Growing Young (audio)

For more than 30 years, traditional models of youth ministry have leaned toward tendencies that fail to consistently invite young people to lifelong service in the body of Christ. Recently, the Fuller Youth Institute researched congregations that have discovered effective ways for inviting young people to enthusiastically participate in every area of church life. Their research is published in Growing Young. What are these habits and how might they also revitalize an entire congregation?

Hosted by David Sessions, this pathway took place in ACU’s Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building on Monday, September 16, 2019.

Testimonial

“We appreciated the opportunity to bring our entire ministry staff along with an elder and his wife to attend the Summit pathway on Growing Young. Having all of the sessions on one day made this possible. I loved how the morning classes were geared toward a theoretical understanding of the material and the afternoon sessions built on that foundation by presenting practical ways some churches have implemented Growing Young. In our most recent staff meeting we processed our time at Summit and are now putting into practice some of the things that we learned. Thank you again and we look forward to next year!”

—Byron Fike, Clear Lake Church of Christ, Houston, Texas

Sessions

Unleashing the Passion of Young People in Your Church Is Possible! (Jake Mulder)

Based on groundbreaking research with more than 250 of the nation’s leading congregations, Growing Young provides a strategy any church can use to involve and retain teenagers and young adults. Co-author Jake Mulder shows ministry leaders how to engage younger generations in a way that breathes vitality, life, and energy into the whole church.

Six Core Commitments of Churches That Grow Young (Jake Mulder)

What does it take to “grow young” as a church? In their expansive study, Fuller Youth Institute identified six core commitments churches who grow young have in common. Jake shares these commitments as a descriptive way of imagining a future in which young people are full participants of the faith community.

The Psalms, Empathy, and Young People: How the Church Can Rediscover the Core Commitment of Empathy (David Sessions)

The Psalms have always evoked language and attitudes toward God that may feel scandalous, but that he considers worship. David explores how Israel’s hymnal gives churches language—and even methodologies—to extend empathy to everyone, including young people. He shows how empathy can change the course of churches’ dialogue far beyond young people.

Lessons Learned from Growing Young in West Texas (Nicole Brown)

Investing your time to develop volunteers allows them to experience your excitement for growing young together with you, the youth, and the church family. Join Nicole to explore what it looks like to develop a dedicated, passionate community of leaders among not only the adults serving in your ministry, but the students who are part of it.

Leading a Church through Growing Young: Successes and Failures (Tquan Moore)

Leading a church through the Growing Young method is more than trying new strategies for developing ongoing significant growth. At its core, it’s about changing church culture. Together we explore lessons learned from successes and failures.

Speakers

NICOLE BROWN

Nicole Brown wanted to be a veterinarian in middle school, but now she finds herself serving as the director of middle school ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Midland, Texas. Two years ago, Nicole and her husband Larry moved to Midland from Edmond, Oklahoma, to fulfill her ministry call. Nicole attended the University of Central Oklahoma and began her ministry at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City. When she is not busy walking her two dogs or hanging out with middle school students, you can find her at a local coffee shop reading or writing.

TQUAN MOORE

Tquan Moore currently lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and is a student worship minister at the Hills Church in North Richland Hills, Texas. Tquan has been involved in ministry for approximately 25 years. He is ever so thankful to God for his family, which consists of his wife Leahanna and his children Cady, Cianna, and Corban. Transformed lives are at the center of Tquan’s hope for the world. So whether he leading as a student minister, worship minister, family man or neighbor, his hope is that through the Spirit’s work the world will become more and more of what God has in mind.

JAKE MULDER

Jake Mulder is the director of strategic initiatives at the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI), where he oversees business administration, coordinates new research, develops resources, and helps the team think strategically. He is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity) and Western Michigan University (Bachelor of Business Administration in finance) and is pursuing a Ph.D. at Fuller. Passionate about helping individuals and organizations achieve their full potential, he is the co-author of Growing Young (2016). Jake has worked in a variety of ministry and professional roles, including as a financial analyst, youth pastor in the Reformed Church of America, ministry director with Youth for Christ, and missionary with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Europe and Asia.

DAVID SESSIONS

David Sessions is a Seattle native who currently works in student ministry at Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. He is a graduate of ACU and Lipscomb University. He is married to Kristin and they have two children, Cale and Clara Mae.