CPYU Seminar Descriptions
Designed to focus on the unique pressures and influences young people face in a postmodern world, CPYU seminars help anyone who loves and works with children and teens to better understand these pressures and challenges from a distinctively Christian perspective. Hope and encouragement are offered to participants by challenging and equipping them to respond with solid and practical tools.
The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding is currently offering the following seminars, click on the titles below to read detailed descriptions of each seminar. You can also click on the names of the speakers to read their bios. To see a full list of the available CPYU Seminar speakers, click here.
Understanding Today's Youth Culture
These seminars have been designed for parents, youth workers, teachers and others dealing with the specific challenges associated with understanding the world of pre-teens and adolescents. Anyone desiring to increase their understanding of youth and youth culture will find the seminars beneficial.
Available Presenters: Walt Mueller, Paul Robertson
Smoke and Mirrors: How Marketing Shapes and Manipulates Your Students and What You Can Do About It
This seminar examines the role that marketing plays in student development; how marketing is shaping students' values, attitudes, and behaviors; what we can do to equip our kids to manage marketing's influence "Christianly," and more.
Presenter: Walt Mueller
Looking Ahead: Preparing for the College Transition
CPYU’s college transition seminars are for college bound high school students and their parents and will address the transition from high school to college.
Presenter: Derek Melleby
Identity Matters: The Voice of Culture, The Truth of God
The target audience for this seminar is senior high youth and college students at venues such as youth group meetings, retreats, campus fellowship groups, and chapels. This seminar first explores the ways in which teenagers are challenged to find their identity and self worth in external things. Then the seminar encourages youth to develop spiritual disciplines that reminds them that their identity is in Christ.
Presenter: Derek Melleby
What to Expect When They're Accepted: What Parents Should Know about College Transition
In this seminar, Derek helps parents to better understand what their kids will go through in college. Areas of discussion include: developmental issues, college student culture, gap-year, finances and debt, mental health, faith and doubt and other college related issues. The seminar paints a realistic picture of what to expect the college years to be like and offers hope and encouragement.
Presenter: Derek Melleby
Are you a leader of a college student ministry? Is your church looking to attract college students? Need a college chapel speaker? Derek is available to speak to campus fellowship groups, church college ministries, college students retreats, college chapels about how students can make the most of college. For many students college is simply the assumed next step in life: you go to college to get a degree to get a job. The challenge for today’s Christian college student is to see past this small vision and embrace a bigger vision for college: College should be about developing our minds; discovering our gifts, and discerning God’s call!
Presenter: Derek Melleby
"Internet" (In Development!)
Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and Texting have revolutionized the ways in which we communicate with each other, raise children, and understand community. How should we respond as Christians in an online social networking world? What are the dangers? What are the benefits? What steps can be taken to ensure that our online practices and habits are honoring to God and neighbor? This presentation can be adapted for teenagers, parents, youth workers and educators.
Presenter: Derek Melleby
Understanding the Five Cries of Caring Parents
This seminar is designed as practical help to parents of teenagers.
Presenter: Paul Robertson
Understanding Why They Do the Things They Do
Designed for parents, youth workers, teachers, and anyone else involved in the lives of teens, this seminar takes attendees on a journey to the center of a young person's brain.
Presenter: Paul Robertson
Understanding the Casual Sex Revolution
This seminar is helpful to any adult trying to make sense of the sexual mores of today's youth.
Presenter: Paul Robertson
From Fear To Surprise: A Worldview That Can Actually Take On The World
Everyone has a worldview. Hardly anyone is conscious of what it is. This seminar will be a catalyst for how we think about, talk about and see the world.
Presenter: John Fischer
Finding God in the World: Why ‘Wordly Christian’ Is Not Necessarily An Oxymoron
This series of messages will focus on finding truth, beauty and God Himself in the world – that is, the secular world we live in -- our only address. What needs to be adjusted in our thinking in order to do this? The focus will be on the arts, humanities, popular culture, and most importantly, all people of all persuasions made in the image of God.
Presenter: John Fischer
This presentation can be delivered in both a sectarian and non-sectarian format. The targeted audience is youth workers, teachers, pastors, and counselors.
Presenter: Marv Penner
Hope and Healing for Those Who Self-Injure
While we may never fully understand the motives behind self-harm and cutting, we can begin to understand why some teenagers cut, and more importantly, we can learn how to help. The content of this presentation is based upon Marv’s book, Hope and Healing For Kids Who Cut. This presentation is targeted for youth workers, teachers and parents.
Presenter: Marv Penner
Come Together: Parent/Teen Communication
This is an interactive skill-based seminar for parents and teens.
Presenter: Marv Penner
This presentation is targeted for parents of children of all ages.
Presenter: Marv Penner
The Spiritual Nurture of Children and Teens
This seminar is targeted for Christian parents.
Presenter: Marv Penner
This seminar examines six factors which contribute to the loss of faith after high school and suggested remedies for each. The target audience is parents, pastors, and youth workers.
Presenter: Marv Penner
A parent/youth worker guide to adolescent development.
Presenter: Amy Flavin
A seminar for parents, pastors, and youth workers to guiding kids to embrace and experience God's best for their sexuality.
Presenter: Amy Flavin
Understanding teenagers and disordered eating.
Presenter: Amy Flavin
Helping kids navigate today's drug culture.
Presenter: Amy Flavin
Who Am I and Why Do I Hate My Body?!
Teenage girls and body image issues.
Presenter: Amy Flavin
How mothers can foster healthy adolescent attitudes and development.
Presenter: Amy Flavin
Three letters, one word, SEX. The Great “IT”
We hear about “IT” in all forms of media. However, “IT” is rarely discussed and celebrated in church. Why? Let’s learn to discuss “IT” and begin the celebration, amazement, joy, abundance and purpose found when discussing this topic.
Presenter: Jason Soucinek
The PURITY
We make the discussion about sex simply about protecting our virginity and waiting. However, throughout Scripture God seems to take more interest in our purification or sanctification than about the physical dynamic of our sexuality.
Presenter: Jason Soucinek
Working with Teens in a Sexually Charged World
“Be in the world but not of,” is the common formula for how to engage mainstream culture. However, when it comes to sex, sexuality and sexual activity among teenagers it is hard to see where this formula exists.
Presenter: Jason Soucinek
A Unanimous Roar (in development)
There is a unanimous roar that is waiting to happen among this generation of youth. One mind. One spirit. What would it look like to build communities where this occurs?
Presenter: Jason Soucinek
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To request a seminar now, please fill out our on-line request form. If you have more questions about a seminar or conference, please email us or call us toll-free at 800-807-CPYU.