I still think middle schoolers are the coolest people on earth. Here are
12 reasons why.
1) Middle school ministry is about
shaping. What an opportunity! Everything I learn about young
teens continues to affirm and re-affirm that the middle school years are
not merely a holding period until the good stuff of high school
ministry arrives, but amazing times that have their own intrinsic worth.
Take for instance the amazing
discoveries in recent years about neuron development in the brain. In
the two years leading up to puberty, millions of additional neurons—the
electrical wiring of the brain—are created by the brain. That's millions
more neurons than will be present in adulthood.At
puberty, a toggle switch is tripped; the process reverses itself, and
fewer neurons are created. However, it's the process of winnowing that's
particularly fascinating: Those neurons that are used get to stay and
play; those that aren't used literally go bye-bye. The lead teenage
brain researcher at the National Institutes of Health calls it a
hard-wiring process, saying that brains are optimized for how they will
process information—for the rest of life—during the young teen years.We
get to play a stewarding role in that shaping!
2)
Middle schoolers are easy to connect with.
Years ago, a youth
ministry mentor shared this simple observation:
Middle
schoolers, in deciding whether they'll allow you into their lives, are
only asking, "Do you like me?" On the other hand, high schoolers
complicate things by adding, "Do I like you?" College students ramp up
the complexity by layering on the additional question, "Do I like what
you stand for?"I'm not suggesting middle school ministry
is easy, but there's this glorious open door to relationship building
and connecting with most middle schoolers that requires less of a
waiting period, less ramp-up time.
3) They're
willing to try anything. The young teen years (in a
post-puberty parallel to the first few years of life) are all about
discovery or sampling. Young teens, in the earliest stages of
self-conscious identity formation, want to try everything. They don't
start testing conclusions until the middle teen years.This
is a wild ride of unpredictability, of course, which can feel very
scattered and capricious; but there's a willingness—a desire—to try
things that makes middle schoolers prime for creative and participatory
youth ministry.
4) Then there's the wonder of abstract thinking. Middle
schoolers are far from experienced with abstract thought, but the
capacity is there (I like to think of it as God's puberty gift). They're
dipping their toes in this intellectual water, checking it out to see
if it's safe.This test-driving phase of abstract thinking
(remember most of the stuff we talk about at church is abstract!) can be
maddening at times, because they're stepping in and out of abstract and
concrete thinking all the time.
.
5) Which leads us to the process of
doubting and faith-development.
As they develop capacities for
abstract thinking, middle schoolers are on the leading edge of stumbling
onto doubts about their faith. This is a critical aspect of faith
development and should never be shamed or shut down.Wrestling
with complexities is the necessary detour from child-like, inherited
faith to a more robust, owned faith. I call it a detour because taking
the main route usually leads to childish, unexamined faith, which isn't
sustainable in the later teen and 20-something years.
6)
They're unpredictable. Maybe you find this frustrating, but I
love it. Middle schoolers regularly and consistently surprise me. They
surprise me with their random questions. They surprise me with their
hidden talents. They surprise me with their insight. They surprise me
with their interpretations (often different than I expect). The
unpredictability of middle schoolers keeps middle school ministry fresh
and untamed.
7) Parents are still involved in their
lives. Sure, there are plenty of high schoolers with involved
parents, but there's a drop-off in parent involvement throughout the
teen years as many parents retreat out of fear, exasperation or a
misguided understanding of what it means to give teenagers their
independence.At times, you might view parental involvement
as intrusive or annoying; but it's a fantastic strength of good middle
school ministry. We know parents have a significantly larger role in
shaping the lives and faith of their teenagers than we do, so this
higher level of parental involvement creates an easier path for coming
alongside parents, partnering for greater impact.
8)
They have more time than high schoolers. Middle schoolers are
busier than ever, but they still have more time and availability than
older teenagers. Mix this in with No. 3 above (their willingness to try
anything), and you've got a potent pot of "Let's do stuff!"
9)
Most are not yet jaded. Some eighth graders may start to get a
little jaded, but holy cow! That's nothing compared to high schoolers
who can wear cynicism and an expression of "Been there, done that" as
comfortably as Lady Gaga wears a meat suit.In contrast,
most middle schoolers possess wonderfully low levels of cynicism that
when combined with their youthful naiveté looks a lot like hope.
10)
They're passionate. I love the all-in attitude of most middle
schoolers, but it's not only their willingness to try things. They're also passionate about the things they try, the
opinions they voice, the beliefs they hold. The funny thing is they're
frequently passionate about things they won't be passionate about in two
years—or two months.
11)
They're forgiving. When you screw up, have an off night in
your teaching, plan a lame event, or say something dumb, middle
schoolers are quick to forgive (particularly if you ask them). The
travel time back to normal (whatever that is!) is extremely short.
12)
They're fun! Middle schoolers keep me feeling young. They're
playful and hilarious, goofy and unselfconscious. Middle schoolers
remind me regularly of how a joy-filled life should look.
With that being said we are praying for some new junior high leaders, we don't make big asks for youth leaders because we feel that God needs to bring them in. What I am asking you to do is not come up to me and say I want to be in Junior High ministry, I am asking you to pray and lets see if God puts us together! Pray that God starts stirring your heart for junior high students, because as awesome as it is, it can still be very difficult!
To God be the Glory
P.A.
