Podcasts by Middle School Ministry Podcast
The Middle School Ministry Podcast
Further podcasts by DYM Podcast Network
Podcast on the topic Christentum
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044 - Middle School Parent Meetings from 2022-09-19T21:18:32
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?
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043 – Middle School Student Leadership Team from 2022-09-12T17:38:18
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 invo...
Forced Discipleship and Middle School Students from 2022-04-11T16:32:30
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 REA...
Training New Middle School Leaders from 2021-12-21T16:33:31
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 ...
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Middle School students sharing their stories from 2021-12-15T16:49:31
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 ...
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Sabbath and Middle School Ministry from 2021-10-08T14:21:34
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 wee...
Building Trust with Middle School Students from 2021-09-22T19:02:22
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!<...
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Helping Middle School Students Be Welcoming from 2021-09-01T22:37:28
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’...
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Planning For Next Year’s Promotion NOW from 2021-08-26T16:52:27
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 ...
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Creating a Safe Space for Middle School Students from 2021-08-17T22:10:33
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...
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How Not To Freak Out When Your Kid Comes Into Ministry from 2021-07-26T15:05:02
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 m...
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Handing Off 8th Grade Students from 2021-07-19T14:03:15
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 C...
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When the Numbers are LOW from 2021-07-12T14:16:31
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 ...
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Calling Middle School Students Up from 2021-07-06T16:07:51
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 gra...
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Let's Get Some Momentum in 2021! from 2021-01-19T16:59:50
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...
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2020 Wasn’t A Complete Dumpster Fire from 2021-01-11T17:19:59
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!
...
The Dangers of Putting Middle School Students In Charge from 2020-12-22T06:39:17
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 Ro...
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Christmas Fun&Plans During Coronavirus from 2020-12-14T18:27:20
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 wh...
It's Not Cancelled, It's Postponed from 2020-12-07T18:57:34
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 audib...
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Are We Shutting Down Again? from 2020-11-30T19:38:39
Have you and your church stayed open this whole time? Did you have to shut down and then got to re-open? After all that, are you having to shut down AGAIN?
This week, Michelle and Ronald talk ...
Talking Politics without being a Jerk from 2020-10-12T06:51:28
It’s time to vote. And this election cycle has been extra spicy for us and our students. So when politics come into the conversation during small groups and hanging out, how do we talk about politi...
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Starting Back... Again from 2020-09-29T03:29:42
After a crazy break, student ministry is getting started back in force! This week, Ronald and Michelle talk about what that looks like in their ministries.
Things we talk about this epis...
National Day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training 2020 from 2020-09-08T20:21:08
We’re pumped for this year’s NDOVYMT! In this episode, Ronald and Michelle talk about the big day of training, how they’ll use it, and how it’s helped train their middle school leaders!
...
How to Have Small Groups without Getting Covid from 2020-08-31T16:39:28
*Ronald and Michelle are not medical doctors*
This week we talk about trying to make small groups happen without making Covid-19 happen. We talk about how we communicated to parents, sma...
Sharing Space (But Not Pandemics) from 2020-08-24T18:04:21
Everyone has some time of guidelines in place for their space.
But what if that space doesn’t belong to your church?
This week, Michelle and Ronald talk about the challenges o...
Complaints&Compliments in Middle School Ministry from 2020-08-19T07:42:26
You’ve never gotten a complaint before, right?
HA!
In youth ministry, we’re dealing with parents and their kids. Parents care deeply about what goes on with their students an...
Plans for the Fall (So Far!) from 2020-08-10T05:48:54
School would be starting up soon (normally). Youth ministry would be finishing up its last summer trips (usually). Parents would be excited about their student promoting into the next grade (in nor...
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Michelle Got a Job! from 2020-08-10T05:08:34
In the craziness of COVID-19, churches still need middle school pastors! This week we’re really excited to talk about Michelle’s new job. We also talk about some of the weirdness of starting in a m...
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Welcome 6th Graders (To Pandemic Youth Ministry) from 2020-07-23T05:45
We’re getting ready to welcome 6th grade students to the youth ministry! Also, we’re not entirely sure what we are welcoming them to…
So we’re putting together a strategy to welcome stud...
Staycations&Life Updates from 2020-07-16T17:49:27
Michelle has finally moved to Idaho! In this episode, she and Ronald talk about resting, new starts, and trying to adapt in the crazy covid climate.
