The Empirical Development of a Curriculum to Train SDA Professional Youth Leaders

Problem. The purpose of this study was to meet the need for SDA youth ministry training by empirically developing a curriculum to train church youth leaders.Method. The instructional product development of Baker and Schutz (1971) was utilized for this research. After the need for the product was established, instructional specifications were established by means of behavioral objectives. Criteria for these objectives were rooted in current youth ministry literature. Strategies to promote affect were included.The curriculum was prepared in the form of a weekend seminar. Mastery was set at 80% of the participants scoring at least 80% on each of the 21 behavioral objectives. Seminary students and their spouses were selected as representative SDA professional youth leaders.The seminar was presented first to small groups. As the product was modified and the groups achieved mastery, the group size was increased. The curriculum was considered to be empirically developed when mastery was attained by a statistically significant group ($>$30).Modification of affect was measured by means of a Likert scale of attitudinal statements related to youth ministry.Results. After developing the curriculum through the specified series of seminars, the instruction was presented to a statistically significant group of 34. Mastery was achieved on all of the behavioral objectives. Modification of affect was significant at the.05 level.Conclusions. Because the SDA Church lacked a curriculum for youth ministry training, and because the curriculum from this research was developed empirically, this youth ministry curriculum could be utilized as the primary tool for SDA youth ministry instruction.