Effective Children's Ministry

Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’

We made this PowerPoint teaching available a year ago. It was one of the first items we uploaded onto this blog.

Since then, many more visitors have joined us here, so it seems apt to flag it up again, as older blogs can sink to the bottom of the archives!

Myth or Truth? is a  PowerPoint presentation which may be used as one element in a service, or as the basis of a small group Bible study.

It is a brief introduction to the main areas of evidence which prove that Jesus is the promised Messiah, Saviour of all who trust in him.
Develop this as you wish. It is absolutely free to download.

A script is provided in PDF format, to guide you through the slides. 

Download the “Myth or Truth?” PowerPoint Presentation

Download the script for “Myth or Truth?” (PDF)

This topic is not especially for children’s workers, but it is good for all of us to have considered it.

“The debate about whether or not Christians should celebrate Christmas has been raging for centuries. There are equally sincere and committed Christians on both sides of the issue, each with multiple reasons why or why not Christmas should be celebrated in Christian homes. But what does the Bible say? Does the Bible give clear direction as to whether Christmas is a holiday to be celebrated by Christians?”

A clear and interesting discussion of both sides of the question can be found at  

Prepare for each team a hat, scarf, pair of gloves, pair of woolly socks and pair of boots. If they are adult size, this will add to the fun the fun!
Choose a representative for each team.
As each team in turn answers the review questions correctly, the representative at the front puts on item (gloves, socks and boots go on in pairs).
First team to wear everything wins!

This game and other ideas for Christmas review games are on our >> Christmas resources mini-site

Children’s workers are always busy people ( as are others in the Lord’s service!) This time of year may be very stressful, with our own family Christmas to sort out and, on top of that, our church presentations to organize and events to run. If bereavement has placed an additional stress on you, there is help. I found the following article very helpful and hope you will too.

>‘He is… acquainted with grief…’ (Isaiah 53:3).

Christmas can be a difficult time, especially when you’ve lost a loved one. The sounds and sights that once brought you such joy now remind you of them, and reinforce your sense of loss. There’s no magic formula; grief is a process you must walk through, and it takes time. Here are some personal thoughts that might help:

Try to keep things in perspective: Christmas is only one day out of 365. You can do anything for 24 hours because God promised that  ‘. . .your strength will equal your days’ (Deutronomy 33:25 NIV).

Check and see if there’s a needy family or a lonely neighbour who’d enjoy spending an hour with you. Reaching out is difficult – but it brings healing.

Don’t accept the myth that everybody else is having ‘a perfect Christmas’ while you struggle. The truth is, even for Christians, Jesus’ birth gets eclipsed by unrealistic demands and the pressures of shopping, entertaining and gift-giving. Why do you think we’re so relieved when it’s all over?

Don’t maintain old traditions if they make you feel worse. Create new ones that work for you now – you might even want to keep them.

If you’re struggling with Christmas this year, here’s a prayer for you:
‘Lord, You know how I feel today, because Your Word says You are familiar with grief. Heal my heart and fill its emptiness. Become more real to me than the activity without and the loneliness within. Help me to discover You and, in so doing, make this a Christmas like none I’ve ever known. Amen.’ Reprinted from Word for Today by kind permission of UCB, PO Box 255, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 8YY, from whom free copies of this daily devotional booklet are available for the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

Catherine and I have just finished making a wee Powerpoint to help keep score in your review game. A very simple idea – the two teams have to light all five bulbs of the Christmas lights.

>> You can download it here.