The Junior-High Beast Within

Summary

Podcast Episode Summary
The Wake-Up Call
Episode: The Junior-High Beast Within
Host: John David Walt (JD Walt)
Date: May 3, 2026

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Episode Overview

This Sunday edition of The Wake-Up Call explores the power of our words, drawing on Ephesians 4:29 and JD Walt's personal experiences as a youth pastor. Walt reflects on the challenges and opportunities inherent in speech, especially in adolescence, and connects these lessons to the Christian journey of being transformed by Christ. The episode is a rallying encouragement for listeners—before they head to worship—to “wake up” to the significance of their words and to use them as a force of blessing and building up others.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Opening Encouragement & Scripture Focus

• JD Walt opens with an invitation to join worship at Gillette Methodist Church, online or in-person, and frames the day as a “practice” for the real “game” of living out faith during the week.

  “It’s not the game. The game is Monday. We’re showing up to the field house to practice and we’re going to get out on the field for the week.” (01:15)

• Scripture for the day: Ephesians 4:29 (both NRSV and NIV 1984 versions)

  “Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building each other up according to their needs, that it may benefit all who listen.” (03:10)

The “Junior-High Beast Within”

• JD Walt reflects on his days as a youth pastor, using Ephesians 4:29 as a tool to counter the destructive verbal tendencies of junior-high students:

  “Seventh grade is a boy’s coming of age when it comes to discovering the destructive power of words.” (04:00)

• Adolescent boys use sarcasm and ridicule to shore up their own insecurities, while adolescent girls often do so with greater sophistication.

• The Scripture became a sort of mantra for JD and his youth, with former students recalling it even years later.

  “To this day, when I see one of those kids, they will say it to me: ‘Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths…’” (05:30)

• He brings this insight into adulthood, noting that all people have a buried “insecure junior high mentality” ready to hurt others with words.

The Transformative Power of Words

• JD recounts a story from Seedbed about a colleague wounded by a shame-filled email, highlighting the enduring impact of words.

  “Her words hit him with the force of a baseball bat. The power of a few callously crafted sentences stunned me.” (06:50)

• Words create and destroy; the Bible repeatedly emphasizes speech as a key part of Christian living.

  “Why? Because image bearing has everything to do with our words. Remember, God created the world with words.” (07:30)

• Connects to John 1:1, 14 (“the Word became flesh”) and spiritual gifts, especially prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:1-3):

  “The one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.” (08:45)

A Challenge for Listeners

• JD challenges listeners to consider the power of their words in homes, churches, and workplaces:

  “Your words carry power because you’re filled with the Holy Spirit. And your words are beyond just your words. They’re moving in the spirit of Jesus.” (12:45)

• He reminds listeners that people rarely forget impactful or hurtful words, even when we do.

  “Something you say today … it lands and it changes things, and they won’t forget it, and they’ll remember it long after you forgot it.” (13:44)

• The call isn’t just to keep negative words unsaid, but to allow Christ to transform the inner source of those words:

  “What the Lord is wanting to do is cleanse the deeps of our souls, of our hearts. He wants to put a fountain of love at the core of our inmost being.” (12:15)

Prayer & Hymn

• JD closes the lesson with a prayer for words to become a force for blessing, referencing Jesus’ promise that His words will never pass away.

  “Awaken us to the power of your word and our words. We want to use words like you do. We want to bless and build up and love with our words.” (12:10)

• Sings the hymn “Lord, Speak To Me” (Seedbed Hymnal #439), focusing on the desire to become an “echo” of God’s tone:

  “Lord, speak to me that I may speak in living echoes of thy tone…” (16:04)

• Highlights the hymn’s message: as God fills and speaks into us, we in turn speak words that reach “the hidden depths of many a heart.” (16:50)

Final Rally & Closing Encouragement

• JD urges listeners to take the lessons to worship, to build each other up, and to “win Sunday”—which he sees as foundational to “winning the week.”

  “If you want to win the week, you gotta win Sunday.” (17:56)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the destructiveness of adolescence:

  “As they walk through the valley of the awkwardness of adolescence… they become vigilantly aware of each other’s vulnerability and pounce with the force of a school of piranhas.” (04:25)

• The scripture as a tonic:

  “I prescribed [Ephesians 4:29] like medicine to these young people.” (05:10)

• On the image of God and speech:

  “Maybe that’s why Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, ‘Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.’ … because ‘the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.’” (08:30-09:05)

• Encouragement to be intentional with words:

  “What you say matters so much. Your words carry power because you’re filled with the Holy Spirit.” (12:45)

• A prayerful hymn:

