Back in November, I was praying for the immanent release of the film The Chronicles of Narnia, that God would use it to touch children’s hearts across the world and re-enchant them with a desire for Someone like Aslan, and that they would be guided to joyful faith in Christ. After praying I was thinking about how our church could in some small way creatively meet this challenge. It occurred to me that we could have a sort of ‘Narnia Club’ at a local elementary school, as a bridge between the worlds of literature and the biblical message. I searched the ‘Net to see if anyone else was doing it. Plenty of people around the world were doing it for their kids in church; few seemed to be using it as an outreach tool without reducing it to a tract; it was even harder to find a good model in the UK to use. But I found a church in the end.A man at Peterborough Community Church (near Cambridge) had developed this ‘course’ for kids over 5 years ago, weaving elements of games, video clips of the Narnia stories, and drama to create an enjoyable, intriguing experience for children that points toward the key themes of sin, salvation by grace, repentance, and faith in Christ. And it does it without manipulating the kids or down-playing our need for the Saviour. This church has equipped us with a resource manual, ideas for games, and practical advice–all for free! What’s really amazing about all this is that we are planning to do this in a Community Primary School. I won’t go into all the fine details about the British schooling system right now, but suffice it to say that of the three kinds of elementary schools in the UK, this school is the type that is most secular, most careful not to endorse Christianity. Yet in the UK such a school often teaches different religious customs and rituals to its students; the line is not drawn as clearly as it is in government schools in the USA. So the wonderful fact is that although the UK is more secularized than the USA, the state schools still have an open door for Christians to come and do assemblies, clubs, etc. as long as it’s not active proselytizing. While this door remains open, believers need to respond.
What a privilege to be used by God in this way! Future posts will keep you updated.
Rochelle said
Hi Mr. Huseland”
Just wanted to say Hi and tell you that we pray for your family. Thanks for being faithful and sending us updates about England. Jessica is graduating this year from 8th grade. She is struggling, but I know God will get her through. She told Bob and I that she really wants to be a missonary. So I am checking out different resources for her to follow that pathway. I think she would do well, she really is a hard worker and likes helping people. Well take care
Rochelle Holbrook
Daniel said
Hello Brian,
This is a message from the other side of the Channel, (Switzerland to be more precise). First let me congratulate you to have open this expression channel (the blog). I’m myself convinced that this kind of system is the perfect way of giving to the world informations different that the usual Tabloïds and TV stuff . This is for the media and now for the theme of this first post.
Here in Switzerland I am in charge of the website for my church, and you now what. On the home page I have just put a text written by one of our pastor. And it talks of this Narnia project !
Sure that Kim and Leila will be ready to help you in this.
Graham said
What a wonderful opportunity! It is strange being an Englishman living in the US – having moved from a very secular to a supposedly (and actually) much more “religious” society. Strange partly because it is OK in the US (particularly in the East and South) to acknowledge your faith and even talk about it, and yet Christianity is discriminated against in US public schools. So, take full advantage of this irony – that secular Britain is still legally nominally Christian, while this United States that was founded on Christian principles is not. You have my prayers as always!