Blogging from the National Youth Workers Convention

October 30, 2007 · 7 comments

I will be blogging from St. Louis, Missouri this Thursday through Monday, where I'm attending the National Youth Workers Convention, an event organized by Youth Specialties.

In addition to seven "general sessions" with great speakers and worship leaders (David Crowder Band, Starfield, et al.) there are a bunch of smaller seminars that I'm really excited about. I don't know if I'll be able to attend every one I want (because some are at the same time), but here are a few I'd particularly like to attend:

  • Red Letter Christians: Defining Progressive Evangelicalism, with Tony Campolo
  • Theological Tools for Your Youth Ministry Toolbox, with Tony Jones
  • So You Want to Get Published, with Jay Howver
  • Small Church, Big Times: How to Build Creativity into the Small Church Youth Ministry, with Lilly Lewin
  • What Youth Ministers Can Learn from Sociologists, with Tony Campolo
  • The Greening of Youth Ministry: Why Your Youth Group Should Care for the Earth, with Peter Illyn (founder of Restoring Eden)
  • A New Vision for Middle School Ministry, with Mark Oestreicher
  • Communications Survival Guide: Making Sure You're Connecting to Students, Parents, and the Church, with Matthew Penn

    • I basically plan to go and act as a sponge; I just want to soak up as much youth ministry information, tips, advice, and wisdom as possible. I'll be taking lots of notes and blogging my reflections throughout the extended weekend.

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    Tagged as: blogging, live blogging, national youth workers convention, nywc, st. louis, Youth Ministry

    • http://jchalmers.blogspot.com Jimmy_C

      Jake,

      Take it from a veteran of many, many NYWCs. Attend the seminars you really think will benefit you, pick and choose the general sessions then have a blast with old friends, new friends and the craziness of YS.

    • http://compassioninpolitics.wordpress.com Nathan Ketsdever

      Campolo, Jones, Illyn and the rest all seem pretty sweet!

      Hope you have a fantastic and enriching time in St. Louis!

    • http://shanevanderhart.blogspot.com Shane Vander Hart

      I’ve never had a chance to go to a YS convention before. I used to do SonLife and did a Willow Creek Conference once. Now I go to conferences a little more specific to what I do. I hope you learn a lot and get some rest!

    • Jake

      Nathan, Shane, and Jimmy: Thank you all! I’m looking forward to it!

    • http://soupablog.com paul at soupablog

      give lilly lewin a big hug for me.

    • http://www.seanrasmussen.com Bullhunter

      Good onys Jake. You’ve got a good heart. Keep up the great work.
      Regards – Bullhunter

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