First Presbyterian Church of Hokendauqua


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June 2015


Pastor Points: "I Wonder! Talking About Faith with Children"

One Sunday, a funny thing happened while I was preaching a children’s sermon. Wanting to involve the children in the story, I asked them a question: “I’m thinking of something that is small and has a furry body and a long, bushy tail. Does anyone know what it is?’ After a pause, a little girl put up her hand. She said, “I know the answer must be Jesus, but it sounds like a squirrel to me.”

It doesn’t take long for children to learn that the answer the pastor wants, when he or she asks a question, is ‘God” or “Jesus.” Too often, adults want specific answers to questions about faith. If our faith is living and active, we may have enough confidence to explore the meaning of the Bible in open-ended ways with children. By entering imaginatively into scripture, we create possibilities of discovery. “I wonder how the little boy felt when he gave Jesus his lunch?’ is a more interesting question than, “How many loaves and fishes did the boy give to Jesus?”

Open- ended questions can have more than one answer. They invite unexpected responses. They can be risky in a children’s chat, but they also encourage participation and spiritual growth. Imaginative questions make discussions interesting and memorable for listeners, young and old. A parent, teacher or pastor who feels that he or she has all the right answers has a lot to learn. The Christian faith is a great mystery. God invites all of us to enter into this mystery together, so that we might discover, within it, a place to grow spiritually..

Blessings,
Pastor Joyce


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