12.6 Family Experience Resources

Joystory - Week 2

At Christmas, gifts are all around us, but we know the holiday isn't about the toys—it's about the joy of Jesus' birth. We might experience joy from opening up gifts, but God gives us even greater joy through Jesus. In this series, our families will learn all about the joy Jesus brought into the world. They'll learn that Jesus is the savior God promised, how God sent Jesus at the perfect time, that Jesus brings joy to the world, and what it means to say Jesus is God's greatest gift.

---

BIG IDEA: God sent Jesus at the perfect time.

BIBLE: Zechariah, Elizabeth, and John: Luke 1:5–25, 57–66; Malachi 3:1–4

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Luke 1:46-47 (NIV)

Toddler Twist:  I (point to self) will give God (point up) glory (wave hands back and forth). Luke 1:46-47

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: Celebrate & Happy Birthday Jesus

DISCIPLE: 

In today's Joy Story, we heard that God gave Zechariah and Elizabeth a baby at the perfect time. Even if it didn't seem like it at first, the promised messenger's birth would align perfectly with the promised savior's birth.

• Have you ever been promised something you had to wait for? How long did you have to wait? 

• Why is waiting so hard? 

• What is one way you can be more patient and wait for God's perfect timing? 

Sometimes, we have to wait for the things God has promised. That doesn't mean that God forgets about us. God invites us to be patient and wait on God's timing. After all, God sent Jesus at the perfect time, and he was worth the wait!

Pray: God, your timing might seem late to us sometimes, but it is always perfect. Thank you for sending John at the perfect time to prepare the world for Jesus at the perfect time. Help us learn to be patient, to never give up on your promises, and to focus on the joy that we have knowing Jesus. Amen.

Parent Devotion

11.29 Family Experience Resources

Joystory - Week 1

At Christmas, gifts are all around us, but we know the holiday isn't about the toys—it's about the joy of Jesus' birth. We might experience joy from opening up gifts, but God gives us even greater joy through Jesus. In this series, our families will learn all about the joy Jesus brought into the world. They'll learn that Jesus is the savior God promised, how God sent Jesus at the perfect time, that Jesus brings joy to the world, and what it means to say Jesus is God's greatest gift.

---

BIG IDEA: Jesus is the savior God promised.

BIBLE: An Angel Appears to Mary: Luke 1:26–38; Jeremiah 33:14–16

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Luke 1:46-47 (NIV)

Toddler Twist:  I (point to self) will give God (point up) glory (wave hands back and forth). Luke 1:46-47

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: Celebrate & Happy Birthday Jesus

DISCIPLE: 

In today's Joy Story,  God's people had waited for a savior for hundreds of years, and God finally fulfilled that promise when the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to baby Jesus.

• Did anyone ever make you a promise you weren't sure they would keep? 

• Have you ever made a promise that you kept? Have you ever made a promise that you didn't keep? 

• Why is it important for promises to be kept?

• How can you show that you trust God's promises? 

The Bible is filled with promises God made to us. God promises to be with us, watch over us, forgive us, and love us. We know we can trust these promises because God kept the ultimate promise by sending us a savior—and Jesus is the savior God promised!

Pray: God, it's amazing how you love us. Jesus is the savior you promised. Now we can have so much joy. Thanks for showing us how much you love us. Help us share the joy we have with others. Amen.
 

Parent Devotion

11.22 Family Experience Resources

Unsung Heroes - Week 4

Superheroes aren't heroic only when they feel like it — they're brave each and every day. The best heroes can even inspire the people around them to be brave, faithful, and hopeful in their own lives, too. In this 4-week series, kids will learn more about what it looks like to see God as the hero of our story as they hear the story of Ruth and Naomi. They'll see how God gives them companions, opportunities, boldness, and hope so they can be heroes, too!

---

BIG IDEA: God gives us hope.

BIBLE: Ruth Marries Boaz: Ruth 4; Revelation 1:4–8

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary: “The Lord your God is with you. The might warrior who saves." Zephaniah 3:17A (NIV)

Toddler Twist: Our mighty (make muscles) God (point up) is always (hands out in front) with me (point to self)! Zephaniah 3:17

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: I'm Trusting Jesus 

DISCIPLE: 

Have you ever heard the saying, "hope floats?" It means that when you have hope, it lifts you and others up. It helps you believe that things will turn out great and allows you to hold on when things get tough. In the story of Ruth and Naomi, there's no doubt that their hope in God kept them afloat through some pretty difficult times!

