Kids all over the world are constantly pulled between
traditional childhood culture and up-to-the-minute trends and fads.
Fairy tales, popular movies, and fictional stories have powerful
ways of illustrating specific ideologies. When kids' culture
contains everything from Aesop's fables and classical mythology to
Pokémon characters and Harry Potter hype, sometimes it feels as if
God's Word is being drowned out. Is there room for the Bible?
There's more room than you might think. Christians often shy
away from connecting Bible lessons to fairy tales or popular
culture for the simple reason that we believe that the Bible is
truth, while stories are only fiction. Yet throughout his ministry,
Jesus used parables -- fictitious stories -- to explain in ways
humans could understand the incomprehensible logic of heaven and
the kingdom of God. While our human nature causes us to identify
with the jealous older brother, Jesus' parable about the prodigal
son calls us to open our arms as the father did...and come home
with humility as the son did.
The Value Of Story
Jesus could've instructed us about the kingdom of heaven with
only commands and facts: "God values the lost," "Forgive because
you are forgiven," and "Be prepared for my return." But he knew the
things of heaven wouldn't make sense to human minds -- Israel
proved that. The Israelites forgot God's saving hand in Egypt,
quickly lost patience waiting for the Messiah, and constantly ran
after other gods. Jesus knew we'd understand truths of heaven
better if we could identify with a woman frantically searching for
a lost coin, a servant who'd been forgiven much yet refused to
forgive a little, and virgins who had (or had not) come prepared
for a long wait.
The stories Jesus used had one thing that must've set them apart
from the folk tales and oral traditions of the time. Jesus began or
ended the parables he told with a statement that said, "This is the
point. If you get anything out of the story, get this."
"I tell you the truth," he says in Matthew 24:47. "The kingdom
of heaven is like..." he answers Peter in Matthew 18:23. There is
truth, despite the inconsequential details of his story, and Jesus
points out that truth.
Biblical truth exists even in stories and cultural tales that
aren't in the Bible because God's truth isn't stagnant. Our Lord
still moves in our world, and even people who don't believe in God
are affected by his truth. Christians and non-Christians alike can
experience humility, forgiveness, and brokenness. Something about
the journey of the human race remains the same despite cultural and
millennial differences. We're still the Israelites in the desert,
hoarding God's blessings today in fear that he won't provide
tomorrow and making idols out of things that satisfy us only for
the moment.
Separating Truth From Fiction
It may frighten Christian educators to hear kids say that
Jonah's big fish was just like Pinocchio's whale or that the giant
in "Jack and the Beanstalk" was the same as David's Goliath. The
perceived threat is that kids will see similarities in characters
and stories and confuse fiction with biblical truth. In our
ministries, we certainly want to lay the foundation of God's Word
as truth. Otherwise, what basis do kids have for understanding who
God is?
During vacation Bible school, one teacher brought preschoolers
to a room that was set up like the belly of Jonah's big fish. She
led them into the fish's plastic body and recreated Jonah's
three-day experience in the fish by reading from the Bible and
allowing the kids to experience the fear and adventure Jonah did.
At the end, a paid child-care provider remarked, "Hey! That's just
like Pinocchio." A lesson defeated? A blurring of truth and
fiction? Perhaps, but definitely a teachable moment.
In this situation, it's important to think about kids'
developmental stages. Kids around age 9 can begin to understand
simple abstractions and are less likely to be confused by literary
connections. To bridge from fiction to fact, ask kids, "How similar
are the experiences of the fictional Pinocchio and the biblical
Jonah? How are they different?"
However, kids under age 8 tend to think literally. You can still
use hooks to introduce Bible stories, but it's best to save
abstract connections for older kids. Help kids around ages 6 to 8
make simple comparisons. Ask, "How do you think Pinocchio felt in
the stomach of the whale? How would you feel if you got swallowed
by a whale? Even though Pinocchio's story is pretend, there's a
true story in the Bible about a man who was swallowed by a big
fish."
What Kids Know
It's easy to take what kids know and help draw them closer to
God because certain stories and themes are ingrained in their
culture. Take for example the story "Cinderella." Throughout the
whole world, various versions of "Cinderella" share similar
thematic elements. In China, there's "Lin Lan"; in France, they
have the story of "Donkeyskin." In these stories, especially in the
Grimms' version of "Cinderella," the story follows a plot similar
to the book of Esther. Both Cinderella and Esther greatly need
friends and mentors. They're both left virtually alone and deemed
culturally inferior, yet meeting their Prince Charmings
dramatically redeems their situations. Each woman went from
unvalued to invaluable and from ashes to glory -- a vivid picture
of Christ's redemption of each one of us.
"Cinderella" can be used to introduce the Bible story of Esther
and reinforce Psalm 40:2-3: "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out
of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm
place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to
our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the
Lord."
Literary scholars often look for the Christ figure in
literature. And they find that figure in literature from cultures
and countries all over the world. Why? Perhaps because writers have
borrowed from the Bible. Or perhaps the very essence of our need
for salvation is written into the fiber of our souls. Perhaps the
gospel is written on our hearts. The point is not which came first;
the point is that inherently, the story of the gospel contains
something familiar, something we know we need -- and it's repeated
in thousands of ways in hundreds of cultures and languages.
