July 31st Lessons

9:00am DiscipleLand

1st-2nd grade 
The Bible Guides My Life 9--Faith and Words

James 3

Genuine faith directs believers to speak words that bless God and others.

Verse: 

" Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. "--James 3:10

Focus:

~The tongue is small yet powerful.

~What we say reveals who we are on the inside.

~God's wisdom leads to righteous deeds.

Missionary Biography: Mary Slessor—Power of Prayer

 ================================================

9:00am DiscipleLand

3rd-4th grade 

World Ambassadors Lesson 9—70 "sevens"

Daniel 9

God answers the prayers of those who seek Him.

Verse: 
“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place."--Daniel 9:24

Focus:

~Daniel earnestly prayed for the Israelites. 

~Gabriel brought an answer to Daniel's prayer.
~69 of the 70 "sevens" have been fulfilled.
~During the last "seven," the antichrist will come to power.

Missionary Biography: Loren Cunningham—Just in Time

==================

10:45am TRU

1st-4th grade

Main Focus: God Is the Holy One

Peter's Letter to the Jewish Christians

(1 Peter 1:1-2:25)

Worship with songs: led by Youth Band

Memory Verse: 

" My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."--John 10:27

Bless: 

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."

May our children be holy as God is holy, through the power of His Holy Spirit.  May they stand out as a light in the darkness.

July 24th Lessons

9:00am DiscipleLand

1st-2nd grade 
The Bible Guides My Life 8--Faith and Deeds

James 2

Genuine faith leads believers to perform good deeds .

Verse: 

" As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."--James 2:26

Focus:

~God commands believers to love others with out favoritism.

~Genuine faith is shown by what believers do.

~True faith always leads to good deeds.

Missionary Biography: Mary Slessor—Off to Okoyong

 ================================================

9:00am DiscipleLand

3rd-4th grade 

World Ambassadors Lesson 8—No Kidding!

Daniel 8

God fulfills His prophecies to the smallest details.

Verse: 
"He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath,because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end."--Daniel 8:19

Focus:

~God knows exactly what will happen long before it takes place.

~Daniel  envisioned a powerful ram.
~Daniel saw a vision of a great goat with a horn who would persecute God's people.

Missionary Biography: Loren Cunningham—Growing!

==================

10:45am TRU

1st-4th grade

Main Focus: God's Spirt Gives Gifts 

Book of Ephesians : Spiritual Gifts

(Ephesians 4:1-16)

Anticipate: What's Inside

God designed each of us and gave us a unique combination of gifts. These gifts were chosen by Him and may not always be obvious. When we refer to spiritual gifts these are the parts of our personality God uses to help the church and people grow.

Worship with songs: led by Youth Band

Memory Verse: 

" My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."--John 10:27

In today’s part of the Big Story, after Jesus ascended to heaven, His spirit gave His followers special gifts to use to serve others and spread the good news about Him. God loves us and made each of us special in part by giving good gifts to us as His children.

Respond: Origami Pikachu

Its funny to think of ourselves as if we were Pokemons! We are the same, but different. And God gives us different gifts that grow and change. He is working on us to help us all be more like Jesus.

July 17th Lessons

9:00am DiscipleLand

1st-2nd grade 
The Bible Guides My Life 7--Faith and Trials

James 1

Genuine faith enables believers to endure trials joyfully .

Verse: 

" Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."--James 1:2-3

Focus:

~Faith enables believers to be joyful even in trials.

~God gives wisdom when believers ask.

~Those who perservere during trials are promised with a crown.
~True faith always leads to good deeds.

Missionary Biography: Mary Slessor—Return to England

 ================================================

9:00am DiscipleLand

3rd-4th grade 

World Ambassadors Lesson 7—Daunting Dream

Daniel 7

God will overcome and rule the entire earth in the end.

Verse: 
"Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him."--Daniel 7:27

Focus:

~God's graphic vision of the future troubled Daniel.

~4 bests representing 4 future kingdoms would complete and end their reigns on earth.
~God is the Ancient of Days and the eternal One.

~God's kingdom will have eternal dominion.

Missionary Biography: Loren Cunningham—Car Accidient!

==================

10:45am TRU

1st-4th grade

Main Focus: Jesus Is Master

Paul with Priscilla and Aquila

(Acts 18)

Anticipate: Explosive Growth

After the first Christian martyr, Stephen, was killed because of his faith in Jesus, persecution of the church intensified and many believers scatters. while this seemed like a bad thing, God used these believers to spread the gospel throughout the world, even to the ends of the earth.  The church exploded with growth!

Worship with songs: led by Youth Band

Game: Giant

Memory Verse: 

" My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."--John 10:27

Faith means more than just believing in something. Faith means believing in something so much that you surrender to that belief and let it change your life. Faith is very serious and important. Stephen had faith. He had faith that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died and rose from the dead, and that He is the only One who can bring people into right relationship with God. Because of Stephen’s faith in Jesus, he shared what he believed with others, no matter what might happen to him. Stephen obeyed the one true God, even when it cost him his life.   Jesus also asks us to take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). This is a high calling—one that means giving our lives to Him. Spend some time talking with your kids about what it means to truly live out faith in their lives.

