Intentional, individual investment to expand capacity, increase skill, engage the heart, and develop healthier, better leaders. (en français)

Learn More On a Discovery Call

WHAT WE WANT FOR YOU

 

Dream Again

Coaching Cohorts are designed to feed your soul and mind, and create intentional space for you to dream again about what what God has in store for you.

Gain People

Life in ministry can be lonely. We’re here to have your back! Whether you’re looking for a personal space to process, insight into ministry challenges or a connection to a relevant community we want to be a part of YOUR supporting team!

Lead Well

Leaders are learners. Period. If you’re leading, you’re always learning. So why not learn from the best and have them personally invest in you becoming the best you can be.

DESCRIBING THE EXPERIENCE

Personalized Coaching // You’ll have access to one-on-one conversations with a professional youth ministry coach. What we hear most from participants is that these safe, unbiased venues are transformative when processing tough ministry stuff and ideating toward achieving excellent ministry practices. Let us focus on YOU, joining with you to reach your ministry goals!

Team coaching sessions//

  • Collaborate with a community of “in the trenches” practitioners
  • Reflect on key topics suited for the season of ministry you’re in
  • Gain fresh perspective, ideas and insight from fellow youth workers and and the YWC team
  • Two groups to choose from:
    • New leaders
    • Experienced leaders

Leadership Labs // Each month we’ll gather online with some of the industry’s premier minds (the key leaders, authors and thinkers we’d all love to meet) to learn, process and ask the questions we all have in youth ministry.

Learn More

YOUR COACHES

Steve Zacharias

Steve Zacharias

Director of Coaching

Lisette Fraser

Lisette Fraser

Director of The Coalition

Ben Woodman

Ben Woodman

Youth Worker Talks + Coaching

Sid Koop

Sid Koop

Executive Director

Chandra Styles

Chandra Styles

GUEST EXPERTS HAVE INCLUDED

Jason Ballard

Jason Ballard

Alpha Canada

Crystal Kirgiss

Crystal Kirgiss

Young Life

Brad Griffin

Brad Griffin

Fuller Youth Institute

Vince Parker

Vince Parker

Life.Church

Paula Danielle

Paula Danielle

Purpose Over Rules

Dave Rahn

Dave Rahn

Youth for Christ

Marv Penner

Marv Penner

Coalition for Youth Ministry Excellence

Angela Lee

Angela Lee

Fellowship Church, Los Angeles

Chris Curtis

Chris Curtis

Youthscape

Mark Colwell

Mark Colwell

Christian Life Assembly Church

Ebonie Davis

Ebonie Davis

Youth Ministry Consultant

Carson Pue

Carson Pue

Quadrant Leadership

CURRENT COHORTS

New Leaders

 

Are you in your first years of ministry and looking to crush it? In this cohort you’ll:

  • walk with a group of people who want to love God and people
  • capture the momentum of your new role by establishing strong systems and strategies for your ministry
  • explore how to serve students and families in your context
  • learning to recruit, train and love volunteers
  • discover what it means to be a follower and leader in your context
  • gain a network of fellow ministry leaders to encourage and support

Experienced Leaders

 

Have you been in the game a little while and looking to shake things up, gain perspective, need encouragement, or you’re hoping to break through to big vision God has for your ministry? In this cohort you’ll:

  • Gain a group of like-minded leaders from across the nation to go deep and collaborate with
  • Work on caring for your well-being for the ministry long haul as you press through whatever challenges you are facing
  • Dig into topics like:
    • Ministry assessment
    • Change management
    • Advanced team training and coaching

Personalized Coaching

What if a cohort doesn’t fit your schedule, but you still want a coach? No problem, you can still book individual time with our coaching team!

Get a package of:
3 Sessions = $399
6 Sessions = $699
10 Sessions = $999

 

Learn About The Next Cohorts

WHY JOIN A COHORT?

