Easter Object Lesson

 Here is an idea from The Children's Church Treasure Chest  (used by permission). Go to their website to sign up for their free monthly newsletter from which this article was taken. Their website is packed full of great ideas as well.

Easter is upon us, and hopefully you have some great things planned to celebrate Jesus' resurrection in children's church! 


Our church has held a candy hunt for the children on Easter Sunday for as long as I can remember and beyond. However, this year we decided to do something different after we heard a great object lesson idea involving... a pinata! 


Every Sunday in children's church we have some type of fun opener game to kick off our service. Next Sunday (Easter), we are going to let the kids all have a whack at a pinata that is stuffed FULL of candy. Our church members, true to tradition, have already been donating candy; so we have lots and lots. 


If the kids don't manage to break the pinata after they all have a turn, my husband will do the honors and release the contents. We'll allow them to gather the candy into gallon-size ziploc bags, on which we'll write their names with a Sharpie marker. They will have to place their candy bags under their chairs along with their other belongings when we have our inspection following the pinata activity. 


After we sing a few songs and get the other preliminary items on the schedule out of the way, we will use the pinata as an object lesson to illustrate what was done for and by Jesus on Calvary's cross:

• Jesus' body was bruised and broken at Calvary for our benefit. Each one of us had a part in his death, just like each of us took a whack at that pinata at the beginning of children's church.  

• The candy that poured out of the pinata reminds us of Jesus' blood that He shed so freely for each one of us. His blood cleanses us from sin and makes us fit for Heaven. 

• When the pinata broke, some of you rushed forward to gather the goodies that came out. Others stayed back a bit because you were shy, or because you didn't want to get in among the others, or maybe even because you thought the whole thing was silly and you didn't want to participate. Likewise, some people receive Jesus' gift of eternal life without hesitation. Others choose not to at all, and some just have not yet made up their minds whether they want to accept Him or not. 

• Some of you that rushed forward and grabbed up lots and lots of candy were nice enough to share with others who didn't come forward and receive some for themselves. Jesus wants you to likewise share the Gospel with others! He died and arose for everyone, and it is not His desire that anyone should perish. It is our job to share the Good News of Christ. What a great illustration of Jesus' gift to us: a simple pinata! I hope that you will do something special for Easter Sunday as well.

Thoughtful Tuesday

"Burnout is only possible if you have a fire."

L. Neagle

Jeremiah 20:9

"Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay."

Feature Friday - Missions & Geography Ideas

This week's feature is @ "I'm a Homeschool Mom":

Jen shares about the geography curriculum she is using as well as giving some great ideas for learning about different countries. Her ideas could be incorporated into geography class or into Sunday School/Children's Church when teaching about missions.

If you have an article you would like to be featured, click on the link, Feature Friday, at the top of the page for more information.

Thoughtful Tuesday

"If the teacher is equipped and prepared to teach the Word for life change, lives will be changed. If that teacher is only telling what the Bible says, minds will be filled with facts while lives remain transfixed instead of transformed."

~ Bruce Wilkinson

Feature Friday - Teaching Children How to Pray

I just read this article, "Teaching Children How to Pray," @ Ministry-to-Children.com. 

This is an awesome article!!! I don't think I have ever heard or read anything like this on the subject of prayer. Henderson gives some great suggestions for incorporating all aspects of prayer including praise and thanksgiving. We often teach children to pray for their requests, but neglect these other important areas. I hope you take a couple of minutes to read this article, it is well worth your time!

If you have an article you would like to be featured, click on the link, Feature Friday, at the top of the page for more information.

Easter Craft - Resurrection Eggs

Thoughtful Tuesday

"God's work done in God's way never lacks God's supply."

~ Hudson Taylor ~

Feature Friday

         Each Friday, I would like to start featuring one blog post from another blog. If you have written a post that goes along with the theme of this blog, please leave me a comment below with the link. I have asked a couple of readers about featuring their posts to get this started, but I hope some others will join in as well. I would like to use at least one picture from your post and I will have a link to your specific post. This is also an opportunity for you to get more traffic coming to your blog!

On the Subject of Prayer

"It is not enough for the believer to begin to pray, nor to pray correctly; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray. We must patiently, believingly continue in prayer until we obtain an answer.

 Further, we have not only to continue in prayer until the end, but we have also to believe that God does hear us and will answer our prayers. Most frequently we fail in not continuing in prayer until the blessing is obtained, and in not expecting the blessing.

Those who are disciples of the Lord Jesus should labor with all their might in the work of God as if everything depended upon their own endeavors. Yet, having done so, they should not in the least trust in their labor and efforts, nor in the means that they use for the spread of the truth, but in God alone; and they should with all earnestness seek the blessing of God in persevering, patient, and believing prayer.

 Here is the great secret of success, my Christian reader. Work with all your might, but never trust in your work. Pray with all your might for the blessing in God, but work at the same time with all diligence, with all patience, with all perseverance. 

Pray, then, and work. Work and pray. And still again pray, and then work. And so on, all the days of your life. The result will surely be abundant blessing. Whether you see much fruit or little fruit, such kind of service will be blessed."

~ George Muller ~

The Four Steps of Lesson Preparation:

 1. Information - To study your lesson you read the Scriptures, the comments the lesson writers have to make about the Scriptures, and perhaps you refer to other sources to complete your understanding of the lesson subject.

2. Incubation - A period of brooding or reflecting or meditating upon the information you have obtained. You think it over, having in mind your class, each pupil in your class, and the needs of each pupil. You consider the methods for conveying the information to your pupils in the most effective way. You talk to God about the lesson, and about your pupils, and ask for His help.

3. Illumination - You catch the point, you see clearly what is to be done and how it is to be done. You become enthusiastic over the possibilities and are eager to "get the lesson into shape" for presentation.

4. Verification or Revision - This is "getting the lesson into shape," making an outline.

Taken from Teach with Success by G. Levitt