Everything you need to lead: the Certified Grind Leader™ (CGL™) path, the Resource Hub, and the step-by-step way to launch your own Join The Grind™ chapter — guided, safety-first, and mission-first (free).
"And what you have heard from me... entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also." — 2 Timothy 2:2
Growing every month. Partner with us or support the mission.
We're becoming the nationwide hub for coffee-house-style youth & young-adult ministry — starting on the East Coast, growing across the country.
The go-to library for everything youth & young-adult (to age 22) and coffee-house-style programs.
Explore resources →Learn to start and run your own Join The Grind™, under our guidance — free training through NMAdemy.
Start training →A growing network of local Join The Grind™ coffee houses. Bring one to your community.
Start a chapter →Everything you need to build real community for young people — free and growing.
The model, the vision, and how a Join The Grind™ night runs.
Youth protection, waivers, ratios, and policy templates.
Run-of-show, hospitality, music, and games.
Short-message formats and discussion guides.
Sponsorships and support to keep the doors open.
Building a safe, judgment-free space.
Enter your email to unlock three free resources — a starter guide, a youth-protection checklist, and a shareable one-pager.
Four certification tracks take you from safety-first fundamentals to a launch-ready, certified chapter leader — free, self-paced, and guided by us through our academy.
Youth protection, background checks, adult-to-youth ratios, chaperone & emergency policy, and mandatory-reporter basics. Required first — the gate for every leader certification.
Certification: Certified in Youth Protection Required PrerequisiteUnderstanding ages 14–22, the discipleship path, building community & belonging, communication, and leading volunteer teams.
Certification: Certified Youth Ministry LeaderOur founder-authored coffee-house playbook: the model & vision, running the night (hospitality, food, live music, the "Super Short Sermon"), moderation & safe space, Bring-a-Friend growth, sponsorships, and the launch playbook.
Certification: Certified Join The Grind™ Chapter Leader → Eligible to open a chapterLegal/entity/insurance basics, the digital stack (site, chat, phone, blog), marketing, and measurement. Optional, for leaders scaling up.
Certification: Certified Ministry OperatorPathway: Youth Protection → Foundations → The Grind Model™ (capstone). Each track ends with a quiz and a verifiable certificate; complete the capstone plus a signed chapter agreement and safety proof to be approved and listed in the network.
Certified Grind Leader™ (CGL™) is the official leadership certification of Nieto Ministries™ LLC — the credential that qualifies a leader to launch and run a Join The Grind™ coffee-house youth ministry. Free, guided, and mission-first.
A Certified Grind Leader™ (CGL™) has completed our seven-session Grind Launch Course, signed the Grind Leader Covenant, and presented a launch-ready plan — qualified to lead one official, licensed Join The Grind™ chapter that is faith-centered, welcoming to everyone, and safe.
Credential: Certified Grind Leader™ (CGL™)Seven 90-minute sessions: The Roast (vision) → The Pour (the night) → The Blend (team & safety) → The Setup (venue & budget) → Now Serving (launch) → The Real Thing (mock night) → To Go (commissioning). Complete the sessions, the mock night, and the launch-plan assessment.
7 sessions · self-paced · freeYour CGL™ credential makes you eligible to apply for an Official Licensed Join The Grind™ Event license — written authorization from Nieto Ministries™ LLC to run an official chapter under the Join The Grind™ name and logo.
→ Eligible to open a licensed chapterCertified Grind Leader™ (CGL™), Join The Grind™, and The Grind Model™ are trademarks and the proprietary training system of Nieto Ministries™ LLC.
Bring Join The Grind™ to your community. Here's the path from "I'm interested" to a launched, certified chapter — with us guiding you the whole way.
Tell us your name, your town, and the young people you want to reach. We'll follow up and set up your free leader account.
Complete Youth Protection & Safety first, then Foundations and The Grind Model™ capstone — self-paced, guided by us.
Line up a room, a few caring adults, and a date. We help you plan the first night and build a youth-led team.
Sign the chapter agreement and safety proof, launch your first Join The Grind™, and join the national network directory.
Join The Grind™ is Nieto Ministries' flagship youth & young-adult movement built on The Grind Model™ — a free coffee-house night with faith, discipline, and community. This page is the leader training & certification track; the movement's main site is jointhegrind.org.
Anyone called to lead youth — chapter leaders, mentors, and volunteers. Youth Protection & Safety (Track 1) is required first for every leader.
Four: (1) Youth Protection & Safety, (2) Youth Ministry Foundations, (3) The Grind Model™ capstone, and (4) Ministry Operations & Growth. The pathway is Youth Protection → Foundations → The Grind Model™, with Operations optional for leaders scaling up.
CGL™ is the official leadership credential of Nieto Ministries™ LLC. You earn it through the seven-session Grind Launch Course, a signed Grind Leader Covenant, and a launch-ready plan. It makes you eligible to apply for a licensed Join The Grind™ chapter.
The Ministry tier is free — mission first. Create an NMAdemy account and begin the path today; any certification fees are noted within the academy.
Everything is delivered through the NM Leadership Training Academy (NMAdemy) at academy.nietoministries.com — guided, safety-first, and self-paced.