Puppet Evangelism

SIM understands a puppet ministry is a great way to teach children Christian values. Children often understand and respond better to characters. But as you might guess, there’s more to a puppet ministry than characters and a stage.

To revive or begin a puppet ministry, you’ll need to put together a plan, a team, puppets, a stage, and the drive to accomplish your ambition.

Make a Plan

• Decide what you hope to get out of your puppet ministry.
• Do you want a small show once a month ? Or do you want a show that proclaims God’s Word to children on television?
• Either is honorable; the plan will help you and your team agree on what you’re aiming for.
• Do you have a bus ministry? You might present shows at bus stops to promote the ministry.

Your SIM Puppet Team at Church

Your church’s youth group at your village in India may play a part in this step. Recruit four or five teenagers. Surprisingly, shy kids make excellent puppeteers. They often have hidden creativity, and puppetry can even help them learn to socialize.

• Set up a regular practice time for your team.
• Practice at least an hour a week until your team can perform the show smoothly.
• To rehearse how to handle unexpected situations, throw in some wrinkles such as what to do if a puppet’s hair falls off during a show.
• Make practices fun and interesting. Keep kids eagerly coming to practices.
• Videotape practice sessions so team members can see how they’re doing.
• Give team members at least 10 compliments for every criticism you make.

Select Your Characters

Now that you’ve made your plans and picked your team, decide what kind of puppets you’ll use. There are two popular types of puppets.

Many churches in different villages in India use hand-and-rod puppets. They’re excellent for creating fantasy settings for younger children. However, they’re not as great for reality-based messages aimed at older kids.

Marionettes are great for church settings, especially in more serious settings where the comical appearance of a hand-and-rod puppet might be less tasteful. Unlike hand-and-rod puppets, marionettes aren’t bound to the ground, so an angel can actually fly. Two drawbacks of marionettes are that they’re harder to make and more expensive to buy.