Study for Open Air and Children’s Work

By Robert Wyeth

I am too old to work with children, but I hope that what I have done will encourage you to go out and try doing open-air work. It is much better than knocking on doors. If you had a team helping you, it is better than doing it alone.

My work is to try to get you to understand what the difference is between adults and children. So I have presented to you what things you should be doing with the stories from Genesis to the Revelation, the whole Bible, and prepared it with pictures on a sketch board.

Don’t worry! If you do that, all the adults and children will focus on the sketch board and you with a paint brush can carry on. If you get stuck, the words and the pictures will guide and help you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: May 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9781984589439

Robert Wyeth

After university I went to the London Bible College. I expected to prepare for missionary work, but the Lord didn’t want me to go there. I carried on as a project engineer, working in industry. I have been going to church for a number of years, and I have been an elder, so some things are good and the rest of them are bad. One friend commented to me, "After I am dead, I will be an angel. Floating around doing good for anybody." Really? Particularly so with the concept and themes of the Bible. You are children of God, welcomed in the kingdom of God, do you want to be an angel? Remember the good and bad angels. What will happen to the bad angels?

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 by Robert Wyeth.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2019904178

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-9845-8945-3

                Softcover         978-1-9845-8944-6

                eBook               978-1-9845-8943-9

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 05/23/2019

Xlibris

800-056-3182

www.Xlibrispublishing.co.uk

791891

Contents

Section 1 - Open Air Work

Summary of Open Air

Obtaining Permission

Leading

Giving a Testimony

Preaching

Counselling

Sketching

The Sketch Board

Dealing with Problem Makers

How to Go About It

What Does It Mean?

Section 2 - Children

Summary of Children

What Does It Mean?

Activities for Children

How to Go About It

Section 3 - Drawings

Summary of Drawings

Section 4 - Stories

Summary of Stories

The Old Testament

Creation - 1

Creation - 2

Creation - 3

Creation - 4

The Flood - 1

The Flood - 2

The Flood - 3

The Flood - 4

Abraham - 1

Abraham - 2

Abraham - 3

Abraham - 4

Lot

Isaac - 1

Isaac - 2

Isaac - 3

Jacob - 1

Jacob - 2

Jacob - 3

Jacob - 4

Joseph - 1

Joseph - 2

Joseph - 3

Joseph - 4

Joseph - 5

Joseph - 6

Moses - 1

Moses - 2

Moses - 3

Moses - 4

Exodus - 1

Exodus - 2

Exodus - 3

Exodus - 4

Balaam and His Donkey

Joshua - 1

Joshua - 2

Gideon - 1

Gideon - 2

Gideon - 3

Gideon - 4

Samson - 1

Samson - 2

Samson - 3

Samson - 4

Ruth - 1

Ruth - 2

Ruth - 3

Samuel - 1

Samuel - 2

Samuel - 3

David - 1

David - 2

David - 3

David - 4

Barzillai

David’s Psalms

Solomon - 1

Solomon - 2

Solomon - 3

Elijah - 1

Elijah - 2

Elijah - 3

Elijah - 4

Elijah - 5

Elijah - 6

Elisha - 1

Elisha - 2

Elisha - 3

Elisha - 4

Josiah

Major Prophets: Isaiah - 1

Major Prophets: Isaiah - 2

Major Prophets: Isaiah - 3

Major Prophets: Jeremiah

Major Prophets: Ezekiel

Minor Prophets: Amos

Minor Prophets: Micah

Minor Prophets: Jonah

Minor Prophets: Haggai

Daniel - 1

Daniel - 2

Daniel - 3

Daniel - 4

Esther - 1

Esther - 2

Esther - 3

Esther - 4

Nehemiah - 1

Nehemiah - 2

Nehemiah - 3

Nehemiah - 4

The New Testament

Zechariah

Jesus’ Birth - 1

Jesus’ Birth - 2

Jesus’ Birth - 3

The Passover

John the Baptist - 1

John the Baptist - 2

Jesus’ Early Works - 1

Jesus’ Early Works - 2

Jesus’ Early Works - 3

Jesus’ Miracles - 1

Jesus’ Miracles - 2

Jesus’ Miracles - 3

Jesus’ Miracles - 4

Jesus’ Taught - 1

Jesus’ Taught - 2

Jesus’ Taught - 3

How We Pray - 1

How We Pray - 2

How We Pray - 3

Jesus’ Cares - 1

Jesus Cares - 2

Jesus Cares - 3

Jesus Cares - 4

Jesus’ Parables - 1

Jesus’ Parables - 2

Jesus’ Parables - 3

Jesus’ Parables - 4

Jesus’ Transfiguration

Zacchaeus

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

At the Temple

Jesus Is Arrested - 1

Jesus Is Arrested - 2

Jesus Is Arrested - 3

Jesus Is Crucified

Jesus Has Risen - 1

Jesus Has Risen - 2

Jesus Appears - 1

Jesus Appears - 2

Pentecost - 1

Pentecost - 2

Pentecost - 3

Paul - 1

Paul - 2

Paul - 3

Missionary Journeys - 1

Missionary Journeys - 2

Missionary Journeys - 3

Missionary Journeys - 4

Letters - 1

Letters - 2

Letters - 3

Letters - 4

Section 1 - Open Air Work

SUMMARY OF OPEN AIR

I have been doing open airs and children’s work for over forty years, but they are really the same. There is no real difference. Provided you understand the difference between adults and children, you could carry on and teach.

