Middle School Ministry Podcast

Sunday Morning Squirrels:What a crazy good Sunday! Our students all promoted today. That means tons of new students, a new group dynamic, and lots of names to remember!It was a really a great Sunday morning. We began a new series talking about our Purpose through 1 John. Absolutely a blast!Countdown Video:Chickfila Pickup LinesThis was a funny video, BUT I was disappointed that it was a little racy. Use it if you want, but make sure you watch it and that it would work for your group. Because it REALLY pushed our boundaries and I wouldn't show it again without taking out some of the jokes.Games:2 Liter SmashThis game was a ton of fun! It may have just been the energy in the room, but it was awesome! You just get a group to drink a 2 liter and do a task as they get it past the number you've drawn on the bottle. Click the link to download it and play with your group.Nailed it or Failed it: Cat EditionThe group that won got to come up and play this really funny game from DYM. It's a video-driven either-or game and got a lot of reaction!Songs:Let It Be KnownDeath was ArrestedBible Study:We began a Bible study by VIVA! that's available on DYM to download. We adjusted it a little bit to fit our needs, but it's been a good study to look over so far! This was a study on what John says about Light in 1 John. Check out the study here.Main Idea:Walk in the light!Scripture:1 John 1:5-101 John 2:9-11Resources:One month free Sidekick and DYM Gold Member Access: Click here!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

This is a really great event that we do the week before we have our 6th-grade students promote into the student ministry! It's a chance for the incoming students to be in the room, get to know me, and have a ton of fun eating and learning about the ministry!Here's a quick run-down of what we did.Game: 12 in 12A really fun memory game based on screens. My 6th-grade students always really engage with it!Talk: IntroductionsI told them about myself, my family, and showed a few pictures.Game: Head, Shoulders, Knees, CupThe easiest ministry game ever! Students just need a cup for every pair of students.Talk: MS VisionI shared our vision for the middle school ministry. I want students to know my heart in ministering to them! Click the link to see what I shared! Game: Crushed It or Crashed ItWe played this in tables and I awarded the winning table with a unicorn pinata filled with candy. I love my job.Talk: Serve CardsStudents can serve immediately in our ministry! We have them fill out cards to let us know where they want to serve. We make a really big deal out of making sure they don't just sit back, but that they are an active part in what we do! Click the heading to see what our cards look like. Student PicturesI took their pictures with their names. 

Sunday Morning Squirrels:This was the last week we had with our students who are in 8th grade. Next week we promote up and have a fresh group! I'm excited about it, but we needed to finish up strong!Jeremiah was our focus today. We reminded students that they are not too young to do God's will. We also spent some time praying for our leaving group of students.8th Grade Send-off:We circled up the 8th-grade students and surrounded them with 7th and 6th-grade students. We prayed over them all.We prayed for the students that they would:Lead even though they are about to be the youngest in their high school group.Serve and not let the older students be the only servants in the group.Live in such a way that points others to Jesus.Countdown Video:Girl Cries Like a Race CarThis is an old video, but we started our day by praying for students. This was a funny segue to get from our cry moment to the rest of the morning.Games:Did It FundI made this game. It's an "either-or" game about Kickstarter projects. Click the link to download!Name That TuneWe had our students come up on stage who had birthdays in August. It was a ton of fun for my students, but they struggled with the game. Maybe a different group would get it, but only the songs like "Jingle Bells" and "Happy Birthday" worked with our group.Songs:Burn Like a StarEven So ComeBible Study:This was our big send-off for our 8th-grade students. We talked about how God has a plan for Jeremiah, even though he was really young when he was first called. We reminded students that they aren't too young to do what God wants them to do!Main Idea:You're not too young to do God's willScripture:Jeremiah 1:1-10Resources:One month free Sidekick and DYM Gold Member Access: Click here!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

Your leaders' opinions of the trip matter!When you take leaders on a trip, you have the opportunity to ask them to be your "eyes and ears" for things that you might not be able to see because you've been working so closely on the details of the whole thing.Debriefing with your leaders is hugely important and can really help when you're either trying to change a big part of the trip or make it better next year!Here are some questions to think about:When is a good time to debrief? On the way home? One week after?What questions can you ask your leaders?What's the best way to record their answers?How will their responses shape your next trip?Mentioned on the podcast: DYM Community Facebook GroupGot a middle school ministry question?Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.comNeed student ministry resources?Check out www.downloadyouthministry.comDo you listen to the Podcast? Consider leaving a review of the podcast!Social Media:InstagramTwitterFacebook

