SYL Curriculum 


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​INSIGNIA

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PREREQUISITES
  1. Be a baptized member in regular standing of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
  2. Have a Written/Recorded recommendation from your local Church Board.
  3. Be at least 16 years of age to start the Senior Youth Leader Curriculum
  4. Be an active staff member/supporter of an Ambassador or Young Adults Ministry.
  5. Complete the 10 Hour Senior Youth Seminars and be involved for a minimum of one year.

​ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITE NOTES
  1. The Senior Youth Leader curriculum must be completed in a minimum of one year and a maximum of three years.
  2. Those completing the Senior Youth Leader curriculum do so under the supervision of the Conference/Mission Youth Ministries Director or his/her designated Pastor or Qualified Youth Ministries Leader.

YOU AND GOD
  1. Do the following:
    1. Discover your Spiritual Gift by taking the test found on youth. adventist.org
    2. After studying the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy teachings on Spiritual Gifts, write a brief summary (250 words) or recording (5 minutes) of how your gifts can most effectively be used in Youth Ministry. CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS YOUNG ADULTS 22 - 30+ YEARS OLD 
  2. Read or listen to the book Steps to Christ and submit a response (250 words) or a recording (5 mins), focusing on the benefits of reading.
  3. Complete the devotional guide Encounter Series I, Christ the Way, or complete another year long Bible reading plan that covers the four Gospels.
  4. Read or listen to the book Desire of Ages.
  5. Do one of the following:
    1. Keep a devotional journal (physical or digital) for a minimum of six months, summarizing what you learned in your devotional time and outlining how you are growing in your faith.
    2. Complete the Steps to Discipleship personal spirituality curriculum.
    3. Summarize, critique and evaluate (500 words or 10 minutes recording) the eWeek of Prayer of the current year. (Facebook: GC Youth Ministries)
  6. Prepare a point form (bullet point) summary (250 words) or recording (5 mins) on each of the 28 Fundamental Beliefs.

YOU AND YOU
  1. Do the following:
    1. In view of Colossians 1:16, develop your own life vision and mission
    2. Identify three current roles in your life, at least one of which is spiritually oriented, and submit three goals or objectives for each.
  2. Teach the following honors:
    1. Physical Fitness
    2. Nutrition
    3. Outdoor Leadership
    4. Stewardship
    5. First Aid (A current Red Cross First Aid and Safety Certificate or its equivalent)
    6. Literature Evangelism
    7. Other:
  3. Read or listen to the book Education or Messages to Young People by Ellen G. White
  4. Demonstrate your Leadership Skills by doing two of the following:
    1. Develop and conduct three creative worship sessions for Ambassadors or Young Adults.
    2. Participate in a leadership role with your Local Church Youth group in a Conference/Mission sponsored event.
    3. Lead Ambassadors through one module to certification
    4. Be an active Ambassador, Young Adult or Sabbath School Staff member for at least one year and attend at least 75% of all staff meetings
    5. Be a Literature Evangelist for a minimum of 60 hours in liaison with the Publishing Department of the Local Conference.
  5. Participate in a personal physical fitness plan by completing one of the following:
    1. The physical components of the AY Silver Award. If you already have the AY Silver Award, then move on to the AY Gold Award.
    2. A College physical fitness program. c. A personal physical fitness program based on a fitness book of your choice or a workout program in consultation with your Conference/ Mission Youth Ministries Director or the designated Pastor/Qualified Youth Ministries Leader.

