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Paul's Final Days by Jennifer Tolbert
God tells us that he wants our hearts and minds to be focused on building his kingdom. Once Paul met Jesus, he dedicated his entire life to telling others about Jesus and his plan for salvation.
Paul's life teaches us how important it is that we tell others the good news-right up until the very end! Paul proclaimed the gospel with courage. He did not become distracted on earthly things, but was focused on heaven. He humbly recognized that his abilities and strengths came from God. Like Paul, we need to tell others the good news! You may be good are sharing Jesus with others by getting to know them and telling them about Jesus. You might be like Paul and enjoy writing others letters or sending emails about Jesus. Maybe you could grow up to be a Bible class teacher, preacher or foreign missionary? God has a plan for everyone in his kingdom! Key Themes: 1. We should tell others the Good News, or Gospel. 2. Paul is a great example of dedicating our life to sharing the gospel. 3. God has equipped each of us with special talents and abilities that we can use to share the good news! Memory Verse
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
I Corinthians 9:22 Songs
1,2,3 The Devil's After Me
Books of the New Testament Be Careful Little Eyes This Little Light of Mine There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart I'm in the Lord's Army My God is So Big I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Saint's Medley Story
HideBegin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Good News Sharing Time Ask the kids if anyone has some good news they would like to share. For example: I got a new puppy, Grandma is coming to visit, etc. ASK: How do you feel when you get to tell someone good news? Does it make you feel happy or sad? Is it easy or hard? For older kids, you connect this to telling our friends the good news. Is that easy or hard? 2. Domino Effect Set up dominos in a line or pattern so that when the first is pushed over, the rest fall in a line. ASK the kids if they know what the domino effect is. A domino effect is when one thing causes another to happen, and then that thing causes another to happen. You can also call it a chain reaction. So if I tell one person about Jesus, and they become a Christian, and then they tell someone about Jesus, and then that person tells someone the message of Jesus is reaching more and more people. Let's pretend that I tell just one person about Jesus (push the domino and allow it to work its way down the line). How many people heard about Jesus because I told one person? (Count the number of fallen dominos). That's how God's message can spread to the whole world! Story: Paul dedicated his entire life to telling others about Jesus. Nothing else mattered to him as much as spreading the gospel! In fact, as he neared the end of his life, he had no regrets. He loved and was grateful for his Christian friends. He was proud of the work he had accomplished for the church. He looked forward to his reward-a crown in heaven. Paul's life serves as an example of how to tell others the good news! SHOW the story of Paul's Last Days. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
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What is Heaven Like? by Jennifer Tolbert
Have you ever been on a long car trip? How does it feel when you finally get home? A happy home is very special place. It is a place you know you belong. Your room is designed especially for you-reflecting all the things you like! Most importantly, it is a place where you are loved and cared for.
However, as special as our Earthly homes are, they can not compare with how wonderful our Heavenly homes are! Did you know God has made a room especially with you in mind? Heaven is going to be a wonderful place and hopefully it is filled with people with know and love. I know that I want you to be in heaven with me! Key Themes: 1. God created us so that we could someday live with Him forever! 2. Heaven is our goal! 3. God has a special plan to overcome sin so that we can be with him again! Memory Verse
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
Songs
Books of the New Testament
There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart Heaven is a Wonderful Place He's Got the Whole World in His Hands My Father's House Oh You Can't Get to Heaven Saint's Medley Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Let's Design a Mansion SAY: Let's pretend that you get to design a dream mansion! It can have everything you ever wanted in it! What would you want it to have? Allow the kids to share and make a list. They may say: waterslide, basketball court, a giant video game room, etc. Let them be as outrageous as possible. You could even give some suggestions, like a zoo in the backyard, to encourage them to dream big. Then, SAY: did you know that we have a home in heaven that will be better than even this house? There is not a home on earth that can compare with our home in heaven. 