Show me some examples of teaching the key tool of Framing
Session 3.2 · Note 4
Teaching Framing
The second Key Tool is ‘Framing’. Framing is when we help people make sense of God in their lives and in the world by explaining things. It doesn’t just apply to overtly spiritual things like worship - we can frame who God is in ordinary life too: when you are happy or depressed, at work or at school, when you are facing something new or don’t know what’s happened. Framing is important because it helps people see God’s relevance and power and potential in their own lives.
Parents and carers will understand more about who God is and what he does when you frame things for them. It will also help them learn how they can use framing to help their kids understand God too. There are lots of ways to incorporate framing simply into your session or service. When you tell a bible story you can stop and say, ‘I wonder what God was doing when Daniel was shut in with the lions?’ Before you sing songs, you can say, ‘When we sing these songs, we’re telling God how amazing he is.’ You can use the four-step question tool in a talk at Muddy Church, encouraging people to add their ideas.
Key Ideas
- Some examples of what this might look like:
- We can use framing to help us talk about God in the everyday e.g. ‘Exams are really tough. But God just wants you to do your best. He’s got good plans for you, regardless of your results’.
- The Parenting for Faith website has a simple four step process to help people answer any question about God. People have many questions about God, the bible and faith, and this four step Questions Tool helps people think about the question well. You can use this as part of a teaching section or if people have specific questions.
- We can use framing to help us make sense of the Bible – putting bible stories in context and using wondering questions to help people think about the part God was playing in the story.
- We can use framing to help people make sense of the church service e.g. ‘When the priest bows like that, he’s showing that God is his king’
- We can use framing to add the ‘whys’ to the ‘whats’ of Christian activity e.g. ‘when we give to charity, it’s like we’re remembering what God said about helping the poor and needy’.
- We can use framing to help start conversations about God in small groups.
- For ideas on how you can learn more about Framing see the first question in this section.
Find out more
- People have many questions about God, the bible and faith, and this four step Questions Tool helps people think about the question well.
- We can use framing to help us make sense of the Bible.
- We can use framing to help people make sense of the church service.
- We can use framing to add the ‘whys’ to the ‘whats’ of Christian activity.
- We can use framing to help start conversations about God in small groups.
- Frequently asked questions about Framing and additional needs.
- How Framing helps with big questions about God and suffering.
- Why Framing is so helpful for apologetics and big questions.
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