Using the Jesus Flannelboard Set

From SPARK

Brief Summary

In 2003 my husband and I discovered flannelgraph to be a very powerful tool for discipling and evangelizing children and adults in Ghana, West Africa.

Introduction

“Kids Around the World” (KAW) in partnership with Campus Crusade for Christ International has produced The JESUS FILM Flannelgraph Teaching Material. This is the caption on the cover of the manual. KAW has electronically superimposed the pictures of the actors in the film onto felt cloth. The end results are colorful and very real-looking figures. KAW's goal was to provide enough figures to tell 50 New Testament stories based on the gospels; but not with so many figures that the set would become overwhelming for people from developing countries to use. There are 123 figures in the set. They now have a Genesis set as well.

Key Factors

Advantages

• Flannelgraph (Flannelboard) materials from the KAW set are within the cost range of national coworkers who have limited funds.
• No language barrier.
• Flannelgraph sets can hold attention. Examples abound of large groups watching and maintaining interest. We had 10 meetings of 500 or more children. The story held their attention for 30 minutes or longer.
• Flannelgraph materials are lightweight and easy to transport.

Disadvantages

• Flannelgraph materials can blow over in windy conditions. Precautions must be taken ahead of time to insure this does not happen.
• To prevent backgrounds from falling, large paper clips or special clips need to be used to hold the backgrounds to the boards.
• Without good organization and attention to detail, it is easy to lose pieces and figures.

What Was Done

When David, a night watchman for The Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation, learned we had a flannelgraph set, he asked us to come and share with the children of the church where he attended. We went on a Saturday. The children were so enthralled they said, “We don't have school on Monday. Can you come back on Monday?”

David translated into Dagboni, the local language. In spite of needing a translator, the children listened to every word. The first week, there were 20 children in attendance. The second week, and most of the following weeks, there were 40.

In 2004 attendance jumped from 40 to 60 when we added crayons and a picture for everyone to color. Soon we were invited to visit several Sunday school classes.

We also shared in a Christian school on a weekly basis. First and second graders would sneak in during recess to the upper grade classrooms, sit on the floor and listen so they didn't have to wait until it was their turn again.

Results

In 2004, teachers from the Christian school attended a workshop and received a set for the school. Before leaving Ghana, my husband and I conducted a flannelgraph workshop for the recipients of the set for the Nafaanra people. The national translators had invited pastors and Sunday school teachers in the area to attend the workshop. Some of the forty who attended the workshop made a two-day journey to get there.

First I taught a few stories and explained both the advantages and disadvantages of using flannelgraph.

After beginning instruction, the trainees began to feel more comfortable with the media and took turns trying their hand at it. They evaluated each others' presentations and learned from each other. The workshop lasted one and a half days.

In 2004, KAW staff based in Ghana conducted a two-day workshop. 147 pastors and Sunday school teachers from 30 churches attended this workshop. These people are now praying for KAW sets of their own. This workshop took place in a remote part of Ghana. Only one percent of the people are Christians. Seven out of the twenty-two teachers were semi-literate or illiterate. In the near future the Jesus film is expected to be dubbed into their language.

At the close of one workshop a national worker made the statement,”You have given us a wonderful inheritance.”

Helpful Information from the Author

“Kids Around the World” requires groups that receive sets to make a contribution toward the purchase of the set and attend a workshop. During the workshop they learn the qualities of a good Sunday school teacher as well as how to turn a Bible story into a Bible lesson. A manual comes with the set that tells which figures to use with each story title and Scripture reference. A picture illustrating where to place the figures is included with each lesson.

By: Grace Closius

Date entered: September 2006 (Reviewed by Vida, VMS Children's Resources)

Date range of story: 2003-2004

Location: Africa