  “Teach me, Lord, that I may teach the precious things that thou dost impart, and wing my words, that they may reach the hidden depths of many a heart.” (Hymn, 16:50)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Scripture Reading & Translation Comparison: 03:10–04:00
• Reflections on Junior High Ministry: 04:00–06:10
• Story of Hurt Words & The Power of Speech: 06:45–08:25
• Link to Prophecy & Image of God: 08:30–09:30
• Encouragement to Listeners: 11:40–14:15
• Prayer for God’s Words in Us: 12:10, 15:45
• Hymn “Lord, Speak to Me” Performed: 16:03–17:49
• Final Rally & Send-Off: 17:54–End

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Summary Takeaway

JD Walt’s message in “The Junior-High Beast Within” is an inspiring call to recognize the immense, God-given power of our words. Whether in adolescence or adulthood, our speech shapes worlds, for better or worse. By surrendering our tongues and hearts to Christ, we can echo God’s love—blessing and building up all those we encounter. As JD urges: “Let’s win Sunday. If you want to win the week, you gotta win Sunday.”

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Transcript

[A]

Foreign. Good morning. So we're nation. It is Sunday, May 3rd in the year of our Lord 2026. I'm John David Walt. Excuse me. And this is your wake up call it being Sunday. We're going to be opening the doors, the big barn doors of our church house this morning in Gillette and I'd love to invite any of you who don't have a church home to join us. You can come in person. We made it 10:30. Or you can join us online on YouTube or Facebook. Just search for Gillette Methodist Church. That's G I L L E T T no E On the end we'll be receiving the Lord's Supper. Celebrating the Lord's Supper. So if you're online you'd like to bring your own elements. We will consecrate them live and we will share at table together. Looking forward to it. Well, we've got other pregame activities going on today or I call church practice. It's not the game. The game is Monday. We're showing up to the field house to practice and we're going to get out on the field for the week. So wake up sleeper. Rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you. Jesus, I belong to you. I lift up my heart to you. I set my mind on you. I fix my eyes on you. I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice. Jesus, we belong to you. And we're praying in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Well, today's entry is entitled. You're going to love this one. The Junior high beast within and Our text, Ephesians 4:29. Hear now the word of the Lord. Let no evil talk come out of of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building each other up so that your words may give grace to those who hear. Yeah, I see we've got this in the NRSV up here today and I'm not exactly sure why, but that's not how I know the text. I have rememberized this one so I'm going to go for it again. Let no. Let nothing, let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building each other up according to their needs, that it may benefit all who listen. That's much better. I think that's the NIV 1984 version. But that is the word of the Lord. Now consider this. Today's text takes me back to my glory days in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. The days when I served as a youth pastor you know what? Truth be told, I'm a youth pastor again. I'm the youth pastor here in Gillette Methodist. Every Sunday night we meet right here in the seed house. We'll have anywhere from, you know, a dozen to 15 kids. And it's glorious. I love it. It's my favorite thing. But back in Those days, Ephesians 4:29 was like a lightsaber, my sword of choice when working with teenaged boys. It turns out the seventh grade is a boy's coming of age when it comes to discovering the destructive power of words. As they walk through the valley of the awkwardness of adolescence, also known as the shadow of the death of childhood innocence, they become vigilantly aware of each other's vulnerability and pounce with the force of a school of piranhas. From sarcasm and ridicule to cruel put downs and amateur cussing, junior high boys excel at slaying each other's self esteem in an effort to bolster their own. Adolescent girls do it too, only at a level of sophistication so severe it makes the bathroom humor of the boys look like child's play. I will forever remember Ephesians 4:29 in the now unauthorized 1984 NIV translation which I prescribed like medicine to these young people. To this day, when I see one of those kids, they will say it to me. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs that it may benefit all who listen. The truth within each of us. Buried in the bowels of our false self, lurks that insecure junior high mentality poised to pounce with our words. I recall when a member of the farm team at Seedbed received a nasty, scathing, shame filled email from a person he had been trying to serve on a project for the past year. Her words hit him with the force of a baseball bat. The power of a few callously crafted sentences stunned me. It's interesting how the Bible, over and over, places such a premium on our speech. Within sentences of Paul's exalted explanation about being renewed in likeness of God, he brings it down to the most practical activity of our everyday lives, the brass tax of talking. Why? Because image bearing has everything to do with our words. Remember, God created the world with words. In the beginning was the Word, John tells us. And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That's John 1:1 indeed. The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. That's verse 14. What if one of the most critical aspects of being created in the image of God is being invested with the power of words. Words create worlds and they can tear them apart. With our words we can bless or curse, build up or tear down, berate or benefit living a life quote worthy of the calling to which we have been called. Ephesians 4:1 means learning to use words like God uses words. Maybe that's why Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. First Corinthians 14:1. Why especially prophecy? He answers, but the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 14 3. So, fellow image bearers, how are we doing with our words? Our words are the most ever present, ever ready, enormous source of power we possess. The possibilities are endless. Let's pray. Abba Father, we thank you for your son Jesus who said heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. We want to thank you for showing us what the word of God looks like in human flesh. Awaken us to the power of your word and our words. We want to use words like you do. We want to bless and build up and love with our words. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen. I love it. Don't you love that? Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit all who listen. That is, that's got to be among the most practical verses of scripture in the whole Bible. And I'm just challenged by it. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths. Any. And I think, you know, that's a

