Tag: application

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The Great Commission- Colour My World!

Published on by Mary14 Comments

Today in Bible Class we studied about the Great Commission and the Ascension of Jesus.

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV)

I stressed four important words in the commission: Go, disciple, baptise and teach.

I asked how we could “make disciples” and I got the best possible response.  A little girl said, “Well, I think we could just tell someone a story about Jesus and then they will want to follow him.  Then they can tell someone else and they will want to follow him.  And then they can tell…”  This went on for a little while until someone else interrupted with, “If our whole class goes out today and tells someone then I think everyone in the world will be a disciple in about an hour!”

I want their faith!

Here is the class activity we did to help us learn about telling the world about Jesus.

Supplies:

  • A plate with enough edge that it can hold liquid.
  • A spoon
  • A small bowl or saucer
  • Eye dropper (if you have one, I didn’t)
  • Toothpicks
  • Milk
  • Cooking Oil
  • Dish-washing liquid

Instructions:

  1. Pour a few drops of the dish-washing liquid into a small bowl and soak the ends of toothpicks in it.  Set aside.
  2. Pour enough milk into the plate so the bottom of the plate is covered and there is a thin layer of milk.
  3. Pour oil over the milk.  You don’t need as much oil as milk but you’ll need enough for it to eventually form a very thin layer over the milk (Don’t stress over the amounts).  Stir with the spoon then set the spoon to the side.
  4. Now, spend a few minutes watching the milk and oil separate and form oil clusters.  
    1. While this is happening talk about how this looks like the world and all its people.  People like to live together in families and towns and countries.  The plate looks like a map of the world.
    2. Then talk about what it would be like if no one in the world followed Christ.
    3. Now, add drops of food colouring to represent Christians and talk about how Christians live in the world among people who do not follow Christ.  (If I had used a little eye dropper my “drops” would not have spread so much and this would have worked better.  Small droplets will make the best effects.)  What if Christians only stayed in one place and never told people about Jesus.
  5. Now for the fun part!  Ask the children what they think the world would look like if Christians were to follow the Great Commission and go out into the world to tell other people about Jesus.  Then let the children take turns lightly touching the soap end of a toothpick to one of the drops of food colouring.  Amazingly, the food colouring shoots out across the milk and oil and makes amazing colours.
  6. Continue doing this until the white plate is full of colours.  All the while you and the children are doing this talk about how telling people about Jesus changes the world.

I really think you will love this idea!  Here are some photos (click to enlarge):

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Great Commission- Colour My World Craft!
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Using What’s on Hand…or Foot

Published on by MaryLeave a comment

I’ve talked in other posts about using what is “on hand” or available to teach.  This time I thought I would take that more literally!

Reading through Luke 7:36-50 I wondered how I might help the children remember how Jesus forgave The Sinful Woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

Simon, the Pharisee, observed the woman and Jesus and began making judgements about them.  Even though Simon didn’t say it outloud Jesus knew exactly what he was thinking and spoke to him.   A great teaching on forgiveness was followed by Jesus forgiving the woman.

Who was looking where?  Simon was looking at the woman and Jesus.  Jesus was looking at the woman and Simon.  But what was the woman looking at?  In her shame I think this woman was looking at FEET the entire time.  And very special feet at that.

What better way to relate to this woman than to help the children notice feet?  I decided to write L-U-K-E-7 on the left foot and J-E-S-U-S on the right.  If you try this then I would suggest a fine point Sharpie pen and (those who know me well will appreciate this) anti-bacterial hand sanitiser!

Be prepared for lots of giggles!

Some might call it crazy.  Some might call it gross.  I call it good teaching and about the closest I get to washing disciples’ feet.

Click here for more Teaching Ideas.

Acrostic Applications

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Try adapting an acrostic to make application to the lives of the children in your class.

This is a fun way to encourage class participation and discussion around the key words in the Scripture you are studying.

