Doing a children’s sermon on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) is challenging because Jesus makes so many different points — nine of them! I think one good way around the problem is to take just two of the beatitudes and talk about them in ways that they relate to a child’s world. I’d love to hear […]
Letters to a Young Pastor: The Children’s Sermon — Is it True?
Dear ______: I do think you’ll be well on your way to a solid children’s sermon if you take up my challenge to make it one salient point from the text you are preaching to the grown-ups. But that isn’t the whole journey. You still need to work hard at finding kid-friendly ways to get […]
Letters to a Young Pastor: The Children’s Sermon — Let the Children Come to Me
Dear ______: You make a good observation: my letters to you on the topic of children’s sermons have not said much about what to actually say to the kids. True enough. I’ve talked about taking Mr. Rogers as your role model, about not getting the grown-ups to laugh, and about not asking the kids a […]
Letters to a Young Pastor: The Children’s Sermon — Not a Laughing Matter
Dear ______: I’m glad to hear you got through your first “children’s sermon” all right. Whew! (The fact that this topic is so fraught for you might be something to think about when you are looking for a field education placement. We can chat about that later if you want to.) I am glad you […]
Letters to a Young Pastor: The Children’s Sermon — The Mr. Rogers Moment
Dear ______: Wow! I’ve never heard you ask for advice so urgently. I hope this reaches you in time to be helpful. As I understand it, you’ve been asked to preach a “children’s sermon” and you are totally freaked out. Don’t panic. Help is on the way. The Children’s Sermon I’ll confess: the idea of […]