Why Youth and Family Ministry? Why offer a degree in Youth and Family Ministry? Deuteronomy 6:4 is the beginning of a very important set of verses for the people of God to hear and to practice. It is the call to "Impress" the commands and works of the LORD upon the children of the followers of God. Hear me say, the first and primary ministers to youth are the families in which they are raised. As seen in scripture these families are sometimes involved in all sorts of imbalance.

However, in whatever state, the decree of Deuteronomy 6 stands. Families are to "impress" on the youth their God. This decree does not stop with the immediate family of the youth. This decree was also given to the community of faith at large. That is, the entire faith community was to be involved with "impressing" the command and works of God on the youth.

Today, more than any other time in the history of the Church, families and the faith communities of which these youth belong must take seriously the call of Deuteronomy 6 and work together to "impress" God upon this generation of youth. Effective youth ministers will understand that their role is one of partnership with the immediate and faith family of today's youth. Effective youth ministers will understand that their giftedness and mission to youth must work alongside and with the entire mission of the Church and must not function separate from that mission. Effective youth ministers will hold themselves to the highest standards of bible scholarship and cultural studies in order to best impact today's youth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

At Lubbock Christian University, we are training effective youth ministers. How important is this task? Consider the following statement. "Good resources from the past will be available, but the theological reflection necessary to ministry in the 21st century does not already exist on bookshelves or in seminary classrooms. Evangelizing the millennial generation will require the most talented, well-trained, energetic, and faithful group of adult leaders in the history of North American Christianity." (Howe and Strauss, as cited by Clark, Starting Right, 66).

Enjoy your visit to the website. It is designed to serve as a resource for our students and those presently involved with youth and family ministry. Remember, YOU MATTER!