Two Helpful Youth Ministry Blog Posts

The internet is full of blogs about a number of different topics. You can read a blog about just about any subject imaginable. Look, you are reading a blog post right now about blog posts!

One of the benefits of youth ministry in 2015 is that there are a lot of free resources, articles and training tools online. Some of them come in the way of blog posts. I had two links come into my email today that pointed to two helpful articles. One is for youth ministers/volunteers in general and the second is for those who work specifically with junior high/middle school students.

Whether you are a paid youth worker or an unpaid volunteer, we all benefit from hearing from other voices and gleaning information from those who serve students and families.

The first is titled “What I Wish I Knew” written by Josh Griffin. He reflects on what he has learned in the past 20 years of serving in youth ministry. While all the thoughts he shares are good, I thought the point he made about youth ministry being about students and adults was on point. You can read the article below or by clicking the link above.

The second post was called “Top 10: 5th-8th Grade Years Transitions” and was written by Dan Istvanik. I think this is the first time I’ve visited his blog, but I thought what he shared about students transitioning into junior high/middle school was helpful. Sometimes we forget what it is like to be a student who has to navigate the junior high years. His article was kind of a quick bullet point list of the transitions students face. Check it out below or by hitting the link.

Thanks to all who share your wisdom on blogs, websites and social media!

WHAT I WISH I KNEW – JOSH GRIFFIN

I’ve been in youth ministry for 20 years. That’s still a crazy thing for me to write – I still feel sometimes like I’m just getting started and know very little. But the truth is, I’ve been living this out for a couple of decades. I still love it and still love being in the trenches of youth ministry (and serving youth workers through DOWNLOAD YOUTH MINISTRY) if I could go back and talk to my 21-year old self a few things about youth ministry, here’s what I would say to that eager, exciting just-graduating college young man:

IT ISN’T ALL GOING TO BE FUN AND GAMES.
Youth ministry over the next 20 years of your life is going to be SO fun. You’re going to laugh and play so much. You’re going to smile a ton, and just love doing what God has called you to do. You’re going to make memories all over the world and impact teenagers at a crucial point in their life. BUT, it is also going to be really difficult. It is going to test you. You’re going to see things that discourage you. You will be frustrated. You’re going to be pushed to the edge of your patience and the edge of your faith. It is going to be SO fun, but it is real work and you’ll battle real spiritual warfare, too.

YOU ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED.
You think this thing is all about students – but YOU are going to grow a ton. As you lean into the Scriptures for guidance as you teach, counsel and help others, you will grow so deep in your faith. Of course, the temptation is to do this in your own strength, but that doesn’t end well. Your life will be changed because of youth ministry when you walk with Jesus.

IT IS ABOUT STUDENTS AND ADULTS.
When you think about youth ministry, you think about youth. But it is so much more than that. Yes, it is about teenagers making decisions for Jesus. You do get to help serve them in this crucial life stage. But it is also about parents and adult leaders. It is about the team you get to create and do life with. It is about the moms and dads you get to equip and encourage. And you’ll grow from single youth worker to married parent in the process of this whole thing and realize more than ever when you’re in the thick of it just how important youth ministry is to your family, too.

IT IS THE MOST REWARDING CALLING EVER.
Through the ups and downs, through everything, there’s no better calling on the planet. There’s nothing more rewarding to give your life to. Stay the course, stay close to Jesus and after a while you’ll realize just how incredible it is. You’ll think about your teenagers … now adults and watch them flourish (and some flounder still trying to find) their faith as followers of Jesus. You’ll look at your own children and smile as you reflect on them growing up loving the church.

What would you go back and tell yourself when you started youth ministry?

TOP 10: 5th-8th GRADE YEARS TRANSITIONS – DAN ISTVANIK

10. One Classroom to Multiple Classrooms.
Going from the elementary school, one maybe two main classroom setting to the middle school/Jr. high setting of a homeroom and changing classrooms for every subject.

9. Stable to Emotional.
With changes all around them and internal, hormonal changes. Middle year students may go from being stable, consistent emotionally to having ranging emotions from highs to lows often inside a short period of time without much real cause or warning.

8. Dependent on Parents to Independent of Parents.
Middle year students with the various changes in schedule and personality will also move from childhood dependence to a maturing need for more freedom.

7. Arranged Friendships to Chosen Friendships
Friendships go from parent arranged “play dates” to students choosing their own peer groups based on mutual preferences and interests.

6. Innocent to Knowledgable.
With social education, media access, and parent’s having “the talk” the middle year are marked by a stage from a more innocent view of the world to a more knowledgable, realistic view of life.

5. Fearful to Risk Taking
Along with the move from innocence to knowledge and the transition from dependence to independence to knowledge the middle year are time of being fearful to taking risks socially, emotionally, and even physically.

4. Sexually Unaware to Sexually Aware
More specific in the innocence to knowledge transition, these are the years of becoming aware of sexuality, others and their own. Often leading to some questioning and identity awareness.

3. Concrete to Abstract Thinking
A black and white, right and wrong simplicity of thinking moves to a processing of grey areas and synthesis of understanding and thought.

2. Child Body to Teen Body
Growth spurts, puberty, and sexual discovery are the physical transitions in the middle years that move a child into being a teen/young adult.

1. Family Faith to Personal Faith
Where the role of middle years ministry and importance of a church providing a solid middle year specific ministry becomes so paramount. Belief moves from what parents believe and teach to what a student personally discover, question and claim as their own. The reason we do what, we do as 5th-8th pastors/director/leaders/volunteers!!!