When I went to Bible College, I was selected to join the open air team, and I was amazed at the response. But people can choose to come and go, quite unlike door-to-door work.

• People were quite interested.

• Children and adults were there.

• We had a group doing music, painting and speaking.

• People there would hand out leaflets

• We covered more than doing door-to-door.

We were going to all the places where people might visit, the market, supermarket shops, the railway station and the shopping centre.

But the important thing was that the children were there. So if a child could understand, then the adults could follow the story. So I began to realise that you don’t talk down to children; the Word of God could reach them also.

I went into schools doing assemblies and events in classrooms and Sunday School work. It is the same thing, if you can reach the child, you can reach the adult.

OBTAINING PERMISSION

Introduction

In general, our attitude must be one that is subject to the authorities. However, we must obey God rather than men. We must reach people.

The Need for Permission

• Before you go, check out any necessary byelaws.

• You may find that local laws do not apply to you.

• Always have a positive attitude to the authorities.

Remember that sites that you often can get permission for, usually prove to be of little use. Go where people are!

The Types of Sites

1. Private sites, e.g. the front of churches

• Watch that your P.A. system doesn’t have excessive noise.

• Don’t cause obstruction outside the site.

2. Public highway

• Here, the council cannot give permission.

• Watch for obstructions and leave about one-third of the pavement free.

• Don’t use a PA system; the police don’t like it.

• Don’t use an excessive amount of literature.

• Don’t take a collection.

3. Special areas

• There are beaches, parks and shopping precincts.

• Permission for these places can be obtained from the authorities.

Getting Permission

• Go personally and be positive.

• Consider the possibility of taking one or two local ministers along with you.

• Know what sites are available and exactly what you want.

• State clearly what you will be doing.

• Maybe take a photograph with you showing a typical meeting.

• Ask to be allowed to try it once if all else fails.

Conclusion

Never be afraid of the authorities. They are there to help you and are generally helpful.

LEADING

Introduction

Leading is often the most difficult part of an open air. If the leading is bad, the meeting falls apart.

The Objectives of Leading

• To make the meeting a unified whole.

• To introduce the various contributions of others.

• To attract people in.

• To control the mood and progress of the meeting.

The Technique in Leading

• Show you are in control and expect people to listen.

• Bring out the theme/s of the meeting.

• Gauge the reaction of the listeners and act accordingly.

• Make continual eye contact with people.

• Be relaxed and occasionally smile.

General Points

• The leader is responsible for co-ordinating the meeting.

• The leader is the one who decides what must be done with regard to:

Interruptions.

Bad weather.

Any technical problems like paint stolen or illness.

If interrupted by police or other officials, ask for three minutes to finish the meeting, and make sure you do so effectively within that limit.

Conclusion

The art of leading is to be decisive and relaxed, positively co-ordinating the meeting without any sign of authoritarianism.

GIVING A TESTIMONY

Introduction

A testimony is sharing your own personal experience with others. People can relate to experiences of others.

The Conversion Testimony

This type of testimony is about your salvation.

• The before Christ experience what caused you to change your mind.

• The during Christ experience the detail of what happened at your conversion with Christ.

• The after Christ experience the immediate and the long-term results in your life.

The Theme Testimony

This type of testimony is about one aspect of your experiences, for example, what prayer means to you.

• Outline how you used to think of it.

• Describe your practices of it.

• Possibly give an example.

• Tell of the effect of it for you now.

General Points

• Prepare your testimony thoroughly.

• Back up what you say with Scripture.

• Be simple, truthful, positive and enthusiastic.

• Keep to the point and have a positive ending.

Conclusion

The best testimony is that which comes honestly from the heart, not that which is gripping with its lurid content.

PREACHING

Introduction

Preaching is the most important part of an open air. Preaching is the part that makes people act, makes them decide.

The Message

• It must be the message.

• It must be Bible based.

• It must be relevant to the listeners and speak to a need.

• It must have a definite start and finish.

• It must be delivered for a verdict.

The Preacher

• He must be authoritative.

• He is God’s servant using God’s Word.

• He must hold people’s attention with the use of his eyes, voice and hands.

• He must be clear and simple and keep to the point.

• He must be enthusiastic and be convinced of his message.

General Points

The use of notes

• It loses eye contact.

• It gives a poor impression.

• It makes it easier for you to be distracted.

The use of a Bible

• This is off-putting to the listener.

• It gives the impression that you are a fanatic.

The use of prayer

• It loses eye contact.

• It makes the listeners embarrassed.

Conclusion

The message is the man. What you are, how you speak and what you say determine your effectiveness. You must earn the right to be heard.

COUNSELLING

Introduction

Counselling is person-to-person communication of the gospel.

It is a discussion around the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Making the Contact

• Be watchful for a possible contact during the meeting.

• Be continually praying for this person inconspicuously.

• Be ready and discreetly move in quickly after the meeting.

Making a Conversation

• Start by asking questions.

• Seek to diagnose the state of the contact.

• Try to find out the need