YOU AND YOUTH
  1. Dialogue in Small Groups (for 30 minutes on each topic) and submit a Reaction Paper (1000 words) or Recording (20 minutes) on 10 of the following topics:
    1. Church’s Relationship to Government
    2. Music and Worship
    3. Sex and Romance
    4. Care for the Environment
    5. Dating and Marriage
    6. Service and Volunteering
    7. Ethics
    8. Health and Temperance
    9. Social Justice
    10. Religious Freedom
    11. Youth Evangelism
    12. Violence and Peace
    13. Christian Dress
    14. Gossip and Profanity
    15. AIDS/Cancer 12
    16. Recreation and Amusement
    17. Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans-sexual (LGBT)
    18. Unemployment and Entrepreneurship
    19. Prejudice and Racism/Discrimination
    20. Morality
    21. Human Rights
    22. Money Consumerism
    23. Other:
  2. Complete a two-page (500 words minimum) or recording (10 mins) research paper about a standard temperament analysis program and complete the affiliated temperament inventory (Module 4, Ambassadors).
  3. Attend a Union or Conference Wide training on Safety Planning and Insurance.

YOU AND THE CHURCH
  1. Know and understand the 10 iCOR values. http://icor.church
  2. Enhance your knowledge of Church Heritage by completing two of the following:
    1. Earn the Adventist Heritage Award.
    2. Read a book called The AY Story.
    3. Write/Record the history of a local church in consultation with the Conference/Mission Youth Ministries Director or Designated Pastor/ Qualified Youth Ministries Leader.
  3. Do two of the following:
    1. Teach the Sabbath School lesson to a group of Senior Youth for a minimum of one quarter within one year.
    2. Participate fully in the Youth Initiatives of Global Church or the Higher Organization (Global Youth Day, Youth Week of Prayer, Youth Commitment Day, Home Coming Sabbath, etc.)
    3. Get involved or volunteer in any department of the local church and attend relevant leadership training offered by the local church/ conference.
    4. Other: 13
  4. Do one of the following:
    1. Plan and direct/co-direct a weekend church or campus Senior Youth retreat or a Spiritual Emphasis week for youth. Where necessary subdivide the group.
    2. Plan and direct at least two Senior Youth recreational activities covering a total time span for at least six hours. Where necessary subdivide the group.

YOU AND THE COMMUNITY
  1. Identify 10 needs in your community
  2. Develop a plan on how to be relevant for your community
  3. Choose any two of from the following, endeavoring to lead one or more people to Christ:
    1. Identify one young person who has stopped attending church and establish a relationship with him/her
    2. Prepare and run GYD. Be sure to make follow up after GYD
    3. Organize or present sermons for an evangelistic campaign (public evangelism, minimum 2 weeks).
    4. Engage in Personal Evangelism through Friendship Ministry, Small Group Ministry, etc.
    5. Serve as an Adventist Youth Task Force volunteer for 6 months
    6. Serve as a Student Missionary or OYIM volunteer for 6 months
    7. Give a series of Christ-Centered Bible studies covering at least fifteen major doctrines.
    8. Direct or co-direct a community Better Living or Youth Alive for a minimum of ten days.
    9. Other:

DOCUMENTATION
1. Compile a portfolio (physical or digital) documenting all of your work related to completing the Senior Youth Leader curriculum.

NOTES
  1. Seminars should be at least 60 minutes in length. All the seminar facilitators must be approved by the Conference/Mission Youth Director or his/her designee.
  2. It would be advantageous for a Senior Youth Leader candidate to have a working knowledge of both Ambassadors and Young Adults Ministries.
  3. Choose only one type of filing, Digital (recording) or Paper (writing)
​10-Hour Senior Youth Seminars

Attend a 10-hour conference-sponsored Youth Society Seminar
addressing the following areas of Youth Ministry:
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  1. The Senior Youth Leader as a Spiritual Leader, Mentor and Friend
  2. The Need for Specialized Youth Ministry
  3. Understanding the History, Philosophy, Vision, Objectives and Structure of Adventist Youth Ministry
  4. Developing a Purpose Driven Model for Youth Ministry in the Local Church
  5. Mentoring, Ownership and Empowerment in Youth Ministry
  6. Comprehensive Evangelism
  7. Creative Youth Ministry (to include programming)
  8. Maximizing the Opportunities Offered by Social Media While Circumventing Its Hazards
  9. Spiritual Giftedness and Service
  10. Understanding the Youth