Student Info
As a student in the Coalition you’ll experience a dynamic way of learning that fits your life and ministry. This releases you to learn right where you are, in your current ministry context, and in the way you learn best.
Your Coalition experience will reflect the DNA of the Coalition which focuses on building both your character and competence. In addition to your studies you’ll gain a network of like-minded practitioners, world-class instructors and “boots on the ground” coaches and mentors.
The Experience
8 one-week long "Collaborative Learning Experiences"
(4 weeks/year)
These are informative and collaborative sessions that leverage a balance of in-person and virtual experience.
Assignments focus on real ministry skills and have direct application to your ministry context. These are not just make work projects. Instead, assignments focus on personal exploration, theological reflection, and real resource creation that will propel your ministry forward.
Mentored life
Your experience will be guided by ministry coaches, mentors, and spiritual directors. The process focuses on developing rhythms that are dynamic and catalyze your own personal growth.
Learning Cohorts
You will learn in the context of a learning cohort; a group of 12-25 vocational youth workers in a region you select. The win of this experience is that while you are learning you will come away with more than just knowledge--you will also gain community.
See All Cohort Locations
Classes
This course will explore the central place of spiritual intentionality and growing intimacy with Christ as the basis for effective life and ministry. We believe that it “takes a disciple to make a disciple.” Designed to be experienced early in the program, it will provide apprentices with a pathway toward spiritual refreshment, deeper commitment to the Gospel, a passionate love for Christ, and disciplined living in the messy reality of day to day ministry. The course will be a blend of guided classroom learning and practical experiences in the spiritual disciplines, culminating in a 24 hour personal spiritual retreat. It is not intended to be a time of learning about intimacy, commitment and spiritual discipline. Instead, it is meant to be a time of actual intimacy, reflection, prayer, worship, meditation, solitude and nurturing community. As such, the course is meant to be intensely experiential and personal. Small groups will be established early on, and maintained throughout the course. Students should be prepared to fully engage in the exercises that will be planned for the sake of their own walk with God. It is anticipated that having experienced some of these lessons together we will have learned some things about pointing others in similar directions.
Sound ministry philosophy ultimately expresses itself in effective ministry praxis. Successful youth ministry practitioners are required to manage on multiple levels. At the heart of managing a ministry is the management of multiple relationships – with the church staff and leadership; with parents; with a volunteer team; with their ministry colleagues in the community; with social agencies, school leaders, local police, etc.; and of course, with a constantly changing group of students. In addition, they are expected to manage budgets, facilities, events, service projects and trips, and the calendars that give structure to programs. Of course, one of their biggest responsibilities is to manage risk – spiritual, relational, physical, and emotional. And at a very personal level they are required to manage their own time and energy. For many “highly relational” youth workers these management responsibilities don’t always come naturally. They need to be learned, practiced, and sharpened in the day-to-day reality of ministry leadership. The apprenticeship environment is a perfect context for developing the management skills necessary to be successful in ministry. This course will provide each student with the opportunity to explore and identify their own management style and then discover ways to manage the multiple elements of the youth ministry in which they are serving. One of the practical outcomes of this course will be the development of a thorough “practices and policies” handbook which will serve as a guide to their ministry team and provide the structures that are necessary for safety, clarity, longevity, and meaningful ministry outcomes.
The need for sound theological thinking as a starting point for ministry structures and strategies has never been greater. Because many faith communities evaluate the effectiveness of their youth ministry primarily on the basis of attendance numbers it can be tempting to structure our ministries in a way that attracts the most young people. When we start with numerical outcomes in mind it is easy to forget about the crucial importance of theological foundation and framework for the work we do. This course will create a theological structure for understanding the Scripture, the church, the family, and the communities in which we serve and then ask the important “So What?” questions. A sound theology expresses itself in effective ministry. One of the key outcomes of this course will be that students will be trained to habitually ask theological questions first.
