Snakebite - an easy to do gospel illussion from Richard Lenski

You can use this gospel illusion about the apostle Paul getting bit by a snake on Malta and nothing happens to him. This Gospel illusion is from Richard Lenski and can be used in your children's ministry, Sunday school or kidmin. You don't have to be a Christian magician to do this trick. 

Verse:

Acts 28:

Goal:

Paul on Malta getting bit by a snake illustrated.

What do you need:

- Rigid Rope Magic Trick

Do you know how this magic trick works?

You can get to know this magic trick through this video below here:

A story from the New Testament about Philippi

It’s the Sabbath, the rest day for the Jewish people.

There is a group of people standing by the river in Philippi. They are all women. They have come together to pray. They believe in the Lord God and love him a lot. One of the women is called Lydia. She is a very rich woman. She sells beautiful red and purple material that you can use to make wonderful clothes.

A bit later a few men come walking up to the women and sit on the ground next to them. The women are surprised. They don’t know who they are. What are they doing here?

One of the men says ‘I am Paul”. We thought that you were praying. We also love the Lord God and also his son Jesus. He is the saviour, the Messiah.”

The women are even more surprised. Do these men know who the saviour is? The Messiah?

Then Paul starts to talk....

An easy to tell Bible story

We at Creative Kidswork want to make storytelling as easy as possible for you. That’s why we provide you with tons of easy to tell Bible stories. You can read this story aloud or tell it in your own way. 

This Bible story from Acts 16:14-15 was written by Ellen Zuijdwegt for a Dutch Sunday school method, but you can use it at home, within a church service, Sunday school setting or anywhere you like

Download

You can download the story here:  'Lydia is thankful for God's church'

God has brought Eutychus back to life again!

On Sunday the people go to the church. It’s not a normal church, but it’s quite a high building. On the third floor, at the top, there’s a large room, and everyone gathers there, because that’s where Paul is going to talk.

There are lots of people there. Everyone wants to hear Paul speaking. Eutychus is there too. He’s a boy and he wants to listen to Paul too.

It’s very busy and the whole room is full. There’s no space for Eutychus to sit, so he goes to the window and sits on the window sill.

Paul talks about Jesus. He talks for a long long time – there’s so much to tell and he is going away again tomorrow. So he talks, right on into the night. 

An easy to tell Bible story

We at Creative Kidswork want to make storytelling as easy as possible for you. That’s why we provide you with tons of easy to tell Bible stories. You can read this story aloud or tell it in your own way. 

This Bible story from Acts 20: 7-12 was written by Ellen Zuijdwegt for a Dutch Sunday school method, but you can use it at home, within a church service, Sunday school setting or anywhere you like

Download

You can download the story here:    'Eutychus falls from a window sill in church'

Let's use this fun Bible study tool on Philippians 2

Today we are going to use a fun Bible study tool. It is very easy and it will certainly help the children in your Sunday school lesson, Bible lesson or youth ministry to reflect on this passage in Philippians.

In Philippians 2: 1 – 11 Paul writes that we should take Jesus as our example and look to him. He became a servant and was even willing to die on a cross. Paul encourages us to look at Jesus and then try to become like Him.

This Bible study tool on Philippians 2 is all about discovering who Jesus is. It will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this powerful Bible passage.

What do you do:

Tell:
Today we are going to make a list together of what we know about Jesus. We are going to write down as many things as possible.

Ask:
- What do we know about Jesus?
- How many things can we write down about Jesus?

Do:
Make a list together with the children and write this down on the A3 paper.

Tell:
Now we are going to make another list of how Paul looks at Jesus in this part of Philippians 2.

Do:
Let the children read this passage first for themselves.
Let one of more of the children read this passage aloud. 
You can repeat this one or two times.

Ask:
- What does Paul say about Jesus in this passage?
- How many things about Jesus can we discover in these eleven verses of Philippians?

Do:
Make a new list together with the children and write this down on a new A3 paper.

Tell:
Shall we look at the differences and similarities in our two lists?

Ask:
- Before we begin, are there any words of things you don't understand in Paul's list of Jesus?
- What similarities do the children notice in the two lists?
- What differences do the children notice in the two lists?
- What new thing have you learned about Jesus today?

A fun game to help the children think about being one, but also being different

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Philippians 1: 1 - 11.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:2 that we have fellowship with and through the Spirit and urges us to be one in mind and spirit. What does it mean to be one? Does it mean that we should all be the same? Or is it actually a good thing that we’re different?

