Middle School Ministry Podcast

Summer is nearly upon us! What are you going to do with your students? Andrea and Ronald talk about how to promote and when on this week’s show! Questions to consider: Do you have a plan to promote incoming students with your children’s team? Do you have a hand off planned with your high school team?

Spring can be tough! It may be even tougher for your volunteers! In this quick episode, Ronald shares some tips on how to encourage your team. Questions to consider:What are other ways you can encourage your volunteers? How can you encourage your volunteers today?

Holidays and “off” weeks can be tough! From low attendance to just not being sure how much time and attention to detail you should put into the week students are on Spring Break, Ronald and Andrea share some hot takes on how to plan for the holidays! Questions to consider:How do you handle low attendance youth events? What’s your go to for holiday and “off” weeks of youth ministry?

Giving middle school students a chance to lead will help them own their faith and make a bigger impact on their peers! This week Andrea and Ronald talk about how they saw leadership transform Middle School students and the ministry they were a part of.  Questions to consider: Would you hand a middle school student the microphone? Why do you wait to give away leadership?

Middle School Ministry Student Leadership? Yikes! Does that title make anyone else nervous? Can middle school students actually lead in youth ministry? Shouldn’t we wait until they have driver’s licenses at least before we hand off responsibilities? No way! Join the chat this week to find out what Andrea and Ronald think about middle school students and giving away leadership! Questions to conside...

Ok, but HOW do you minister to parents well? How do you guide them while doing youth ministry? Ronald and Andrea share some practical tips with you! Questions to consider: What would scheduling out in advance do for your ministry? How do you communicate with parents?

 Ronald Long and Andrea Miller talk about partnering with middle school parents and why it’s essential, whether you’re “just” the middle school pastor or everyone’s youth pastor! Questions to consider:How can you relieve the fears of nervous new parents? Why do you communicate the way you do with your parents right now?

Ronald Long and Andrea Miller talk middle school parent meetings: what they could be and why you should have them! Questions to consider: How do you communicate to your parents? Why is it good to keep parents in the loop?

Andrea Miller breaks down her new student leadership team. Ronald takes lots of notes. Questions to consider: What jobs can you give to middle school students? How can you involved students in ministry at your church?

Forced Discipleship and Middle School Students We’re back after a hiatus and life and stuff. Have you ever had a parent REALLY want you to meet with their student, when their student REALLY doesn’t want to? That’s what we talked about this episode. Questions to consider: How do you “parent” parents? What ways have you broken the tension with an unwilling student? How many times do you typically me...

The school year is half over in December. Is it a time when you need new leaders to come and help bring in the new calendar year? Andrea Miller comes back for a second episode to talk training new leaders! Questions to consider: Can you make a specific ask for leaders in your group? Can you encourage your leaders today? How can you get everyone trained in the same way? What jobs need to be done in...

Andrea Miller and Ronald Long talk about what it would be like to start helping students share what God is doing in their lives. Whether small groups or main stage, middle school students can have something to offer! Questions to consider: Do you have space for students to share? During small groups? During main stage time? In prayer? If not, what would it take to start letting them have the spotl...

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 d...

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...

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 role...

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 ho...

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 studen...

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 stu...

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...

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 Sc...

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 Services 2. Get Big-Picture Buy...

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 Bad https://www.downloadyouthministry.com/p/2020---it-wasn%27t-all-bad/games-6045.html The Life and Legacy of...

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 sce...

Christmas Fun and Plans During Coronavirus It’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 Room https://www.downloadyouthministry.com/p/escape-the-north-pole%3A-digital-escape-...