Respond: Getting the Secret 

Stephen reminded the religious leaders that throughout history, God's people never seemed to get things right the first time.  But God never stopped being faithful to them.  This game of guessing what the secret is would take us a few rounds to "get it."  (ex. "I will travel to London and I will bring Larry with me." "I will travel to China and I will bring Cindy with me.")

Bless: 

Colossians 3:1  "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at eh right hand of God."

May our children worship the one true God with their whole lives.  May they serve and follow Him with great joy.

July 10th Lessons

9:00am DiscipleLand

1st-2nd grade 
The Bible Guides My Life 6--God's Gift

1 John 5

God gives the gift of eternal life to those who believe in Jesus.

Verse Review: 

1 John 1:8; 2:12; 2:15; 3:2; 4:13

Focus:

~God's only Son, Jesus, lived on earth as a man.

~God gives the gift of eternal life to those who believe in Jesus.

~Satan wants to deceive God's childen.

Missionary Biography: Mary Slessor—Courageous White Woman

 ================================================

9:00am DiscipleLand

3rd-4th grade 

World Ambassadors Lesson 6—Lion Down

Daniel 6

God rescues those who trust Him and do what is right.

Verse Review: 

Daniel 1:8; 2:47; 3:17-18; 4:37; 5:22, 23b

Focus:

~Daniel openly prayed 3 times a day.

~Jealous officials enacted a law designed to get rid of Daniel.

~God rescued Daniel by sending an angel to shut the mouths of the lions.

~The king issued a decree praising the God of Daniel.

Missionary Biography: Loren Cunningham—Moving Along

==================

10:45am TRU

1st-4th grade

Main Focus: Remember and Celebrate God's Abundant Blessings
Feast of Tabernacles

Anticipate: Prepare for Exodus 

Life in the wilderness for 40 years must have been a challenge for the Israelites.  That's why God reminded them to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles to be reminded of how far God had led them and of the many blessings that came from God.  Today, we, too, should also take time to thank God for His abundant blessings in our lives and worship Him as our Provider and Sustainer.  

Worship with Singing: led by Youth Band--

Mission Trip Sharing: LOL Mexico trip (VBS and house building projects)

Memory Verse: 

" But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."--Acts 1:8

Every quarter, our TRU children participate in the review game of ZONK! to help them remember what they've discovered during the past several weeks in the Big God Story.

Review Previous Lessons:

• God's Spirit Unifies (Ascension and Gift of the Holy Spirit)--Acts 1:1-11; 2
• God Is Truth (Peter and John before the Sanhedrin)--Acts 3-4
• God Is the One True God (Stephen Is Martyred)--Acts 6:8-7:60
• The Lord that Heals (Peter and Tabitha)--Acts 9:36-42
• God Is the Everlasting Father (Paul and Barnabas)--Acts 11:19-29; 14-15

Memory Verse June 17 to August 28

July 03, 2016

9:00am DiscipleLand

1st-2nd grade 
The Bible Guides My Life 5--God's Spirit

1 John 4
God's Spirit lives in, guides and empowers God's children.

Verse: 

“ This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit."—1 John 4:13

Focus:

~God's Spirit lives in believers.
~God's Spirit guides believers to truth.
~God's Spirit empowers believers to overcome the world.

~Those who loves God will also love others.
Missionary Biography: Mary Slessor—Orphans

 ================================================

9:00am DiscipleLand

3rd-4th grade 

World Ambassadors Lesson 5—Bye Bye Babylon

Daniel 5

God punishes arrogant people who exalt themselves.

Verse: 
“But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this...You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.”--Daniel 5:22, 23b

Focus:

~King Nebuchadnezzar misused the holy goblets from God's Temple.
~Daniel interpreted God's writing on the wall.
~God judged Nebuchadnezzar that same night by having the enemy soldiers enter Babylon and kill the king.

Missionary Biography: Loren Cunningham—"Let's Do It"

==================

10:45am TRU

1st-4th grade

Main Focus: God Is the Everlasting Father

Paul and Barnabas

(Acts 11:19-29; 14-15)

Anticipate: What Can You Make?

Paul and Barnabas traveled around the region outside of Jerusalem teaching and performing miracles to the people lived around there.  They showed that God is an Everlasting Father who loves, cares and provides for us.  However, the Jews and Greeks and others who became Christian may have never worked or lived together even if they lived in the same town.  This activity helps us to see how we as the body of Christ, though might not share the same cultures or ways of living, can work together to create something special.  That is what God intended for the church.  

Worship with songs: led by Youth Band

Game: Doodle Art

Memory Verse: 

" But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."--Acts 1:8

God is the Everlasting Father.  He provides for us, cares for us and creates us to work together as His church.  God designed for believers with a special purpose and He's given each of us special gifts and talents.  We have the responsibility to know what our gifts are and use them to contribute to God's greater purpose.

Respond: Who Am I? Worksheet 

God wants believers who have different gifts and talents to work together for His purposes.  Sometimes our talents are obvious, but a lot of time, it is not as clear what God intended us to do and how we should help.   Our natural gifts can be a good starting point to help direct us on how we fit in as part of the body.  But as Jesus transforms us, our gifts and talents may grow and change.  We might even find new ones that are completely given by the Holy Spirit. This exercise helps us to think about the many possible ways we can serve God and His body, the church.

Bless: 

1 John 3:1  "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!  The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him."

May our children know God as their Everlasting Father.  May they rest in His care and unfailing love.