How To Tell Bible Stories to Kids - CPC Notes
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8
READING THE BIBLE vs. ENTERING THE BIBLE
. This breakout will empower you to not only read the Bible in a way that engages your audience but bring God’s Word to life. I want to encourage you to go a little further. ENTER the Bible. Step inside the narrative. Taste and see the goodness! Wear the sandals of the characters, feel the breeze of the storm on lake Galilee, smell the inside of Noah’s Ark, listen to the rumbling stomachs of the lions in the den, wonder at the blind man receiving his sight, tremble in fear with Esther as she enters King Xerxes throne room, cry with Jairus as he hears the news of his daughter’s death, marvel at the beauty of God’s creation, share the joy of Peter splashing to the shore to eat breakfast with the Risen Lord.
““Reading the Bible” and “Entering the Bible” are two vastly differing experiences. Reading the Bible will tell you about history and rendering facts. Entering the Bible will be like shadowing Christ” – Wayne Cordeiro – The Divine Mentor.
The Bible is more than words on a page, it’s an adventure, a journey, a life-changing story. When we tell it with passion, kids will remember it.
JESUS THE MASTER STORYTELLER
“Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” Matthew 13:34
The Power of Storytelling – Why did Jesus tell stories?
· To make the message accessible:
Jesus used parables to translate abstract truths into familiar, everyday experiences. This made his teachings relatable and easier for the common people to understand. Children need adults to creatively explain to mysteries of God’s Word.
· To engage imagination and emotion:
Stories have a unique power to engage the heart and imagination, making the message more impactful and memorable than abstract facts. Children need adults to help them connect with the narrative of God’s Word.
· To reveal the kingdom of God:
Parables presented a glimpse into the nature and character of God's kingdom, showing how it would look like in the world. Children need adults to apply the truths of God’s Word to their lives.
· To teach and test:
While parables revealed truths to those who were open to receiving them, they also served as a test of hearts, revealing who was receptive and who was not. Children need adults to convict them of their need for salvation through God’s Word.
DIG DEEPER, ASK QUESTIONS
To bring Bible stories to life, dig a little deeper. Treasures are there to be found. Ask questions that will bring new life, creativity and meaning to the storytelling experience. For example: How did the angel shut the lions’ mouths in the den? Was he some kind of angelic lion tamer? Did he distract them with games and belly rubs?
STORY – Peter Walking on Water (Matthew 14:22-33
The story Arc – The chronological construction of a plot in a story
“When you tell a story, you have to take the listener somewhere. You can’t keep driving around the block” Alistair Bane
The Five Components of a Story Arc
The classic story arc has five main parts that work together like a roller coaster ride. First, there's the exposition or setup, where we meet the characters and understand their normal world. Then comes the rising action, where a problem or conflict emerges and tension starts to build—this is where the story starts climbing that first big hill on the roller coaster. Next is the climax, the peak moment of tension where everything hangs in the balance and the main conflict comes to a head. After that comes the falling action, where we see the immediate consequences of what happened at the climax and things start to resolve. Finally, there's the resolution or conclusion, where we land in a new normal and understand what it all means.
STORYTELLING AND THE BRAIN – What takes place neurologically during effective storytelling?
When a storyteller weaves content into narrative form, they tap into powerful cognitive and emotional mechanisms:
1. Enhancing Memory
What will you remember from that story?
By engaging both memory and cognition, storytelling gives the listener something to remember, reconsider, and reconnect with long after the story is shared.
Stories are 22 times more memorable than facts
2. Engagement and Motivation
Allow the listener to not just hear your story but experience it. (Enter the Bible)
You want the audience to think “What happens next?”, not “Why am I hearing this? What has this got to do with anything?”
A well told story hooks you in and motivates you to pay attention. The “Silent Hum of Listening”.
“Great stories don’t just summarize the event; they zoom into the moment” – Philipp Humm
3. Empathy and Understanding
“Stories are the original virtual reality – no goggles necessary”
Stories naturally incite perspective. It allows the listener to step into other’s shoes and see the world through different eyes.
A study led by neuroscientist Uri Hasson found that when a person is listening and comprehending a story, their brain activity begins to couple, or align, with the brain of the teller
SPEAKER-LISTENER NEURAL COUPLING – The teller and listener Sync up as OXYTOCIN (Social Bonding Hormone) is released.
In my story – our brains were scientifically connecting. I hopefully built empathy which, in turn, created community. We had a shared experience.
4. Emotion and Action
“If you don’t feel it, the audience won’t feel it” – Jenifer Hixon
What emotions did you experience in my story?
Listening to a story without emotion (and energy!) is like having an instruction manual read to you.
Never tell an audience how they should feel. Tell them how you (or the main character) felt. Sometimes the story itself is enough to inspire change without you having to spell it out.
TELLING STORIES TO KIDS
Tools for bringing a story to life for kids:
· Learning styles – What do the audience See, Hear, Do? It all begins with knowing your audience. In this case, we are talking about kids. What do we know about kids? Kids are sponges. They are absorbent. But they are also unforgiving. If you are not capturing their attention, unlike adults who may politely sit quietly and a pretend to be interested, kids will have no problem letting you know that they are checked out. Understand how kids are wired, what keeps their attention? what kindles their imagination and how they learn? They learn in different ways. But let’s break it down to three areas. If you want kids to be engaged, and learning, you have to think about what they see, what they hear, and what they do.
Kids are primarily kinesthetic, visual, and auditory learners.
· Hook – How did I draw the listener in? What captures the audience attention?
· Memorable Moment – What will the kids tell their parents on the way home?
· Comedy – Kids love nothing more than other people’s misfortune.
· Repetition – Repetition keeps the kids connected and gives the teller an anchor.
· Optimal Teaching Moment – Where in the story is the most powerful moment to share the message? Once the story is over, the audience attention is over too.
· Energy - A Place of PLAY, PASSION, PACE, POWER. Step into their world. Keep it moving, keep up the pace, incentivize if needed, and have fun.
· Personal – Be yourself, use your own style, and share your own experience
· Practice and Prepare – The first version is never the best.
· Evaluate – Be intentional about your commitment to improvement.
Conclusion
When you mix the power of narrative, learning styles, creative communication, biblical truths and the Holy Spirit, lives are transformed. There is nothing more powerful than God’s Word coming to life in the hearts and minds of kids.
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