Children walk around the room like robots.
When the teacher calls “freeze”, students hold their position and quote the verse together in a robot voices.
A VERY MARY CHRISTMAS
18 awesome songs for kids on this CD: Candy Cane, Angel Band, Camels Are Cming, Go Tell It, Favored One / What Child is This?, Unwrap the Gift, Here in a Child, Sheep Party, Best Story of All, Peace on Earth Begins at Home, Imagine a Christmas, Just One, Manger of My Heart, Christmas Blessing, Christmas Joy / Joy to the World.
Click HERE to listen to song clips.
Order album HERE.
THE BEST GIFT OF ALL - Mini-Musical for Christmas
The Best Gift of All is approx. 20 minutes in length. Easy to perform!
A neighborhood child wonders why her friend’s family decorates their Christmas tree with candy canes.
When they discover she has never heard of Jesus, they invite her to the
children’s Christmas program practice at church where she hears about
God’s gift of love.
You will receive:
Downloadable script with permission to reproduce copies; production
notes which includes flexible cast of characters (11-15); staging
suggestions; listing of props (Christmas tree, candy canes, red/white
ornaments, manger, doll wrapped in swaddling clothes, Bible); listing
of costumes needed (Caesar Augustus, Joseph, Mary, shepherds, angel);
sheet music for the five songs; and MP3 stereo and accompaniment tracks
downloaded.
Click HERE to hear song clips and read lyrics.
Available from www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
ONE-THIRD OF TEACHING TIME SHOULD BE SPENT REVIEWING
"There will be a TEST next Sunday. Everyone be sure and come!"
The boys and girls in your class would not jump for joy upon hearing such an announcement, yet the basic goal of teaching is learning! Acquiring knowledge comes through reinforcement, and reinforcement comes as a result of continual review.
A Calvin and Hobbes cartoon pictures Calvin sitting in class, eyes half closed, about ready to drift off to sleep. Suddenly he sits upright and screams, "BORING!" "UNINTERESTING!" "HO-HUM!"
I've seen it often. The child who sits in class like a zombie, showing no interest, will become almost automatically drawn into a Bible game. Or Joe Cool who wouldn't be caught dead singing or participating in any way, can't resist participating in a game.
"A little bit of sugar makes the medicine go down," sang Walt Disney's Mary Poppins. Her point, of course, was that even things which are distasteful can be made pleasant - in fact, downright fun.
This same principle applies to Christian Education. The primary purpose of Bible games is to review Bible facts, verses, and concepts. Educational experts tell us that one-third of our teaching time should be spent in review!
Application of knowledge is important for utilization. Reviewing helps learning become a meaningful part of a child's life. One way to accomplish this goal, is to teach with Bible games. The components of games are the same as for tests: questions and answers, with the added ingredient of fun!
PRODIGAL SON ACTIVITY
At station 1, place a hat, a bag, and a pile of money (cut green construction paper) in a shoe box.
At station 2, place an empty shoe box to hold the money.
At station 3, make a square of masking tape on the floor for a pigpen.
At station 4, place a robe on a chair to represent “home.”
Let each child go through the obstacle course. At station 1, the child should stuff the play money in the bag and put on the hat. At station 2, the child should dump the money into the shoe box. At station 3, the child should get on all fours inside the pigpen square and oink a few times. At station 4, the child should put on the robe and sit in the chair. Have a helper return the items to their proper stations as children finish with them so they’ll be there for the next child moving through the game.
As you let each child try the obstacle course, listen to the song “Come on Home” from Come on Home album by Mary Rice Hopkins. (Click on song title to hear a clip.)
10 WAYS TO PRAY FOR THE STUDENTS IN YOUR CLASS
2. Pray about specific situations a child’s family is facing and the impact it has upon the children in the home.
3. Pray that your students will do well in school.
4. Ask God to protect your students from negative influences in their schools or neighborhoods.
5. Pray that the children will remain tender toward God and will receive Jesus as Savior as soon as the Holy Spirit makes them aware of their need.
6. Pray for wisdom in dealing with your more difficult children. Ask God to help you reflect His love to those children even when you have to correct them.
7. Pray that your students can positively impact their world, even while they are young.
8. Pray for your students’ safety and protection.
9. Pray for your students’ parents, particularly for the salvation of unsaved parents.
10. Pray that God will someday help each child make wise courtship and marriage choices.
FREE PRINTABLE! 52 Scriptures for Kids Which Teach Values
Click HERE for the free printable which includes a list of Bible verses plus 52 cards which may be printed and cut out.
CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT HANG Bible Verse Memorization Activity
BIBLE VERSE: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).
MATERIALS NEEDED: Construction paper, crayons or markers, scissors, tape or Christmas tree hooks, Christmas tree garland or yarn.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Ask children to draw and cut out Christmas tree ornaments.
2. Write one word from the verse on each ornament. Write the Scripture reference on a separate ornament.
3. Hang garland or yarn on a wall or bulletin board.
4. Let children take turns hanging the ornaments in order on the garland or yarn with tape or Christmas tree hooks.
5. Ask children to remove one ornament at a time, reciting the verse each time an ornament is removed.
CHRISTMAS GIFT HUNT - Bible Verse Memorization Activity
PREPARATION: Find pictures
of Christmas packages on the internet, print and cut out. Using your chosen Bible memory verse, write
one word & the reference on each package.
“Hide” these on your walls of your room.
ACTIVITY: Have the children hunt for the Christmas
packages. When all have been found, line
the words up in correct order on a table.
Say the verse together several times.
Then play “Take-Away” by choosing a child to take away one gift. Say the scripture together in unison. Choose another pupil to take away a gift and
say the verse. Continue until all
packages have been removed and verse is being said from memory.
FREE PRINTABLE ADVENT SCRIPTURE CARDS
DAYS OF ADVENT Family Resource
"LOVE YOUR ENEMIES" - Luke 6:27 - FREE PRINTABLE PUZLE
Click HERE for free printable puzzle "Love Your Enemies" - Luke 6:27. The puzzle uses the NIV Bible version.
BUILD A VERSE & TAKE AWAY - Bible Memorization Games
ZAP 'EM - Bible Lesson Review Game
Preparation: You will need a 3×5 card for each question you plan to ask during the game. Cards say: Add 5, Add 10, Add 15, Add 20, Add 25, Deduct 5, Deduct 10, Deduct 15, Deduct 20, Deduct 25. Then depending on the number of questions you are asking, place two or four “Zap: Deduct 100 points” cards in the container.
Game Play: Divide your group into two teams. If possible, have another adult besides yourself serve as scorekeeper. Each team starts with 500 points. Ask Team A a question. If it is answered correctly, they receive 100 points and take a card from the container. They have to follow the directions on the card. (The card is NOT put back into the container.) If they do not get the question right, the same question goes to Team B and they have an opportunity to receive the points and pull a card from the container.
PLAGUES Song
"Plagues" (Dancing in Desert album by Mary Rice Hopkins) is the perfect song to go along with your Bible lesson.
Order album HERE.
PICK UP STICKS Bible Memorization Game
Materials Needed: Craft sticks and markers.
Directions:
1. Post the day's Bible verse and have the children say it together five times.
2. Ask each child to write one word from the verse on each craft stick. Write the scripture reference on one stick.
3. Instruct everyone to turn their sticks face down and mix their order.
4. On "Go," each child turns sticks face up and places them in order. Read the verse together three times.
5. Next play "Take Away." Line up one set of sticks. Say the verse. Take one stick away and say the verse. Continue until all sticks are removed.
Foundational Statistic: To remember something, it must be repeated 15 times!
HIGH FIVE Bible Verse Memorization Recognition Idea
Wise Man Foolish Man Demonstration Matthew 7:24-27
Before reading Matthew 7:24-27, let your children put 4 toothpicks in a mound of sand and 4 toothpicks in a mound of playdough. Take take the cups to the sink and let them spray water on both. What happens?
These were houses of toothpicks, but each of us are building houses of character. Character is the good or bad qualities we have such as kindness or unkindness, self-control or impatience, etc.
ALL THE PARTS WORK TOGETHER -- The Body of Christ
Theme: God’s family; the body of Christ
Look at your feet. Would your feet totally by themselves be any good? No!
They must be connected to the rest of your body to function properly.Look at your hands. Would your hands be useful if they were all by themselves? No, they would not!
Is there any part of your body that would be good on its own? No body part would be good on its own, because each part needs all the other parts to form a complete body.
The eyes can blink, but they don’t think. The eyes can see, but they cannot hear. Have you ever stubbed your toe? Though it’s a small part of the body, when a toe hurts, the whole body hurts with it. The different parts work together and make up the whole body.
The family of God, the church, is like a body. Not all people do the same thing, but all are important. One person might be like a foot, taking the gospel to another country. Someone else might be like a hand, helping people in need. There are those who are mouths with the gift of singing. Everyone has different talents, abilities and gifts, but as the family of God works together in one unit, great things can be accomplished for Christ.