Fairy tales can introduce children to biblical truth just as
other culturally specific media, such as books, movies, and
personal stories, can contain elements useful for teaching truth.
God can redeem the culture for his kingdom. Jesus used stories that
first-century Christians could understand in the context of their
culture, and we can do the same.
Finding The Gospel In Our Culture
Have you seen a movie lately in which one character gives up his
or her very life for the sake of someone else? Do you know a story
of complete forgiveness for unforgivable sins? Those are fibers in
the tapestry of the gospel. The one doing the forgiving or "saving"
in your story might not be the perfect Savior, but the threads of
salvation and forgiveness can lead your kids into discussions of
what it feels like to be forgiven and what it means to experience
salvation. How can we do this?
- Look for the gospel everywhere. Movies, fairy
tales, cartoons, stories, and songs can contain traces of biblical
truth that you can use to introduce Bible themes and stories.
- Tell or show the story. Let kids feel the
emotions of the characters, understand the events of the story, and
experience the outcome of the actions.
- Extract the truth. Use discussion and
debriefing to help kids discover the core biblical truth in your
story.
- Emphasize the Bible. Jesus said, "The kingdom
of heaven is like a mustard seed," not the other way around. The
Bible's truth supersedes any fiction, and it's vital that kids
understand the difference. Emphasize the verse or passage that your
story reinforces. Ask God to use the story to bring kids to a
heightened level of spiritual understanding.
- Have kids look for God's truth in their lives.
Kids can identify forgiveness, faith, and kindness. Encourage them
to discover God's truth in their lives and share it with their
families. The kingdom of God is here, and if we watch for it
carefully, we can see God working in our lives and in the lives of
others.
Misty Anne Winzenried is a counselor and writing instructor
at Seattle Pacific University.
Making The Connection
Not all stories or movies in kids' culture can be used in the
same way to teach biblical truth. Some stories don't directly
follow the Bible but make great lead-ins for the Bible stories
you're teaching. Other stories powerfully illustrate a biblical
point you want to emphasize. What's the difference? Here are four
ways to use stories to teach the Bible.
• Attention-Getters -- Some stories share
objects or characters with Bible stories but don't teach the same
point or have the same plot; these reappearing objects or people
can introduce your Bible story. You can point out how the whale
that swallows Pinocchio is similar to Jonah's fish and how Jack and
David each had a giant to defeat.
For kids ages 8 and up, use stories, movie clips, or fairy tales
to introduce your Bible lesson. In the Disney movie The Jungle
Book, the characters encounter an antagonist seemingly lifted
straight out of the pages of Genesis. Kaa, the deceitful snake who
seeks to trick Mowgli, can remind kids to watch for Satan's
deceitfulness. After showing a clip of Kaa, say, "How does Kaa try
to trick Mowgli? What does it feel like when someone tries to trick
you? How can you remember what's true?" Then turn to your Bible
lesson by saying, "The Jungle Book is just a story, but in the
Bible, Satan disguised himself as a snake just like Kaa and
deceived Adam and Eve."
• Character-Connectors -- Many stories have
characters similar to Bible characters who experience similar
trials. Amanda Deramus, Sunday school superintendent and teacher at
Central United Methodist Church in Detroit, Michigan, uses the
character of Cinderella to help children who've never heard of King
David to become familiar with him. Amanda tells kids, "David, like
Cinderella, was always left behind to do the hard work. Both David
and Cinderella spent their lives being overlooked and
underappreciated. But God is faithful! In the end, their
faithfulness made them shine, and they became the heroes of their
stories. In God's eyes, it is not the oldest, strongest, or most
wealthy person but the one with the truest heart who makes the best
hero." Amanda helps kids understand David's situation better
because they connect with a similar story about someone else.
• Plot-Followers -- The Cinderella-Esther
connection is an example of a parallel story. Similarly, the
"Sleeping Beauty" (or "Briar Rose") tale parallels the story of
Abraham, Sarah, and Issac. Each set of parents wishes for a child
and finally conceives after much hoping and praying. Then, although
due to vastly different forces -- one evil, the other good -- the
parents are compelled to sacrifice their children. Both sets of
parents have a test of faith related to their children.
For preteens, use this type of connection to get kids to
experience the feelings of the characters in the Bible story. Have
kids form groups and talk about the feelings and actions of each
character in the fairy tale who also parallels a character in your
Bible story. Then assign each group a character in the parallel
Bible story. As you read the Bible story, pause to give the groups
time to respond with actions and words about the feelings their
characters may've experienced. Since kids know the fairy tale, they
should be able to follow the Bible story even if they've never
heard it before.
• Point-Makers -- When guided with
age-appropriate debriefing questions, kids ages 5 and up can talk
about characters in stories as they explore how they might feel or
what they might do in specific situations. Talking about "Hansel
and Gretel" can teach kids to not be greedy. "The Red Shoes" can be
a lesson about vanity. For older kids, check out the "Reel Time"
and "Tuned In" sections of "Keeping Current" in Children's Ministry
Magazine for clips from recent movies and songs that you can use to
teach biblical points.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and
prices are subject to change.
