Let’s face it: sometimes we grow weary of telling the same Bible stories…and if forced to admit it some of our students might even be tired of them as well.
When we have a fresh audience it may help, but all too often we go through the same flannel graphs and picture books so many times that we forget how real and exciting the Biblical characters and tales are. We allow miraculous events to somehow become mundane. So how can we infuse new life and zest into our lessons? One helpful method is to look with a new pair of eyes, examining some of the more “unsung heroes” of well-known tales.
By imagining what things were really like, or considering what people might have felt or thought, we can wake up a tired old tale and contemplate neglected details. There are multiple ways to approach this idea. You might…
- Stage a puppet show with characters conversing, or “speak” one on one with a puppet
- Assume a character and do a mini-monologue from unique point of view
- Conduct an “interview” with another teacher role-playing (example lesson here for Easter)
- Put on a skit for students (we have many Bible teaching skits on our website)
- Have older students research a character and tell about it, or have an older group put on the interview/skit themselves after selecting Biblical figures.
Of course, the more involved students can be in this process, the better. Kids need to take part in order to experience the significance of the whole Bible story. Whatever techniques you employ, though, the fun part is deciding what hidden facet or character you will explore. Just to get the ball rolling, consider some possibilities:
- Rahab (from the Joshua story)
- The Samaritan woman at the well
- The young boy who gave his lunch for feeding of the 5,000
- Dorcas (raised from the dead)
- The thankful leper Jesus healed
- The king of Ninevah
- Pilate’s wife
- Joseph of Arimethea
- Mattheus, the new disciple
- Mephibosheth
Obviously, the options are endless. You might even want to do animals, such as…
- The fish who swallowed Jonah
- The dove on Noah’s ark
- Balaam’s donkey
- One of David’s sheep
Whatever you do, get creative, and use a new perspective to remember how uniquely God has made each of us. That impacts our own interpretation of things in any event…but the truth is always God’s doing. Have fun!