Think of a time when you were uncertain about something or how a situation would turn out. What would it look like to have hope during this difficult situation?

Have you ever been in a situation where you didn't know how things would turn out but it ended up being better than you thought? 

Where do you think you can get hope when you need it the most? 

It's normal to feel hopeless sometimes. Our problems might feel too big for anyone to do anything about except we can remember that nothing is too big for God. God gives us hope and invites us to ask for help!

Pray: God, thank you for being our true hero! You give hope in all situations. Help us see your hope and look to that when we feel down about something. Thank you for all of the examples you have given of hopeful situations in the Bible and through the people around me. Amen.

Parent Devotion

11.15 Family Experience Resources

Unsung Heroes - Week 3

Superheroes aren't heroic only when they feel like it — they're brave each and every day. The best heroes can even inspire the people around them to be brave, faithful, and hopeful in their own lives, too. In this 4-week series, kids will learn more about what it looks like to see God as the hero of our story as they hear the story of Ruth and Naomi. They'll see how God gives them companions, opportunities, boldness, and hope so they can be heroes, too!

---

BIG IDEA: God gives us boldness.

BIBLE: Ruth Asks Boaz For Help: Ruth 3; Hebrews 10:19–25

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary: “The Lord your God is with you. The might warrior who saves." Zephaniah 3:17A (NIV)

Toddler Twist: Our mighty (make muscles) God (point up) is always (hands out in front) with me (point to self)! Zephaniah 3:17

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG:  I'm Trusting Jesus 

DISCIPLE: 

Superheroes seem to have boldness in volumes. Sometimes, they put themselves in danger so everyone else can be rescued. Because they are superheroes, they can be afraid to show weakness or ask for help.

For regular humans, that's not the kind of boldness we need. Maybe it's not the best choice for superheroes, either. Most of the time, the boldest thing we can do is to ask for help—especially God's help!

God gives us boldness, and to utilize it, we need to do away with whatever holds us back.

For Ruth, it might have been fear of what her community might think of her if they found out what she did. For us, it could be fear of what people might say, worry about making the wrong choice, people who make you feel afraid, or that you've never been bold before. Whatever it is, don't let those things stop you from using the boldness God gives you!

What are some things that keep you from being bold? 

How can you remember to be bold the way God wants you to be? 

Pray: God, you are so awesome! You give us boldness when we are afraid or uncertain of what to do. Please help us to be bold in situations that require us to stand up for you and your people. We want to be true heroes like your son, Jesus. Amen.

Parent Devotion

11.8 Family Experience Resources

Unsung Heroes - Week 2

Superheroes aren't heroic only when they feel like it — they're brave each and every day. The best heroes can even inspire the people around them to be brave, faithful, and hopeful in their own lives, too. In this 4-week series, kids will learn more about what it looks like to see God as the hero of our story as they hear the story of Ruth and Naomi. They'll see how God gives them companions, opportunities, boldness, and hope so they can be heroes, too!

---

BIG IDEA: God gives us opportunities.

BIBLE: Ruth Meets Boaz: Ruth 2; Mark 12:38–44

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary: “The Lord your God is with you. The might warrior who saves." Zephaniah 3:17A (NIV)

Toddler Twist: Our mighty (make muscles) God (point up) is always (hands out in front) with me (point to self)! Zephaniah 3:17

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG:  I'm Trusting Jesus 

DISCIPLE: 

Some superheroes encountered pretty difficult circumstances that somehow turned into opportunities for them to develop their hero ways. Batman starts out only wanting to find the person responsible for his parents' deaths but soon becomes the protector of Gotham City. Ruth and Naomi lost their families and had to start over in a new town.

Have you ever lost something or someone really important to you? 

How were you able to find comfort when you were feeling sad? 

Did this experience bring out anything good or helpful in other ways? 

We don't need to experience tragedy to become heroes. But the Bible teaches that hardship doesn't separate us from becoming heroes. God helps all of us find our way no matter what we go through.

How do you think Ruth felt about the opportunities God gave her?  What about Boaz? Naomi?  We can see through Ruth and Naomi's story that even when we don't realize it, God gives us opportunities that will help us, help someone else, or lead us to trust God more!

Pray: God, thank you for giving us endless opportunities to serve you and others. Help us not to let a single opportunity slip by, but give us the ability to step up and do what we can to help others. Thank you for being our true hero. Amen.

