There are times in our lives (maybe a lot of times) that we will make mistakes. We often find ourselves needing to start fresh, and we can do that every day with God’s help. We can’t clean up our sins and mistakes, but the blood of Jesus washes our sins and makes us new. This message uses cleaning products as an example of how we can wipe away old messes and begin anew in Christ. Baptism reminds
Resolutions…from the Inside Out! Craft Ideas for New Year and Strength in Christ. The start of a new calendar year is a time that finds many people making goals and resolutions for themselves. As Christians, we recognize that striving for improvement is wonderful, but that we can do nothing without Jesus and the true change made by the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. These crafts celebrate the ringing in of a new year, and the importance
Who was and is Jesus? That might seem like a simple and straight forward Gospel question, but it’s an important one to address frequently with kids. This message focuses on the story of Jesus in the temple as a 12-year-old boy. The story reminds us that Jesus was aware of His identity as the Son of God, but also obeyed His parents and was responsible to them as a human. Mary and Joseph thought Jesus was lost,
How do we praise the Lord? Sometimes, we forget the meaning or importance of glorifying God. We think of songs or prayers, but true praise can occur in a variety of ways, and should come from a place of genuine enthusiasm and gratitude. As Christians, our natural reaction to salvation should be to rejoice with praise and thanksgiving. In this passage, we see John the Baptist praise God in the womb, and we see Mary praise God
As the Advent season progresses, we look to the example of John the Baptist, who prepared the hearts and minds of people and proclaimed the coming of the Messiah. John called people to repent and turn from their sins. He pointed to and announced Christ. In the same way, we should tell others about Jesus, how He came and will come again. We prepare for His return by making our hearts ready and by proclaiming the good
During the season of Advent, we celebrate the coming of Christ. We think back to His birth in Bethlehem, but we also look forward to His Second Coming one day. This message encourages children to consider things that they might have to wait for. Great things are worth the wait, and sometimes we can increase patience by doing other things to pass time. In the same way, Jesus is well worth the wait, and while we look
What’s the most valuable gift? This children’s message tells the story of the widow’s mite to remind kids that God wants all of us. The woman in the passage gave just a few cents, but offered all she had. In the same way, we should offer all of who we are to the Lord. Money isn’t all that we can give God. With our time, talents, prayers, and praise, we devote ourselves to Him, just as He
All of the most important guiding rules in our Christian life come back to the basics: we are called to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We are to love one another. These crafts remind children of those beautiful foundational principles. A bookmark reflects the “best commandments” and the “JOY” acronym (“Jesus, Others, Yourself”). A hanging wind sock illustrates how we love God with all of our being. Don’t miss our complete
First things first…all things in life require a solid foundation before work or building can be accomplished. This message reminds students of the importance of this basic principle, using the alphabet as an analogy. We need letters to communicate through language, just as we need rules or guidelines to do anything. What is the most important foundational rule? We are reminded several times in the Bible of the true “Greatest Commandment”: Love God with all of who
There are many miracles of healing that we learn about in the Gospels, all of which can teach us wonderful truths about the love of Jesus. The story of Bartimaeus reminds us that Jesus cares for all people, regardless of social status or physical ability. It also gives us the comforting message that we can call out to God and be heard and known. As with any story of healing, it’s also important to remind children that
Christmas is coming—get these beautiful devotional books out to your families to share the story of Jesus Birth together. This will make a wonderful gift for each child in your ministry. Use these books as a gift to the children in your ministry. View all the Christmas resources at the Sunday School Store. Kids love Christmastime! The stable full of friendly animals. The wise men and their gifts. The Baby in the manger. For spiritual “quality time”
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The rich ruler in this story came to Jesus with the wrong question. He thought that somehow if he had enough or did enough or tried enough, he could earn his way into Heaven. Yet he was not willing to do the only thing necessary in putting Christ first. Sometimes we tend to use this story as a sort of warning against the evils of riches, but that’s not