2. Unpack Your Bags What do we do when we visit a place here on Earth? We pack a bag, right? We take things we need while we are there. Here I have a bag of things I usually carry with me while I am here on Earth. Guess what, when we go to Heaven, we and UNPACK our bag. We won't need any of these things! Here are some items I can leave here on Earth, because I won't need them in Heaven. -Tissues: Sometimes on Earth, I get sad. I use tissues to blow my nose and wipe away the tears. The Bible tells me that God will wipe away my tears in heaven, so I won't need these. I can leave them behind. -Medicine: Just like the tissues, I won't ever get sick in heaven. I won't even get a headache! I won't need this medicine anymore. -Band-Aids: My special heavenly body won't get hurt anymore. I don't have to worry about falling down and scraping my knees or getting a thorn in my finger. -Flashlight or Candle: Here on Earth, when it gets dark at night I have to turn on this light to see what I am doing. Sometimes, the darkness makes me nervous, but I won't need this light in heaven. The Bible says that in Heaven, God's presence lights up everything and he shines all the time. There is never darkness. -House Key: I won't need this key to my house. I will have a new house and it won't need a key. There won't be any bad guys to break in to my house and steal my things. I won't need to lock it up. -Money or a Credit Card: I will have everything I need in Heaven. I won't have to work or earn money to buy things anymore. Everything is free! Plus, Jesus said I can't take this money with me anyway. I'm going to leave it behind too. Note: This list is by no means exhaustive! You can come up with some of your own too! For example, you may wear glasses! Your eyes will work perfectly again! Use as many as feels right for you! Story: The entire story of the Bible is map leading us to one special place-heaven. Heaven is God's special place where we can be friends and live with God again! We live here on Earth for a little while so that we can spend eternity with him in Heaven! Have you ever wondered what Heaven is like? God wouldn't leave something as important as Heaven a complete mystery! Jesus spent a lot of time explaining important things about heaven through his parables. He gave us information through a vision he gave the apostle John. He used the prophets, the transfiguration and the psalms to tell us important things about heaven. SHOW the story of What is Heaven Like? EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
Mansions of Gold Birdhouses
Spray paint small birdhouses with gold paint before class. Allow kids to use Gold stickers and jewel stickers to create their own "bird mansion" and talk about how beautiful heaven will be.
Paul's Letters About Love by Jennifer Tolbert
When Paul's ship finally arrived in Rome, Paul found himself placed under arrest of the Roman government. As he awaited his trial, he used his time to write letters to the churches he had visited to teach and encourage them.
Many of those letters can now be found as books of the Bible. The letter he sent to the church in Ephesus is what we call the book of Ephesians. In his letter to the Corinthians, we find the description of the Armor of God. Paul, probably inspired by the Roman guards who stood watch over him, used this to illustrate how we should prepare to battle the spiritual forces of darkness. Key Themes: 1. God's power is stronger than the devil's power. 2. When I put on the armor of God, I am equipped to face any trial that may come. 3. There are two kingdoms-God's and Satan's. We should choose to stand for God's kingdom. Memory Verse
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
I Corinthians 9:22 Songs
1,2,3 The Devil's After Me
Books of the New Testament Be Careful Little Eyes This Little Light of Mine There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart I'm in the Lord's Army My God is So Big I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Saint's Medley Story
HideBegin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Showing Love Object Lesson Supplies: Batteries, Battery-operated toys, flashlights, radio, etc. SAY: Does everyone see what I have in my hand? It's a battery, and it's something I bet all of you depend on every day. Batteries are little power packs that let us run all these things without having to be plugged into a stationary power source. We use batteries in all kinds of devices: cell phones, iPods, wireless microphones, toys. Even cars run on batteries. What other things can you think of that require batteries? There's nothing more frustrating than playing with your favorite toy or talking on the cell phone when all of a sudden - the battery dies! It doesn't matter if it's the coolest, flashiest toy or the most expensive phone available. If the battery goes dead, it's completely useless. Batteries remind me of something Paul wrote about love. In 1 Corinthians 13, verses 1- 3, Paul said, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." As you grow up, you're going to discover the talents that God has given you. You can be the greatest singer, the smartest teacher, the most brilliant preacher. But as you do, remember this battery. And remember that without love, you are no better than a dead cell phone. Source: ChildrensMinistr Deals.com 2. Love Scavenger Hunt from MeaningfulMama Supplies: Printable Print or write verses about love on heart shaped pieces of paper. Hide them around the room. Let each child take a turn finding a heart. Read the scripture on each heart to get your mind's thinking about everything the Bible says about love. 3. Spreading God's Love Object Lesson by Creative Bible Study Supplies: piece of paper towel for each student, plain pen, red markers, cups or bowls of water The point we want to get across to children using this lesson is that - first our hearts are empty without God's love and second that God means for us to share His love with others! Story: When Paul finally made it to Rome, he found himself in chains. However, even though Caesar kept Paul in prison, he could not stop Paul from teaching others about Jesus. Through his letters, Paul ministered to the new Christians and his words still teach and encourage us today. SHOW the story Paul's Letter About Love or read I Corinthians 13:1-3 in the Bible. For older children, you may want to share more about what happened to Paul between the shipwreck and prison. You can find that information here. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
The Armor of God by Jennifer Tolbert
When Paul's ship finally arrived in Rome, Paul found himself placed under arrest of the Roman government. As he awaited his trial, he used his time to write letters to the churches he had visited to teach and encourage them.
