Category: 2.NEW Testament

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Wrapped Up, Tied Up and Zentangled Up in Jesus

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Recently a group of children got me tangled up in something new.

I was teaching a small group of 9-12 year olds on Sunday mornings for Bible class.  I asked the children what ideas they had for helping us learn.   Their suggestions are what led us to begin “tangling” in Bible Class.

I had first been introduced to the idea quite some time ago but I had not thought of using it for my Bible class.  After learning a bit more about it I realised that the children were “on to something”.

Zentangle is a method of drawing that is so simple and repetetive that it frees your mind up to relax and focus. Doodling is more freeform and flowing but Zentangle usually follows patterns.

Don’t make the same mistake I did and think that Zentangle is somehow related to “Zen Buddhism”.   As I learned more I found out that it is actually an artistic method created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas.  They describe the actual process of drawing “tangling”.  They added the word “zen” to describe the calm effect tangling produces as you do it.
You can read more about how it began here.

How We Tangled in Our Class

Since we working our way through some great Old Testament lessons from the Tower of Babel all they way through the Life of Joseph I wanted to emphasise “FAITH”

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph had great faith.

Here’s What We Did

  1. Prepared a Poster:
    The children could have draw their own letters but, for this first attempt, I decided to pre-print the word FAITH on a paper using big letter outlines.  I searched for a suitable font and found one similar to Janda Manitee Bubble .  Create your own or use this one in A4 size or this one in letter size (USA)
  2. Drew a free-flowing grid to create drawing spaces:
    The tangle designs can be done inside the letters or outside, in the white space.  I decided to go with the white space outside the letters.
    To help the children get started I went ahead and drew out a wavy sort of grid so they would immediately see the small areas to add designs to. By doing this free-hand I was able to create a totally unique pattern for each child.
  3. Provided each child with a pen:
    People take Zentangling to all sorts of levels and spend lots of money on special paper and pens.  In our case I just handed each child a fine line black pen.  We used fine line Sharpee pens.
  4. Started tangling:
    Each child selected a FAITH poster and began filling each of the “squares” with a unique design. As we all “tangled” we talked about faith. We weren’t about finishing the project by the end of class.  We just set them aside to be picked up and continued the next time we met.

What I learned about using Zentangle in Bible class

  1. Amazingly, this method really did bring calm to the classroom.
  2. Fidgeters stopped fidgetting and were able to draw and participate in conversation all at the same time.
  3. The conversation while tangling flowed naturally.  The children were relaxed and calm and just chatted about what faith meant in their lives and then about life in general. Even shy children contributed to the conversation since they did not feel undo attention was on them.
  4. I provided some patterns that I found online but the children in my class were quite happy to come up with their own designs.

Links to Videos and Patterns:

I wasn’t concerned with following strict guidelines for Zentanglel so I was able to find lots of patterns and examples online.  A simple online search for “zentangle” will lead you to a number of different examples.  Here are a few simple ones that I found.

And just for fun I’ll leave you with the song that I couldn’t get out of my head while writing this post!!

Lyrics:

I’m all wrapped up, all tied up, all tangled up in Jesus.
I’m all wrapped up, all tied up, all tangled up in God.
I’m all wrapped up, all tied up, all tangled up in Jesus.
I’m all wrapped up, all tied up, all tangled up in God.

I Say L.O.V.E

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Have you ever had a song stick in your head and refuse to go away?   This week a friend of mine shared a song with me that has done exactly that.

The song is not fancy.  It only has six words.  It is a teacher training video and not a performance for the Grammy Awards.   Even so, it is stuck in my mind like glue.  Listen a few times and I dare you to forget it.

Everybody needs some love.

Lyrics:

I say L
I say L-O
L-O-V
L-O-V-E

Everybody needs some love.  L-O-V-E!

Everybody needs some love.  L-O-V-E!

Everybody needs some love.  L-O-V-E!

Everybody needs some love.

 

For more songs and free teaching resources visit Mission Bible Class

 

Learning from the Life of Paul

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From a blinding light to angry mobs to a shipwreck, the Apostle Paul’s story is one that involves devotion, determination and drama.

These sixteen lessons from the life of Paul help children grasp how God used Paul and others to expand the reach of the good news of Jesus to far away places .

The lessons are already covered on www.missionbibleclass.org within the book of Acts section but are grouped together here so that you can teach them as one unit.

Online materials make it easier to keep children and families engaged in the Word of God.  Instead of printed materials lesson links can be emailed to teachers and parents each week.

Each of these sixteen lessons listed below include:

  • A Bible lesson and teaching instructions
  • Practical and enjoyable activities to help children learn
  • Links to other online resources
  • A slideshow to view online or download and use
  • The same slideshow in .pdf if you choose to download and print
  • An online video depicting the story from Paul’s point of view

Click here to view the lessons.

The One About the Cross

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“Teacher, when you tell stories, do you think sometimes you could tell me the one about the cross. I keep wondering what that cross is about.” I will never forget that question from a little boy who attended church and my Bible class for the first time.

This little boy had loved the Bible story and learning activities that day. He told his parents and me that he wanted to come back every Sunday (and he did). What he experienced that day with us was extremely important in his faith journey but it was clear that we were not the beginning of his journey. God had been planting seeds in his heart all along the way. Seeds were planted every time this young man passed a church building with a cross on it. Seeds were planted when he would see jewelry and billboards and bibles with crosses on the front.

Seeds are planted at Easter time. Children see the crosses people are putting up on signs and in decorations. The words “Christ”, “Christian”, “Jesus”,”resurrection” and phrases like “He is risen” are uttered by many people whether they understand deeper truths or not. Many children (and adults) wonder, “What does it mean?”

