Five Keys to Teaching the Bible to Kids

Recently I had a cup of decaf coffee with my friend Dave.  It was late, late enough to be the last customers in McDonalds.  Dave and I have done a lot of ministry together over the years.  He is one of the most gifted communicators to young people that I’ve ever known.  I’ve seen the fruit of his teaching in young peoples lives first hand.  As we talked that late evening just after Thanksgiving, Dave shared five keys to teaching the Bible to kids.  We will all benefit by following them.  Dave said I could share them with you.  At the end of this post is a link to two .PDF files that you are welcome to share with all who teach the Bible to young people. 

Five Keys to Teaching the Bible to Kids

1.    Pound one nail.

Recently I had a cup of decaf coffee with my friend Dave.  It was late, late enough to be the last customers in McDonalds.  Dave and I have done a lot of ministry together over the years.  He is one of the most gifted communicators to young people that I’ve ever known.  I’ve seen the fruit of his teaching in young peoples lives first hand.  As we talked that late evening just after Thanksgiving, Dave shared five keys to teaching the Bible to kids.  We will all benefit by following them.  Dave said I could share them with you.  At the end of this post is a link to two .PDF files that you are welcome to share with all who teach the Bible to young people. 

Five Keys to Teaching the Bible to Kids

1.    Pound one nail.

Every story has one main point.  Your lesson should be like a wheel.  The main point, (the one nail), is the hub, the points are the spokes, and the tire is the application.  A wheel with two or three hubs wouldn’t roll very well.  Keep studying the passage until you settle on one main point, then pound that nail.   
2.    Imagine yourself in the story.  
Picture yourself being there while the story unfolds, on that day with those people.  It was a real place, with real people, in a real time.  Imagine what the crowds looked like, what it felt like to be there, and the emotions that may have been present.  Make it real, but be careful not to pass off speculations as fact.  
3.    Connect truth to life directly.  
Make a “bee-line” to the application.  Don’t get caught up in detailed explanations of things that don’t matter.  Remember, you are pounding one nail, the hub of your wheel.  Do not confuse application with “life change.”  Some teachers try to teach life change instead of biblical principles.  Teaching biblical principles and what God desires from us will lead to genuine life change. Teaching kids to change their behavior, apart from Godly principles, results in works-based salvation at best, and pharisaical young people at worst.  Get right to the application.  
4.    Be physical in communicating the Bible.  
Show enthusiasm.  Move around.  Walk closer to the audience as you make your point.  Raise your voice. Lower your voice.  Complete communication involves your body movements as well as your voice.
5.    See humor in the story.  
The Bible is loaded with humor.   Do not tell jokes just to get laughs.  Amplify the humor that is already in the passage.  Think about what was going through the minds of the four men lowering their friend through the roof, or the absurdity of marching around a city and blowing horns.  The humor is there, just talk about it.  Use humor to focus the audience’s attention.

God bless you as you share His word with young people.  It is the highest calling I can think of.  May you and your families have a very Merry Christmas celebrating the birth of our Savior!