Monthly Archives: September 2005

Creative Teaching Ideas

Obstacles

Leave a comment

Materials
Variety of obstacles

Activity
1. Set up chairs and tables and other things as obstacles for when youth / children enter the room. You can also design an obstacle course for them.
2. Ask two volunteers to go through the course blindfolded.
3. While they are outside the room being blindfolded, remove all of the obstacles. Choose a guide for each blindfolded volunteer to carefully guided through the non-existent obstacles. Make sure to include instructions about avoiding the obstacles, even though they have been removed.
4. Surprise the youth / Children when you remove the blindfolds.

Application
Sometimes God gives us the strength and a guide such as he did Elisha, but at other times God removes the obstacles as when he parted the Jordan River for Elisha and Elijah.

Scripture
2 Kings 1:1-4:44


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Creative Teaching Ideas

Elijah or Elisha?

Leave a comment

Materials
Prepare a list of actions of Elijah and Elisha.

Possibilities for statements
* Fed by ravens
* Increased a widow’s supplies
* rebuked kings
* Challenged the prophets of Baal
* Didn’t die.
* Wore a mantle as a symbol of his office as a prophet
* Raised a woman’s dead son
* Parted the Jordan River
* Slain captains and men by calling down fire
* Removed poison from a stew
* Fed 100 men with 20 barley loaves
etc.

Activities
1. Have youth correctly identify which actions belong to Elijah . Elisha. As a competition you might divide the class into two teams and the first team to correctly match the prophets with the actions wins. Some actions will apply to both Elijah and Elisha.
2. Call out the statements and have youth perform an action associated with each prophet. For Elijah have them spin around in place representing the whirlwind in which he was taken to heaven. For Elisha, have them rub the top of their head with the palm of their hand, representing his baldness. (Elisha was mocked by youth for his baldness and those mocking him were slain by bears.) In instances where the statement applies to both, they must do both simultaneously.

Scripture
2 Kings 1:1-4:44

Summary
Elijah mentored Elisha. God used both Elisha and Elijah to teach the Israelites.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Improving Your Teaching

Asking Questions

Leave a comment

Materials
None

Activity
Ask Youth or Children,
“If you could ask God one question, what would you ask?”

Questions are positives, not negatives.
If a child / teen is not asking spiritual questions he / she is not growing spiritually. In “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby this is referred to as a “crisis of belief.”

Honest doubts and questions are not the same as unbelief. Actually, they are the sign of belief or of a developing belief. Faith is not the absence of doubt, but moving forward despite the doubts. As decisions are made, in spite of the doubts, one’s faith grows and the doubts disappear.

As you help children / youth /adults to work through their doubts and questions you will be nurturing their faith.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Improving Your Teaching

Debate

Leave a comment

Description
A communicative exercize in which individuals or groups must present a specific view of an issue and argue against other views presented by other groups.

Example
Jesus violated the Sabbath to heal the sick.
Group 1: Take the position of the Pharisees in keeping the Sabbath
Group 2: Take the position of Jesus in healing the sick

Key Actions
1. Choose the topic or issue and participants
2. Provide information, references or other sources that can be used in arguments
3. Give all sides of the issue opportunity to present their views and to respond to other views.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Creative Teaching Ideas

Experts

Leave a comment

Materials
None

Preparation
Make a list of professions. Some possibilities might include:
a lawyer
a dentist
an astronaut
a baker
a policeman
a mechanic
an engineer
a pilot
a doctor
a fireman
an architect
a counselor

Activity
You can play charades with your list, pin the names on the back and ask kids to discover their occupation, or make a list of equipment and tools that each occupation uses and have children match the tools with the occupation.

Application
Discuss how we trust each of these people to do their jobs. While we cannot be experts in all areas, we trust those who ARE the experts. We may not understand why the doctor chooses a specific medicine or a mechanic uses a specific tool, but we trust their expertise. In the same way we do not know everything about God or understand everything God understands, but he is our Creator and as such we can trust him with our life. (Ecclesiastes 3:16-22)

Use this creative teaching activity as a reminder to youth or children that we cannot know everything so we place our trust in various experts. We need to place the sme kind of trust in our Creator.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Creative Teaching Ideas

Carry Your Friend

Leave a comment

Materials
None

Activity
Divide the group into two or more teams. As a series of characteristics are called out, you must carry the team member with those characteristics to the front. First team to do so gets a point. If the person being carried touches the ground he / she must return to the start. In the event that more that one person has the same characteristic the team must choose one that has not been carried yet. If all with the same characteristic have already been carried then the team may choose one.

