MDiv with a Concentration in Youth and Family Ministries
What is a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Youth and Family Ministries?
Ministry to youth and families often occurs within a broader scope of ministry responsibilities and challenges. With a concentration in Youth and Family Ministries, this M.Div. degree provides wonderful resources and training for the complexities of ministry to contemporary youth and their families. It equips leaders with the vision and training to penetrate today's adolescent world and to facilitate the spiritual nurturing necessary for a more diverse and fragmented family. Additionally, the breadth of biblical, theological, and pastoral courses in the M.Div. program will prepare you to give well-rounded ministry to other needs as your ministry expands and as you confront new issues. This concentration will help you place effective outreach and spiritual nurture of today’s adolescents within the context of ministry to the entire people of God. Integrating the best of the church and parachurch programs and philosophies, students are equipped to "go into all the world" to reach a generation with the power and reality of the Christian faith. That’s ministry to all ages…and for a lifetime!
At Denver Seminary, the youth and family ministry degrees fall under the Division of Christian Ministry. Watch a video from the Division of Christian Ministry.
The MDiv with concentration 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 to at-risk youth
Structure
In addition to the core MDiv classes (85 hours), this concentration involves 6 hours of required classes and 6 hours of electives specific to youth and family ministries:
| Youth and Family Ministries Concentration | Course # | Sem. Hrs. |
| M.Div. Core1 | 85 | |
| YFM 501 | 3 | |
| Models of Youth Ministry | YFM 620 | 3 |
| Youth and Ministry electives | 6 | |
| 97 |
1 Students with a youth and family ministries concentration should replace EM 501 with YFM 602.
A sample of elective classes:
- YFM 601 - Evangelism and Discipleship in Adolescent Culture (2 hours)
- YFM 605 - Ministering to At-Risk Youth (3 hours)
- YFM 650 - The Person and Profession of Youth Ministry (3 hours)
- YFM 660 - Moral and Faith Development (3 hours)
Department Faculty
- Dr. Bradley J. Widstrom, Associate Professor of Youth and Family Ministries
Faculty Highlight
Dr. Bradley J. Widstrom is Chair of the Youth and Family Ministries department, Associate Professor of Youth and Family Ministries, and director of the Outdoor Leadership concentration. Dr. Widstrom is ordained in the Evangelical Free Church of America and has over 14 years of ministry experience as a youth pastor and director of Christian education. He has hands-on experience in public school education, teaching junior high language arts and social studies.
