Category Archives: Children’s Ministry Teaching Tips

Teaching in a Visual Way

Children's Ministry, Children's Ministry Teaching Tips, , , , , , , , , ,

Imagine I bring you your favorite meal. It’s everything you want. It looks delicious but it’s not on a shiny plate.  I bring it to you on a dirty trash can lid. Did it suddenly lose its appeal?

Sometimes our problem in sharing God’s truth is not  what we are saying but  how we are say it. When planning to teach or preach, there are two important questions to ask:

  •  What am I going to say?
  • How am I going to say it?

Most people stop with the first question. But in a visual culture, people will always learn best and remember longer what is brought to them in a visual way. In other words:  Don’t just say it–show it.

Discover visual teaching tools and Gospel illusions to help you share God’s Word in a visual way at www.330resources.org.

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Kids are Literal – God and a Dead Cat

330ministries, Children's Ministry Teaching Tips, Stories

A young mother was trying to comfort her daughter when her pet kitten died, saying, “Remember, dear, Fluffy is up in heaven now with God.”

“But, mommy,” the girl sobbed. “What in the world would God want with a dead cat?”

Of course the purpose of this funny story is NOT about pets in heaven but to show that sometimes we try to share concepts without realizing that kids are literal.

A little girl told her Sunday School teacher, “I don’t want Jesus in my heart!” This teacher came to me very upset. I went to the classroom and knelt down in front of this  5-year old.

“Your teacher told me that you don’t want Jesus in your heart,” I said. “Can you tell me why?”

“Because He’s a big man and I’m a little girl!”

She was being literal: Big man + little heart = Not something she wanted!

As you teach your children (both at church and at home), keep in mind that they are very literal. Listen to your words for their literal meaning and when you’re done, ask your kids to tell you what they heard. This is a great way to know what they’re understanding because what you say and what they hear might just be two different things.*

Discover great children’s ministry resources at www.330resources.org.

©Copyright 2017 Kolby King

*Story of the dead cat: source unknown.

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