Video Lesson Plan About "Reasons for Going to Church"
I originally wrote this for my 6th and 7th grade Confirmation class. Hope you find it helpful.
(1) Open with the question:
“What do you like and don’t like about going to church?” Listen to their answers, help refine what it is they don’t like, but don’t stop to ‘counter’ their objections. Important: Write down their comments on the board. You’ll refer back to them in the videotaping session. (5 minutes)
(2) View the video, “Reasons Why People Don’t Go to Church.”
The video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUJpJyth3J4 Also posted below. You can watch it online or download it for playback on any computer and projector. (5 minutes)
(3) View it again with the "script" in hand.
After viewing it once, give students a copy of video's script which I've posted at the end of this post. With the script in hand, ask students to view the video again, this time filling in the responses which the people on the video give to the reasons why not to go to church. (8 minutes)
*You can skip Steps 2 and 3 for young children, and simply go right to Step 4.*
(4) Review the Bible Verse:
Hebrews 10:24-25 “Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good. Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more….” (5 minutes)
Ask: What does this Bible verse tell us is the REASONS we should be together? (keywords: to show concern, help, love, do good, encourage).
Ask: Does it say anything about judging others? telling others what to do? (No.)
**Write down the keywords from this verse on cue cards which students will hold up during the end of the video. If you’re short on time, do this in advance of the lesson.
(5) Make your own video: “Reasons Why We Go to Church” (20 minutes)
Working in small groups, one student will stand in front of another in front of the video camera. On “action” start recording and the first student states their “reason why not to go to church,” after which the second student pops out from behind and immediately offer a counter-point “reason why TO go to church!” Do this for 4 or 5 different ‘reasons’.
To create their pairs of 4 or 5 different reasons/responses, consult the list the kids made at the beginning of the lesson. Mix them with some of the reasons you heard on the video to come up with four or five “CUE CARDS” on which the students are to write their “reason/response” for each pair to quote during the videotaping.
For fun, vary how the students stand in the frame and how the one pops up in front of the other. Press the “pause” button on your camera while it’s recording so that a new pair can step onto the stage and be videotaped.
On the final shot of the video, have all your student pairs in the shot, and have the kids in front read the first half of the video, and then have their partners pop up and read the second half of the scripture to the camera. Keep it tight and fun.
Suggestion: Practice Once, then shoot your Video and Review it, talk it over and make adjustments, then repeat Videotaping again for the final product.
Share it with your congregation!
Here is the script they used in the video with the responses left blank for your students to fill-in as they watch the video a second time.
I can’t go to church until I get my life together
_______________
Church is filled with hypocrites
_______________
All they care about is your money
_______________
Is there some kind of dress code
_______________
Church makes me nervous
_______________
I’m not sure I believe everything you believe
_______________
Church is for wimpy girly men
_______________
If you knew me and what I’ve done, you wouldn’t want me
_______________
You can come to my church even if you are
_______________
It’s not about religion, it’s about a relationship.
Please, come to my church, where nobody is perfect, where beginners are welcome, where socks are optional, but grace is required, where forgiveness is given, where hope is alive, and where it’s okay to not be okay, -really.
