Young People’s Ministries was created to connect young people and those in ministries with young people to each other, to the church, and to God.

The purpose of Young People’s Ministries is to empower young people as world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ, to nurture faith development, and to equip young leaders by:

• developing youth/young adult spiritual leaders of local congregations to transform lives by making disciples of Jesus Christ;
• challenging The United Methodist Church to embrace, confirm, and celebrate God’s call on the lives of young people;
• cultivating and nurturing life-giving ministries where influence and worth are not limited by age or experience;
• advocating for the issues and concerns of young people in the church and the global community;
• empowering young people to work as agents of peace, justice, and mercy; and
  
• building a network of support and providing resources that connect the diverse experiences of youth and young adults in local ministries and communities across the globe.

Fifteen youth and young adult ministry professionals staff Young People’s Ministries. Additionally, fifty-nine youth, young adults, and adult workers with young people from around the world serve on Young People’s Ministries. Young People’s Ministries “has the authority to determine and interpret program directions that support its mandate.”

Why a “division” of an established general agency?

The Shared Mission Focus on Young People, an organization of youth, young adults, and workers with young people from around the world, considered several structures of the denomination in preparing their legislation. Becoming a division of the General Board of Discipleship was most desired because the mission of the division and the mission of the board most aligned: to nurture, develop, and shape disciples of Jesus Christ. As a division of the agency, the organization can work closely with other divisions in the agency as well as with the other 12 boards and agencies of the denomination.

What happened to SMFYP and UMYO?

In 2002, the United Methodist Youth Organization entered into full partnership with the Shared Mission Focus on Young People to create Young People’s Ministries. In line with that partnership, the Youth Organization decided to incorporate its core values and role of advocacy in the denomination as part of the Division. In doing so, upon the creation of Young People’s Ministries, the Youth Organization dissolved as a separate organization. Nevertheless, the ministry and focus of the Youth Organization will remain a central part of the Youth network.

Having completed its mandate with the proposal to the 2004 General Conference, the Shared Mission Focus on Young People also ceased to exist. With the Division, the denomination will have a comprehensive and coordinated approach to ministry with young people, thus fulfilling the 2000 General Conference mandate.

How Will The Division Organize Itself For Ministry?

Ministry is arranged around four tables: advocacy; faith formation; leadership and resource development; and communication and networking. Each table will be formed from representatives from all three networks as well as resource staff and at-large members of the Division, ensuring that each table will include a partnership of youth, young adults, and adult workers with young people. In addition, each of the three networks of the Division will be organized around the four tables in the same pattern of the entire Division. Therefore, at meetings of the Division individuals will be able to meet in their respective tables of ministry together, as well as within their specific youth/young adult/adult workers with young people context.

There will also be two administrative tables: events and executive. These administrative tables will be composed of representatives from each of the three networks of the Division. The events table will focus on developing and implementing regional and global program events. The executive table will coordinate the specialized ministries of all five tables in light of the overall vision and mission. This will include oversight of relationships with other boards and agencies, fiscal responsibilities, asset development, communications, and other administrative tasks as needed.

This structure is not only designed to empower each network to respond to the concerns of its specific constituency. The hope of the Division is that this structure for tables of ministries will also provide local church, annual conference, and central conference/ jurisdictional ministries with a proactive model of ministry designed specifically to empower these ministries to be involved in a 21st century context.