[B]

good

[A]

invitation to us. And, and here's the thing. God doesn't tell us something to do that it's not possible for us to do. And remember, he's not just telling us to sort of, you know, what's the old saying? If you, if you can't say anything nice, say anything at all. I mean, that's pretty good, but that's really just another way of saying behave, behave. It's if you think, you know, if you think the bad thought, if you think the bad words, Yeah, it's good that you didn't say him, but you might as well have because it's in you. And what the Lord is wanting to do is cleanse the deeps of our souls, of our hearts. He wants to put a fountain of love at the core of our inmost being. That's just flowing up with words that actually create new realities. I just want you to wake up, friends. That what you say to people, your spouse, your children, your grandchildren, your friends, your co workers, your pastor. What you say matters so much. Your words carry power because you're filled with the Holy Spirit. And your words are beyond just your words. They're moving in the spirit of Jesus. So take stock, okay? This is not a warning to you. This is an encouragement that. And it's amazing to me how people won't forget your words. Something you say today, even as you go to church, something you pull. You say to somebody. Oftentimes it. It lands and it changes things, and they won't forget it, and they'll remember it long after you forgot it. I hear that all the time from people. They say, what you said to me. I got a call just the other day, and they said that what. What you said changed the way that I do ministry. I'm like, what did I say? I'd like to know. I have no memory of it. That's because Jesus is in the moment and he's doing it and. Yeah, well, that's enough on that today. We got to get to church, y'. All. I gotta get to church. I'm preaching today. I preach every Sunday, right? I want to sing a song here. It's a very short song. It's not very well known. It's a hymn number 439 in our. In our seedbed hymnal, Our Great Redeemer's Praise. And it is Lord, speak to Me. And I've always loved the very first verse the best. It says, lord, speak to me that I may speak in living echoes of thy tone as thou hast sought, so let me seek thine erring children lost and lone. I particularly love that opening line. Lord, you speak to me so so that I may speak in living echoes. Isn't that a beautiful. Not. Not just the echo gets, you know, less and less and less and less. That's how echoes tend to do. No, living echoes actually get louder and louder and louder and louder and like to be speaking in the very tone of God's word. That's what the Holy Spirit will do in us. So let's sing it. There's five verses or just 2. 2 lines. 2. 2 verse. 2. 2. They're quick because we gotta go, y'. All. Church is calling.

[B]

Lord, speak to me that I may speak in living echoes of thy tone as thou has sought, so let me seek thine erring children lost and lone. Oh, Strengthen me that while I stand firm on the rock and strong in thee I may stretch out a living hand to wrestlers with the troubled sea. O teach me, Lord, that I may teach the precious things thou dost impart and wing my words that they may reach the hidden depths of many a heart. O fill me with thy fullness, Lord until my very heart o' erflow in kindling thought and glowing word Thy love to tell Thy praise to show.

[A]

Let's take it up a notch.

[B]

O use me, Lord, use even me just as thou wilt and when and where until thy blessed face I see thy rest, Thy joy, thy glory share.

[A]

That's good. Verse four. I mean, that's every verse.

[B]

It's like that's a prayer.

[A]

I'm. I'm saying yes to that. Teach me, Lord, that I may teach the precious things that thou dost impart and wing my words that they may reach the hidden depths of many a heart. That's a good prayer for the wake up call, isn't it? But then that number four. Oh, fill me with thy fullness, Lord until my very heart overflows in kindling thought. Here it comes. And glowing word Thy love to tell thy praise to show. Boom. Okay, gang, let's get going. Let's go to the house today. Let's just be ready to. To lean in. Let's. Many of us will be at the Lord's table, even across many churches. Guess what? Same table. We're going to have the supper together at church and we're going to sing and we're going to pray and we're going to hear good preaching. We're gonna encourage one another and build each other up. You know what we're gonna do today? We're gonna win Sunday. You know what I say? If you want to win the week, you gotta win Sunday. So we're about to do it. I will look forward to seeing you today at the house for the Awakening. I'm JD Wa Sam.