This is fun game on Philippians 2: 1 - 11 about being an unity together while still being all different. It will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this powerful Bible passage.

What do you need:

- a large play parachute

What do you do:

Tell:
In a few minutes we are going to play a fun game together. This game is all about being one and at the same time being completely different.

Ask:
- How can we be one and at the same time be completely different?
- Can you give an example? (like a sports team)
- Why is it important to be one in a sport team? (same goal / same objective / working together / using each other's different strengths)

Tell:
Paul tells the church in Philippi that they are one. They belong together. 

Ask:
- If the church in Philippi would be like a sports team - what would be their goal and their objective?
- If we are like a sports team - what would be our goal and our objective?
- How can we work together to reach that goal?
- Which unique strengths and gifts do we need?

Do:
Put the children in a large circle and get them to all hold on to a large parachute. Practise raising and lowering the parachute together.

Raise the parachute and call out a word, for example ‘boys’. Now all the boys have to run underneath the parachute to the other side.

Try to think of some things that only apply to one or two children, and others that apply to the whole group. Try to think of different gifts, strengths and talents.

Tell:
We can be very different to each other in some things and alike in others, but whether we’re alike or different, we can form one body, just as we are all holding the parachute. 

Make a large painting that consists out of lots of small paintings

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Philippians 1: 1 - 11.

It is a fun crafts activity on Philippians 2: 1 - 11 about looking at what it means to be one in Christ.. It will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this powerful Bible passage.

What do you need:

- for each participant you need a small canvas of 10 x 10 cm, paint and brushes, or wax crayons.

What do you do:

Tell:
We are going to make a big painting together, consisting of lots of different small paintings. Paul tells the church in Philippi that they are one. They belong together.

Do:
Read the text again carefully.

Ask:
- What is it that binds the people in Philippi?
- Is that easy, do you think?

Tell:
We’re going to make a painting of a meadow of flowers together. Everyone is going to paint their own flower, but the edges of your painting must blend seamlessly with the painting next to it.

Tip:
Write the name of each child lightly in pencil on the canvases, then put them all on the floor to make one big canvas. Then write on the four edges of the canvases the names of the children whose canvas borders on the other canvases. In this way the children will know who they have to work with to make sure that their paintings blend together.

Do:
Depending on the age of the children you could draw the shapes of the flowers that overlap two canvases. Then at the end you can put them back together, like a puzzle.

Small act of kindness go a long way...

In Philippians 2: 4 Paul writes about the importance of looking out for one another's interests, not just our own. Paul says that we shouldn’t think only of ourselves but also of others. Let’s make this practical straight away. 

This is a fun creative activity on Philippians 2 about taking care of others. It will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this powerful Bible passage.

What do you do:

Ask:
Ask the children what they can do to look out for one another's interests, not just our own.

Do:
If you all eat or drink together after your programme or service, ask the children to think about small things they could do for someone else.

Tell:
For example, asking someone what they would like to drink, and fetching it for them. Or clearing up someone’s plate.

Ask:
Get them to think about all the things they could do to care for someone else in that situation.

Do:
Think together if there is anyone in your church who would appreciate some extra care and attention. Perhaps someone who is in hospital, or who is ill.

You could make a cheerful video message for them, sing a song for them and record it, or make a huge card together. 

Using two oranges and a jug of water to do this amazing cool science experiment

The apostle Paul writes the following in Hebrews 12:1:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."

Paul encourages us in this Bible passage to throw off everything that hinders us and do away with the the sin that so easily entangles us.
I find this a beautiful, but also difficult passage to teach to children, teenagers or adults.
Is there an easy way that will illustrate what Paul is saying here?

I believe there is...

What do you need:

- oranges
- permanent markers
- large fish tank or buckets
- a waterproof sign with the words ‘FINISH’

Preparation:

Attach or place the waterproof sign ‘FINISH’ on the bottom of the large fish tank or the bucket. Fill the fish tank or the bucket with water.

What do you do:

Do:
Place an orange into the water of the tank or the bucket. Demonstrate how the orange floats. Take the orange out again and peel it. Put it back into the water. The peeled orange will sink and float to the word ‘FINISH’ on the bottom of the tank or the bucket.

Most of these ideas are members only. To give you an indication of the quality and content of our material we have made a number of ideas available for free - see below.

To get access all the ideas you can become a memberfor only $25 per year. Click on the button on the right for more information.