IT is the wrong thought of some Christians that they count just as much for God outside of the church as in it. Christian membership harnesses up the Christian to a giant power. Build out of cardboard the form of a village church, place it on the platform before the audience. If using blackboard draw the Church and numbers in the air first. As they enter the Church rub the figures out, and place on the roof. Hang up the numbers 1-2-0-4-9-6-7 in various parts of the platform. They represent Christians who will not join the Church, separate units, standing for themselves only. They have no relation to each other and have only individual power. Persuade them to come into the
Church organization and be linked together by common tasks. Take these numbers now in various parts of the platform and place them on the roof in the following order: 9763210—now they are an army of giants with power of millions of separate units. If the Church should be made of wood, take seven candles and light them. Put them in various places in the room. They represent the separate Christian. Bring them to Church, Put them all inside of the Church. Turn out all the other lights on the platform and the effect will be most striking. Jesus said "Let your light so shine" and the way to make it shine the most, is to all shine together. So will the Church be like a city set on a hill. Its light cannot be hid.
CHAPTER XII
SEEING THE SERMON
Objects: The Perry Pictures
SEEING THE SERMON
THIS is a striking and attractive way to preach a short object sermon in the regular church service. Just before the regular sermon, ask all the children to leave their seats and come forward to the platform in a happy little group, then hand each a Perry picture all on the same subject. Then preach to them a short sermon drawing out the point of the picture, and explain every line of it to them. They will then understand the picture and the lesson it teaches. After the little sermon is over, tell them to keep the picture. And send them back to their seats. It is a beautiful and affecting scene to see the little people with happy step and smiling face coming down the aisle and hastening back to their folks and saying "See what he gave me." They are instructed to put these pictures in a scrap book to keep them together. You can go through the Life of Jesus this way and the children will thus have a valuable scrap book to keep for years to come. Ask your denominational house where these pictures can be secured. They cost but trifle, but they help you to cause the children to see a sermon.