I really do not think that I need to explain what puppet ministry is, but I figure I should, just in case. Puppet ministry is the use of puppets to teach students biblical ideas, stories, and concepts.
As a puppeteer, you never know how many people disagree with this type of ministry, or think that it is ridiculous. Since I have been back there, I have seen evidence that this ministry works and it is a great teaching tool for children.
1. It's Fun!
When you were in school, which lessons did you learn from the most? The ones that you remember as fun and exciting, right? It’s the same thing with the puppet ministry! This is a fun way for children to see biblical stories, ideas and concepts played out right in front of them in the midst of a worship setting.
2. It Gives Them a Character to Relate To!
How often do we see students walking around talking about their favorite character from Spongebob Squarepants, or saying that Elsa is their favorite princess from Frozen? You see it quite often if you are anything like me. Puppet ministry gives students a character that they love to follow and see what they are going to get into next. Our children’s church favorite at my home church, as of right now, is the Church Lady. This character is funny and gets into silly situations, but still, spits out scripture based on her circumstances. With the Church Lady, we have been able to teach our students to: honor their father and their mother, that ministry comes in all shapes and sizes, that each person has their own ministry, and that we should share the Gospel with our friends. As we continue to do this in children’s church, we continue to see students grasp these concepts and hold on to them.
3. I teaches Them How to Be a Christian!
I had just written the script for this Sunday when I started preparing for my article this week, and I thought this would be a fun subject to write on. Here is why I tell you this: this week, we are going to have one of our characters get saved. This show will help kids understand how to ask Jesus into their hearts. Hopefully, it also helps them understand that they can talk to adults about it, and it’s not something that they have to try to figure out on their own. Also, our salvation script this week is important to me because our church is doing Water Baptism next week. So this week, we will teach the students about salvation, and next week, that same character is going to be baptized. Using that same character, we are going to explain: the order of Salvation and Baptism, what Salvation is, why we need Salvation, what Baptism is, and why Baptism is important. It not only helps the students hear these concepts but to see them portrayed as an example, which could bring them more clarity than what a simple explanation would.
Yes, puppet ministry may seem a little unconventional, but it does work. When you see kids get saved because that one puppet show gave them the last bit of understanding they needed, you cannot help but to know “IT WORKS!!”
If I can get a good video, I will place a link in my next couple of articles, so that you can see how we taught Salvation and Baptism. So, keep an eye out and keep reading!
