Info

FourFiveSix.org: Great Ideas for your Preteen Ministry

Looking for great (game, object lessons, worship, volunteer celebration, etc. etc.) ideas to take your preteen ministry to the next level? This podcast is created and curated by FourFiveSix.org, a community of leading voices in preteen ministry. Our goal is simple: a short (4,5, or 6 minute) podcast a few times a week (4, 5, or 6 times) that gives you a quick, easy, free idea that you can use in your preteen ministry THIS WEEK. Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast? Send it to podcast@fourfivesix.org. Want to get more great ideas right now? Come join the community of preteen leaders at fourfivesix.org
RSS Feed
FourFiveSix.org: Great Ideas for your Preteen Ministry
2023
October
August
July
June
May
April
January


2022
December
November
October


2021
April
March
February
January


2020
October
September
May
March
February
January


2019
November
October
September
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
June
May
April
March
February
January


2017
November
October
September
May
April
March
February
January


2016
December
November
October
September
May
April
March
February
January


2015
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March


All Episodes
Archives
Now displaying: 2015
Aug 11, 2015

 

Today on the podcast, Sean sits down with Lori Seals, Children and Preteen Pastor at New Life Commity Church in Fair Oaks, California.

Lori shares a simple way that can help you connect your preteens to the words in their Bibles – Highlighters.

This is an idea you can easily start using this week!

I found this interesting discussion online about what pens and highlighters (and crayons) are best to use in marking up your Bible.

How do you engage your preteens with The Word?  Share your thoughts with us.

Mentioned on today’s podcast is “retreat2ADVANCE”.  Find out more online at www.fourfivesix.org/training/

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

 

Aug 6, 2015

Preteens love slime.  Whether your teaching your preteens about the slimy pit of Psalm 40, or you just want to teach about sticky situations in life, what better object experience than to slime a few kids.

On today’s podcast, Sean shares about his hesitation to slime: the mess, the danger, the distraction.  He’ll share an easy recipe that he discovered to make safe, ingestible slime that smells good and leaves preteens cleaner than when they started. Haha.

Get ready to slime your favorite student or leader!

Mentioned in today’s podcast are:

 

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

Aug 5, 2015

 

As kids get older, it becomes more difficult to have “touch points” where we can communicate information to parents.  And yet, they are still young enough that communication with parents is vital.  So, how do YOU do it?  Today’s podcast explores a handful of ideas of how to communicate with parents, but we want to hear from you as well.  Share your ideas for communicating with parents in the comment section at http://fourfivesix.org/communicating-with-parents/.

Mentioned in today’s podcast is the 1…2…3...4 plan of connecting with parents.  Check that out at http://fourfivesix.org/inviting-visitors-to-become-a-part-of-your-preteen-ministry-community/

Also mentioned is retreat2ADVANCE.  Check that out at http://fourfivesix.org/retreat-2-advance/

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

 

Aug 4, 2015

 

Preteens love to express themselves, and their bedrooms are one place that many preteens have an opportunity to do that very thing.  Trophies on shelves, artwork and schoolwork hung on walls, color choices, and decorations in a preteen’s room can tell you a lot about who they are.

On today’s podcast, you’ll hear about how a lesson about Heaven and who God is can lend itself to involving preteens in a unique way.

Looking for some great preteen ministry training? Check out our training and conference page at www.fourfivesix.org/training/

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

 

Jul 31, 2015

How do you deal with interruptions to your service? Do ushers come in and interrupt your service every week getting a head count? Do you have a student whose behavior is not what you expect? On today’s podcast, you’ll hear about making the tiger part of the ceremony, a mindset which can help you to roll with the interruptions. I heard it once said that “without interruptions, Jesus’ ministry would not have been nearly as powerful.”  Today, we talk about embracing interruptions instead of trying to control them.

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

Jul 30, 2015

 

On today’s podcast, we will discuss preteen mission trip.  This is something you can read more about in the blog post entitled: “A Preteen Mission Trip? Are you Crazy?”

We want to hear from YOU on this topic.  Put your thoughts, questions, and stories of preteen mission trips in the comment section below.

Mentioned on today’s podcast is “retreat2ADVANCE”.  Find out more online at www.fourfivesix.org/training/

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

 

Jul 29, 2015

 

One big fear that preteens begin to face as they get older is the fear of embarrassment.  And what’s more embarrassing to a preteen than having their parents tell an embarrassing story about them?

The fear of embarrassment and how to overcome it can be a great service topic for your preteens. Today’s podcast is an idea of how you can, in a fun way, open up the door to discussing this topic.

This lesson is part of our “Studio 41:10” series, a series to help students face fear. Check out “Eating Worms” (Podcast Episode 29) to hear about another element of this series.

Mentioned on today’s podcast is “retreat2ADVANCE”.  Find out more online at www.fourfivesix.org/training/

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

 

Jul 28, 2015

At CIY SuperStart! weekend events for preteens, the stage actors avoid dramas with cheesy characters.  Why? Because, as preteens are getting older, they relate to dramas in a different way than when they were younger.

