It's all about stories. God's Story changes our lives. He didn't give us a book of theology as much as it is a book of stories. He put within us a fascination with stories. Our lives are stories for God to tell. It is also about Faith in God to do the works He created before time for us to do. Faith: Taking the risky way by the Holy Spirit. H.S. is essential.

Storytelling:

Story sources: Bible story books, "The Book of Virtues" by William Bennett, books of stories in the library-many fables and folklore have Biblical themes that can be adapted easily or the point of the story used to emphasize your Scripture lesson. Your own personal background is a wealth of resources. Kids like hearing about experiences adults have at home, work, in college and especially when you were young!

Storytelling guidelines: Make the story your own. Become familiar with the characters and plot. Pause before any change of ideas or before any significant word. Emphasize words that carry meaning.

In general, poetic and imaginative passages should be taken slowly; parts narrating action should be taken rapidly. Conversation should be taken at a speed that is appropriate for the character speaking. Pauses add drama and meaning. A pause and a dropped voice can be more effective than a shout.

Make eye contact as much as possible. Gestures should be used as much as possible but should be natural to the storyteller and to the action of the story. . . . . . Be pleasant with your attitude and expression. Allow you voice to be flexible-highs and lows are good. Enunciate clearly and speak at a comfortable speed-don't read fast unless it is for effect.

Write down a crazy, funny or unusual event in your life that could be the basis for a story. Your life is your best source!

Art Talks

What you need: 1. Confidence in God. . . . . 2. Any large item on which you can write. An easel pad is good, a chalkboard, white board, overhead transparency, sidewalk, somebody's bald head, a t-shirt, any flat surface with lots of dust, etc. . . . 3. An easel to display your pad or wall space to display your paper. I use sticky tack and tack one sheet to the wall to protect from any bleed through as well as give my paper an even surface on which to draw. I usually use colored markers. I have also used overhead transparencies and a chalkboard. . . . . 4. Some kind of writing utensil that would match any of the surfaces in #2: magic markers, chalk, white board markers, overhead transparency markers, sidewalk chalk, marker, finger, etc. I started out using chalk talk chalk but it's expensive and since I am a non-artist and draw simply and crudely, I just use colored markers. . . . . 5. The ability to retell the story in some fashion while you draw OR somebody to read the story while you draw. I do not recommend taping your story and playing it while you draw unless you know how the kids are going to respond and leave space for their response.

Guidelines: You don't have to be an artist or even slightly artistic!!!!! You can draw a more involved work beforehand and show the pictures while you speak. You can outline a picture in advance with a light pencil, it will be invisible a few feet away. The important thing is to illustrate a point, not to show off drawing skill. If you don't claim to be an artist, the crudest of drawings will be effective.

Use stories that have a main point that is easily illustrated. Ultimately, almost any parable or story can be illustrated. A black line on a large piece of paper or anything simple can be effective in holding the listener's attention and making your point. . . . Always stand to one side as you draw, so everyone can see your progress. Eyes and mouths are the most important and should be drawn last.

Paper Cut Story

You need two pieces of paper, scissors and a black marker. I use white copy paper for this story. Fold one piece by halves until it is as small as you can get it. When you tell the story, pick up the folded up paper when you pick up the unfolded piece. Palm the folded up paper in your hand that is NOT holding the black marker.

Elaborate on this story: "Life get's busy and cluttered (draw black lines on paper) and you get pulled this way and that (fold it up) and the enemy comes and uses the bitterness in your heart to steal your soul a little bit at a time (cut it up). Jesus offers us forgiveness, love and grace. "His mercies are new every morning" (Pick up some of the pieces, plus, you should still have some of the cut-up paper in your hand. Crush them into your hand with the folded up paper and then unfold the blank paper slowly as you keep the cut-up pieces in your hand. It looks like the paper has just appeared!

Object Lessons

Cubbies and Sparks: 5 minutes is a long time. Imitation is this age's principal behavior mode. Senses are better understood than abstract concepts. (Concepts such as time, fairness, death, eternal life, etc. are beyond them). Smell, Sight, Touch and Taste are vivid learning areas. Real items are better than pictures.

Sparks and older Clubs: 10 minutes is a long time. Abstract concepts are being explored and formed. Honesty, Fairness, Justice and Compassion are the essence of this age's world. Feelings are channel to this age's world. Object lessons and stories which explore large range of emotions are better than simple stories with simple emotional content. Kids have deep emotions and struggle with life and death issues. News stories are being discussed and they wonder about the future and politics/world situation. Death is real to them. Pets die, people get sick and have accidents-it's o.k. to explore these issues.

Suggestions for Objects: The object should emphasize the point of the story instead of calling attention to itself. A teaching object should be as simple as possible, as a rule. A teaching object should represent an idea with a natural or generally accepted relationship. (pigs are usually thought of as dirty or greedy, roosters are associated with pride, a heart usually equals love, etc.) . . . . Rubber bands/Squirt Gun: sin is missing the mark. . . . . . God's Love: dogs/pets-Jesus is the Good Shepherd - knows us by name - God expresses His love for us in so many ways.

Illusions

I do not often use illusions to teach important subjects. Kid's tend to focus on the trick instead of the lesson but some times I do! I think that object lessons using tricks and sleight of hand are best for attracting attention, breaking the ice, establishing a friendly rapport and gaining initial credibility. It creates a "bond" with kids which opens doors for more active involvement on spiritual and emotional level. I recommend that important concepts be reserved for simpler visual helps.

Drama

Drama and role-playing is fundamental learning tool for ages 9-12. Drama allows child to safely explore wide range of feelings that don't enter their life on a daily basis. Drama allows them to act out issues and concerns and deal with them safely.

Be the narrator and assign parts and act out Bible story. Split into groups with general instructions to make up skit based on Bible passage. If you feel that your group reads well, hand out scripts (be careful not to give script to child who has difficulty reading).

Resources

One Way Street, Inc. Box 5077, Englewood, CO, 80155-5077 (303) 790-1188. . . . KUDOS Clown and Magic (Andy and Rhea Anderson are the coolest!) 645 Forest Lane...Hurst, TX, 76053 (817) 282-3339 . . . . CHILDREN'S MINISTRY MAGAZINE, P.O. Box 485...Loveland, CO 80539, (800) 447-1070