Things we talk about this episode:
Social Distancing&Middle Schoolers from 2020-07-07T04:57:24
In the season of COVID, youth ministry looks really different! This week, Michelle and Ronald talk about going out and doing youth ministry while trying to practice social distancing. It’s a challe...
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Bless Those COVID-19 Leaders from 2020-06-23T17:20:11
In a time when leaders are just as quarantined as our students, what are you doing to help encourage them to continue to serve? How are you as a leader shepherding the leaders of your students? Mic...
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A Reopening of Sorts from 2020-06-18T04:41:38
This week Michele and Ronald talk about the possibility of re-opening in Texas and meeting a youth group in person! While it’s really exciting to think about being together, it’s super important to...
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What Can Two White Middle School Pastors Do? from 2020-06-15T17:59:44
These last few weeks have highlighted the need for everyone who has any influence or voice to step up and speak for those who have been silenced. Michelle and Ronald are both white (spoiler alerts)...
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Boise, Idaho and Leaving Well from 2020-06-04T19:31:01
Michelle is moving! While it’s always sad to leave a church, there’s definitely a WAY to leave that helps out the people who will continue to carry the torch after you’re gone.
In this e...
Plan to Gain Trust from 2020-05-27T17:24:42
Parents are freaking out. Whether it’s because we’re asking their students to wear masks or because we aren’t social distancing enough, everyone seems to be on edge.
It doesn’t matter wh...
What We Did This Week 5.24.20 from 2020-05-26T18:18:21
Bread Head Part 2
This was a quick game I cooked up after last week. It’s in the resource folder!
Dad Jokes
Ask students to record their dads telling jokes. You’ll groan AND la...
Making the Plan from 2020-05-20T13:20:04
In this week’s episode Michele and Ronald brainstorm a little bit about what the first phase of bringing back student ministry will look like in their churches.
No matter what stage of r...
What We Did This Week 5.17.20 from 2020-05-18T06:04:27
It’s everything we did this week to interact with Middle School students online!
Wednesday Online Youth Group:
Bread Head
Last week we made a joke about having bread in t...
Bacon and Budgets from 2020-05-13T17:01:36
From bacon to Kahoot, things cost money! In this crazy Covid-19 season, is your church on a spending freeze, being really cautious about funds, or letting all things go on like normal?
T...
What We Did This Week 5.10.20 from 2020-05-11T15:40:08
It’s everything we did this week to interact with Middle School students online!
Wednesday Online Youth Group:
Star Wars Enactment
We asked students to retreat their favo...
Summer is Canceled (kind of) from 2020-05-06T07:20:13
How do you plan for things that may or may not be happening? Have you decided to cancel everything for the summer or are you holding out hope that things will be good enough to happen again sometim...
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What We Did This Week 5.6.20 from 2020-05-04T07:17:46
Ms online 05.03.20
It’s everything we did this week to interact with Middle School students online!
Wednesday Online Youth Group:
Dance Competition
So last wee...
Will It All Go Back To Normal? from 2020-04-29T07:25:48
We all can’t wait for things to go back to normal! But what is normal? And will it be something we even get back to eventually?
This week Michelle and Ronald talk about getting back, bei...
What We Did this Week: 4.26.20 from 2020-04-27T18:40:54
Masterpiece Theater
A DYM winner! We posted this game to our Insta-story and emailed parents to let them know how to compete and then showed the compiled video with some classical music during...
More Like Sabbath From Home from 2020-04-22T18:15:09
Work and home are now the same. We don’t know about you all, but the shift has been HARD for Michelle and Ronald! This week we talk about how to Sabbath while also being in the exact same room you ...
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MS Online 04.19.20 from 2020-04-20T16:26:16
Wednesday:
Trick Shots
We sent out a text and email request for “Trick Shot Videos” like Dude Perfect. We sent them this link and just asked them to go to town. Our group delivered!...
Technical Glitches from 2020-04-14T15:03:54
We aren’t professionals, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t trying! There’s a balance we’re learning about putting on the best show we possibly can and running into glitches… like the camera turning o...
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MS Online 04.12.20 from 2020-04-13T22:31:43
We had been doing a “This is what happened during our big meeting!” Episode for a long time. Well, everything changed with COVID-19, so here’s what we’re doing now! This will be a quick 5 minute or...