Possible Characteristics:
(use care to not embarass anyone unduly)
1. Person on the team with the largest shoe.
2. Shortest person on your team.
3. Person on your team with the longest hair
4. Person with the birthday closest to today
5. Person on your team with the darkest skin
6. Tallest person on your team
7. Person on your team with the longest fingernails
8. Person on your team with the most siblings
9. Person with the greatest number of letters in his / her name
10.Person on your team that travels the farthest distance to come to church
11.Person on your team who hasn’t been carried yet
12.Person on your team with the longest pinky finger
13.Person on your team with the most worn socks
14.Person on your team with the most pointed nose
15.Person on your team with the greatest number of pets
16.Person on your team with the ugliest big toe
17.Add your own here……………………

Application
We need to carry others to God in prayer, and lift them up with our words and actions. That is what brings us all together in unity.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Improving Your Teaching

Definitions

Leave a comment

Description
A description of the meaning of a word or phrase.

example
Faith: a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
Faith: a convinced belief
Faith: Belief without evidence

Key Actions
1. Have members form a personal definition
2. Read formal definitions from dictionaries, encyclopedias or other sources.

Game Idea
1. Award the person whose definition is closest to that in the dictionary
2. Include webster dictionary among the entries. Ask youth to try to find the corerct definition among those given

Application
A dictionary is the one of the best Bible study tools available. It opens up the meaning of the words as used in scriptures and is accessible to anyone. Teaching kids and youth to use a dictionary while they study the Bible has great benefit!


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Object Lessons, Teaching Illustrations

Dart Test

Leave a comment

A young lady named Sally, relates an experience she had in a seminary class, given by her teacher, Dr. Smith. She says Dr. Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons.

One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary class and knew they were in for a fun day. On the wall was a big target, and on a nearby table were many darts. Dr. Smith told his students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person’s picture, if they wished.

Sally’s girlfriend drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased with the overall effect she had achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripped apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Dr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.

As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn’t have a chance to throw any darts at her target. Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall.

Underneath the Target was a picture of Jesus.

A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face, and His eyes were pierced.

Dr. Smith said only these words…..

“In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” Matthew 25:40.

No other words were necessary; tears filled the eyes of the students, focused only on the picture of Christ.

– Author Unknown



MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.
Learn More…

Improving Your Teaching

Brainstorming

Leave a comment

Description
A method of problem solving in which group members are led to suggest as many solutions as possible in a designated time period. Evaluation and criticism of proposed suggestions in not allowed until later. Great to get kids to begin thinking about a topic or subject.

Example
1. What are some similarities between fishing and evangelism?
2. In what ways are Christians like a light?
3. What equipment is needed for fishing?

Key Actions
1. Leader presents a problem or question
2. Time period is specified
3. Contributions are recorded as offered by ALL the participants
4. After contributions are made the leader leads the group in evaluating proposed solutions / answers.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Evangelism Ideas

Bait!

Leave a comment

Materials
Fishing Lures (no hooks for safety’s sake.), Fishing pole or net, other fishing gear, tackle box, etc.

Activity
Does anyone know how to use this equipment?
Has anyone here ever been fishing?
Has anyone ever caught a fish?
This is a fishing pole, and you cast the line out in the water and hope to catch some fish. (Do this if you have room but remove the hook from your lure to avoid catching some poor fellow’s toupee.)
Display and describe important equipment used in fishing such as fishing rods, fishing line, waders, floats, weights, and hooks.

But the most important thing is missing – a fishing pole and fishing line by itself won’t catch fish. You need bait!

Select some common fishing lures and explain how each is used.
1. Some lures sink to the bottom where catfish and bottom dwelling fish can be found.
2. Others such as a fly float on the surface.
3. Some move through the water and have spinning parts and reflectors to attract the fish.
4. Some look like worms while others look like shrimp or other live creatures the fish like to eat.
5. Some people may not use lures but instead use live bait.

Application
Read Matthew 4:17-22
1. How is telling others about Jesus similar to fishing?
2. Fishing lures are created to be attractive to fish. How can you make the good news about Jesus attractive to your friends?

Jesus was sending His disciples out to fish for men, rather than fish. Jesus wants each of us to go fishing with Him every day of our lives. We are to fish for people to bring to the Lord. We are to tell them how Jesus loves them so much that He died on the cross to forgive their sins. We must tell people how they can invite Jesus into their hearts to become their Savior. That way, we become fishers of men.

Extra
As closing gesture, give each kid a fishing lure (in which the hooks have been removed for safety) and tape them to a card with a key phrase from the passage.

Food for Thought
Is a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches fish? Is a person a true disciple of Jesus Christ if he never wins a soul for Christ? Jesus never suggests that the world should come to the church but he commands the church to go into the world to witness. Jesus has given us the example – he goes to the people, he never waits for the people to come to Him.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…