Junior Soldiers FAITH! Consider & Prepare. Unit 6 : Lesson 1

Transcription

1 Junior Soldiers Unit 6 : Lesson 1 FAITH! PURPOSE : For the children to discuss faith and to explore what faith looks like in relation to the story of Abraham. Read: Hebrews 11:1 3, 8 16, Genesis 12 Genesis 22 Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see.. Hebrews 11:1 Consider & Prepare One of the greatest figures in religious history is Abraham; he is honoured in the Christian faith, Judaism and Islam. Abraham is particularly respected for his faith simple but strong that flowed through every aspect of his living. Note, however, that this does not mean he was perfect. Like all of us, Abraham made mistakes and sometimes strayed from a close relationship with God. His story is a very human story of faith and, in many ways, a very humble one. Abraham was not a king or politician, he was not an academic or famous author, he did not win wars or perform miracles yet his faith and willingness to obey God changed history and affected the destiny of millions. God can use individuals and single decisions to impact many people. Even in our own lives, helping a neighbour with a simple task one day may lead to a closer relationship, an enquiry about faith and, with time, their own conversion and possibly that of their whole family. A simple act of kindness with eternal ramifications. To have faith doesn t suggest or imply the end of a Christian journey it signifies a start. Once we claim Christ as our own, we are then called by scripture to live lives of faith. We must act in the world. We must impact people for God. We must take numerous leaps of faith in our lifestyle, relationships and behaviour. This lesson will help the children to explore what a life of faith looks like. What you will need: For Connecting In Check the activities for the things don t make sense section. When you have made your choice about which activity you will do, make sure that you have identified any items you may need. A range of seeds and bulbs. A pot with some soil in it, a container of water and a plant or flower.

2 For The Main Thing A copy of Horton Hears a Who (optional) Bible Butchers paper Textas For Tying In A range of holiday brochures (pay a visit to a travel agent and ask if there are any out-of-date ones that you can have or put a note out to the members of your church asking for ones they have finished with) A3 white paper Glue sticks Scissors Textas You may also like to have a computer or ipad available with internet access For Print off the cards for each child. Connecting In Things that don t make sense Below are some suggestions of things that don t make sense, this includes some images that you could use or some experiments that you can do with the children. Depending on what you choose to use will depend on what items that you will need so check the activity for all the materials that you will need prior. Use some optical illusions that don t make sense. If you Google for images with the title impossible optical illusions you will find plenty to choose from. Print some out A4 size (or A3, even better, if the image can be used that big without distortion) to show the children. For example: There are two links below of things that don t make sense sucking an egg into a bottle and piercing a balloon without popping it:

3 Link We have been looking at some pictures or experiments of things that we would say don t make sense. Who would have thought that we could suck and egg into a bottle without cutting it up into little pieces? There are often things that happen in our world that don t make sense, some of those things are in relation to God and the plan that He has for us. Today we are going to explore the story of Abraham and how he had faith in God to be obedient to what God had planned for him even if it didn t make sense to Abraham. What a lot of seeds For this activity you will need a range of seeds and bulbs. It would also be good to have a pot with some soil in it, a container of water and a plant or flower. Show the seeds/bulbs to the children on a table or large sheet of paper. Ask the children to guess what they think that each seed/bulb might grow into. If we leave the seed in the packet on the bench what would happen to it? What does a seed/bulb need to grow? (soil, water, sun) How do we know that? We need to be active; we need to do things for the seeds to help them grow. But how does the seed actually grow? Is it anything that we do? We believe that when we plant the seeds that they will become plants. Link We have been talking about seeds and what they need to grow. Looking at something like this (hold up a seed/bulb), we wonder how a tree or a flower or some sort of plant is going to come from it. To look at the seed it doesn t really make sense to think that a flower or tree is going to come out of it; that if you put the seed in the ground and with a bit of water and sunshine something amazing can happen. We know though, from books and experience, that if a seed is put in the soil, watered and if it has some sunshine, that something will grow from it. We believe and have faith that this will happen even thought to look at this little seed or bulb it doesn t make sense. There are often things that happen especially in relation to God that don t make sense. Today we are going to explore the story of Abraham and how he had faith in God to be obedient to what God had planned for him even if it didn t seem to make sense. The Main Thing Faith I wonder if any of you have read the book or seen the movie Horton Hears a Who? (You may like to watch a clip from the movie or even watch the whole movie the week before you do the lesson. This is a great movie for exploring the topic of faith. Below is a brief outline of the movie for those who might not have seen it. This, along with the questions below, will help the children to engage with the content of the movie and the topic of faith.) Storyline: One day, Horton the elephant hears a cry from help coming from a speck of dust. Even though he can t see anyone on the speck, he decides to help it. As it turns out, the speck of dust is home to the Whos, who live in their city of Whoville. Horton agrees to help protect the Whos and their home, but this gives him nothing but torment from his neighbors, who refuse to believe that anything could survive on the speck. Still, Horton stands by the motto that, After all, a person is a person, no matter how small. Written by Griffin84 What did you love about the movie? How did Horton try to communicate to others what he believed? Horton had faith that there was a town on this tiny clover even though he could not see it. I wonder, if Horton or someone else had told you this, would you have believed them or thought they were crazy? What he was saying just didn t make any sense. I wonder if there has been something that you believed in and had faith that it was real but you had difficulty trying to tell or convince others about it. (Give the children an opportunity to share, you might also like to share something from your own journey too.)

