The birth of John the Baptist was a miracle in itself, as Elizabeth was elderly and barren. Once John was grown he prepared the world for Jesus. The Israelites had been waiting for Jesus for thousands of years so it must have been hard to believe that He was finally here. John’s role in all of this was to help create belief among the people. This lesson focus’ on the miracle of John’s birth to Elizabeth and
Many children’s ministry leaders plan to read Luke 2 at least once during the Christmas season. I love story and so do my kids but it’s fun to make set up too. This year we’re going to play reading game the hopes of keeping kids more engaged in the story. Before you read the text together have children take their seats or sit on the floor near you. You can’t randomly assigned parts were right the names
Throughout the Old Testament God said that He would send Jesus and He was faithful in doing so. Through this lesson preschool children will learn that God always keeps His promises. Isaiah 9:6 says teaches us that Jesus is coming and that the will “be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah told of Jesus’ coming many years before Jesus’ birth and God’s people looked for Jesus for many years. Our kids will learn
Title: Advent Lesson- Gabriel Visits Mary Scripture: Isa 9:6-7; Luke 1:26-38 Target Age Group: 3rd-5th grade Main Point: Jesus (make a cross with arms) is God’s (point upward) promised (handshake with yourself) Son (rock your arms like a baby.) Supplies: Masking tape, blindfolds for half the class, Bibles, paper, markers Don’t miss all our free Christmas ideas for children’s ministry. We also have another full length lesson plan on this same passage if you need more teaching inspiration. Lesson Opening:
It is no secret that kids tend to have a short-sighted view of things — easily impatient and frustrated when results do not immediately appear. We encourage verbal gratitude at Thanksgiving time and for gifts, but do not always extend that attitude to daily life. Young and older children (and even adults!) can often use an extra little reminder to be thankful and to appreciate all that God has bestowed. He blesses us beyond what we can
Sometimes we make the message of salvation more complicated than it needs to be. Or we can become so caught up in Bible stories and individual characters that we neglect the most basic and critical overarching element of what and why we teach. At any time of year, but especially in preparation for Easter, it is helpful to review with children how important Jesus is to our faith. It may sound obvious but can be all too
This is a continuation of the previous “Stories of the Savior” program from Christmas. This script is perfect for Resurrection Day, or possibly the week before or after. It continues with the concept that everyone has a story of the Savior. We all have been impacted by Jesus and what He did for us. This program starts with Jesus being visited by the magi and continues through His ascension. It is written from different people’s perspective telling
This Lent lesson explains the 40 days Jesus spent in the Wilderness. It’s perfect for kids to learn about the Temptation of Jesus and what it means to be devoted to God when no one else is around. The lesson download below includes the complete teacher notes, worksheets, coloring pages, and craft ideas. Dedication in the Desert Matthew 4:1-11 Lesson for Lent Bible Focus: Temptation of Christ; meaning and importance of Lent Target Age Group: Older elementary/middle
This lesson was created to teach an inductive style lesson to older students.  Reading the Scripture passage and interacting with what is written, the students will discover that when Jesus is in the temple at age 12 He showed that He was God’s Son who came to do God’s will. More Teaching Ideas: Watch the teaching demonstration of this children’s sermon and related Bible crafts Compare our full Luke 2:41-52 Sunday School See all our Christmas lesson ideas and Sunday School Curriculum Bible Passage: Luke
The winter let-down…Christmas wrappings are hauled away, fruit cake is steadily hardening, temperatures are dropping, and schedules are returning to normal routine. Following the hype and hubbub of the holiday season, the winter months can sometimes seem dreary. Between cold weather and lack of significant events, it’s tempting to fall into apathy in any area of our lives, be it work or teaching or church or even parenting. It is no wonder some animals hibernate through this time!
