Drama in Real Life - Making Bible Stories As Electrivying as They Really Are

Drama in Real Life
Making Bible Stories As Electrifying As They Really Are

By Julie Scudder Dearyan

Hands played with friend’s hands. Shoelaces squirmed into frightening skinny monsters. Feet shuffled against worn carpet. Suddenly 20 pairs of eyes stared straight ahead. Hands and feet stopped moving. Backs straightened. King Quiet reigned supreme.

Why? The teacher had just disappeared from view. I was sitting in the back of the room and even I didn’t know where she had gone.

Four-year-old Shelly turned to me. “Where did Eutychus go?”

“I don’t know.” I said. “She must have just fallen out of the window.”

Then it hit me. Of course. Mrs. Ryan was telling the story of the famous forty-winks catching Eutychus. And as a fitting climax, she had fallen behind the “window” she had drawn on the chalkboard propped up in front of her. I ran around the back of the window and saw the teacher lying on the carpet, peacefully sleeping.

“John, Adam, Sarah,” I called, “Come help me bring Eutychus back to the Apostle Paul!” The three children ran toward me and helped me “drag” Mrs. Ryan toward a boy designated as Paul.

“Eutychus is dead!” Adam announced.

“We need you to make him all better.” Sarah smiled.

Paul obliged. He stretched out his hand. “In the name of Jesus, get all better!”

Eutychus opened her eyes. She blinked. She sat up. Shouts filled the air. The children clapped and jumped up and down. Eutychus was healed!

They understood what it was to get sleepy in church. It had happened to them most of their lives. But now Eutychus was all better. It was a Bible story they would never forget.

It was also one of my first exposures to dramatic Bible storytelling. Mrs. Ryan was willing to dare to do something different, something unusual, something celebratory. And the message winged its way home straight into 20 hearts.

I wanted to do more. I began to look at the Bible in a new light. Sure I understood such words as believe, faith, grace, charity, altar, redemption, sacrifice, manger, but to the children I might as well speak in another language. These were not words they heard often from Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Barney, or Spot. So what were they really getting from Bible story time? Anything at all? I felt determined to change my methods.

Every Bible children’s teacher has a desire to bring God’s Word home to the hearth. We to share that God is more than a suspended Santa Claus. We want the kids to understand that Jesus should mean more to them than Rudolph does to Santa. Yet, how do we bring this message home when children are bombarded with first-class entertainment everywhere they turn? We’ve even brought video players into Sunday School playing animated Bible story features that make “normal” Bible storytelling seem boring by comparison.

This doesn’t mean that videos don’t have a place in children’s worship but it does mean that we can do a lot more to make the Bible stories interesting to all who hear. Could it be that children’s seemingly sated appetites for excitement intimidate us? Could it be that we are just a bit bored with Bible stories ourselves? As adults do we tend to read the Bible with one eye on the clock, hoping to get something out the Scripture in the five minutes we have before we leave for work? Have we stopped milking the Bible for its meaning and in turn serve skim to the very people we want the most to run with their own faith baton?

Consider the story in Judges where the enemy accidentally dumped one of their dead soldiers into Elisha’s grave. Poof! He comes to life and nearly scares them to death. Talk about snazz-pizzazz? Could any video top that?

How about when Rahab hides the spies under the hay bales in her roof, then ties a scarf outside her home so it isn’t destroyed when the walls of Jericho fall? Could Barney come up with something that good?

Think about the Apostle Paul yelling to all a frightened band of prisoners, soldiers, and sailors to hang onto to something, anything, a piece of board, a floating barrel, the back of an animal, in order to float to the shore after their ship broke apart? Then a venomous snake mistaken for a piece of wood leaps out of their campfire and attaches itself to Paul’s hand. Paul shakes off the snake and continues to add wood to the fire. Think about how everyone must have felt that witnessed this scene. Their senses were already drugged by the tension they had experienced in the past few days. And now a man survives a deadly attack before their very eyes. No lack of excitement here!

There is no more electrifying book than the Bible. And yet, we in children’s ministry sometimes approach these stories with a “let’s get this over with attitude” intimating to the children that once we have the Bible story, then we can have fun.

The fun, the reason we even teach is the Bible and yet the constant challenge of youth ministry is never letting the embers of our creativity extinguish, always seeing the Bible and its meaning in a fresh new light. Along the way, you might not bring a Eutychus back to life but for sure he will never fall asleep in Sunday School or youth ministry meetings again!

Below find two Bible stories that have worked well for me in the past.

Storytime

Adam's Favorite Lunch

Gather: Small paper bag. Five slices of bread. Enough “Swedish Fish” or other candy for one per child. Put bread and “fish” inside the bag. Fold the top of the bag over itself.

Ask:
• When was the last time you were really hungry?
• What is your favorite food?
• Do you like to pray before you eat?
• If Jesus was going to be at your house for dinner tonight, would you ask Him to pray before you ate together?