There are a lot of ways to develop and grow as a leader/pastor from conferences to education. Coaching Cohorts really are a type of middle ground that are proven to have lasting impact. Cohort members receive regular content from some of the best in the field while also having personal coaching that develops them to be the leader they need to be for where God has planted them. With the Cohorts lasting 8 months, there’s significant time for learning and building new skills.

WHY COACHING?

  • 62.4% smarter goal-setting
  • 60.5% more balanced life
  • 57.1% lower stress levels
  • 52.4% more self-confidence
  • 43.3% improvement in the quality of life

 The International Coaching Federation (ICF) surveyed 210 coaching clients about the value and use of coaching.

WHO SHOULD JOIN?

Whether you’ve been in youth ministry for 20 years or just a year we believe the Cohorts are for you. No matter your context or experience, the Cohort model is designed to meet you where you’re at and move you forward from there. So if you’re newer to ministry and want to develop your skills, great. If you’ve been in ministry for a long time and feel stuck or in a rut, great. If you’ve got a desire to learn and grow, this is for you! 

GETTING SUPPORT FROM YOUR BOSS

We know you have someone you report to that will have to give you the time and money to do this! We’ve been there too! We’ve created a simple ‘Fact Sheet’ that you can share with whoever you need to. If you’re having trouble convincing someone you need to do this, let us know & we’d love to help however we can!

Fact Sheet
2022 Cohort Library
2021 Cohort Library
2020 Cohort Library

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

Send us a note via the chat or email hello[at]youthworker.community

Ginny Olson has been involved in youth ministry for several decades on a variety of levels: youth pastor, youth ministry professor, speaker and writer. She is the author of Teenage Girls and the co-author of Youth Ministry Management Tools 2.0. Currently, she is the Director of Youth Ministry for the Northwest Conference of the Covenant Church, as well as an adjunct professor at North Park University’s School of Business and Nonprofit Management, where she teaches on church administration.

 Dr. Chinwe Williams is a Licensed and Board-Certified Counselor (NCC), and Certified Professional Counselors Supervisor (CPCS) in the state of Georgia. She is also a Certified EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapist. Dr. Williams has worked in the areas of counseling for eighteen years and counselor education/training for twelve years. She has served as a college and high school counselor, group facilitator, supervisor,and executive coach. She is a mental health consultant for public, for-profit, non-profit, college/university, corporate, and faith-based work settings. Her expertise lies in areas of stress and anxiety management, trauma recovery, parenting, adolescent, young adult and women’s emotional wellness. Dr. Williams has previously taught graduate counseling students at Georgia State University, University of Central Florida, and Rollins College. She is the former Board Secretary for Association Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) and is an active member of LPCA (Licensed Professional Counselors Association) and the American Counseling Association (ACA). Dr. Williams is a frequently invited presenter at local, national, and international counseling conferences and a published author. Dr. Williams is the owner & principal therapist at Meaningful Solutions Counseling & Consulting, where she maintains a private practice serving adolescents, young adults, women, and families. Dr. Williams is the co-author of the best-selling book Seen: Healing Despair and Anxiety in Kids and Teens Through the Power of Connection. Last but not least, she is a wife to her college sweetheart and a mom of three beautiful children. 

Lisette has overseen ministry in an executive role with Fellowship Church. Licensed with the International Coach Federation, Lisette is an exceptional combination of world class leadership and strategic thinking. She also has created resources and delivered content for some of the most well known youth ministry organizations around such as Fuller Youth Institute and Orange.

 

Youth Worker South Africa

Steve’s passion is to be an encourager and catalyst for emerging leaders. His ministry adventure has spanned over a couple decades and has taken him around the globe, supporting leaders in camp and youth ministry on four continents. The teams he’s served with have pioneered dynamic ministries that reach hundreds of thousands every week. He deeply loves connecting with Jesus, people and good pizza.

Robert E. Purvey was born and raised in Houston, TX. His peculiar public speaking style and ability to communicate with people from every ethnicity and socio economic background has caused him to be a nationally sought after speaker for churches, conferences, school districts, and companies. Over the past decade Purvey has built one of the most consistent and solid youth and young adult ministries by creating and implementing cutting edge and innovative ministries. Purvey is the host of “Real Teen Talk” a weekly radio show geared towards raising social and spiritual awareness in the lives of teenagers, leaders, and parents.