Sunday Morning Squirrels:We've only got two weeks until we promote up the fifth-grade students into the middle school room and I'm excited! But that means we need to properly send off the eighth-grade students first! We started a two-week series called "Launch" which I'll put down below for you to download and make your own!It's always a crazy Sunday in middle school. Here's what we did!Countdown Video:Taco Bell and KFC Board RoomI like Taco Bell. My students give me a hard time (as they should) so this video just made sense.Games:Bird BirdThis was a fun elimination game from DYM. Easy to use and have students play!Disney CharadesOnce students were eliminated enough, we got them up on stage to play Disney Charades. It's exactly like it sounds. A movie name goes on the screen, the crowd acts it out and the participants have to guess. Very nice!Songs:AliveEven So ComeBible Study:Today we talked about Phillip and the Ethopian Eunuch (a guy who the king made sure he couldn't have illegitimate children with the queen. You're welcome). We talked about taking the next step in your faith, whether that's responding to Jesus, being baptized, serving, or sharing the Gospel with someone!Main Idea:Take the next step!Scripture:Acts 8:26-40Resources:One month free Sidekick and DYM Gold Member Access: Click here!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

Middle School Girls.Chances are half of your group is female. How do you take time to make sure they are ministered to on trips?Michelle and Ronald have a candid conversation about making sure you've got what you need to meet the needs of half your group when you're gone on a summer (or really any) trip!Here are some questions to think about:Did you buy pads? You should.Do you have extra clothing options for emergencies?Have you prepped your female leaders to help out in a crisis?Are you able to know things without letting on you know things?Mentioned on the podcast: DYM Community Facebook GroupGot a middle school ministry question?Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.comNeed student ministry resources?Check out www.downloadyouthministry.comDo you listen to the Podcast? Consider leaving a review of the podcast!Social Media:InstagramTwitterFacebook

Sunday Morning Squirrels:Woo!This Sunday I've got someone teaching for me and it's their very first time in front of middle school students! I'm super pumped. I helped him write his talk, he gave it to me sitting in a chair in the middle school room (not awkward one bit) and then he watched himself after we recorded it.The rest of the day, was pretty normal/crazy with games, announcements and fun!Countdown Video:How Captain America Should Have Returned the StonesThis was a fun video! Clean and I think it's been long enough to show End Game Spoilers. Cool.Games:Testing Your Self-ControlThis was an ice breaker game that was pretty funny. Just lots of questions about certain scenarios to get students talking!CLUMPS Summer EditionQuick and easy all play game! A number and an action comes up on the screen and students have to do it!Songs:Let It be KnownHere as In HeavenBible Study:Ben did a talk on anxiety. It was awesome! Really connected with our students and it was great to have another voice in their lives!Main Idea:Jesus came to free us from sin, including our anxiety!Scripture:Philippians 4:4-8Resources:One month free Sidekick and DYM Gold Member Access: Click here!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

Summer usually means summer trips!What trips have you been taking? Michelle and Ronald talk about the trips they've been taking, the reasons they take them, and how they recover!Here are some questions to consider!What trips do you take during the summer?How do you rest after taking a trip?What tips do you have for taking trips with middle school students?Mentioned on the podcast: DYM Community Facebook Grouphttps://www.canva.com/https://unsplash.com/https://pixabay.com/Got a middle school ministry question?Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.comNeed student ministry resources?Check out www.downloadyouthministry.comDo you listen to the Podcast? Consider leaving a review of the podcast!Social Media:InstagramTwitterFacebook

Sunday Morning Squirrels:We're back from our mission trip and I'm ALMOST recovered! It was a really great trip with students coming forward with a lot of brokenness. There's definitely some more unpacking that needs to happen over the course of time, but for now we're still rocking our series "Pause" from DYM. I made some tie ins to what happened at the mission trip but we'll do a deeper dive soon.Now on to the Sunday!Countdown Video:Fail VideosI made like, three of these in advance of the mission trip because I knew things would be tight. Here's another for you to download!Games:Slang Game 19th CenturyChoose which side of the room game. Really funny and my students got into it!Guess Who Vol 2This wasn't a win with my students, but maybe they just don't now popular people? I don't know. Give it a shot with your group and find out!Songs:Let It be KnownGood Good FatherBible Study:PAUSE is a four-lesson series that deals with the importance of pushing pause in order stay to connected with God. In this fast-paced world, busyness and self-reliance can get in the way of seeking God to meet our built-in need for rest.Main Idea:The World tells us to fend for ourselves, but God calls us to depend on Him and others.Scripture:Romans 12:1-8Resources:One month free Sidekick and DYM Gold Member Access: Click here!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

Youth ministry means designing things!Whether its parent newsletters, emails, social media posts, or slides for teaching, you're going to be designing things!Even if you're not great at it, there's lot you can learn from looking at other ministries and why design matters!Here are some questions to consider!What are your favorite free design resources?Who can you get to design things for your ministry?How can you design in "batches" to save time and energy?What ministry will you consider to look at as an example of what you can do?Mentioned on the podcast: DYM Community Facebook Grouphttps://www.canva.com/https://unsplash.com/https://pixabay.com/Got a middle school ministry question?Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.comNeed student ministry resources?Check out www.downloadyouthministry.comDo you listen to the Podcast? Consider leaving a review of the podcast!Social Media:InstagramTwitterFacebook