Live B.I.G. Nurtures Children's Faith

By Boyce Bowdon

Vicki Frick is very excited about a new curriculum for children called Live B.I.G. ("Belief In God"). Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Slidell, Louisiana, started using Live B.I.G. in September 2006, as soon as it became available, says Vicki, director of children's ministry.

As the mother of three sons, she knows that today's kids dislike sitting still and listening to lectures. "They are into video games and other technology. I'm glad The United Methodist Church is giving them something in Sunday school that connects with where they are."

She says children of all ages love it. The variety of clips and activities keep their attention, yet the resources don't take over the relationship between the children and the teachers. There is a very nice balance; the lessons are enhanced by technology, rather than overwhelmed.

The DVD component is a real hit, she says. Teachers of three-year-olds at Aldersgate use the DVD to focus the children as they enter the classroom, and play it again later in the morning. "Sometimes the DVD is a skit or a little play. The little kids really love the music videos where they can stand up and sing and dance with it."

Fifth-grade boys give the most enthusiastic endorsement for the Live B.I.G. curriculum, she says. "If you can get 11-year-old boys excited about being at church and in a classroom, you've done something grand! They are not only participating in class more, they are actually using their take-home' DVDs, too."

Vicki says Live B.I.G. curriculum recognizes that kids of the same age are not all the same. "You may have one very quiet child and another who bounces around during the entire class. Fortunately, there's enough variety in the Live B.I.G. curriculum to help you connect with both children. It offers a ton of different activities, lessons, games, and crafts to help new teachers as well as those with years of experience."

The Live B.I.G. curriculum is much more than just entertainment, Vicki says. "You are not just doing a craft to do a craft. You are not just letting kids jump up and down to let them move. There's a point to every component. The curriculum has fun activities that keep kids' attention, but it also gives teachers a way to make sure the kids are making the connection with the lesson."

She says the lessons teach sound United Methodist theology and she knows that's important in her church because many families do not have United Methodist backgrounds.

Most importantly, the curriculum stimulates children to relate the Sunday school lessons to their lives. Every week, teachers at Aldersgate ask their children, "How did you live B.I.G. this week?" One child said she helped her neighbor rake the yard without being asked. A boy said, "I cleaned my room without my mother fussing about it." Another child said he had brought a friend to church. Still another said she prayed for a sick neighbor.

"Our children are realizing that these are ways to serve God. Live B.I.G. is teaching them that their beliefs influence their behavior. They are seeing God and representing God more and more each week. Live B.I.G. nurtures their faith."