Iona has been involved with youth work for over 30 years.  She has worked as a group home staff, drop-in centre director, foster parent, probation counsellor, youth services coordinator, and young adult pastor. Over the past 20 years she has been a youth work instructor, first at the University of the Fraser Valley, then at Columbia Bible College and now at Lifeteams.

​At Lifeteams, Iona is a guest instructor and works with the staff team to plan and develop the Lifeteams curriculum. She is the head of Lifeteams Resources, training youth workers and volunteers locally and nationally through seminars and the development of tools and resources. She has a M.A. in Christian Studies from Regent College and a BA in Social Development from University of Waterloo.

Curtis has spent most of his career dedicated to Youth Ministry. He cut his teeth with Youth for Christ, spent a few years in camp ministry as an Executive Director, and served for nine years as a Youth Pastor. He now serves as an Executive Pastor, overseeing ministry strategies and church operations. Curtis loves to set his eyes on the future and work together with others to sort out where we are going, and how we are going to get there.

Sam Collier is the Lead Pastor of Hillsong Atlanta. He is also the founder of A Greater Story Ministries which houses a nationally televised interview series and podcast called “A Greater Story with Sam Collier”, as well as a partnership with Baker Publishing which recently released his first book entitled, A Greater Story. Collier also spends much of his time sitting with leaders such as Dr. Bernice King, Reggie Joiner, Andy Stanley, Nona Jones at Facebook to name a few, discussing the current issues of the day for the sake of pioneering a new World. He lives with his wife and co-pastor, Toni, and their daughter in Atlanta, Georgia.

Rev. Dr. Carson Pue is recognized as a leader of leaders. He is known globally as a mentor of Christian leaders and was former CEO of Arrow Leadership. Carson is the bestselling author of Mentoring Leaders: Wisdom for Developing Calling, Character, and Competency. Carson knows our world and what it means to lead. He has an uncanny ability to see around corners. Carson has always had a passion for mentoring and leadership training. His impressive resume includes leading some of the most influential Christian organizations in Canada.

Ebonie Davis is a veteran youth worker in the Maryland suburbs, near Washington D.C., and is also a research consultant for prominent Christian organizations. She holds a master’s degree from Huntington University in Youth Ministry Leadership and was a project member on Yale University’s “Theology of Joy and the Good Life” research, funded by the Templeton Foundation. Ebonie is the co-author of Disrupting Teens with Joy: Helping Youth Discover Jesus-Focused Gritty Faith.

Mark is married to Jenni, has spent over 25 years in Youth Ministry, 14 years as a student ministries pastor and 12 as a denominational youth ministry coach in Ontario. He currently pastors at Christian Life Assembly in Maple Ridge BC and continues to intentionally mentor and disciple Next Gen leaders. Building pathways of discipleship and leadership development remain core passions as does seeing young leaders excel in ministry and life.

Jeremy directs the operations at the Youth Worker Community and is the primary point of contact to design how our team can best serve you. He’s served on the church staff of Moncton Wesleyan, The Point Church, and most recently Connexus Church.

Vince serves as the Central Ministry Leader for Switch, the student ministry at Life.Church. With more than 10 years on the Life.Church team, he uses his pastoral experience and eye for excellence to lead a team of more than 30 youth pastors across 10 states. Prior to his current role, Vince served as a youth pastor and as the Life.Church Broadway and Britton Pastor. Vince and his wife, Melissa, live in Oklahoma City with their daughter.

Chris is a youth worker based in Luton in the UK. He's part of Youthscape, a national Christian ministry who are focused on helping to renew the UK church's engagement with young people. They publish research, create resources and offer training, and try to model youth ministry with local young people. Chris speaks and writes a lot about youth work, but he also is a bit of a mac geek and a member of the The Magic Circle in London.

