FLD Training Options
Back Row - Kyle Glenn, Brian Farka, Jeff Bergbrader,
Heath Erickson, Curt Vanderstelt
Front Row - Steve Worsham, Rob Weise, Rick Goff |
DECIDING ON WHAT TRAINING TO PLUG INTO:
Training is a crucial part of preparing you, your adult staff and student leadership team to disciple students. Choosing what opportunities and resources to plug into is a difficult and crucial issue, since peoples’ time and financial resources are precious and limited. We want to provide information and options for you to consider and would love to discuss with you what is best for you and your team.
We want to be a sort of clearinghouse of training and training resources for you, sorting through some of the better training ministries out there, letting you know who in the district has used them and how they would evaluate them, and when and where training events are taking place. In fact, if you are hosting such an event or know of one in your area, please don’t hesitate to let us know about this important information. As a district we also realize that there are churches who don’t budget funds for training, don’t have a full-time youth staff person and may be in locations where the larger training opportunities are too far away and too expensive. We want to be sensitive to those needs and are efforting to certify some of our own district youth pastors so that they might be able to provide quality yet inexpensive training for you and your team regionally. There also will be training available periodically through your network area.
Joel Sandager
Pastor of Student Ministries/FLD Training Coordinator
Bible Evangelical Free Church
608-387-2131
Cadre Ministries
Cadre Ministries is an excellent organization that is truly dedicated to assisting and empowering youth workers. They specialize in training the volunteer youth worker, however they are a great resource to paid youth pastors as well. I have had Dave and Rennie Garda come in and train our adult volunteers and it was some of the best training our team has received. Dave and Rennie are great friends to the FLD and have a lot of experience offered with a relational touch. Cadre offers training in teaching and communicating, Jr. high ministry, Relational ministry, and Leadership. What I love about working with Cadre is they are very personal and will offer you a training plan that meets your needs. They have many training options including books and CD's, seminars, and online training. They even offer online training for your student leaders (spiritual caffeine). I highly recommend Cadre Ministries to you. You can contact them by email or web site at:
Cadre Ministries
Rennie@cadreministries.com
www.cadreinternational.com
Willow Creek Association (WCA)
Willow Creek Association offers a variety of training opportunities and resources. They have an annual student ministries conference that is worth checking out. Recently, they have expanded their training to youth workers by offering a variety of seminars throughout the year. Theses seminars include topics like: Small Groups, Student Ministry Leadership, Jr. High Ministry, Teaching/Communicating to teens, and more. I would put in a great word for their Jr. high ministry training. I would say that Scott Rubin (Jr. High Director at Willow Creek Community Church) is a phenomenal Jr. High Pastor and is a great resource especially for those in a larger church setting. The training I have received from him has been beneficial and done with excellence. In addition to conferences and seminars they also offer great web based training and mentoring through a web site called "The NET." The best way to contact WCA is through their web site. You can contact them at:
Willow Creek Association (WCA)
Student Ministries
www.wcastudentministries.com
Simply Youth Ministry
Many of you are familiar with the ministry of Doug Fields. He has written some excellent resources including Purpose Driven Youth Ministry and Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry. Simply Youth Ministry is an organization Doug started to train and assist the youth worker. They offer a variety of materials, conferences, and resources. You can contact them at:
Simply Youth Ministry
20381 Lake Forest Ave Ste B7
Lake Forest, CA 92630
Toll Free (US only): 1-866-9-Simply
Local: 949-830-4042
Fax: 949-830-4258
www.simplyyouthministry.com
Connect
Connect is a great weekend seminar hosted by Elmbrook Church. It is usually the first weekend in March. This is an excellent seminar to bring your entire team too. The cost is extremely reasonable and it is on a weekend so volunteers can attend. It is a "high quality" seminar with many training options so those participating can attend the sessions that are most important to them. They also have great main sessions with speakers who are very experienced in student ministry. Information for Connect usually starts becoming available around December or January. You can look for it at Elmbrook Church's web site or contact them at:
Elmbrook Church Student Ministries
262-797-6412
www.elmbrook.org/connect
