Youth Ministry Program Youth Ministry Program

BIBLICALLY REFORMED YOUTH MINISTRY: A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH

Biblical - We seek to understand ministry in the context of the biblical narrative. In scripture

we encounter God in the person of Jesus Christ, and discover who we are in relation to Him. As

we minster to young people, we use the Bible to prophetically see the world "rightly" from the

perspective of Christ's death and resurrection, helping them recognize the stories competing for

their allegiance as we call them into discipleship to Jesus Christ.

Reformed - We seek to understand youth ministry in the context of a specific tradition rooted

in the Reformed confessions, while at the same time maintaining an ecumenical appreciation for

the perspectives of other Christian traditions. Our students come from a variety of Christian

traditions, creating an environment of engagement and dialogue as we work to understand the

nature and context of ministering to young people in the 21st century.

Congregational - We seek to emphasize a congregational approach to youth ministry. While

the role of youth pastor/director is extremely important, the responsibility of ministering to

young people does not belong to them alone. Youth programs must work towards enfolding

young people into the life of the congregation, equipping members of the congregation to walk

alongside the youth in discipleship to Jesus Christ.

Relevant - We seek to help our students understand the cultural context in which young people

live. In order to minister to any group of people, we must be able to "speak the language". This

does not mean uncritically accommodating to aspects of culture, rather it means coming to

understand the movements within culture that influence the identity of young people.

If you or someone in your youth group is interested in learning more about the youth ministry

program at Dordt College please contact Mr. Jason Lief at: jlief@dordt.edu or by calling 712-

722-6329.