Middle School Ministry Podcast

Today was Student Ministry Sunday, which we’ve abbreviated to SMS because student ministry is edgy.It’s a day when we have students take over every part of the worship service and service opportunities at church.So here’s a quick “How To” on how you could implement something like this with your church, even if you have a smaller context!Make a Plan with Your TeamSit down with your team and ask them everything that goes on during a Sunday morning. Then see how they can help train your students to do what they do!What Jobs are Available?Door holders, bulletin distributors, sound board operator, praise and worship team, announcements, prayer, and everything else!Get BreakfastWe had breakfast tacos because that’s a thing in San Antonio. Make it a thing where you bless those who are serving!Promote the Heck out of ItPut up posters, send out emails, blast it on social media.Celebrate StudentsWe pull seniors up on stage to let them share their names and what their plans are for next year. Whoever is in town gets to do it. No slide show, just presence.Keep it GoingDid something really work well? Let students do it more than once a year!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

It's easy to think of summer as the time to do "big events" during the student ministry calendar, like a mission trip or summer camp. But don't neglect the opportunity to do some cool, low key events to build relationships with your students and hang with them!When you look at your summer calendar, think about some ways to incorporate some low key hangs!Some questions to consider:Can you put together something that helps out another ministry during the summer?How can you "just hang" intentionally with middle school kids who can't drive?Who can you empower to help you come up with some ideas?Mentioned on the podcast: Chris Hargrove on DYMChris on Instagram, Twitter, and FacebookGot 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:Happy Mother's day! Did you talk about mom's today? We didn't! But we did wrap up our series on Wisdom!Countdown Video:Cute AnimalsFunny video. Cute animals. You can't go wrong.Games:Sit Down If (Your Momma Edition)Another great DYM game! Everyone stands up and only sits down if they've done the thing on the screen!Minute to Win It WheelJust a quick wheel made in Sidekick that chooses a game for two contestants to play. It makes it a little chaotic, but also I'm down for chaos sometimes.Songs:AliveGive Me FaithBible Study:This week we finished "Get Wisdom" and it was good. We talked about how Rehoboam didn't listen to the wise advice of his dad's advisors but rather listened to his friend's advise that sounded better to him at the time. Lots of good application!Main Idea:Put Wisdom into practice!Scripture:1 Kings 12:1-19Resources:Get Wisdom is available on DYM for $9! Grab it and have all my teaching material plus small group questions!One month free Sidekick and DYM Gold Member Access: Click here!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

This was my first year ever to go to the Orange Conference! I had a blast and really enjoyed the experience. If you have never been, consider going and maybe even taking your children's and student team! It was an excellent conference with something for everyone.Here are some takeaways I got:Some questions to consider:How can you make your ministry personal?You can impress from a distance, you influence up close - Doug FieldsIt takes risk to rescue - Carlos WhittakerShame tells us we are not enough but Jesus makes me enough - Kara PowellMentioned on the podcast: Doug FieldsKara PowellCarlos WhittakerAshley Bohinc15 Minutes with FrankYouth Ministry HacksGot 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:Another crazy week! Just got back from the Orange conference and just took a nap! Enjoy another crazy episode of Sunday Morning Squirrels!Countdown Video:Bad Day at WorkGames:Change Places IfThis was supposed to be a mixer! If the student has done what's on the screen, they get up and move seats with someone else. Great game for moving students sitting in different places!Better Not Pick ItAn upfront game, or a game for students if you want to print enough emojis! Students choose an emoji from a stack. If it shows up on the screen and its the one they chose, they are out!Songs:Let It Be KnownGood Good FatherBible Study:We're in our second week of "Get Wisdom" and I'm excited! I love studying this and the Old Testament with students. This week we talked about Nabal, whose name means "dumb". So there's that. This is a great lesson on listening to good wisdom!Main Idea:Listen to wise people!Scripture:1 Samuel 25Resources:Get Wisdom is available on DYM for $9! Grab it and have all my teaching material plus small group questions!One month free Sidekick and DYM Gold Member Access: Click here!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

Summer is close at hand! If you haven't started planning your summer calendar, now's the time to get on it!Chris Hargrove is a buddy of mine serving in Lakewood Georgia and sat down with me to talk planning out his big summer events like camp and mission trip!If you haven't done your planning, listen and get on it!Some questions to consider:Have the big events on the calendar!Supplement the church's big summer vision!Plan low-key summer events when the kids are traveling.Mentioned on the podcast: Chris Hargrove on DYMChris on Instagram, Twitter, and FacebookGot 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:Holy cow this was a crazy week! My wife is still recovering from her back surgery, so I had all three of my daughters with me all day today!Which is why I'm recording in the gym while they are in childcare. >.

You only get 52 weeks in a year. No more and no less. There's no way you could teach all 1189 chapters in the Bible to your students in that time (and keep the sanity of you and your middle school kids that is). Since you're going to have to trim down what you teach, what ARE you going to teach?That's what I talk about in this week's episode. What in the world are you going to teach your middle school students?Some questions to consider:What do you want your middle school students to "graduate" knowing?Does your church have a vision that you can align your teaching to?What is your overall student ministry strategy?How are you going to plan your teaching calendar accordingly?Mentioned on the podcast: Become a DYM Gold member for 1 month for FREE Dave - Living and Leading UpAwkward - Sharing the GospelGot 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

Only a few days left to try the DYM Gold Membership for a month!Check it out for free for one whole month!Sunday Morning Squirrels:We don't have a lot of students show up on Easter. It's totally a culture thing with our church. They come with their whole family, go to service, and then go do something as a family. Because of this, we have "The Easter Rule" given to us by our pastor: If we know we're going to have a very small number of students, we spend exactly one hour prepping for Sunday and then do other things that week.I give you, a Sunday Morning that I spent about an hour and a half prepping for.Countdown Video:Kids Scared of the Easter BunnyGames:Peter, Cotton, TailIt's a Rock, Paper Scissors game versus the screen. Students have to choose a space in the room that has a sign labeled "Peter, Cotton, or Tail" and if they match the screen they are out! But if it lands on "Peter Cottontail", the last group to go gets back in!Easter Egg Hunt 3!I honestly didn't know there were Easter Egg Hunts 1 and 2. But this game was fun! We had students write their guess on whiteboards. The one closest got a point!The one who was most wrong got a Cascarón smashed on their head!Songs:Burn Like a StarDeath was ArrestedBible Study:Main Idea:Because Jesus is alive, we can have new life!Scripture:John 20Resources:Download Sidekick for Free!Talking Squirrels on Social:FacebookInstagramTwitterEmail

DYM has really shaped my ministry over the last six years. Going out to southern California has been a huge blessing to me and helped me become a better youth pastor.I hope you might consider checking out Download Youth Ministry, not because it's a great store with great resources, but because it's also a great community of youth pastors who seek to speak into the lives of youth workers.There's a ton of stuff you should check out on the website. But more than that, you should get into the community. It's cup filling and helpful.DYM has some fantastic games you can use with your group right now!The website also has lots of teaching resources, videos, and training.The Facebook community is well worth your time to invest, ask opinions, and get better.Plus, share this episode, get a chance to win $20 store credit! Not bad.Thanks for listening! See you next week.Mentioned on the podcast: Become a DYM Gold member for 1 month for FREE 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