A Blog by Rev. Grace Verrier
USING CALISTHENTICS TO TEACH GOD’S WORD
(KEEP IN SHAPE)
We have worshipped God in the sanctuary and while the pastor gives his sermon the children exit to be taught Biblical principles using effective teaching methods for children. However, the children have been standing or sitting quietly in the sanctuary for the previous 20 to 30 minutes. As teachers walk to the designated teaching areas we realize that we now have little human “pressure cookers” in our midst fully waiting to release their “steam”. We can either try desperately to curtail that energy or we can harness and utilize it. Children love to be active while they are being taught. Why not use calisthentics to teach God’s word while they burn off energy?
This is a great time to do “Bible Exercises”. For example, sing the books of the Bible while exercising doing jumping jacks, running on the spot, physical contortions, etc. We can sing Bible action songs with exaggerated actions. We can be part of the “Lord’s army” marching and doing callisthenics to scripture.
If we, as adults, are unable to lead these actions, we can choose a child with exceptional energy to do so. However, children love to be “better than adults” and they don’t seem to mind when the adult is unable to make the full movements expected. We can join them in laughter, roll our eyes and keep on going. Once I got down on the floor to do a push up and as I got up one little voice said, “PG you are creaking!” When I realized children and activity go hand in hand and I read the scripture, “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some, (I Cor 9:22) I joined a gym.
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