Keeping Their Attention

by on in Experience.

If you have ever had to speak to a room full of Middle Schoolers, you know how daunting the task is. They’re the hardest age group to speak to! It’s like they have the attention span of a… well, a Middle Schooler! And if you’re boring, they’ll let you know!

Bored adults can listen to a 30-minute sermon without stealing the cute boy’s hat. They won’t go to the bathroom every five minutes, just to get out of the room. Adults sit there and respectfully smile. They’re easy! Middle Schoolers? Well, when you lose their attention it’s obvious! And once you lose them, you have to know how to get them back.

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Hooks and Anchors

by on in Leadership, Small Groups, Strategy.

A few years ago, one of my good friends and co-workers announced that he was leaving his job as a Middle School Director. If you’ve seen this go down before, you’ll probably be surprised by my next statement.

When he announced he was leaving, it was no big deal to the volunteers he announced it to! 

For my friend, it probably would have been good for the ol’ ego if there had been weeping and gnashing of teeth, but, you know what?

His volunteers’ response (or lack thereof) is actually an indicator that he did a great job!

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Happy Launch Day!

by on in Uthmin.

Hello Middle School Ministry tribe!

This has been a long time coming. I am so excited to finally get started.

A couple of years back, a few of us dreamed of putting together a place where Middle School pastors could gather, share ideas, discuss ministry strategies, and engage in the community we tell our students is so important.

Let’s face it; ministry can be a lonely job. Middle school ministry can be even lonelier.

We could all use some quality time with some quality people that do what we do.

That’s why we set out to create Uthmin.

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Why Focus on Middle School Ministry?

by on in Strategy.

I spent the first 10 years of my professional life as a teacher, coach, and eventually a principal in the educational system. Though I loved the classroom and my kids, I grew more and more frustrated with the system. In response, I tried to change it from the inside out. Along the way, I went to graduate school to get my administrative degree and spent a lot of time not only working in the system, but stepping back and looking at it from an academic and scientific perspective. I got more frustrated—not with the teachers—but with the system they had to work in.

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