Youth Ministry 2011 

What's A Soul Worth?
The souls of teens and young adults in a transition with eternal ramifications.

January 4-6, 2011

The Buena Vista Palace Hotel at
Disneyworld Orlando, FL

True or False? Being religious makes a difference in the life of a teen but what religion you are doesn't. “Youth Ministry 2011” is a symposium focusing on youth ministry that will challenge you to think outside the box. It's a practical, “no-frills” conference where the message is the focus. YM 2011 promises to help you confront the vagaries of teenage spirituality. What do teens believe? What does it mean to be spiritual but not religious? Where does teenage religion come from? Is teen faith an amalgamation of a lot of different sources? What is “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism?”“What's a Soul Worth?” will explore the answers to those questions. The conference will begin on Tuesday night, January 4, with an introduction to the National Study of Youth and Religion by Christian Smith, director of the study and author of two books about the findings. An opening reception will follow. Wednesday will spend a full day exploring the study, looking at a Lutheran response and exploring the practical implications for youth ministry. Lunch is a part of the program on Wednesday. Friday wraps up in the morning with the symposium over by 11:30. YM 2011 will be a time for professional growth, spiritual nurture and an opportunity to network with others concerned about young people and their place in the church. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to sign on for the first National DCE Conference, scheduled for Orlando, January 6-8. 

What do you know about teenage spirituality? This is your opportunity to go straight to the source of information about what teens believe, how they express it and what it means for the church in the future.

DR. CHRISTIAN SMITH, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Notre Dame, is director of the National Study of Youth and Religion and the author of Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers and the longitudinal report, Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults, both landmark works in the study of the spiritual and religious life of young adults.

DR. JACOB YOUMANS, Director of the DCE Program at Concordia University, Austin, Texas, will take a “Lutheran look” at the study. His doctoral thesis is focused on leadership in the emerging culture and taking a look at pop culture as the vernacular of teenagers and exploring how that culture may be one of the most effective ways of reaching unchurched youth. 

DR. CRAIG OLDENBURG, Director of Mt. Cross Lutheran Camp, Felton, CA, will lead a very practical process of making the whole conversation mean something back home. It's the “what does this mean” part of the program.

YM 2011 is a conference designed for people who are serious about Youth Ministry. Professional and lay workers alike will be challenged for doing youth ministry in a post-modern world. This year, the symposium explores the National Study of Youth and Religion and it's implications for youth ministry in our churches and synod. It's a time for learning, refreshment and worship. And, besides the program, the network of youth ministry is a key component to the conference.

The cost is just $150 for the entire conference which includes an opening night reception and lunch on Wednesday. Early registration at the 2010 National Youth Gathering is just $130. Those registering for the National DCE conference are also eligible for the $130 rate, a great bonus if you're going to be in Orlando for that conference.

Download a PDF flyer with mail in registration information.

Click Here for Online Registration

Hotel reservations may be made at the Buena Vista Palace at the special conference rate of $109 per night plus applicable taxes. Reservations are made directly with Marriott Reservations at 1-866-397-6516 and identify yourself as being with the National Association of Directors of Christian Education and confirm your room rate.