RONALD LONG
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09 - Teaching a Large Group of MS Students

12/11/2017

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In this episode, I talk about how I teach middle school students in a large group setting. Large doesn't have to mean hundreds, but just more than allows for a typical small group discussion. It doesn't have to resemble a nuclear blast, but it also probably won't look like coffee at Starbucks and a John Piper book discussion. 

You got this.

I talk about:
  • Thinking shorter
  • Setting up your teaching into 5 minute "blocks"
  • How to teach interactively
  • Planning out concrete application

Got a middle school ministry question?

Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.com

Need student ministry resources?

Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com
Want to see my resources? Click here.

Do you twitter? So does this podcast!


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08 Talking Squirrels - Leading a Middle School Small Groups

12/4/2017

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In this episode, I talk about l talk about leading a middle school small group! It's a crazy thing, but it can also be really great! A key point is to know your audience. You aren't dealing with seminary students. You've got squirrelly 11-14 year-olds. Here are my big tips!

I talk about:
  • Acknowledging the weird and the silliness of your time!
  • Setting up expectations for the amount of "in-depth" Bible study you'll get
  • Asking questions that get students talking
  • Some tips for playing games during small group!
  • Ending with concrete, actionable application

​Got a middle school ministry question?

Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.com

Need student ministry resources?
Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com
Want to see my resources? Click here.

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07 Talking Squirrels - Having Conversations with Middle School Students

11/29/2017

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In this episode, I talk about having a conversation with middle school students. At first, it was something I avoided because I didn't think I was having any type of impact discussing Minecraft with 12 years olds. Now I focus in on those conversations because I know I'm showing these students I love and care about them!
I talk about:
  • Listening to the normal, everyday stuff
  • Using your body to show you're paying attention
  • Expecting the silly stuff (and what to do with it)
  • Celebrating when MS students share successes
  • Counseling them when they open up about struggles
Resources:
Get Your Teenager Talking
Got a middle school ministry question?
Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.com
Need student ministry resources?
Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

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05 Talking Squirrels - The Middle School Ministry Podcast: Mark Eades and Chaos in Middle School Ministry

11/21/2017

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Today I got to spend some time talking to Middle School Ministry veteran, Mark Eades, Middle School Pastor at New Covenant Bible Church, about having and loving chaos in your middle school ministry program!

We talk about:
  • Being okay with chaos when you're teaching
  • Recognizing when those chaos moments are coming
  • Intentionally planning moments of chaos into your talk
  • Coaching volunteers to recognize the chaos
Resources:
Controlled Chaos by Kurt Johnston
A DYM Podcast live from DYM100, the best conference around!

Got a middle school ministry question?
Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.com
​

Need student ministry resources?
Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com


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06 Talking Squirrels - The Middle School Ministry Podcast: A Conversation with Mark Eades about Boredom!

11/21/2017

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In this episode, I continue my conversation with Mark Eades, Middle School Pastor at New Covenant Bible Church. In this one, we talk about the odd compliment of having a middle school student tell you they're bored! We talk about:
  • It's not wrong for students to be bored
  • "I'm bored" is usually code for something different
  • During retreats, plan for extra downtime and space
  • The spiritual discipline of silence
Resources:
The Power of Boredom in a Culture of Distractions
How Boredom can lead to our most brilliant ideas
12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You

Got a middle school ministry question?
Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.com

Need student ministry resources?
Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

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04 Talking Squirrels - The Middle School Podcast: Schedule Middle School Trips Intentionally

11/6/2017

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Planning trips, retreats, and camps can be a big pain. But you can also do yourself and your middle school students a disservice if you don't schedule out intentionally.

In this episode, I talk about why we plan our retreats/trips/mission trips the way that we do in order to help out parents and middle school students!
  • Thinking about your students' first overnight with your ministry
  • Helping parents learn to trust you with their students
  • Scheduling overnights so that everyone can grow and learn together

Resources:
MFUGE mission trips

Got a middle school ministry question?
Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.com

Need student ministry resources?
Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

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03 Talking Squirrels - The Middle School Podcast: MS Ministry Parent Meetings

10/30/2017

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If you have students, you have parents in your ministry too! Scheduling another meeting may not sound like a great idea, but if you do it right, a parent meeting can be incredibly helpful for your ministry!

I talk about:
  • Making parent meetings irresistible!
  • Throwing resources at parents
  • What to include in your parent meetings
  • Thinking about first-time parents
  • Making multiple parent meetings slightly different with appropriate focuses

Resources:
Download Youth Ministry Parent Newsletter App
This is a great resource for making newsletters to send to parents, volunteers, etc. Check it out!
Got a middle school ministry question?
Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.com
Need student ministry resources?
Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

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02 Talking Squirrels - MS Students Serving Church Wide

10/23/2017

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In this episode, I talk about how you can champion middle school students serving in areas that don't have anything to do with the youth ministry! That's a scary idea for everyone else on staff, but you know they can do it!
Right?
I talk about:
  • Championing middle school students serving
  • Convincing leadership to fill volunteer roles with MS Students
  • Using MS Students to supplement current volunteers
  • Training every volunteer, even your MS Students in the same way for the same role
  • Thinking about how to use volunteer applications and job descriptions to make sure everyone wins
  • Changing your church's culture to include MS Students volunteering!
Resources:
Planning Center | Love your church management software
​
Our Techincal Volunteer page on our church website featuring MS Students!
Got a middle school ministry question?
Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.com
Need student ministry resources?
Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com

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01 Talking Squirrels: MS Students Serving

10/20/2017

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01 Talking Squirrels - Middle School Students Serving
In this episode, I talk about getting Middle School students serving within the student ministry.
  • Asking, "What am I doing that a student could do?"
  • Giving specific job descriptions
  • Assigning adults to oversee teams of students
  • Creating a culture of service
Resources:
Planning Center | Love your church management softwareMiddle School Band Job Description
Got a middle school ministry question?
Email talkingsquirrelspodcast@gmail.com
Need student ministry resources?
Check out www.downloadyouthministry.com
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Middle School Ministry Podcast

10/17/2017

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The other day, while thinking that I needed some new podcasts to listen to, I googled "Middle School Ministry Podcast" and came up with exactly zero middle school ministry podcasts.

So, being the sensible person that I am, I decided to start my own.

Here's the deal:
  • I'm going to talk about student ministry as it relates to Middle School students and how it's a little different animal than working with all grades or just high school.
  • I hope to talk with other, smarter, longer serving middle school pastors because I certainly don't have this thing all figured out.
  • I want to highlight things I've found and resources I've used that have been really helpful.
  • I'd love to put out one episode a week. Probably on Mondays.
  • I also plan to keep each episode short. 15 minutes at the most.

So there you go.

A new middle school ministry podcast for those who minister to middle school students.

I hope you find it helpful!
​
Listen here:
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