On today’s podcast, we hear from Drew and Patrick as they share why, if you are planning a drama to teach a lesson to your preteens, it might be best to just BE YOURSELF.

Mentioned on today’s podcast is “retreat2ADVANCE”.  Find out more online at www.fourfivesix.org/training/

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

 

Jun 26, 2015

 

This is NOT a podcast about American idol.  It’s NOT even a podcast about the “Worst Singer Contest”. It’s a podcast about creating a safe place for preteens to be silly.  Because, for whatever reason, they are good at being silly.  And they are looking for a safe place to be silly.

When preteens know that their ministry space is a safe place to be silly, then they know that they have found a safe place to share their thoughts and feelings, a safe place to ask tough questions, and a safe place to worship.  Help your preteens to know that church is a safe place to be vulnerable – silliness is a good starting point.

Listen to hear how Sean used a singing contest as a way of helping preteens feel comfortable and safe in Elevate (the preteen ministry he leads).  And while you might not replicate the details, the concept is something to think about.

How do you help preteens to know they are safe to be silly?

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

 

Jun 25, 2015

 

Today’s idea comes to us from a youth pastor in Missouri.  It’s a simple, yet powerful way to help your preteens connect with your ministry.  More information about Impact student ministries can be found here: http://ofallonchristianchurch.com/students

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

 

Jun 24, 2015

 

The App Store is full of little treasures, if you will use a little creativity.  Simply scrolling through the App Store with a mindset of “How can I use this in service?” may produce a brand new and fun game, activity, or object lesson.

On today’s Podcast, we look at an example of this: The AgingBooth app.  Hear how you could use this in a simple game during a lesson about God’s Plan for our lives.

As a reminder, the launchinar, for people who are just starting out in preteen ministry, starts tomorrow.  This is a final boarding call!  Get all the details today at http://www.fourfivesix.org/launchinar.

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

 

Jun 22, 2015

 

How much time do we spend creating logos, making videos and designing T-Shirts (just to name a few)?  How much money is your time worth, when that time could be used developing relationships with volunteers and visiting preteens in the hospital?  What if, for $5, many of the tasks you do could be outsourced to professionals, and your time could be spent on the things that only you can do.

Today’s podcast explores the idea of outsourcing, with two specific examples:

1. Fiverr.com, which Corey Jones shared with us through podcast@fourfivesix.org. Here are two examples of the kind of work Corey has had Fiverr do for his ministry:

 

 

 

 

 

2. Amb3r.com, which Sean uses for T-shirt design and production.

As a reminder, the launchinar, for people who are just starting out in preteen ministry, is this Thursday.  Get all the details today at http://www.fourfivesix.org/launchinar.

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

 

Jun 9, 2015

When preteens think of “The Church”, do they think of a building? New Testament writers always use the term Church to refer to a people, not a building.

Today’s podcast is a lesson idea that can help preteens understand the powerful truth about WHO, not what, is “The Church”. It is a lesson idea that was conceived of at a FourFiveSix conference, during a workshop where people were brainstorming in teams to create material-based lessons.

Mentioned in this podcast is the launchinar, for people who are just starting out in preteen ministry.  Get all the details at http://www.fourfivesix.org/launchinar.

Have you checked out the brand new FourFiveSix magazine?  Check it out and subscribe for free today! http://www.fourfivesix.org/the-magazine

This is the last new podcast until June 22nd. Enjoy!

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to podcast@fourfivesix.org.

Jun 5, 2015

 

There are many great resources out there aimed at parents of preteens.  Today, we’ll talk about how these resources can not only help us as ministry leaders, but also help us to help the parents of the preteens in our ministries.

Yoursphere is a great parenting resource, focused on providing the latest in tech trends for teens and kids. http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/

The brand new FourFiveSix magazine is another such resource.  Check it out and subscribe for free today! http://www.fourfivesix.org/the-magazine

Mentioned in this podcast is the launchinar, for people who are just starting out in preteen ministry.  Get all the details at http://www.fourfivesix.org/launchinar.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to podcast@fourfivesix.org.

 

Jun 3, 2015

 

Volunteers are NOT tools.  Although that’s how Sean viewed them when he first started in  ministry.  Today, he talks about a different – some might even say “backward” – approach to volunteers.

For more on volunteers, check out Nick Diliberto’s newest podcast over at www.preteenministry.net.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to podcast@fourfivesix.org.

 

Jun 2, 2015

 

Think you know what toilet paper and tin foil are good for? Think again!

On today’s podcast you’ll hear FIVE new uses for these items in your preteen ministry.

But we know there are probably 500 more uses floating around out there.  Will you share one that you’ve found? If you’re willing, share it at www.fourfivesix.org/tp.

Mentioned in today’s podcast were PHOTO BOOTHS and FUNNOODLES.  There were both podcasts from the past that you can check-out.

Also…are you starting a preteen ministry at your church, or do you know somebody who is? Check out our mentoring program for new preteen ministries: www.fourfivesix.com/launchinar.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to podcast@fourfivesix.org.

 

Jun 1, 2015

“Look at me when I’m talking to you.”
Perhaps this was once your 7th grade teacher’s instruction to you.

