they in an ivory tower, shouting at the world and never interacting with it? Who do they run events with and what projects do they share? Who else uses their buildings? Which visiting speakers do they regularly invite? Is the course actually accredited and recognised?

Outside opportunities

The best degrees are supported by relevant experience that you can get locally. The following are all ways of making sure you won’t be living in a bubble for three years.

Volunteering

Are the churches and organisations nearby that you can volunteer for beyond any official placement scheme? Can you develop your experience in a personally crafted way?

Social

Are there places like sports clubs, bars, cinemas, and gyms that you could meet non-Christians? Can you continue with your hobbies? Will you be able to let your hair down outside the confines of the course?

Employment

Is it possible for you to hold a part-time job in the area? Does the course allow for working alongside studying?

Conclusion

There’s always a X factor to these things, and you have to follow where God leading you, but I hope these three areas are a good place to start.

You can go further and delve into things like lecture delivery style, chances for further study, how epic their library is, what bursaries are available, what the accommodation and food is like, is there adequate study and social areas, the climate, and how employers view the place etc. – but I hope these three essential areas will start you on the right path.

Check out the websites, visit the colleges, and ask lots of questions. Most of all be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and have lots of fun!