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Online engagement for Middle Schoolers from 2020-04-07T19:55:20
2019 - Everybody! Stay off your phones and off social media!
2020 - Everybody! Get on your phone and check out social media!
It feels like everything has gone online! While so...
Staying Connected While Socially Distancing from 2020-03-31T13:00
How can you stay connected while remaining six-feet apart, in groups no larger than ten, or sheltering in place?
Well, it definitely presents some challenges.
In this episode, Ronald and ...
Middle School Ministry and COVID-19 from 2020-03-24T13:00
Who was really looking forward to re-inventing church and middle school ministry as we know it this month? Anyone?
Well too bad, we're doing it anyway! Thanks, COVID-19!
For real, churche...
MS Online - 03.20.20 from 2020-03-23T01:13:18
Middle School Sundays:
Well, the world has been flipped upside down! But we're an adaptive bunch, so here's what we're doing for our Sunday Mornings until this COVID-19 business is all wrapped...
Being a Burnt Out Middle School Pastor from 2020-03-16T22:02
Ministry is hard. Trying to do ministry from an empty cup is impossible.
Don't burn out. You're not alone. Get help!
This week, Ronald and Michelle talk about what they do when they're fe...
Speaking as a Guest Middle School Pastor from 2020-03-10T13:02
Sometimes we get the awesome opportunity to talk to another student pastor's middle school students!
Michelle got to go and teach for a retreat for our favorite wizard (David Wood). In this ep...
Middle School Students with Special Needs from 2020-03-03T13:00
It's such a blessing to have students in our ministries who are different! When it comes to students with special needs, they have a set of needs that ought to be addressed and met.
Both Mich...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 03.01.20 from 2020-03-01T21:24:50
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Woohoo! Sex talk time! Ok, maybe not everyone is excited about this, but that's alright. We had a great start to a potentially awkward and wonderful series!
Coun...
Asking Middle School Students About Social Media from 2020-02-25T13:00
We all post to social media. Whether it's for our personal pages or for our ministries, putting up a quick pic is something we all do!
Have you ever put up something that you later thought mig...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 02.23.20 from 2020-02-23T18:07:30
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
After a great trip to California, I’m back and it’s Sunday with the Middle School ministry! Between helping the children’s ministry with technical difficulties and wa...
Sometimes Students are Punks from 2020-02-18T13:00
Middle school students are great. But sometimes they're also punks. Michelle has a rule in her group: Don't be a jerk.
Our students don't always live by that rule.
But we get to watch the...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 02.16.20 from 2020-02-16T18:47:04
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
What a Sunday morning! It was a fun and crazy morning, but we made and students really got challenged by the lesson! Good times all around.
Countdown Video:
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Love is in the Air. It's Sex Talk Time. from 2020-02-11T13:00
Who in their right mind would talk to middle school students about sex?
Well, people who are in their right mind of course!
Someone is talking to your middle school students about sex. It...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 02.09.20 from 2020-02-09T19:27:16
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Sunday mornings are crazy and fun all at the same time. Today was definitely both and why I love Sundays with middle school students!
Countdown Video:
Thing...
85 - When you disagree with the Camp Speaker from 2020-02-04T13:00
You finally got your students to camp! It's been a crazy ride of getting all the paperwork in, the money collected, and the leaders all lined up.
And then the camp speaker starts to talk. And ...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 02.02.20 from 2020-02-02T16:50:50
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
We finally made it through January! Does anyone else feel like this month was a whole year long? Just me? Ok then.
We started a new series called "Retro" this w...
84 - Mourning, Loss, and Middle School Students from 2020-01-28T13:00
Life means that sometimes sad stuff is going to happen. This week Ronald and Michelle talk about some recent tragedies they have both faced, how they've handled them with their students, and how mo...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 01.26.20 from 2020-01-26T17:48:48
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
I've been sick the last few days. This morning I took cough medicine to help me get through the day. Turns out, it was NOT non-drowsy. I've been loopy all morning and...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 01.12.20 from 2020-01-24T21:03:58
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Now we find a rythym! With two weeks under our belt, it's beginning to feel like a good time to get back to ministry! I love these students and the challenge they giv...
