It is very important to help kids understand the "why" behind giving.
One of the best ways to do this is to be intentional about teaching kids about giving.
And I have a way, that you can do this every week.
How? By talking about giving right before you take up the offering each week. Here are some tips about how to do this and some samples of giving lessons I have shared with kids.
- Slow down the tempo. This helps kids enter a more serious time in the service. You can help them do this by playing slower, more meditative music.
- Share a 1-2 minute giving lesson. Here are some examples of giving lessons I have shared with kids right before the offering.
- Worship God with your offering (have a split screen with $1.00 and 90 cents). One of the ways we can worship God is by giving Him a tithe, which is 10% of our money. That means if you have $1.00, you give back 10 cents to Him and you keep 90 cents. When you do this, you're saying, "God I believe You are big enough to do more with 90 cents than I can with $1.00 by myself. God says in His Word to try it and He will show you how big He is. If you brought an offering today, you can place it in one of the containers. When you put your offering in, whisper a prayer inside your heart to God and tell Him, "You are a big God and I trust you."
- Put Jeremiah 32:27 on screen. "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Does any miracle lie beyond my power?" This verse tells us that God is powerful! There is nothing He can't do! So let me ask you a question. If God can do anything, does He really need your money? Of course not, He owns everything. The reason we give our tithe and our offering to God is not because He needs it. We give it to show Him that we love Him and to worship Him. When you give your offering, you're saying, "God, I love You! You are powerful and I know you will take care of me." If you brought an offering today, you can place it in one of the containers during this next song. When you give, whisper a prayer to God and say, "You are powerful. There is nothing too hard for You! I love You and worship You!"
- I have some money in my pocket. Who thinks they know how much I have? (Let a few kids guess.) Let's see how much it is. (Pull out some coins and reveal how much money you have.) Today, we're learning that God knows everything. He knew exactly how much money I had in my pocket. Isn't it awesome that God knows everything? And one of the ways we can worship Him is by giving back some of the money He has entrusted us with. (Place the coins in the offering.) When you give your offering, you are worshipping God...and He is worthy of our worship, If you brought an offering today, you can place it in the offering container during this next song.
- When you love someone, you give them gifts, don't you? (Personally share about someone you love or care for and a gift you have given them.) Did you know you have the opportunity to show God that you love Him by giving Him a gift when you're here? When you give your tithe / offering to God, it's a way to show Him how much you love Him. You're saying, "God, than You for loving me...I love you too! Take this money and use it to help other people know Your love as well." If you brought an offering today, you can place it in the offering container during this next song. And if you're never shown God you love Him by bringing Him an offering, then think about starting next week. Let's pray.
- Check out these two faces (picture of frowning and happy face). The Bible says we can give our money to Jesus with one of two attitudes. Check out what this verse says. "Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7. We can give money to God with a bad attitude that says, "I really don't want to give this to God, but I will because I have to or because my parents are making me. I'd rather spend the money on something else." Or we can give to God with a good attitude that says, "I'm giving this back to God because He is awesome and I love Him. He deserves my very best!"
- Have a child pray for the offering. Pick the child ahead of time who will be praying for the offering.