Parent Devotion

11.1 Family Experience Resources

Unsung Heroes - Week 1

Superheroes aren't heroic only when they feel like it — they're brave each and every day. The best heroes can even inspire the people around them to be brave, faithful, and hopeful in their own lives, too. In this 4-week series, kids will learn more about what it looks like to see God as the hero of our story as they hear the story of Ruth and Naomi. They'll see how God gives them companions, opportunities, boldness, and hope so they can be heroes, too!

---

BIG IDEA: God gives us companions.

BIBLE: Ruth and Naomi: Ruth 1; Mark 12:28–34

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary: “The Lord your God is with you. The might warrior who saves." Zephaniah 3:17A (NIV)

Toddler Twist: Our mighty (make muscles) God (point up) is always (hands out in front) with me (point to self)! Zephaniah 3:17

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: I'm Trusting Jesus 

DISCIPLE: 

Superheroes have all kinds of family backgrounds. Take Spider-Man, for example. He grew up with his aunt and uncle.

Ruth and Naomi were a different kind of family, with just the two of them who weren't even really related! But God loved and cared for them just as God loves and cares for all families.

What is something unique about your family? 

What is something you love doing with your family? 

Ruth gave up everything to stay with Naomi. She left her own family and home. There was nothing for her to gain by staying with Naomi. Why do you think Ruth stuck by Naomi?

Ruth and Naomi experienced so much sadness and lost so much, but one thing they never lost was each other. God gave them each other as companions and looks out for us, too. God gives us companions.  
 

Pray: God, thank you so much for the companions you have given us and for sending Jesus to be our best companion! Help us be great companions to others by showing them the love you show us daily. You are the true hero! Amen.

Parent Devotion

10.25 Family Experience Resources

ALONG THE WAY - Week 4

People often say, "It's about the journey, not the destination," when their travel plans don't work out how they expected. This phrase couldn't have been more true for Job, who went through a shocking journey. In this 4-week series, our families will hear from Job's story as he learned to navigate loss and trust God's itinerary every step of the way. Through the story of Job's perseverance and faithfulness, we will learn that God is with them no matter what they go through, they can show God's love in small ways, God is bigger than they could ever understand, and they can trust God will make everything right. 

---

BIG IDEA: We can trust God will make everything right.

BIBLE: Job Is Restored: Job 42:1–17; Mark 10:46–52

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary: “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”   Psalm 121:8 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: God (point up) always watches (hand to forehead) over me (point to self)." Psalm 121:8

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: When the Spirit of the Lord and I Wanna be Like Jesus

DISCIPLE: 

Mark 10:46–52

• This passage is about a time when Jesus made things right. Bartimaeus believed that Jesus could heal him because he knew that Jesus was God's son. Like Job, Bartimaeus trusted in God. That faith made him so sure that Jesus could turn things around for him.

• But notice that Jesus didn't just make things right for Bartimaeus by helping him see. He made things right by letting all the people know that it wasn't okay to treat Bartimaeus so badly. Everyone tried to tell him to be quiet and not bother Jesus, but Jesus stopped and made sure Bartimaeus was seen just as much as he wanted to see.

• This is the way Jesus lived his life on earth. He taught people about God and how much God loved them. Jesus forgave people of their sins and showed them how to live with the love of God. Jesus gave up his life on the cross so we could connect with God again.

• When we look to Jesus, there is no doubt about it—we can trust God will make everything right.

Pray: God, we thank you for loving us. We know that there is a lot of brokenness in this world, but we trust that you can and you will make everything right. When we don't have all the answers help us to trust in you and help us to grow in our faith in you. Amen.

Parent Devotion

10.18 Family Experience Resources

ALONG THE WAY - Week 3

People often say, "It's about the journey, not the destination," when their travel plans don't work out how they expected. This phrase couldn't have been more true for Job, who went through a shocking journey. In this 4-week series, our families will hear from Job's story as he learned to navigate loss and trust God's itinerary every step of the way. Through the story of Job's perseverance and faithfulness, we will learn that God is with them no matter what they go through, they can show God's love in small ways, God is bigger than they could ever understand, and they can trust God will make everything right. 

---

BIG IDEA: God is bigger than we could ever understand.

BIBLE: God Speaks To Job: Job 38:1–7, 34–41; Matthew 6:25–34

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary: “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”   Psalm 121:8 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: God (point up) always watches (hand to forehead) over me (point to self)." Psalm 121:8

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: When the Spirit of the Lord and I Wanna be Like Jesus

DISCIPLE: 

Matthew 6:25–34

• This passage contains one of many teachings of Jesus while he was on earth. People came from everywhere to listen to his words because he revealed truths about God that taught them how to follow God.

