ISSUE
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GOD’S BIG STORY At the SUPAKidz Camp in Wellington in January we had two afternoon sessions where the campers could ask any question they like. We called the sessions “Keenites”—for the very keen ones. There was an amazing array of questions and some very thoughtful comments coming from the campers, as well as the leaders. One question stuck in my mind:
‘Can the Bible be added to?’
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The answer given by one of the team described the Bible as the story of God and His people. But it was another part of the reply that particularly struck me:
Isn’t it exciting that we can add our stories to those of the people of God! How can we excite our children to read God’s word and learn about the people who have gone before us, and want to be a part of God’s Big Story? In this edition of the WAY2GO magazine we’ll look at some Bible engagement tools for children and families to use,
___ Liz Eichler Children and Families Consultant, SUNZ
BIBLEEngage BY LIZ EICHLER
ns QuestioK O are
use two We often kinds of different s: question
Closed questions that often start with ‘do…’ or ‘did…’ and result in yes/ no answers or a limited set of possible answers.
Open questions that usually start with ‘wh’/’h’ words (where’, ‘what’, ‘who’, ‘when’, ‘why’, and ‘how’) and result in a longer answer than a closed question.
The wondering questions that are used by Godly Play are a good example of open questions. Wondering questions allow the child to enter into the Bible Story and to connect with God themselves. Too often we think we need to have all the answers and must share them with the children we are with. How about we just pose a question and leave the children to think about it themselves? Wondering Questions are perfect for this.
Start with some general questions:
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I wonder what part of the story you like the best?
I wonder what part of the story you find confusing?
I wonder if you are in the story?
Add in: I wonder which part of the story you like the least?
I wonder if there is a part of the story we could leave out and still have all of the story?
Ask some questions about the particular story you have just read:e.g. “I wonder what it felt like for Noah and his family to be shut inside the ark for so long?” or The Good Shepherd e.g. “I wonder who the sheep could really be?”
The Kairos Method either by themselves or together. Kairos is an Ancient Greek word meaning the right, critical, or opportune moment. The ancient Greeks had two words for time: chronos and kairos. The former refers to chronological
or sequential time, while the latter signifies a proper or opportune time for action.
The Kairos Method is a simple way to read the Bible, inviting readers to focus on a God thought, a life
thought and a self thought that arise out of the passage.
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To make the most of this method, create a space that is quiet and free of distractions from the outside world or from your own busy mind. Older children could do this by themselves or this could be a special time together as a family that you build into your day. Read your Bible passage, then note down the following: Summary: a few words that summarise the passage. God thought: what this passage says about God. Life thought: something that applies to your life—this could be a promise, command, lesson or warning.
XTB EXPLORE THE BIBLE
SAT 12 JUNE
AUCKLAND SAT 26 JUNE
Daily Bible reading notes for children, with puzzles, pictures, prayers – and FREE stickers. Read a bit of the Bible every day. Three months of Bible readings to help you explore the Bible and grow in your relationship with God. $9.99 each from sunz.org.nz/store
WELLINGTON 29 MAY
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DUNEDIN
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2021 Take a fresh look at the vital role of the church in supporting families and whānau as they form the faith of their children in a fast-changing world. Registrations are now open www.sunz.org.nz/way2go
Scripture Union wants to work with your church to create opportunities for children and young people to discover and follow Jesus, grow as leaders, and influence the world. Contact us and let us know how we can help you.
Looking for more resources and inspiration?
Check out our website and blog sunzbreakthrough.org.nz childrenandfamiliesnz.blogspot.com
SCRIPTURE UNION IN NEW ZEALAND
PO Box 760, Wellington 6140 way2go@sunz.org.nz 0508 423 836 sunz.org.nz