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Introducing: The Seedbed Youth Ministry Collective

Published Date: August 19, 2014

Often youth pastors find themselves in the dangerous leading role commonly known as the Lone Ranger Youth Pastor. They aren’t necessarily part of a big “staff team,” and they don’t always have a helpful “sister church” down the street. It’s them, and that’s it. And it’s exhausting.

There are two competing realities here. It’s clear that the Lone Ranger approach will not only cripple our youth pastors, but will be one of the least healthy ways for any ministry to function. At the same time, few churches are at a place where they can hire a support team at the drop of a hat. And regardless of what the youth team looks like, there are only so many variations that can be made to an egg toss before communicating with other youth ministers and getting new ideas is all but a necessity.

Perhaps a collective might help — a group of veteran youth ministers that are also pouring their souls into this work and don’t mind sharing ideas, offering proven tips, and answering a tough question every once in a while.

YMC Logo B (1)

That is what Seedbed’s brand new initiative, The Youth Ministry Collective, is all about. We want to be a gathering of people who love Jesus and youth and have been successful enough to know all the best mistakes. We want to be a partner in ministry for any youth leader, wherever they are, by letting them steal the best and worst ideas from our years of experience.

But it doesn’t stop there. We want to be more than a place for random ideas. Ideas are great, but as Wesleyans we have much more to offer the world than one more variation on chubby bunny.

We believe that the love-driven, grace-filled theology of John Wesley is not just compelling, but is the most transformative way to understand the working of God in the world. Not only that, its focus on the ever-present grace of God calling us to be more through his transforming love is the perfect lens for this generation of teens.

So while it is about having a lot of fun with the next icebreaker, it’s also about living into the richness and depth of Wesleyan theology as a youth minister. We want to supply the tools to think theologically about youth ministry and help dig a deeper well for the long haul.

It’s a big dream and an open invitation. We are the Seedbed Youth Ministry Collective, and we invite you to come along as we sow together for a great awakening in youth ministry.

Learn more at www.youthministrycollective.com.

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