In a pluralistic global culture like ours it is more important than ever for Christians to be wise and well-grounded in our interactions with others. The Scripture exhorts us to “be prepared to always give an answer” (I Peter 3:15) and shows us a great example in Paul’s interactions in Athens. This course is structured to introduce students to the major worldviews and religious systems that exist in the 21st century and to equip them to interact with people who have a different philosophical or theological starting point than their own. The emphasis on conversational apologetics is intentional. For too long we have seen confrontational apologetics being used – often creating broken conversations that do not lead to positive Kingdom outcomes. Upon completion of this course students will be more confident in their understanding of the Gospel and empowered to engage others in a redemptive dialogue that will lead to deepened relationship and ongoing interaction.
With their unique language, music, values, and heroes, today’s adolescents live in a culture all their own. For effective ministry to occur, it is critical that we understand contemporary culture. This course explores the complex world of the adolescent. It is important for us to understand the role of the media as a window into the soul of today’s teenager. Because the media both shapes and reflects the culture, it is important for all who work with adolescents and their families to develop a familiarity with what is being communicated and the implications for ministry. Youth ministry is cross-cultural missionary work. Adults and teen- agers will often need to translate in order for effective ministry to take place. This course will teach adults the language of the next generation. It is important to keep one eye on the constantly changing world and the other eye on the unshakeable Word to help young people make sense out of the cultural “air they are breathing.” Special emphasis will be given to helping students navigate the complexities of their online world and the social media that connects them to it.
The landscape is all too familiar for those of us who work with teenagers…addictions, eating disorders, self-injury, destructive sexual choices, media saturation, sexual abuse, family breakdown, violence, bullying, gender disorientation, anxiety, depression and suicide – the dark realities that mark the lives of so many young people today. This course is designed to explore and address some of the most common contemporary behavioral, emotional, and relational issues faced by today’s adolescents. It is meant to prepare the apprentice for increased ministry effectiveness through a deeper awareness of underlying issues, behavioral choices and relational realities faced by students today. It is designed to result in a greater level of freedom to address and discuss these issues with both adolescents themselves and the adults who intersect with the adolescent world. The class will consist of a series of lectures, discussions and interactive exercises addressing a wide range of topics that place adolescents at risk. It is intentionally designed to deliver practical equipping to frontline ministry practitioners in both church and para-church ministries.
Vocational youth workers are communicators. Whether they are training a group of volunteers, leading a parent event, designing curriculum, facilitating a small group, or delivering a youth talk to a room full of teenagers, the need to be a skilled communicator is apparent. The course will explore basic principles of communication as a foundation for practicing the skills needed to communicate effectively in a wide variety of settings. It will offer students a chance to think about the three basic components of any message and to understand the “why” and “how” of effective communication. In addition to discussing the fine points of how to craft effective message content, we’ll look at the mechanics of effective speaking: everything from gestures to facial expressions to voice technique.
We believe that the most significant spiritual responsibility of any generation is the spiritual well-being of the generation that follows. This course explores all aspects of the adolescent spiritual journey. One of the identified characteristics of this generation is the spiritual hunger that seems to mark them. It appears that we have a unique opportunity to respond to this “craving” that exists in the hearts of young people today. How do we present the Gospel in a way that engages the soul of an adolescent? How do we best understand and facilitate a young person’s journey to faith in Christ? Once a young person has embraced faith how do we help them become deeply rooted disciples of Jesus? What does the journey of sanctification look like, and how do we position young people to make a Kingdom difference in their generation. This course will explore these and other questions that will equip students to accompany young people well on their journey of faith. It’s the most important thing we do!
Guided by a ministry mentor.
At the heart of The Coalition’s training program is a thoughtfully structured, two-year mentored apprenticeship. Because pastoral ministry is a vocation that requires specific competencies, we believe that the most effective way to equip practitioners is to provide them with a real-life context in which to learn and practice ministry effectiveness.
