Partner Ministry

Staffing and support for today’s youth and children’s ministry.

We help communities of faith like yours—whether church, camp, or nonprofit—effectively fill your need for a family, youth, or children’s minister to meet the needs of our ever-changing culture.

Our Residency program is a comprehensive program that equips communities of faith to develop innovative, effective, and theologically informed ministries. A Partner Ministry is a community of faith who commits to supporting their youth, children’s, or family minister to participate in the Residency program. Over the 3 years of the Residency, CYMT staff support each Partner Ministry and Resident through one-on-one coaching.

Ministry Staffing Services + Education, Coaching, & Support

Ministry Staffing Services

Find your next Ministry Leader!

Finding the right staff person to lead your ministry is difficult. Going with CYMT can save you time and money while allowing you to strengthen your ministry’s foundation for the future. CYMT’s Staffing Services and Admissions team recruits from a national pool of applicants to find a good match for your needs. Whether your search leads you to an already trained staff person or you decide to become a Partner Ministry in CYMT’s Residency program, CYMT is committed to working with you to find a leader with the right skills, personality, and theology.

Become a CYMT Partner Ministry

Theological Education, Coaching, & Support

After finding the right leader, become a CYMT Partner Ministry and provide them with the education, coaching, and a supportive community to develop their gifts and skills for ministry further. Whether they participate in the Graduate or Certificate programs, they will be prepared to stay in ministry for the long haul. We equip them and your ministry team so your ministry can grow and thrive. Already have a children’s or youth minister who needs training? Simply sign up to be a Partner Ministry without Staffing Ministry Services.

Partner Ministry & Residency Program Advantages

Theological Education
Every CYMT Resident earns a Master of Arts in Youth Ministry degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary or a Youth, Family, or Community Ministry Certificate.  CYMT and APTS’ MAYM partnership is the country’s most extensive graduate-level youth ministry program.  Residents can also continue their education with a Master of Divinity.

Coaching

Not only does CYMT provide mentoring and coaching for your resident, but we also provide your ministry with a veteran ministry coach. This coach will help you develop a fertile environment for growth. You will build a foundation and infrastructure for the ministry, such as vision and mission statements, goals, curriculum & a discipleship plan, long-term calendars, and volunteer training and recruiting.

Leading Edge
CYMT develops resources and initiatives for equipping ministries with young people. As a partner ministry, you will have first access to everything we are developing, including what we develop through our Innovation Lab, and Theology Together programs. Additionally, the CYMT family – of 200+ ministers – resources each other to expand Christ’s mission in the world.
Staying Power
According to the State of Youth Ministry, the average youth minister burnout is 3 years. CYMT reviews our applicants for those who have gifts and a calling. We surround them with a community, an education, and support for fulfilling their potential and calling. With churches sometimes experiencing turnover every 18-24 months, CYMT’s 3-year program provides stability while also developing a foundation for growth, leading to longer tenures and a lifetime of ministry.

Why become a Partner Ministry? 83% have no theological or practical training!

Did you know that 83% of those serving as youth ministers have NO theological or practical training? CYMT will help you search for your next children, youth, or family minister. But what we do best is to surround those God has called with the education, coaching, and support for them to thrive in ministry. Learn more about our Partner Ministry program. Invest in youth! Invest in your future ministry leader.

With a ministry burnout rate of less than 4 years and churches sometimes experiencing turnover every 18-24 months, CYMT’s 3-year program provides stability. Surrounding our Residents with a community, an education, and support for fulfilling their potential and calling has allowed nearly 90% of our alumni to stay in professional ministry. Our Ministry Residency equips those called to work with young people at churches, non-profits, camps, or campus ministries.

How the Partnership Works

How CYMT can help:

  1. Our Ministry Staffing Services team helps you find the right Leader.
  2. We help you create a salary package that includes a service agreement to pay for the Ministry Residency Program Fee.
  3. CYMT equips your new leader for ministry and supports your ministry team for the first 3-years.
  4. Your ministry grows with a gifted leader in place, proper support, and a foundation to build upon.
  5. Young people’s lives are changed!

Partner Ministry Expectations

  1. A willingness to allow your Resident to participate in all educational, training, and coaching components of the program.
  2. Ministry Partner’s location must allow for Graduate Residents to be able to travel to Austin, TX or Nashville, TN for MAYM Intensives 3-4 times each semester, and Certificate Residents to travel to Kansas City 2-3 times a semester.

Ministry Residency Fees

  • Ministry Staffing Services = Sliding scale (max $8000 total) to help you search, find, and hire the right leader while providing coaching support to your volunteer team.
  • Graduate Program = $12,000 a year Residency Fee covers tuition, fees, books, and room & board on intensives.  It does not include travel to/from intensives.
  • Certificate Program = $5,000 a year Residency Fee that includes books and room & board at in-person gatherings.  It does not include travel to/from in-person class gatherings.
  • CYMT provides ministry partners with demonstrated need grants up to 33% of the annual residency cost.

Comprehensive training, theological education, and wholistic support

The Ministry Residency program is designed to wholly equip today’s professional minister. During the 3-year program, residents receive practical training, theological education, and coaching from CYMT.  Residents strengthen their education through work experience and expand their horizons on the practical implementation of ministry through community-based learning and one-on-one coaching.  Residents can choose from our Certificate program or our Graduate program.  Our Ministry Residency equips those called to work with young people at churches, non-profits, camps, or campus ministries.

Apply Today

We help communities of faith like yours—whether church, camp, or nonprofit—effectively fill your youth or children’s ministry staffing needs. Start your Partner Ministry application by filling an Interest Form!

What are our Partner Ministries saying about their CYMT youth minister?

“Sam started officially as our youth director in July 2019.  Our youth group is made up mostly of middle school boys and high school girls so it’s an interesting mix.  Sam has incorporated programming so that there’s something for everyone.  On Sunday afternoons we have gathering time and then split into middle school and high school so that the lessons and discussions are age-appropriate.  During the week he’s implemented a mid-week meetup at local restaurants.  It’s a great opportunity for him to check in with the kids in an informal setting.  Sometimes it’s 6th-12th grade and sometimes it’s divided by high school and middle school.  This is very popular and well attended.

Sam has been able to provide programming that appeals to all of our youth.  We have seen an increased level of engagement from our youth that has brought a new sense of enthusiasm.  As a church, we have been blessed to have Sam on our staff as our youth director.  We look forward to his continued leadership.”

-Karen Udovich of St. Paul UMC and Chair of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee

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