FourFiveSix.org: Great Ideas for your Preteen Ministry

There are times when you want to review information when your preteens. But to just ask review questions and get answers can be dull and can cause you to lose preteen’s interest.

Are you ready to hear some ideas to spice up your next review session? Today on the podcast, Sean discusses 4:

1. Questions and Dancers
2. Cup O’ Disgust
3. Simple Squirt Gun
4. Speech Jammer

What creative and engaging ways have you found to review information with your preteens? Share it with us in the comment section below or send it to [email protected].

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, Dayna shares about a girls’ night event that she helped to orchestrate for the preteen girls at Destiny Church. The event helped girls to understand the difference between inner beauty and outer beauty, and the enormous value of inner beauty!

This was one of the most successful girls’ night events that Destiny has had.

Besides hearing the schedule of the evening on today’s podcast, you’ll also hear some general hints from Dayna, a former school teacher, about putting together a successful event for the preteens in your ministry. There’s something for everybody on today’s podcast! Enjoy.

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/.

Here are the two most common ways to begin a church service for preteens: sing an upbeat song or play an upfront game.

But is that really the best way to start service THIS WEEK. Sometimes we can get in a rut, and not think about what would be best for this particular group of preteens on this particular Sunday. While there is something good about having certain elements of predictability within your service, sometimes changing things up a bit at the beginning of service can help to create a more memorable or intentional experience.

SO – how else can you start a service? Share your ideas in the comment section. Today on the podcast, Sean shares a few different ideas of how you can start services, and then challenges everyone to think about your next service and how you’ll kick it off!

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/.

On today’s podcast, Sean discusses a simple practice to keep in mind when using creative elements in your service. A little spice will bring out the flavor of the food. Too much spice will hide, or even destroy the flavor of the food.

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/.

Are you looking for ways for your leaders to connect to your preteens and help them feel welcome in your ministry? Two leaders from Elevate, who are both “kid magnets”, give 4 ideas for how you can better relate to and connect to the preteens in your ministry:

1. Let go of adult concerns and expectations of yourself

2. Be excited to see them and engage.

3. Love the mission of the ministry you’re in.

4. Be somebody to look up to.

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/.

Are you spending hours putting together special events and service elements for your preteen ministry, but it just feels like you're not doing what you should be? Do you hear every great idea and want to put it into effect? Then, you find that you’re trying to do WAY TOO MUCH each week? Do you wonder what to take away in order to make your ministry more effective?

This podcast examines a way to review everything you are doing in your ministry and evaluate whether or not you should continue doing it.

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/.

Two common mistakes in preteen ministry:

#1. failing to recognize that preteens have limited experience and vocabulary and teaching with words and examples that are “above their heads”.

#2. Dumbing down the curriculum, and underestimating the heights to which a preteen’s mind can reach.

In both cases, you’ll end up with preteens who are disinterested or bored.

The solution: aim high in what you want your preteens to learn, but give them plenty of support in the areas of experience and vocabulary. Today on the podcast, Sean discusses both and gives examples that he’s used in his preteen ministry.

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’s podcast is like a two-in-one special:

First, Sean discusses having parent meeting during regular services and some of the topics Elevate Preteen Ministry has offered for parents. One topic is Purity, which we recorded a podcast on a while ago.

Second, Sean discusses some of the details of the Technology Class that Elevate has done for parents for several years.

What kind of parent meetings do you have? What topics do you cover? How do you format them? Let us know in the comment section below.

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/.

On today’s podcast, Sean gives a simple idea for engaging everybody (including the boys) in worship: GIVE THEM A REASON TO WORSHIP!

There are ways of setting up your services so that everybody responds authentically and of their own volition in true worship. In the Bible, we see that people always worship for a reason. For example, God has revealed to David a glorious truth and he is responding in worship.

Or, in Exodus 15, we read about the worship of the Moses and the Israelites. Why are they worshipping? Well, God just drown the entire Egyptian army right before their eyes.

The preteen boys and girls in your ministry WILL worship God. They just need a good reason to do so. Part of our job as their ministry leader is to give them all sorts of reasons, instead of just expecting that they will because “it’s what Christians do.”

Looking for a great series to engage your preteens in worship? Check out the series 100%, part of the Green Valley Quarter of Curriculum.

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/.

On today’s podcast, Sean shares a great object lesson to help preteens understand how anger is a gift from God if we respond to it appropriately. This lesson is from the MAD series of the Deeply Rooted Curriculum.

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/.