• What is one word you heard over and over in this passage? Yup. "Worry." Jesus was teaching the people that worrying won't solve anything. He even asked, "Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" He wasn't just saying, "Don't worry, be happy!" He understood that when you trust God, you know God will show up for you.

• Jesus was able to tell people not to worry because he knew God. This passage reminds us that God created everything in the universe, and even though God is bigger than we could ever understand, God cares about each and every one of us. When we realize that we are in the hands of our big God, we can stop worrying and turn our focus to God. And when we "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness," God will take care of everything else!

Pray: God, you are amazing. You created everything in this world. You are bigger than we could ever understand, and yet you love us so much. Thank you for taking care of us every day. Amen.

Parent Devotion

10.11 Family Experience Resources

ALONG THE WAY - Week 2

People often say, "It's about the journey, not the destination," when their travel plans don't work out how they expected. This phrase couldn't have been more true for Job, who went through a shocking journey. In this 4-week series, our families will hear from Job's story as he learned to navigate loss and trust God's itinerary every step of the way. Through the story of Job's perseverance and faithfulness, we will learn that God is with them no matter what they go through, they can show God's love in small ways, God is bigger than they could ever understand, and they can trust God will make everything right. 

---

BIG IDEA: We can show God’s love in small ways.

BIBLE: Job And His Friends: Job 2:11–13; 16:1–5; Hebrews 4:12–16

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary: “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”   Psalm 121:8 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: God (point up) always watches (hand to forehead) over me (point to self)." Psalm 121:8

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: When the Spirit of the Lord and I Wanna be Like Jesus

DISCIPLE: 

Prepare one medium or large bubble wand and demonstrate different ways to blow a bubble.  

• Airplanes aren't the only way to fly. Some people fly in balloons that float slowly through the air. Let's imagine what that might look like using bubbles!

• But if I want to travel by bubble, I'd want the biggest bubble. How do I make big bubbles?

Dip the wand into the soap, and try blowing a bubble while making vocal sounds like humming, grunting, or whistling. 

• Blowing while making noise didn't produce large bubbles. Maybe I need to do it faster!

Now blow the bubble as fast as you can. Usually, this will result in bubbles that drift off or pop before they get very big.

• That didn't really work either. What if we tried being making bubbles slow and steady without making extra noise?

• This reminds me of our Bible story, when Job's friends tried to talk to him and explain why he was going through a hard time. 

• Sometimes, when someone is sad, we might think that we need to say a lot of things to be helpful, but words don't always help. It was hard to blow a bubble when we made too much noise! 

• Or, we might think that we need to cheer them up, but we can't force someone to feel better. The bubbles popped when we rushed them.

• It can be more helpful when we are gentle and don't say too much, like when we blew the biggest bubble. 

• Sometimes just sitting quietly with someone and letting them know you are there shows the most love. We can show God's love in small ways.

Pray: Dear God, thank you for showing us your great love in so many ways—the biggest way being your son, Jesus. You always show up for us and help us when we need it most. Help us know we can show your love to others in small ways. Amen.
 

Parent Devotion SONG: When the Spirit of the Lord and I Wanna be Like Jesus

DISCIPLE: 

Matthew 6:25–34

• This passage contains one of many teachings of Jesus while he was on earth. People came from everywhere to listen to his words because he revealed truths about God that taught them how to follow God.

• What is one word you heard over and over in this passage? Yup. "Worry." Jesus was teaching the people that worrying won't solve anything. He even asked, "Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" He wasn't just saying, "Don't worry, be happy!" He understood that when you trust God, you know God will show up for you.

• Jesus was able to tell people not to worry because he knew God. This passage reminds us that God created everything in the universe, and even though God is bigger than we could ever understand, God cares about each and every one of us. When we realize that we are in the hands of our big God, we can stop worrying and turn our focus to God. And when we "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness," God will take care of everything else!

Pray: God, you are amazing. You created everything in this world. You are bigger than we could ever understand, and yet you love us so much. Thank you for taking care of us every day. Amen.

