As children age and enter the teen years, they often become more guarded about what they share in a Bible class environment. They have learned, directly or indirectly, that sharing questions and doubts is not always viewed favorably in a ministry setting. So they begin saying what they believe adults want them to say, rather than what they may truly be thinking or feeling.
Sometimes having an activity that is more subtle can encourage them to be less guarded and give you important information about where they are spiritually. Jeremiah H., a children’s minister I know, used a great activity as part of a larger prayer experience that could help accomplish this important goal.
He found sets of Scrabble tiles and asked children to create a Scrabble game board that reflected things they would say about or to God. To make it easier, they were able to see the letter tiles. Each child created their word off of words that had already been placed, so there was probably a bit of adaptation. His students used words like like faithful and joyful, but also words like why, dream and a child’s name.
After the activity is over, you can give students an opportunity to share why they chose certain words. Not everyone may want to share, and that’s okay. It’s also important to remember that just because a person placed “why” as their word, it doesn’t mean they have deep philosophical issues surrounding God. It may just be the easiest word they could make. In general though, you may be able to see themes or a tone that will point you to future lessons your students need in order to grow spiritually. In some cases, it may also give you valuable insight into the heart of a struggling student. In the end, it’s one more activity in your ministry tool kit to get a peek at the hearts of your students.