Okay, so we all think it’s pretty good idea to actually read the Bible before we teach it, right? So, what are we are looking for when we read it? I’d like to suggest that one of the best ways you can bring the Bible to life for kids is take three passes at the text and take lots of notes along the way.
1. Pass One – Read it devotionally. The first time through, you’re just a follower of Jesus spending time with the Master. Listen, worship and enjoy.
2. Pass Two – Read it experientially. This second time through, put yourself as a character into the story. Remember, this stuff really happened, and it happened to real people. Look for sensory detail and emotions. Which of the five senses does the Bible writer appeal to? If not explicitly, what can you infer? For example, Matthew doesn’t tell us what the food tasted like at the Last Supper but we can imagine it, right? Are there details about the weather, time of day or season? How did the characters feel physically (remember sleepy Eutychus?) and what emotions drove them?
3. Pass Three – Read it logically. Think of your audience and how this Bible text specifically applies to them. I lean into some great teaching from Andy Stanley for this part. What does a fifth grade boy need to know from this passage? Why does he need to know it? What should he do as a result of it? Why should he do it? What will happen if doesn’t?
Imagine going back to your curriculum (or blank page if you’re writing this from scratch) with these kind of notes. You would be primed for some serious Bible Story Ninja action! That means engaging kids with the Bible and teaching for transformation. I don’t know about you, but I definitely want to be in on that!
This post is the first of four, and in the next three I’ll go into detail about how to make the most of each pass through Scripture. In the mean time, you can go ahead and put some of this into practice when planning your next lesson.
What Scripture reading strategies have helped you when prepping for a lesson?
No comments:
Post a Comment