ACL Recovery Update

Several have asked how Syd is getting along with her recovery from surgery. She had a follow-up at her surgeon’s office today. They removed the stitches and checked on her progress. Overall everything looks good. He was pleased with the surgery itself and her progress to this point. Physical therapy has been going well and the team at Drayer are great.

She received one small piece of bad news today – she has to stay in the brace and on crutches for three more weeks. She was ready to be off the crutches, but Doc wants to protect the MCL as it heals. There was some damage to it when she tore the ACL, but nothing that required surgery.

Her surgeon is a pretty straight shooter and said that her knee looks good. She just needs to make sure she doesn’t screw it up (those were his words). He even gave her a shirt that says Beacon Orthopaedic on the front and this quote on the back: “Don’t be stupid.” Her job is to follow the therapy they have for her. I’m sure she will, but she was definitely ready to lose the crutches.

While at her appointment today, we ran into another young lady who plays high school ball and had ACL repair surgery yesterday. A Clinton-Massie boys player tore his ACL this weekend playing ball. Hate to see anyone go through that, but seems to be a pretty common injury anymore. Grateful for a good surgeon and therapy team to help them get better and back on the court.

Sydney featured on The Dabbelt Report

Jim Dabbelt is the creator of a website called “The Dabbelt Report” which follows Ohio high school girls basketball in our area.  He spends a lot of time in the gym watching teams and blogs and tweets to give the girls in our area some exposure.  On his blog, he features a basketball player who is standing out among the many talented players in this area of Ohio.  This week he featured Sydney.

You can read the article on The Dabbelt Report website.

I follow his blog posts and on Twitter.  If you like basketball in our area, he will keep you up to date.

Here’s the article about Syd:

By JIM DABBELT

When it comes to the most talented sophomores in the Miami Valley, the bar is set at the very top with the Fairmont duo of Makayla Waterman and Kathryn Westbeld.  But next in line is a player who has exploded onto the scene after having an outstanding summer.

Clinton Massie 6-foot small forward Sydney Brackemyre has vaulted into the elite status in her 2014 class, and for the standout, she has a lot to credit to her summer AAU program, as she looks to lead Massie far into the playoffs this winter.

“This summer was amazing for me,” she said.  “About a week before AAU tryouts, I had no idea where I was going to be playing.  Chris Arington gave me the opportunity to play for the Cincinnati Angels, and it was probably the best decision I have ever made.”

Brackemyre was a key part as the team went 34-3 over the summer, and competed against a lot of tough teams from all over the United States.

“Coach Arington was a great coach who has an incredible knowledge about the game,” she said.  “He is a great role model for me this summer.  He also asked coach Dante Harlan to help train the three Angels teams.  He trained with us about three times a week.”

While the Angels were beating nearly everyone they played, Brackemyre’s stock went up.  She credits her time with the Angels and Harlan for that happening.

“Two of the biggest benefits of playing for the Angels are working with coach Harlan and the ability to train at Ignition in Mason.

“I worked out at Prasco with Dante during the entire off-season,” she said, getting to work out with some of the top players in Cincinnati such as Raeshaun Gaffney, Jenna Gunn, Nicole Bell, Brianna Glover, Chloe Pavlech, and other great players.  “They expanded my game to be strong and creative on the offensive end as well as quick and physical on the defensive end.”

All of that hard work has led to what she hopes will be a very memorable season with Massie.  The super soph knows the team is capable of playing well, with some solid players.

“There are some big expectations for our team this year, but we have definitely come into the season ready for the challenge,” she said.  “We have a really strong team with a lot of speed and athleticism.  Our team is very diverse and that is why I think we will be so successful.”

Brackemyre is joined on the Falcons squad by 6-foot sophomore Kasey Uetrecht and Brianna Machado, along with solid guards Mary Moyer, Allison Monnin, and Brittany Smith.

“We realize we have a long way to go, and our coach (Allen Wilkinson) does a great job keeping us humble when we win big, and encourages us when we get down.  We just want to come in everyday and get better.”

Not only is Brackemyre working on helping guide her team to a great season, she also has to worry about all the attention she will be getting from this point on.  She is no longer a stranger to the college coaches in the area, and while is talented, she also knows she has a long way to go.

“There is a huge room for improvement, but I think I need the most work on my defense,” she said.  “After (visiting schools) and talking to coaches, I have realized that defense is a huge part of what they expect from a player, not just that they can score.”

“I want to also work on making better decisions on the court, just being a smarter player and cutting down on turnovers.”

A lot of her attention came at the prestigious OGBR Skills and Exposure Camp at Denison, held every year in early July.  Last summer, she turned a lot of heads with her play at that camp, and opened the doors to a positive experience with the recruiting game.

“I had a great experience at that camp,” Brackemyre said.  “Going into it, I didn’t know a lot about it, but it was huge in my recruiting process.  Between that camp and the Top 64, I received a ton of exposure to college coaches.”

“OGBR also allowed me to experience some of the great players from other areas of Ohio that are really getting a lot of attention.  “Tom Jenkins is a great guy and he has allowed me the opportunity to be involved in things like camp, and the opportunity to work at some of the events such as the Classic in the Country.”

While she looks forward to working that great January event, it would mean a lot to her as well if she could experience the Classic from another angle…as a player.