Storytelling: Bible Newspapers

Front page of our Kids Christmas Paper

One of my biggest goals in Sunday School is to help kids feel like owners of their faith journey. It’s not just about entertaining them or keeping them busy; it’s about full involvement—getting them excited to dive in, be creative, and really connect with God’s story.

Every now and then, I like to take storytelling to the next level. Sometimes we create illustrated storybooks (like I've already shared). Other times, we’ve made movies or radio shows—like The Elijah Kids Radio Show. And every once in a while, we take on one of my favourite projects: publishing a newspaper.

This Christmas, I decided it was time to bring back the newspaper idea. I've done this project in a variety of settings but in our current church we’ve got a multi-age group of about 35 kids—preschoolers, elementary students, and some junior high and high school volunteers. They don’t all come every week, so our numbers and group dynamics shift, but we all gather together in one big room to hang out and learn.

When I announced that they were all being "hired" to work for The Good News Newspaper, the kids lit up. We started by showing them stacks of real newspapers (some of the kids had never even seen a printed one!), and we talked about all the different sections a paper might have. Then, we dove into the big project: over 75 assignments options to create our own Christmas newspaper!

A Shepherd Relay

The assignments covered everything from reporting on details of the Christmas story to writing advertisements, creating a sports section with camel races and shepherd relays, designing a fashion column, crafting comics, and even placing classified ads looking for “new angel talent” for the heavenly choir.

For four weeks, we've dedicated our program time to this project. Each week, we’ve read a part of the Christmas story together, and then we get to work. We divided the kids into groups based on their ages and abilities. The preschoolers and kindergarteners worked on simpler tasks with a leader’s help. Grades 1-2 worked in clusters with a scribe to jot down their ideas. The older kids worked in pairs or small groups on more independent assignments. And our high school volunteers and adult leaders floated around, offering support and encouragement. Some of the teens even jumped in to help with illustrating or writing their own pieces, which was awesome.

Our program time is about an hour each week and for the kids who finished early, we had a table set up with wooden Christmas ornaments to colour and a few toy bins. These “extra time” options were always the same, but they never got old. There was something comforting about the consistency—it worked for both the kids and the leaders.

By weeks two and three, kids found their groove and started discovering their favourite roles. I’d hear things like, “I’m a reporter—I don’t do illustrations,” or “I’m on the comic team,” or even, “I want to try every type of assignment!” Their confidence and self-awareness were growing, and it was amazing to watch.

Even some of our irregular attendees showed up every single week, driven by their excitement and commitment to the project. It was clear they felt seen, valued, and important.

An imagined candy-themed Inn.

A fun surprise, the whole vibe in the room was totally chill. Volunteers kept commenting on how peaceful it felt: “This is the most relaxing kids program time ever!” And it really was. Each Sunday felt like a little oasis in the middle of the holiday chaos. Kids were spread out at tables or huddled on the floor, working away with pens and big imaginations.

What do you think of the latest Bethlehem Baby fashion?

Right now, I’m finishing up the final layout and editing (AI has been a fun tool for adding extra magic—like creating images to illustrate their articles and turning younger kids’ notes into full stories. One AI-generated gem was a “Bethlehem baby fashion” ad featuring a silk blanket with snack pockets—it was both hilarious and a little disturbing!).

Along the way, I’m tucking in some fun facts and deeper teaching points throughout the paper to balance their wonderfully creative but not always historically accurate articles. For instance, did you know that the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about 90 miles? That would’ve taken Mary and Joseph several days of walking or riding a donkey! Or that shepherds in Jesus’ time were considered humble and often looked down upon, yet they were the first to hear the news of His birth? I know the kids will love discovering these nuggets of truth, especially after spending so much time imagining their own details for the story.

On Christmas Eve, the kids will finally get to hold their finished newspapers in their hands and share them with the whole congregation. Even non-readers will have lots to enjoy with pictures, colouring pages and reading with their parents. After hearing the Christmas story over and over during the last four weeks, everyone will see it come to life again as they read every page. It’s the beauty of repetition at work—they’re absorbing the story in a new way every time.

I’ve done newspaper projects before, but this was the biggest one I've tackled and once again it didn't disappoint. Watching the kids take ownership of their work was a reminder of why I love this job so much. Yes, some of their articles were more imaginative than historically accurate, but that’s okay. In the midst of all the fun and creativity, I think we were laying the foundation for something much deeper. We weren’t teaching the kids to memorize the Christmas story or distill it into one tidy lesson. Instead, we were inviting them to experience the story—to read it with curiosity, wonder, and a sense of discovery. Each time they return to it, there’s something new to notice, something fresh to imagine.

This approach is less about locking the story into concrete, moralistic takeaways and more about opening doors. It’s about giving them the freedom to ask questions, explore what they don’t understand, and even imagine what might have been. In a way, it’s like planting seeds for a lifelong relationship with God’s Word—a relationship that grows and evolves as they do.

By encouraging them to approach scripture with the openness and wonder of a child, we’re also nurturing skills that can carry into adulthood. This freedom to engage, reflect, and reimagine as children might one day empower practices like lectio divina or other contemplative ways of reading the Bible. Instead of seeing scripture as a static set of rules or stories, they’ll learn to approach it as a living, breathing conversation with God—one that invites them to grow and wrestle and delight in its richness, no matter their age.

Next year, we might approach the story differently—maybe with something more contemplative or sacred. There’s beauty in mixing things up and connecting with kids in different ways. And if you’re interested in trying the newspaper idea, I’m taking tons of notes and hope to package up all our materials so you can bring your own paper to life for 2025. Stay tuned.

A Bethlehem Market Food Stand.

Gummy Bears Dipped in Fudge

For now, I’m headed to the kitchen to tackle one last task to pair with the paper... gummy bears dipped in fudge! Apparently, this is the hottest food at Bethlehem’s market—served frozen with chopsticks, no less! At least, that’s what this year’s food critics from The Good News Newspaper are reporting. Figure the readers at our Christmas Eve Service might want to have a taste for themselves to see if they agree.

(Kids ministry really is the most fun job in the world.)