Any day is a good day to share the story of Jesus but Easter time creates a perfect opportunity to answer the questions children are wondering about.

Resources for Telling the Story of Jesus

The One About the Cross

And yes, I shared the story of the cross with that little boy that first day. It was a condensed version but I wanted to make sure he knew that this was one of the most important questions anyone could ever ask.

I told him that God created the whole world and he wanted everyone to be happy and love him. Sadly, people made bad choices and that has made lots of bad things happen in this world. Sometimes people even die. God was very sad that people had caused the earth to be so bad. Even though many people did not follow him he still loved them. So God sent his son, Jesus, from heaven to earth to show everyone how to obey God and make good choices.

But many people did not believe Jesus and got so angry that they made him die on a cross.

But guess what!? He was dead but after 3 days Jesus came alive again! Jesus showed that he is stronger than death and stronger than any bad thing that can ever happen.

Soon after he came back to life, the time came for Jesus to go to heaven to live with his Father again in heaven. Before Jesus left he told his followers to be sure and tell other people the good news. The good news is that “Jesus died but he came alive again!” God says that Jesus dying on the cross means that people can change from being bad to being good. People who follow Jesus do not have to be afraid of dying. If you follow Jesus then you will also come alive again to live in heaven someday!”

And THAT is the one about the cross!

25 Ways to Teach Children About the Resurrection of Jesus

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Many teachers are making plans to tell the resurrection story on Easter Sunday.  Whether at Easter or any other time here are some ideas that will help you share what is the most important event in the Bible.

“For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.”
Romans 6:9, NIV

  1. Learn about the Burial and Resurrection of Jesus so you will understand the story and feel comfortable sharing it with a child.
  2. Gather your family together for quality time  and learn about the Burial and Resurrection in this Family Bible Time lesson
  3. Download and view a slideshow and pictures from http://www.freebibleimages.org/photos/jesus-alive/
  4. Sing songs together from the church hymnal about the resurrection.  Search for songs on YouTube:
    • Low in the Grave He Lay
    • Christ the Lord is Risen Today
    • Rabboni!
    • He Lives
    • Lord I Lift Your Name on High
  5. Visit a mature older Christian and ask them to share why the Resurrection is important to them.
  6. Black out the windows of your classroom to make it dark like the tomb.  Quietly tell the story of the resurrection by the light of a candle or by torch/flashlight
  7. Place a dark cloth over a small table to form a “tomb”. Ask someone to be the body inside. Place a cardboard rock at the entrance. Let the children see the body inside and then put the stone in place. “The body” crawls out the back and the children remove the stone to see an empty tomb. Young ones love this obvious re-enactment.
  8. Choose words related to the resurrection story and tape them onto stones.  Before class begins hide the stones so that children can hunt for them.  As the children collect the stone discuss the meaning of the words.  Here are some words you might use:
    • Death
    • Burial
    • Resurrection
    • Cross
    • Tomb
    • Forgiveness
  9. After telling about the Resurrection guide a child in praying thanks to God.
  10. Read a book about Easter.
  11. 9-torn-cross-instructUse these instructions for The Story of the Cross to learn a simple way to tell the story using one sheet of paper.
  12. Responsive Drawing:  Guide older children in reading today’s scripture references.  Then have them draw about what they have read.  Use a blank piece of paper or print this worksheet: The Burial and Resurrection of Jesus_Drawing Response
  13. Responsive Writing:  Guide older children in reading today’s scripture references.  Then have them draw about what they have read.  Use a blank piece of paper or print this worksheet: The Burial and Resurrection of Jesus_Writing Response
  14. Ask younger children to draw the story of the resurrection.
  15. Make use of plastic eggs on sale at Easter time.  Use these instructions for “Resurrection Eggs” to re-tell the story of the resurrection.
  16. Burial and Resurrection CraftMake a tomb craft from a paper plate.  Cut a paper plate in half, paint if desired, and then staple the top rims together.  To make the body of Christ cut a simple body shape from cardboard, wrap with one layer of toilet paper and dampen with water from a spray bottle, repeat layers and let dry.  The stone is just crumpled brown paper.  In one class we had the children each make a tomb and then put the body inside.  During the week I moved the stones and removed the bodies.  The next week we were going to be studying about the resurrection.  When the children arrived that day they immediately went to the tombs they had made and were shocked to find the body missing.  I let them search and conjecture for awhile before leading into the story of how the women came to the tomb to find Jesus’ body missing.  The children could totally relate to how the women must have felt.  At the end of class I returned the “bodies” so that the children could take the craft home and recreate the event for their families.
  17. 2015 Verse scramble (2)Write the individual words of Romans 6:9  on a whiteboard or chalkboard.  Say the verse together. Erase one word or phrase and say the verse again. Say it over and over, eliminating one word or phrase each time.  Soon, the children will have it memorised.
  18. Write the individual words of Romans 6:9 on pieces of paper and then mix them up.  Children can unscramble the verse  and practice repeating it to memorise it.
  19. Print and use a colouring page or puzzle from one of these online resources.
  20. Cook bread rolls that share the story of the resurrection: Cooking craft: Short youtube video on how to make Resurrection Rolls to tell the story- from CullensABCs at http://youtu.be/louAYkJPETQ
  21. Make a mobile using these instructions at http://www.sundayschoolcrafts.net/jesus-rose-from-the-dead-moblie.php
  22. Make a miniature garden using instructions at http://www.sundayschoolcrafts.net/garden-with-tomb.php
  23. Make a salt dough tomb using instructions from one of these online resources:
  24.  Try out some of the ideas on the Pinterest Board: Life of Christ (late ministry)
  25. More puzzles and worksheets to print:

This post is an update of one published 22 March 2015.

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