Setting Them Up for Life
by Susan DeLay

Volume 14 Issue 2, 2007

Transitioning kids from children's ministry to junior high … and beyond

Transitions are never easy. Think back on the seasons in your life when you’ve had to transition: A new job; a new home; a new relationship; a new life. When you’re a child, transitions can sometimes become traumatic if they’re not handled correctly. When a child leaves the safety of elementary school and transitions into high school where they are more anonymous and wide-eyed, it can be uncomfortable. Many churches have realized that they can buffer these feelings in their own ministries by ensuring that a child’s transition from children’s ministries into junior high (or from junior high into high school) becomes a positive experience. We sat down with Scott Rubin, director of Elevate, Willow Creek’s ministry to junior high students, and Tami Verville, the director of Student Ministries at Kensington Church in Troy, Mich., to discuss the hows and whys of effective transitions for our kids.

Why should we pay attention to how students transition from children’s ministry to junior high or from junior high to high school?

Tami: We don’t want to lose any of our kids, and transitions are when you’re going to lose them. The younger the kids understand that God has a purpose and plan for their lives, and they learn to walk in real relationship with people around them, the more likely it is that they will become and remain fully devoted followers of Christ throughout their lives. They need support when they’re facing tough things and after a certain age they tend to lean into their peers for that. So, they need to be around other kids who can show them what living in a relationship with Jesus looks like.

Scott: The shift from one level to the next can become one of those easy “off ramps” — out of church or away from their faith community. Whether consciously or subconsciously, kids think since life is changing, it might be time to try something new. They’ll walk away for awhile and maybe not even notice the difference until they find themselves in deep weeds. Those deep weeds often result from the fact that they’ve removed the spiritual angle from their lives — and that happened because they took an off ramp.

Is there a difference in how transitions are handled between children’s ministry and junior high ministry, and between junior high and senior high?

Scott: There are key differences. Parents play a different role in transitioning their kids from children’s ministry into junior high, and at that stage, you need to just spend good old-fashioned time informing the parents. In high school, kids are gaining more independence. They’re driving, or their friends are driving, so the dependence on their parents diminishes a bit. Junior high students are ready to test their wheels — maybe begin to re-establish their identity. So, we spend more time envisioning them — helping them anticipate what’s ahead in their own faith journey.

Tami: During both transitions, we want to help allay their fears and give them as much knowledge as possible about what’s ahead. For kids going into sixth grade, most of what we plan is for the parents because they’re your strongest ally. For middle school, we concentrate more on the small group leaders. Kids need great leaders who know them — know what makes their hearts beat faster and know what makes them shake in their boots. We want to make sure those leaders are waiting at the doors for them and ready to walk with them.

Describe the mechanics of transitioning from one level to the next.

Tami: Most of our small group leaders in Treasure Island(Kensington’s children’s ministry) will follow the kids from elementary through middle school. We envision leaders, encouraging them to stay with their kids. For instance, we cite a lot of statistics from George Barna because we want them to understand that their kids are going to need them and that they need to be involved. That alone has accounted for about a 50 percent increase in the number of parents who are involved in middle school ministry. It’s also important to communicate both to the kids and the parents. Verbal, written, and visual means — use whatever resources you have at your disposal, but get the word out.

Scott: I agree about the importance of communication. In fact, over-communicate the message: “We want you here. We need you here. You’re going to make this ministry what it is!”

Tami: Most of our small group leaders in Treasure Island(Kensington’s children’s ministry) will follow the kids from elementary through middle school. We envision leaders, encouraging them to stay with their kids. For instance, we cite a lot of statistics from George Barna because we want them to understand that their kids are going to need them and that they need to be involved. That alone has accounted for about a 50 percent increase in the number of parents who are involved in middle school ministry. It’s also important to communicate both to the kids and the parents. Verbal, written, and visual means — use whatever resources you have at your disposal, but get the word out.

