What if your family devotions looked less like sitting in the living room listening to someone read and more like electrocuting a pickle? Or converting a leaf blower into a toilet paper launcher? Or lighting toothpaste on fire? That sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But I’m actually not kidding!
My guest today, Tim Shoemaker, is the author of The Very Best, Hands-On, Kinda Dangerous Family Devotions. And let me tell you, he is SO much fun to talk to and has an inspiring heart to equip parents in teaching their kids about Jesus.
In this episode, you’ll:
- Discover ideas to help you think outside the box in teaching your kids spiritual truths
- Learn how creative teaching mirrors the way that Jesus taught in the Bible
- Identify the ways you need to shift your perspective as a parent
- Hear how you can keep the respect of your children and remain a meaningful voice in their lives
This conversation was so refreshing to me. It is one you really don’t want to miss. Listen in!
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Check out Tim’s Website
- The Very Best, Hands-On, Kinda Dangerous Family Devotions by Tim Shoemaker
- No More Perfect Kids by Jill Savage and Dr. Kathy Koch (there are creative devotions in the appendix!)
- As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks!
My Key Takeaways:
1) You can and should get creative with teaching your kids about spiritual truths! It may feel odd at first to teach your children. Maybe you have your own negative experience from being taught spiritual truths as a child or maybe you have a hard time feeling confident enough to be able to guide your kids. But I want to encourage you that you can do this! There are so many great resources, including Tim’s book, to help you get started. Remember that you have the greatest amount of influence in your children’s lives. By teaching them spiritual truths in a creative and interesting way, you are ensuring that they will never forget the truth of who God is and how much He cares for them.
2) Jesus taught in a way that mixed truth into an object lesson. The beauty of using this method to teach your kids is that this is how Jesus taught in the Bible. He would often use an object lesson or parable to deliver a spiritual truth. There are also stories of Jesus teaching in religious places but, by and large, the style of teaching given to us by God is through object lessons. As you begin to teach this way to your children, you’ll see how they are able to grasp and remember spiritual truths at the heart level.
3) It’s important to focus on capturing the attention of your oldest kids. When we think about teaching spiritual truths to our kids, the default can be to make the lesson simpler so that your youngest child can understand it. The problem is that this usually makes it boring for your older children. This is why you should focus on capturing the attention of your oldest kids. You can always take time at the end of the lesson to explain it to your younger kids, but if your older children get bored, you will likely struggle to get them to pay attention and to get them back for future devotional times. The good news is that when you teach in a creative and fun way (like electrocuting a pickle!), it engages older kids in a way they don’t expect!
About Tim:
Tim Shoemaker is a speaker and author of sixteen books including The Very Best, Hands-On, Kinda Dangerous Family Devotions. He is passionate about inspiring families to break out the safety goggles and start bringing the truth of Scripture to life at home. Tim lives in the greater Chicago area with his wife, Cheryl, and they have three grown sons.
