Teaching & Curriculum

Had kid with autism join our class last month. Completely changed how I teach. In good way actually. Realized most my lessons only worked for kids who could sit still and listen and follow verbal instructions. That's like maybe half the kids on good day. What Didn'

Kid asked last week why we learning about Jonah. "He's dead and that story's fake anyway." Cool. Great way start Sunday morning. Why They Don't Care Kids don't care about ancient Israel. They care if Maddie still their friend. If

Kid asked if his grandma watches him from heaven. Then goes "Does she watch me pee though?" Six-year-olds man. They Just Ask You're middle of something else and hand goes up. Doing Noah's ark last month. Sarah raises hand. "Is Noah dead?"

Tried explaining sin to five-year-old once. Used word "transgression." They stared at me like was speaking different language. Because Kids need simple language. Concrete examples. Things that connect their actual lives. Don't Use Big Theological Words Sin. Transgression. Iniquity. Repentance. Redemption. Kids don't know

Kid asked last week where Israel is. Showed on map. He goes "Why we care about some place far away?" Fair question honestly. Bible geography feels irrelevant to kids eating goldfish in suburban America. Need help them see why matters. The Distance Problem Kids think everything in Bible

Parent cornered me after service last month. Said her kid told her we taught dinosaurs and humans lived same time. We didn't. Kid apparently said we did though. Parent was mad. Really mad. Didn't matter what actually taught. Mattered what kid reported. Kids report things wrong

Tried teaching honesty last week using Ananias and Sapphira. They lied about money. Fell over dead. Kids terrified. Will I die if I lie? Probably not. But maybe don't lie. Great job me. Now they think lying causes instant death. The Death Story Was A Mistake Ananias and

Told David and Goliath last week. Read it straight from Bible. Kids stared at ceiling. One fell asleep on floor. Next week told same story. Used voices. Did actions. Made sound effects. Kids were leaning forward entire time. Same story. Just told it different. Changed everything. Use Different Voices for

Kids think everyone in Bible wore bathrobes and had beards. Also think they all lived in same place at same time doing same things. Tried teaching about Biblical cultures last month. Total disaster mostly. The Egypt Problem Told kids Moses grew up in Egypt not Israel. Blank stares. What'