Brain Twisters! During a crazy weekend of paintball, four friends were having great fun. The paint came in blue, green, yellow and red. Coincidentally, the four friends had T-shirts in those same colors. Brenda used blue paint balls. The person in the green T-shirt used yellow paint balls. James was not wearing a red T-shirt. Diane used green paint balls and wore a blue T-shirt. Simon was the only person who used paint which was the same color as his T-shirt. Can you tell which color paint they each used and the color of their respective T-shirts?

Do Hard Things! Memorize Scripture (Rachel Nelson) Put on a musical like the youth ministry and singles ministry (Nissi Powell) Send care packages to persecuted Christians around the world (Mary Blendermann) Serve food at a homeless shelter or food kitchen once a month (Sarah Jane Powers) Collect canned food or unused books for homeless shelters or the poor (Victor Pires) Memorize Scripture (Rachel Nelson) Put on a musical like the youth ministry and singles ministry (Nissi Powell) Send care packages to persecuted Christians around the world (Mary Blendermann) Serve food at a homeless shelter or food kitchen once a month (Sarah Jane Powers) Collect canned food or unused books for homeless shelters or the poor (Victor Pires)

More Hard Things! Get kids from this class to bring in $1 of their own money (not offering money) and donate it to poor people (Zac Lockwood) Collect toys, money, and other items from the entire church so that our class can send out lots more shoeboxes as part of Operation Christmas Child (Sophia Khan) Send cards and packages to six soldiers, not just three (Ben Somerville) Get kids from this class to bring in $1 of their own money (not offering money) and donate it to poor people (Zac Lockwood) Collect toys, money, and other items from the entire church so that our class can send out lots more shoeboxes as part of Operation Christmas Child (Sophia Khan) Send cards and packages to six soldiers, not just three (Ben Somerville)

Don’t Waste Your Youth! The Changing Middle School… Mind Body World Relationships The Changing Middle School… Mind Body World Relationships

Middle School MIND No longer satisfied with simple answers; you want to know why

Brain Twisters! I am large as a castle, yet lighter than air. 100 men and their horses cannot move me. What am I?

Brain Twisters! Four men were in a boat on the lake. The boat turns over, and all four men sink to the bottom of the lake, yet not a single man got wet! Why?

Middle School MIND Temptations Pride Disrespect Opportunities Love God with all your mind Serve others, solve problems Temptations Pride Disrespect Opportunities Love God with all your mind Serve others, solve problems

Middle School BODY Lots of change taking place as you mature from childhood to adulthood

Middle School BODY Temptations Pride Fear Opportunities Humility Trust Temptations Pride Fear Opportunities Humility Trust

Middle School WORLD More exposure and attraction to the world and its pleasures

Middle School WORLD Temptations Discontentment Worldliness Opportunities Deeper relationship with God Stronger personal convictions Temptations Discontentment Worldliness Opportunities Deeper relationship with God Stronger personal convictions

Middle School RELATIONSHIPS Increasing concern about what other kids your age think of you

Middle School RELATIONSHIPS Temptations Fear of man (peer pressure) Pull away from your parents Opportunities Grow in biblical love for peers Draw closer to parents Temptations Fear of man (peer pressure) Pull away from your parents Opportunities Grow in biblical love for peers Draw closer to parents

Make the Most of Your Middle School Years “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” (Luke 2:52) “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” (Luke 2:52)

podium Table for water/OJ Table for coffee table Tall,black table Tall chair (from breakroom if necessary) 12 chairs Starting Point 4/20/08 and forward 12 chairs

Middle School MIND Asks hard questions Loves to debate Enjoys catching adults in their mistakes Asks hard questions Loves to debate Enjoys catching adults in their mistakes

Middle School WORLD Greater freedoms More opportunities Stronger influences Greater freedoms More opportunities Stronger influences

Middle School BODY Big changes A great time to talk A great chance to trust Big changes A great time to talk A great chance to trust

Middle School RELATIONSHIPS Friends matter more A deadly current Stay close to the shore Friends matter more A deadly current Stay close to the shore