Conferences vs. Training
In youth ministry today there is a great debate, do youth workers want a conference or do they want training? To be fair most youth conferences say they do provide training. The truth is the training they provide is one-way. A speaker stands up and tells the audience what they think about a subject. In training youth workers personally interact with content contextualizing it for their ministry. Small group training is on the rise and many youth pastors are looking for cohorts to join. Conferences have many positives: broad range of subjects, many experts, worship, resources and lots of fun. Training has many positives as well: focused training, collaboration, deep learning and accountability. As you think about your growth needs as a youth worker what do you prefer?
About the Author
Doug Franklin
Doug Franklin is the president of LeaderTreks, an innovative leadership development organization focusing on students and youth workers. Doug and his wife, Angie, live in West Chicago, Illinois. They don’t have any kids, but they have 2 dogs that think they are children. Diesel and Penelope are Weimaraners who never leave their side. Doug grew up in… Read More
