Moving on Up to Middle School is a faith milestone for fifth graders and their parents. A Faith Milestone is an intentional teaching and practice of various holy habits for a growing, robust faith in Jesus. This faith milestone marks the ‘first’ in the life a family moving from children’s ministry to student/youth ministry at our local church as we ‘… consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.’ (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Schedule: On a Wednesday night youth group time 6:15-7:45pm
* Welcome w/combination lock activity (Students attempt to open the combination lock with NO help from their parents. No help. No words. Nothing. Just smile.)
* Details about promotion timing (We promote on the Sunday following the start of the new school year.)
* Rite of the faithful = a rising 6th grader who faithfully attends may rise up to youth group only on summer Wednesday nights prior to the fall promotion. Sunday am and other times they remain in children’s ministry throughout the summer.
* Join in the Youth Ministry opening games and dinner. The student enjoys dinner with middle school students.
* At youth Class Meeting time, we move into another space to enjoy the testimony of a youth group parent with middle school students, and this one also had a high school school student, to have a realistic and truthful chat about delaying social media by one who is faithfully living it out.
* We finish in prayer over the student and family.

Take away: Combination lock received at the beginning of the event. At some point in the evening, the students pass the lock to a parent who effortlessly opens it. A gentle reminder that a student’s parent is their first ‘go to’ for all things and assured they will know more than their friends do.

Several affirming resources to delay social media can be found here, and here.

How do you transition families from children’s ministry to youth/student ministry in your local church?

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” Hebrews 10:36