“Look at me when YOU’RE talking to me.”
Today, this is the unspoken cry of many 4th and 5th graders in your ministry.

Eye contact brings you into the present, and as Sean notes in today’s podcast, “As you become present, it increases your ability to give something meaningful to the people around you.”

How about you? How do you bring yourself “into the present”? Share your ideas with us in the comment section below.

Want some more connection ideas? Check out:

Are you starting a preteen ministry at your church, or do you know somebody who is? Check out our mentoring program for new preteen ministries: www.fourfivesix.com/launchinar.

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast? Send it to podcast@fourfivesix.org.

May 28, 2015

 

After 35 other great ideas, Sean shares what he considers to be the greatest idea we've shared so far: planned times of retreat. We already talked about scheduling a “Time With God” for your preteens during weekly services in episode 16…now let’s talk about scheduling them for yourself.

 

Listen to today’s podcast to hear more about this idea, and to hear his CHALLENGE for you. If you take the challenge, let us know about it…and let us know how it went.

 

A great opportunity for an extended time of retreat is coming in November.  Join Sean and Heather at “retreat to ADVANCE”.

 

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to podcast@fourfivesix.org.

 

May 27, 2015

 

Today, we ask Patrick Snow from CIY why he does some of the crazy things that he does at SuperStart!.  He shares a key to preteen ministry that they’ve discovered along the way: engagement through involvement!  Today, we discuss two different ways that the concept of involvement is infused into everything that SuperStart! does, and how that can be translated into YOUR preteen ministry.

 

How about you? How do you involve and engage students? Let us know.

 

Want to get involved in the FourFiveSix Community? Here are four ways:

 

 

May 26, 2015

You can subscribe to our podcast and get 4, 5, or 6 great ideas for your preteen ministry every week.

Who would love to have a small group time with focused, present, listening, mindful preteens? On today’s podcast, Drew Crisp (from SuperStart!) shares an idea that can help – improv. activities.

How about you? How do you start off small group time in a way that gets students focused? 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 podcast@fourfivesix.org.

May 25, 2015

 

Today, Sean & Sam share Fun, Frugal Funnoodle ideas. Summer is coming, and those pool noodles (aka “funnoodles”) are readily available.  On this episode of the podcast, you’ll hear 4 different uses for these crazy oversized toys that you can use in your preteen ministry.

 

Sam is full of great ideas, like what we discussed in Episode 30: Photo Booths.

 

Sam and Sean also talked in Episode 032: Transition Ceremony, when they discussed how they transition students from one ministry to the next “through fire”.

 

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to podcast@fourfivesix.org.

 

May 21, 2015

 

Today, Sean (preteen ministry) and Sam (middle school ministry) talk about one way that they help students transition out of and into ministry: a transition ceremony. You’ll hear about the details of a ceremony that they’ve worked together to create, a campfire where “Elevate-rs” become “Detourians”.

 

You can also check out another transition method by listening to Idea #24: Connecting through Ice Cream.

 

How about you? How do you transition students out of or into your ministry? 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 podcast@fourfivesix.org.

 

May 20, 2015

 

Today’s podcast explores to the idea of “getting dressed up for service”. Enhance the memorability of your services with this simple and fun idea!

 

A couple of things going on at www.fourfivesix.org:

 

  • The Map goes live TOMORROW, God willing.  Click here for more information.

  • Just starting a preteen ministry at your church.  Sign up for the “Launching a preteen ministry” webinar.

  • Join a small group of people at “retreat 2 ADVANCE” in November, 2015.  Only 25 churches will be a part of this great retreat especially for leaders of preteen ministry.

 

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to podcast@fourfivesix.org. Want to get more great ideas right now?  Come join the community of preteen leaders at www.fourfivesix.org.

 

May 19, 2015

 

Remember when you were a preteen and would love to get your picture taken in one of those photo booths at the skating ring or at the arcade? With today’s technology, we can easily create our own photo booths for the preteens in our ministries.  Listen to today’s podcast for some ideas on how to easily do this in your own preteen ministry.

 

A couple of things going on at www.fourfivesix.org:

 

  • TheMap goes live on Thursday, God willing.

  • Just starting a preteen ministry at your church.  Sign up for the “Launching a preteen ministry” webinar.

  • Join a small group of people at “retreat 2 ADVANCE” in November, 2015.  Only 25 churches will be a part of this great retreat especially for leaders of preteen ministry.

 

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to podcast@fourfivesix.org. Want to get more great ideas right now?  Come join the community of preteen leaders at www.fourfivesix.org.

 

May 18, 2015

 

Today’s idea is a lesson illustration for teaching about the fear of the unknown, and comes from a series we developed that is all about facing fears.  The series is called “Studio 41:10” and is based on Isaiah 41:10, which says:

 

“So do not fear, for I am with you.

 

Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

 

I will strengthen you and help you.

 

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

 

Have a question about preteen ministry or a unique preteen ministry idea that we can feature on our podcast?  Send it to podcast@fourfivesix.org. Want to get more great ideas right now?  Come join the community of preteen leaders at www.fourfivesix.org.

 

« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next »