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Christian Parenting: Pentecost
By Elizabeth Barnett
By Elizabeth Barnett
One of the most important things to do before you teach your children about Pentecost or any Biblical lesson is to go over the lesson on your own first. Read the story and think about how you will present it to your children. You have to prepare yourself first. Study and pray about it. No teacher walks into his or her classroom without a lesson plan. Teachers prepare themselves by reading the stories, researching the topic and writing out a plan of how to teach the topic. Parents need to do the same.
Once you are prepared, find a comfortable spot to sit down with your children. Turn off the TV, radio and put the toys away. If your children are old enough to read, give them a Bible to use or let them be able to see your Bible. You will need to determine, based on the age and maturity of your children, how deep you will go in telling the story. A good rule of thumb is to spend about 20 to 30 minutes telling them the story. I want to emphasis “telling them a story.” Your children will be more interested, will stay focused longer and will remember it better if it is presented to them in story form not just facts of what happened.
Important Points about Pentecost
Your Children Should Know
- “Pentecost” is also called “Feast of Weeks”.
- Pente- = 50 in Greek
- To determine the day of Pentecost one counts 50 days after the Sabbath during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
Seven Sabbaths should be completed.
7 days in a week times 7 weeks is 49 and then the next day, Sunday is the 50th day.
- Pentecost always falls on a Sunday.
- It is the “birthday” of the Church of God.
- The Holy Spirit was first given on the Day of Pentecost.
- The Law was given to Israel on Pentecost.
- Pentecost foreshadows the resurrection of the “first fruits.”
- 3,000 people were baptized in one day.
- You can find the story of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-47.
Memory Verse
“Then anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved.”
Acts 2:21
Fun Idea
Post a calendar or a piece of paper on the refrigerator and each day mark it with the number day, 1-50. Get some straws and a cup. Each straw can represent a day. Every morning have your kids put a straw in a cup until they get to Pentecost. Then count how many straws are in the cup.
Parents Corner
Children are a precious gift that should be thought of and appreciated. In her book The Joy of Parenthood, Jan Blaustone shares some warm and personal thoughts for parents.
- There are no magic answers when it comes to raising children - but there are many magic moments.
- Before you try to give your children what you didn’t have, give them what you do have.
- Your children are your greatest gifts in life. Caring for them well is your “thank you.”
- Although you may not always have the energy to play ball, you’ll always be glad you did.
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