Parent Devotion

10.4 Family Experience Resources

ALONG THE WAY - Week 1

People often say, "It's about the journey, not the destination," when their travel plans don't work out how they expected. This phrase couldn't have been more true for Job, who went through a shocking journey. In this 4-week series, our families will hear from Job's story as he learned to navigate loss and trust God's itinerary every step of the way. Through the story of Job's perseverance and faithfulness, we will learn that God is with them no matter what they go through, they can show God's love in small ways, God is bigger than they could ever understand, and they can trust God will make everything right. 

---

BIG IDEA: God is with me no matter what I go through.

BIBLE: Job Is Tested: Job 1–2:10; Hebrews 2:5–12

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary: “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”   Psalm 121:8 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: God (point up) always watches (hand to forehead) over me (point to self)." Psalm 121:8

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: In  You Alone and I Am a Child of God

DISCIPLE: 

Read and summarize Hebrews 2:5-12

This passage reminds us that God was "mindful" of us and cared about us even though we are so small compared to how big God is. Yet, God loved us so much that Jesus came as a human and died on the cross for us. Jesus was made "lower than angels for a little while" so that he could take the punishment for our sins.

Because of this, God makes us holy, and Jesus calls us his brothers and sisters! We are now part of God's family, which means God is always with us.

Whenever you're going through a tough time or feel alone, remember that God made us a part of God's family. Job knew that God was always with him, and we can each have faith and say to ourselves that God is with me no matter what I go through.

Pray: Dear God, thank you for always being with us no matter what we're going through. Even when things might seem sad or scary, we can trust that you are there with us. Amen.

Parent Devotion

9.27 Family Experience Resources

Game Plan - Week 4

On your mark, get set, go! When a shepherd named David became king, it was a whole new ballgame! He had some big wins and some big losses, too, but he also had a great plan for how to overcome his challenges. In this 4-week series, our families will team up with David and learn that making peace, following God, showing kindness, and forgiveness are all part of God's game plan for us!

---

BIG IDEA: Forgiveness is always God's game plan.

BIBLE: David and Nathan: 2 Samuel 11:26–12:13; Psalm 34:15–22

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary:  "But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations."  Psalm 33:11 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: God (point up) always has a plan (hold hands like a book) for me (point to self)." Psalm 33:11

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: When the Spirit of the Lord and I Wanna be Like Jesus

DISCIPLE: 

• Imagine yourself in a basketball game. It's tied with one second left on the clock. You just got fouled by the other team, and now you have a chance to shoot a free throw and win the game! But ... you miss.

  • How would you respond?

  • How would you want your teammates to respond?

  • Now imagine yourself as one of the teammates. How would you respond?

  • Have you ever been in a situation similar to this (sports or not) where you made some kind of mistake and needed someone to forgive you? How did that situation play out? 

• Forgiveness is a choice we make to let go of bitter or angry feelings toward someone else. Oftentimes, forgiveness is followed by giving someone a chance to do better and repairing a relationship. God gave us stories like our Bible story this week (2 Samuel 11:26–12:13) so that we might know how God forgives and wants us to do the same!

Pray: God, thank you so much for seeing our need for forgiveness and making it your game plan to forgive us. Please help me to recognize when I need to ask for forgiveness and when I need to forgive others. Thank you for placing people in my life who can help me understand when I need to look to you for forgiveness. Amen

Parent Devotional

9.20 Family Experience Resources

Game Plan - Week 3

On your mark, get set, go! When a shepherd named David became king, it was a whole new ballgame! He had some big wins and some big losses, too, but he also had a great plan for how to overcome his challenges. In this 4-week series, our families will team up with David and learn that making peace, following God, showing kindness, and forgiveness are all part of God's game plan for us!

---

BIG IDEA: Showing kindness is in God's game plan.

BIBLE: David and Mephibosheth: 2 Samuel 9:1–13; Psalm 34:9–14

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary:  "But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations."  Psalm 33:11 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: God (point up) always has a plan (hold hands like a book) for me (point to self)." Psalm 33:11

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: When the Spirit of the Lord and I Wanna be Like Jesus

DISCIPLE: 

Ask....

• What is your favorite sport? 

  • Soccer

  • Tennis

  • Basketball 

  • Football 

  • Other

• What is your favorite energy food? 

  • Fruit 

  • Protein bar 

  • Pasta 

  • Broccoli 

  • Other

• Somebody said something mean to you a long time ago. They forgot and want to be friends. You are most likely to ...

  • Remind them of their mean words. 

  • Be their friend. 

  • Say something mean to them.

  • Be their friend, but plan revenge.

  • Other

• The cousin of someone who bullied you sits next to you in class. They ask for help with a question. You are most likely to ...

