Everything is Proceeding as God Has Foreseen

I love collaborating with other creative children’s pastors! And that’s just what I did to put together this FREE Easter lesson called Foretold. The idea was Stanley Mearse’s. “Why don’t we do a lesson that explores all the Old Testament scriptures that were fulfilled in the New Testament in Jesus?” I loved it! He compiled the verses, I pulled together some past lesson components – we sent the document back and forth adding ideas and tweaking, and now it’s available! It’s got some amazing (but easy!) illusions where you demonstrate your “power” to predict, but then explain the difference between a prediction and a prophesy. It’s also got one of the messiest yet most memorable egg object lessons you’ll ever do that I did my Rookie Year, and grown kids still talk about it! So download FORETOLD today!  

Continue reading

What is Easter About Anyway?

By popular demand, I have created an ALL NEW ToyBox Tale for Easter! It features Happy Meal toys Mr. Peabody and Sherman greeting Jesus just as He exits the tomb along with a fun lesson introduction as I explore all the silly Easter “stuff” you see in stores around this time that have nothing to do with the meaning of Easter, despite the fun they are. It’s a fun video that is just under 15 minutes. It was a lot of fun to make! So What Is Easter Anyway? is a 14-minute ToyBox Tale style retelling of the Easter story through the use of action figures and other Easter-themed toys. Great for use in transitional ministry situations or as an introduction to teaching about this important holiday. The video — provided in both MOV and MP4 video formats (720 x 480) — explores the various things associated with the holiday, from eggs to rabbits and beyond. Utilizing the time travel storytelling narrative of Mr. Peabody & Sherman, kids will discover Jesus just as he was coming out of the tomb! I went goes shopping for Easter stuff to see if he could discover the meaning of this pastel holiday. After…

Continue reading

Balancing the Sacred vs. Silliness

In kids ministry we try to connect with kids in order to reach them – Kidology is a philosophy of ministry that strives to minister to kids from within the culture of kids. In order to interest, engage and even at times (dare I say it?) entertain kids, we will do the craziest things, won’t we? Dunk tanks! Drop eggs from helicopters! Pies in the face! All manner of craziness and silliness goes on in children’s ministries. And this is good! But there is also a danger. We can risk losing the sacred. We can risk being flippant with holiness. And at some point, all that FUN needs to decrescendo down to some sacred seriousness, or else it loses it’s purpose and was all for naught. Fun isn’t the goal, it is a means to a greater end. We aren’t in the business of giving kids a great time. We are in the business of making disciples. Consider: “Don’t be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.” Matthew 7:6 MSG I’m not going to offer the answer…

Continue reading

The Hunt for Odd Ministry Props

As I write in extensive detail about in the Kid’s Church Cookbook, Part 5: Getting Creative, creative teachers are ALWAYS on the look out for unique teaching items. So I thought I’d share one I picked up over Christmas Break: iWipers When I saw these I cracked up! The potential for this prop is fantastic! Teaching on Noah and the flood! Teaching on Jesus calming the storm! Simply wear on a rainy day at camp or VBS Do I know when I will use these? No. But they are now in my collection of creative kidmin props! You can’t wait until you need something to find it – you’ll never have a lesson and say, “Boy, sure wish I had some glasses with windshield wipers on them!” But when you own a pair and are preparing a lesson, one day you’ll say, “HEY! This is when I can use those cool windshield wiper glasses!” And you’ll be so glad you have them. The point of this post isn’t to go and get yourself a pair of iWipers. (Though some of you might!) The point is, always keep your eye out of unique props as they engage kids, create memories and…

Continue reading

One Man Christmas Story

I was invited to be a special guest again at Cherry Hill Community Church, where they have a wonderful children’s ministry. Whenever you are given the opportunity to teach at Christmas time, it presents a unique challenge. You are, of course, teaching the greatest story in HIS-Story – but it is also a very familar one. So how do you tell it in a new and creative way that will still engage children who can easily “check out” when they start to hear the familiar parts of the story. I searched my computer for countless ways I have addressed Christmas in over twenty years as a children’s pastor – and then walked into my vast kidmin prop warehouse and started seeing things that could be used to tell the story! At the same time, as I prayed about it, I was wanted to elevate the story above the mere facts of the traditional story to WHY did God sent Jesus? The story is truly epic and transcends the birth of Christ from the origins of time all the way to Christ’s Resurrection all the way to today! Then it hit me! Why don’t I tell the ENTIRE STORY OF CHRISTMAS…

Continue reading

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...