83 - Here's to the New Year and New Things! from 2020-01-14T13:00
Hello 2020! I've already written you down wrong every day of this new decade...
Michelle and Ronald talk about the big things they are getting ready for in 2020 and what it means for their min...
82 - Holiday Breaks and Hot Takes from 2020-01-10T19:22:07
Just kidding. There aren't many hot takes. But Michelle and Ronald talk about what they're doing during their break over the Christmas and New Year holiday!
What do you do with any natural bre...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 01.05.20 from 2020-01-07T02:33:06
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Woohoo! Taking a break is nice, but getting back into the swing of things is great! I'm glad we're back into the rhythm of Sunday mornings! We're starting off 2020 wi...
Happy New Year! from 2019-12-31T14:50:28
Good-bye Christmas and 2019!
Happy New Year!
From Michelle and Ronald, we want to wish you a blessed 2020 as you continue to minister to middle school students and show them the love of J...
Merry Christmas from Talking Squirrels from 2019-12-24T13:32
Merry Christmas everybody!
From Michelle and Ronald, we hope you have a wonderful Christmas and remember that in the middle of all of the chaos of ministering to Junior High and Middle School ...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 12.22.19 from 2019-12-22T16:00
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
We didn't meet today! What a weird feeling. But it really helps our students, our parents, and our volunteers get a break. Oh. And me too. Do you take any kind of bre...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 12.15.19 from 2019-12-17T02:21:58
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Last Sunday of the year! I know. We take a two-week break, one before and one after Christmas. This lets us prepare for the New Year and gives our students and parent...
80 - Echo Weekend Debrief from 2019-12-10T13:00
This week, Michelle and Ronald talk about Ronald's Disciple Now weekend and how it went. The event is a stay in host homes retreat with worship at the church. Everything went really well! Here's a ...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 12.08.19 from 2019-12-08T18:00:29
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
I feel like this Sunday was the LEAST crazy we've had in a while. Good energy. Great student participation. All in all, a very nice Sunday indeed!
Countdown Vide...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 12.01.19 from 2019-12-03T02:58:25
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Whew! Our crazy weekend event is over and Christmas season is finally here! Can't wait to get back in the saddle and back to ministry! This Sunday we had all the Than...
79 - Getting Ready for Echo Weekend from 2019-11-19T13:00
Ronald's church has a big event coming up! It's called Echo Weekend, but your church might call it a DNOW. That is unless you've never heard of what a DNOW is. No matter the case, listen in to how ...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 11.17.19 from 2019-11-18T02:09:58
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Thanksgiving is three weeks away. Don't be mad but we're deep into our Christmas series! We're talking students through Luke's narrative, teaching them about virgins ...
78 - That ONE Kid from 2019-11-12T13:00
Michelle just got back from a great weekend camp (or is it a retreat?). While SOME things went really well, other things were not so great. Namely, there was that ONE kid. You know the one. The one...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 11.10.19 from 2019-11-12T03:49:03
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Christmas time is here! Well, almost. We start Christmas a little early around here because Middle School students help with the Christmas Eve service and we need all...
77 - What Do Your Adults Do? from 2019-11-05T13:00
Sometimes adults show up and help in big ways! Sometimes they just show up. Either way, it's our job as middle school pastors to give these wonderful adults willing to volunteer their time with the...
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76 - Tentpole Events from 2019-10-23T22:40:03
Ronald and Michelle talk about their Tentpole events. The big events they do that help drive the ministry, promote their vision for their ministries, and help keep the momentum going in middle scho...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 10.20.19 from 2019-10-20T19:07:30
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Who needs singers to show up? Not this middle school pastor! Whew! Another crazy Sunday with students stepping up and volunteers not showing up. Wild!
Countdown ...
75: Finding Your Tribe from 2019-10-15T13:00
Today Ronald and Michelle got to hang out with Katy Langley, a youth pastor for Penninsula Covenant Church, and talk about getting out there and finding a tribe of youth pastors to connect and hang...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 10.13.19 from 2019-10-13T15:47:19
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
It's Picnic week at our church! After church today we go rent out a big amusement park and invite EVERYONE from our church. It's a blast and a great chance to hang wi...
