M.A. in Youth and Family Ministries
Reaching today’s adolescents for Christ and nurturing their spiritual development involves both invigorating and overwhelming challenges. Add the complexities of diverse and fragmented families to the mix and you will need the very best possible resources and skills to reach this generation with the life-transforming power of Jesus Christ.
Endorsements
"As a front lines ministry seeking to bring the gospel to young people in Central and Eastern Europe, we are always on the lookout for well qualified youth leaders. The graduates of Denver Seminary who serve on our team are some of our best, combining a deep knowledge of God's Word with innovative and practical disciple making skills. They are hardy and adaptable – a great testimony to the training they received. I highly recommend the youth ministry program at Denver seminary - but only if you want to get ready to change the world."
Dave Patty
President, Josiah Venture
“Denver Seminary's Master of Arts degree in Youth and Family Ministry represents a savvy blend of core theological and structural training with an increased focus on flexibility—youth ministry's core pursuits have changed little over the years, but the expressions of effective youth ministry have changed dramatically. Our rapidly changing cultural context demands an unprecedented openness in our approach to engaging teenagers, and Denver Seminary's program offers students a bold opportunity to craft their calling in partnership with the Spirit of God.”
Rick Lawrence
Executive Editor of GROUP Magazine
Co-Leader of the Simply Youth Ministry Conference
What are the distinctives of our M.A. degree in Youth and Family Ministries?
How can I use The M.A. in Youth and Family Ministries?
What are the core components of this degree?
What are potential concentrations?
How do these courses fit together in a degree plan?
What are the distinctives of our M.A. degree in Youth and Family Ministries?
Missional – An M.A. in Youth & Family Ministries prepares you to engage the holistic needs of adolescents and their families with the redemptive power of the gospel and the life-changing truth of Scripture.
Biblical – Strong biblical studies core courses taught by world class faculty provide a solid, Christ-centered foundation
Comprehensive – Full Master of Arts degree with a 20 unit core focused on youth and their families. Courses include strong academic content, critical reflection, personal and ministry application, and experiential learning.
Flexible – Personalize your degree to your unique calling and giftedness. In addition to the YFM core, choose from concentrations in Outdoor Leadership or Counseling Ministries, or select 12 hours of electives from the wide variety of courses offered in other degree programs including leadership, Christian formation & soul care, justice & mission, intercultural ministry, apologetics, pastoral studies, and more.
Practical – Youth & Family Ministry classes are focused on applying theory to practice in your ministry context. Current students have additional opportunities to gain valuable experience serving in a number of ministry contexts in Denver and the Rocky Mountain area. Volunteer and intern opportunities include churches, campus ministries, urban ministries, and wilderness and camping ministries.
Contextual – Built on the understanding that no one ministry model meets the needs of all adolescents, the M.A. in Youth and Family Ministry emphasizes the skills of cultural study and understanding which lead to the development of contextually appropriate ministries
Global – The program is intentionally designed to prepare you for a wide variety of leadership positions in church, parachurch, urban, and secular youth serving organizations as well as international and cross-cultural settings. Youth & Family Ministry alumni are currently serving youth and their families in a large variety of contexts all over the world.
Mentored – Benefit from our world-class mentoring program that provides one-on-one spiritual and professional mentoring that nourishes skill development, content mastery, and a healthy, vibrant relationship with God both for now and the future.
Community – Youth & Family Ministry classes are relationally centered and specifically designed to promote an intentional learning community among the students and youth ministry faculty.
Network – Develop lifelong relationships with the faculty, colleagues, and ministry professionals in the area.
Location – Our beautiful new campus is located at the gateway to the Rocky Mountains and connected to a network of bike trails with easy access to public transportation and highways that afford limitless ministry, retreat, and recreational opportunities.
Youth and Family Ministry degrees at Denver Seminary fall under the Division of Christian Ministry. To learn more about this division, watch a video from the Division of Christian Ministry.
What are our graduates doing?
Our graduates are serving in a broad variety of ministry contexts. These include:
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Serving as pastors of youth, family, children’s, and college/young adult ministries in urban, rural & suburban churches worldwide
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Leading parachurch ministries including campus-based & camping, wilderness, and adventure ministries
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Serving as faculty and staff in Christian schools, universities, and seminaries
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Leading youth evangelism programs and sports ministries
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Serving in missions organizations and military family ministry worldwide
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Ministering to and mentoring marginalized and at-risk children and adolescents
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Writing and editing youth ministry curriculum & resources
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Working in college & university residence life programs
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Serving in school-based, church-based, & private counseling programs
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Working in abstinence education & crisis pregnancy response programs
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Speaking at national youth retreats & conferences
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Leading in a variety of Christian community development roles
The M.A. in Youth and Family Ministries is excellent preparation for goals such as:
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Leadership in church-based youth ministries and programs
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Leadership in parachurch youth programs
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Wilderness camp programs
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Campus ministry
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Ministry with at-risk youth
Structure
What are the core components of this degree?
