Youth Ministry Booster
Welcome to the Youth Ministry Booster podcast! The most honest and hilarious podcast in student ministry. Hosted by Zac Workun and Chad Higgins. We are the biggest fans of youth ministry leaders like you!
We are here for you with the humor and the help to engage, entertain, equip, and encourage.
Youth ministry is better together. Learn more @ http://www.youthministrybooster.com
Youth Ministry Booster
The Joy of Middle School Ministry w/ Chad Daugherty
Ever wondered about the coolness of names from different languages?
Join us for a lighthearted chat with Chad Daugherty from Pensacola, Florida, as he shares his love and experiences in middle school ministry. As we bond over the shared quirks of middle school or "J-High."
Get ready for some laughs as we recount some of our best misfire youth group games. This episode meanders through the hilariously misguided soda chugging challenge that involved drinking through a sock. Spoiler alert—the students weren't having it! This fun mishap emphasizes the importance of improvisation and understanding young audiences' boundaries. Chad's stories highlight the joys and occasional hiccups of engaging middle schoolers, showcasing how flexibility and creativity are key to successful leadership.
In this episode, we also delve into the important and transformative middle school years, where identity and purpose start to take shape. It's one of the most God-given unique seasons and should not be missed or taken for granted.
Chad shares his passion and the significance of consistent ministry presence and the impact of building trust over time. Through creative metaphors and games, we explore how youth ministry can foster community and leave a lasting mark on students' lives. Whether you're an experienced youth pastor or just starting in the field, there's plenty to learn and laugh about as we navigate the sometimes awkward but always rewarding world of middle school ministry.
A snap for chess, but Chad nonetheless. That's right, baby, would that be like your disciple? Name is Chad, nonetheless.
Speaker 2:Chad. Nonetheless.
Speaker 1:Chad. Nonetheless, yeah, because you have to differentiate between how bad does James? The Less feel.
Speaker 2:Right, I know I've always thought about that.
Speaker 1:It's like Peter James and John James the Less.
Speaker 2:But I bet in Greek, hebrew or whatever, I bet the less sounds like so cool, yeah, very cool, yeah. Less sounds like so, yeah, very cool, yeah. So like whatever you think, james, the less is in greek, a far away, maybe somebody knows.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, let's hear that, man bro. Uh, this is chad darty. Uh, thank you, buddy, for being here at the party dude hey, that's right, dude.
Speaker 2:It's so good to be here, it's awesome, uh, it's so.
Speaker 1:I love these opportunities because it feels like you get to talk to people, that you talk to a lot, but in person, yes, this is the reminder that being in the room is special.
Speaker 2:So special Dude. Thanks, man. Thanks for being in here.
Speaker 1:Chad already hanging out from Pensacola Florida. Yeah baby Coming to you. Live from Nashville.
Speaker 2:Uh-huh.
Speaker 1:How's Edge been, man? Dude? Edge has been awesome. Yeah, it's been good for you, Dude.
Speaker 2:Edge has been awesome. Yeah, it has been awesome. This is my first time, okay, and it won't be the last time, Small time Lister First time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, Dude, and that's why yeah here.
Speaker 2:And okay, can I say this real quick, though. Please do A part of this. So I love being at apart, but I know like hard to bring the garage on the road. Let's come back up the subarus and the bikes. That's okay, we'll get you in the garage. You just need to hang like a little the golf ball or the from all the little little bit of something from the garage.
Speaker 1:Bring the yeti from the table, we'll get you in the garage. But it is fun to be alive and record, totally. Uh one, because it's just fun to hang out with you. Uh two, it's always nice to have another chad in my life, right you?
Speaker 2:can't have too many.
Speaker 1:You got it right, right, like what if something happens?
Speaker 2:it's like a set of car keys, right, yeah, I need two just a couple of chads, man, a couple of chads.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's good, it was really funny. Uh, you were at the booth and you were like hey, everybody, I'm ch, I'm Chad, yeah, and you could see the look of confusion, confusion.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:You look more like Zach, but you said your name is Chad.
Speaker 2:I was like wait a minute, I don't know what to do. I haven't seen the YouTube version of the podcast, but I don't know, maybe.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they just thunk for a loop. He said he's Chad really confidently glad you're, here uh, you're here sharing a few things you've done ministry for a while.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're gonna get into some stuff about middle school ministry or j high, j high, whichever way you go, yeah yeah, is that good?
