YouthLead

Youth Ministry • The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Teens leading teens

For 40 years, YouthLead has equipped teens to develop and use their leadership skills as they serve Christ within their congregations and communities. We offer resources, training, and mentorship to equip high school youth to lead now and into the future.

Our annual leadership training event is facilitated by the YouthLead Executive Team. With a different focus each year, the event gives teens the tools they need to mature in their faith, become leaders in their congregations, and reach out to their peers with the love of Christ.

YouthLead is now looking to the future with the development of additional resources aligned with the 7 Practices for Healthy Youth Ministry. This will include resources for adults who mentor and champion young leaders, potential regional conferences and connections to other programs like LCMS Servant Events and the LCMS Youth Gathering.

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YouthLead Training — 2027

LCMS Youth Ministry will host a YouthLead Training event Saturday, March 13, to Tuesday, March 16, or Saturday, April 24 to Tuesday, April 27, 2027, in St. Louis.

Registration for both dates are scheduled to open in October 2026. More information will be provided as it is finalized.

Training resources

As a part of the annual training, YouthLead resources are video-based, easy for young people to lead, and focus on topics key to youth discipleship. This curriculum is available for use in conducting events in your congregation or district.

For more information about the training materials, email youth.ministry@lcms.org.

View and download video curriculum

YouthLead Executive Team

LCMS Youth Ministry — YouthLead Executive — 2025

Executive Team members for YouthLead were elected by their peers during the 2025 YouthLead Training and commissioned at the LCMS Youth Gathering. We are grateful for their service.

Milly Myers — Stow, Ohio

Madie Dittmar — Freeport, Ill.

George Austin — Chandler, Ariz.

Tommy Campbell — Staunton, Ill.

Betsy Schuh — Bismarck, N.D.

Madison Sieve — Worthington, MN

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The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Inc., including Mission Central (in Mapleton, Iowa), is an IRS registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity.

A contribution designated (restricted) for a specific purpose, when accepted, will be used only to fund expenses related to that purpose. Occasionally, we may receive more in contributions for a particular purpose than can be wisely applied to it in the foreseeable future or the purpose may cease to be feasible. In these situations, the LCMS will make reasonable attempts to contact contributors to apply their contribution toward another aspect of ministry that aligns closely the contributor’s goals and values. If a contributor cannot be contacted, the LCMS will use the gift to meet a similar pressing need that most closely matches the contributor's original intent.

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