In addition to the required M.A. core classes (30 hours), the Master of Arts in Youth and
Family Ministries includes 20 hours of classes core to youth and family ministry and 12 elective hours that match your ministry call, interests, and gifts or add a 12-credit concentration.
|
M.A. in Youth and Family Ministries |
Course # |
Sem Hrs. |
|
|
30 |
|
| Foundations of Youth and Family Ministries |
YFM 501 |
3 |
| Leadership in Youth and Family Ministries |
YFM 502 |
3 |
|
YFM 601 |
2 | |
| Tranformational Communication | YFM 602 | 2 |
| Ministry to At-Risk Youth | YFM 605 | 3 |
| Models of Youth Ministry |
YFM 620 |
3 |
| Personal, Social, & Cultural Issues in YFM | YFM 650 | 2 |
| Moral and Faith Development |
YFM 660 |
2 |
|
Open electives |
12 | |
|
Total Degree Hours: |
62 |
|
What are potential concentrations?
You can choose to add one of two concentrations to your YFM degree:
- Counseling Ministries
- Outdoor Leadership
Want another option?
Many students choose the option of pursuing the Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Youth and Family Ministries.
- M.Div. YFM (Master of Divinity degree with YFM concentration)
How do these courses fit together in a degree plan?
Degree worksheets have been designed to guide students who choose to complete the degree in two academic years. You can check these out here. Many students for a variety of reasons though create their own schedule by taking advantage of the summer and intersession semesters and/or adding additional years to complete their program of study.
- M.A. YFM
- M.A. YFCM (with counseling ministries concentration)
- M.A. YFOL (with outdoor leadership concentration)
- M.Div. YFM (Master of Divinity degree with YFM concentration)
Department Faculty
Faculty Highlight
Dr. Bradley J. Widstrom joined the faculty of Denver Seminary in 1999. He currently is chair of the Department of Youth & Family Ministry and Director of the Outdoor Leadership Department. Brad also teaches educational ministry and chaplaincy courses. He Received an Ed.D. from the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education with a specialization in Anthropology and Sociology of Education, a Masters of Religious Education from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a B.A. in Elementary Education from Trinity International University. His research interests include culture, ethnography, and ministry contextualization. As well, as the father of Columbine High School graduates and the husband of a public school educator who is the survivor of a school shooting at her middle school, Brad is committed to training ministry leaders in crisis response.
Dr. Widstrom is ordained in the Evangelical Free Church of America and has served in children’s, youth, family, and adult ministry since 1981. This has included pastoral positions at churches in Illinois and Washington state as well as having been a public school educator in New Jersey and Washington. In addition to his current role at Denver Seminary, Brad is the Research Editor for the Journal of Youth Ministry, serves on the board of Camp Id-Ra-Ha-Je, and is a member of the Christian Education Advisory Council for Pioneer Clubs. He has published numerous journal articles and reviews and is the co-author of “99 Thoughts on Caring for Your Youth Group.” He is member of the Association of Youth Ministry Educators and has served in the past on their Board of Directors. Brad’s outside involvement centers around his volunteer roles at Columbine.
Brad’s passion is to help Christ Followers discover, develop, and engage their calling and spiritual gifts in Kingdom ministry. This is best accomplished through the development of contextualized, culturally aware ministry that models the incarnation of Jesus Christ, who “became flesh and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14, The Message). In his free time, Brad enjoys kayaking, hiking, backpacking, cross-country skiing, show shoeing, and fly fishing. His sole addiction is Columbine High School football—Go Rebels!!
Dr. Brenda Snailum has been an associate faculty member in the Youth & Family Ministry department since January 2008. She received an Ed.D in Educational Studies from Talbot School of Theology, a M.A. in Youth & Family Ministry from Denver Seminary, and a B.S. in Organizational Management and Christian Leadership from Colorado Christian University.
Dr. Snailum has been involved in leading children’s, youth and family ministry since 1985. She has served in a wide variety of positions including directing youth ministry in a local church, serving as Vice President of Ministry Operations in a national parachurch organization, and leading seminars on adolescent rites of passage and intergenerational ministry issues around the country. In addition to serving on the faculty at Denver Seminary she is on the board of the Association of Youth Ministry Educators and is a member of the National Association of Professors of Christian Education. She has published numerous journal articles and reviews, and is a contributing writer for the Encyclopedia of Christian Education.
Find out more
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PHONE: 303-762-6937 OR 1-800-922-3040
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