FourFiveSix.org: Great Ideas for your Preteen Ministry

Today on the podcast, Sean talks with Mindy Caliguire from Soul Care about taking care of your own souls in the midst of ministry.

Mindy explains this idea of Soul Care. The basic idea of Soul Care is what are you doing to intentionally reconnect moment by moment and day by day with God’s presence in your life. Growing with God is about intimacy and relationship. Key point is if we don’t find a way of life to allow our souls to continually be replenished by God, we will burn out or get annoyed by the vary people we are there to serve. Care for your souls as much as you care for your physical health. If you want more information about Soul Care check out their website here.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to [email protected]. Looking for a great community of preteen leaders that you can plug into? Join us at http://fourfivesix.org/.

Today on the podcast, Sean speaks about the idea of giving preteens space to organize their thoughts.

Preteens are a mess some times because of all the changes going on in their minds and bodies. The preteen years are the biggest change in a persons’ life beside the ages of 0-2. Because of these rapidly changing thoughts and feelings, preteens don’t have a way of organizing them, they may not even have words to explain them. If preteens are not given the opportunity to organize their thoughts about God, they may never know what and why to believe something. We are great at giving input to them but we need to give them a chance to reflect otherwise we are just adding to the craziness in their heads.

Where can you offer space in your ministry to allow the preteens to organize their thoughts? Small groups are one place of opportunity, allow them to talk with their peers about their thoughts. A second option is a writing prompt at the end of a lesson, either on a card or a poster response station. By allowing them to publish their thoughts and feelings we are allowing them to organize and own their thoughts and feelings.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to [email protected]. Looking for a great community of preteen leaders that you can plug into? Join us at http://fourfivesix.org/.

Today on the podcast, Sean talks about the concept of setting aside a space that is separate from work.

This concept comes from the book Sean is reading with the Peer Group 2 leaders, called The Softer Side of Leadership by Eugene B. Habecker. In the book the author suggests setting aside a space that is set aside, like the Sabbath, that is not for work. He went on to suggest that you are also creating this space for people that follow you. Do you do this with your volunteers or partners, do you send out a text or phone call during a day off? When you are in that space you are able to think deeper. Find some times when you can set aside sacred space for not only yourself but also those around you.

If you would like to be apart of the new peer groups beginning in the fall check out this site.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast? Send it to [email protected]. Looking for a great community of preteen leaders that you can plug into? Join us at http://fourfivesix.org/.

Today on the podcast, Sean speaks with Chris Santos the 6th grade, Pastor in Elevate regarding the recent Mexico missions trip with the 6th graders.

Chris along with 9 other adults took 9 - 6th graders, a junior high student and a high school student on a 5-day Mexico Mission trip. The team flew from Northern California to San Diego and then rented minivans and drove over the border. They went to work with SOW Ministries (Serving Orphans and Widows) in Mexico. Each day was full of amazing ministry opportunities and outreach. Chris gives detailed information of their day to day schedule.

The great opportunity with SOW is that they will plan everything, all you have to do is get your team there. Partnering with a local organization is the smart way to do a mission trip because they know the area and the needs of the people in that area.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast? Send it to [email protected]. Looking for a great community of preteen leaders that you can plug into? Join us at http://fourfivesix.org/.

Today on the podcast, Sean shares a portion of Karl Bastian’s breakout from the 2019 Preteen Conference.

Karl Bastian is a children’s pastor in Aurora Colorado. His goal is to be relevant with todays kids and he tries to keep up on their current culture. You can learn more about Karl and Kidology by visiting his website. He emphasizes he is not an expert in this field but by the name it suggests he is always learning and staying current on all things kids.

Kidology comes from the concept of having a ministry that is within the culture and world of kids. To be a great kids pastor Karl suggests that you have to stay current with what is popular in their culture. He suggests never losing that passion because it is such a powerful tool for ministry. Karl suggests questioning ever your newcomers interests and references a form which you can find here. We need to be knowledgeable about the culture, so that in the case of biblical issues we are able to correct them.

If you like what you heard today and want to hear the rest of Karl’s breakout session along with 28 others you can purchase the set of recordings here.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast? Send it to [email protected]. Looking for a great community of preteen leaders that you can plug into? Join us at http://fourfivesix.org/.

