CHILDREN’S PASTORS AND LEADERS
DISCUSSION GUIDE
TO THE LEADER
Most of us who attended Sunday school as children, and those in Sunday school today, are
familiar with the story of Jonah and the Big Fish, or Whale, according to your age.
Have your Sunday school or children’s church kids asked these kinds of questions?
• Could a big fish really swallow an adult? Could a whale?
• Why do some people say it was a whale and others say it was a big fish?
• Could a person survive in the belly of a big fish for three days? Really?
• Why did Jonah tell the crew of the ship to throw him into the sea?
• Why did God have a big fish swallow Jonah?
• Didn’t God love Jonah?
• Why did Jonah disobey God?
• Could that happen to me if I disobeyed God?
In addition to these questions, this movie version of a popular Christian stage performance
will answer questions you probably haven’t thought of or even heard asked.
Jonah and the Big Fish is one of the most popular stories of the Bible, so when there are
questions, the Bible is the best resource to use for the answers they need. The movie and
this guide will truly bring the story to life, and help you answer the questions your kids
may have.
Kids and their parents need to know for certain that God loves each of us and offers us second chances. God truly wants the very best for His children—big or little, and is willing to
pursue us when we run and try to hide from Him.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
To the Leader..................................................................................................................................................... 2
Movie Overview................................................................................................................................................ 4
Major Themes of the Movie.......................................................................................................................... 5
Tips for Leveraging the Movie in Your Ministry.................................................................................... 6
Tips for Helping Parents Leverage the Movie at Home..................................................................... 7
About KidzMatter............................................................................................................................................. 8
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MOVIE OVERVIEW
From the pages of the Bible to the theatrical stage and now, in select movie theaters for one
incredible night …
Filmed in front of a live audience at Sight & Sound Theatres in Lancaster, Pennsylvania,
JONAH: ON STAGE! brings to life the journey of this lovable, yet stubborn prophet. Ideal
for the whole family, this spectacular performance offers delightful humor, cinematic music,
massive sets, amazing costumes, and a breath-taking underwater scene featuring a huge
40-foot whale—with one big appetite!
When God calls Jonah to offer mercy and forgiveness to the people of Nineveh, he runs
straight … in the opposite direction! As is often the case, one bad choice leads to another
and soon Jonah’s “get-away” ship is on the verge of destruction amidst a terrible storm. To
save themselves, the ship’s crew tosses Jonah overboard … and into the waiting mouth of
one ginormous fish.
But as Jonah discovers, God is always willing to offer anyone another chance—Ninevites
and run-away prophets alike! Experience the hit musical that more than 1 million people
have enjoyed at Sight & Sound as JONAH: ON STAGE! plays in select cinemas for a special
encore matinee on Saturday, June 3.
Learn more at JonahOnStageMovie.com.
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MAJOR THEMES OF THE MOVIE
• Jonah ran from God when He told Jonah to go to Nineveh and prophesy to the evil people
there. Jonah ran the opposite direction; as a result of his disobedience, he ended up in the
belly of a big fish.
• Jonah ran to God, and prayed in Jonah 2:2, “In my distress I cried out to the Lord, and He
heard me; out of the darkness God heard my voice.” God caused the big fish to vomit
Jonah onto dry ground.
•Jonah began running with God. Because he finally obeyed and preached to Nineveh as
God had told him, the result was that the people of Nineveh repented and turned to God.
• Jonah ran against God when he showed his prejudice against the people of Nineveh.
•An overarching theme throughout the Bible story and this production is God’s infinite
mercy for all of us—and our reluctance to share mercy with others, especially to those with
whom we disagree. A question we might ask ourselves and our kids is this: Can you rejoice
when God blesses someone—even your enemy?
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TIPS FOR LEVERAGING THE
MOVIE IN YOUR MINISTRY
•Working with your senior/lead pastor, schedule a series of multiple weeks (or even just
one week) where the sermon topic in the worship service coincides with what the kids are
learning so the whole family is learning about Jonah and the deeper themes and meanings
of his story. Perhaps looking at a chapter a week (4 weeks in total) would make it easiest
for your pastor, your teachers, and the parents who are learning the deeper themes of
Jonah’s story, and will all be ready to answer the inevitable questions kids come up with.
•The on-stage scenery you will see in the movie is spectacular, and if you have someone
in your church who can paint scenes on your walls, or decorate rooms with articles found
near the water, it would add so much to the whole experience. If you normally have cookies
and punch for your kids, check out the index of Tina Houser’s book, More Than Cookies
and Punch, to see what she suggests when you study Jonah’s story. Engaging kids with
making their treat for the day, while retelling the story of Jonah helps them retain the
theme for that day.
• Plan on a family group outing to see JONAH: ON STAGE! at your local movie theater on
Saturday, June 3. Have materials and tips to hand out to parents so they can talk with their
kids about the main theme, the chapter of Jonah you are studying that week. Who knows?
Perhaps you’ll be able to help a parent realize how much they need God in his or her life.
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TIPS FOR HELPING PARENTS
LEVERAGE THE MOVIE AT HOME
As a Children’s Pastor or leader, you probably have more confidence than a parent might in
talking about Jonah and how his running from God, and his prejudice toward the people of
Nineveh went against God’s teachings. Parents may not be aware of the deeper meanings
found in Jonah’s story. Providing tips, helps and ideas to teach their kids at home regarding
his story will be greatly appreciated.
•Sometimes the biggest source of fear for kids and adults is the unknown. Reading about
Jonah’s punishment for disobeying God may be a little frightening for kids … and parents.
Studying the four short chapters together, looking for the deeper meanings, can be a
great resource for each family
•Parents can use a family devotional on Jonah’s story to help introduce and expound on
truths from the Bible. Tina and Ray Houser have put together Egermeier’s Family Devotional
- Old Testament and one for the New Testament. You can find these through KidzMatter.com
or at Warnerpress.org.
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S PEC I A L E N CO R E M ATI N E E
SATU RDAY, J U NE 3
J o n a h O n S t a g e M ov i e . c o m
ABOUT KIDZMATTER
KidzMatter partners with those who minister to kids and families in the church to make an
eternal impact in the lives of those kids and families. We’re here to help you. We don’t care
if you have been in the ministry for 50 years or 5 minutes. We have the tools and the knowhow to help you reach kids and families. We’re all in this together.
At KidzMatter, we keep the Gospel at the center of what we do; we are friendly and
professional; we don’t produce anything we wouldn’t use ourselves; we are encouraging;
and we are responsible with the resources God has given us.
kidzmatter.com
© Sight & Sound Theatres. All rights reserved.
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