Speaker 1:is that like a regional dialect?
Speaker 2:it's gotta be because I was in texas. Soda and pop, yeah, I think so. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Or buggy shopping cart oh yeah, or if you're british trolley oh, the trolley, what is?
Speaker 2:What is the British version of J-High, of J-High?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know, let's work on that in a minute A little global research of J-High, probably primary school.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, that's right, it's secondary, secondary school, secondary ministry.
Speaker 1:Finishing school, yes, yeah, all you high school ministers, but finishing school, stop it.
Speaker 2:But, man, I wanted to ask a little bit about your journey and stuff.
Speaker 1:But before we get into that, uh, you've been in middle school ministry for a while yeah, man you're very good at it, but sometimes we don't get good unless we were first less good. Yes, so chad. By way of introduction, what are maybe some middle school activities or games?
Speaker 2:okay you've done that, have gone yeah, yeah, okay, so this is one. So this is a game, stage game in front of everybody, okay everybody set it all up. Set it up dude and this was a game stage, game in front of everybody.
Speaker 1:Okay, good, good, good. Everybody in there Set it all up. Set it up, dude.
Speaker 2:And this was a game I personally was so pumped about.
Speaker 1:Okay, Like I hyped this up, you sat in your office and you were ready.
Speaker 2:I thought about it Like dude. I planned this out and I was like this is going to be awesome there was a court board with cards.
Speaker 1:Oh dude.
Speaker 2:The whiteboard was there Like all right, this is going to happen. Okay, so this game came out in stages and developed in front of the students oh okay. So maybe I think somewhat of a classic, the hey, we're going to chug a soda, yeah, okay, yeah, all right. So on the stage and by the way, I had one of our young adults helping me for the game. I needed a co-partner in this one. Young adults helping me for the game. I needed a co-partner in this one.
Speaker 1:So he was up there with me. Always good to have a co-host. It's hard to carry the energy alone. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So we knew we had to hype up the energy. Dude, he was the perfect dude to do that. So we hype up the energy. Hey, you're going to chug a Coke, alright, oh, so bring people up there. Plot twist you're going to take off your sock and you're going to put that sock over the Coke, all right. So now you're tricking them. Now you're tricking them, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like oh, I thought I was going to get the chug of soda. Okay, awesome. So now they're going to have to chug the soda through the sock. Plot twist again Nope, Nope.
Speaker 1:You probably know where this is going.
Speaker 2:Pass the you know switch the sodas so now you're going to chug the soda through the other person's sock. Dude, they just shut it down. They were like no, no, we are not doing this, we're not doing this.
Speaker 1:Rightfully so, and so it was one of those moments too, in leadership.
Speaker 2:You're like okay, I got to like think on the fly.
Speaker 1:Did they rebel?
Speaker 2:They totally rebelled. We pushed as far as we could. Did you choose the right kids? Did you?
Speaker 1:pick the kids that were going to, the crazy kids that might have actually done it.
Speaker 2:That's what was so mind blowing about this we had this all set up for success.
Speaker 1:Devin will do anything.
Speaker 2:Come on, devin. Devin denied it that day.
Speaker 1:He had the people behind him. He totally did. He gladiated you, he totally did so he denied it.
Speaker 2:So on the flip end. So we're like alright, we gotta do something. The co-host and I, you did it, we took it so we exchanged socks and sodas.
Speaker 1:Tonight's lesson on substitution brought to you by Chad and his co-host, it totally did go into that.
Speaker 2:I was like, hey guys, listen, we took this for you guys. He paid the price that you would not pay.
Speaker 1:I don't think that's good theology but it's a great object lesson.
Speaker 2:So never again. Never again, dude.
Speaker 1:Did you? Have like an amazing name to like put it out there too much, so we just unveiled it never again though I don't, I don't know like you know different context I don't know, maybe we'll give it a shot. You get enough kids doing it on the tiktok right. And then they were like they'll get ready.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's totally true. So convince some tiktokers to yikes.
Speaker 1:So yeah, dude that was not.
Speaker 2:That was the game that totally blew up. Yeah and uh and what I don't know. To me I'm like it's not up and I don't know. To me it's not that bad. I don't know, Maybe it's awful. Do you have an opinion? If you were the student.
