There are some stories in the Bible we rarely, if ever, teach children. Why? Some, like the story of Job or Samson, bring up topics best left until kids are older and more mature, both emotionally and spiritually. Others, like the whole book of Revelation, are so complex they intimidate most adults! We don't want to frighten kids with the Bible. We also, however, don't want to bore them with the most important book ever written. So this semester in Grace. (pronounced "Grace Period"), the 6th graders and I are looking at "Scary, Gross, and Weird Stories from the Bible". Have a look at the book we are using here: Scary, Gross, and Weird
We'll take a look at some of the stories that are less often the topic of sermons: Jael and the tent peg through an enemy soldier's head, Balaam and his talking donkey, Jesus re-attaching a severed ear...there are probably some that we, as parents, never heard at all!
Are these stories crucial to our understanding of who God is? Not really. He does such a beautiful job of showing us that through Jesus already. Do these stories show us different sides of how God works, sometimes in very mysterious ways? Absolutely. Middle schoolers are ready to handle these "PG-13" parts of the Bible, and if drawing them in with "scary, gross, and weird" leaves them wanting to know more about God, then mission accomplished!\
Don't miss any more Grace. We meet in 011S on Wednesdays, 6-7 pm. All 6th graders and their grown-ups are welcome.
Here are some of the highlights from last night's lesson on the Ten Plagues:
Clip from "The Prince of Egypt"
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