  • Tell them to get lost. 

  • Help them. 

  • Give them incorrect info with a smile. 

  • Tell them what their cousin did. 

  • Other

That last question is actually kind of close to the situation David was facing. It's not easy to show kindness to people sometimes, especially if that person or someone close to them wronged you in the past. Check out what he did by reading 2 Samuel 9:1–13 together.

Pray: God, you are so awesome in showing kindness to us, especially through your son, Jesus. Please help us follow your game plan and look for ways to show this kindness to others. Thank you, Jesus, for being the MVP! And the greatest example we could ever have of how to treat others. Amen

Parent Devotional

9.13 Family Experience Resources

Game Plan - Week 2

On your mark, get set, go! When a shepherd named David became king, it was a whole new ballgame! He had some big wins and some big losses, too, but he also had a great plan for how to overcome his challenges. In this 4-week series, our families will team up with David and learn that making peace, following God, showing kindness, and forgiveness are all part of God's game plan for us!

---

BIG IDEA: Following God is the best game plan.

BIBLE: David and The Ark: 2 Samuel 6:12–22; Psalm 34:1–8

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary:  "But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations."  Psalm 33:11 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: God (point up) always has a plan (hold hands like a book) for me (point to self)." Psalm 33:11

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: When the Spirit of the Lord and I Wanna be Like Jesus

DISCIPLE: 

Have you ever been asked to do something by a coach or teacher that you thought was kind of silly? What happened?

• Have you ever been caught dancing when you thought you were alone or no one was watching? 

• Have you ever scored a goal, scored a touchdown, aced a test, then did a victory dance? Care to demo for us?

David did the most epic victory dance ever! He was someone who knew that making the right choice and following God's game plan weren't always the most popular things. Let's see how this plays out in today's Bible story. Read 2 Samuel 6:12-22 together.

Pray: God, thank you for inviting me to follow and celebrate you. Help me to follow you, even if it makes me stand out and be different. Maybe especially then. Help me choose your game plan every day. Amen

Parent Devotional

9.6 Family Experience Resources

Game Plan - Week 1

On your mark, get set, go! When a shepherd named David became king, it was a whole new ballgame! He had some big wins and some big losses, too, but he also had a great plan for how to overcome his challenges. In this 4-week series, our families will team up with David and learn that making peace, following God, showing kindness, and forgiveness are all part of God's game plan for us!

---

BIG IDEA: Making peace is part of God's game plan.

BIBLE: David and Abigail: 1 Samuel 25:2–35; Psalm 33:12–22

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary:  "But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations."  Psalm 33:11 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: God (point up) always has a plan (hold hands like a book) for me (point to self)." Psalm 33:11

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: When the Spirit of the Lord and I Wanna be Like Jesus

DISCIPLE: 

• Peace can mean many things, depending on the situation, but for our Bible story today, we will talk about peace in terms of agreement and not fighting. We have peace when we choose to work things out together instead of holding grudges or acting out of anger. God's game plan for our lives includes us learning to be peacemakers.

  • Would you rather have a game plan when you do something new, or just go for it without one?

  • Would you rather avoid conflict now to have a little peace, or talk about what is bothering you to have peace for a long time?

• Let's see how these questions will help us in today's Bible story. As we get into the Bible story, try to figure out what "would you rather" questions could go with this story..

Pray: God, you are so great in giving us peace at difficult times. Please help me be a peacemaker with my family and friends. Thank you for always providing a game plan to show others your love. Amen.

Parent Devotional

8.30 Family Experience Resources

Under Construction - Week 5

King Solomon is best known for his wisdom and for building God’s temple. Thankfully, he passed on his wisdom so others could have a strong foundation for building up their faith. In this 5-week series, kids will hear from Solomon and the wisdom he shared about the kind of life God wants to help us build. They'll see that God gives them directions to follow, listens to their requests, is worthy of their worship, and gives them true wisdom.

---

BIG IDEA: God helps us do big things.

BIBLE: 2 Chronicles 9:1–12; Psalm 124

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary:  "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: Ask God (point up) when you need help (thumbs up) and He (point up) will help (thumbs up) you (point to self). James 1:5

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG:  The  Wisdom Song and Firm Foundation

DISCIPLE: Read 2 Chronicles 9:1-12

• God helps us do big things, but what counts as a big thing? Sometimes the biggest thing to someone can actually be really small, like a hug, encouraging words, or someone to just tell you everything is going to be okay. Sometimes these seemingly small things make the biggest impact. That makes it a big thing!

