Youth Discipleship Certification

This program is designed for ministerial staff and lay leaders of the Youth Ministry of a church who have a passion for ministry, but have no formal education on the basics of ministry.

These certification courses equip the ministry leader to meet the needs of teenagers, teachers and parents through events, training events and outreach opportunities.

Led by Kurt Krodle and Caleb Wade.

Details and Requirements

Our 2027 cohort will be limited to 15 students.
Cost is $500 for the year or 2 payments of $250 (January & June).
Monthly meetings from January - December.
Texts, readings and written reports will be required throughout the course.

Registration for the 2027 certification cohort is now open.

Dates

All classes will take place virtually from 9:00 am-3:00 pm with an hour-long lunch break.
We will not meet the month of March 2027.

January 21, 2027
February 25, 2027
April 13-14, 2027 at the Youth Ministers Retreat, Highland Lakes
May 6, 2027
August 19, 2027

September 23, 2027
October 4-5, 2027 at Conclave NextGen, Registration for this event is included in the cost of the certification program.
October 21, 2027
November 18, 2027
December 9, 2027

Sessions

Philosophy of Youth Ministry
Why do churches invest in youth ministry? What is the best way to start in youth ministry? We’ll answer these questions and many more as we take a closer look at discovering your personal philosophy of youth ministry.
Teaching Teenagers the Bible through Small Groups
Teaching students starts with the right Bible study leader who is called to lead teenagers. There are various learning styles you can implement to help create a more effective environment. We will discuss various options to optimize learning during a small group Bible study.
Leading Volunteer Leaders
Recruiting, training and empowering adults is a vital skill in leading youth ministry. We will discuss some proven techniques to build a framework that will help volunteer leaders onboard into your ministry.
Family/Parent Ministry
Family Ministry isn’t just an ‘add-on’ to youth ministry. The work of reaching & serving parents should be woven through everything happening in a church’s youth ministry. This session will address the different models of family ministry so you can implement the best method in your church context.
Event Planning 101
Camp, D-Now, Retreats, and Mission Trips are just a few of the events that happen during a calendar year for a youth ministry. There are some tools that can help any church leader navigate these events to help you work smarter and not harder. How you protect students, youth leaders and your church is also an important part that we will consider.
Communication and Navigating Relationships in Youth Ministry
Leading youth ministry in the local church can feel isolating but it doesn’t have to be. Youth leaders have more influence than they realize when it comes to building relationships with other individuals and ministries in the church. The youth ministry should exist to serve the church and not as a parachurch organization looking from the outside in.
The Youth Leader’s Health and Family
Youth ministry is a calling. For some that is for a lifetime and for others it’s a season. However long you serve in youth ministry, you need to make sure you are taking care of yourself and your family.
Student Leadership & Calling out the Called
Youth ministry has the unique opportunity to enlist teenagers to help serve in their own ministry. There are some effective ways to help empower these students as they begin their leadership journey. Some of these students will be our future church leaders, ministers and pastors. We will discuss how to encourage those sensing God’s call to ministry and how to pursue that calling.

Textbooks & Resources (included in registration cost)

Blanks, Andy. (2012). The 7 Best Practices for Teaching Teenagers the Bible. Birmingham, AL: youthministry360.com.
Blevins, Nick. (2023). The Volunteer Playbook :A proven framework to help your church recruit, train and empower more volunteers. Volunteerplaybook.com
Dean, Jody and Jackson, Allen. (2019). Protect: A Youth Worker’s Guide to Navigating Risk. Birmingham, AL: youthministry360.com.
Earley, Justin Whitmel. (2021). Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan
Franklin, Doug. (2010). Student Leaders Start Here; Assessments & Tolls to Help You Grow as a Leader. Carol Stream, IL: LeaderTreks.
Higgins, Chad & Workun, Zac. (2025) Define the Relationship: Growing a Parent Ministry that Brings Families and Churches Together. Nashville, TN: Lifeway Christian Resources.
McGarry, Mike. (2021). Lead them to Jesus: A Handbook for Youth Workers. New Growth Press.
Scazzero, Peter. (2015). The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming your inner life will deeply transform your church, team and the world. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Reflective.
Scroggins, Clay. (2017). How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Trent, Chris. (2022). Youth Ministry for the Longer Haul: A Field Guide for Longevity. Birmingham, AL: youthministry360.com.