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Youth Discipleship Ministry

NDI works cooperatively with Nazarene Youth International (NYI) to provide systematic Bible teaching essential to the growth and development of young disciples.
Also, see the Local Youth Discipleship Ministries document.

Nazarene Discipleship International (NDI) works cooperatively with Nazarene Youth International (NYI) to provide systematic Bible teaching essential to the growth and development of young disciples. NYI helps NDI fulfill its Core Principles to youth as they study God’s Word, the Bible, and apply its life-guiding principles. The youth Sunday School class is a weekly point of intentional contact that touches a greatest number of youth on a consistent basis in many local churches. We produce Youth Faith Connections in partnership with WordAction Publishing (the Foundry Publishing) as one component of NYI’s total strategy for youth ministry.

Adolescence is a time of great change: physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual. Faith Connections Sunday School curriculum for youth offers flexibility to help every student develop an identity firmly rooted in a relationship with Jesus Christ. A growing relationship with God ushers them into adulthood with a dynamic life of faith with Christ at the center in community with other believers. The curriculum offers a balanced approach to meeting adolescent needs and studying God’s Word. The sequence follows the themes of the Christian calendar, giving special emphasis to the holy seasons of the Church. This way of organizing the spiritual education of our youth allows students to connect their lives to the recurring themes of Christian history and church worship.

Each quarter provides a comprehensive and healthy spiritual diet:

  • contemporary personal and social issues
  • insightful studies of Bible books or theological issues
  • topics in Christian formation for growing followers of Jesus.

Whether a church is large or small, mid-high and senior high students will benefit from a curriculum that targets each one with ideas tested by students and teachers, and is flexible enough to tailor to local situations. For additional programming and mid-week ministry resources, check Nazarene Youth International and The Foundry Publishing.

Introducing the Youth Ministries Organization Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity (1 Timothy 4:12).

Nazarene Youth International provides a structure through which youth ministry in the Church of the Nazarene can best take place in the local church, as well as at the district, regional, and global levels. The mission of NYI is to call its generation to a dynamic life in Christ. NYI exists to lead young people into a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ and to facilitate their growth as disciples for Christian service (NYI Charter, Articles I and III).

Through NYI, youth and young adults receive the benefits of ministries and programs designed specifically for their needs. Included in its ministries are youth Sunday School, midweek Bible Studies, Bible quizzing, Christian literature and media, summer camps, retreats, campus ministry resources, evangelism and discipling resources, short-term missions opportunities—and the list goes on.

NYI is anything that happens with youth in the local, district, regional, or general church. Through NYI, youth function as learners and leaders in an organization that is their own, committed to the cause of Christ. History indicates that having such a distinctive organization has served both to develop young people spiritually and to advance the mission of the church.

The NYI Charter provides these “values” and “guiding principles” as foundational elements for its ministry to the Church’s youth:

Our Values

  • We value Young People … significant in the kingdom of God.
  • We value the Bible … God’s unchanging truth for our lives.
  • We value Prayer … vital interactive communication with our Heavenly Father.
  • We value the Church … a global holiness community of faith, diverse in culture but one in Christ.
  • We value Worship … life-changing encounters with an intimate God.
  • We value Discipleship … a lifestyle of becoming like Christ.
  • We value Community … building relationships that help bind us together and to God.
  • We value Ministry … extending God’s grace to our world.
  • We value Witness … sharing God’s love in word and deed.
  • We value Holiness … a work of grace whereby God, through the working of His Holy Spirit, enables us to live a life representing Christ in who we are and in everything we do.

These values are important dimensions of the holy life and are to be reflected in the life and ministry of NYI at every level of the church. In reflecting these values, we acknowledge the following Guiding Principles:

Our Guiding Principles

  • NYI exists for youth.
    Nazarene Youth International exists to attract, equip, and empower young people for service in the kingdom of God and to facilitate their integration into the Church of the Nazarene.
  • NYI focuses on Christ.
    Christ is central to who we are, the Word of God our authoritative source for all we do, and holiness our pattern for NYI is built on relational ministry to youth in the local church.
  • Effective ministry to young people in the local church is critical to the health and vibrancy of NYI. Relationships and incarnational ministry form the foundation for Nazarene youth ministry, guiding young people toward spiritual maturity in Christ.
  • NYI develops and mentors young leaders.
  • NYI provides opportunities for emerging leaders to develop and utilize their gifts within an environment of nurture and support, assuring strong leadership for the Church of the Nazarene. Leadership training, accountability, and mechanisms for evaluation and modification of ministry are vital functions of NYI.
  • NYI is empowered to lead.

Relevant youth ministry requires that responsibility for ministry and organizational decisions reside with NYI leadership and the appropriate governing bodies at every level. A sense of belonging and ownership, a passion for service, and input in decision-making are key ingredients for the empowerment of young people through NYI.

  • NYI embraces unity and diversity in Christ.
    NYI is committed to understanding and celebrating differences and diversity in language, color, race, culture, socioeconomic class, and gender. Our differences do not diminish unity but enhance our potential and effectiveness. Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in culturally relevant ways must always be a high priority.
  • NYI creates networks and partnerships.
    A climate of cooperation characterizes our relationships at every level of NYI. Networking within the church enhances the development and deployment of young people for service; NYI actively participates in such cooperative endeavors.