Austin Seminary is new home to Progressive Youth Ministry (PYM)

With funding awarded through a grant from the In Trust Center for Theological Schools, Austin Seminary is taking on direction, vision, and leadership for Progressive Youth Ministry (PYM) and is the new home for PYM conferences.

The PYM conference and community of churchbased youth workers from across North America was founded in 2014. PYM had a successful five-year run of conferences, experiencing significant growth, highlighted by speakers including Rob Bell, Otis Moss III, and Lauren Winner. Throughout the pandemic, PYM gathered virtually, creating a robust and supportive community of more than 3,000 members online with 200 to 400 participants at its annual conference.

This support for youth ministers aligns with Seminary President José R. Irizarry’s vision, articulated in his Inaugural Address, to plant seeds today for fruits that other generations may enjoy. “In pursuing our vision to raise and support the ‘new generation of Christians,’ this administrative transition allows us to put ourselves at the forefront of youth ministry on the national stage,” says President Irizarry.

“We are absolutely thrilled to pass the baton to Austin Seminary,” said PYM co-founder Tony Jones.

“After conversations with President Irizarry and Professor [Andrew] Zirschky, we are confident that Austin will not only curate excellent conferences but also will expand PYM’s offerings in ways that will benefit thousands of youth pastors.” Jones will serve as a consultant for three years.

The Seminary plans to present an online conference in Spring 2024 and return to an in-person conference later that year. In addition, plans are afoot to add podcasts, curricula, books, and more. Believing PYM is a natural fit for Austin Seminary, given its growing youth ministry degree program, President Irizarry added, “We look forward to engaging these important partnerships in years to come as we widen our place to create spaces where new forms of ministry and leadership can be explored and empowered.”

“This ground-breaking acquisition of PYM is a great example of how academia can directly engage with and impact the wider ministry community,” said Professor Andrew Zirschky, director of the Seminary’s Master of Arts in Youth Ministry program. “This puts the Seminary at the center of transformative change within youth ministry nationwide.”