Small Groups
Ministry to preteens must be highly relational—there’s no shortcut to effective preteen ministry. Prepare to staff your ministry with one leader per five preteens. It’s the only way to impact this age group.
Preteens need a consistent, safe, intimate, and focused environment. Having the same small group leader for preteens every week is the only way to provide consistency. Small group relationships allow for preteens to be heard and valued. When small group leaders serve as facilitators rather than resident experts, powerful spiritual growth is possible.
“Our small group leaders seek to create an atmosphere where preteens feel it’s safe to be real and honest,” says Puentes. “We encourage our small group leaders to invest in the lives of the preteens they minister to. Preteens aren’t criticized or ridiculed by adults or their peers. Instead, they’re encouraged and challenged to be all that God created them to be.”
“Small groups are a must for preteen ministry!” says Snow. “Preteens are at a point in their lives where everything about them is transforming. Not only are preteens changing, but they’re each changing at different rates. The only true way to guide them spiritually is to help them each where they are individually.”
Puentes’ preteen ministry uses small groups. “Small groups are the biggest cog in our ministry to preteens. It’s where it all happens,” says Puentes. “This is the ‘meat’ of what we desire to accomplish. Preteens meet in small groups divided by grade and gender to discuss the teaching point and learn how it applies to their world. They build community with each other by discussing issues they’re dealing with. Large group time is the setup for small group time, not the other way around.”
Worship
“In a preteen ministry, you have a very unique opportunity to teach your fifth- and sixth-graders what true worship is,” says Gerber. “True worship is all about God—not us. Preteens can begin to handle deeper concepts and start developing a deeper understanding of who God is.”
Musical worship with preteens can look like a lot of things—including worship with a live band, an acoustic guitar, or CDs. Be creative in leading preteens in worship with ideas such as these from Katie Gerber:
- ABC Worship Go through the alphabet saying a different praise attribute for God: Almighty; Beautiful; Cornerstone; Delightful; Everlasting…
- Artsy Worship Have preteens listen to a praise song and draw a picture for God about what they hear.
- Worship Sculpting Give kids sculpting material (foil, clay, pipe cleaners) and have them create something they think is cool about God.
Connecting With Parents
Not only are preteens in transition and experiencing abrupt changes, but their parents are also. And parents need support, encouragement, and resources—from you.
Watch out, though. While preteens’ parents want to know what’s going on in your ministry, they don’t necessarily want to be involved. And if they do want to get involved, steer them away from their preteen’s small group. Preteens need other “voices” in their lives at this key developmental stage.
Service
“Preteens are very inwardly focused, yet most are willing and want to help others,” says Gerber. “They want to be like Jesus and they want to help others. If you provide them ways to serve God, he’ll do amazing things through them.”
Events
“Events are a powerful tool to form relationships with your preteens,” says Gerber. “They want to know that you care about them; what better way to show them than by spending time with them?”
Events take preteens out of a normal teaching environment and open them to learning and growing in fresh and creative ways.
“A preteen is more likely to remember a biblical truth when it’s taught in a way other than what preteens are used to,” says Snow.
Preteens are at an age where it’s easier to get them out of the church building and into “real world” settings. And studies show that one powerful way to impact teenagers’ spiritual growth is through events— mission trips, camps, and retreats. Use this power to impact your preteens.
Transition and Anticipation
More than any two words in the English language, these two words define preteen ministry succinctly: transition and anticipation.
“Preteens are in one of the key transition points in a person’s life (college age is the other),” says Puentes. “Preteens are leaving kiddy world and entering the world of teenagers. All that they knew is about to be wiped away and replaced. Preteen ministry is the area of preparation for that transition.”
Understand that as kids leave childhood, they’re nervous and fearful of what lies ahead. “They either drop away from that transition or they struggle and barely exist in the next world,” says Puentes.
That’s where the second word comes in: anticipation. Preteen ministers are poised at the precipice of what’s next for kids. You have the tremendous opportunity to lead kids in anticipation of the wonderful things God has in store for them. Give them a vision of how God can use them. Entice them with the excitement of how amazing youth group will be. Paint the picture of hope and fulfillment that only God can provide.
A very practical way to do that, according to Puentes, is to “introduce them and give them a taste of what lies ahead— build that anticipation so they’re excited and looking forward to the time when they can experience and contribute to that future world of student ministry.”
And if you don’t, your preteens may drop out for good. Take the challenge — enter The Preteen Zone!
This article by Christine Yount Jones was originally published on ChildrensMinistry.com, © Group Publishing, a division of David C Cook.
