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BA in Youth and Family Ministry

If you have a heart for pre-teens, teenagers, young adults, and their families, then a BA in Youth and Family Ministry is the degree for you.

This program will prepare you to lead a youth ministry or disciple-making team. You’ll study under distinguished professors who couple academic excellence with practical experience, and engage in honest discussions that foster innovative ideas, meaningful collaborations and lasting friendships. You’ll learn to cultivate an environment that nurtures discipleship and spiritual formation. At the end of your studies, you will be able to articulate and implement a Biblically based philosophy of ministry for youth and families.

On the journey to receiving your Youth and Family Ministry degree, you’ll make memories and find friends. But most importantly, you’ll learn how to extend Christ to some of our world’s most vulnerable people—children and teens.

Potential Careers

Children's Minister
Middle School Youth Pastor
High School Youth Pastor
College Pastor
Family Minister
Associate Minister Working with Youth
Church-Related Organizations
Campus Ministers in Urban and International Settings

Course List

Some of the classes you'll take while pursuing your...
BL 243
Elementary Greek I
An introduction to the basic elements of New Testament Greek, with a special emphasis upon grammatical forms, functions, and vocabulary as they relate to a better understanding of the New Testament.
BL 244
Elementary Greek II
A continuation of BL 243 Greek I with further introduction to the basic elements of New Testament Greek, with a special emphasis upon grammatical forms, functions, and vocabulary as they relate to a better understanding of the New Testament. Prerequisite: BL 243.
CM 201
Foundations of Christian Ministry
A survey of the Biblical, theological, and historical foundations for ministry in the contemporary church for students to identify their calling and philosophy of ministry.
CM 315
Evangelism, Discipleship, and Faith Development
An exploration of how to develop Christlikeness through evangelism, discipleship, and faith development.
CM 411
Christian Leadership
A study of the biblical principles, historical roots, theoretical development and practical expression of the leadership concept in both secular institutions and religious organizations.
CM 417
Church Administration
A study of the principles of church administration, including teamwork, budget, and strategic planning in the local congregation.
CM 420
Pastoral Care
A course on ministry skills and practical expressions of pastoral services such as basic counseling, marriage, funerals, and other ceremonies.
IC 335
Global Cultural Intelligence
A course designed to improve the cultural awareness and intelligence of those ministering in cross-cultural settings. The United States and other nations are increasingly becoming more multicultural. Empathic and skilled “World Christians” are needed to engage this new world.
PR 308 OR CE 306
Homiletics OR Teaching Ministry of the Church
A course providing the theological basis for preaching and the basic techniques necessary for sermon construction and delivery. Prerequisite: LA 113.
OR
This course is an overview of educational ministries for Christian formation, which surveys the various aspects of educational ministry, including its Biblical, theological, psychological, sociological, and philosophical foundations of Christian formation. It also examines the roles of teacher and students, aim of lesson, curriculum development, teaching methods, learning environment, and evaluation of teaching and learning processes.
SF 260 OR WM 383
Christian Spirituality OR Biblical Theology of Worship
An analysis and practice of authentic relationship with God and God’s creation, resulting in greater love for God and neighbor, as well as deeper life-integration.
OR
A systematic study of Biblical worship principles, themes, vocabulary, and events designed to develop a working theology of worship.
YM 211
Introduction to Youth Ministry
An overview of the theological, philosophical, administrative, and practical ministry issues necessary for an effective disciple-making youth/student minister. This class will lay the foundation for the other Youth Ministry classes on which the student will build during the process of becoming a complete, fully prepared disciple-making youth minister for whatever ministry context God leads him or her to enter. Prerequisite: YM 111 or approval of program director.
YM 325
Relational Dynamics for Youth/Family
A reflective examination and skill development of interdependent dynamics necessary for an effective youth and family ministry through increasing self and social awareness, so as to improve the emotional, social, and spiritual health for the leader and all associative relationships.
YM 326
Youth Ministry Nuts and Bolts
A creative and practical simulation course (the class acts as a real youth ministry team) focused on the master of intermediate youth ministry and practical theological skills and competencies (e.g., Biblical study tools, technology, creative program creation and development, administration of ministry, and personal budgets and finances) by developing a complete year’s worth of youth and family ministry programming through careful hermeneutic and exegetical practice.
YM 327
Social Issues for Youth and Family Ministry
An exploration of the current emotional and social issues confronting young people and their families (abandonment, identity formation, at-risk students, abuse, sexuality, drugs/alcohol, depression, suicide, cutting, self-esteem, pornography, etc.), and basic solution-focused counseling skills needed to effectively address these issues from a Biblical perspective.
YM 480
Mathetes: Spiritual Formation for Youth Ministry
A creative, organic, and experiential senior youth ministry course (to be taken during last semester on campus) designed to synthesize and integrate all that has been learned and to deepen, shape, and equip the student in a variety of spiritual formation principles and practices, Biblical hermeneutical skills, and servant-leadership mindsets so, as an apprentice of Jesus, he/she may train apprentices of Jesus for life in the Kingdom of God. Prerequisite: YM 325 and YM 327.

Student Testimonials

Hear from students who’ve earned a BA in Youth and Family Ministry:
  • “LCU’s Youth and Family Ministry program launched me into ministry feeling equipped from the inside out. My favorite part [of the degree] was my instructor and how he modeled for me what lifelong learning and Kingdom work looked like.”
    — Matt Fogle
  • “One great thing about LCU is that while here, we are encouraged to be active in churches through service learning. I have gained so much from my youth ministry classes and have been using my knowledge to lead a youth group of 30 to 40 middle school students. This year, we have seen eight students give their lives to Christ.”
    — Josh Medlin
  • “I wanted the best youth ministry experience possible and my youth pastor told me that I should choose LCU. ”
    — Jerald “Jay” Jeter
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