Just a few months after I tried to sign up, my details have finally come through and I can now reveal that I’m the newest and freshest* member of the International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry. The IASYM is the association “for everyone who takes youth ministry seriously”:
Our aim is to support and develop the professionalisation of youth ministry around the world. In particular, we focus on furthering the academic study and research of youth and youth ministry (children, teens and young adults), the formal teaching and training of youth ministry (at universities, seminaries, denominations, parachurch organisations, local ministries, or wherever else it may occur), and all those involved in career youth ministry and in the growth and development of youth ministry as a recognised profession.
I’m just skimming some of the recent articles in the association’s Journal of Youth and Theology and hoping that some will be useful for my third term at CYM.* I can’t prove that I’m the freshest member – apologies for the unsubstantiated claim.