A FREE ONLINE SMALL GROUP EXPERIENCE FOR YOUTH MINISTRY LEADERS OFFERING SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY, COACHING, AND RESOURCES.
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Weekly Zoom calls (90 minures)
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1:1 coaching call
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Resource Downloads
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Working Genius assessment & debrief
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Private group chat with your Cohort
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Access to the private Facebook Group
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Supplemental audio & video training materials
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YML Cohort Swag sent to your home
COST = $0
(NO JOKE! IT'S FREE!)
Our cohort experience was built with two realities in mind:
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Ministry is one of the most uniquely lonely occupations around. You are often surrounded by people, but consistently feel like you are “the only one.”
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Youth Ministry Leaders are often overworked, under-resourced, and misunderstood. What if there were a space for youth ministry leaders who are hungry to pursue personal and ministry health to regularly connect in a community with others who get it?
FALL 2026 COHORT OPTIONS
CORE COHORTS
Our trench-tested 10-week online small group experience offers meaningful community, group and individual coaching, practical content, and ridiculous amounts of fun.
FALL OPTIONS
TUESDAYS: 2 pm ET | 1 CT | 12 MT| 11 PT
September 15 - November 17
Facilitators: Derry Prenkert & Todd Handell
Facilitators: Scott Tinman & David Reed
THURSDAYS: 3 pm ET | 2 CT | 1 MT| 12 PT
September 17 - November 19
THURSDAYS: 10 am ET | 9 CT | 8 MT| 7 PT
October 8 - December 10
Facilitators: Todd Pearage & Steve White
FALL OPTIONS
FOCUSED COHORTS
The same model of our Core Cohort experience. We simply craft the calls and topics in a way that focuses on specific group of Youth Ministry Leaders.
FALL OPTIONS
TUESDAYS: 12 pm ET | 11 CT | 10 MT| 9 PT
September 15 - November 17
Facilitators: Ronald Long & Andrew Jansen
MIDDLE SCHOOL MINISTRY: For those who work solely with middle school students or want step up their middle school game.
TUESDAYS: 2 pm ET | 1 CT | 12 MT| 11 PT
September 15 - November 17
Facilitators: Josh Price & Ronald Long
STARTING RIGHT: For those who have just started or made a move where they feel like they are starting all over again.
DEEP DIVE COHORTS
All the values of a Core or Focused Cohort with two differences:
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We lock in to specific aspect of the personal or professional life of a ministry leader.
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We run them at different lengths.
FALL OPTION
THURSDAYS:
12:30 Pm ET | 11:30 CT | 10:30 MT| 9:30 PT
8 weeks: September 17- November 5
Facilitators: Nick Clason & Darren Sutton
HYBRID MINISTRY: An 8 week journey focused on honing your social media skills as you develop a digital discipleship game plan.
YML COHORT FAQs
WHO CAN APPLY?
Paid (part-time or full time) youth ministry staff in a local or para church setting.. Volunteer staff, interns, and/or residents are welcome to apply, but should be prepared for occasional topics and discussion that will not feel applicable to their current situation.
WHY SHOULD I APPLY?
If you find yourself in a season where you are looking to connect with other youth ministry leaders for a focused season to pursue personal and professional health, you're in the right place!
HOW BIG ARE COHORTS?
All cohorts have two facilitators and will have between 5-10 participants based on applications.
WHAT IS THE COST AGAIN?
$0. Nothing. Free.
WHAT'S THE CATCH?
None. No end of call membership pitch, pyramid schemes, or anything. We LOVE that we get to offer this experience at absolutely no cost. Thanks to generous donors, this cohort is fully funded, so there’s no cost to you.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME?
Be present and an active member for the weekly calls, jump into the group chats, and agree to abide by our Values and boundaries.
OUR APPROACH
COMMUNITY
With loneliness being at pandemic levels among youth ministers, we focus heavily on WHO we are journeying with over WHAT we are journeying toward.
CONVERSATIONS
We are not be driven by a workbook or book study. Our collective stories, challenges, and opportunities will serve as the curriculum.
CARE
We value confidentiality, charity, curiosity, and compassion as we interact with one another.
COACHING
We give insights, ask questions, and press toward personal discovery in step with Jesus as we work together to contribute and learn.
CONTENT
We tap into specialists to guide us through specific topics and provide practical resources to equip you.
FUN
Nobody got into youth ministry because they are lame. It’s really important we laugh… a lot. So important that we break alliteration to include it.
THE FACILITATOR TEAM
We are a collection of youth ministry veterans, coaches, pastors, specialists, and Cohort Alumni. None of us have it "figured out," but we care about the personal and professional health of youth ministry leaders. We know the power of walking in community with others who get it.
DERRY PRENKERT
MINISTRY LEADER COACH
AND CONSULTANT
YML Cohort Founder, Working Genius Certified Facilitator, and recovering workaholic
JANELLE PRENKERT
MINISTRY LEADER COACH
AND CHEERLEADER
YML Cohort Facilitator Coordinator, and professional Mama Bear (don't mess with her).
TODD PEARAGE
MINISTRY LEADER COACH
AND SOUL CARE SPECIALIST
Founder of Youth Leader Oasis and Youth Leader Summit, and president of the "Maybe Next Year" Pittsburgh Steelers fan club.
RONALD LONG
MINISTRY LEADER COACH
AND CONTENT CREATOR
Founder of Youth Ministry Insider, and prolific fantasy author (except that author thing is real)
DONNA KOVEC
YOUTH PASTOR,
AND YML COHORT ALUM
Joined a cohort from a hospital room
TODD HANDELL
YOUTH PASTOR AND
YML COHORT ALUM
Official YML Cohort Hype Man
JOSH PRICE
MINISTRY LEADER COACH
SPIRITUAL RETREAT GUIDE
Code Name: Duck Dynasty Monk
NICK CLASON
YOUTH PASTOR,
HYBRID MINISTRY PODCAST HOST,
AND YML COHORT ALUM
The green bubble in the group text.
JIM PURTLE
YOUTH PASTOR AND
YML COHORT ALUM
Favorite Song: 10,000 Reasons
DARREN SUTTON
PASTOR AND YML
COHORT ALUM
Semi-pro Beach Sunrise/set Photographer
ANDREA MILLER
PASTOR AND
YML COHORT ALUM
SCOTT TINMAN
YOUTH PASTOR,
AND YML COHORT ALUM
TYLER CRANDALL
YOUTH PASTOR
AND YML COHORT ALUM
DAVID REED
PASTOR AND
YML COHORT ALUM
80s Rock Specialist
MARI TRAPP
DOWNLOAD YOUTH MINISTRY
SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
STEVE WHITE
MINISTRY LEADER COACH
AND PASTOR
Founder of Mission NextGen
Goatee is not detachable