core-topics-logo

 

Every person who serves in youth ministry can benefit from further development and equipping.
We have developed a list of what we would consider the crucial training topics for youth leaders.  The Core Topics list is a great way for youth leaders to determine what future training they would most benefit from.
We have categorised the training topics under three leadership stages:

Emerging Leaders

students who are in training to become leaders and new leaders

Established Leaders

folk who are currently leading in youth ministry

Key Leaders

folk who head up youth ministry at a particular church or organisation and/or lead teams of youth leaders

Presbyterian Youth Ministry is committed to running the trainings on these Core Topics on a regular basis.
Look out for the Core Topic logo tiny-sizw-ct, on youth ministry trainings in your area and nationally.

mid-sizw-ctESSENTIAL TRAINING

Core Topic training categories in this section are for everyone from Emerging Leaders through Key Leaders:

  • Leadership Introduction (Heart & Character of a Leader)
    • Characteristics of Christian Leadership
    • The Call to Leadership
    • Motivation for Leadership
    • Character and Leadership
    •  Personal preparation for leadership
  • Time Management
    • A Biblical Perspective of Time and Work
    • Enemies of Effective Time Management
    • Strategies for Effective Time Management
  • Spiritual Gifts
    • The purpose and use of spiritual gifts
    • Discovering our gifts
    • Using spiritual gifts in youth ministry
  • Spiritual Disciplines
    • Bible Study
    • Prayer
    • Worship
    • Listening to God
    • Journaling
    • Fasting
    • Silence and Solitude
  • Leading Youth Games/Activities
    • Preparation
    • Leading
    • Explanation
    • Considering participants
    • Leadership considerations
    • Knowing when to end
    • Evaluation
  • Leading Small Groups ( Bible Study and Discussion)
    • Selecting a passage
    • Considering your participants
    • Communicating ideas effectively
    • Asking effective and engaging questions
    • Personality types and small groups
    • Listening skills
    • Creating safe spaces
    • Group dynamics
    • Measures of effectiveness
  • Public Speaking Skills
    • A template for preparing an effective message
      • Statement of purpose
      • Effective opening and closing
      • Illustrations
    • Guidelines for effective presentation
      • Body language
      • Using your voice effectively
      • Telling stories
  • Running Events & Camps
    Sample content for a toggle, change this to whatever you want.
  • WOF
    see our WOF page on this website
  • A faith filled response to suicide and mental health
    • Incidence in NZ
    • Predisposing factors
    • Courageous conversations – getting honest about suicide ideation
    • Creating safe communities
    • Responding to an imminent threat of suicide
    • Suicide postvention – responding when the unthinkable has happened
  • The big picture of scripture
    • What is the big picture of scripture?
      • learning it together as leaders
    • Why the big scripture of scripture?
      • Understanding who God is
      • Understanding God’s Mission
      • Understanding our role in God’s mission
  • Intro to interpreting the bible
    • Understanding biblical genres
    • Interpretive questions:
    • What is the context of the text? – or what is the rest of the passage trying to say?
    • What is the historical context? What’s been going on for these people
      • E.g. when we talk about Twin Towers we instantly think about the 9-11 tragedy. There are some references in the bible that the people of the day just got because they were there –we have to do a little investigation to understand them
    • What is the cultural context? What was culturally acceptable?
      • As culture evolves so to does language and customs,
      • Paul tells women to keep their heads covered when they pray in 1 Corinthians 11:6 because of a cultural issue.
    • Using study tools
    • Linking texts and themes into the Big Picture of Scripture

mid-sizw-ctRECOMMENDED TRAINING

Core Topic training categories in this section are recommended for all Established Leaders through to Key Leaders.

mid-sizw-ctKEY YOUTH LEADER TRAINING

Core Topic training categories in this section are recommended for Key Leaders.