 |
Small Group Warm-up (15 minutes)
Kids build relationships while doing a learning readiness activity.
This might mean they play an interactive game or solve a brain teaser.
They might begin a craft or make a snack. Whatever the activity, they
connect with the lesson, each other, and their Shepherd. |
|
Here, the kids are examining beans that have germinated. Each child
has a baggie with a few beans that are sprouting. They are discussing
questions that help them understand how they are individually growing
physically, mentally, and spiritually. |
 |
Large Group (20-30 minutes)
Opening with brief singing, mission announcements, and prayer, it
quickly moves to the Bible event. |
 |
The Bible event is presented using
combinations of costumed characters, puppets, game shows, drama,
mime, video, or interactive storytelling.
|
 |
For example, this Bible event begins
with “Meet the God/Man” Game Show. They are in a series
studying the Gospel of Mark.
Kids are guessing the hidden word, “teacher”. They will
learn "Jesus is our teacher and shows us the kingdom of God".
Each lesson has one simple take home point repeated throughout the
lesson. |
 |
The Bible event is then presented. In this case a creative storytelling
technique is used. The presenter is dressed as a farmer and has one
sleeve of his coat stuffed with paper and pinned to the pocket. This
leaves that hand free to become a plant growing out of his coat. This
happens as he reads Jesus’ parable of the growing seed and explains
how God causes the kingdom of God to grow in our lives. The “plant”
ends up producing a harvest and in this case it means the hand throws
sunflower seeds into the audience! |
 |
Gordy is the third grade puppet character with a sense of
humor. He is a weekly favorite and helps the main point sink in. He closes large group with prayer. |
 |
Small Group Application (20-25 minutes)
Children go back to their small group(s) to review their Bibles and make personal
applications.
Kids discuss how the lesson applies as they continue their learning
activities. This might mean making a craft or group art project.
They might enjoy a snack or perform a role-play. Whatever they do,
the application is personal, and Jesus is encountered as one who
personally enters our lives and transforms us.
For example, here the kids have filled out “Growth Capsule”
sheets that record some of their simple goals for future spiritual
growth. These will be mailed back to them a month later to remind
them of some of their goals to grow spiritually. |
 |
The group closes with prayer as each child is encouraged to pray.
|
 |
Kids leave with a take-home sheet for their family’s
home devotions: “God Talk at Home.” This will tie into
what they have learned for the day. |
| |
|
FAQs
