I love the idea of making a Bible story accessible to kids, helping them to see themselves in the characters. Reality check: More often than we’d like to admit, kids tune out when the Bible story starts. We sometimes train them like Pavlov’s dog to figure that the Bible part of the lesson is the boring part of the lesson. We say, “Today we’ve got a great Bible story for you… “, and then it winds up being a big snore-bore. Or worse, totally irrelevant.
Help kids see that these stories aren’t just about a bunch of dead dudes. These stories are about them.
A pain-free way to get a little blip on the attention-o-meter is to look for strategic places you can contemporize the language. In other words, add some modern lingo, even pop culture references, to tug them in.
Take a look at this technique in action with a couple excerpts from a lesson on David and Goliath…with a little commentary from me along the way…
How about when Jesse sends David to the battlefield with the food?
“David, I want you to take your brothers some food at the battlefield. Here’s some pizzas, here’s a nice casserole I made, now off you go! And no noshing on the way! Oy, that kid.”
What food does the Bible say that David actually took? It doesn’t. Like it matters. It could be Power Bars and Slim Fast for all I care. It’s an easy little way to pop in a contemporization of the story. The kids always chuckle, and it pulls them just a notch or two deeper into the moment.
How about when Goliath comes out on day forty of his challenge to those wimpy Israelites?
“ISRAELITES!!!
For forty days I have come out here to challenge you,
and still, no one will face me!
You are a bunch of sissies!!!
On this day, I curse you,
I curse your army,
and I curse… … … .your… … … .God!”
Does the Bible say that Goliath called them a bunch of sissies? No. First Samuel 17:23 says that as David approached the battlefield, Goliath “shouted his usual defiance.” Sounds like he was doing some trash-talkin’ to me. Actually, he probably said something much cruder than sissies, but I’m not comfortable saying “wusses” in a lesson.
Just in an article.
Now, I’m not saying play fast-and-loose with the Bible. I’m not saying to colloquialize Jesus into a surfer dude, or serve nachos and root beer at the Last Supper. Obviously, I don’t want to cross a line and step on moments in which reverence needs to be honored. But, truth is, there are lots of little details in many stories that either aren’t spelled out in the Bible or that don’t really matter.
It doesn’t matter what food Jesse gave David. The point is, he sent him to the battlefield. It doesn’t matter exactly what Goliath called the Israelites. The point is, he was busting their chops. These are easy places to drop in some vernacular. Easy places to contemporize the language and make it something kids will relate to.
They know what it feels like to be called a sissy. And suddenly—yank!—they’re pulled deeper into the story, deeper into that moment. And guess what? The “sissy” moment leads to “David’s victory” moment.
And “David’s victory” moment leads to the “God-is-with-you-even-if-your-parents-are-getting-a-divorce” moment.
And that may be the moment that changes everything for one kid.
That’s what moments do. That’s the power of a moment.
Aaron Reynolds is an author, dynamic speaker, workshop presenter, and children’s ministry consultant. To talk with Aaron about ways he can help envision, train, and equip your ministry team, visit creativekidsministry.com.
Excerpt from The Fabulous Reinvention of Sunday School, by Aaron Reynolds (Zondervan, 2007). Used with permission.
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Copyright © 2007 Promiseland.
