Ablaze Youth carries out dynamic, engaging, and transformational youth ministry in parishes. We work in a team setting, placing missionaries in parishes to carry out the ministry. We run youth nights, empower volunteers, lead small groups, run retreats and prayer nights, all for the sake of helping young people grow as disciples of Jesus in His Church.

Every Ablaze Missionary is loved, cared for, trained, mentored and challenged to be a better Catholic and minister. We focus on providing three of the things most lacking for youth ministers today: A holy community to work alongside, consistent formation and financial stability.

All of the jobs listed below are considered missionary roles. Ablaze Missionaries are individuals called to serve the Church and participate in the original mission, “to make disciples of all nations,” entrusted by our Savior to the Apostles in Matthew 28:19. Because of this radical connection to the mission of the Church, missionaries of Ablaze Ministries are dependent on raising their own salary while supporting their ministry.

Missionary Team Lead

• Serve as full-time missionaries with a two-year commitment
• Support the missionaries of Ablaze Ministries.
• With their ministry team, develop and coordinate a youth ministry program, form intentional disciples, and present the faith in a way that is relevant to young people.
• Oversee the ministry programs to ensure the quality of ministry provided to parishes and schools meets the standards of Ablaze Ministries
• Mentor missionaries and hold them accountable for their personal formation and the health of their ministry

Catholic School Missionary (campus minister)

• Are supervised by their Missionary Team Lead and their school’s Principal (or staff member reporting to Principal).
• Serve a one-year commitment with Ablaze Ministries
• Develop and coordinate campus ministry including implementation of discipleship groups, service experiences, semester retreats, daily prayer experiences, relational ministry, and faculty formation.
• Serve as an extension of the youth minister and are a resource to the faculty on campus.

Parish Missionary (youth minister)

• Supervised by Missionary Team Leads and their parish pastor (or parish staffmember reporting to the pastor)
• Serve a one-year commitment with Ablaze Ministries
• With their ministry partner, develop and coordinate a youth ministry program, form intentional disciples, and present the faith in a way that is relevant to young people.
  • The program creatively implements weekly youth nights, small groups, service experiences, semester retreats, prayer experiences, relational ministry, and outreach to volunteers.

Missionary Interns

• Serve as part-time missionaries with a short-term commitment either in the summer or fall, summer or spring semester.
• Ablaze Ministries provides training throughout the program.
• Interns support outreach efforts and evangelization within their assigned ministry, growing in ministry experience to later take on a position as a youth minister or campus minister if they choose to do so.

Instead of a stand alone youth minister, there are multiple Ablaze missionaries serving together, carrying out ministry, and mobilizing the entire parish to accompany young people in their faith. Each team is composed of a team lead who will mentor the missionaries on the team. This team format creates support for each missionary as they serve in the parish, fostering an environment where everyone grows in their relationship with the Lord and their ability to minister.

Yes!! When hired, missionaries meet with the Ablaze leadership team and complete formation at the guidance of the leadership team and their Missionary Team Lead. Ablaze Ministries’ theological formation meets the Diocese of Austin’s requirements for Catechist Level 1 Certification. Missionaries attend the St. John Bosco Conference by the Franciscan University at Steubenville as well as other professional youth ministry conferences and trainings when available.

Ablaze is proud to partner with Everett Fritz and St. Andrew Missionaries to provide Ablaze missionaries with discipleship training throughout the ministry year. Everett Fritz is the founder and Executive Director of St. Andrew Missionaries. He authored the best selling book, Freedom: Battle Strategies for Conquering Temptation. Everett regularly speaks on the topics of discipleship, youth evangelization, and chastity. 

Ablaze also offers the opportunity for currently employees of Ablaze to apply for the Excellence in Ministry (EXM) Program which exists to support eligible Ablaze employees financially by providing scholarships for continued education, relief from loans already accrued relevant to the position, and grants for attending conferences. If you are currently an employee and would like to receive more information on this please contact Matt Rice matt@ablaze.us

At first glance, fundraising your salary can be daunting. It was at first for most of our current missionaries. BUT, they would all say it has been a life changing experience as well. The humility and awesome task of inviting other people into the mission that God has called you to is truly one of the most special aspects of missionary life.

This has also been one of the primary reasons many on staff have been able to stay in ministry. As we all know, youth ministry typically doesn’t pay well. The fundraising model adjusts to your financial needs so you are always able to receive a just wage and support yourself(and your family!)

For more information on how this works, click here.

Ablaze Youth team members are missionaries, which means they each have a group of donors sending them on mission, supporting them both through prayers and financial contributions. Instead of paying salaries for youth ministers, parishes partner with Ablaze Youth at a set rate and missionaries are placed within the parish.