Leadership and Faith Formation in Youth Ministry: Explaining the Relationship Between Leadership Experiences and Faith Formation in Middle School Students

This research project explained how leadership experiences of middle school age students during their time in a youth ministry Confirmation program affected their faith formation. The lenses of Believing, Behaving, and Belonging were helpful in framing a missional view of faith formation. Results revealed these four aspects of leadership experiences to be important to the youth: leadership and helping others are connected, relationships are integral and vital within these experiences, there needs to be an element of fun by making the experience enjoyable and/or meaningful, and leadership experiences bring relevance to a student’s faith both inside and outside of church