 

 

Supplies:

  1. Pencil or pen
  2. Paper

Instructions:

  1. Read the scripture containing the lesson you have chosen and decide on the theme or thought that you would like to bring out and apply.
  2. Choose a key word (or words) and write the letters of the word vertically down the left side of the paper.
  3. Guide children in thinking of related words that begin with those letters.

Instructional video with examples from a number of lessons here.

Examples in the video include:

More teaching ideas here.

Head, Heart and Hands- Connecting Children’s Lives to the Story

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As children leave my Bible Class I want them to have gained:

  • New knowledge and understanding about God and the bible (head)
  • A tenderness of heart, desire or conviction (heart)
  • New skills or ways to live out what they have learned (hands)

Preparing a Lesson that Connects

A balanced lesson contains all three elements.  This is not always an easy thing to do and takes some practice.  Here are some ideas that might help:

  • Study the Scripture and decide on one main theme or application to emphasise in the class session.  Click here for a list of Bible Stories and Suggested Themes.
  • Try to understand the children in your class.  Spend time with them outside of class as well as in the classroom so that you see “their world”.  What types of situations might they encounter in their lives?  Think of how the theme you have chosen might relate to school, home, friends, playground, siblings, neighbourhood and church life.  Consider their ages and level of comprehension.  Talk about these things as you teach.
  •  As you prepare your class try planning a variety of activities that relate directly to the scripture you are studying and to the theme.  Ask yourself, “does this activity help the children know how to live out what they are learning or is it just ‘busy work’?”  Click here for a lesson planner for easier preparation.
  • Pray for yourself and for each child in your class.  Ask God to help you be His instrument to in bringing the children into a closer relationship with Him.
  • After you have taught a class give yourself a “review”.  Did you connect to the children’s heads, hearts and hands?  Ask yourself what went well and what you could do better next time.  Don’t be afraid to ask an experienced teacher for advice if you need it.  (I have found self-review extremely helpful!)

Head, Heart, Hand Lesson Examples:

Example 1: David Helps Mephibosheth

  • Head:
    1. We read about David and Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel chapter 9.
    2. David was king.
    3. Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s disabled son.
    4. David showed kindness and took care of Jonathan.
  • Heart:
    1. I want to be kind to others like David was kind.
  • Hands:
    1. When I go home today I can call Tommy to see if he feels better after being sick.
    2. I can open the door for Mrs. Jones when she comes to church.
    3. I can help my mum set the table this week because she is tired after work.

Example 2: Jesus Heals Ten Lepers

  • Head:
    1. Leprosy was a terrible disease.
    2. Jesus healed ten lepers.
    3. Only one leper said “thank you”
  • Heart:
    1. I should show appreciation and thanks to God
    2. I should show appreciation and thanks to others
  • Hands:
    1. Today in class I can write a card to thank Mr. Smith for cleaning the church building.
    2. When I get home I can give my dad a hug and tell him I appreciate how he works hard at his job so we can buy groceries.
    3. I can pray and thank God for my house, friends and sister.

Miracles versus Magic Tricks

Published on by Mary5 Comments

In Bible Class I often teach stories involving miracles.  One such story is about the elderly couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth, who became parents despite the fact they were years past childbearing age.  The point I emphasise in the story is that nothing is impossible with God.  You can find details of that story in The Birth of John the Baptist.

Children love to see a “magic trick” but I want them to understand that a miracle of God is so much more than a trick a person does.  I searched online for “easy magic tricks for kids” and found a trick I could do for the children.  Once I performed the “magic” I showed the children how it worked.  I even helped them learn how to do it so they could “wow” their family and friends.

This provided me with an opportunity to talk about miracles of God.  Magicians perform tricks.  God does miracles.  Miracles are impossible for people.

I love bringing activities like these into my Bible class.  My hope is that, from now on, when they see a magic trick my students will think about God and His amazing, impossible miracles.

Another story where you might discuss miracles versus tricks is Simon the Sorcerer.

Click here for more Teaching Ideas.