Pulse Gatherings

We don’t believe youth leaders should work in isolation, which is why we created the Pulse Network.

A Pulse Gathering is part of the Pulse Network

A Pulse Gathering is where youth leaders from different local churches come together each month to Eat, Chat, and Pray.

We support you to find and gather with people from your local community who also want to do this. We provide you with resources including the Pulse Gathering Manual.

In the Pulse Gathering Manual, you’ll find two columns. If you’re new to connecting with other youth leaders in your area, the “Just Starting Out” column will be helpful for you. If you’re already meeting regularly with local youth leaders, the “Established Youth Ministry” column is a great fit. Chances are, you’ll find yourself using both columns as you go. Read on to find out more…

Just starting out…

This section of the Pulse Gathering Manual is for you if the churches in your local area don’t yet have a network up and running. There are 6 sessions that will guide you through the Eat, Chat, Pray structure, where you’ll connect with one another, share about your lives, and pray together. It’s informal, local, and relational. All you’ll need is a venue, a time, and someone to grab the croissants (other tasty things are acceptable…).

As you progress, you’ll likely start using the “Established Youth Ministry” materials. But don’t worry about that just yet — the first step is to get in a room, put the kettle on, and start building relationships.

Established Youth Ministry…

This section of the Pulse Gathering Manual is for you if you already have a network of local youth leaders established between the churches. There are 6 sessions designed to help you Eat, Chat, and Pray together, while reflecting more deeply on your own contexts.

If you’re using the “Established Youth Ministry” questions, we’re assuming that you know each other well and are looking for light guidance on what to focus on during your time together. Over time, we’ll encourage you to start a Pulse Learning Community, which will give your youth teams the opportunity to meet and think more deeply about your outreach to young people.

F.A.Q.s

What’s the point of Pulse again?

Ultimately, we want to help youth leaders become part of thriving local youth ministries where evangelism and discipleship work hand in hand. Pulse starts with belonging to our network. But you can go on to establish a local Gathering (which is relatively simple) and progresses to Learning Communities (which are more in-depth). The goal is to foster strong relationships between youth leaders, as youth ministry is most effective when those relationships are solid.

What do you mean by “Youth Leaders”?

When we say “Youth Leader,” we’re referring to anyone who holds the main responsibility for youth ministry in their church. This could be a paid, full-time youth leader, but it’s just as likely to be someone who is part-time or voluntary. Essentially, it’s the key person in the church responsible for leading youth ministry. If you’re not currently involved in youth ministry but are interested in getting started, a Pulse Gathering is a great place to begin, or you can request a free assessment tool to get started.

How often does a Pulse Gathering meet?

Pulse Gatherings generally meet once a month. We recommend hosting them in one of your churches or even in someone’s dining room to create a relaxed, intimate environment where you can easily cater to the group and have uninterrupted time to chat and pray together.

How many people should go to a Pulse Gathering?

We recommend a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 7. Keeping the group small helps create stronger connections between leaders. If you have a larger number of youth leaders in your area, you may want to consider hosting multiple Pulse Gatherings to keep the groups intimate and manageable.

Where can we find the Pulse Gathering Manual?

Great question! The Pulse Gathering Manual will be sent to you digitally once you register below for Pulse or by emailing at pulse@yfc.co.uk.

Do we have to do Pulse Gatherings or Learning Communities?

Not at all! You can absolutely stick with just the Pulse Network. Or if you have Gatherings you can stick with them for as long as you like. Pulse Learning Communities are designed to take things a step further if your Pulse Gathering is thriving and your group is ready to dive deeper into your youth ministry practices. It’s not mandatory, but we believe it will spark fresh ideas and energise your efforts.

How much does Pulse cost?

There’s no charge to British Youth for Christ for participating in Pulse. However, it will cost you time, and there may be some expenses related to providing food or venue. Ideally, you’ll be able to find a venue that doesn’t come with a cost, but we understand that may vary depending on the situation.

Want to get started?

If you’d like to register your interest, simply fill out the form with your details. Once we receive your information, a member of our team will reach out to discuss the next steps with you.