• What are some big things you could do ...

  • For a family member? 

  • For a friend? 

  • For your teacher? 

  • To help your community? 

• Write your ideas on paper so we can remember that we've got big things to do!

Pray: God, thank you for all the big things you do! Help us to go to you when we have big things of our own to do. We know that we are always lovingly under construction by you, and we'll forever put our trust in your guidance and wisdom. Amen.

Parent Devotion

8.23 Family Experience Resources

Under Construction - Week 4

King Solomon is best known for his wisdom and for building God’s temple. Thankfully, he passed on his wisdom so others could have a strong foundation for building up their faith. In this 5-week series, kids will hear from Solomon and the wisdom he shared about the kind of life God wants to help us build. They'll see that God gives them directions to follow, listens to their requests, is worthy of their worship, and gives them true wisdom.

---

BIG IDEA: God gives us true wisdom.

BIBLE: 1 Kings 3:19–28; James 3:13–18

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary:  "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: Ask God (point up) when you need help (thumbs up) and He (point up) will help (thumbs up) you (point to self). James 1:5

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG:  The  Wisdom Song and Firm Foundation

DISCIPLE: Read 1 Kings 3:19-28

• INSTRUCTIONS: Have kids sit in groups of two or three. Present a few scenarios where they need to discuss with each other about what might be the wisest choice to make. Use the scenarios below or create your own.

• What are some decisions that you, or kids your age, might have where you need wisdom? Let's practice using God's wisdom to help us make the best choice.

• What would be a wise choice to make if ...

  • You know your friend is being dishonest, but you don't want to get them in trouble? 

  • You got invited to two birthday parties on the same day and time, but you can only go to one? 

  • Two of your friends are arguing, and they want you to pick a side?

We all need wisdom for different situations we find ourselves in, and God invites each of us to have wisdom. If we ever feel like we don't know what to do, we can always ask because God gives us true wisdom. 
 

Pray: God, we know true wisdom only comes from you. Your wisdom helps us be kind, helpful, compassionate, and fair. Remind us in any situation that we can always come to you for true wisdom. Amen.

Parent Devotion

8.16 Family Experience Resources

Under Construction - Week 3

King Solomon is best known for his wisdom and for building God’s temple. Thankfully, he passed on his wisdom so others could have a strong foundation for building up their faith. In this 5-week series, kids will hear from Solomon and the wisdom he shared about the kind of life God wants to help us build. They'll see that God gives them directions to follow, listens to their requests, is worthy of their worship, and gives them true wisdom.

---

BIG IDEA: God is worthy of our worship.

BIBLE: 2 Chronicles 5:1–14; James 3:9–12

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary:  "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: Ask God (point up) when you need help (thumbs up) and He (point up) will help (thumbs up) you (point to self). James 1:5

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG:  The  Wisdom Song and Firm Foundation

DISCIPLE: Read 2 Chronicles 5:1-12

• Provide a copy of the printable for each of your kids. On each tool, have your kids write or draw out different ways they can worship God.

• The people in today's Bible story finally had a permanent place of worship. You and I can worship God in a building too, like at church, but we can also worship God anywhere and in many different ways!

• What are some ways you can worship God ...

  • With your mouth? 

  • With your ears? 

  • With your hands? 

  • With your heart? With other people? 

Write or draw your responses on these construction tools. It's great to have a tool kit of different ways to worship!

When we learn to worship God in different ways and in different places we show that God is worthy of our worship.

Pray: God, we love to worship you! Remind us to pause in our busy days and worship with our whole lives. You are the most worthy of our attention, love, and worship! Amen.

Parent Devotion

8.9 Family Experience Resources

Under Construction - Week 2

King Solomon is best known for his wisdom and for building God’s temple. Thankfully, he passed on his wisdom so others could have a strong foundation for building up their faith. In this 5-week series, kids will hear from Solomon and the wisdom he shared about the kind of life God wants to help us build. They'll see that God gives them directions to follow, listens to their requests, is worthy of their worship, and gives them true wisdom.

---

BIG IDEA: God listens to our requests.

BIBLE: 1 Kings 3:1–15; Proverbs 22:1–2, 8–9, 22–23

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary:  "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: Ask God (point up) when you need help (thumbs up) and He (point up) will help (thumbs up) you (point to self). James 1:5

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG:  The  Wisdom Song and Firm Foundation

DISCIPLE: Read 1 Kings 3:1–15
Let's practice taking our requests to God. God is listening to us right now, just like God always is. You can talk to God about anything, but let's try a few together. I will start with something to talk to God about, and in your groups, you can each take a turn talking to God about your own requests!