Speaker 1:She's a listener, she's a friend. We played a game early in my ministry Similar. It was a soda chugging thing, okay, okay, the whole night. There was a Wednesday between series, like 15 years ago, and the Wednesday night was April Fool's Day, okay, and so I've talked about the podcast before. But they all had, they came in and I gave them hats.
Speaker 1:That all said fool on the hat and we do teams on Wednesdays, and so there was a big table banquet set out and tonight's the fool's banquet, and so there was just stuff in front of them to eat set out and tonight's the fool's banquet, and so there was just stuff in front of them to eat and it was one of those. It was that like dare within the dare of like they're wearing a hat that says fool on it and then I was actually like, does anybody want to eat this pepper?
Speaker 2:And they're like, I'll do it for points.
Speaker 1:So we all went to the table and I had like cheap knockoff pineapple soda. I was like who thinks they can chug it the fastest? And this young lady's like me?
Speaker 2:and so she, the other kid confident okay, me and this other kid got this other kid we're chugging.
Speaker 1:She did it and then she went outside and laid it on the sidewalk and almost never got back up like she's. Like she missed the whole lesson. She missed the whole part where I was. Like we can sometimes wear the hat of a fool oh and still foolish.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I was so proud Again. It was the like. It became this like overstretched theological thing, but like they're wearing a hat that says fool.
Speaker 2:And she was like downing it, but she's like on the sidewalk and she almost perished she was like she never drinks pineapple soda again. Like she won't drink, she won't drink. Oh, it's one of those things that like has this it soda again? Like she won't drink, she won't drink. Oh, it's one of those things that like has this it created a reflex?
Speaker 1:yeah, reflex wow, she's done you. So food games I I've sworn them off oh, because I almost totally okay.
Speaker 2:Okay, fair enough, fair enough, yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's wild man, that is dude uh say a little more though.
Speaker 1:I mean, were you just naturally planning food games and then found out that ministry would give you a chance to do that, or like what? What actually got you into student?
Speaker 2:ministry. Oh dude, okay so you grow up in one or like well, I not, not, not, not really, because I was saved later on. Okay, yeah, 15, so so sophomore in high school. So, uh, got saved, plugged in. It was really crazy, though. So I got saved at a d now, yeah, right, and I was like oh dude so the work of youth ministry brought you to the oh 100. Well, I'll say the work of youth ministry and the persistence of people.
Speaker 2:Okay students oh okay, like not giving up on their other friends, right, he kept asking and I said no, somebody, a fellow student invited you. Yeah, yeah okay, yeah, dude, and I kept denying it and he said, hey, it's free, and I was like, let's go, so went to that, got saved. And then I was like, whoa church is really important, alright, my first Wednesday the youth pastor left.
Speaker 2:Yeah it was like, I was like okay, and he had been there for a while so everyone's like crying and I'm like I don't know the guy Chuck was okay and he had been there, so everyone's like crying and I'm like you're like I don't know the guy.
Speaker 2:So chuck was great yeah so, yeah, I was like I don't even know this guy, yeah. So so that was tough because in a season of student ministry where I was brand new, yeah, kind of fell through the cracks. Love the church. I think it just just that season of lack of leadership like key leadership.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I just kind of got missed.
Speaker 2:So my high school years not a whole lot of growth, not a whole lot of discipleship. It was really in college when that began to happen. But I still understood, hey, church is super important. So I always plugged into church. It just never had somebody come along and say, hey, this is important. Say, hey, this is important, like, hey, you need to have a regular prayer time, you need to have a regular time in God's Word.
Speaker 1:Study God's Word. How do you do that? Mentorship guiding, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:So college was my time to do that. Okay, had a guy come in but, like I said, always plugged in the church, yeah, like all through, I guess, into my senior year, wasn't until we actually had. He was there for a little bit and then we had another guy, another youth pastor, come in and we were at camp and so he was like hey, dude, I want you to be my intern. Okay, okay.
Speaker 1:So while this is also going on all right.
