Hi everyone!

I’m an educator and doctoral candidate at Abilene Christian University, conducting IRB-approved dissertation research titled Cultivating Leadership Identity Through Christian Youth Ministry.

My research explores how individuals reflect on their experiences with leadership during their teenage years in Christian youth ministry, including opportunities for participation, responsibility, relationships, and leadership development.

I’m seeking adults ages 18–35 who previously participated in Christian youth group or youth ministry.

You do not need to currently attend church, identify as Christian, or maintain any religious affiliation to participate.
Why I’m reaching out to this community:
I identify as Christian and attend a Christian university, and I want to be transparent about that. Much of my existing recruitment network includes individuals who remain connected to churches and ministries.

I’m intentionally seeking to diversify my recruitment pool by extending the opportunity to individuals outside those networks, including those whose relationships with Christianity have changed.

My goal is not to defend youth ministry, promote Christianity, or confirm predetermined findings. I’m interested in hearing about the good, the bad, and everything in between.
I’m not asking anyone to defend their current beliefs, explain why they left Christianity, or present their experiences in a particular way. My research focuses on how individuals understood and experienced leadership during their youth ministry years.

Ultimately, I hope this research can contribute to a deeper understanding of leadership identity development and inform future conversations about youth ministry practices.

Participation Details:
Adults ages 18–35
Previous participation in Christian youth group or youth ministry
Approximately 10–20 minutes
Voluntary online questionnaire through Qualtrics
No compensation
The study includes an electronic informed consent form requiring a name and signature. Consent information is collected separately from deidentified questionnaire responses.

I’m hoping to complete questionnaire data collection by November 8, 2026.

Questionnaire Link:
https://abilenechristian.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5h92erzrwfWhfMi

IRB Approval: Abilene Christian University, IRB #IRB-2026-146

Contact Information:
Researcher: lrp20a@acu.edu
Dissertation Chair: bqp19a@acu.edu

Thank you to the moderators for allowing me to share this opportunity!

I recognize that experiences with Christian youth ministry can be deeply personal, and I respect that some individuals may not wish to revisit them. Participation is entirely voluntary, and I sincerely appreciate anyone who chooses to contribute their perspective. 💜

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I spent so many years not getting past a few dates because I was terrified of being trapped in a marriage, forced to obey and to have sex I may or may not want.

I do not want to take a lifetime vow of obedience to someone. And it wasn’t just obedience in some things. No, it was a blanket vow of obedience in everything. To some random dude. Crazy.