April Fools or Is God’s Word for Real?
April Fool’s Day is a great time to introduce, discuss, or reinforce the inerrancy of God’s word with all ages.
How?
Here are some easy ideas and tips, broken down by age.
Toddlers/Preschoolers/Young Children:
There are a couple of ways I reinforce the concept of the inerrancy of the Bible on a child-like level each week I teach preschool Sunday School. Try these at home with your family!
1. Every time I tell a Bible story, I have an actual chapter and verse Bible in my lap.
No matter what preschool visual or story book I might be holding up, I always point to my Bible and say, “This story is from God’s true Word, the Bible.” Those visual and auditory cues are important in helping young children understand what God’s Word is.
2. During song time, we always do the following two fingerplays.
A figure play is simply words said in a sing-songy way with motions.
Tip for home: Put these on note-cards and keep them around the house so you can learn them and use them frequently with your kiddos.
This is True Fingerplay
1, 2, (hold up right pointer finger, then left pointer finger)
this is true, (hold out palms like an open book…the Bible)
God loves me, (point to yourself)
and God loves you! (point to someone else)
The Bible Fingerplay
The Bible is God’s special book (hold palms together like a closed book)
His words are written there (open palms out like opening a book)
And when I turn each page to look (keep left palm up and use right hand to pretend to turn pages)
I handle it with care. (continue turning pages)
Friend and fellow preschool teacher at church who taught me this next chant says,
“We do it while marching, slow stomping through “snow”, fast across hot sand, etc. Sometimes I clap it before Bible story.” Thank you, Julie Bridgeforth!
Absolutely True Chant
Absolutely True!
Absolutely True!
Everything the Bible says is absolutely true!
3. Non-Spiritual Bonus! 🙂
Before moving on to older children….
I’m a children’s literature junkie when it comes to holidays and I simply could not write this post without sharing my favorite for April Fool’s book, even though it has nothing to do with the truth of God’s Word. It’s quite clever and we love pulling it out every year this time!
Older children/teens:
The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask About Christianity: & How to Answer Them Confidently is a book I picked up to deal with questions like, “Is the Bible Really the Word of God?”
I asked our former Student Ministries pastor for a book recommendation on the subject. He has used this resource on occasion with our church’s teens: Who Made God and Answers to Over 100 Other Tough Questions of Faith.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17
For more easy ways to find and use God’s word in topical teachable teachable moments, see your copy of Parenting with Scripture: A Topical Guide for Teachable Moments.
Monday 28 March, 2016 | Copyright ©2016, Kara Durbin | read more>> |