Free children’s sermons based on the Lectionary. Share the Good News with children and adults in 4 to 7 minutes. (2024)

View my explanation of how I write the children’s sermons and my teaching beliefs about children’s sermons.

Messages from the last three years are archived in the searchable and sortable table below. Type a scripture passage or date in the search field to narrow results. You can also click the title of each column to sort that column in ascending order.

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How I develop the messages

I mostly think about children’s sermons in three parts, based loosely on the freeway system.

• First, I want to help the children get up to speed and merge with the story. Think of this as The On-ramp section of the message. It usually consists of some opening questions and/or an activity. In fancy educational terms, this approach helps engage a specific schema (or frame of mind). In other words, we are priming their brains for some high-speed learning.
• Second, now that all minds have merged on to The Freeway (the story), I now want those minds to travel the distance. This usually consists of re-telling the parts of the story that connect the opening questions/activity with the third part, the destination of the message.
• Third, I want everyone to arrive at The Destination: The Good News. Every children’s sermon should have a Good News destination. Typically, for me, the Good news is how a concept in the story is applicable to our lives in the here-and-now. This perspective of mine is inspired by Jesus teaching that the Kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:14-15).

When creating a children’s sermon, then, the answer to the question, “What is the Good News of this scripture” is my starting point and I work backwards from that answer.

Beliefs about children’s sermons

• I believe children’s sermons should always end in prayer. And because we learn by mimicking and by repetition, I think its best if the prayer is done in a repeat-after-me style. Invite the congregation to join in, too.
• I believe a children’s sermon should be between 4 to 7 minutes long. This is one reason why I am not a big fan of letting the kids talk into the microphone. Sometimes they go on for too long. Other times they may say embarrassing things about themselves or their family that is best left un-amplified. Instead, I will repeat their answers into the microphone, sometimes with a helpful edit.
• I believe practicing a children’s sermon beforehand is essential. Once I’m satisfied with the actual message, I run through it at least 5 or 6 times. I focus more on memorizing the transition points than I do on memorizing the whole message. In the past, I’ve used notecards and recommend you do, too, if you are really nervous. But the message sounds a lot better when I speak to the kids without notes.
• I believe an effective children’s sermon is valuable to an entire congregation and its worship experience. Do not underestimate the importance of bringing God’s message to the people and their children. I thank you for choosing to share God’s words of love, light and life.