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Middle School Small Groups

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By Kurt Johnston
8/23/2007

There are times I don't really like my small group. Don't get me wrong, I really like my 8th grade guys, I just don't always look forward to small group. My guys are on the over-active side, they usually forget their Bibles, they rarely share a prayer request of greater consequence than 'pray that my team wins our football game Saturday' and I'm fairly certain that none of them has been introduced to a deodorant stick
Small groups give students a place to belong. They help a larger youth ministry feel small. Small groups build community. They create a safe place for questions to be asked and struggles to be shared. Small groups build and strengthen friendships.


I typically hustle off to my small group after a busy Wednesday. Because Tuesdays are my first day in the office after the weekend, they are packed with all sorts of planning meetings which makes Wednesday the day I really hit the ground running and I typically run right through dinner and rush off to my small group without much preparation or prayer. As a result, I often have a small group experience that leaves me scratching my head and wondering if I'm a lunatic for devoting my entire adult life to the cause of young teen ministry.

In these moments, the Holy Spirit almost always gently hits me over the head with a baseball bat and reminds me why small groups are worth the effort. The effort that I often times simply fail to put in.

Small groups give students a place to belong. They help a larger youth ministry feel small. Small groups build community. They create a safe place for questions to be asked and struggles to be shared. Small groups build and strengthen friendships. They allow students to be known. Small groups help students build relationships with a caring adult. They create incredible memories. Small groups allow students to laugh when they want to laugh and cry when they need to cry. They give ownership to adult volunteers.

In short, small groups can be the backbone of a healthy youth ministry and the environment in which the most life-change happens. Small groups are a lot of work, but they are worth the effort.

I'm writing this on a Wednesday. On this particular Wednesday I'm running faster than usual. And my small group is looming just a few hours away. Because I know my 8th grade guys are worth it and because I'm convinced this small group is impacting their lives, I'm going to make sure I quit running early enough to put in the effort and forethought they deserve.

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I can totally idetify with you Kurt. We all need that gentle hit with the baseball bat every so often. I find it just awesome that although the guys in my group will often pray they don't get poisoned by the dinner they then come out with a prayer request or a comment that is so deep and unexpected it just knocks me for six. Praise God for the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and those of the young people we work with!! Thanks for the article man.

ed hardy clothes 11:10:22pm on 10/17/2009

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Hi, I am a youth leader at my church, and for the past year or so, I started leading a small group for 13 to 14 year old students. I have experienced first-hand the joys and the spoils that come from building a relationship with them. I agree that they are sometimes the rowdiest bunch who just cannot sit still, and they are not mature enough or socially astute to understand certain things. They would read the latest tween novels rather than the Bible, listen to the latest hits, catch the coolest movies, be too caught up with fashion. I have had my fair share of disappointments with their attitudes, but what really kept me on is watching how God is making an impact in their lives day after day. The small group setting built friendships and they are growing spiritually (although quite slowly) and the fellowship is just amazing. My phone never stops ringing and they barrage me with text messages everyday and they drive me up the wall most of the times I see them. But they are the most amazing bunch of people who are ever so ready to love and be challenged spiritually to grow. I praise God for the way I am ministered by their enthusiasm and their friendship. indeed their age group is neither out of sunday school nor is it fully teenager, and every day that they are discovering something about themselves, I am discovering something about myself too.

GY 2:04:23am on 4/27/2009

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hi, i am a youth leader and i have been for a year now. this year there are at least 6 new boys in my group and they are a HUGE handful. i come out of the bible study and ask myself why me all the time. what can i do. the kids act like they dont care. they dont care about respecting me or each other. how can i make them care and teach them to behave?

Petal 10:11:02pm on 11/09/2008

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I have been working for the last 4 years in the childrens church ministry, but about 2 years ago, God began placing a desire in my heart to work with the middle schoolers in our church. We have a childrens church age (elementary) & then teens. The ages range from 13 to 19. I think there is such a large difference in the situations teens face between those years & I know God has placed a desire within my heart to begin a middlers small group. I'm not quite sure how to get started?

Sherry 10:09:27pm on 9/24/2008

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Shannon, you can look for some right here. Click on freebies above. You can also try the freebie section on Simply Youth Ministry.

Chris 10:04:03pm on 4/28/2008

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Do you know of any websites where I can get free material on teen lessons?

Shannon 1:04:59pm on 4/28/2008

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My husband and I recently started a middle school ministry at our church. We avg about 15. One thing we wanted to do was have gender specific small groups. We are glad we did. We have 2 groups for girls and one for boys (so far). Even though they may act silly and goof off during large group times they become very focused and interact well during our small group time. Actually the boys ask more questions and help each other out with scripture more than the girls. Only 3 months into small groups, we can see they are making a difference. We would definitely encourage small groups for middle schoolers.

TC 9:04:44pm on 4/06/2008

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We have recently begun a small group ministry during our mid-week service. It is interesting the reaction we received from the students. Now, they are actually having to listen during the large group talk. They don't like being separated by gender. We are betting on the authentic community, the sense of belonging, and the multiplication of ministry that takes place with every small group. Once this vision of authentic community is caught, we believe our student ministry will take on a new look!

Brandon Best 1:12:32pm on 12/18/2007

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Hi there, I am now preparing the foundation for our churchs' youth ministry. The majority of the children are upper elementry/ middle school. I am currently serving in another churchs' High School ministry. Sometimes I slack on the preparation for the older kids because of my busy schedule as well. Reading your article has encouraged me and opened my eyes to just how important it is to put in the time needed, these kids are too precious to fly by the seat of my pants

T. Hudson 10:12:22pm on 12/05/2007

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Hey there, I'm the jr high leader for a small church with a group of about ten to fifteen. I have a leader who wants to start a girls small group. I'm not really sure how to get it rolling, though.

jess 4:11:47pm on 11/29/2007

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Thanks for a great article. Your words have encouraged me to keep pushing through the difficult times in leading a home group. It's so worth it when I get a card or a phone call from one of my girls telling me how much they love coming to home group, or even better when I can see the difference it is making in their lives.

Jules 2:11:31pm on 11/17/2007

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I am going to be going into youth ministry next year. I have really been questioning if this is the job I really want. I am teaching a jr. high sunday school class for girls and I can relate to the part where you said sometimes you aren't 100% excited about teaching the group but I love those girls and your article really gave me that extra thing I needed to say yes this is the job that I want so thanks.

Stevie 10:11:09pm on 11/04/2007

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I can totally idetify with you Kurt. We all need that gentle hit with the baseball bat every so often. I find it just awesome that although the guys in my group will often pray they don't get poisoned by the dinner they then come out with a prayer request or a comment that is so deep and unexpected it just knocks me for six. Praise God for the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and those of the young people we work with!! Thanks for the article man.

JC 9:10:01am on 10/22/2007

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