Speaker 2:So God has always put me in the midst of middle school ministry, whether I wanted it to be or not.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:The inescapable call. Yeah, the inescapable call. So even previous to internship, like I was a part of like a parachurch ministry, middle school, kind of like young life, but just for just middle school. Yeah, so super fun. They were like, hey, we need help, do you want to come help? Yeah, I'm like, yeah, sure, yeah, I'll do this. So that was kind of my my, my foot into like middle school ministry. Then started to be an intern, simply because the youth pastor was like, dude, I don't want to have to handle middle schoolers, that's on you. So I was like, okay, fine, whatever.
Speaker 2:So did that, loved that, went to seminary, served at a church, a larger church, with a middle school-only ministry. I was like this is new, I didn't know this existed, you could do that. Yeah, I didn't realize that was a thing. So I started doing that and man, hard rails, yes, yeah, yeah, here's a place for you. And, dude, that's what it was. It did like the guy that I served for, served with as the student pastor, he man, he just loved and knew the importance and the value of that season of life, and the church there did too. And I was like, wow, this is really interesting. So that was like when previously it was like, hey, you're just doing this to do this or you're forced to, that began the transition. The turning point in my life was like no, no, no, I think I really want to get to do this. Okay, yeah, um, so I saw the value in that. Um, then graduated seminary no-transcript, they were looking for a middle school pastor Boom.
Speaker 1:I'm there.
Speaker 2:And so literally for the past 15 years of ministry, it's all been middle school ministry focused.
Speaker 1:Which is one of the things. So I've got two key questions I want to ask you about, about serving as a minister and the things. So I've got two key questions I want to ask you about about serving as a minister, and then we're going to talk a little bit about middle school ministry. Yeah, um, one is what has that been a comfort to have such a rock solid base and a laser focus? Yeah, there's a piece of me that feels like because sometimes you hear the tension in some people's voice of, like high school, middle school, should I split them? Should I be? You just almost see the like I feel like I'm doing two different things. Has that been like almost like a comfort or a driving force, that it's been like middle school?
Speaker 1:Yeah, Just locking it in in the same way that, like any other age group, would feel like locked in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I totally think so and I'm thinking even maybe I even thought about this the other day. I was like is this me personally Right? Is this how God has developed me? And gifted me Like maybe because, dude, I could be all over the place and if I'm not focused on something, but maybe that's perfect for that.
Speaker 1:Dude, I know.
Speaker 2:It's like that makes total sense and so I think a lot of it is like just for me is like having that focus dude and zoning in, locking in and just being like very minded about what they're going through and how they change and how they develop, like me being now. I will say like, whether you're six, just middle school only or the whole spectrum, like you still have to be very mindful of that you do, but there's almost a little bit of like.
Speaker 1:Uh, mel gibson patriot like aim small, miss small yeah like it's the three year cycle, like six to seven to eight, to graduate, yeah, and so it gives you that way of like, like being like I don't know, thinking about like things that are age appropriate, developmentally appropriate yeah, yeah because it's narrowed enough.
Speaker 2:It's related and I love it well, and I think a lot of ways like you're just being, you're just being very keen on how to shepherd those students and how to shepherd them well, and so, yeah, I think for me, I think there is a wonderful focus when you're just like all right, this is my vision, this is where I'm heading, but maybe it didn't always feel that way One of the things that we've talked about just as friends, there's a certain kind of sweet spot that comes from, and I hear it in your voice, from your story of feeling like that key leader was the exit day of your first youth pastor.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like not having someone that was there.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:What is that sweet spot of being in ministry? How long do you need to be somewhere? Do you feel like it's like really like you're recouping and finding?
Speaker 2:that fruit, yeah, yeah. So for me, and even as I, for me personally, but also as I like I just talked to other guys in ministry uh, for me, I began to see that sweet spot, like in the two year mark. Okay, the two year mark.
Speaker 1:Give it at least two years. Give it at least two years. You don't even know. Yeah, Like yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, uh, you don't you. You try and you're like you're, you're working hard, you're doing, but I think a lot of times it's not until that two-year mark when I think you begin to see a lot of the fruit from the investment that you've made the past two years.
Speaker 1:Because trust is slow. Trust is slow. It takes a while to build trust, especially if it's like kids and their parents.
Speaker 2:Yes. And you're only seeing them a couple times a week or a month, and depending on the context of the church itself, like what happened previously, yeah, and depending on the context of the church itself.
