One of our friends, Mark Oestreicher, was for years a leader at Youth Specialties, and he followed the legendary Mike Yaconelli. Well, Marko has been pondering for a good while now “what’s next?” in his youth ministry life, and there were leaks and rumors and whispers behind closed doors, but it’s now official:

Youth Ministry Coaching Program
A yearlong 360 coaching cohort, focusing on whole-life development and youth ministry issues.

Overview
Critical thinking and theological reflection is extremely important for youth workers who don’t merely want to perpetuate the way things have been done in the past. But thinking and reflection are merely one portion (though a significant one) of what will help youth workers stay true to their calling and also grow in maturity and effectiveness. Emotional, relational, and spiritual health are critical to long-term impact. This program is designed to provide both an opportunity for critical reflection and discussion of youth ministry issues, but also to provide safe place to process holistic growth.

In many ways, this program will surpass the training that can be offered by seminars and conventions. It will even surpass the experience of formal education. This is specifically due to the structure of the program (a small cohort with accountability, safety and shared shaping of the content), as well as the content of the program (thoughtful youth ministry dialogue, real life application, personal development, emotional honesty, and spiritual direction).