Youth on the Brain

This Fall 2018 I will be providing a special learning opportunity for “both” local youth ministers/workers who live around the KC area “and” for global youth pastors or other concerned ministers intrigued by with how neuroscience might influence our understanding and ministry with youth.

Both events (a local conference and an open, online course) address “YOUTH ON THE BRAIN: DISCOVERING THE ROLE OF NEUROSCIENCE IN YOUTH MINISTRY.” Each event includes special guests from the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and youth ministry as the primary source of knowledge in discussing this expanding field. Collectively the two events provide an excellent introduction to those working with youth on the strengths and limits of neuroscientific research in youth ministry.

The open, online, course begins September 17th through Nazarene Theological Seminary’s learning platform, NTSx. https://ntsx.nts.edu The online course includes a series of special interviews, suggested reading, and online interaction around the topic of youth ministry and neuroscience.

Developed out of a Templeton faculty grant from the Science for Youth Ministry Initiative, I was able to interview, either directly or through video conference, three contributors in the field of neuroscience or neuropsychology, as well as engage one of the key contributors of the Science for Youth Ministry initiative.

Dr. LeeAnn Couts, Dean of the School of Natural and Social Science at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Dr. Teresa K. Pegors, Assistant Professor at Azusa Pacific University.
Dr. Andrew Root, project director of the Science for Youth Ministry update
Brad D. Strawn, Freed Professor of the Integration of Psychology and Theology, at Fuller Seminary.

The course runs from September 17 to October 26.

However, the online course also serves as the backdrop to an important event occurring at Nazarene Theological Seminary on Wednesday, Oct 24th co-sponsored by YouthFront and the NTS Center for Pastoral Leadership

https://www.nts.edu/event/youth-on-the-brain-discovering-the-role-of-neuroscience-in-youth-ministry/

The conference, also using the same name, YOUTH ON THE BRAIN, will gather a panel of neuroscientists, researchers and youth professionals for a morning session building on the same theme. Registration for this event is just $10.00 and runs 9:00 am to 1:30 pm. a panel that includes Dr. Dean Blevins, Professor of Practical Theology and Discipleship at NTS, Dr. Se Kim, Assistant Director: Dialog on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER), Dr. LeeAnn Couts, Dean of the School of Natural and Social Science at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and Dr. Andy Root, Luther Seminary. Registration includes lunch! Contact the Center for Pastoral Leadership for more information at cpl@nts.edu or register online at:

https://www.nts.edu/event/youth-on-the-brain-discovering-the-role-of-neuroscience-in-youth-ministry/

Some of the presenters overlap from the online class, but the panel conversations will extend the online learning to a new level. For myself, this series of events extends my own research in neuroscience and Christian practice. That research will continue thanks to a new grant by the Dialog on Science and Religion seeking to foster ongoing conversation between neuroscientists and faculty at Nazarene Theological Seminary. The next step in an ongoing research journey.