Speaker 1:what happened previously? You may be having to work through some stuff. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:So I know for me personally, the previous church I was at, the two-year mark really came, but they had a season prior to me where they just had this rotating door of student pastors and so for leaders and parents, I had this really cool conversation with a leader and she was very open and honest and she was like, hey, when you first got here. So this was like literally the the two-year anniversary when she was talking to me and she's like, hey, when you got here, I was like she. She was so honest. She was like how long is this joker gonna stay here for?
Speaker 2:they're gonna wait you out yeah, yeah, they're gonna wait me out he's like, he's probably just gonna move on like that was their assumption, that was their expectation.
Speaker 1:It makes it makes a lot of sense for folks that struggle with early recruitment yeah, it's like well, I don't have to go learn this new system or whatever, because that is something I tell folks is like if you feel like it's hard to get volunteers, leaving is not going to make that easier. Totally, yeah, like folks that again don't burn bridges be, wise. Be smart, yeah, but the longer you stick around, the more they're, more you're able to talk about the fruit and celebrate but the trust is there of like, oh man, like Chad's ministry.
Speaker 1:This is what they do, this is what they expect, and then your current leaders can be advocates for like no, it's fun to serve it's great, absolutely yeah.
Speaker 2:So you build that culture and that's the thing, culture, man.
Speaker 1:I think a lot of times we want this like microwave culture yeah, yeah, and I think a lot of times we want this like microwave culture. Yeah, yeah, make it happen. It's a slow cooker, dude, we're going to fix it by camp. Yeah, it's like. No, no way, it's just not.
Speaker 2:You got to spend the time, you got to put in the effort and I think you do see the. It's the early investments of a long-term reward.
Speaker 1:Well, again, the game of youth ministry is not always played out inside the time that you have them. I think middle school maybe it's almost a better reminder, because there's no way. There's no way like well, when they finish eighth grade, they'll be ready.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, right, but that's the whole point. There were seeds there, there were practices there, there was relationships built there. So, as they do grow, I mean I hope we're not stuck with our eighth grade self, but I think sometimes we can feel like that, especially for folks that are doing sixth through twelfth grade. You spend a third of their life with them. You feel like, oh man, well, this is really going to. I mean, some people don't figure it out till college.
Speaker 2:You may have been in youth group all of high school, but it may take till college or after, but look at you now.
Speaker 1:You're still doing the thing. Yeah, come look at you now you're still doing the thing yeah, come on, okay, tell me why middle school ministry is the best. Okay, okay, for an audience that may have their own, like stories.
Speaker 2:Yeah, dismiss the myth why is it the best? So listen, let me, if you ask, if you ask anyone in that, like in any of the in the audience, right the worst, you say hey, raise your hand if middle school was the best time of your life.
Speaker 1:Dude like no one's like no like, yeah, like you guys, can I scrub it? Yeah, yeah, dude, I peaked in seventh grade, yeah so, and that's the thing.
Speaker 2:And like dude, no one, no one, qualifies middle school that season. Middle school is like the best right, but but here, here's the thing, and that this is what I'm, I truly believe. So here's what we need to know. If you could, if you describe middle school in one word, it would probably probably be like well, a couple, okay, change that's most like, or awkward Okay.
Speaker 1:Or change that you didn't plan on.
Speaker 2:It felt really awkward. It felt really awkward yeah you combine the two.
Speaker 1:Why does my body betray me when I'm 14? I didn't want to smell bad.
Speaker 2:What's going on? I didn't choose this life.
Speaker 1:For all the Axe deodorant haters. Listen, I get it. It's not a good perfume.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but it's a quick. But when you smell bad and no one told you why you're just trying to find a fix. It's the duct tape of deodorant baby that's right, that's right.
Speaker 1:It smells better than.
Speaker 2:I do. Yeah, I'll take Axe body spray over like smell of onion any day.
Speaker 2:Natural funk. Yeah, so, but here's okay. So, with all that change man, here's what I've come to realize and value and appreciate, because this helps me embrace the awkward, yeah, the changes that they're going through. Dude, it is designed by God, like what they are experiencing is how God created them. Yeah, yeah, like it's not. We have to get out of the mindset that this is bad, this is awkward, this is weird, and it is for them, but for us, we have to be beyond that and say, no, this is awesome because of all those changes, dude, it is literally the key moment in their life where they are get to understand who God is, who they are, where they belong, what their purpose is. And then we think, no, no, no, I don't think that they can possibly get all that in middle school. That's how God designed it.