Special Instructions: Before you begin the story, hold the paper bag up in front of you and examine it carefully. Don’t say anything. Just look at all sides of the bag, then slowly open the bag and peek inside. Smile secretively and close the bag.

Adam felt hungry. He rubbed his tummy. “My tummy is empty. There is no food inside my tummy. Not even one tiny piece.” He scratched his ear. The sun shone brightly on the grass. Many people hustled and bustled together all them moving forward toward one man sitting on a hill. A man brushed by Adam’s robe. Adam clutched his lunch bag close. (Hold lunch bag close to body)

“I wonder what is in my lunch Mom packed for me?” he thought. He picked up his bag and looked at it. (Look at bag) It looked full. It felt full. (Feel bag) He remembered his Mom fixing his lunch before he left. She had handed him his lunch (hand the bag to a boy or girl and have them hold it for a minute, then have them hand it back) and said, “Here you are Adam. This will taste good for your lunch.”

Adam hoped that some of Mom’s fresh bread was in the bag. Dad had brought some fish home yesterday. Dad was a fisherman and some days he caught enough to bring a few fish home. Adam loved fish. He loved fish as much as you love hamburgers and French fries. He held the bag up to the sun, trying to look through it. (Hold bag over head) “I wish the sun would shine through this bag and show me what is inside.” He thought. “But I still want to be surprised when I eat my lunch. I love surprises.”

A little girl looked at Adam. “What is in your bag?” she asked. “Is that your lunch?” The little girl wasn’t holding anything in her hands. Adam smiled. “Yes, this is my lunch. (Hold out bag) My mom packed it just for me.”

“My name is Abigail and I wish my Mom packed me a lunch,” she sighed. “But I was in a hurry when I heard Jesus was going to teach today.”

“I was excited too.” Adam said as he held his bag close. (hold bag close) “I wanted to hear Jesus. He tells neat stories.”

“I love to hear Jesus tell stories,” Abigail said, “But now I’m hungry.” She stared at Adam’s bag. Adam held the bag behind his back. (Hold bag behind your back)

“Everyone looks hungry.” Adam looked around. People rubbed their stomachs. Some of them looked like they were gathering their families so they could go home to get something to eat.

“Does anyone have a lunch?” the man who had brushed by Adam earlier stood in front of Adam and Abigail.

Abigail stared at Adam. Adam took a step backward. His hands were still behind his back. (Continue holding bag behind back) Maybe the man hadn’t seen his lunch. He thought about how good it would taste. He licked his lips.

“Adam has a lunch.” Abigail said. “He’s holding it behind his back.”

Adam frowned. “Abigail.” he started to say, “But I want to eat my own lunch.” Then he remembered Jesus standing up on top of the hill. He was so kind.

“I have a lunch.” Adam held his bag toward the man. (hold out bag)

“Good.” The man reached for Adam’s bag. “Jesus needs it.”

“Jesus can have it.” Adam said. “But first, let me peek inside. Only one little peek.” (Open lunch sack and peek inside. Smile secretively. Close bag) Adam opened his lunch sack. He peeked inside. He was right. Mom had packed bread and yummy fish.

“Okay. Here it is.” Adam handed his bag to the man. (pretend to hand bag to the man. Place it behind you) The man smiled at Adam and turned around and walked up the hill toward Jesus.

“Wow. I’m glad you did that.” Abigail said.

“Thanks to you saying I had a lunch.” Adam smiled to show he wasn’t mad.

“Look, Jesus wants us all to sit in rows.” Abigail said. “Can I sit in a row with you?”

Jesus prayed, holding Adam’s bag toward the sky. Adam’s stomach growled but he was glad that at least Jesus wouldn’t be hungry.

“Look!” whispered Abigail. “He’s passing out your lunch!”

Pieces of bread came out of the sack. (Open bag and take out the pieces of bread. Break them into pieces and hand them out to the class) How did his Mom have fit so many pieces of bread in his little bag? Then pieces of fish came out of the sack. (Open bag and take out Swedish Fish, hand them out to the class) Adam wondered how so many fish, hundreds and hundreds of them, could have fit into that little sack!

“It’s a miracle. It has to be.” Abigail said as she munched on a piece of bread.

“Yes.” Adam wanted to shout. He stuck a piece of fish in his mouth. “Jesus is so good.”

Storytime Extender: Put masking tape in the shape of four boxes on the ground. Have the children decide which box to sit inside. Share with the children that before Jesus multiplied Adam’s lunch, he had everyone divide into groups. Play this game. Label each masking tape box 1-4. Put the numbers 1-4 in a small wrapped box. Play some music and have the children go from box to box while the music is playing. Stop the music and encourage the children to find a box and stay inside. Then draw out a number from the box. Whoever is in that particular box is “out”. Have those children come help you with the music, give each of them a tambourine, kazoo, or a rhythm instrument. Play again until there are only three or four people left.