We’ve also learned a lot from how schools approach things. Right now high schools are preparing for the class of 2011. The earlier you can set up a plan, the better. You can’t start to think about the transition a few weeks before it happens. You start now by, helping them anticipate it — helping them envision the adventure God has for them down the road. We want kids to understand the truth that even when everything around you is changing, this God you’ve been tracking with is going to remain with you. He’s inviting you on an adventure and He won’t ever leave your side.

Tami: Most of our small group leaders in Treasure Island(Kensington’s children’s ministry) will follow the kids from elementary through middle school. We envision leaders, encouraging them to stay with their kids. For instance, we cite a lot of statistics from George Barna because we want them to understand that their kids are going to need them and that they need to be involved. That alone has accounted for about a 50 percent increase in the number of parents who are involved in middle school ministry. It’s also important to communicate both to the kids and the parents. Verbal, written, and visual means — use whatever resources you have at your disposal, but get the word out.

As a part of Elevate (junior high), I start to become more visible and familiar to the fifth graders so they know who I am. And the director of Student Impact (high school) starts to become visible to the eighth graders.

Tami: We do something similar. Our Breakaway (middle school) leaders start visiting Treasure Island to build familiarity with them. They show videos of upcoming jams (big events) so kids can see what’s ahead. At the fifth grade graduation in the spring we stress that not only are you graduating, but here’s what you’re graduating into. The fifth graders run through a tunnel where there are about 600 middle school kids yelling and cheering them on. And they’re not alone — they’re there with their parents and their small group leaders. Then the eighth graders jump into limousines and go to The Edge, which is the high school ministry. So, it’s a pretty special night for everyone.

Is there a more effective time of year to make transitions?

Scott: We’ve found that the best time is at the beginning of the summer. If we wait until fall, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle with everything else that’s going on. While we do our graduations in the spring, kids get the summer to establish connections within the next ministry — forge new friendships. When they hit a new school in the fall, they already know some of the upper classmen, which is an advantage not every freshman has.

Tami: We begin our transitions before Easter. The fifth graders learn about spiritual gifts and spiritual pathways — what it means to be a fully devoted follower of Christ. At the end of the school year we cast vision for them — give them something great to look forward to.

Scott: I think that you have this unique window of time, where kids are making their first impressions about your ministry, about how well you engage with them, about what it feels like to be involved in that new level; about how relevant God is. When we can get that hand-off right, it gains momentum over the rest of the year. But if we fumble the snap going from one grade to the next, it can take the rest of the year to recover.

What about churches without individual ministries for the different grade levels. Can you offer any suggestions?

Tami: Kids are fearful — fearful of what they don’t know and what they’re going into. This applies to people serving kids in any church, no matter what size. Just communicate to them how much you care for them. Let them know they can continue to find out who God is and what his plan is for them. Bottom line: They need to know they are not alone and there is nothing to fear.

Scott: I think you really need to figure out a way to treat those freshmen differently because the schools treat them differently. In some churches, the kids may be part of the same program, but they are going through very different stages of life. Being aware of that, helping them navigate the changes, and talking through different variables and dynamics can keep them from getting lost in the shuffle.

What do you wish every church knew about transitioning kids?

Scott: I wish every church would remember the uncertainty that comes from entering a new stage of life. Be the vehicle that reminds them that even through the uncertainty, there is this God who is with them and who’s walking with them every step of the way.

Tami: Be intentional. No matter what your church offers, you have to think of that shy one who may not like a large event, but is absolutely going to love being part of a small group. The more intentional you are about plugging them in and the more you can communicate to them what’s going on, the more seamless transitions will be. When kids arrive from one ministry into another and they feel like they belong … then you’ve got them.

Scott: Every time we’re with those kids, we’ve got to be able to see them through different eyes. We have to look past the acne-faced, silly, crazy kids and see them further out. See what they can become. When we can do that, good things happen.

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