Many of those letters can now be found as books of the Bible. The letter he sent to the church in Ephesus is what we call the book of Ephesians. In Ephesians, we find the description of the Armor of God. Paul, probably inspired by the Roman guards who stood watch over him, used this to illustrate how we should prepare to battle the spiritual forces of darkness. Key Themes: 1. God's power is stronger than the devil's power. 2. When I put on the armor of God, I am equipped to face any trial that may come. 3. There are two kingdoms-God's and Satan's. We should choose to stand for God's kingdom. Memory Verse
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
I Corinthians 9:22 Songs
1,2,3 The Devil's After Me
Books of the New Testament Be Careful Little Eyes This Little Light of Mine There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart I'm in the Lord's Army My God is So Big I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Saint's Medley Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Dodgeball (with shields) In this version of dodgeball, we add shields which children can use to guard themselves. If the ball hits the shield they are not out. If time allows, play a version with and without a shield. Show how it is easier to avoid being hit with the shield. Reflect on the Shield of Faith. (from Truewaykids.org) 2. Orange Your Glad You Have God's Armor Supplies: Clementine Oranges (some peeled; some with peels on), Bowls or containers of water Demonstrate how a peeled orange will sink but an orange with the peel still on will float. In life, if we have God's protection, he will not let us sink! In today's story, Paul was protected by God's power and he was able to face lots of angry people who were against him and against teaching about the true God. Paul knew he had God's protection and he was not afraid. (See this demonstration of the experiment.) 3. I'm in the Lords Army Song Sing “I’m in the Lord’s Army” with the children. “Who wants to explain what that song means? Are you really in an army? What does it mean to be in the Lord’s army? When a soldier in an army goes into battle he fights an enemy. Who do you think is the enemy of the Christian? That’s right; Satan—or sometimes he is called the Devil. He is our enemy because he wants us to do bad things and make God unhappy. He doesn’t even want us to be with God forever! When a soldier goes to battle he wears special gear (show some if you are able to obtain army gear). The gear that a soldier used to wear in the time that our New Testaments were written was called armor. Armor helped soldiers win battles. Do you think a regular soldier’s armor would help fight Satan? No, Satan is an invisible enemy. To fight Satan, a person has to be in God’s special kind of army and be God’s soldier. God’s soldier wears special kind of armor.” (From MissionBibleClass.org) Story: When Paul finally made it to Rome, he found himself in chains. However, even though Caesar kept Paul in prison, he could not stop Paul from teaching others about Jesus. Through his letters, Paul ministered to the new Christians and his words still teach and encourage us today. SHOW the story The Armor of God or read Ephesians 6:10-18 in the Bible. For older children, you may want to share more about what happened to Paul between the shipwreck and prison. You can find that information here. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
Paul is Shipwrecked by Jennifer Tolbert
One of the interesting things about Paul it seemed his priority ever day was to preach the gospel and tell others about Jesus. He never seemed to take a day off. Even when he was in a violent storm in the middle of the sea, his priority was to preach and teach.