74 - Leaving Your Leaders In Charge from 2019-10-08T13:00
You're going to miss some program days or nights. It's just going to happen! Whether by unforeseen circumstance or vacation (the latter being the preferred!), it's going to happen. Are you preparin...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 10.06.19 from 2019-10-06T17:00:49
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Woohoo! I love the Old Testament! This was the last week in our Ruth series and it was a blast. I love the story of the family redeemer and how Ruth is related to Dav...
73 - Reactions from National Day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training! from 2019-10-01T13:00
This last Saturday, an epic event happened called the National Day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training! Ronald hosted it as his church and some of Michelle's volunteers went to attend at a host si...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 09.29.19 from 2019-09-29T15:54:38
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Well. What a week! We did our third lesson in Ruth and had a pretty crazy Sunday morning to show for it. Let's talk about it!
Countdown Video:
That's Amorre...
72 - Middle School Pastors and Mental Health from 2019-09-24T13:00
Mental Health is something the church needs to take more seriously. As those who work with students who have brains that are going through MASSIVE shifts in their development, we need to be ready f...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 09.22.19 from 2019-09-23T22:40
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Week two of our new Ruth series! Lots of 6th-grade students getting into the flow of the week and today I wasn't the only adult in the room!
All in all, a pretty...
71 - To Parent Meeting or Not To Parent Meeting from 2019-09-17T13:00
If you have students, you've got parents!
Plenty of parents are invested in your ministry and want to know what you're doing, and what's going on! Ronald's church has three parent meetings a y...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 09.15.19 from 2019-09-16T02:06:59
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
New week, new series!
I was really excited about teaching this series again! It's one I wrote and I am a sucker for the Old Testament. Such wonderful pictures of...
70 - Getting Students Up Front from 2019-09-10T13:00
We're the professionals, right? Who would DREAM of putting students up on the stage?
Well, Michelle and Ronald kind of do.
When students get up in front of their peers to lead, play games...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 09.08.19 from 2019-09-08T16:52:06
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Now we're getting into a groove with Sunday mornings! This was the first week where sixth-grade students were REALLY getting into serving and it's awesome to see them...
69 - Fall Kick Off from 2019-09-03T13:00
Fall is here!
Or at least in theory, it should be. It doesn't quite feel like fall in Texas. Maybe in California.
Either way, school is back in session and it's time to kick off the fall...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 09.01.19 from 2019-09-01T15:52:21
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Now we're getting into a groove with Sunday mornings! This was the first week where sixth-grade students were REALLY getting into serving and it's awesome to see them...
68 - Time Management from 2019-08-27T13:15
There are only so many hours in the day! It's time to use what we've been given to the fullest potential!
Ronald and Michelle have been flying by the seats of their pants this summer. B...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 08.25.19 from 2019-08-25T16:03:21
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Sunday number two with the new group of students. A little less chaos. But only a little!
We continued our series on Purpose from the 1 John series from DYM. It...
67 - The Global Leadership Summit from 2019-08-20T13:15
Every year Ronald's church attends the Global Leadership Summit through a satellite campus. This year, Michelle went for the first time to a satellite campus as well. This episode we talk a little ...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 08.18.19 from 2019-08-19T13:46:49
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
What a crazy good Sunday! Our students all promoted today. That means tons of new students, a new group dynamic, and lots of names to remember!
It was a really a...
Bonus Episode: 6th Grade BBQ from 2019-08-14T01:42:59
This is a really great event that we do the week before we have our 6th-grade students promote into the student ministry! It's a chance for the incoming students to be in the room, get to know me, ...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 08.11.19 from 2019-08-12T02:28:24
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
This was the last week we had with our students who are in 8th grade. Next week we promote up and have a fresh group! I'm excited about it, but we needed to finish up...
66 - Debriefing Summer Trips from 2019-08-06T17:55:39
Your leaders' opinions of the trip matter!
When you take leaders on a trip, you have the opportunity to ask them to be your "eyes and ears" for things that you might not be able to see because...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 08.04.19 from 2019-08-04T15:58:15
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
We've only got two weeks until we promote up the fifth-grade students into the middle school room and I'm excited! But that means we need to properly send off the eig...
65 - Taking Middle School Girls on Trips from 2019-07-30T13:45
Middle School Girls.
Chances are half of your group is female. How do you take time to make sure they are ministered to on trips?
Michelle and Ronald have a candid conversation about maki...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 07.28.19 from 2019-07-28T15:48:31
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 tal...
