The Institute for Youth Ministry fosters and conducts research as we explore big questions about how best to care for and accompany young people on their journey of being teenagers. We support emerging scholarship and collaborate with leaders who reflect theologically on Christian ministry with young people.
The Log College Project
From 2018-2022, we housed and conducted empirical research through a congregational program, the Log College Project. Working with ethnographers, sociologists, and practical theologians, we used a mixed-methods approach in which doctoral students, faculty advisors, emerging scholars, and practitioners collected, interpreted, and applied data received through interviews, focus groups, and written materials.
In phase one of this project, we collected data from almost 200 congregations who are passionate about designing new forms of youth ministry. In phase two, we journeyed closely with 12 congregations from around the U.S. for over three years, as they designed, tested, and implemented their new forms of youth ministry. One of our goals for this project was to provide ministry leaders with innovative practices that are informed by deep theological reflection.
During this research project, the IYM discovered Seven Core Values that are key to innovative youth ministry, along with Six Archetypes of congregations that are ready and willing to do a new thing. We’ve summarized these research findings in our first Research Report, freely available now.
Interested in our research on innovation? Email us at iym@ptsem.edu to receive your free copy today!
The Princeton Forum on Youth Ministry
We advance interdisciplinary research through the annual Princeton Lectures on Youth, Church, and Culture and by showcasing the research of leaders and scholars at our annual Forum on Youth Ministry event.
The Forum, organized by the Institute for Youth Ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary, seeks to bridge theological scholarship with youth ministry practice.
Also Recommended: Listen to our Disability and Youth Ministry Conference, our Confirmation Conference, and our 2019 Forum on Youth Ministry, all available on SoundCloud.
Interested in research from the Log College Project?
