Resource Library

What would it look like to have a youth program that was easy to maintain and had a primary focus on daily discipleship? That’s exactly how Becca Boren, director of youth and young adult ministries at Good Shepherd in Kansas City, has her program aligned. Becca shows us how to turn the standard youth ministry model on its head and allow youth to mentor youth in a meaningful way. At Good Shepherd, Becca has created a system of accountability and growth in her program that has allowed youth to take on meaningful leadership roles while making their faith their own. If you want to learn how she did it and how you can lay the groundwork for a mentoring program of your own, listen in.

In December 2018, Missouri UMC, under the leadership of Rev. Charity Goodwin, started a new service called The City Worship Movement in concert with The Neighborhood college ministry led by laywoman and staffer Madi Denton.

Saint Paul’s UMC in Joplin and Carl Junction, Missouri has an active and growing caring ministries that focuses on missional leadership. Missional leaders are discipling and mentoring others as this ministry area grows and connects with those in need. Rev. Dixie Wynne built Congressional Care Ministry with guidance from Church of the Resurection's CCM program. Rev. Wynne loved the idea that people could use their experiences and spiritual gifts to lead others to an active faith. Over time, they have built a ministry with 30 Congregational Care ministers who serve our community by visiting the sick, praying for prayer concerns and serving in many church ministries. Mentoring is a key component of the ministry.

Trinity UMC in southeast Missouri has a history for developing strong lay leadership. Investing in the lives of children in order to grow their own discipleship and leadership was an easy next step. Capitalizing on a strong Vacation Bible School, Krista Kruithoff and Tonya Pinkley built a Kids Leadership Team where kids receive additional mentorship and spiritual formation and are expected to mentor other peers.

How to Welcome and Connect with Church Guests Online   Churches of every size are now meeting online for worship and experiencing the blessing of new people attending their services for the first time. Learn ways your church can be intentional about welcoming and connecting with guests online before, during, and after the service.

Discipleship coaching offers a model for creating a transformational, multiplying discipleship culture within a ministry context. Through this coaching model you can develop a focused vision for where you’re going and a creative plan for getting there.  

Discover what is included in mentoring, including questions to ask yourself as you discern whether you are called to be a mentor and idea starters on initiating a mentoring conversation.  

As part of the Pathway Out of Poverty Conference Priority, the Missouri Conference seeks to connect 100,000 students with 100,000 books by December 31, 2020. To accomplish this goal we need your help! During this webinar, members of the Education Task Force will take you on a tour of the new Open Hearts, Open Books website. Here your local church can pledge to give books, view resources for school-church partnerships and more. Watch this webinar to get your questions answered and learn more about this exciting goal!

The impact of socioeconomic status on educational outcomes and reducing slow academic skills development, low literacy, chronic stress and increased dropout rates. This factsheet, provided by the American Psychological Association, breaks down the effects of different education attainment levels on society, economic status and overall health. View the factsheet here!  

“From Here to There” is a 28-page full-color graphic novel that tells the story of John, Naomi and Sam as they try to figure out living a life with purpose. This is a great resource to share with youth and young adults as they consider the ways God might be calling them into service. The digital PDF is available for download. If you would like more information, or access to print copies, contact Jenny Gragg at jgragg@moumethodist.org, from the Center for Leadership Excellence.