64 - Summer Trips and Middle School from 2019-07-23T13:00
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 ar...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 07.14.19 from 2019-07-14T15:46:36
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 m...
63 - Design in Middle School Ministry from 2019-07-09T22:53:44
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...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 07.07.19 from 2019-07-07T16:38:37
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 gre...
62 - Middle School Students Serving during VBS from 2019-07-02T11:33:03
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 t...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 06.30.19 from 2019-06-30T15:52:17
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 ...
61 - Communicating Better in Middle School Ministry from 2019-06-25T13:00
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 mo...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 06.23.19 from 2019-06-23T16:46:53
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
VBS hangover is real. But our Sunday was still great!
Countdown Video:
VBS Volunteer
Because so many of our students volunteer for VBS, I felt like the...
60 - Getting Away from 2019-06-18T13:47:01
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 mo...
59 - When Do Your Promote Your Middle School Students? from 2019-06-11T14:30:39
Summer is upon us!
So do you promote your students at the beginning of summer or at the end? Or do you have some crazy strategy where some students promote at one point and the rest at another...
58 - Getting on YouTube for your Middle School Students from 2019-06-04T13:08
A statistic has been going around a lot recently about the influences on students.
Engagement by hours per year:
Church = 70-100 hrs (if they attend)Camp = 70 hrs (if they attend)Parents ...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 06.02.18 from 2019-06-03T02:48:26
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
I'm honestly having a hard time remembering a Sunday where I felt so tired! Oh well, there's another one in the books!
Countdown Video:
3 is a Magic Number<...
57 - Middle School Ministry Fails from 2019-05-28T13:00
Fails. They happen a lot. More often than we'd like to admit. They don't always make us feel like rock star ministers and they certainly make for viral videos.
But the reality is that when we ...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 05.26.19 from 2019-05-27T10:59:33
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
This Sunday we began a new series on the Trinity. My students have asked about it several times and it felt like a good time to nail it down as a transition into summ...
56 - BIG NEWS and Purpose Statements from 2019-05-21T13:00
Woohoo! Super big news!
Talking Squirrels is no longer flying solo. Michelle Anderson is officially a part of the team and co-host with Ronald!
Now you get to hear things from a Texas AND...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 05.19.19 from 2019-05-19T18:33:12
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 opp...
55 - Low Key Summer Events with Chris Hargrove from 2019-05-14T13:00
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 even...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 05.12.19 from 2019-05-12T15:55:51
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 Animals
Funny video. Cute...
54 - Orange Conference Takeaways from 2019-05-07T14:23:57
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...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 05.05.19 from 2019-05-05T19:55:32
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:
Listen
53 - Big Summer Events with Chris Hargrove from 2019-04-30T13:00
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 t...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 04.28.19 from 2019-04-28T18:44:23
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 re...
52 - What Do You Teach Middle School Students? from 2019-04-23T13:31
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 ...
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Sunday Morning Squirrels - 04.21.19 from 2019-04-21T15:49:45
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 Easte...
51 - The DYM Episode from 2019-04-15T13:00
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...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 04.14.19 from 2019-04-14T16:21:15
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Week two in our easter series! I had a volunteer teach for me and it was nice to sit back and listen. But I also need to get better about planning that out in advance...
50 - Walking with the Lawn Mowers from 2019-04-09T12:40:21
Look out helicopter parents, here come the lawn mowers!
That really doesn't sound all that threatening does it...
Still, we're in a new phase of parenting. Parents aren't just swooping in...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 04.07.18 from 2019-04-07T15:50:49
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Getting ready for Easter with a new series: New Life! We broke down communion and celebrated birthdays!
Want to try Sidekick and the other perks of a DYM Gold Me...
Minisode - Youth Leader Summit from 2019-04-04T13:00
Click here to sign-up for this amazing conference!
The 2019 Youth Leader Summit at Harvey Cedars Bible Conference will be an incredible three days of teaching, worship & fun. Our goals are sim...
49 - This Middle School Minister couldn't make it without his wife from 2019-04-02T11:57:54
I love my wife. She's a rockstar!
She's also super busy and not a volunteer in my ministry. A lot of ministers have wives who support their ministry from inside it. Our relationship is differe...
