During the Easter weekend, the children who attended the GKidz celebration services had the privilege of hearing the gospel in an unexpected manner. Beyond just another Easter service, the children were immediately transported to a royal kingdom upon arrival, where they were all guests in the castle.
After receiving a warm welcome from the king’s jester, the children were introduced to the royal family, and were able to mingle with the king’s children as if they were friends. This interactivity helped them connect with the skit on a more personal level, as they felt as though they were a part of the story, instead of just spectators looking in.
Besides just the fun and games, the children were also present when the young prince and princess ran away from the kingdom, and they were immediately taken on an exhilarating adventure from different perspectives. They explored the dangers of the world outside the castle with the prince and princess, and at the same time, were able to experience the growing sense of worry the king felt at losing his children. More importantly, the children witnessed and understood the great sacrifice the king made, when he chose to give up his prized possession in return for his children who were held captive.
Instead of simply telling them the story of God’s sacrifice for us, the programme allowed the children to experience it for themselves, and many were able to draw connections from the act of the king giving up his crown to God’s sacrifice of His only Son in order to redeem us. This year’s Good Friday message definitely hit home for the children, as they were emotionally connected with the story.
The theme of the programme was presented in a seamless manner, as the games and skit were completely intertwined, with worship being called the “royal celebration” for the king, and with little bags of gold given out as game prizes. For that moment, the children were lost in the experience, as they were absorbed into the magical kingdom created for them.