Key Themes: 1. Paul showed courage in preaching about Jesus in spite of persecution. 2. Paul obeyed and followed God in everything he did. 3. God wants every person on earth to have the opportunity to hear the Good News, believe it, repent (turn away) from sin, confess and be baptized, so they can be saved! Memory Verse
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
I Corinthians 9:22 Songs
Books of the New Testament
Apostles Song Every Move I Make Jumping Up and Down Roll The Gospel Chariot Said I Wasn't Stand Up and Shout It This Little Light of Mine Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Storm in a Bottle Make 1 or more "storm in a bottle" crafts. Demonstrate it to the students and allow them to play with it. Discuss storms. What are some things your family does when there is a storm? Is it scary? Etc. SAY: Remember last week, Paul appealed to Caesar. Now, it is time for him to board a boat and leave for Rome. While he was on that boat, a big storm rose up. Let's talk about what Paul did when he was in that storm. 2. Shark Attack from TruewayKids.org Place some hoops on the floor to become islands. Choose one person to be a shark. The other players are swimmers. When the music plays, children all swim around the room. When the music stops, children must safely go to an island without being tagged by a shark. If they are tagged, they are out. Each time the music stops, one island is removed. Story: Paul was a missionary who traveled to many places. However, the High Priest and other Jewish leaders did not like Paul and considered him a troublemaker. They wanted to stop Paul from spreading the gospel so much, that they told lies about him to get him in trouble. However, Paul was also a Roman citizen and had the right to appear before a Roman official in the court of law. Paul used this right to save his life from the Jews, and also testified about his faith to some of the highest rulers in the Roman empire. Paul boarded a boat to Rome to appeal to Caesar, but along the way there was a terrible storm and his boat was of course. READ the story of Paul's Shipwreck above or read Acts 27:1-44 in the Bible. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
Boat Races
Use recycled materials or folded paper to create small boats. Let the kids race them across a bucket or kiddie pool using straws to blow it on course.
Paul's Shipwreck Find It Sheet from Oriental Trading
Copy of Daniel and the Lion's Den by Jennifer Tolbert
Paul's Trial Before Felix by Jennifer Tolbert
Paul's Trial before Festus and Agrippa by Jennifer Tolbert
For as much good as Paul did in spreading the gospel, he also faced much persecution for his message. The Jewish leaders and the political leaders of the time began to try to stomp out Christianity with threats and persecution. As a leader of the early church, Paul and the other apostles became their primary targets.
Key Themes: 1. Paul showed courage in preaching about Jesus in spite of persecution. 2. Paul obeyed and followed God in everything he did. 3. God wants every person on earth to have the opportunity to hear the Good News, believe it, repent (turn away) from sin, confess and be baptized, so they can be saved! Memory Verse
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
I Corinthians 9:22 Songs
Books of the New Testament
Apostles Song Every Move I Make Jumping Up and Down Roll The Gospel Chariot Said I Wasn't Stand Up and Shout It This Little Light of Mine Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Nose Disease Game from MissionBibleClass.org SAY: “Let’s play a game. Let’s pretend that everyone who has the letters “A, E, I, O, or U” in their name has a disease called NOSE DISEASE. This pretended disease will make you grow an extra nose tonight while sleeping. That would be terrible!!! No one wants to grow an extra nose, do they? Now, let’s pretend I know some special words to make Nose Disease disappear. Would you want me to tell you the special words? Of course, you would! You would feel very sad if I knew the special words but refused to tell you. Who wants to hear the pretend words?” (You could whisper something like “nose, nose, blow away” in each child’s ear). Did you know that Paul had something very special to tell people? Something that would save them from something even worse than Nose Disease? Paul wanted to tell everyone about Jesus because Jesus could save everyone from their sins. Today, we will learn how Paul told people about Jesus even when he was in a courtroom. 2. What is true? Make a list of simple statements that are true, such as a cat has fur, or 2+2=4. Ask the kids how they KNOW that is true. Ask them to prove it. Make a list of things we KNOW are true about Jesus. SAY: Paul was falsely accused, and on trial. He appeared before high rulers. He told the rulers what he knew to be true about Jesus. Story: Paul was a missionary who traveled to many places. However, the High Priest and other Jewish leaders did not like Paul and considered him a troublemaker. They wanted to stop Paul from spreading the gospel so much, that they told lies about him to get him in trouble. However, Paul was also a Roman citizen and had the right to appear before a Roman official in the court of law. Paul used this right to save his life from the Jews, and also testified about his faith to some of the highest rulers in the Roman empire. READ the stories of Paul's arrest, and appearing before Felix, Festus and Agrippa. For younger children or depending on time, you might summarize one or two of them and just read one. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
Choosing Church Leaders by Jennifer Tolbert
During Paul's missionary journey's, he relied on a young believer named Timothy. Timothy traveled with Paul and helped him spread the gospel. At one time, Paul went on to Macedonia and asked Timothy to stay behind in Ephesus. Paul used his letters to write to Timothy. In these letters, he encouraged Timothy and guided him in teaching the new Christians about how they should live and worship.
