In our recent series of Growing Young Disciples training days, we looked at teaching the gospel message faithfully and effectively to a range of age groups. It’s easy when working on this with leaders of young children to focus on storytelling techniques, so one comment from Tim Thornborough (the boss!) particularly stuck in my mind:
“You’ll never teach a Bible story well if you haven’t first been moved by it yourself.”
This is the danger of storytelling techniques, and also the pairs of glasses we’ve tried on so far - we can focus on how we dig into the passage, forgetting that it’s meant to be digging into us.
So the heart-shaped specs are very simple. You just pop them on your nose and read the passage through them, asking:
Father God, what does this passage mean for me? What do you want me to learn or remember about you? How do you want me to change? How can the truths of this passage sink into my heart, and make a difference to how I live for you today? Please work in my heart and life now.
It’s not difficult. It’s simply asking God to work in your heart through his Word. So why is this the stage we skip so often…?
Alison Mitchell is a Senior Editor at The Good Book Company, where she has worked on a range of products including Bible-reading notes for children and families, and the Christianity Explored range of resources. She is the best-selling author of The Christmas Promise and the award-winning Jesus and the Lions' Den.