Apprentices will serve in full-time ministry roles under experienced leaders who will guide them through a series of leadership development experiences and skill sharpening opportunities. The environments will vary depending on the specialty being pursued by the apprentice. Many will serve in the local church, but some will receive their training in the context of a community youth ministry organization (e.g. Young Life or Youth for Christ) while others could be trained on the staff of a camp or even in a Christian School environment, if that is where they feel called to serve. The apprenticeship path will be marked by carefully defined milestones, but the details of the apprenticeship will be left to the mentor and the apprentice to design and carry out.
Apprenticeships will not be approved unless a suitable mentor is available to provide the necessary guidance. The experiential component of this program is not a “tacked on” bonus but in fact represents the essence of what makes The Coalition different.
Guided by a spiritual mentor.
Intentional and structured spiritual formation is a curricular cornerstone of the Coalition. Along with academic excellence, experiential immersion, and intentional community engagement, it is foundational to effective ministry preparation. We believe that “it takes a disciple to make a disciple.” Therefore, investing in the disciple-maker will pay significant dividends in the lives of disciples being made. We reproduce disciples after our own kind.
During the course of the two years of the Coalition learning community students will be invited to engage in four six-month seasons of soul shaping. Each of these seasons will be guided by an interactive journal which will outline the five core elements of the soul shaping experience and provide a path for students to follow.
Cost
Tuition Fees
Coalition fees: $5,000/year ($10,000 total)
Other Costs
If you are planning to use your Coalition experience as part of completing a degree with one of our partner schools, there may be additional fees to be aware of. Depending if you are an undergrad or graduate student, these fees could be as little as $200 (B.A.) to $3,000 (M.A.)/year. These aren't just hidden fees or extra costs. Each partner school offers unique value and additional resources for your ministry leadership development. We can help you choose an option that fits your goals.
Travel (if applicable) to in-person meetings. You can choose from a growing number of cohort locations.
Accommodations for in-person classes.
Books - Plan to budget for $50-120/class. A projected reading list can be found here.
2024-2026 Schedule
Class | Dates |
|---|---|
Personal and Spiritual Formation in Ministry | Dr. Marv Penner | Sept 23 – 27, 2024 |
Youth Ministry Management | Ginny Olson | Jan 6 – 10, 2025 |
Thinking Theologically About Youth Ministry | Dr. Chap Clark | March 31 – April 4, 2025 |
Worldviews and Conversational Apologetics | Dr. Andy Steiger | June 2 – 6, 2025 |
Understanding Today’s Youth Culture | Dr. Walt Mueller | Sept 29 – Oct 3, 2025 |
Counselling Adolescents and Their Families | Dr. Marv Penner | Jan 5 – 9, 2026 |
Communication Skills for Effective Youth Ministry | Dr. Chuck Hunt | April 13 – 17, 2026 |
Issues in Adolescent Faith Formation | Sid Koop | June 1 – 5, 2026 |
2023-2025 Schedule
Class & Prof | Dates |
|---|---|
Personal & Spiritual Formation in Ministry | Dr. Marv Penner & Sid Koop | September 25 – 29, 2023 | Kelowna Location October 2 – 6, 2023 | Winkler Location |
Youth Ministry Management: Practices and Principles | Ginny Olson | January 8 – 12, 2024 |
Thinking Theologically about Youth Ministry | Dr. Chap Clark | April 15 – 19, 2024 |
Worldviews and Conversational Apologetics | Dr. Andy Steiger | June 3 – 7, 2024 |
Understanding Today’s Youth Culture | Dr. Walt Mueller | September 23 – 27, 2024 |
Counselling Adolescents and their Families | Dr. Marv Penner | January 6 – 10, 2025 |
Communication Skills for Effective Ministry | Dr. Chuck Hunt | March 31 – April 4, 2025 |
Adolescent Faith Formation | Sid Koop | June 2 – 6, 2025 |
