Here is the continuation of last weeks blog:

What's unique now that wasn't 10 years ago that require new strategies for reaching preteens?

In the ten years that I have been in youth ministry and children’s ministry, I have noticed that the problems and issues which faced Jr. High kids, are now placed upon preteens. The preteens that I minister too, are dealing with social issues that Jr. High and some Senior High youth dealt with ten years ago. They are struggling with issues like drugs and alcohol, sex, more mature boyfriend/girlfriend issues, unhealthy friendships that deeply effect them, materialism (Preteens have the most spendable income than any other age group), and others. For instance, when I was ten years old, my parents got a divorce – I was pretty much kept out of the loop and struggled with issues that dealt with trivial stuff about my parents divorce. Preteens now are confronted with the raw issues of their parents divorce, they are in the heat of custody battles and are asked about who they want to live with, they know if their parent was having an affair and they even know what that means. The bottom-line is that preteens are pushed by society, their families, their schools, and their churches to rapidly grow-up.

These new issues that preteens are facing, will not be met in the lower elementary ministry areas. Children's Ministers deal with a large age range, which naturally makes for reaching targeted age groups difficult when they are combined with each other. Kindergarteners and sixth graders are worlds about in several ways - physically, emotionally, intelectually, and especially spiritually. And the same can be said when comparing 5th graders to 8th graders. We need new strategies, because this age group has needs that have specific felt needs and spiritual needs that can only be met in targeted and focused ministries.

Joe