Kids Ministry Answers

There are so many wonderful Bible stories to teach to kids every week. But there are a few that seem more intimidating than helpful. We want to stay true to Scripture without confusing, overwhelming, or oversimplifying things for the kids we're leading. In this episode of Kids Ministry Answers, Paul asked us a question about how to teach the difficult or harder-to-understand Bible stories to kids. So we asked Meredith Miller to join Linda and Jason to share thoughtful, age-appropriate strategies for teaching hard passages of Scripture with honesty, wisdom, and care.

QUESTION:
“How do you teach difficult Bible stories to kids in a way that keeps the environment safe, honest, and age-appropriate while still staying true to Scripture?” — Paul
ANSWER:
In this episode, we’ll talk about how to...
  • Stay true to Scripture by wrestling honestly with difficult stories and understanding their historical and cultural context
  • Recognize when certain stories may not be developmentally appropriate for kids just yet
  • Teach hard passages honestly without feeling pressure to defend or simplify every tension in the Bible
  • Focus on who God is and what God is doing in the story instead of only focusing on people’s behavior
Ask a Question:
Got a question you want answered? Send it in at kma.show — your question might be featured in a future episode!

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Resources Mentioned:

Creators and Guests

Host
Jason Sivewright
Jason Sivewright is the Creative Lead at Stuff You Can Use and Co-Pastor of Engage South KC in Kansas City, Missouri. He also owns his own LLC called Sweet Boy Books with which he writes and publishes children's books. If you'd like to chat with Jason about worship arts, writing, speaking, creating, or his dog, “Tyrannosaurus Cubby Rex,” reach out! He would love to connect with you!
Host
Linda Moon
Dr. Linda Moon is the Executive Director of Curriculum at Stuff You Can Use, Associate Pastor and Director of Education at her church in La Cañada, California, and hosts the podcast Calling Water. She holds master’s degrees in Cross-Cultural Studies and Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Educational Psychology from the University of Southern California.
Producer
Caitlyn Smelser
Caitlyn Smelser is the Executive Assistant at Stuff You Can Use and former youth pastor. On any given day you'll find her out for a run, hiking with her dog, Gus, or paddle-boarding on the lake. If you'd like to chat with Caitlyn about where to find the best hiking trails or how to make a perfect french macaron, she'd love to connect with you!

What is Kids Ministry Answers?

You ask the questions, and we help you find the answers. Kids Ministry Answers is hosted by Dr. Linda Moon and Jason Sivewright from Stuff You Can Use! Every episode features a question about kids ministry submitted by ministry leaders, kids pastors, and volunteers! Got a question about leading your kids ministry or training volunteers? Visit kma.show to send it in — your question might be featured in an upcoming episode!