In this episode, I talk about leading a middle school small group! It's a crazy thing, but it can also be really great! A key point is to know your audience. You aren't dealing with seminary students. You've got squirrelly 11-14 year-olds. Here are my big tips:

I talk about:

Acknowledging the weird and the silliness of your time!

Setting up expectations for the amount of "in-depth" Bible study you'll get

Asking questions that get students talking

Some tips for playing games during small group!

Ending with concrete, actionable application

 

Got a middle school ministry question?

Email [email protected]

Need student ministry resources?

Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

Want to see my resources? Click here.

In this episode, I talk about having a conversation with middle school students. At first, it was something I avoided because I didn't think I was having any type of impact discussing Minecraft with 12 years olds. Now I focus in on those conversations because I know I'm showing these students I love and care about them!

I talk about:

Listening to the normal, everyday stuff

Using your body to show you're paying attention

Expecting the silly stuff (and what to do with it)

Celebrating when MS students share successes

Counseling them when they open up about struggles

Resources:

Get Your Teenager Talking

Got a middle school ministry question?

Email [email protected]

Need student ministry resources?

Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

In this episode, I continue my conversation with Mark Eades, Middle School Pastor at New Covenant Bible Church. In this one, we talk about the odd compliment of having a middle school student tell you they're bored! We talk about:

It's not wrong for students to be bored

"I'm bored" is usually code for something different

During retreats, plan for extra downtime and space

The spiritual discipline of silence

Resources:

The Power of Boredom in a Culture of Distractions

How Boredom can lead to our most brilliant ideas

12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You

Got a middle school ministry question?

Email [email protected]

Need student ministry resources?

Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

Today I got to spend some time talking to Middle School Ministry veteran, Mark Eades, Middle School Pastor at New Covenant Bible Church, about having and loving chaos in your middle school ministry program!

We talk about:

Being okay with chaos when you're teaching

Recognizing when those chaos moments are coming

Intentionally planning moments of chaos into your talk

Coaching volunteers to recognize the chaos

Resources:

Controlled Chaos by Kurt Johnston

A DYM Podcast live from DYM100, the best conference around!

Got a middle school ministry question?

Email [email protected]

Need student ministry resources?

Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

Planning trips, retreats, and camps can be a big pain. But you can also do yourself and your middle school students a disservice if you don't schedule out intentionally.

In this episode, I talk about why we plan our retreats/trips/mission trips the way that we do in order to help out parents and middle school students!

Thinking about your students' first overnight with your ministry

Helping parents learn to trust you with their students

Scheduling overnights so that everyone can grow and learn together

Resources:

MFUGE mission trips

Got a middle school ministry question?

Email [email protected]

Need student ministry resources?

Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

If you have students, you have parents in your ministry too! Scheduling another meeting may not sound like a great idea, but if you do it right, a parent meeting can be incredibly helpful for your ministry!

I talk about:

Making parent meetings irresistible!

Throwing resources at parents

What to include in your parent meetings

Thinking about first-time parents

Making multiple parent meetings slightly different with appropriate focuses

Resources:

Download Youth Ministry Parent Newsletter App

This is a great resource for making newsletters to send to parents, volunteers, etc. Check it out!

 

Got a middle school ministry question?

Email [email protected]

Need student ministry resources?

Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

In this episode, I talk about how you can champion middle school students serving in areas that don't have anything to do with the youth ministry! That's a scary idea for everyone else on staff, but you know they can do it!

Right?

I talk about:

Championing middle school students serving

Convincing leadership to fill volunteer roles with MS Students

Using MS Students to supplement current volunteers

Training every volunteer, even your MS Students in the same way for the same role

Thinking about how to use volunteer applications and job descriptions to make sure everyone wins

Changing your church's culture to include MS Students volunteering!

Resources:

Planning Center | Love your church management software

Our Techincal Volunteer page on our church website featuring MS Students!

Got a middle school ministry question?

Email [email protected]

Need student ministry resources?

Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

Middle School students can serve in so many ways! Are you teaching them how to serve their peers?

In this episode, I talk about getting Middle School students serving within the student ministry.

Asking, "What am I doing that a student could do?"

Giving specific job descriptions

Assigning adults to oversee teams of students

Creating a culture of service

Resources:

Planning Center | Love your church management software

Middle School Band Job Description

Got a middle school ministry question?

Email [email protected]

Need student ministry resources?

Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

Hey all, my name is Ronald and I'm the Middle School pastor for Wayside Chapel in San Antonio, TX.

I went looking for a Middle School ministry podcast. I couldn't find one! So this is my answer to that lack. I hope you find it helpful.

Have a question about Middle School students ministry or want to share a tip?

Email me: [email protected]

Also, check out the great resources at

www.downloadyouthminsitry.com!