I had a chance to sit down with Justin Herman on the Controlled Chaos Podcast and talk all about the physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual development of a middle schooler. It's kind of my favorite stuff to talk about!
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In this episode of the DYM CREATE Podcast, Sam Pettersen and I break down why a middle school strategy and curriculum is a must, and all the complexities that come along with middle school brain development.
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I was excited to join Nick Blevins recently to talk about engaging middle school students in large group and small group settings. We talked about practical tools for inviting middle schoolers into conversations, and affirming the way they think and interact with others during this unique phase. I love talking middle school!!!
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The “sex talk” you may or may not have received when you were in middle school is a far cry from the conversations middle schoolers are having about sex these days. We live in a very over-sexualized culture, and that means students are exposed to sexual images and language at a much younger age than ever before.
What hasn’t changed? A middle schooler’s squirrely response to talking about this topic. They may act like they dread it, but attendance is usually at a season high during this kind of series. What does that tell us? Students secretly love the “sex talk” because they desperately want to know more about this topic and how it relates to their lives.
While it may or may not be your favorite topic to discuss with middle schoolers, we want the church to be the safest place on Earth to talk about anything students are curious about. And that includes the topic of sexuality.
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You know what’s on the horizon? The XP3 Middle School sex series, which means a few things are about to happen.
Middle schoolers will act like they’re repulsed by the idea of talking about sex.
Youth pastors will feel the pressure to be culturally relevant so students don’t think they’re lame or out of the loop, yet they have pressure from parents to not say too much about sex. (Yes, to not talk too much about sex in a series about . . . sex).
Parents will either hide or land their helicopter right over your office.
With so much going on, I think the biggest question is this: How do we best partner with parents when it comes to such a sensitive, yet significant series for their students?
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Pop quiz for all you student pastors out there!
Have you ever stood in front of a roomful of teenagers and felt like you had absolutely no control over what was happening in the room?
Have you ever attempted to teach a lesson and walked off stage wondering if the students even heard and processed anything you said?
Have you ever tried to engage your student audience in your lesson, but lost complete control of the room in the process?
Have you ever just wanted to give up (or at least shout a few curse words on your way home)?
If your answer is, “Yes,” to any or all of these questions, you’re in the right place.
Because I’ve felt that way, too. We all have!
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Psst! Did you hear about Emily and Olivia? Oh my gosh they had the biggest fight ever. And Ryan started the whole thing! Everybody’s talking about it!
And so goes the story heard round the school.
Measly kid stuff . . . unless you’re Emily’s mom, Olivia’s small group leader, or Ryan’s pastor. You lucky few better be all ears and ready for tears.
Put any sixth grade class up against the latest hit reality show and you’ve got yourself a real contest. Help middle schoolers tone things down a bit—and maybe even enjoy life a whole lot more—with these simple tips. First up, tips to give your students’ parents:
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11, 12, 13. These are the awkward years. You remember, right? Greasy hair, frizzy hair, don’t care. Weight gain and weight loss. You feel like an adult but everyone treats you like a kid.
Life for a middle schooler is rough. Forget trying to figure out who you are in Christ. Preteens are hanging onto the struggle bus for dear life.
Of course you now know that middle school drama, like everything else, won’t matter in a few short years. With the right approach, you can help preteens focus on things that really count.
What is a Middle Schooler, Anyway?
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Let’s talk about three things you can do to ensure next year’s mission trips go even more smoothly than this past summer’s. No, we can’t guarantee there won’t be sickness—viral, bacterial, home, or other. And there’s really no way to ensure everyone gets along and goes to sleep at a reasonable hour. However, you have a chance right now to leverage the passion and momentum that will launch you into the next year of mission trips, or you can drop it and move to the next thing… and start from scratch again next year. So here are a few simple steps you can take to make sure what you learned this year and the momentum you have in these post-mission trip weeks isn’t lost before you begin planning for next year!
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