Our mission is to glorify God by training, equipping, and developing fully committed followers of Jesus Christ for a lifetime of ministry.
In the fall of 2009, Teens For Christ (TFC) launched the Youth Ministry Institute (YMI) in an effort to provide a college education and hands-on ministry experience at an affordable price. The YMI partnered with Clarks Summit University (formerly Baptist Bible College) in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania to provide students with an accredited online college education. In 2013, the YMI began offering college classes taught in-house.
Students accepted into the Youth Ministry Institute receive a unique, holistic ministry education through academics, one-on-one mentoring, hands-on ministry experience, and spiritual formation.
OUR PROGRAMS
ATC
1-Year
Answer The Call Internship
The ATC is a one-year non-academic internship. This gap-year program is aimed at high school graduates who are looking to take a year to get to know themselves better and to explore God’s plan for their life. They serve in a ministry context while being taught and coached by people who have worked through these questions. Students in the ATC may go on to pursue a degree or enter the workforce. Former ATC grads have gone on better equipped in their faith and people skills to work in ministry as well as business, education, engineering, graphic design and other fields.
CYM
2-Year
Certificate of Youth Ministry
The CYM is a two-year certificate program for students who desire to be involved in non-vocational ministry. The program is designed to train students in their faith and potentially ready them to be youth group leaders, bible-study teachers, mentors or other similar roles within the local church or a para-church organization. Students can earn an associate’s degree from Clarks Summit University through this program, or continue on to a bachelor’s degree from CSU or another school.
CML
4-Year
Certificate of Ministry Leadership
The CML is a four-year certificate program for students who desire to be involved in vocational ministry. The training prepares students to step into such roles as a youth pastor, mission worker or minister in a local church or para-church organization. Through this program, students will earn a bachelors degree from Clarks Summit University. Graduates of the four-year certificate have gone on for further seminary training, worked as youth pastors, associate pastors and directors in local churches and organizations across the country.
Integrated Classroom
We offer a unique model that seeks to integrate academics and ministry experience. While students spend time in our traditional classroom setting, they are challenged through the assignments and classroom interaction to transfer what they are learning academically to their weekly ministry experiences. In this way, we provide up-close training, accountability, and guidance so that what happens in the classroom makes it way to the rest of life.
Academics
We believe the goal of Christian education is heart change. When the student is changed, then they become agents of change in their families, communities, and ministry settings. We offer in-house classes taught by qualified teachers that transfer into Clarks Summit University accredited programs. Students appreciate that our class sizes are smaller and allow for close relationships, frequent interactions in class and access to the teachers. While taking in-house classes, students are also enrolled in online courses at Clarks Summit University.
Check Out Clarks Summit University →
Experience
The amount and variety of experiences gained through the YMI is one way our program is unique. Experience is helpful, but we believe experience with reflection, mentoring, and guidance is a whole other level of training. At the YMI, we offer guided experiences in partnership with Teens For Christ staff and events as well as other community volunteer opportunities. YMI students have the opportunity to develop such skills as event planning, networking, marketing, teaching, leading, conducting meetings, resolving conflicts, listening, encouraging, and many more. In all this, we believe ministry should simply be an overflow of a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.