What would you give up? This children’s message focuses on the story of Jesus and the rich young ruler, who thought he could earn himself salvation but missed out on the most important asset available, Christ! This message challenges kids to consider how we can become distracted by wealth or “stuff”, and forget about the most important things in life. Law/Gospel Theme: Many times, when we look at this passage, we focus on the wealth element, emphasizing
“Me first!” This is a cry that is likely heard by anyone working with children. Kids are often short on patience, and can also be a bit competitive. This message communicates to them the principles that Jesus taught, which turn our ideas of greatness upside down. Discussing this Gospel passage with kids emphasizes to them how dependent we are on God, who is truly the greatest. We encourage children to rely on the Lord and seek to
What does it take to be the best? This is a question that might arise when we contemplate the lives and efforts of sports stars or historical figures. Greatness in the eyes of society usually means recognizing those who work hard, achieve success, and operate competitively. Yet in this Gospel passage, we see that God has different concepts of being great. Jesus tells His disciples that to be great requires thinking less of ourselves and recognizing who
This message emphasizes to kids the importance of using speech wisely. Children experience the impact that words can have, but they don’t always stop to think before they speak or consider how their words will impact others. This message reminds students that the things we say can be a helpful tool or a harmful weapon. Words do have lasting effects for good or for bad. We want to encourage our young people to use their mouths to
Actions speak louder than words…and pure intentions speak louder than outer actions! Children are accustomed to following rules or going along with traditions, even if they often don’t quite understand the meaning behind them. However, it is important to recognize that in our Christian lives, heart intent matters. God cares about what’s inside of us, more than the details of what we look like or do outwardly. This message focuses on that “clean hearts” element, which we
The Armor of God is a fun visual to talk about with students, but it is important to communicate what it truly means, as well. As frightening as it might sound, there are evil forces at work in the world around us. The good news is that we know God protects and provides for us, no matter what. This message uses some protective “gear” to exemplify the importance and meaning of being protected from harm. Our spiritual
How do we protect ourselves spiritually? What is God’s Armor, and how do we clothe ourselves with it? These crafts are just a few fun examples of how to make great visual reminders of the elements that make up the Armor of God. A paper plate serves as the base for a “shield” of faith; a headband makes a “helmet” of salvation, and a paper towel tube offers a great start to a “sword” of the spirit.
What does it mean to imitate Jesus? How do we build others up with kindness and tenderheartedness? Is it a sin to be angry? This beautiful passage from Ephesians emphasizes the importance of genuine kindness. These crafts reiterate the significance of building each other up in love and controlling our reactions to emotion by focusing on Jesus. A “flipside of anger mask” reminds kids that we should imitate Christ, and not dwell on anger. An “anger stress
This message uses a plant-based object lesson to communicate to students the importance of having a firm foundation in the love of Jesus. Being “rooted” in Christ means dwelling in Him and gathering strength and nourishment from Him, just as plants set forth roots and are nourished by soil. It can be challenging for youngsters to fully grasp the metaphor of dwelling in Christ, but a practical visual helps to explain how we can be filled with
The aim of this message is to illustrate for children what it means to have and share compassion with others. Youngsters often have a natural inclination towards self-serving attitudes, but they can easily be prompted to care about those in need, as well. This lesson explains through simple example what compassion is, and also describes how Jesus demonstrated genuine compassion throughout His earthly ministry. Law/Gospel Theme: Students are frequently reminded of the need to act with kindness
We recognize the precious blessing that we are sons and daughters of God. He has chosen us and made us part of His family, which reminds us that we are heirs to His kingdom and deeply loved by Him! These are beautiful truths that children need to know and embrace. These crafts aim to help students recall who they are in Christ and know that they have a special purpose. An “up-cycled instrument” uses simple materials in
What is faith? What does it mean to have faith and to trust in Jesus? This concept is the focus of the Gospel lesson on Mark 5, where Jesus heals a woman with a bleeding condition and a young girl who has died. These crafts celebrate that element of faith and healing. A “healing stick” reminds us that Jesus heals our hearts, even if physical relief is not immediate. A simple but fun puppet recounts the resurrection
