Youth Ministry

Start your standout story.

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.

Major requirements

Youth Ministry + Christian Formation
Why NWC?

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.

CONTACT
Dr. Jason Lief
Dr. Jason Lief
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:

Baylor University
Waco, TX
BLVD Church
Holland, MI
Central Presbyterian Church
Des Moines, IA
Christ the King Lutheran Church
Hutchinson, MN
Western Theological Seminary
Holland, MI

Experience

Lead + serve

Lead + serve

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. 

Internships

Internships

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.

Enhanced cultural IQ

Enhanced cultural IQ

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. 

Nonprofit management

Nonprofit management

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. 

Study abroad

Study abroad

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. Other study abroad opportunities are also available in locations around the globe.

Lead + serve

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. 

Internships

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.

Enhanced cultural IQ

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. 

Nonprofit management

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. 

Study abroad

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. Other study abroad opportunities are also available in locations around the globe.

  • Faculty

    Brilliant scholars. Committed Christians. Invested in you. That’s Northwestern’s faculty.

  •  Andres Dr. Michael Andres Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies; Department Chair
  •  Kaltwasser Dr. Cambria Kaltwasser Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies; Director of the Northwestern Core
  •  Lief Dr. Jason Lief ’96 Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies
  •  Vonder Bruegge Dr. John Vonder Bruegge Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies; Dean of Arts and Humanities; Co-director of the Honors Program
  •  Williams Dr. Jeremy Williams Assistant Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies