During the Ministers’ Conference, one of the ‘side attractions’ is the opportunity to reconnect and reunite with former classmates, colleagues and friends. Those trained in the Master of Arts in Youth Ministry (MAYM) also enjoyed this opportunity as they met at the International Centre for Youth Ministry (ICYM) on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. The meeting started by 2:00pm and was chaired by Rev. Dr Joshua IbukunOluwa the Director of ICYM, with Rev Aderemi Adeloye, the Administrative Secretary serving as recording secretary also.

Rev Samuel Alabi gave a short charge taken from 2 Timothy 3:1-5. He emphasised the need for pastors to focus on God, get divine wisdom and think less of material things. Dr IbukunOluwa addressed some matters arising from a previous meeting. He  reported a ‘first’  of the Effective Youth Ministry training in Jos; the second set graduation in Ibadan, while stating that Ogbomoso Centre had recorded her fifth graduation exercise of trained youth leaders by the time of the meeting.

There are plans to establish more Effective Youth Ministry training Centres. Discussion is ongoing to start Lagos and Sapele Centres and to have a training in Iwo, Osun State. It was noted that the Centre in Oyo is still trying to stand strong. After an appeal at the Ministers’ fellowship in Oyo, the fruit yielded was three persons who have enrolled as Seminary students this 2025 – 2026 academic session. A total number of eight new students were admitted into the Seminary this June, 2025 for MAYM. IYCM team were encouraged to promote and mobilize people to enroll for the Master of Arts in Youth Ministry programme in the Seminary.

Furthermore, members were encouraged to mobilize people to attend the ICYM training and other trainings like the training holding in Lagos on September 13^th which the Director planned to attend.

Pastors in churches which have their own private schools were encouraged to invite IYCM leaders for training exercises in their schools, as Oritamefa Baptist Church Ibadan has done and teachers are being trained in Youth Ministry. MAYM graduates were advised to keep writing books and articles so that there will be materials for use in the Centre and for the training of youth and youth trainers. A book titled Fire Walk was introduced to the house. Dr Randy Smith is the founder of Great Commission which is now the mother of IYCM.

Dr SAK Olaleye, the former Director of ICYM; Dr Olawuyi James, the Director of Youth and Student Ministries; Dr Gabriel Olaniyan, former Deputy President Advancement, NBTS; Prof. Esther Ayandokun, The Rector of Baptist College of Theology, Oyo, and Prof. Olusola Ayo-Obiremi, Deputy President Advancement, NBTS were among the 21 people present at the meeting. Various members gave their counsel and comments including appreciation to the leadership; the need for members to work together as a team and to take promoting the Centre as well as mobilization for trainings and enrolment into MAYM very serious; the need for the leaders to use diverse approaches that work in each setting to achieve their purposes and to consistently carry along church pastors and the need for the Centre and facilitators to give practical assignments to those who take the effective youth ministry training among other things.

Report by

Violet Precious, PhDRE 1

for NBTS Advancement Centre‑‑‑