It can be as simple as finding a Nativity-themed print out online for your children to colour and display or you can make your own Nativity scene using craft items around the house. This can be used to help share the story of that first Christmas day in a Bethlehem stable.

But God warned Joseph in a dream that he needed to leave Bethlehem and go to Egypt so that Jesus would be safe. If you are looking for a simple way to share the Christmas story for kids and you’ve run out of ideas or need some additional creativity, you’ve come to the right place. Christmas time can be a time of wonder and celebration and it can be easy to get caught up in the fun of Christmas that we forget to make the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth the focus. Young children can understand the wonder of the birth of a special baby and catch the tangible picture of God’s plan for our salvation. short reflective pieces for the Christmas season written by Claire Musters, travelling through promise and preparation to joy, peace and finally love. Along the way we encounter a choir of diverse voices sharing their favourite carols, poems and prayers, illustrated throughout with original colour artwork. After sharing the news of Jesus with others, they returned to watching their sheep and praised God for all the things that He had done.There were men called Magi that came from far away in the East to see Jesus. When they saw the star in the sky, they followed it all the way to Jerusalem. This was a couple of years after Jesus was born. Mary was frightened by the angel and didn’t understand what was going on. So the angel told her more.

Have a clear ending—Help them choose an ending line that bookends their opening. For instance, they can conclude by saying, “And that is the end of the story from God’s Word about the birth of Jesus.” Having a clear opening and ending can help provide a framing device and can prevent children from feeling awkward about not knowing how to end the story. This Advent will be unlike any other, in so far as the actual celebration of Christmas will seem more possible than it did a year ago. How timely to have a book that captures the moment.

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Practice, practice, practice—Have children spread their practice over several days so that they don’t become overwhelmed. But remind them that it will take effort. The best storytellers hone their craft through practice. About 2,000 years ago there lived a young woman named Mary. She lived in the small town of Nazareth in what is now the country of Israel. At the time it was part of the Roman Empire. Picture books and simple storybooks can help your child understand the whole story. Short stories about what the Christmas story has meant through the ages can encourage your own children to think about Christmas in a different way that large part of the world. The Christmas gifts that God has given us can be shared in a children’s story about the holiday season and how God’s own son has impacted so many people through the ages. Choose the appropriate version of the story—For younger children, the narrative of Jesus’s birth found in ​​Matthew 1:18–25 and Luke 2:1–21 will likely be sufficient. Older children may want to include more of the prologue, such as Luke 1:26–45. He said that Mary’s cousin Elizabeth was going to have a son too even though she was old and past the age that women had babies. It was a miracle from God!

Set the opening context—Having a standard opening line will help both your children and their audience know they are moving into the story. For example, they could use an opening such as “Now here is a story from God’s Word about the birth of Jesus.” We are so thankful for the care that Joseph takes in leading believers to go share the story of Christmas with those who may have never heard it! The way he shows respect for each unique culture, and finds creative ways to make the story memorable and personal, exemplifies Water4’s values and shares the Gospel respectfully and effectively. Mary trusted God and said that she would serve Him. Then she went on a trip to see her cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah.Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” So everyone had to go to the town that their family first came from. That meant Joseph and Mary had to travel 70 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Storytelling is a useful method for anyone who wants to engage and communicate God’s Word. But it can be an especially powerful tool for children and teens who are learning how to share their faith with their peers. The story of Jesus’s birth is an ideal place to start, since it is likely to have a special resonance with children. The more invested they are in the story, the easier it will be for them to learn to tell the story on their own. Another way to experience the story of Jesus’ birth is to watch a movie about it. Of course, anytime you watch a movie, that picture gets in your head and can become reality – especially for children. So it’s important to prepare your children by reading the Bible story first, comparing the movie to the biblical account, and helping your child understand reality compared to artists’ license. Record and analyze—Once they are able to recite the story from memory, make an audio recording and carefully scrutinize the content with them. Did they leave out any details? Are they clearly communicating the main point of the story (that God has come to be with humanity)?

In this year's BRF Advent book Sally Welch explores two questions: What is the Christmas story really about, and how do we share it? Joseph Agali resides in Nairobi, Kenya and serves on Water4’s team as the Multiply Manager. He uses his passion for discipleship and years of ministry and church planting experience to guide all of Water4’s businesses in how to respectfully, authentically, and effectively engage people with the Gospel after safe water access has been provided and businesses have established themselves as trusted and valued members of the community. Another special person at the temple was a woman named Anna. She had dedicated her life to God, and when she saw Jesus, she gave thanks to God. Then she laid him in a manger. A manger is a feeding trough for the animals. Jesus didn’t have a crib, but he probably lay on hay. After 3 months, Mary returned to Nazareth. At this time, Joseph was thinking about not marrying Mary since she was pregnant and he knew he was not the father of her baby.While fictional Christmas stories seem to multiply each year, the biblical account of Jesus Christ’s birth is unchanged since it was recorded in the Bible,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. “Yet almost half of Americans do not think they could share the Christmas story somewhat accurately from memory. Of all the Christmas programs churches offer in December, possibly the most important is simply reading the biblical account of the Christmas story itself.”