Using Comics In Your Ministry. . . .

Over the years I've been building some files that I dig into from time to time as a ministry resource. The files are filled with comic strips from our daily newspaper. I've found that comics have a way of lowering our defenses and getting us to see, consider, and talk about things that need to be seen, considered, and talked about. In a way, comic strips serve as a type of social commentary that can spark Gospel-centered discussions on some of the more timely and even tender issues related to children, teens and life in today's world.

I encourage parents and youth pastors to read the comics on a daily basis. One reason is that the comics can get us thinking about the things we need to think about. . . especially that stuff that's become so familiar that we don't even notice it anymore. . . stuff that we might let slip through the cracks. A second reason is that a comic can spark a discussion of a sensitive topic with parents (if you're a youth worker who is trying to educate parents on youth culture) or with a teenager.

Yesterday, I spotted this "Speed Bump" comic that serves as a great example of what I'm talking about here. This is certainly one that tells us how much our world has changed, while offering a spark for discussions about those changes.

What comic strips have you found to be helpful and have you used?