Article - Using Video in Your Children's Church by Jamie Doyle

By Jamie Doyle

I've used puppets, drama, clowns, full-bodied costumes, comedy, juggling, artwork, object lessons and who knows what else to communicate the gospel to children. My closets, garage and office are loaded with methods that I am currently using or have faded into the past. I am constantly trying new methods that are effective in teaching children and making the message stick after they get home. Behold, I have discovered video. Wow! "Who'd have ever thought of that", you may ask yourself? I know many publishing companies that produce ciricculum for children's ministry and have videos available for use in the classroom. But, I just don't feel that it's being taken advantage of as much as other resources.

First we must investigate if video is effective or not. It's been my experience that relevant methods that are presented well will yield good fruit. It's obvious, shouldn't the church be using the best methods available. Let's consider the American family. It's Friday night. Mom and Dad are home from their busy day. Dad says, "Hey kids! Let's run over to the video place and get that new movie out on video!" The children respond with excitement as they all hop into the car. What's more relevant than video? I've seen this happen in the four churches I've been in and I've seen it's effectiveness. Children respond to a teacher who uses video clips in their lessons.

Let's explore the cost of using video clips. Most churches I know have a TV and VCR available for use in the classroom. Some churches have several. If your church doesn't have a TV and VCR, I'm sure you do or someone in your church, possibly someone working in the children's ministry with you does. At all of the churches I've been working in, finding a TV and VCR was not a problem. At two churches, I used a typical TV and VCR on a media cart that I just wheeled in before children's church started. At a church in Florida, we had a VCR and a video projector that we used to project the image up onto a large multi-media screen so we could accommodate the large crowd of children. At one point I was part of a team that started a new church in Minnesota. We didn't have the budget to buy a TV/VCR for the children's ministry at first. So, I contacted the principal at the school we rent on Sundays and asked permission to use a TV and VCR. You probably already have a cabinet full of Video tapes. Not only that, It only costs a few dollars to rent videos from your local video rental place. I even know some Christian bookstores in my neck of the woods that will rent Christian videos. Perhaps there are some Christian bookstores in your area that will do the same.

How can video clips be used for teaching? It's easy! Just use a video clip like you would use puppets, an object lesson or a drama. A 3-10 minute clip will become one of your methods for communicating the gospel during your lesson time. You can use one of many kinds of clips during your lesson. Clips from popular movies can be used (make sure the movie is an appropriate rating for your children and it contains no foul language) and you can find these at your local video rental place. Example…

…show a scene from THE LION KING to teach children who the real King of Kings is.

...Set your VCR up to tape a popular television show or cartoon that would fit your lesson. Example…

…use a clip from several news stories about violence to teach children about sin. I've used a clip from a Loony Tunes cartoon in which Bugs Bunny is wrestling a big mean wrestler. My series was about "wresting not against flesh and blood."

Some incredible Bible stories are produced onto video in drama and cartoon form. These could be great when it's time for the Bible story.

Go to your local video rental place and rent an NFL video and show 5 minutes of football and talk about teamwork.

Create your own video clip by using a camera and interviewing children on the street, park, or church about different issues. Video tape you and several others acting out a Bible story or skit. Go to an amusement park and video tape a scary ride. Use it to talk about fear.

Sometimes instead of just playing a CD before and after service, I will show Christian music videos.

Produce an interaction video. Find or write a script that two people would normally present and video tape one person, puppet or clown saying his/her lines. Make sure they react on the video as if you were saying your lines together. Show the video in your class and now you, the teacher in the classroom are having a conversation with the person on the tape.

Now here are a few tips for using video that will make it even more effective.

Go out to Wal-mart or Target and for a few dollars buy a signal splitter and an extra length of video cable from the audio/video department. This will allow you to use up to four television monitors from one VCR. Now you can place the monitors at different locations towards the front of the class, Now everybody should be able to see the video clips clearly.

When you show the clips. It might be important to dim the lights or close the curtains for that moment. Otherwise you may end up with a glare on the screen which in turn will make the viewing of the video clip ineffective.

Test your room to make sure everyone can hear everything clearly. There should be some way for you to connect the VCR into a PA system or stereo system that will keep students from yelling, "turn it up!"

Always view the video clip before you show it. This will help you in how to introduce the clip and then afterwards, place the application to the clip.

And don't forget to cue the video clip to the correct spot. There's nothing more embarrassing then pressing play and it's at the end of your clip or some other spot on the tape and you have to stop class and fix it.

But most of all, have fun coming up with creative ways to use video. It's easy and effective.

NEW ITEM - Check out Karl Bastians Kidology Website for his video taped "TOYBOX TALES" the coolest way I've ever seen to use a video camera and a monitor in children's church!

This article may not be used for profitable purposes or reprinted in other publications unless permission from the author is granted.