Posted on June 23, 2009 - by rfrank

Tuesday Talk: Patrick Snow

Tuesday Talk is a weekly feature on Ryan Frank’s blog.  Each week, I interview one children’s ministry expert and ask for their answer to a question.  Check back every Tuesday for a new interview.

This week on Tuesday Talk:
Patrick Snow answers the question, “What are some ways children’s pastors can make the message stick with preteens?”

One way to make the message stick with preteens is to be interactive. Involving them in the lesson works great because preteen students are instantly attracted to what’s being taught when they are actively a part of the teaching. They love being involved and they love watching their peers be involved. This can be accomplished by including just one preteen or the whole group.
Building active elements into the message is another way of helping the message stick. Active elements are anything that gets them up and moving such as a game or a dance. The body of a preteen is constantly changing. As it grows, it builds up energy. When that energy is released it can be very distracting. Using these elements not only helps preteens to release that energy during the parts of the lesson that are appropriate, but it also uses it in a way that is beneficial to their learning.
Finally, it helps to bring the message down to one point, and repeat that one point multiple times during the lesson. Repetition is an important part of the learning process. Most preteens need to hear something more than once before they can grasp it.

Patrick Snow sworks at Christ In Youth where he is the Director of SuperStart!, a national-touring weekend event for preteens. Since graduating from Johnson Bible College in 1999, he has been involved with preteen and children’s ministries for more than ten years.  Patrick is the author of the book, Leading Preteens.  He lives in Joplin, MO with his wife, Samantha.