Speaker 1:That's where it's coming. And again they don't have it figured out.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, but it's the foundation, it's the questions that they're asking, that we need to be present in and therefore, so that we can help them walk through the season, don't miss that wonderful window. And honestly, dude, it really is. I think we often don't understand this, but it's not, it's a short window. It is a short window. It's a short window that we often just say, no, we're going to bypass it, we'll wait, we'll wait until they're ready. Oh man, when we think they're ready, they're, it's maybe too late. So, dude, it is just. That's why. That's what gets me up in the morning, so excited about middle school ministry, because today is the day for them that, literally, their life could be changed by the gospel and like forever more into adulthood. Yeah, you know. So, dude, it's.
Speaker 1:Well again, as the dad of a fourth grader, we're getting there and we're trying to figure things out, man, like yesterday I got a text and he's at school, fourth grade. I don't know what the assignment was, I just know in his precious little handwriting he had written down short-term and long-term goals and his short-term goal fourth grade, fourth grade, short-term girls, uh, were getting to z level reader, which means he had mastered okay he's reading stuff. It was finishing the Skylanders game that he's playing he wrote long-term goals Chad.
Speaker 1:One of his long-term goals was getting his driver's license, exploring the world and going to Universal Studios.
Speaker 2:As a fourth grader, I love you. He just wants to ride Hulk.
Speaker 1:We're going to go ride the Hulk. He's going to pee his pants. It's gonna be great. I will say he is my coaster buddy. So this summer. Every summer, I always take each of my boys on a little trip. Oh, that's awesome. And so this is the year coasters, because we're all everybody's over four feet tall so we can ride everything. So we did the titan and six flags over te Dude. And so my little nine-year-old glasses in hand folded up in his lap is just like he got off and he was like, wow, yeah.
Speaker 2:That was awesome, he's nine.
Speaker 1:And he's like again, I'm sure it was an assignment at school. Yeah, but in his precious handwriting he's thinking about what it's like to be 16.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's thinking about what it's like to be 16.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's thinking about what it's like, what he wants to go see and do. So don't don't say they're not ready. Keep it as awkward, as they are Right.
Speaker 2:Embrace that.
Speaker 1:With his glasses and his power glitter, that's making his teeth better.
Speaker 2:Dude that was. That was our best story this summer. That's precious dude.
Speaker 1:I love that he got to talks great, super verbal, super smart.
Speaker 2:It's a metal piece. Yeah, it's going to be difficult. He's like do.
Speaker 1:I sound different. I said no, you sound fine. We're back now.
Speaker 2:But there was a five-week window where I was like say more things. I need you to talk to me A lot with.
Speaker 1:THs, tell me about your day. How was school? Yeah, it was so good. Well, okay, well okay so middle school ministry is the best? What about folks that feel like they're juggling both?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean, dude, we're saying it from a position of it's limited focus, laser focus. For those that are responsible middle school and high school. What are some things they can be sensitive to or thoughtful of embracing the awkward to help with the high school ministry, or maybe to help high school ministry kids be reminded that they were not?
Speaker 2:so cool. Yeah, bring it down to it, yeah.
Speaker 1:Devin.
Speaker 2:Come on, devin, get it together. Yeah, and that is hard, I think, a lot of times, because when you're teaching or something like that, a lot of times they say, hey, you're teaching the median level, which is like so it's above middle school.
Speaker 1:It's like below You're almost just missing. Yeah, you're just missing. You're just kind of central.
Speaker 2:So, man, I think, just find those little spots in your ministry where you can just show that hey, hey, like I value you in this season. So, whether that's like, hey, a middle school only, super Smash Brothers tournament, yeah, and just for them, yeah, if you have the opportunity, like a middle school only event like a saturday all day, sunday afternoon, yeah, something like that.
Speaker 2:Just go out after church, yeah thing yeah, or give them even opportunities to, like, take ownership in some like big things. So maybe have a serve saturday, yeah, where you equip them with the gospel it's just a middle school, yeah on that day, and they go out. So here's the thing, like they're going to be nervous out of their minds. But if you equip them and they'll go do it, yeah, they will. Because here's the thing too middle schoolers, they just want to be accepted. That's literally that is their biggest key is will this adult accept me for him? Do you like me?
