In honor of Reformation Day and Martin Luther’s iconic 95 Theses, below are my 9.5 Theses of Preteen Ministry:
1 – Have fun. When you teach, when you sing, when you do anything. Because they all want to.
2 – Be serious. When you teach, when you sing, when you do anything. Because they are all able to.
3 – Know the difference between concrete and abstract. Because most of your preteens don’t.
4 – Know who they are and who they aren’t. They are no longer kids. They aren’t yet teenagers. They’re something else entirely. Find out what is and what isn’t developmentally appropriate.
5 – What you do is what you teach. The method is the message. Invite them to open their Bible, pray together, and participate in intentional Christian practices.
6 – Invite their questions. They all have them. And they’re brilliant. You learn by asking questions, not listening to answers.
7 – Empower their passions. They are at the unique age where they can identify what they want to do and what they are able to do.
8 – Partner with their parents. Parents are more influential in faith development than any other factor.
9 – Invite them into an intergenerational experience. Preteens are not just the future of the church. They are the present of the church. Invite them to be a part of a larger, intergenerational faith experience.
9.5 – Let go of the bike.