Sometimes the end of the holiday season leaves us with something of a disappointing let-down. Following the anticipation and excitement of Christmas, there is a sense of anticlimax as the wrapping paper is put away and Nativity scenes taken down. It is important to realize that Christmas is only the beginning of the story, which culminates God’s plan for His people. Jesus was born in a remarkable way, but He was born in order to serve and
January 6, 2019 begins the Epiphany season on the traditional church calendar. Here are some of our most popular posts to help you celebrate the visit of the Magi to baby Jesus. Lesson – Magi and Two Very Different Kings (Matthew 2:1-12) All age groups Lesson – The Magi Worship King Jesus (Matthew 2:1-23) Middle to Older Elementary Lesson – Jesus as a Child Serving Others Coloring Page – Herod and Baby Jesus (2 Very Different Kings) Coloring Page
This lesson was created for a small group of students and focuses on God’s plan for John the Baptist’s life.  Students will discover that God has a plan for their lives. Bible Passage: Luke 1:57-80 Bible Story Title:  The Birth of John  Target Age Group: Ages 5-11 (K-5th Grade U.S.A.) Target Time Frame: 60 Minutes Original Teaching Context: Sunday School Supply List:  Bibles, activity pages, pens, crayons Learning Goal:  Students will learn that God had a plan
There are many characters in the story of the first Christmas, but some get a lot more attention than others. Sure, we focus easily on Mary and Joseph and we celebrate the angels and the manger baby…but God was orchestrating a grand scheme of coordinated actions and motivations. Introduce (or get to know better) some of the “extras” in the birth of Christ with some mock interviews. You may want to have students take on roles and
As we get closer to the Advent season, I am reminded to keep everything in perspective. I can get overwhelmed with Christmas programs, lessons that need to be written, children that need my attention, and just normal everyday life. It seems as we do get closer to the holidays, we get busier. School programs, church functions, and family get-togethers all seem to crowd our calendar so much that it’s hard to enjoy it. Have we scheduled in time
Try this fun way to teach kids about what breaking God’s law means! I do love an object lesson and with so many inexpensive sheriff or police officer costumes available right now, why not? Base the object lesson on 1 John 3:4-5. “Everyone who sins breaks the law in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.” For this object lesson, you need a hat, a badge and
The details of Christ’s birth are well-known, celebrated, acted out, and cherished, especially throughout the Advent season. But what about the events leading up to the Nativity? And what of one who came before Jesus, “unworthy to untie his sandals”? This lesson is a tale of two Zechariahs: first taking a peek back at the Messianic prophet of the Old Testament and then at the story of the speechless father of John the Baptist, Christ’s vanguard and
November. A month of being thankful. We in America take this time of the year to think about our blessings and are thankful for what we have and the people we have around us. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” “in everything give thanks”…This seems really easy, especially when things are going well. We are happy as long
The story of Creation is a familiar story that many churches do over and over. This is good, except, we may run out of things to do with the story. Singing is always a great activity for children. It gets them directly involved, moving, and thinking about what they are singing. This is what the “7 Days of Creation” song is for. I was thinking of Christmas and the song, “The 12 Days of Christmas”, popped in
Lesson Seven: The Way, the Truth, and The Life Main idea: Jesus is comfort and certainty in an uncertain world. Series: This study is part of a 8- part series on the I AM statements of Jesus. Follow that link to find the other lesson plans. Teacher preparation: Read Scripture references. Gather: Bible; dry erase markers or chart paper and markers; 5-10 pieces of string, each between 10-20 feet; painters tape; 5-10 random objects and toys for the
Lesson Five: The Good Shepherd Main idea: Jesus is the good shepherd who sacrificed his life for our lives. Series: This study is part of a 8- part series on the I AM statements of Jesus. Follow that link to find the other lesson plans. Teacher preparation: Read Scripture references, Ezekiel 34:1-24 Gather: Bible; dry erase markers or chart paper and markers; white balloons, blown up and with a sheep’s face drawn on them in permanent marker (eyes, a nose
In Matthew 2:2 the wise men travel seeking the new king of Israel. What they discover is a young child who was God come in human flesh. While they did not arrive until some months (or up to 2 years) after Jesus was born, it was at the star above Bethlehem that appeared when he was born that led the way. This coloring page and illustration can help you teach this Bible story to the children in
Lots of people love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! This candy is so popular that it shows up in new incarnations every holiday as the Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg or the Christmas Tree. If you break out peanut butter cups in kids church, I can promise you, you will grab their attention. It’s a good idea to bring some mini cups for kids to snack on afterwards. The Sweet Covering: For this object lesson, you’ll need an unwrapped
This free Bible lesson is part 5 of 10 in our Lord’s Prayer study. Children will learn to pray for God’s Kingdom to spread here on Earth. Click here to browse all the lessons in this teaching series. You can share your teaching tips and suggestions for other readers by leaving a comment at the bottom of this page. Main idea: God’s kingdom is where we go if we love God and follow him.  Teacher preparation: Read Scripture references,
