I remember at the end of the school year being relieved that another year was completed in children’s and preteen ministry. If you are like me, I hoped to see preteens transition into student ministry by the end of the summer with a good spiritual foundation. The problem I was facing was a lot of my preteens started dropping off the map before they hit the end of their fifth or sixth grade years. Then I discovered a new way to keep them on track. We developed a leadership training process. This came in two major parts:

1. Ministry Training: We developed a ministry training plan and platform for them. We trained and equipped preteens for ministry through tech, puppets, praise and worship, and a variety of other ways. We became intentional about giving them opportunities to serve. We found that by adding these elements of training for the preteens they became the draw of my midweek program. They loved to be trained, but they especially loved to minister and serve in the body of Christ. We were very deliberate about providing places of service for them.

2. Small Group Discipleship: Part of the requirement of being in our leadership training program was to have a daily quiet time. We required parents and preteens to attend an orientation, and we showed them how to do the quiet times and what would be expected. With parents on board, we had great success in their preteens learning the daily disciplines of having a personal devotional life. Once the parents knew and understood that the devotionals only took about 10-15 minutes a day, they saw them as positive steps for their preteen. As they learned six spiritual disciplines at home and church, we saw significant spiritual change like we had never seen before. They soon learned what it meant to walk with Christ and how to do so daily.

On May 2, 2002, I began a new ministry process of discipling and equipping preteens for ministry. We called it Leaders In Training (L.I.T.) for preteens. After seeing tremendous results—excitement and enthusiasm in the preteens themselves—we continued from that day forward. The joy we have had in this ministry process is seeing former L.I.T.s who are now college students serving in ministry with us. They started training as preteens and now they have become amazing adult leaders in ministry.

We would love to connect with you and share more about L.I.T. and how it can impact the children and preteens in your church. This process of discipleship and equipping has proven to be effective in churches throughout the United States and internationally.

We believe in you and your ministry. L.I.T. is offering our online training for free to your church or organization. Sign up today and you will receive regular emails with either video and audio lessons. You will also receive a copy of our 100 page leadership handbook. Click here to sign up. 

If you are ready to get started today in a new direction in your church we would love to help you do so.