What is the connection between a Grass Head and a baptism?
That's a good question! In some churches children are baptised when they are infants. In other churches youngsters and adults are baptisted by immersion as a sign of their faith. You can use this idea for both kinds of baptism services.
In this object lesson it all comes down to immersing a Grass Head into a big jug of water. Once you have done this for a few minutes and you place the Grass Head on top of a small vase of water in a few weeks time grass will grow on its head.
Explain the meaning of baptism in the case of an infant baptism service
In the case of an infant baptism you talk about the child being immersed in God's love and in God's family. To demonstrate this you immerse the Grass Head in a jug of water. Then you show a Grass Head that started growing four weeks ago and which now has lots of grass on its head. Talk about being part of God's family and growing up in God's family. Being part of God's love and growing into knowing and demonstrating God's love.
Explain the meaning of baptism in the case of an adult baptism service
In the case of an adult baptism you talk about this person laying down his/her old life and coming up from the water to demonstrate the new life in Christ. To demonstrate this you immerse the Grass Head in a jug of water. Then you show a Grass Head that started growing four weeks ago and which now has lots of grass on its head. Talk about how today is just the beginning. Baptism is not the end of spiritual growth. It is the beginning of God doing a new work in the life of the person that is being baptised. As a demonstration of this new life you can show the Grass Head with lots of grass!
Use the Grass Head for more ideas
In the following ideas I will show you how you can use the Grass Head to teach children on the following subjects:
Idea 336. Teaching children the power of prayer
Idea 338. All your hairs on your head are numbered
Idea 339. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit
Idea 340. What is spiritual growth?
Idea 341. Telling different Bible stories while using a Grass Head
Setting:
Children's Sunday School, children's ministry, children's moment in church, Messy church, school assemblies, RE lessons, youth work, teenagers, preaching illustration, creative preaching, small churches, baptism service
Scripture reference:
Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, John 3:5,1 Peter 3:21, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:4, Matthew 28:19, Ephesians 4:5, Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12-13, Acts 2:41, Galatians 3:27, Matthew 3:16, Matthew 3:11, Acts 8:38, Romans 6:3, Colossians 2:12, Acts 1:5, Acts 10:48, Acts 8:12, Acts 8:36-38, Acts 8:26-40
Watch the demonstration below
In the video below I will demonstrate how any (children's) pastor or children's worker can use a Grass Head to teach about the meaning of baptism.