About IYS
The Institute for Youth Studies mission is simple: We exist to encourage, equip, & empower global youth ministers. Learn more about our story, the burden we bear, our team and the annual theme for this year.
Our Story
High in the mountains of the Philippines, during a youth ministers’ summit with leaders from across Asia, Mark prayed a simple yet life-shaping prayer:
“God, I love youth, cultures, and training leaders. I’ll go where You want me to go and do what You want me to do—but I’d love to use all of my tools—my education, experience, talents, and gifts—to impact youth around the world.”
In His goodness, the Lord entrusted Mark with a compelling vision to encourage, equip, and empower global youth ministers. It was an epiphany that forever changed the course of his life.
Our Burden
A generation is in crisis.
Anxiety. Loneliness. War. Broken families. Empty hearts.
But Jesus changes everything!
IYS inspires youth ministers worldwide to ignite gospel transformation in their communities—so young people everywhere can know Christ and make Him known. Together, we’re shining His light and bringing hope into the darkness (1 John 1:5).
Our Mission
We exist to encourage, equip, & empower global youth ministers.
Our mission is undergirded by the following values:
We Activate
Faith moves us to action.
(James 1:22)
We Contextualize
Ministry methods change—Christ’s mission does not. (1 Corinth. 9:22–23)
We Affirm
Encouragement fuels endurance.
(1 Thessalonians 5:11)
We Collaborate
Together, the Church is stronger.
(Acts 2:42–47)
We Pray
Every breakthrough begins with prayer.
(Proverbs 3:5–6)
We're Spirit-Led & Strategic
We plan faithfully and follow fearlessly.
(Acts 1:8; Heb. 12:1-3; Gal. 6:9–10)
We Appreciate Variety
Diversity displays God’s beauty.
(Ephesians 4:11–13)
Photo by Kayvan Mazhar on Unsplash.
This Year's Annual Theme:
Fix Your Eyes on Jesus, and Run
Life is like a marathon – filled with highs and lows. This couldn’t be truer of youth ministers. Whether training or ministering, the leaders we work with get tired and often feel like quitting. Thus, our annual theme is Fix Your Eyes on Jesus, and Run, based on Hebrews 12:1-3. Sensing that many ministry leaders are weary and finding the race of faith difficult to traverse, the Holy Spirit has impressed upon us this rally cry.
This year we aim to encourage, equip, and empower youth ministry influencers (the highest-level youth leaders) to fix their eyes on Jesus, and run the race He has placed before them. We’ll do this by caring for, collaborating with, and creating customized solutions to help them start, strengthen, scale and sustain projects and programs for more youth to know Christ and to make Him known. Like an athletic coach, we’ll help them set realistic goals and paces. We’ll also cheer them on and celebrate what God does through them.
Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus, and run!
Support Our Mission
You can support the IYS mission of encouraging, equipping and empowering global youth ministers by giving your time and talents, your prayers or a monetary gift.