Youth Ministry
Youth Ministry + Christian Formation
If you feel called to mentor children and young adults as they develop a relationship with Jesus Christ, consider a career in youth ministry and Christian formation. Your gifts of creativity, discipleship and service could inspire the next generation of believers—or have an impact at a nonprofit or mission organization.
Why NWC?
As a youth ministry + Christian formation major, you’ll learn from expert professors with scholarly interests that range from Christianity and pop culture to social entrepreneurship and leadership development. Our curriculum is both academic and hands-on, providing biblical and theological tools to help students recognize how God is working in the world.
Major course topics include theology and church ministry, spiritual formation and theology of pop culture. Related minors include youth ministry + Christian education, leadership studies, entrepreneurship, biblical + theological studies, mission + justice, worship arts, and nonprofit management.
Professor of Biblical + Theological Studies
Outcomes
Our youth ministry + Christian formation graduates are serving as mentors and leaders to children, youth and families in church, nonprofit and mission organizations across the country. They are pursuing seminary training, planting churches, building relationships with at-risk teens, and planning worship services.
Join our standout alumni at:
#RaidersStandOut
Experience
Northwestern’s opportunities for worship leadership will give you experience planning and leading music for chapel services. Join the Justice + Service team to advocate for causes you care about, or participate in short-term missions during our 10-day Spring Service Partnerships or a 10-week Summer of Service. You can also apply to serve on the Campus Ministry Team or help lead weekly Bible studies in your dorm.
As part of your youth ministry + Christian formation major, you’ll spend two or more semesters interning with an area church or nonprofit. Many students actively serve with a congregation all four years of college.
Our mission + justice minor is designed to enhance your understanding of other cultures and provide practical ministry tools for serving those on society’s margins.
Northwestern students are passionate about creating change on campus, in their communities and in the greater world. That’s why we offer a nonprofit management minor to prepare students to operate nonprofit and for-profit organizations that make a difference.
As part of Northwestern’s Oman Semester, you’ll travel to the Middle East, where you’ll study Arabic and Christian-Muslim relations. With Northwestern’s Romania Semester, you’ll join in the work of New Horizons Foundation, a nonprofit that uses adventure education programs to help Romanian youth develop responsibility, teamwork and trust.
Northwestern’s opportunities for worship leadership will give you experience planning and leading music for chapel services. Join the Justice + Service team to advocate for causes you care about, or participate in short-term missions during our 10-day Spring Service Partnerships or a 10-week Summer of Service. You can also apply to serve on the Campus Ministry Team or help lead weekly Bible studies in your dorm.
As part of your youth ministry + Christian formation major, you’ll spend two or more semesters interning with an area church or nonprofit. Many students actively serve with a congregation all four years of college.
Our mission + justice minor is designed to enhance your understanding of other cultures and provide practical ministry tools for serving those on society’s margins.
Northwestern students are passionate about creating change on campus, in their communities and in the greater world. That’s why we offer a nonprofit management minor to prepare students to operate nonprofit and for-profit organizations that make a difference.
As part of Northwestern’s Oman Semester, you’ll travel to the Middle East, where you’ll study Arabic and Christian-Muslim relations. With Northwestern’s Romania Semester, you’ll join in the work of New Horizons Foundation, a nonprofit that uses adventure education programs to help Romanian youth develop responsibility, teamwork and trust.
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Faculty
Brilliant scholars. Committed Christians. Invested in you. That’s Northwestern’s faculty.
Dr. Michael Andres
Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies; Department Chair
Dr. Cambria Kaltwasser
Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies; Director of the Northwestern Core
Dr. Jason Lief ’96
Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies
Dr. James Mead
Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies
Dr. John Vonder Bruegge
Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies; Dean of Arts and Humanities; Co-director of the Honors Program
