Middle School Ministry Podcast

Katie Edwards and Ronald Long talk about what a weekly sabbath looks like in the midst of a busy season. Questions to consider:How can you prepare for a Sabbath throughout the week?What things/people fill your cup? What things/people drain the life out of you?Why is a Sabbath such a big deal?

This week I got to have a great conversation with Katie Edwards, Junior High Pastor at Saddleback Church, about how she uses fun to help foster community and trust with her middle school students!Questions to consider:How can you add community fun to your weekly program?In what ways can you help build relationships in your group?What can you do to get students to trust each other and move to deeper relationships?

This Sunday I watched as a now 8th grader who, let’s be real, used to be a big turd, invite a sixth grade student up on stage with her to sing for worship band. It was the most encouraging thing I’ve seen in a long time and it made my heart so happy to see! And of course, it got me thinking: How can we encourage students to be more welcoming and inviting? That’s what we break down today!Questions to consider:Is your group insider focused, or outsider focused?Do you have a place for a new student to fit in?Are there places for current students to step up?

You’ve just moved up a group of students. Why in the world would you be thinking about promoting the ones you just got!? In this episode, Ronald talks about how he’s trying to plan for the student leadership vacuum that occurs every year by preparing right now!•Who are your leaders now that your leaders have moved up?•Who could be developed?•How can you identify new students to take on new roles?•How can you encourage students who have stepped into the vacuum?Talked about on the episode:https://trainmyvolunteers.comGet a glimpse at the type and quality of content that will be available on the National Day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training (NDVYMT). Download a free training session with Doug Fields today!

This was the week! Ronald finally got his own kid in student ministry. And it was heartwarming and hilarious. This week Ronald talks about how to create a safe space for your middle school students to really share their thoughts, doubts, and opinions. •How do you respond when a contrary opinion is shared? Do you judge it or roll with it?•Do students share their doubts in youth group or do they hold back?•How can you encourage students to share if they think they don’t hold the same opinion or story as others?Talked about on the episode:https://trainmyvolunteers.comGet a glimpse at the type and quality of content that will be available on the National Day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training (NDVYMT). Download a free training session with Doug Fields today!

This is the year. Tim, our high school pastor, is getting his daughter in the high school ministry, and Ronald, the middle school pastor, is getting his daughter (and another one of Tim’s) in the middle school ministry.Insert generalized anxiety here.Are your kids in your youth ministry? •You’re not just your kid’s pastor. You’re your kid’s FRIENDS pastor!•How are you going to treat your student?•How are you going to treat your student’s friends?•Treat them all the same. Even if it’s a little strange at first.Talked about on the episode:Follow Tim Nowell on Social!Instagram - @tim.nowellTwitter - @ThatTimNowell

Tim Nowell, the high school pastor I get to work with every week, sits down with me to talk about moving up 8th grade students to the high school ministry. He’s a thirteen-year veteran at Wayside Chapel and we have a strategy. Mostly.•We have a conversation about each student by talking through a list.•We highlight who will show up, who was involved, and who we’ve never seen.•Leaders loving students for years.•Welcoming incoming students into the high school ministry the week before promotion with a “Fish Fry” (Grilling freshman with questions and addressing their fears).Talked about on the episode:Follow Tim Nowell on Social!Instagram - @tim.nowellTwitter - @ThatTimNowell

After COVID has a lot of us remembering “before the pandemic” either with fondness or envy. It’s a season of rebuilding for our whole church, but our Stone Oak campus is rebuilding… harder. Listen in as Ronald and Cameron talk about what to do when the numbers are down.•Focus on who is there.•When students aren’t around, you are the energy.•Try to not take it personally.•Look inward to see if changes need to made: to your ministry or to yourself.Talked about on the episode:Follow Cameron Contrestano on Social!Instagram - @cameron.m.c

In this episode Ronald talks to Cameron Contrestano, the Student Ministry Pastor at Wayside Chapel, Stone Oak Campus. Ronald and Cameron work together a lot! Cameron’s group is 6th through 12th grade and he often has to “call up” the middle school crew. That’s the topic of today’s podcast!•Utilize middle school student’s natural curiosity.•Treat them like teenagers, not like children.•Middle School students can handle MORE than we usually give them credit for.•Think: Ministry BY students, not ministry TO students.Talked about on the episode:Follow Cameron Contrestano on Social!Instagram - @cameron.m.c

Recently, Doug and Josh made a video about how to get Momentum in 2021! In this episode, Michelle and Ronald talk about the ways they are planning to work on one of the ten things they talked about!Talked about on the episode:Momentum in Ministry Facebook Video:https://blog.downloadyouthministry.com/how-to-get-momentum-in-2021/The Quick List:1. Align With Adult Services2. Get Big-Picture Buy-In3. Communicate4. Dig Deeper5. Combine with a Kickoff6. Perk Attendance7. Incentivize New Students 8. Incentivize Volunteers9. Enhance Parent Communication 10. Make Sure You Deliver