How “FUN” is your junior high ministry?
(When I was in middle school, the JHi Ministry was about as fun as holding your breathe & counting ceiling tiles. Which I did a lot of while I was there.)
Some of my friends in the “adult” ministries of our church sometimes roll their eyes and shake their heads when they see what we’re doing in middle school ministry. I DEEPLY believe that we need to teach Scripture to middle schooler. I definitely believe that middle schoolers are capable of worship. And I even think that on some occasions, middle schoolers (even boys) can engage in conversations about spiritual things that really matter, without anyone farting. On some occasions.
But seeking FUN is also a significant part of life when you’re 13-ish! And there’s nothing wrong with that, if it’s done in the right ways! I think that laughter and fun can set a tone for relationships and even learning. And I don’t have any problem with kids wanting to come to our ministry “because it’s fun!”. Sure – if that’s all that’s going on, then I’ve got a problem. But you know what I’m saying, right?
Recently, I saw a blog post from VolksWagen, saying that FUN can sometimes be the easiest way to change people’s behavior! They wanted to see if they could get more people to obey the speed limit, if they made it “fun to do”. Have you seen this project? Check out this 2 minute video.
And then ask yourself again … how Fun is my jr. high ministry!
The Fun Theory — The Fun Theory