Sunday Morning Squirrels - 03.31.19 from 2019-03-31T16:12:45
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
A Sunday running around like crazy because of my own kids, but still an awesome Sunday. I'm really glad I've been investing in adult leaders to be around. It makes su...
48 - Middle School Kids are Kids from 2019-03-25T13:01
Cartoon pajamas. Lunch boxes for Bible covers. Stuffed animals coming on retreat.
Middle school students are still kids in a lot of ways.
And if your program is separated out from the hig...
Sunday Morning Squirrels 03.24.19 from 2019-03-24T15:57:28
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
Another great Sunday with middle school students! More talking about PRAISE and learning from mini-case studies. It was a good day!
Countdown Video:
Kid Sni...
47 - The Heart Attack Rule from 2019-03-19T13:01
The Heart Attack Rule!
What would you do if you were suddenly taken out of your ministry? What would your leaders and ministry do if you were suddenly taken out?
An emergency will come yo...
Sunday Morning Squirrels 03.17.19 from 2019-03-17T17:19:29
Sunday Morning Squirrels:
A quick breakdown of our middle school ministry service. I hope it's helpful for you!
Games:
Mix and Meet
Where's the Ball?
Songs:
Good Good ...
Minisode - Free DYM Gold Membership Trial from 2019-03-14T18:33:37
One Month Trial of Download Youth Ministry Gold Membership
Are you swamped for time in your ministry?
Do you wish your church would pay for you to have an intern?
What if you could g...
46 - Jeff Selph Spoke At Our Middle School Retreat from 2019-03-12T14:02
I met Jeff Selph at the DYM 100 three years ago. We sat and talked because we were at a trampoline place and A) I had just gotten out of my cast for my broken leg, so jumping wasn't really the best...
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45 - When Middle School Kids Don't Want to Be Here from 2019-03-05T14:35
Sometimes students are at youth group, but they have no interest in BEING there.
That may look like sitting off in a corner by themselves.
Or maybe it looks like crocodile tears.
I'v...
44 - Pride and the Middle School Pastor from 2019-02-26T17:35:55
This middle school pastor struggles with pride.
I want to be upfront, be seen, and be an important part of the church body.
But pride can really do damage to a ministry, a church, and the...
43 - Middle School Students in Rural Churches from 2019-02-19T17:02:03
There are two minutes in this show that are gold and I don't talk during any of them.
I just got to spend the weekend down in south Georgia with some amazing bi-vocational and volunteer youth ...
42 - IKEA and Middle School Ministry from 2019-02-12T15:45
There's a brand new IKEA opening up around the corner from my house. That's a big deal for us. We got in early to scope it out and honestly, I love the store. It all looks cool, it's set up well, a...
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41 - Dealing with that ONE Middle School Kid from 2019-02-05T14:15
How do you handle "that one kid" who always disrupts your talks? They constantly draw attention to themselves (both positively and negatively) and sometimes, if you're honest, you kind of deflate w...
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40 - Middle School Students and the Spring Slump from 2019-01-29T14:15
The Spring Semester is underway! Students are getting busy and sports are ramping up!
That usually means students have to begin to decide if they are going to do homework, practice, or come to...
39 - Middle School Student's who are Hurting from 2019-01-22T15:21:30
MLK has come and gone. We went on a march and led to some neat conversations with my daughters.
It reminded me of the deeper conversations I had with my students over the last semester. The st...
38 - Networking and Middle School Ministry from 2019-01-15T14:36:54
Do you know what my busiest day during the week is? Monday.
I'm thinking podcasts are now going to be a Tuesday thing.
Cool? Cool.
Something I love to do is spend time with other yo...
37 - Taking a Break (in Ministry...Calendaring) from 2019-01-07T22:34:51
Whew!
I had a crazy Christmas Break. I don't know about you all but, the season really needed a time to get away and rest. We got away. We almost rested.
We need breaks scheduled within o...
36 - Senior Adults and Middle School Ministry from 2018-12-17T22:38:49
I was hanging out with our student ministry network of youth pastors here in San Antonio and my mind was BLOWN by someone I just met!
He's making a huge push to partner his middle school mini...
35 - Chris Hargrove and MORE connecting with Middle School Students! from 2018-12-10T16:20:33
Chris Hargrove and I continued our conversation from a few weeks ago about how to connect with Middle School students!
Here are some things to think about:
Utilize social media (if your m...