youth work @ CBC
in this page:
Note from the director
Youth Work Classes
Lifeteams
Other YW Learning Opportunities
Student Testimonies
note from the director
Youth Work is and always will be a unique and demanding call whether in a local church or in a parachurch organization. Columbia Bible College offers both a two year diploma and a four year degree for those wanting to make a difference in the lives of teenagers. Courses are meant to challenge students in a number of key areas. Crucial to the journey is the ability to articulate one’s call into ministry. Classroom instruction offers each student the ability to develop a solid Biblical foundation and a practical and relevant philosophy for youth ministry in today’s world.
Through mentorship, instruction, and practical service, students will be given the opportunity to discover their gifts and strengths for ministry. Students will also have opportunity to learn from a variety of instructors and local youth pastors who bring reality and practicality to the classroom.
Throughout the Youth Work program, students will have the opportunity to be involved in conferences such as Youth Specialties (California trip) and our own annual Youth Workers Conference.
As director of the Youth Work Department with over 25 years of ministry experience I look forward to not only being an instructor but also a mentor and a friend.
-Ron Friesen, BA, MA.
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youth work classes
CBC Offers a variety of Youth Work classes each year of your studies, as well as numerous other courses with direct practical application to youth ministry. Some of our Youth Ministry classes are:
First Year - "Invitation to Youth Work" - This course, run over a weekend in a retreat setting, introduces students to the beginnings and the “call” to youth ministry. Students will be challenged to focus on pursuing youth ministry as a vocation.
First Year - "Introduction to Youth Work" - This course is a “broad overview” of youth ministry, where students will focus on developing the necessary skills to be an effective youth worker whether in a church or para-church setting.
Second Year - "Community Youth Work" - An introduction to community youth work, that focuses on secular youth organizations as well as para-church ministries. It will provide a basis for understanding the systems and workings of community youth programs and services, as well as some practical skills for involvement and impact at this level.
Second Year - "Adolescent Psychology" - Provides practical insights into the developmental process of people, ages 12-22. Topics include cognitive development; the influences of families, peers, schools, and culture on adolescent development; social, emotional, and personality development; adolescent problems, stress, and health. Biblical principles will be combined with the most recent discoveries and claims of developmental psychology in an attempt to understand and impact the lives of adolescents for Christ and His kingdom.
Third Year - "Youth Issues" - This course is designed to help students not only recognize “youth issues” but understand them and develop strategies that are both practical and biblically based.
Third Year - "Speaking To Youth" - Speaking to youth is more than a gift for an elite few, it is an awesome privilege and responsibility that requires hard work and determination. Learning to effectively communicate the gospel to the adolescent is a daunting task at best, this class will provide the student with the opportunity to learn, glean and become an effective communicator of the gospel to teens.
Fourth Year - "Vocational Youth Work" - The major emphasis of this course falls on an advanced exploration of the practical skills necessary in vocational youth work, especially in a church setting. Students will be expected to respond to both theological issues and practical experiences as they relate to the years at Columbia.
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lifeteams
Wanting to work with youth but your heart is drawn to young people outside of the church who don’t know Jesus yet? C.B.C. offers a chance to spend one year out, test driving your calling to community youth work through a hands-on educational experience called Lifeteams. Sponsored by Greater Vancouver Youth for Christ, Lifeteams works in partnership with C.B.C. to offer 27 credit hours toward a BA in Youth Work. The program provides students with a chance to put their heart, their hands and their heads into motion all at once, in an environment of adventure and soul-shaping. It’s not just a year of college - it’s an apprenticeship in outreach. Check out www.lifeteams.ca for more info and to see if this might just be a great fit for you.
other YW learning opportunities
Every spring, the Youth Work Department at Columbia hosts an annual Youth Workers Conference . Coming March 16-17, 2007, this year we host Marv Penner to speak on the topic of “Shaping Your Soul for Youth Ministry.” The CBC Youth Work Department also plans semi-annual trips to Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Conventions for our Youth Ministry students. In the past (2002, 2005) we have traveled to Sacramento, CA for this exciting convention.
Being situated in Abbotsford, BC gives youth ministry students many opportunities to become involved in a local youth ministry as part of their learning experience. Many local churches welcome our students as volunteers to fulfill the “Service Practicum” (First and Second year) and “Internship” (Third and Fourth year) portions of the Youth Work program.
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student testimonies
“The Youth Work Department here at Columbia has provided a great atmosphere to grow and learn more about what it means to be a full time youth worker. The classes have impacted me and taught me lessons that I couldn’t have learned anywhere else but here at Columbia. The courses are all relevant and I have been able to put into practice much of what is taught.”
– Jon, Youth Work BA, 2006.
“The Youth Work Program at CBC has taught me the skills I need to become a Youth Worker and has helped me become more firmly rooted in the Bible . The Youth Work program provides me with a fun environment to put these skills into practice.”
– Darcelle, 2nd Year BA Student
For a sample list of grad job placements, click here.
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For more information, e-mail Ron Friesen, Youth Work Department Director.
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