We’ve had a good start to 2024 as we have now wrapped up our two largest Training events in Nashville, TN and Ligonier, PA. We cherish these opportunities to serve and pour into over 300 Youth Leaders at these multi-day training conferences.
You might wonder, “What exactly happens at these Training events?” or “What specific skills are you training?” Those are great questions! But before answering, I thought I might share a bit about our Training event attendees.
You might wonder, “What exactly happens at these Training events?” or “What specific skills are you training?” Those are great questions! But before answering, I thought I might share a bit about our Training event attendees.
Between both events, we hosted youth leaders and volunteers, with 65% men and 35% women attending from 34 states and provinces across North America. They represented 12+ denominations. Among these attendees, 55% attended an RYM Training event for the first time, 21% returned for their second year, and 24% returned for their third year or more.
RYM Training events have a threefold purpose: 1) to equip youth leaders for the specific work of youth ministry, 2) to encourage youth leaders in the gospel for their own hearts and stamina, and 3) to connect youth leaders with others who are also doing youth ministry for idea-sharing and friendship.
Equipping
Between the two Training events, we (the RYM Staff) taught or brought others in to equip attendees on topics such as:
- Preparing Christ-centered talks/lessons for youth students
- Engaging disabilities in your youth group (mental, physical, etc.)
- Working within a church system
- How to respond when a student opens up about a traumatic life event
- Developing and utilizing a volunteer team
- Helping lead students to Jesus in the formative teenage years
- Preparing teens for life outside the home
- How to work alongside parents in the discipleship of their children
- and so many more!
Encouraging
As you may know or imagine, it’s common for people engaged in ministry—telling others about Jesus or encouraging them in their walks with Him—to forget the same gospel truths they give others. I’ve heard this referred to as ‘Gospel-Amnesia’— amidst all the busyness of toiling for Jesus, we forget to rest anchor and rest our own lives in Jesus, who He is and what He has done for us. Because of this reality, we consistently invite good preachers and teachers of the Word to these events to offer words that comfort and encourage these often-weary youth leaders. Their messages remind them of their immense value and worth to our great God, no matter what their life and ministry circumstances might be “telling” them.
Connecting
Lastly, we aim to connect youth leaders with others engaged in the same ministry work. For all of us, having peers in our field who understand the unique challenges and opportunities we encounter on a daily basis is invaluable in helping us do our jobs more faithfully and fruitfully. Youth Ministry is no exception. To achieve this, we organize prayer groups where individuals are grouped with 4-6 others to share more intimately about the highs and lows of life and ministry. As attendees return year after year, they reunite with these groups, fostering deeper relationships over time. When we ask youth leaders why they attend our Training events, they often mention coming initially for the equipping but staying for the deep friendships and connections they develop over the years. These prayer times, coupled with several days of sharing meals and informal time, cultivate the strong bonds necessary to thrive during challenging yet rewarding youth ministry work for many years to come.
About RYM
Reformed Youth Ministries exists to serve the Church in its efforts to reach and equip youth for Christ. Through its conferences, training and resources, everything RYM does is oriented to help churches as they seek to raise up the next generation of the Church with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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