Urbana is an Intervarsity’s Student Missions Conference held every three years in cities around the country.  Urbana 12 was held on December 27-31, 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri.  The focus of the conference is to deliver a compelling message to this generation to “give their whole lives for God’s global mission.”

EPC College Ministries had the privilege of extending scholarships to 23 college students and young adults from the EPC community.  We asked each recipient to connect with us after the conference by sending us their “Reflections” on their experience, where they feel God may be calling them and/or the highlights of their trip.  The responses we received were incredible and heartfelt.  Here are just a few of the “reflections,” highlighting the varying ways God was working in these young adults at Urbana 12:

“The speaker from Afghanistan who talked about missions with her husband helped me solidify the idea of going to Uganda this summer and possibly for long term in the future.”  ~ Christopher H.

“It was a huge blessing and an experience I will never forget and one that will challenge me for the rest of my life!  I went to the event disheartened and discontent…, but now I feel alive and invigorated to share the gospel where ever I am and wherever God leads me.”  ~ Ryan W.

“One message that was pretty clear throughout my time at Urbana is that we are on mission everywhere we go, on our college campuses, at our jobs…everywhere.”  ~ Hollie T.

“Wow!  What an incredible time. The manuscript Bible studies have revolutionized the way I will read my Bible.  I made a commitment to a long term mission trip, which I plan to take with Latin America Missions for a year starting in September.  I also commited to sharing the gospel of Luke with someone this year.  ~ Elizabeth D.

“On the last day of the conference, I quietly made a long-term missions commitment to God.  I want to use business to help people become self-sufficient and break the cycle of poverty, while sharing God’s truth and love.”  ~ Anna

“I had an amazing time listening to the speakers, who compelled me to go, and for me specifically, to go to India.”  ~ Kelsey G.

“I know that I want to be a missionary, but I was unsure of the possibilities overseas.  I [was] led to apply to Moody Bible Institute to pursue a degree in Applied Linguistics and Counseling Victims of Sexual Exploitation. I found a lot of ways my love of psychology and language can be used overseas for God.  Since coming back I have applied to Moody and talked to my mentor about keeping me accountable.” ~Alycia W.

“Urbana was seriously a LIFE-CHANGING trip, to say the least.  I feel like through the course of the week, God was really pulling me in the direction of long-term missions, perhaps to areas that are closed, or even areas of the world that have never been reached.  I LOVED the bible studies in the morning.  Because I loved it so much, I started my own inductive Bible study here in my town with a bunch of college-aged woman!  It’s so amazing to see God working in them too – some of them don’t even believe in God!”  ~ Heather B.

Youth Ministry Coaching Program with Mark Oestreicher

Student Ministries has an exciting opportunity to tap into the experience and wisdom of one of the countries most recognized youth ministry coaches, Mark Oestreicher (some may know him as EPC World Outreach, Dick Oestreicher’s, bearded son).  In youth ministry circles, Mark is better known as “Marko.”

Marko’s Bio:
“[He] has been involved in church ministry most of his life, particularly with teenagers and youth workers. Marko has a broad experience working in churches, in roles ranging from Junior High Pastor to Executive Pastor.  For 11 years, Marko was at Youth Specialties in San Diego, an organization that trains and equips church youth workers – the last 8 of those years as president. Concurrently, Marko was also a part of the leadership team of Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI).

Marko has authored or contributed to more than 60 books, including the much-talked-about Youth Ministry 3.0.  Marko is a partner in The Youth Cartel, providing resources, training and coaching for church youth workers.”

In recent years, Marko has developed a new ministry based on his own participation in a life-changing coaching program.  Believing he could have a similar impact on other youth workers around the country, he developed the Youth Ministry Coaching Program.  Marko has agreed to lead a customized coaching program, designed specifically for EPC youth leaders.

Several EPC youth leaders completed a year-long cohort with Marko and wanted to share about their experience:  Youth Ministry Leader Coaching Program

• Read the post “Youth Leader Cohort”
• Donate to the Youth Ministry Coaching In Community Fund online:
  • Go to http://www.epc.org/coaching-in-community
  • Click the “Donate Today” button
  • Select “Student and College Ministries,” then
  • Select “Youth Ministry Coaching in Community”, and enter the amount you want to donate
• Send a check to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church designated to “Youth Ministry Coaching in Community Fund” to the address at the bottom of this page.