Discussion Questions:
1. Who at your church in the body of Christ uses hands to serve? (Greeters, people who prepare food, and teachers who create lessons.)
2. Who at your church in the body of Christ uses their feet to help and serve others? (People use their feet to visit sick people in the hospital; they also use their feet when they walk door-to-door handing out fliers about special events.)
3. Who at your church uses their mouth to serve? (The pastor, teachers, and those who offer words of encouragement to others use their mouths to serve.)
Action Step: Make a list of the talents and abilities you have. Make a plan for using at least one of them this week.
Bible Verse: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Suggested Song: “Everybody Has a Body” (Lighthouse album) -- Click on song title to hear a clip.
Paul and Silas Praise God in a Difficult Situation
Acts
16:16-40
Cast: 1 judge,
2 soldiers, Paul, Silas, guard, narrator, person 1 from crowd, person 2 from
crowd, crowd.
At
Rise: Paul
and Silas are standing before the judge, with the crowd of people surrounding
them.
Crowd: Arrest these men! Arrest these men!
Judge: Order!
Order!
Crowd: Arrest these men! Arrest these men!
Judge: What is the charge?
Crowd: Arrest these men! Arrest these men!
Judge: What have they done?
Crowd: Arrest these men! Arrest these men!
Person
1 from Crowd: They
are telling people about Jesus.
Person
2 from Crowd: And they
are doing things that are against our Roman law.
Crowd: Arrest these men! Arrest these men!
Judge: Hummmmmmmm...
Crowd: Arrest these men! Arrest these men!
Judge: Throw Paul and Silas in jail!
(Soldiers take Paul
and Silas to jail.)
Guard: Who do we have here?
Soldier
1: Prisoners.
Soldier
2: Lock them up and see they don't escape. Do you understand?
Guard: Yes, sir!
I'll keep them safe.
(Paul and Silas sit
against a wall.)
Narrator: The guard unlocked the big door of the jail,
put Saul and Silas in the dark, smelly room with no windows. Their arms were chained, and the guard put
their feet in leg irons locked around their ankles so they couldn’t walk. He checked the lock on the big door again and
then left. Paul and Silas were left
alone completely in the dark. It was
cold and damp -- a horrible place. Minutes
went by. Hours went by. Then it was almost midnight.
Paul: Silas, are you asleep?
Silas: Are you kidding, Paul? I’m too cold.
Paul: I can't sleep either.
Silas: Are you scared?
Paul: No.
God never sleeps. I know He's
watching over us. Let’s pray. Dear God, we don’t know why we are in this
difficult situation but we’re going to trust in You. Thank you being with us even here in awful
place. Amen.
Silas: I know what else might help.
Paul: What?
Silas: Let's sing.
Paul: I don't sing very well.
Silas: That's okay.
God doesn't care how it sounds.
He just likes us to sing praises to Him.
(Paul and Silas
silently sing while the narrator speaks.
It is obvious from their expressions they are singing songs of joy and
praise.)
Narrator: So, Paul and Silas began to sing songs of praise
to God. They sang and sang and sang.
Silas: WHAT’S THAT?
Paul: I don't know.
Silas: The ground is moving!
Paul: And look at the prison walls! They are shaking!
Silas: It’s an earthquake! This whole building is going to topple on and
we’ll be buried under the rubble.
Paul
(standing): My
leg irons just fell off! I can walk now.
Silas
(standing): My
chains are off, too! And our prison cell door is open!
Paul: Look!
All the doors have opened and all the prisoners are loose!
Narrator: Somehow the guard had slept through the
entire ordeal! When he awoke and saw the
doors swinging on their hinges, he figured all the prisoners had escaped. He was SO scared!
Paul: Guard, don’t be afraid! We’re all here. No one tried to escape.
Narrator: Still trembling, the guard ran over to Paul
and Silas.
Guard
(with
hands on hips): How did this happen?
Paul: We prayed and sang praises to our God, the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He
caused the earthquake and our chains to fall off. He’s the One who opened the doors. He is the Almighty One. We trust in Jesus. He hears and answers the prayers of those who
believe in Him and call on Him.
Guard: I want to believe. What must I do to follow Him?
Silas: You must ask Him to forgive your sins and
come to live in your heart. Believe on
the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.
Narrator: Paul and Silas told the guard in detail about
Jesus and he was SO happy! The next day
the guard was told to release the men from jail. Paul and Silas learned that even in difficult
situations, they could praise God and help others learn about Jesus, too!
Conclusion: All cast members sing “What Seems Impossible”
from Dancing
in the Desert album by Mary Rice Hopkins.