Today on the podcast, Sean gives details on classroom management versus discipline. Two very different and highly important elements for a successful preteen ministry.

Discipline is a way of helping the preteens grow. Discipline comes from the root word “Disciple”, which means: “to teach.”

On the other hand, Classroom Management, like sending a kid out of the room for being disruptive, is not teaching them much of anything or showing concern for their development.

With Classroom Management, you are simply communicating to preteens that their current behavior is not acceptable. Classroom management is ok but it needs to be combined with discipline.

Both means are good, and both are important. A ministry to preteens will not be as effective if it has one without the other one. Classroom management by itself does not lead to growth for the preteens. It is not leading to a heart change; it is only bringing about a shallow surface change. Using both combined will lead to a better ministry environment with heart changes for your preteens.

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/.

Today on the podcast, Sean and Makenna give details about this past summers' day camp that had a successful "Superhero" theme.

The week started off with the preteens going through Superhero University to receive their super powers. The camp directors acted as professors for the preteens and handed out grades as the groups moved between the different activity stations. Each group of campers became their own superhero team with their own world. This was carried throughout the week as the preteens created comic books about their specific hero they thought up.

Makenna discusses how it was great to see the kids using their made up powers while they were on field trips at the pool and watching them be able to use their imagination all week. In addition to being professors, later in the week, the leaders also became villains. The week culminated with a giant evil fortress including minions and the main villain "Unusual Professor Dr. Inkblot Ed".

The creation of the villain on the last day included a 2 hour activity with water balloons and squirt guns and a hidden villain that the groups worked together to destroy by gaining pieces to a bomb while completing tasks. Using smoke bombs the leaders set off inside the fortress right as the bomb went off, the villain was finally vanquished.

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/.

Today on the podcast, Sean gives more details about the policy that Elevate has in place called "The Rule of Three.” A great policy to protect not only your preteens, but your leaders, too.

The Rule of Three is a simple concept that requires that there always be three people together. What this means is that a leader is never alone by themselves with a preteen. There is either one preteen and two leaders or two preteens and one leader at all times as a minimum requirement.

Maybe you don't have any policy regarding this and this is an easy policy to add. If you ever see a leader by themselves with a preteen it is easy to remind them just by saying, "Rule of Three.”

This does not apply to only adult leaders and preteens but should also be used with your high school volunteers as well. Recent studies* have shown that roughly half of all sex offenses against minors under 12 are initiated by other minors. A rule of three is a GREAT policy for ALL of your leaders, including your high school and middle school leaders.

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/.

* Center for Sex Offender Management. (1999). Understanding juvenile sexual offending behavior. Silver Spring, MD: Author.

Today on the podcast, Trenton gives more details about how he created this exciting design element for Elevate's ministry space. If you would like to actually see a tour of the Light-Up Thingy, you can watch the tour Trenton gave.

Built with some simple supplies that can be purchased at your local hardware store. Pick up some corrugated plastic, some form of really bright colored light like LED can lights, some felt and Velcro and you can create any design that you can think up. This is an inexpensive project, most corrugated plastic can be found for a large 2'x3' sheet for under $10. The Light-Up Thingy is a simple design element that can bring some excitement to your ministry space.

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/.