Availability of matching fund grants for participants depend solely on the generous contributions of interested churches and individuals.

Goals and Resolutions

2013 is just around the corner and that often means folks are taking some time to reflect and consider new directions. Student and College Ministries is also starting something new for 2013. We are launching a unique training opportunity for all EPC youth leaders that we hope will help fulfill several goals and resolutions for those in youth ministry.

For the youth leader with goals to prayerfully take more time to seek God concerning His direction for his/her ministry, read those books you keep piling up on your desk, deepen relationships with others in ministry, or even to spend a year with a personal/ministry coach.  You’ll have that opportunity in 2013.

To the senior pastor or elder looking for ways to encourage, equip and keep the youth leader who currently is serving their congregation; here’s the opportunity to invest in the leader, impact the students they reach and effect the future leadership of your church.

Talent Retention

One EPC leader, committee member Chris Brown, articulated it this way – “the EPC Youth Leader Cohort is really about talent retention.”

The majority of youth leaders only stay in their position an average of 1 ½ years. However, if we invest in the personal, spiritual and ministry growth of these young leaders in our churches, who we often find serving in youth ministry, we significantly increase the likelihood they will continue serving in the church who invested in them. Furthermore, they will feel a commitment to a denomination that created an opportunity for such growth and connected them with lifelong ministry friends within the EPC. These are the future leaders of the EPC denomination.

Early Bird Sign-Up – February 7th

The goal of Student and College Ministries is to begin the first EPC Youth Leader Cohort in the Spring of 2013, with meeting locations East of the Mississippi. The second cohort will begin in the Fall of 2013, with meeting locations West of the Mississippi. Youth leaders may attend either cohort; location sites are merely for travel convenience.

For those ready to sign-up or just looking for more information concerning the cohort beginning this Spring, please contact Susan Holland, Student and College Ministries Coordinator, at

Susan.Holland@EPC.org or (734) 838‐6952 by the early-bird date of February 7,th, 2013. Making an inquiry or signing up by the early bird date will allow you to participate in the decision-making process concerning the timing and locations of the 6 meetings, during the one-year program.

For more specific details regarding the EPC Youth Leader Cohorts, please go to the following webpage: http://www.epc.org/youth-leaders-cohort/.

Partnering to Equip Churches to Reach Hurting Teens in Juvenile Facilities

Dan Weidman, EPC Teaching Elder, and former Director of Student Ministries, recently sat down for coffee in the Denver area, with Eric Kelly.  Dan and Eric are a wonderful example of a relationship forged in the trenches of an EPC youth group years ago, leader and student; now sitting over coffee sharing as friends the exciting ways God is bringing them together again, to reach troubled teens for Christ.

The following is a reflection by Dan on this meeting and how his former disciple has a heart to partner with EPC churches, so teens in the juvenile court “system” may be afforded the same opportunities he had as a young man in the EPC:

I would like to introduce you to a friend and fellow laborer reaching lost young people for Jesus Christ, and make you aware of a life changing ministry.   Eric Kelly is the National Juvenile Justice Ministry Director for Youth for Christ.  Eric came to know Christ to at age 16 at Trinity Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Plymouth Michigan in 1992.  After high school, Eric was involved in the Intervarsity Ministry at Kalamazoo College. Upon graduation, Eric spent a year as an intern with Russ Gabel, former youth pastor at both Trinity EPC and Fellowship EPC in Michigan. During that time, the youth group that Eric was connected to attended the EPC Summer Jam Conference in Gunnison, CO where he met the National Urban Ministry Director for Youth for Christ USA. When Eric finished his internship he was hired by Fort Wayne Youth for Christ as their Juvenile Justice Director.  Eight years after serving in that role, Eric was appointed the National Juvenile Justice Director for Youth for Christ USA.

