This document discusses strategies for ministering to junior high students. It emphasizes that junior high students need fun, encouragement, and investment. For fun, it recommends creating weird and memorable experiences like game nights, traditions, and activities. It stresses the importance of cheering on junior high students by showering them with compliments and praise. Finally, it outlines ways to invest in junior high students through one-on-one interactions, inviting them to activities, empowering them to serve, and praying for them.

1. By Curtis Prunty
Junior high students…
 Are often neglected!
o We don’t dig their chili
o We don’t understand their kind
o We don’t recognize their potential
 Are extremely impressionable!
o We can connect with them
o We can disciple them
o We can inspire them
 Are very joyful!
3 Key Needs of Every Junior high student:
1. Every Junior High Student Needs Some Fun!
a. Too many social pressures – they need to experience a social recess
b. They need to be reminded that it’s okay to be a junior high student
i. *The secret sauce to JH ministry – Every JH student is weird!
 Create weird environments – the more abstract the better
a. Weird routine activities
b. Themed nights
c. Game Nights/Fundraisers
*There’s something mystical about cats!

2.  Celebrate weird behavior
a. Props, when kids dress up
 Celebrate weird ideas
a. “What would you think if I…?”
c. Create inside jokes
i. Memories – important to remember memories shape our identity
 We want kids to brag about “the time when…”
ii. Nicknames – easier way to remember kids names and their funny.
iii. Traditions – either something you used to do or create a new one
 Happy Crappy’s – awkward silence clap vs. Debbie downer
 The fart closet
 Flailing
 Underground fighting/slap boxing
 Camouflaged missions
iv. Connecting Points – some students need it in order to come out
of their shells
d. The Joker had it right – “Haven’t you ever heard of the healing power of
laughter?”
e. Church people don’t need to be stale – “We need to show the world that
we can have more fun than anyone else!” – Greg Spink
i. I know we all get burnt out on games – but remember, sometimes
it’s the wacky events that truly put us on the map – I have no
problem with teens associating the church as a fun place to be
 Shaving cream football, zombie apocalypse scavenger hunt,
murder mystery scavenger hunt, Hyperball, themed
airsoft/paintball wars, indoor laser tag at the church, no
holds barred, glow in the dark spud, goofy Olympics,
mission impossible, zombie tag, dress up movie nights
f. JH kids are EASY to please and are the #1 fans of having fun!
2. Every Junior High Students Needs to Be Cheered!
a. Be a cheer leader

3. b. Remember what’s going on in their lives
c. Youth ministry – best avenue to spur on others – best way to fulfill that
verse
i. Shower them with compliments and praise
ii. Make them feel good when they come. Show them they have a
place to belong
 Loyal customers are made when a business makes them
feel good about themselves and remind of us that we
belong some where
d. A little encouragement goes a long way
i. Compliments
ii. “I see in you” conversations
e. Volunteers as boxing coaches –having someone in your corner is
awesome
3. Every Junior High Student Needs Investment!
a. From their parents first
i. Try to make a connection
ii. Realize you’re not mom or dad
b. It takes a community to raise a kid
i. What if every kid was “adopted” by someone in the church?
c. Invite them along
i. Running errands
ii. Service projects
iii. Movie nights
iv. Video games
v. Game nights – on tv or in the backyard
d. Create something to do together
i. Disc golf group – “the Cobra Kai”
ii. Nails group – Heather Flies
iii. Painting parties

4. iv. Paintball
e. Teach them something
i. Taekwondo
ii. Mechanics
iii. Crafting
iv. Art
f. Let them teach you
i. Their hobby - scouts
ii. Their sport
iii. Their game
g. Step into their world
i. Show up to their events
ii. Show up to school
h. Empower them to step up – serve and lead
i. Actual responsibilities – hooking up the trailer at MIX
 Attendance, prayer, teach, student spokesperson
i. Deposits of care
i. Try to figure out their love language
j. Pray for them constantly