The new churches also needed leaders who could guide them into living in a way that pleased God. Paul instructed Timothy to appoint elders and deacons to serve the church. Key Themes: 1. Our church follows the instructions found in the Bible about who should lead our church. 2. The Bible describes two types of leaders: elders and deacons. 3. People who lead God's people should live in a way that is worthy of respect. Memory Verse
Romans 10:13-14
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[a] 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Songs
Books of the New Testament
Apostles Song Be Careful Little Eyes Every Move I Make I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Jumping Up and Down Roll The Gospel Chariot Said I Wasn't Stand Up and Shout It This Little Light of Mine Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Follow the Leader/Simon Says Play a simple game of follow the leader or Simon Says. Ask the kids what a leader is? What does a leader do? Name some leaders the kids may know and ask who they lead. (For example, the President-the country, their Principal-the school, their teacher-their class, their coach-their team, etc.) Discuss the idea of following someone and setting a good example. SAY: Today, we are going to learn about the leaders of our church. They are called elders and deacons. 2. Encouragement/Thank You Cards Bring thank you and encouragement cards to class. You may want to pre-address and stamp them to save time. If your class is younger, you may write a simple message like "thank you for leading our church." If they are old enough to write, brainstorm some simple sentences they can copy from the board. Allow the kids to color or decorate them. If needed, they can be finished during craft time too. Story: Timothy was one of Paul's most devoted friends in ministry. They traveled together sharing God's word and worked together to establish churches where new Christians could meet together and worship. However, with all the new churches popping, the apostles couldn't be everywhere. Each church needed leaders that lived and worshipped at that church all the time. Read the story of Timothy and Choosing Church Leaders. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
ActivitiesDuring Paul's second missionary journey, he took Silas and Timothy with him. They traveled to 21 different places such as Philippi, Thessalonica, Ephesus, and Corinth. Some of these places were dangerous and people tried to stop Paul's work. Others, were converted and helped to establish new churches where they lived. Key Themes: 1. The people Paul taught were often different from him. 2. We should share the message of Jesus. 3. God wants every person on earth to have the opportunity to hear the Good News, believe it, repent (turn away) from sin, confess and be baptized, so they can be saved! Memory VerseRomans 10:13-14 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[a] 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? SongsBooks of the New Testament Apostles Song Every Move I Make Jumping Up and Down Roll The Gospel Chariot Said I Wasn't Stand Up and Shout It This Little Light of Mine StoryBegin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Map Tracing Bring a map of Paul's Missionary Journeys. Review the places he visited in his first journey. Show where he will travel for this second. 2. Small Boat Water Play (Better for Younger Kids) Bring a small tub of water and toy boats. Let them float the boats in the water and introduce the idea of traveling by boat and that our friend, Paul traveled by boat to share the gospel. Story: Paul was a follower whose life was marked by devotion and determination. While he faced many hardships on his journeys, he never let that stop his important work. During his second journey, he faced prison and riots. But he also converted people and saw God's hand in all of his work. He never gave up! SHOW the video of Paul's Second Missionary Journey or read Acts 16-18 in the Bible. You can also focus on individual stories such the story of Lydia, the story of Paul and Silas in prison, or the riot in Ephesus. You can find individual lessons for these stories here. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story. Activities
Training to Become a Christian by Jennifer Tolbert
The people Paul taught were often different from him. Like Jesus, Paul used examples the people would understand to teach them about God and how to live in a way to please Him. Many times, we think the churches looked a lot like our churches. But in reality, they were new Christians trying to figure out how to live a completely different way than they were used to living! Even though many of them were grown-ups, spiritually, they were like babies!
