A Place Just for Me
Preteens just don’t fit in ministries not made for them. Christ in Youth’s SuperStart preteen event director Patrick Snow says the reason preteens need their own place is crystal clear to “anybody who’s tried to place a preteen into children’s or youth ministries. Plain and simple, they’re an age all their own. They think differently, act differently, relate differently, and learn differently. Spiritually they’re ready for something deeper than children’s ministry but aren’t quite ready to be exposed to some of the tough truths of youth ministry.”
So many churches, though, make the mistake of shoving preteens into a junior high ministry where the topics are over their heads and the junior highers are too sophisticated for preteens. Preteens are lost. Or, conversely, churches leave preteens in children’s ministry where these upper-elementary kids yawn from boredom and simply endure activities and music that feel too young for them. Both strategies are ineffective.
“Preteens are physically, intellectually, and emotionally different than lower-elementary kids and junior high kids,” says Puentes. “What’s more is that preteens seem to be in a more unique spiritual situation than the other age groups. Preteens are in transition spiritually. As a whole, they’re no longer satisfied with the basics of the Christian faith.”
Preteens: A Time of Transition
Preteens are between childhood and adolescence (but don’t call them tweens or tweeners—they detest those terms). They need something constant they can hold on to while the rest of the world changes all around them.
“Preteens are in such a transition of life automatically. It’s a very stressful and scary time for them,” says Katie Gerber, preteen ministry associate at East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.
And it’s not an equitable stage for the transitions kids are going through. “Some preteens are very mature and look as if they should be in junior high or even the lower levels of senior high, but sitting next to them are kids who look like they should be in third grade,” observes Puentes.
Preteens need a place where people understand their unique needs and cater ministry to their abilities. They need a ministry that helps them transition from children’s ministry to junior high ministry— not in a one-time event, but in a two-year transitional period. They need leaders who structure ministry that builds a bridge to the next step of their lives and faith journeys.
“Creating a special ministry just for preteens will help ease them out of elementary and into junior high at a comfortable pace,” says Gerber. “They’re very excited about leaving children’s ministry, yet they aren’t ready to go into a room full of seventh- and eighth-graders. A preteen ministry can be a very powerful place for upper-elementary kids to grow in their faith and be stretched a little more than they ever have before.”
Preteen Ministry Tips
So what should a preteen ministry look like? It should have each of these preteen-specific components to maximize kids’ spiritual development.
Bible Teaching
“Teaching a preteen should always be energetic and interactive,” says Snow. “They’re small bundles of energy ready to explode—and they will if they have to sit too long. Include them in the teaching process.”
Since preteens learn at a different level from younger kids and teenagers, they need teaching geared to them. Intellectually, preteens can grasp some of the more abstract concepts, but they still need the teaching to be in practical terms they can understand.
“They know and understand the story of Moses, the deliverance of the Hebrews out of Egypt, and the Passover,” says Puentes. “They understand that this was a necessary part of the biblical story and they can even see how it fits into God’s bigger plan in the Bible. What they might struggle with is how this concrete, but also abstract, concept, fits into daily life as they learn to follow God.”
Preteens need teachers who’ll help them connect the truths of the Bible to their lives. Preteens want to know “Why should this matter to me?”
Unique Environment
“Preteens are just beginning to grasp the concept of their identity and they like it! It’s important to them to have things that tell them who they are,” advises Snow. “Creating a unique environment that screams PRETEEN is important because it allows them to worship and learn about God in a place that’s their own.”
What screams “preteen”? Bright colors, playfulness, edgy images, skateboards, loud music, cool lighting, unexpected decorations such as garage-sale retro lamps or posters. If you’re not sure what screams “preteen,” ask. Your preteens will definitely have opinions.
Fun Times
Here’s the good news: Ministry to preteens is fun. Kids this age are into things that almost all adults can enjoy—bowling, laser tag, putt-putt, go-carts, scavenger hunts, arcades. Dive in with preteens and have a blast.