Speaker 1:Yeah, do you like me. That's good wisdom. So many folks are like do I like middle school kids? Yeah, stop. Yeah, you actually don't have to like middle school kids. What you have, or will they like me, is middle school students just want to know if you like them yes, that's it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's. You don't have to be cool. No, because they're not cool, no, they just want somebody who thinks that they are cool. Yes, exactly, yeah, yeah. And so if you just show, hey, man, I I value you, yeah, I accept you for play minecraft.
Speaker 1:You just have to ask them if they're playing minecraft.
Speaker 2:Yeah, are you playing dude I? I get that all the time, like they just go into the I don't know minecraft at all and they're just unpacking stuff and I'm like, thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you for just telling the myth.
Speaker 2:Yeah, dude, you know school pastor, been there for 16 years, have no idea about minecraft never play.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, couldn't tame a horse um, what is this steven adam?
Speaker 2:yeah, I just learned yeah I don't know, uh, dude, yeah, so, but but I ask questions, yeah, and and I and I and I dive into what they're doing. So, man, just just value them. Yeah, um, and I think that's the biggest thing and find places like in your teaching and stuff like that to help it kind of bring something. Maybe it's an object lesson, something to help them like connect the dops. Yeah, yeah, because they're going from that very weak uh, going from concrete to abstract thought. Yeah, and so if you're that, muscle, yeah, and faith is all abstract, yeah dude, and so, if you, we should love other people come on like, give me some, and that's why I agree like yeah and that's why even but here's the thing.
Speaker 2:So you, you talked about student pastors, 6th to 12th grade. If you feel like you're spread man, equip your small group leaders to be the ones to really know what's going on that season of life, because they can be the ones that help put the handles on the truth and make that very application-oriented To say, hey, this is what it looks like for you in your life as a middle schooler, what does that look like? Take the concrete and make it abstract and help them walk through that. So equipping your leaders is huge, man.
Speaker 1:Equipping but almost maybe empowering. Yeah, yeah, yeah, hey, if you're middle school guys, if the high school guys are all like talking about stuff and the middle school guys are like playing ninja between questions or whatever totally fine. Yeah, it's okay if the middle school version of whatever we're doing is a little more active or object.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, yeah, embrace that in fact actually plan that plan that, yeah, go ahead and like, make that a part of your weekly. This is what I think. I think you should make those opportunities a weekly part of your sermon prep process. Yes, because when you say, hey, relationships are important off the platform because that communicates, honestly, a lot of ways as much as it does whatever you say on the platform. Yes, so think about what do I do to welcome students, what do I do to help them understand what's the game? How am I going to have a leader set up to play ping pong and just like, just spend that time having fun, because that's huge good all right, melee moment.
Speaker 1:Uh, fun matters in middle school ministry. Folks out there may be thinking like, okay, middle school, I'm bought in, let's think about, let's do. What do I start, what I do? You've talked about fun is important. What are some really good middle school specific fun ideas? So I love the idea of a middle school only serve day. Yeah, because it gives them a chance to rise to the occasion. Yep, instead of being the little kids at the party yes, tag along, yeah, so instead of like oh, we're the young bunch, it's like no man.
Speaker 1:The eighth graders are now leading. Yes give us some other rapid fire from your experience middle school either. Fun insight tag opportunities okay.
Speaker 2:So one of the things that we did that actually just started was like super, it wasn't even. It was just like, hey, let's do this for a summer calendar, we have a mascot, okay yeah, we have a mascot we have a mascot. Uh, it developed over the course of about a semester, okay so it's a llama.
Speaker 1:It's a llama, yeah, llama.
Speaker 2:Have a name, a backstory uh, sometimes larry the llama, okay, but the backstory is this, so it just kind of came out, uh, as like, hey, let's do this to promote summer stuff. Yeah, um, because the idea idea was hey, we're okay, have you ever you've seen a llama? Yeah, okay, they're usually puffy. Have you ever seen one that's sheared? No, dude, they're quite odd looking.
Speaker 1:They're very, very different Very skinny, not as puffy.
Speaker 2:So you cannot ride a llama? Oh, okay, yeah, they're beasts, carry stuff. They carry you exactly. Okay. So they, the llama, cannot get you to where you want to go. Okay, all right, it is a help to get you where to you want to where you want to go. Okay, so our ministry? We can't save people?
