This is the letter that will be mailed out this week with Stuck in the Middle’s 2007 annual campaign information. If you’re interested in supporting our 2007 campaign, you can do so online by clicking on the “Support” tab at www.stuckinthemiddle.com, or by calling 1-800-497-3917. Checks can be mailed to Stuck in the Middle, 403 S. Sunset Drive #6, Andover, KS 67002. Thanks!
Dear Friends,
When I was in the eighth grade something profound happened that changed my life forever. I was a typical middle school boy, awkward and struggling with low self-esteem, not sure about much of anything. Then I met Dr. Bill Lown, an elderly man who took the time to invest in my life and show me that I had worth and value. He led me to know more about Jesus Christ and under his guidance, I began a relationship with Jesus Christ — a journey that I continue to this day.
A lot has changed for kids since I was in middle school. They are surrounded by temptations and pressures that most of us didn’t face until college or early adulthood. It is estimated that nearly 1/4 of all middle school students have suffered from severe depression at least two weeks out of the last year. Nearly half have considered suicide at some point and 10 percent have actually made a suicide plan. 60 percent consider themselves to be Christians, but only 30 percent say they have a relationship with Christ. More than 50 percent believe that Jesus sinned on Earth.
Pollster George Barna reports that 66 percent of those who trust in Christ as their Savior will do so before the age of 18. More recent studies have lowered that age to 14-15, which coincides with new studies on pre-adolescent brain development. The same report indicates that 2 out of 3 students who currently attend a youth ministry will walk out of the doors of the church forever after high school, having never made a deep connection.
Clearly, there is an incredible need for ministry to this age group. “Purpose Driven Life” author and Saddleback senior pastor Rick Warren said, “Anyone who works in the church knows that junior high may be the single most pivotal period for spiritual decisions in the lives of our children.”
This is why Stuck in the Middle is so vital. Currently, it is the only ministry in the United States that is devoted exclusively to middle school students.
Over the past two and a half years, Stuck in the Middle has ministered to more than 5,000 students through camps, conferences, retreats, school assemblies and other events. Though we have struggled to find financial support along the way, we have continued to push forward with a ministry that we feel is as critical as it is unique. To date, no member of the Stuck team has ever received a salary for their work — it has been entirely a labor of love. As our ministry has continued to grow, so has the need for a full-time director. We are now at the point where we must take a giant leap of faith and I am going to become Stuck’s first full-time employee. With a family of five, that’s a scary proposition, but we are confident in God’s calling to this decision and in His ability to provide provision for this ministry in 2008 and beyond.
In 2008, we will continue to move forward in new areas of ministry. Plans are well underway for our March event in Kansas City, “The Story.” This event is going to be amazing! We have some incredible speakers and artists lined up and an opportunity for students to experience the ways that their own story was created to intertwine with God’s story. We fully expect this event to sell out – that’s 1,000 kids who will get to hear this essential message! We are also planning events with our friends in the Nazarene denomination, who we partnered with for 2007’s DRIVE event, the denomination’s first-ever national event for junior high students. We will also be working with local youth pastors as we consider multiple cities to host future weekend events. In addition, we’re working on new partnerships that will allow us to move into the camping and missions areas of ministry, as well as new resources and publications for both middle school students and youth leaders. In short, it is going to be a very exciting year for Stuck in the Middle!
But we need your help!
In order to continue our mission of serving middle school students and equipping the people who love them, we need your support. Our goal is to raise $43,000. This amount will allow us to fully move forward in multiple areas of ministry in 2008. Our events are designed only to pay for themselves, not to generate much profit. As a 501(c)3 non-profit ministry, the majority of our support comes from individuals like you who believe in this ministry and in middle school students. Being a 501(c)3 also means that your contributions are tax deductions, and any contributions made before January 1, 2008 will count on your 2007 taxes. This is a great way for you to save money on your taxes, while supporting a ministry at the same time.
Stuck in the Middle is looking for both one-time donations and monthly supporters. We are set up to receive credit and debit card donations through our website at www.stuckinthemiddle.com, and we can of course take checks and cash donations. In addition, we also have the ability to do monthly bank drafts, which affords you the ease of donating without having to deal with monthly reminders or mailings. For those interested, we also have a business underwriters program that provides tax deductions and advertising to sponsoring businesses.
Along with the financial support, we also humbly ask for your prayers for this ministry. If you have email access and would like to pray for us and know our needs on a regular basis, you can sign up for our weekly email newsletter by visiting our website and clicking on the “weekly newsletter” button.
We are so thankful for your prayers and support in our 2007 annual campaign and pray that God would bless you greatly in 2008. Thank you for being a part of Stuck in the Middle!
In His Grip,
Sean Meade
Founder/President
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