Working with Middle School Ministry

Last Wednesday was my first Wednesday volunteering for the middle school ministry. I shadowed gracious Lady J (yes this is her secret code-name) during a 6th grade life group. Life groups are what we used to call Sunday School, except now Sunday School is Wednesday so...new name. It's a much more contemporary name in keeping with the whole, let's not make church boring thing that apparently started when I was on walkabout. Anyway...Wednesday, Lady J, 6th grade life group. And I loved it!

I love 6th graders! They are so sweet and funny, and hyper. Seriously, crickets on espresso. One little girl child needs to keep her phone in her purse, but that is such a minor issue in the scheme of things. The children were a delight! I had missed working with big kids and didn't even realize it. They are so neat with all of their ideas, and their stories. They are so sweet in their wanting to participate. They are big people in small bodies. And they were at church, ready to learn, and excited about hearing a new lesson. What lesson rocked the house this week? Well...

We talked about worship. We talked about the how, and the when, and the why. The kids got into it, and really participated thoughtfully. I felt they grasped what we were trying to teach them; you can worship anywhere, anytime. You can always, always talk to God, and He always listens. It was great. I think what we taught them, reminded me of what I can forget. God is always available. No matter how busy you are, or what you are doing, or how mad or sad, or bad you are, God is there. This is an amazing truth.

After our life group we had "regular church" or just "worship" as the kids call it. This is held in their own little section of the church. I think the design is genius in the whole scheme of keeping the noise down for the rest of the church goers. I know that in some places a large group of really exuberant children would be frowned upon and cause friction with other groups. Not so at our church. Someone was thinking! Anyway, there was a song service, delivered by a really loud and pretty good band, and a message delivered by the middle school minister. Here is what I took away from the message:

The pastor delivered a message about Jesus sacrificing himself for our sins, and how when he died, the curtain to the Holy of Holies was torn. I have heard this story so many times throughout my life. Sadly, I had forgotten about the Holy of Holies and the curtain, Meaning I had forgotten it to the point where I needed to be reminded of it again. So my knowledge was refreshed. It was really nice. This sermon is carried the most import message for Christians, our fundamental truth. God sent his Son to die on the cross as a blood sacrifice for our sins. It is through Christ that we can go to Heaven, we don't need intercession (sorry my Catholic brethren). Basic, a simple little lesson, but not really all that simple. A virgin birth, a blameless life, a painful death, resurrection, redemption. How much life was packed into those thirty some-odd years? How many times did Christ turn away from sin?

He knew people. He walked and talked. He had friends. He had family. He had people who loved Him and hated Him. He was sent to Earth to die for us, and chose every day to do no sin, and to die for us. How very profound that "simple, basic" sermon I listened to on Wednesday really was. I know that the children listened. I hope they can see the deeper layers in the straightforward message. This is why I volunteer. I want to help children find their faith in Christ. I want to spread the knowledge of God's amazing, unconditional love so it goes viral in their life group. I hope in their thirties these kids aren't saying, "I hate organized religion"; I hope they are saying, "Let's go to church, you'll love it." I sure do!