The Nazarene Youth Missions Academy (NYMA) is a missionally aligned youth formation pathway designed to prepare adolescents for long-term participation in the global mission of the Church of the Nazarene. NYMA is not a standalone initiative, a short-term experience, or a competing program operating outside denominational structures. It is intentionally designed to function under pastoral and district authority as the youth pipeline into Global Missions’ young adult program, The Cause.
About NYMA.
The Nazarene Youth Missions Academy (NYMA) is a structured, outcomes-driven youth leadership and missions formation program designed to operate in Fallon, Nevada as both a community asset and a leadership development pipeline. NYMA is modeled after the Escola de Missões para Adolescentes (EMA) in São Paulo, Brazil—a program with over fifteen years of proven results in forming disciplined, service-minded young leaders. NYMA is not an experiment or a summer camp. It is a deliberate adaptation of a mature international model, contextualized for the United States and Canada.
Why NYMA?
Because the Church is effective at igniting passion in youth but lacks a formation pathway that consistently produces endurance, discipline, and long-term mission leaders. NYMA exists to close that gap—addressing post–high school disengagement, short-term mission enthusiasm without sustained formation, and weak pipelines into Global Missions and The Cause. By beginning intentional, accountable formation during adolescence—under local church and district authority—NYMA forms students before responsibility finds them, so those who step into The Cause are spiritually grounded, leadership-tested, and ready for lifelong mission.
NYMA Year Groups
1
BRAVO
Year 1 – (Básico) establishes the foundation of spiritual formation and disciplined mission living. Students develop daily rhythms of prayer, Scripture, and worship while gaining core theological grounding and hands-on ministry experience in real-world environments. BRAVO shapes humble, obedient disciples who learn that leadership begins with character and that mission starts with formation.
2
ALPHA
Year 2 – (Avançado) moves students from formation into applied leadership. Building on Year 1, students deepen their theology, sharpen ministry skills, and take on greater responsibility in team-based and cross-cultural environments. ALPHA develops confident, humble leaders who are learning not just how to serve—but how to lead well in and out of the ministry context.
3
ULTRA
Year 3 – ULTRA is NYMA’s leadership year, where students move from participation into real responsibility. Through advanced leadership development, strategic mission planning, and mentorship of younger students, they integrate everything they’ve learned into hands-on ministry leadership. ULTRA forms humble, disciplined leaders prepared to plan, coordinate, and carry mission with maturity and accountability.