Middle School Ministry Podcast

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

Ok, it wasn’t ALL a dumpster fire. Some good things did come out of 2020! This week, Michelle and Ronald look back at 2020 and talk about the things they saw that were positive from the year!Got anything to add? We’d love to hear about it!Talked about on the episode:2020 - It Wasn’t All Badhttps://www.downloadyouthministry.com/p/2020---it-wasn%27t-all-bad/games-6045.htmlThe Life and Legacy of Allison Williamshttps://scholarship.downloadyouthministry.com/allison-williams/What did we love about 2020?1.Michelle Speaking at David Wood’s church!2.Brett Eddy speaking at Ronald’s retreat3.Online game nights were great! Google Doc Trivia night. Kahoot is a good tool.4.Ronald’s Youtube Lives were really fun5.Michelle and her husband celebrated 1 year! Yay! PS - Allison we love you.

These kids are squirrely. You’ve got to be careful or they’ll run around on you if you put them in charge of things! They might even get going even when you aren’t ready! This week, Michelle and Ronald talk giving students responsibilities.And the good and the bad of doing so!Questions to Consider•How can you help students lead from the front?•How can you help students lead from behind the scenes?Mentioned in the Podcast:Student Job Descriptionshttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FOQfPY_WNmnnqDdZlOU-I90DegOFPBcG?usp=sharing3 Ways to Quickly Pivot a Youth Ministry Game That is Bombing on Stagehttps://blog.downloadyouthministry.com/3-ways-to-quickly-pivot-a-youth-ministry-game-that-is-bombing-on-stage/5 Tips For Hosting Next-Level Camp Gameshttps://blog.downloadyouthministry.com/5-tips-for-hosting-next-level-camp-games/

Christmas Fun and Plans During CoronavirusIt’s December! That means Christmas parties and lots of plans. And maybe changing plans.This week Ronald and Michelle talk about what Christmas looks like during Covid. Got any suggestions? Send them on!Talked about on the Podcast:Escape the North Pole: Digital Escape Roomhttps://www.downloadyouthministry.com/p/escape-the-north-pole%3A-digital-escape-room/online-ministry/special-events-6000.htmlActin’ Sushttps://www.downloadyouthministry.com/p/actin%27-sus/games-actinsusgame.html

Did you spend a lot of time planning an event that had to get canceled or postponed due to the pandemic? This week, Ronald and Michelle talk about having to make contingency plans and calling audibles during this wild season. And what to do when you don’t really agree with the decisions that get made.Questions to Consider•What do you do with the plans you had for an event that didn’t come together?•How can you support the leadership of your church even if you don’t like a decision?•What are some ways you can reach out to and encourage students even when an event didn’t get to happen?