One of the hallmarks of Jesus' teaching is His parables or stories, which make up roughly a third of His teaching. By teaching using stories, we engage teenagers in a way that cannot happen during an information dump.A longer, expanded companion piece was also published at YouthWorker.com here.
Jesus could have told His followers, "God loves you a lot, and it's really important to Him to save you and get you back." That's a true statement, but it doesn't pack a lot of punch. Instead, Jesus tells three compelling stories about a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. From Jesus, we learn how to teach in a way that shows who God is and what His kingdom is like--without them actually realizing they're teaching.
I loved Jay Sedwick's advice in his article on connecting with kids' various learning styles. Since I tend to be a math-oriented this-is-how-it-is lecturer, this was especially helpful:
Third, your preferred learning style directly influences the way you teach. You most often will select learning activities that you enjoy and would prefer doing if you were the student. Take some risks by choosing learning activities aimed at the other three styles. You may be holding your students back by not allowing them to shine.
While we're on the topic, one of the best books I've read on speaking to teenagers is (aptly named) Speaking to Teenagers: How to Think About, Create, and Deliver Effective Messages by Doug Fields and Duffy Robbins. It definitely doesn't go in-depth in terms of philosophy of teaching and preaching, but it's packed with a ton of great practical advice on preparing and delivering talks and sermons.
Question: What's your best advice to a new youth worker who wants a few tips on speaking to teenagers?