Speaker 1:okay, only the lord can do that, but we are a help to get students where they want to go on their journey with jesus.
Speaker 2:So so we have a lot, so do we embrace that they love it? Uh, after every service now we said I said Squad, and they put up their llamas and they'll wrap their arms around the people around them and because it's a community thing, llamas are also social animals.
Speaker 2:This actually goes quite deep so they'll wrap their arms and say, hey, what do we do? And they say Put Jesus first. And I say Go and travel, journey well and share Jesus with others. You got a little. They say put Jesus first and I say go and travel, journey well and share Jesus with others.
Speaker 1:So we totally— you got a little bit of addiction, you got a lot of addiction. The blessing of the llama Okay, all right, dude.
Speaker 2:so they just—it's fun, and so that's just something like a part of our ministry. Honestly, it's kind of become part of our DNA, but it's a fun thing. And so that communicates a whole lot and it's honestly easy to communicate. This is what we do, and so they see that llama. They know, parents know.
Speaker 1:But it's wrapped up in an idea, in a metaphor. And again, these are folks that love teams gaming. Okay, one other one I want to draw out from you is you're the master of playing traditional games in awkward ways.
Speaker 2:Yes, so like a game, they know, with a twist they don't okay. Yeah, yeah, so we, so this actually started at our middle school weekend. Okay, okay, this also is gonna develop I don't know if I just maybe I just take things and I just run with them, maybe too long, I don't know, but this is what we did, so but again.
Speaker 1:There's new kids every three years, yeah yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2:So you just rotate through it's brand new three times.
Speaker 1:That's it it's fine, yeah um.
Speaker 2:So middle school weekend we played ultimate frisbee with an octopus. Okay, dude, the pictures are awesome. Yeah, because you see this octopus like tentacles out flying. Where did you acquire set out? Well so pensacola by the ghost uh joe patty's little advertisement.
Speaker 2:I don't know if they, maybe they'll send you some, but shout out joe, joe patty's. So yeah, just go down, joe patty's, pick up a octopus, okay, uh, and just toss it around. Man, what's the best is like students are get so into the game and they forget I think they forget what the object is that they're throwing around. So like hey, me, right here, right here, and it comes their way and they're like, oh no, I immediately get this decision. So, dude, and that was awesome. So that initiated that every middle school weekend. So we have, we have an octopus for some sort of game, amazing. And so last year we did the I saw this that roll the Oreo right and it goes into something. So, hey, you get it in this cup, you win a prize. If not, if you don't get it in three tries, you have to to hug the octopus. Oh, you have to hug the octopus they took it.
Speaker 1:I did not require this they took it next level.
Speaker 2:They started kissing. I was like dude don't do that.
Speaker 1:Wow, dude. Uh, so that was, but that's what, yeah, that's what middle schoolers do. They're gonna take that next level, yeah and so that was super fun.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, just just. And so what that does? It adds a level of, I think to think, to me expectations. So they kind of because they're like, dude, they're pumped this year. It's like are we going to have an octopus?
Speaker 1:Is it going to come back?
Speaker 2:I'm like yes, it is.
Speaker 1:Okay, so quick advocacy for so our camp friends. Two of the things they talk about is the beauty for them, camp happens every year. But camp happens every year is tradition and surprise. Yes, you need some things you're always going to do.
Speaker 2:Yep Always going to do it, but maybe a little different than before, a little different than last year.
Speaker 1:There's going to be an octopus game, but what is it going to be?
Speaker 2:I love it, I love it. So it's just fun. Keeps them on their toes, keeps them expecting it, because that's another thing they just want. So, yeah, dude, it's good stuff.
Speaker 1:Well, dude, chad D thank you so much for coming today. Man, If folks want to connect with you or learn more or just celebrate middle school ministry together, how can they find you? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So social media, instagram, chadwick, chadwick, yes, okay, good, fun fact, real name, real name, legal name, legal name. Chadwick underscore 13.
Speaker 1:13. Because that's you know forever 13.
Speaker 2:Forever, 13.
Speaker 1:Dude.
Speaker 2:Chad, thank you so much. Thanks for being here. Yeah, man, thank you, zach.
Speaker 1:More than, nonetheless, chad, the greater today. Thank you, bud. We'll see you back next week.
