Each week in our children's ministry service, we take a minute before the offering time to teach the kids a lesson about giving. We are seeking to give them a foundation of generosity, so they can experience a lifetime of the blessings and joy of being a giver.
Here are 10 object lessons we've used in recent months to teach kids about giving. Feel free to use these in your ministry.
Giving is Greater Than Receiving
- Read Acts 20:35 with the kids - "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
- Show the kids the words Giving and Receiving.
- Ask the kids which the Bible says is greater...giving or receiving?
- Explain to the kids that it's okay to receive things. It's nice to get awards, birthday gifts, etc.
- Show the kids this - GIVING > RECEIVING.
- But it's even better to give to help others because it makes an eternal difference and you're like Jesus when you give. He came to give instead of receive.
- Read Proverbs 28:27 with the kids - "Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed."
- Bring up a picture of kids in need.
- Explain that there are people locally and around the world who are in need. They are in need physically and spiritually.
- When we see this, we have two choices.
- We can respond by giving or close our eyes to their needs.
- Have the kids close their eyes to the picture of the kids in need for a few seconds and then open them back up.
- Encourage kids to not close their eyes to those in need, but to look and respond by giving their offering to help others both physically and spiritually.
- When you do this, God has promised to provide for your needs.
- Read Luke 6:38 with the kids - "Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full - pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap."
- Hold up an empty clear cup.
- Have another clear cup that is half full with water.
- Pour some water from the half full cup into the empty cup.
- Bring out a clear pitcher of water.
- Use the pitcher to overflow the cup you poured water from.
- Explain as you are doing this that when we give, God has promised to fill us back up to overflowing. You can't out give God.
- Show a picture of General Sherman - the tallest tree in the world. It is located in Sequoia National Park. It is 102 feet around and 275 feel tall.
- It started as a simple seed that was planted in the ground years ago. (hold up a small seed and show the kids)
- When you give your offering, it's like planting a seed. It will grow into big things and make a big impact in people's lives.
- Hold up a dollar bill. Ask kids if they have ever noticed that it says "In God We Trust."
- This is a great reminder that when we give our offering, we can trust God to take care of us and provide for our needs.
- Have the kids read Matthew 6:33a with you - "Seek the kingdom of God first."
- Hold up two apples - one whole and one half-eaten.
- Explain that we should put God first with our money (hold up the whole apple).
- When we don't give Him 10% or we give Him whatever is left over after we finish spending on things we want, it's like we are giving him the leftovers (hold up the half-eaten apple).
- Put God first in your giving.
- Show a picture of a $1 bill and a $1000 bill.
- The Bible says if you are faithful with a little, then God will trust you with more.
- May not have a lot of money to give as a child. Maybe you get a little money from your allowance, birthday gifts, chores, etc. Whatever it is, it's not likely a thousand dollars.
- God says to be faithful to give from what you have now. And as you are faithful with a $1, then God may give you the opportunity to be faithful with thousands of dollars one day.
- Giving faithfully from the little you have now opens the door to give faithfully from much more one day. '
- Read 2 Corinthians 9:7 with the kids - "Each one of you should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver."
- Show a picture of the frowning face. We can give money to God with a bad attitude. Perhaps because your parents make you or you feel guilty.
- Show a picture of the smiling face. Or we can give with a good attitude that says, "I'm giving this back to God because He is awesome and I love Him. He deserves my best!"
- Share about a time you gave a gift to someone because you loved them. (examples - ring to wife, gift for family member, money to someone you wanted to help, etc.)
- Explain that we have the opportunity each week to show God how much we love Him by giving our offering.
- Tell the kids you have some money in your pocket. Ask them to guess how much it is.
- Pull out the coins and reveal how much you have. See who was closest.
- Explain that God knows everything. He knows how much money we have.
- One of the ways we can worship Him for being so awesome, powerful and all-knowing, is by giving back some of our money to Him.