Youth for Christ has been in existence since the Billy Graham Rally Days of the 1940’s and 50’s. The ministry continues to be true to their “geared to the times, anchored to the rock” motto, meeting young people in relevant contexts and sharing the message of Jesus Christ. While many of you may be familiar with Youth for Christ’s (YFC) Campus Life program, you may not be familiar with the Juvenile Justice Ministry (JJM) that Eric oversees.  JJM reaches teens in local detention centers, group homes, emergency shelters, and residential treatment facilities. They provide programming and relationships inside these facilities, and continue to minister to teens as they reenter their communities.  YFC JJM currently serves in 195 juvenile facilities in the United States, but Eric and his team have a dream to reach teens in all 1,280 juvenile facilities in the U.S, known as the “1280 Project”.

Youth for Christ understands that their “1280 Project” is too big of a dream to accomplish alone. They are seeking churches and individuals willing to reach out to these lost young people, meet them in the very depth of their need, build relationships with them, share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and give them tools to make better choices in the future.

In talking with Eric, we learned that following about this Youth for Christ ministry:

1.   Wants to partner with local EPC churches,

2.   Share resources to help churches start these ministries to troubled youth,

3.   Provide ongoing training and coaching,

4.   Allow your church to determine its level of involvement.

The EPC Student and College Ministries committee is supporting Eric in this vision, and has made JJM a “committee commended resource” because we believe the EPC can take on this challenge.

Eric has mapped out the 1,280 juvenile detention centers across the United States and identified those which have an EPC presence in the area.  He would love to contact you with the name of the facility in your area and discuss how your church could be involved in reaching needy youth.  I ask you to prayerfully consider how a team of volunteers from your congregation could make an eternal difference in the lives of teens in tough places near you.  If Eric contacts you please listen to his heart and plan.

Please contact Susan Holland at Susan.Holland@EPC.org for more information about our partnership.  Or to get more details on reaching out to juvenile facilities in your area, feel free to contact Eric Kelly directly at EKelly@yfc.net or (260) 580-0461.

Student Ministries is excited to introduce a new approach to equipping and leadership development.  Several EPC youth leaders went through the coaching program with our partnering organization, The Youth Cartel.  The success of the program is evident in the feedback given by senior pastors from their churches.  See video testimonials at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0mQtUyOKS0&feature=youtu.be

The following are some commonly asked questions and answers concerning the EPC Youth Leader Cohort of 2013:

What’s A Cohort?

• Community of About 10 Youth Leaders

• Participating Together in a Coaching Program

• Facilitator Designs Program Around Group Needs

• Customized Course Work and Assignments

• Held Over the Course of One Year

• Meets as a Group Every 2 or 3 Months

• One-on-One Coaching Sessions with Facilitator Between Meetings

• Communication with Group and Facilitator is Ongoing by Phone and Online

• Incredible Training & Great Relationships

When Does It Start?

• Spring 2013 – EPC Youth Cohort #1

• Fall 2013 – ECP Youth Cohort #2

Where?

• East of the Mississippi – Cohort #1

• West of the Mississippi – Cohort #2

Who Should Go?

• EPC Youth Leaders – Especially those in ministry for 2 or more years

Who Are The Leaders?

• Student Ministries is partnering with The Youth Cartel and Mark Oestreicher (Coach/Facilitator)

• Mark O. is an exceptional coach and has years of experience training youth leaders around the country.

• Find out more about The Youth Cartel at http://theyouthcartel.com/coaching-2/

Who Will Be There?

• The goal is to have 10 EPC Youth Leaders in each cohort who will travel on a 1 year journey together.

What Does it Cost?

• The cost of the year-long program is $3,000 and is due at the beginning of the program.

*  Additional costs for travel and lodging may also apply.

How Do I Get More Information?

• Contact Susan Holland, Student & College Ministries Coordinator, at Susan.Holland@EPC.org or 734.742.2020.

How Can We Help EPC Youth Leaders Raise Support?

• Our Vision is to provide quality training and leadership development

opportunities to EVERY EPC youth leader.

• Our Hope is that finances will NEVER stand in the way of an EPC youth

leader who desires training and coaching.

• Our Goal is to offer matching-funds to youth leaders desiring to

participate in the EPC Student Ministries Cohort.

• Our Need is for churches and donors to contribute to the EPC “Youth

Ministry Cohort” Fund