Storytime

The Great Escape

Divide the children into four groups. The first group is the angels. The second group is the soldiers. The third group is the Prayer Meeting. The fourth group is the Peters.

Gather: A box or boxes large enough for several children to fit inside. Circles with the inside cut out of gold paper—enough of these “halos” for the angels, pieces of cardboard with a slit in the top to hold it easily-enough of these “shields” for the guards, and small Bibles or books-enough for the prayer meeting group.

Special Instructions: Have the Peters sit inside the large box or boxes, the guards stand holding their shields in front of the box, the angels stand with their halos on the other side of the class, and the Prayer Meeting sit in a circle halfway in between. The prayer meeting group each has their “Bible” open in front of them on the floor.

Tell the following story directing the children to act it out as you tell it.

Peter sat in the dark jail. He was tired. He had preached all day and now he was in jail. He didn’t like the walls. Peter banged on the walls of the jail. (Instruct the Peters to bang on the walls of the box) They were high. There were no windows. He wished that there was even on window. He knew that it was getting dark outside. He thought about the prayer meeting where he knew people were praying for him. (Instruct the “Prayer Meeting” to pray loudly and turn the pages of their “Bibles”) Outside the jail, the guards stood at attention (instruct the guards to stand straight with their shields in front of them). They weren’t going to let Peter escape. But they were tired. They thought they would lay down for just a minute. (Instruct the guards to lay down) They thought they would close their eyes for just a minute (instruct the guards to close their eyes). They thought they would snore for just a minute (instruct the guards to snore).

Suddenly a light appeared. Peter rubbed his eyes. (Instruct the Peters to rub their eyes and look surprised). Was that an angel? (Instruct the angels to walk across the room toward the jail and look into the box). The angel told Peter to stand up. (Ask the Peters to stand up). The angel told Peter to come out of jail. (Instruct the angels to say, “Peter, come out of jail!”) Peter shook his head. (Instruct the Peters to shake their heads) The walls were too strong. (Instruct the Peters to bang on the sides of the box) The guards were too big. (Instruct the guards to snore louder) The angel took Peter by the arm and led him out of jail. (Have the angels each take the arm of a Peter. If there is an odd number, have one angel take two Peters and lead them out of the box.) The angels walked past the sleeping guards. (Walk past guards) Suddenly, the guards woke up! (Have the guards wake up and grab their shields). Peter jumped. (Have the Peters jump) The angels looked at the guards. (Have the angels look at the guards) And the guards fell asleep again. (Have the guards “fall asleep” snoring again.) The angel walked with Peter out of the jail and then disappeared. (Have the angels run away from the Peters and hide under a table.) Peter ran toward the group of Christians that were praying for him. (Have the Peters run) He knocked on the door. (Have the Peters knock) The prayer meeting people were praying so loud they didn’t even hear Peter (Have the prayer meeting people pray loud). Peter knocked again. (Have the Peters knock again) This time one of the girls came to the door. (Have one of the children come to the door) She opened it, saw who it was, and slammed it shut again-right in Peter’s face! (Have the girl do this, have the Peters looks surprised) “Peter is here! He is here!” She shouted. (Have the girl shout this)

“ Peter? Isn’t he in jail?” Someone asked. (Have someone ask this.)

“ Peter is here!” the girl said again. The prayer meeting people ran toward the door. (Have the Prayer Meeting People run toward the door) They opened it. There stood Peter! “I’m so glad to see you, Peter.” They all said. (Have Prayer meeting group say this)

“God is so good.” Peter said. (Have the Peters say this.) “Let’s thank Him right now for getting me out of jail. (Gather all the groups, the Peters, the angels, the Prayer Meeting, and the guards kneel down and pray a simple prayer together.)

Switch groups and retell this story. Make sure everyone gets a chance to play each part.

Storytime extender: Let each child pick either an angel halo or a shield to bring home. Decorate with glitter, fake jewels, and markers or crayons.

Additional Resources: Fresh out of ideas? Check out these books, chock full of creative Bible teaching. Use them for inspiration or as a builder of an idea you already have.

Mader, Carol, Crazy Clothesline Characters, (Loveland Co, Group Publishing) 40 wonderfully wild storytelling ideas that will make kids discover more about the Bible than ever before. Complete with simple prop ideas and easy-to-follow instructions, you are sure to learn new techniques as you tell stories from the most exciting book in the world.
Keffer, Lois, Clip and Tell Bible Stories, (Loveland Co, Group Publishing) Captivate children with simple paper cutouts that unfold as the story is told. The patterns are photcopiable and the patterns are easy to follow.
Henley, Karyn, Creative Bible Learning, Story Telling, (Cincinnati, OH, Standard Publishing, 1996)
More than a 100 intriguing ides for telling Bible stories.