Comments on: Know Your Audience Or Lose Your Audience

By: Stray Dog

Stray Dog — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:44:35 +0000

completely agree. One of the problems with our society is the “fluffing” of the truth. We’ll omit the parts that make us uneasy or that we don’t agree with to make it more palatable. Truth is Truth.

I don’t see how it’s a big deal that a pre-school Easter curriculum doesn’t deal with concepts like death and resurrection. Truth is truth, but how do you explain the meaning of Christ’s death to a three-year-old who doesn’t even know what death is, and couldn’t understand if you tried to explain it? “Jesus wants to be my friend forever” is only “fluffing the truth” when it’s spoon-fed to someone capable of understanding mortality. At the youngest, we’re talking pre-schoolers on the cusp of kindergarten or first grade. Developmentally speaking, anyone younger will be plenty challenged by the concept of someone they’ve never seen in person wanting to be their friend forever.

By: Rebecca M

Rebecca M — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:34:22 +0000

I had a similar experience with visuals, only in a Sunday worship service. I used images from the Passion for what we term a “call to worship” – an introspective media presentation to calm our hearts and prepare the congregation to meet God in worship. Turns out, the Sunday I used it, we had a blizzard – we did have service, but no children’s church, classes, etc. so the kids were with us in worship. I held my breath while it played, watching my 6-year old son in the front row, eyes riveted on the screen.
I did not get any negative feedback from other parents or any out of the ordinary questions from my own kids. It was, without a doubt, one of the quietest moments in the service. I think what made the difference was not using the images for shock value or gratuitously and pairing them with the right music.

By: Allan W.

Allan W. — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:52:52 +0000

That post caught my eye too; here’s my response.

“I think kids from 4-6 can handle the truth about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.”

Ironic: I said, “I’m not going to show the Passion of the Christ to my kids (5, 7) either”. While I want my kids to understand – even at their age – that Jesus died a painful death, by choice, for them and for me, I don’t think they’re ready for an image like that. When they’re a little older, and I’m sure they understand the basics of the story.

I like what you said about knowing your audience – that’s a key point.

By: Erik

Erik — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:43:24 +0000

@Chuck
I completely agree. One of the problems with our society is the “fluffing” of the truth. We’ll omit the parts that make us uneasy or that we don’t agree with to make it more palatable. Truth is Truth. Take it or leave it. Kids do need to know that Christ died for our sins. If the events of Good Friday and Easter never happened, Christianity means nothing.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:37:22 +0000

Scott – I completely agree with your premise about knowing your audience and being appropriate to that audience. As the father of a 4 1/2 year old, you did the appropriate thing by letting the father know what was coming. I commend you for that.

I have to take umbrage with the Bible curriculum though, it is important that kids, even preschoolers, know that Christ died on the cross for our sins. Certainly, leave out the graphic detail (know your audience), but my children need to know and understand that when they go to heaven, Jesus will be there because he was sacrificed through crucifixion and rose from the dead.

Isn’t that the premise of being a Christian?