Call for Papers for the 32nd Annual Conference
Des Moines, IA

Deadline for Proposals
July 31, 2025

Submit proposals to Dr. David Keehn
SUBMIT PROPOSALS HERE

We welcome the submission of proposals for breakout session presentations at this year’s AYME Conference. This is a wonderful opportunity for your work to stimulate the thinking of others in the field while receiving valuable feedback from colleagues.

Of particular interest are proposals that connect with the conference theme: Teaching in the Midst of Hurting Students. However, all proposals related to youth ministry or youth ministry education are welcome and highly valued by attendees at the conference. 

Proposals may be for one of the following formats, presentations will be scheduled in 45-minute time slots at the conference.

  • Research Papers: a research-based paper to be presented and discussed. We encourage papers that explore topics related to teaching, leading, and working with the next generation, in particular, those that are of an interdisciplinary nature, reflect your context, and/or your research base, be that theological, historical, philosophical, quantitative, or qualitative. All accepted papers MUST BE SUBMITTED electronically in full NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 15th. Papers will be posted for reading on the AYME website prior to the conference.
  • Practitioner Papers: a practice-based paper to be presented and discussed. We encourage presentations that build bridges between ministry practitioners and those teaching in the academy by offering insights concerning current and innovative practices in youth ministry  All accepted papers MUST BE SUBMITTED electronically in full NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 15th. Papers will be posted for reading on the AYME website prior to the conference.
  • Professional Development: an opportunity for experienced AYME members to offer a seminar on topics related to vocational academia positions. Potential topics may include course development, teaching practices, field education, collegial relationships, program assessment, grading rubrics, writing for publication, gaining promotions and tenure, and other skill development for enhancing one’s career.
  • Collaborative Engagement: an opportunity for a small group of scholars to work together to promote discussion around a particular topic related to the theme. The format can be varied (e.g., panel, dialogue, professional development, interactive workshop, embodied process). The number of these will be limited and we will privilege proposals that bring together multicultural perspectives.
  • Book Highlight: an opportunity for current AYME members, who have published a scholarly book, to offer insights on their newest publication. Only books that have been published since the last conference will be considered. Only one breakout session will be dedicated to this; if there are multiple interested authors, they will be grouped together.
  • Posters: an opportunity for scholars working on research in process to visually share their work via a poster. Authors will have the opportunity speak informally with conference attendees about their projects. High traffic spaces at the conference will be dedicated to the posters exhibits.