Middle School Ministry

I have recently been hired full time as the Middle School Minister at my church and I can tell you from experience, middle schoolers are a special breed of people. They are going through so many life changes that they can be super fun one minute and then the next ask you a deep question about Christianity (that even with a degree in Religion, I have to go look up an answer). I believe that middle school is a crucial place in a person's life where the church needs to be there to help them through the awkward transition from child to teenager.

I am currently reading "Middle School Ministry" by Mark-O and Scott Rubin, and it has helped me remember what it was like to be a middle school and how awkward that transition is. No matter how awkward it is or gets, its all part of God's wonderful and beautiful plan for us to develop and start to understand things better.

I remember when I was in middle school, trying to fit in with my peers and asking my mom to buy me some designer clothes. Looking back on it that was me just trying to find myself. To me it wasn't about what kind of clothes I wore but if I could fit in with the "cool" kids. I think my mom knew this because she convinced me I didn't need designer clothes to be "cool". If you have any contact with middle schoolers, I would challenge you to take a few minutes and look at what it was like when you were a middle schooler. Look at what was cool, what you were going through, how you acted; doing this will help you understand why they do stuff and even just understand them better.

All of this being said, Middle School Ministry is more than just a babysitting job. Its about helping the students get through that awkward transition and leading them to the God that loves them. Its about messy games and good times, but its also about the tough questions about God's grace.