Today on the podcast, Sean speaks about a speaker Daniel Im who has a different take on the 70-20-10 principle.

In adult education theory and leadership practice that learning comes about in this breakdown, 70% by doing, 20% by interacting, and 10% by listening. Daniel points out that in church we flip that around and have 70% of teaching, 20% of talking about it and only 10% of doing it. Daniel wonders what might occur if we take this idea and flip it around in the churches. We know that preteens learn better when they are able to “do” what you are teaching.

If you want to check out more from Daniel Im check out this site.

Today on the podcast, Sean speaks with Patrick Snow regarding the concept of letting go in small groups.

Preteens are taking their first steps in ownership of everything in their lives. We are most concerned about their faith walk, but it is more than that. Most of us will, during a small group, ask questions and the preteens respond back but it is apparent that it isn’t them leading the small group. They need to take ownership of the small groups, so they realize that it is theirs. They don’t quit have the maturity to run the small yet so they need us as leaders to guide them.

Christ In Youth (CIY) started a program for their high school ministry using cards to help guide the small group. The cards are a useful tool to help allow the students the ownership of the small group while also keeping them on track. This same concept led to an app that the preteen ministry created allowing the preteens a chance through discussion to take ownership of the small group.

If you want to know more about Christ In Youth and their preteen ministry program click here.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to [email protected]. Looking for a great community of preteen leaders that you can plug into? Join us at http://fourfivesix.org/.

Today on the podcast, Sean speaks with Chris Santos about coteaching during services.

Sean and Chris have been coteaching in Elevate and they have 3 ways they have been toying with when it comes to coteaching. The pros of coteaching that they have seen are the idea of seeing the two pastors work together as well as certain preteens resonating more with one pastor over another, adding strength to the ministry. Some of the drawbacks is that one speaker needs to stay on script to stay on schedule, the energy can compete with a difference in energy levels between the two speakers.

The three methods that have worked for Elevate are:

Line by Line: Write a message and determine who will speak which parts.

Section by Section: One speaker does the first piece, which in Elevate is the “Lesson Set-up” while the other speaker does the main message.

Week by Week: In this style each week is a different speaker. This goes back to the pro thought that some kids resonate better with certain speakers.

Share the teaching. If you are by yourself there might be a small group leader that is willing to step up and teach. Don’t be worried that they won’t be able to do it as well as you.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to [email protected]. Looking for a great community of preteen leaders that you can plug into? Join us at http://fourfivesix.org/.

Today on the podcast, Sean shares some of Chip Henderson’s breakout session from the 2019 Online Conference.

Chip spoke at the 2019 Preteen Leaders’ Online Conference regarding principles of small groups. Chip offers 8 principles that he has used with his small group leaders.

1. Always ask open ended questions – this will allow preteens to learn for themselves
2. Always draw them back to practical actions – make the preteens think what they will do with this new information.
3. The Bible is the authority not you.
4. Don’t let one student dominate.
5. Call on students specifically.
6. Be ok with silence – don’t worry if you don’t get an answer right away let them ponder a bit.
7. Be ok with asking questions again in a different way.
8. Don’t be tied to the questions.

Chip explains it the best when he states that our jobs as leaser is not to give the preteens the water but to lead them to the water. If you liked this podcast and would like to hear more from the 2019 Preteen Leaders’ Online Conference click here.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to [email protected]. Looking for a great community of preteen leaders that you can plug into? Join us at http://fourfivesix.org/.

Today on the podcast, Sean talks about the problems he is seeing with ministries starting a preteen ministry.

As Sean has been speaking at various conferences, he is coming against some challenges with ministries willing to start a preteen ministry. People are seeing the need for a preteen specific ministry but are not willing to pull the trigger to start one. So many times, the ministries feel like it is a gigantic boulder, too large to make it past. And in some cases, there is one leader that will see the vision and then see the boulder ahead of them and wonder if they will be able to accomplish it by themselves.

Sean goes on to share two impactful times he had when he first started the preteen ministry and the mighty boulders he will never forget. The lack of volunteers to help prepare for services and the addition of multiple VBS camps during the summer. He had low points while starting the ministry but just remember that getting the boulder going is tough but the bigger the boulder the more momentum it will build and the bigger the impact it will make.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to [email protected]. Looking for a great community of preteen leaders that you can plug into? Join us at http://fourfivesix.org/.