Jesus was NOT Boring - Why are We?

Why is it so many of our Children's Ministries are committed to boring the socks off the children in their ministries? Well, they may not be "committed" to boring children, but they are not committed to engaging them. When we insist on teaching children by having them sit and listen as we "yak" at them, then we are boring them and we end up leaving them with these utterly false beliefs  - Jesus and the Bible are boring. This leads to children choosing to leave church as soon as they are possibly able to do so. Oh yes. We pay an extremely high price when we insist on teaching by talking and not by engaging.

Jesus was the most "not boring" person who ever lived on this Earth. He fed thousands of people with just a few pieces of food - with baskets of food left over! Not boring. He walked on water! Not boring. He healed sick people! Not boring. He brought dead people back to life! Not boring. He calmed huge storms with just three words! Not boring. He did not stay dead - He came back to life! Definitely Not Boring!

Jesus also made time for children - He did not send them away. Just think for a minute what it was like for those children - they could have asked Him absolutely anything and Jesus would have been able to answer it - and probably did so in the most engaging and interesting way possible! Jesus was NOT boring. 

So, why do we insist on making Him boring to children? Please stop teaching to children with lecture. Please commit to use resources, curriculum, and teaching which engages children and gets them actively involved as they participate in teaching and therefore learning Who Jesus is and why they are able to believe in Him with confidence. (Check out Deeper In for Children and Anchored Supplement as they both do this.)

How do you do this? Well, consider the following ideas . . .

• Use a curriculum which is designed around engaging children actively. Deeper In for Children does this. Group is also a curriculum which does this. Please keep in mind, if your church has specific things they want taught in the Children's Ministry, it is far easier to add these things to a well written, engaging curriculum, than it is for you to think of ways to add activity which engages children to a curriculum which does not have these things. Look for curriculum which engages children.
• If you have to use a specific curriculum which does not engage children, consider teaching it differently. For example, break each Bible lesson into portions and give each class/grade a portion for them to illustrate before you teach the lesson. Then, when the lesson is taught, have each class/group stand and hold their illustrations up as you teach. Use science projects to illustrate the point of your lesson - give each small group/class supplies so they are able to involve the children in working on the science project as your teachers do. You will find all of this in Deeper In for Children.
• Consider adding something like my new "Life on the Goldilocks Planet" curriculum/book series. Use one animal each week in large group, or small group time, for teachers to engage children in conversations about how animals show us God is real and we are able to trust Him with confidence. This is likely to be a part of the lesson children will look forward to each week! And, more importantly, they will remember. Use the activities provided for more impact. (You will find this series in my bookstore at this link.) Or, have parents and grandparents us this resource at home and provide time each week in class where children are able to share what they learned and did - check this link for how you are able to do this for just $1 per family. Anchored  Supplemental curriculum is written to do exactly this.

Whatever you do, take an honest look at how your are teaching children about Jesus and if you are giving them the false idea of who He is. Commit to engage and involve children in learning the truth!