High school students are leaving the church after graduation at an alarming rate—66%, to be exact. These are not unreached students. These are students who have been actively involved in the youth ministry of an evangelical church for at least one year during high school but who now do not attend a church at all. They have stopped attending church in the same way they have stopped going to Friday night football games and pep rallies.

Therefore, this cohort intends to examine how to design and implement a holistic approach to youth ministry that equips students with a faith that lasts after high school.

Leading a church presents its own set of challenges, and pastors need not complicate matters further with a lack of awareness. Pastors often face issues such as aging facilities, outdated ministry methods, and limited budgets, highlighting the need to tackle these challenges head-on. However, effective pastoral leadership starts with building strong relationships. To create lasting change, pastors must establish trust within their congregation. This process relies heavily on emotional intelligence—the capacity to understand and manage one’s own emotions while effectively connecting with the emotions of others. This cohort will delve into the crucial role of emotional intelligence in pastoral work and offer practical strategies for cultivating this vital skill.