ABOUT DOUG

Doug Fields has been a pastor to teenagers and ministry leader for over 30 years. After graduating Vanguard University in 1984, he received his MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary. He served at South Coast Community Church (now Mariners Church), in Newport Beach, CA for 11 years before he moved to be the youth and teaching pastor at Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, CA) of 20,000+ people. He was on staff there for almost 18 years.

With an ever growing demand of speaking, writing and leadership/ministry consulting, Doug resigned from Saddleback Church in September 2009. This is allowing him to pursue ministry opportunities that best aligned with his gift for teaching, relational leadership and still gives him a volunteer opportunity to engage in his first love: “in-the-trenches” ministry to teenagers and youth workers.

Doug is the author of more than 50 books, including Purpose Driven Youth Ministry (PDYM) which is a Gold Medallion award winning book and a youth ministry textbook used all over the world. Doug has taught PDYM in almost every state and in several countries like Australia, Germany, Philippines and Brazil. Through Doug’s leadership of the PDYM community there are now more than 60 PDYM state-mentors who partner with other like-minded youth workers to implement the biblical principles within their own ministries.

In addition to caring for youth workers, Doug also has a huge heart for teenagers. His PDYM Student Leadership Conference attracts over 1000 student leaders from all around the world. There, students learn how use the PDYM model to lead effectively in their home churches, schools and communities and how to influence others for Christ.

Doug is also the founder of Simply Youth Ministry, which is a resource company designed to help youth workers save time and simplify their ministry. In 2006 he partnered with Group Publishing to bring these two leading youth ministry resource providers into collaboration for wider, global impact.

Doug hosts a weekly Simply Youth Ministry podcast where he and the podcast crew answer youth ministry related questions sent in from all over the world. The idea is that no youth worker feel like they are doing youth ministry alone. Doug also hosts an annual Simply Youth Ministry Conference, specifically designed to encourage and equip youth workers for effective and relational ministry.

In June of 2008 Doug helped design the newest building at Saddleback Church called The Refinery. It is his dream youth ministry building that began taking shape on napkins many years ago. It was through Doug’s vision casting of relational ministry, as well as his experienced philosophy of ministry that allowed the team to create a successful environment where teenagers and families can hang-out, play together, and be introduced to Jesus.

Of all these things, Doug would say his greatest accomplishment is marrying way out of his league to Cathy, his wife of 25 years, and having three children; Torie, Cody and Cassie. For more information about Doug Fields and his ministry, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Fields.

If you are interested in inviting Doug to speak at your event or if you would like more information about a mentor/consulting relationship with Doug please contact doug@dougfields.com