FAITH CHALLENGE
1
April 18 –
Week 1: Children of God
Scripture: 1
Memory
Verse: “God loves us so much that he lets us be called his
children, as we truly are. 1
·
Through
· Sometimes the world expects us to be things we are not. God invites us to be who we truly are.
· Students will consider what the world says about who they are.
· Students will consider how being a child of God differs from the worldly messages they receive about who they are.
· Students will create two masks—one depicting the messages from the world about who they are and one depicting their status as a child of God.
1. At the beginning of each
class, the Coach greets arriving students and supervises snacks.
2. The Guide and Coach remind
students to write prayer joys and concerns on the Prayer Wall and to place
their offering in the offering jars.
3. As students arrive give
each a word puzzle (attached). Explain
that within each tile, the letters and spaces are in the correct order. However, the tiles as a group are not in the
correct order. Students may work
individually or in pairs to figure out the correct order of the tiles to reveal
today’s memory verse.
4. After most students have
arrived and snacks are ended (no later than
1. Pass
out Bibles and ask students to find 1
2. Ask
students to compare the word puzzle to the Bible passage. Which verse is the memory verse? 1
3. There are a number of ideas presented in this passage. The one on which this lesson focuses is that we are called children of God. However, spend several minutes discussing the entire passage to help students get a somewhat broader understanding of the context. Questions such as the following may be used for this general discussion of the passage:
·
Vs. 28:
What does
·
Vs. 29 What kind of behavior did
·
Vs. 1 What difference does it make that God
calls us God’s children? Answers will vary, but help students realize
that God did not have to call us children.
We could be God’s neighbors or acquaintances. How is our relationship different if we
are God’s children rather than God’s neighbors? Parents love children, care for
them, want what is best for them, do all they can for them. Neighbors might be nice to each other, or
not. But certainly neighbors do not care
and love each other the same way that parents do for children. How does the world think of us? Since the world did not know
·
Vs. 2 Do we change as people of God? Yes,
this verse is clear that “what we will be hasn’t been seen yet”. We are not always the same. We are becoming more like
·
Vs. 3
What difference does it make that we hope for
1.
Prior to class
divide a piece of chart paper into two sections labeled—“world” and “God”.
2.
Ask the class
again what the Bible passage says we are.
Children of God. Spend a few minutes brainstorming what that
means and how children of God might look, act, what they might do. What are the characteristics of a child of
God? Write all answers on the half of
the chart paper labeled “God”.
3.
In the section
of the chart paper labeled “world”, write student answers to the question:
“What does the world say you should be?
What messages, pressures, do you get about who you should be—the ways
you should act, dress, eat, go to school, etc?
NOTE: Leave these ideas up as a reference for next week’s lesson.
4.
It should be
noted that that the sections may have some overlap. For instance, if someone suggests that the
world says we are to be strong and healthy—certainly God wants God’s children
to be strong and healthy, too. But
obviously, there are other areas that will differ between what the world
says—and what we are as children of God.
For instance, the world says teenage girls should be thin, have glossy
hair, stylish clothes, etc and that boys should be athletic and strong. A child of God has traits like God—kindness,
generosity, caring, etc.
5.
Distribute a
collection of magazines, pieces of poster board, mask pattern (attached),
scissors, and glue sticks. Tell students
they will be making two masks—one to show what the world thinks they should be
and one to show they are a child of God.
6.
Cut out two
masks from the poster board—varied colors might be fun. Ask them to look through the magazines and
cut out two sets of pictures—what the world says they should be and what they
are as children of God. Glue the
pictures on the masks and when finished,
pass out two popsicle sticks or similar item. Glue one on the side of each mask to make a
handle.
7.
Be sure to allow
enough time for each student to share their masks with the class. Encourage students to talk about the
differences between their masks.
8.
If time permits,
ask students to spend a few minutes contemplating the attached meditation
guide. It might be helpful to play soft music as the students are
thinking. If there is time, and if
students are willing, you might invite them to share any of the ideas that
occur to them during this meditation.
Any sharing should be strictly voluntary, however. As students are gathering for the closing
prayer time, you might simply ask, “Does anyone have anything they would like
to share?”
1.
Ask students to
tidy up.
2.
As students
gather for the prayer chain, ask them to recite today’s memory verse with
you. Suggest they could mention the
traits of being children of God for which they are thankful as they pray
today.
1. The Coach conducts the closing prayer time. All students and adults gather around the prayer chain. The Coach begins and ends the prayer. The Coach asks each student to contribute a joy, thanksgiving or concern in turn.
2. Close/lock the door and turn off the lights.
1. For
questions on this lesson plan, call
2. The country room should be set up with tables and stools.
3. Prepare chart paper—divided into two sections labeled “world” and “God”
4. Post the memory verse.
5. Make approximately 15 copies of the Children of God word puzzle
6. Make approximately 15 copies of “I am a Child of God” if you plan to use it.
· Magazines—especially those that interest middle school boys and girls
· Poster board cut into pieces that will accommodate tracing and cutting out one mask each. A paper cutter is available in the church office to help with this.
· Popsicle stick, tongue depressor or similar type stick to use as a handle on the mask
· Glue sticks, scissors
· Bibles
·
Faith Challenge Bible Study Notes written by
· http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com
I
am a Child of God
These are some questions and ideas just for
you. There are no right or wrong
answers. No one will read them. In fact you don’t have to write answers at
all—but spend a few minutes in quiet thought about what is written here.
1.
Think
of a time when God was real and close to you.
That is a time when God was letting you know you are a child of
God. Write a few notes to remember that
time. Here are some questions to help
you think:
a.
Where
were you?
b.
What
was happening?
c.
Who
else was there?
2.
Fill
in the blank with your name.
__________________________________ is a child of
God.
Think about that!
3.
What
feelings do you have about being a child of God? How can you express those feelings to
God?
4.
For
some people the words at the top of this page, “I am a child of God” are life-
changing. When you think about times
when you really felt like you were a child of God, can you imagine why those
words might change someone’s life?