Middle School Ministry Podcast

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

Sunday Morning Squirrels: It’s definitely still summer! We leave on our mission trip this week but Sunday is still coming!We’re doing a DYM series called “Pause” and it’s been great! Check it out!Countdown Video:Fail VideosPeople falling down. It’s always funny. This is a fun and clean video. Download and us!Games:Rank ThisWe had rows compete against each other in this fun game. Super easy and fun!IndependanceWe had the winning row come up and play this. Three hints for students to guess the type of dance!Songs:Burn Like A StarBible 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:We are never too busy to spend time with God.Scripture:Luke 10:38-42Resources:One month free Sidekick and DYM Gold Member Access: Click here!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

Vacation Bible School is a staple in many churches! Whether you call it VBS, do it at night or in the morning, there's probably something going on in your children's minister for your kids during the summer!The question is, how can you get your middle school students involved in serving? Most of them have either JUST promoted out of elementary or are still not far from it, so can they really be helpful?Michelle and Ronald talk about how their middle school students serve and how awesome it's been!Here are some questions to consider!Would your church be cool with students serving in BIG roles during VBS?How does your children's pastor feel about students serving?What roles could you assign to students?Why is this something you want for your ministry?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:Summer series time! We always have a fun series where it's a little calmer and a lot more practical. I was really glad for that because this Sunday we had REALLY low attendance! It was still a ton of fun.Since people either have a ton of free time in the summer or are crazy busy, we're looking at how to "PAUSE" and take time with God. It's a DYM lesson seriesUNdersto, so go check it out!I'm looking forward to it!Countdown Video:"Pause Prank"I really love having YouTube for content that I can show to students. This week, however, I had to edit a bit for time and not getting angry emails. This was a fun prank video but had some parts I didn't Here's the actual link: https://youtu.be/J6JSolgpNa8And here's what I edited for our group: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FvYnJKPc8boB1XSfPQGgcPNvPaq4FPI0Games:Face Booty AwesomeQuick and easy screen game. Students had to decide if the person landed on their face, their booty, or if it was awesome. Fun and awesome!Stick it In My BeardHad a student wear a fake beard. The first person to bring the chosen item to the front gets too STICK IT in the host's beard. Hilarious!Songs:Let It Be KnownEven So ComeBible 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:We need to make time to be away with GodScripture:Mark 1:29-39Resources:One month free Sidekick and DYM Gold Member Access: Click here!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

Summer is when our students and their families normally take a vacation, but what about us?As ministers, it's really important for us to get away, recharge and refresh. The problem is when most people are off (like during the summer and Christmas holidays) that's usually when our ministries are running full steam! That doesn't mean we don't take time off. It actually means we should be even MORE intentional about getting away!Do you take time off? Here are some questions to consider!What's your strategy for communicating to parents?What's your strategy for communicating to students?Do you create your resources on Canva?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 Ronald's List of Who Needs to Know It?Who needs to know it?What do students need to know?What do parents need to know?What do leaders need to know?What does my admin need to know?What does my team need to know?What does my supervisor need to know?What does facilities need to know?What does the rest of the staff need to know?What does my spouse need to know?What does the family need to know?When do they need to know it?Three months out?One month out?One week out?Day before?

Sunday Morning Squirrels:VBS hangover is real. But our Sunday was still great!Countdown Video:VBS VolunteerBecause so many of our students volunteer for VBS, I felt like they'd like this video. I wasn't wrong! It was a hit!Games:Extreme Row MakeoverThis was a great crowd game! Everyone can play and you need no supplies! The row has to do what shows up on the screen first and if they do, they get a point! Super easy and tons of fun!Guess A RooA fun game we played with a group of students who had their hands on top during the last round of Hot Hands. We brought students up to guess the name of the Bible without the Vowels! Some were easy. Some were SUPER hard! Click the link to download it!Songs:AlivePraise Before My BreakthroughBible Study:Today was fun! We talked about the analogies of the trinity and how they breakdown. It was a lot of fun and the students really understood the trinity better!Main Idea:God is a mystery we can know!Scripture:John 1:1 & 14matthew 3:16-17titus 2:11-14Resources:One month free Sidekick and DYM Gold Member Access: Click here!Wholesale Mexican Blankets!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

Summer is when our students and their families normally take a vacation, but what about us?As ministers, it's really important for us to get away, recharge and refresh. The problem is when most people are off (like during the summer and Christmas holidays) that's usually when our ministries are running full steam! That doesn't mean we don't take time off. It actually means we should be even MORE intentional about getting away!Do you take time off? Here are some questions to consider!Do you plan to take a vacation each year?Will you leave vacation days "on the table" this year?How does the rest of your staff feel about taking a vacation?Will you and your spouse get away this year, just the two of you?How do you get refreshed on vacation?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