• What request do you have for God about ...

  • Your school? 

  • Your church? 

  • Your family? 

  • Your world? 

• God knows what we need before we even ask. Asking God shows that we know everything we need can only come from God. And when we ask God, God listens to our requests. 

Pray: God, it is so wonderful that you listen to our requests. Help us to have full confidence that you can and want to answer us. Thank you so much for providing what we need and more. Amen.

Parent Devotion

8.2 Family Experience Resources

Under Construction - Week 1

King Solomon is best known for his wisdom and for building God’s temple. Thankfully, he passed on his wisdom so others could have a strong foundation for building up their faith. In this 5-week series, kids will hear from Solomon and the wisdom he shared about the kind of life God wants to help us build. They'll see that God gives them directions to follow, listens to their requests, is worthy of their worship, and gives them true wisdom.

---

BIG IDEA: God gives us directions to follow.

BIBLE: 1 Kings 1:5–14, 29–35; James 1:19–25

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary:  "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: Ask God (point up) when you need help (thumbs up) and He (point up) will help (thumbs up) you (point to self). James 1:5

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: The  Wisdom Song and Firm Foundation

DISCIPLE: Read 1 Kings 1:5–14, 29–35

• Show your family an image of a "Road Closed" construction sign. 

• It's time for a construction break! We built up our knowledge of God's words today with the story of Adonijah and how he missed all the signs about God's directions for the next king of Israel.

• Signs play a big role in a construction zone. Take the "Road Closed" sign, for example. When roads need to be repaved or repaired, this sign helps people know that they can't travel down that road anymore. They're going to need to turn around.

  • What did Adonijah do even though he knew his road to becoming king was closed? 

  • What do you think might have happened if Adonijah had become king? 

  • How did God provide for Solomon and his supporters? 

  • Can you think of a time in your life when God might have given you a "road closed" sign so that you could keep following God and not go the wrong way? 

• How much trouble would Adonijah have saved himself and everyone else if he had simply followed the clear directions from God? His story serves as a reminder to all of us not to ignore what God is telling us but to follow the directions God gives us. God gives us directions to follow.

Pray: God, thank you for giving us directions to follow. We know we can find these directions in the words you gave us and the people who love us. Whenever we want to go our own way, help us to follow you and seek your wisdom first. Amen.

Parent Devotion

7.26 Family Experience Resources

Imagine That! - Week 4

In an art class, you'll discover everything you need to know about using your imagination to create brilliant pieces of art. Sometimes, the things you create can help solve a need or show the world something amazing about who God is. In this 4-week series, kids will hear about some of the amazing things God did through Elisha to help people imagine how their gifts could make a difference. They'll see how God asks us to help each other, God can do incredible things, and how God helps us solve big problems. By the end, we'll start to see the wonderful things we can do when we know God gives us more than we can imagine.

---

BIG IDEA: God gives us more than we can imagine.

BIBLE: Elisha And Naaman: 2 Kings 5:1–14

MEMORY VERSE

Elementary:  "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

Toddler Twist: Jesus made all of us. Ephesians 2:10

WATCH:

Preschool- teaching video

Elementary- teaching video

SONG: Anything Is Possible and Indescribable

DISCIPLE: 

You will need a paintbrush or a photo of one to show your family. Show pictures of famous paintings, like The Frame by Frida Kahlo or Little Girl in a Blue Arm Chair by Mary Cassatt, to accompany this talk. 

When we check out iconic artworks, it's amazing to think they were made using something so small and seemingly simple ... can you believe all that beauty comes from a little paintbrush? It's stunning what you can achieve with something so simple.

But what's more important, the paintbrush or the painter? 

The painter, of course. The paintbrush is just a tool, but when it's in the hands of a skilled painter, it can create a masterpiece. The painter could also find different uses for the paintbrush, like brushing sauces onto meats or dusting off cobwebs. The possibilities are endless.

As Naaman learned, God can do extraordinary things with ordinary things, including you and me. God gives us more than we can imagine!

Pray: God, the Creator, thank you for the gift of your love, which is bigger than we can imagine. You give us more than we could ever know to ask for. Help us notice and remember all the good things you have already given us. We trust that whatever you do or don't give us is always what's best. Amen.

Parent Devotion