Paula Dannielle is from Phoenix, Arizona. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Arizona State and Emory University, respectively. While working in Next Gen ministry for over 20 years, Paula established Purpose Over Rules, a ministry development firm that helps churches create thriving Next Gen ministries. Paula serves with a congregation in Charlotte, is a national speaker, and works with several racial reconciliation organizations. Paula is the proud mother of three gorgeous daughters: Chayil Destiny, Charity Joy, and Cherish Faith.

Brad Griffin is the Senior Director of Content for the Fuller Youth Institute, where he develops research-based training for youth workers and parents (see fulleryouthinstitute.org). A speaker, writer, and volunteer youth pastor, Brad is also the coauthor of over a dozen books including Faith in an Anxious World, Growing Young, Sticky Faith, and Can I Ask That? Twitter: @bgriffinfyi

Crystal Kirgiss teaches writing at Purdue University and serves as Young Life's Vice President of Discipleship. She is the author or co-author of more than ten books, including What's Up With Boys?, Sex Has A Pricetag, Girls, Guys, and A Teenager's Daily Prayer Book. She is passionate about God’s Word, spiritual formation, whole discipleship, Narnia, and Middle Earth.

Dave Rahn (PhD) began working with Youth for Christ in 1972 before joining Huntington University faculty in 1985, where he taught for 30 years. Publishing more than 100 articles, essays and books, Dave has studied adolescent influence, urban youth ministry indigenous leaders, and teen evangelism effectiveness. Most recently he co-authored Disrupting Teens with Joy (2020). Retiring in June 2020 as Youth for Christ USA’s Senior Ministry Advisor, Dave – married for 44 years – enjoys life as a grandparent of five.

Angela Lee is a wife, mom/bonus mom, and pastor in her tenth year of ministry. Starting in middle school ministry, Angela has a deep love and passion for the discipleship of the next generation. Angela also spent years working in non-profit management and volunteer coordination. Angela believes deeply that the local church and the gospel is the hope of the world. Hope for salvation, hope for racial reconciliation, and that hope fuels her work.

Marv Penner is a veteran youth worker with more than 45 years of working in the field. An author, speaker, professor, and youth ministry consultant to denominations, schools, churches and organizations, he travels North America and the world, equipping, encouraging and empowering leaders. As a registered clinical counsellor he has specialized in helping adolescents and their families through tough times. Marv is also the Executive Director at the Coalition for Youth Ministry Excellence, a two-year experientially integrated vocational education program. Marv Penner is the founder and president of All About Youth, Canada and an associate staff member of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding. His greatest joy is equipping, encouraging and empowering front-line youth workers. Marv and his wife Lois live in Lake Country, BC. They have three awesome adult kids … and grandchildren.

After more than two decades in full-time ministry, Lisette knows there’s nothing else she’d rather do! Starting in Canada and now in the US, it’s been an awesome adventure. Whether it has been serving the local church, speaking at camps and conferences, ministry coaching, teaching courses or writing curriculum, Lisette does it with passion and joy. Lisette loves the journey Jesus invites us into and knows it’s only made better because she gets to live it with her husband, kids and community.

Jason is a church planter in Vancouver, Canada. He is the host of the Alpha Youth Series and part of the team at Alpha that creates resources for local churches around the world. Jason and his wife Rachael have three kids, Hudson, Mary and Millie.

Ben and his wife Melissa live in Vancouver, Canada where, before joining the team at Alpha, he was a youth pastor for 10 years. He is a huge fan of Bear Grylls, Sid Koop, and Bob Goff. One of the themes of his life and teaching is how God loves to use ordinary, imperfect people to do extraordinary things. Find him on Instagram @benwoodman

From camp speaker to local youth pastor to youth ministry professor, Sid draws from a deep well of experience over a couple decades. He is the Executive Director of Youth Worker Community where he and his team are dedicated to filling in the gaps for youth workers by equipping, empowering, and supporting youth workers to help the next generation know Jesus.

Sid has a Masters in Youth and Family Ministries and is currently working on his Doctor of Ministry in Emerging Generations at Gordon-Conwell Seminary.