Training and Development Options for Women in Youth Ministry
Outside of seminary, how can we grow?
For women in youth ministry, training and development can be hard to come by for a number of reasons. Sometimes, no one has encouraged them to pursue development and the thought therefore hasn’t crossed their mind much! The obvious training option of seminary is often inaccessible, due to the time commitment, cost, or location.
I want to encourage women in youth ministry to think about and pursue training and development. And I also want to be realistic about what’s doable for them. If you have the ability, getting a seminary degree or even taking a few classes can be a great option. But there are also many other ways to strengthen your ministry skills and knowledge and gain confidence as a ministry leader.
As you think about training and development, the following topics are areas you may consider for growth:
Biblical and theological studies
Teaching
Philosophy of ministry
Discipleship and relational ministry
Understanding youth culture
Ministry planning (calendar, events, retreats, etc.)
Working with volunteers
Working with parents
Raising up student leaders
Safety and crisis management
Counseling, mental health, and trauma-informed ministry
Time management
Team relationships and leadership
Personal soul care in ministry
Utilizing your strengths/managing your weaknesses
As you look at that list, what stands out to you? Where would you most like to grow? Are there other areas I haven’t named where you’d also like to grow, perhaps because of a particular need in your ministry context?
For some of these, options I’ll call seminary-lite or seminary-like training may be a good choice. Look for online seminary classes, or audit a class (you won’t have to do the homework, and it’s cheaper!). Check out free seminary-level classes online through sources like Third Millenium Ministries or Seminary Now. Several seminaries also offer free recordings of some of their classes online, and a simple internet search can help you find these. These won’t be the same as an actual class with access to a professor, but if what you’re looking for is primarily more knowledge, these will be great quality.
Outside of seminary and seminary-ish options, here are some other training options you could start with1:
An annual conference like RYM’s Youth Leader Training, CPYU’s Northeast Youth Ministry Summit, or Rooted’s Next Gen Ministry Conference
CPYU’s resources, cohorts and training events (look out especially for their symposiums on Biblical sexuality)
Axis’s resources on teen culture
Youth Pastor Theologian’s teaching workshops and cohorts
Nearby or online graduate courses in counseling
Sage Christianity’s resources and cohorts for ministry leaders
Many areas of growth also necessitate working closely with someone who can help you grow. Sometimes you need much more than information — you need help getting unstuck, which requires someone sitting across from you more regularly to offer feedback, insight, and connection. Depending on the need, a mentor, spiritual director, or professional counselor can often be helpful. Sometimes, asking your supervisor for advice and coaching will be effective as well. For many of the categories above, I’d also encourage you to consider finding an ICF-certified coach, preferably one who understands ministry. They could be particularly helpful in areas such as problem-solving, time management, and working with your strengths and weaknesses; some may even be trained in tools like the StrengthsFinder, Working Genius, or the Enneagram.
I’d love to keep making this list longer. If you been helped by other training options, or if there are other topics for training that you think should be included, please comment or send me a message with your suggestions!
Please note: this is not an endorsement. I have not used or vetted all of these sources.