Youth Ministry Minor
Share God’s love and teachings with young people.
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Shape the Future by Ministering to Youth
Do you have a passion for helping youth? Do you want to serve as a minister or volunteer in youth ministry? This minor is for you. No matter what major you pick, this minor will give you knowledge and skills to help youth navigate difficult situations with God’s love in Christ.
View the Concordia University Irvine Online Catalog for a full list of courses.
“I was amazed that even the professors took an active interest in me from the beginning. Not only did they teach me about the Bible, but they also guided me in my relationship with Christ.”
Maddie Upchurch ’17
Meet Our Faculty
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Cari Chittick
Director of Lutheran Teaching Programs and LCMS Placement, Professor of…
FAQs
What’s involved in youth ministry?
A youth ministry is a group or program for pre-teens and teens to learn about Christ in developmentally appropriate ways, talk about age-related issues in light of the Christian faith, and build supportive relationships with adults and one another.
Youth ministry is led by an individual—usually a youth minister—or team of caring adults who can relate to young people, offer them nonjudgmental guidance, and model faith in action.
Overall, it’s an opportunity for youth to learn about Christianity at their own pace, as well as know they have a community—not only in their younger years but for the rest of their life.
Do I have to become a pastor to do youth ministry?
Not at all! Youth ministry is typically overseen by a minister to maintain appropriate oversight and accountability, but youth ministry is often carried out by caring lay people who have a heart for youth. Having some background in ministry skills, how youth develop, and theological questions they ask will help you be more effective in youth ministry. This minor prepares you to work in youth ministry, even if you do not want to do full-time work in the church.
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Sources
1The Reporter, ‘In All Things’: 20,000 Attend LCMS Youth Gathering, on the internet, at:
- https://reporter.lcms.org/2022/in-all-things-20000-attend-lcms-youth-gathering/ (viewed Oct. 28, 2024).
Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.