• Youth Ministry

    Are you looking to make a lifelong impact on the lives of young people? Then perhaps the Youth Ministry Program at Kuyper College is for you.
    We recognize that God has created us to be in relationship with him and with one another. Therefore, any education in any vocation should focus first on our relationship with our God, and second on loving one another.

    Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." This truth must be lived out in genuine, authentic relationships. Our program focuses heavily on building long-term, significant relationships with youth, leaders, and the communities we serve. The example of Jesus' incarnation provides an excellent model to follow. Students will learn how to communicate the gospel in relevant language to a lost and hurting youth culture.

    By pursuing a Bible major, the student will understand how Christ's message from the Great Commission provides clear direction and purpose for ministry with adolescents. Upon completion of this program students will be able to apply for positions with churches, Christian camps, community youth organizations, and a wide variety of other Christian ministries. 

    Upon completion of the Youth Ministry Program, students will be able to:

    GO          Enter the adolescent culture in order to love and know adolescents in their environment, including the family.
    MAKE      Train and Equip volunteers, staff and families how to disciple and be discipled by the word of God.
    TEACH      Teach and communicate the word of God through traditional and contemporary mediums.
    APPLY      Apply knowledge and training from the classroom into the field of youth ministry.
    LEARN      Demonstrate knowledge and skill in ministering to youth of various cultures through the art of contextualization.
    LEAD      Demonstrate shared leadership by giving responsibility to others to help them realize God’s gifting and equipping in their lives for ministry.
    BE      Be a living example of the gospel in word and deed demonstrating Christ’s presence in life.

     

     

    Kuyper College's Youth Ministry Program has been developed as a career track with integrity. This is not a cookie-cutter ministry degree with a youth-ministry label. Students will be taught sound biblical doctrine and contemporary methods for relating that doctrine to the youth of today. The program features heavy emphasis on field work in order to use the tools being developed in the classroom. To gain additional hands-on ministry experience, senior intern placements and other practicums are available. As part of these internships, students spend their senior year under the supervision of an experienced youth leader, minister, or pastor. The Youth Ministry program also allows for integration with other forms of ministry, allowing students to specialize their field of studies even further.

    Professor Brian Telzerow came to Kuyper College in July of 2003. Professor Telzerow is responsible for teaching youth ministry courses, including Foundations of Youth Ministry, Relational Ministry, Leadership and Administration and Issues in Youth Ministry, as well as some educational ministry courses. His work experience began with a para-church ministry called Young Life. He spent four years with Young Life in Grand Rapids and two years in Oak Park and River Forest, suburbs of Chicago. After returning to Grand Rapids, Professor Telzerow spent the next 13 years as the youth minister at Fifth Reformed Church. He also serves as a board member of the Regional Young Life Committee for Western Great Lakes Region, the Commissioned Pastors Committee for the RCA and coaches boys and girls golf at two local high schools.
     

    Dr. Richelle White is associate professor of youth ministry at Kuyper College. She teaches Contemporary Youth Culture and serves as the faculty supervisor for the Youth Ministry Internship Program. Prior to coming to Kuyper, Dr. White was an adjunct instructor of religion at Virginia Commonwealth University where she taught the course Black Religion, and pastor of Zion Baptist Church in King and Queen, Virginia. As pastor, Dr. White taught all ages across the curriculum, and strengthened the relational ministry among her membership. Serving as a pastor has helped her to grow in her own faith as a leader of God’s people. Prior to serving as pastor, Dr. White was a youth minister for ten years. In this capacity, she was the founding director of the Sisters in the Spirit—Rites of Passage Mentoring program for African American young women ages 8 – 18. The Sisters in the Spirit Ministry was the 1997 Maryland State Mentoring Program of the Year. Because of her work with this ministry she was asked to write a book for Abingdon Press Publishing Company. She is the author of Daughters of Imani: A Christian Rites of Passage for African American Young Women.
     

    Youth Ministry Courses: (* denotes required course)
    YM 262 Foundations of Youth Ministry*
    ED/YM 336 Relational Ministry*
    YM 413 Advanced Teaching and Communication Skills*
    YM 423 Issues in Youth Ministry*
    YM 433 Contemporary Youth Culture*
    PS/YM 460 Abnormal Psychology*
    ED/YM 441 Educational/Youth Ministry Internship I*
    ED/YM 442 Educational/Youth Ministry Seminar I*
    ED/YM 444 Educational/Youth Ministry Internship II*
    ED/YM 445 Educational/Youth Ministry Seminar II*

    Choose one of the following:
    ED 251 Educational Psychology
    ED/YM 411 Christian Camping & Retreats
    MW311 Worship Technology
    YM 311 Youth Ministry in the Urban Setting (includes 1 credit for field ed)
    SM--- (Any sports ministry course may be used as an elective)

     

    Students in the Youth Ministry program are required to participate in a field practicum setting.  Below is a sampling of organizations that Kuyper students have been involved with:

    Ada Congregational Church
    Banner of Christ Church
    Berkley Hills Wesleyan Church
    Bethany Christian Services
    Blythefield Hills Baptist Church
    Calvary Christian Non-Denominational)
    Camp Tall Turf
    Chapel Pointe in Hudsonville
    Community Reformed Church
    Cornerstone Church
    The Dock Ministries
    EduVenture/Netaiken Campus, Pyramid, Papua, Indonesia
    Evergreen Ministries
    Fifth Reformed Church
    Forest Hills Presbyterian Church
    Harrison Middle School
    Kentwood Community Church
    Lakeshore Vineyard Church
    Mars Hill Bible Church
    River Rock Church
    Sunshine Community Church
    The Navigators
    Victory Point Ministries
    West Michigan Youth for Christ
    Young Life

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