Paul used the idea of the Olympics to teach them about training for God! Key Themes: 1. The people Paul taught were often different from him. 2. We should share the message of Jesus. 3. God wants every person on earth to have the opportunity to hear the Good News, believe it, repent (turn away) from sin, confess, and be baptized, so they can be saved! Memory Verse
Romans 10:13-14
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[a] 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Songs
Books of the New Testament
Apostles Song Every Move I Make Jumping Up and Down Roll The Gospel Chariot Said I Wasn't Stand Up and Shout It This Little Light of Mine Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Silly Races/Contests Make up some silly races they can do around the room. Some ideas include balancing a ping pong ball on a spoon, balance a foam block on their head or riding a pool noodle stick horse. They can also toss soft items into buckets or try to build the tallest tower. Anything silly and fun, but a little competitive. ASK: Do you like to win? How does it feel to win? If you wanted to win a contest, what are some things you might do to get ready? 2. Sports (Better for Older) Ask is any of the kids in the room play sports. Let them share what sports they play. Ask questions like, what do you do at practice? Does the coach ever tell kids to focus? Why do you think that is? Is practice always fun or is it sometimes hard too? How does it feel to win? How does it feel to lose? 3. History of the Olympics Research and share some fun facts about the Olympics. You could also highlight some famous Olympians or play some Olympic trivia. Story: Paul traveled all across the known world teaching and preaching the gospel. As he converted new Christians and established new churches, he didn't just leave them behind. He continued to teach and encourage them by sending the new churches letters. In one of the letters he sent to the young church in Corinth, he used the example of training for the Olympics to demonstrate how seriously we should train for Heaven. READ the story of Run the Race or read Corinthians 9: 24-27 in the Bible. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
When believers began to spread the Good News, they used the massive Roman highway system that connected every corner of the Empire. Many of these roads remain to this day. Early Christian preachers, such as the apostle Paul, carried the gospel to cities across the Roman Empire. Some found this new God intriguing, while others felt threatened. However, the Roman Empire also provided the early Church with its greatest obstacle. Christians held very different views than the Roman government. For example, they only worshipped one God and not the pagan gods or the emperor. The Roman Empire began to view the early Christians with great suspicion. This was the situation the apostle Paul faced as he taught about Jesus.
Key Themes: 1. The people Paul taught were often different from him. 2. We should share the message of Jesus. 3. God wants every person on earth to have the opportunity to hear the Good News, believe it, repent (turn away) from sin, confess and be baptized, so they can be saved! Memory Verse
Romans 10:13-14
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[a] 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Songs
Books of the New Testament
Apostles Song Every Move I Make Jumping Up and Down Roll The Gospel Chariot Said I Wasn't Stand Up and Shout It This Little Light of Mine Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Going on a Trip Bring a globe or map to class. If older, allow children to share places they have visited. With younger kids, you may suggest places that may be of interest such as Disney World, the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls or share about some great vacation spots you have visited. Show them how far you traveled to get there and some interesting things about that place. Then, SAY: Today, we are going to talk about an important trip that God chose Paul to go on. It was a missionary trip to teach and share about Jesus. 2. Adopt a Missionary Find a foreign missionary that your church supports. Show pictures of them and their work and show the kids where they are working on a map. Discuss what might be good about being a missionary and what might be a challenge. Take a moment to pray together specifically for that missionary, let the kids make postcards or letters of encouragement. You could even make a care package to send to them. Story: Jesus had gone up to heaven and his apostles and followers had formed the first churches. The gospel was spreading throughout the land. This brought great joy to many, but many of the Jewish leaders and Roman governors were suspicious of this new teaching. Paul, known as one of the boldest teachers in the New Testament, was chosen by God to go on an important missionary journey to spread the gospel. He traveled to Cyprus, Paphos, Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe and Jerusalem. At each location, he preached the good news and many became followers and formed churches in their town. He was also met with persecution and was even stoned! SHOW the video of Paul in Cyprus or read Acts 13-15:35 in the Bible. EMPHASIZE that:
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August 2024
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