4 We live in a world where some people won t believe something until they can see it, test it, prove it and take it apart to see how it works. But this is not the only way or reason to believe something. Horton just knew that there were people in Whoville. He couldn t prove it, but he believed it. In Abraham s story, some things seemed to make sense and some things didn t. For the things that seemed unusual or odd, Abraham had to decide if he would ignore or avoid them, or if he would trust God after all, if God knew what He was doing, shouldn t Abraham just have faith that everything would work out okay? Read together: Hebrews 11:1 3, 8 16, (you can do this as a whole group or in three small groups). Look at the following questions for the whole reading or just for your section. (On some butchers paper get the children to divide it down the middle and explore both side in relation to the passage.) What makes sense in this passage? What doesn t make sense in this passage? (It is important to get the children to think about this story in relation to their lives and what they would do if God asked them to do these things. It is easy to think that all this stuff makes sense in relation to the story of Abraham because that is what we might have grown up hearing, but if it was our lives would it make sense to pack up everything and move to another country just because God told you to?) If you have divided into groups and are looking at parts of the passage, come together and share your section with the other groups. Faith and believing in God doesn t always make sense, especially to others. There are times when things seem clear to us and we have faith that that is exactly what God wants of us and where He is leading us, but to others this can look crazy and not make sense. Reinforce with the children the first verse from Hebrews chapter 11: Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see. Mother Teresa was a nun who worked in Calcutta in India for many, many years. She worked with very poor people, sick people, homeless people and people who had no hope or future. Even though Mother Teresa became a very famous person, she was always very humble and knew that she could only do what she did because God was using her. At one stage, she said: We can do no great things, only small things with great love. Abraham, too, never claimed to be great or famous, he simply wanted to be used by God. His faith in God was stronger than what people without faith may have said about the way he lived. He was a strong man of faith even when the world (i.e. people) thought he was just plain wrong. What God said to Abraham Pack up and leave Have a baby Sacrifice your son What the world says Stay, be comfortable That s impossible That s wrong Similarly, for all Christians even today, the world sometimes doesn t understand how Christians live and believe: What Christians believe Serve others and treat them well Jesus teachings have stood for 2,000 years We choose to depend on God Church is about community and relationships Faith is a way to believe things Giving to those in need is good Reflection, peace, calm, silence What the world says Do what s best for yourself; you re number one Old stuff is bad, new stuff is best Don t depend on anyone, be your own person Individualism is the key; you don t need other people Only believe what can be scientifically tested Wealth wins; the more I have, the better Be busy, noisy, occupied, in a hurry

5 Tying In Planning a holiday For this activity you will need a range of holiday brochures (pay a visit to a travel agent and ask if there are any out-of-date ones that you can have or put a note out to the members of your church asking for ones they have finished with), sheets of A3 white paper, textas, scissors and glue sticks. You might also like to have a computer or ipad available with access to the internet so the children can look up locations etc. for their planning. For this activity you might like each child to plan a holiday for someone else or, depending on the size and make up of your group, you might like to break the children into small groups and they can plan a holiday for one of the other groups. We have had a look at some of Abraham s story today and how much he trusted God. He knew that God had his best interest at heart and that God s plan would be best. We are now going to plan a holiday for someone else, remembering that we have their best interest at the heart of what we are doing and thinking Plan a holiday for someone else (individual or group). I wonder what you will need to consider. Think about who is going and the things that they like, some things that might challenge them or some experiences that will build some skills or teach them something. When the children have finished their holiday plan, get them to share it with the person or group that they did it for, and then ask these questions: How did it feel to have someone else making plans for you? Did you trust them to make the right choices for you? Do you think that they had your best interest at heart in their planning? Were you happy with the outcome? Would you take the trip? I wonder if you trust God with your life and the things that He has planned for you. I wonder how you fit into God s plan. Give the children some time to reflect on these questions and the activity. Allow them some time to write, draw or express themselves in their journal in response to this topic. Ask them to think about the plan that God might have for them and write some suggestions of what this might be. I wonder what they think may happen in their lives. Ask them to silently pray when they have finished in their journals. Print off the cards attached. The children might like to keep these in their journals or notebook where they could write or stick the challenges, reflect, answer questions or complete activities each week. Story sharing During the week, ask your parents or Big Bud the following: When you were younger, what did you think would happen in your life in relation to jobs, family, locations etc. What, of these things, happened and what didn t? I wonder if there was anything in your life that didn t make sense. I wonder where you have seen God in your story. Pray together that God will use all that you do, even the small things, as part of His plan for your life.

6 When you were younger, what did you think would happen in your life in relation to jobs, family, locations etc. What, of these things, happened and what didn t? I wonder if there was anything in your life that didn t make sense. I wonder where you have seen God in your story. When you were younger, what did you think would happen in your life in relation to jobs, family, locations etc. What, of these things, happened and what didn t? I wonder if there was anything in your life that didn t make sense. I wonder where you have seen God in your story. Story sharing During the week, ask your parents or Big Bud the following: Pray together that God will use all that you do, even the small Story sharing During the week, ask your parents or Big Bud the following: Pray together that God will use all that you do, even the small things, as part of His plan for your life. things, as part of His plan for your life. When you were younger, what did you think would happen in your life in relation to jobs, family, locations etc. What, of these things, happened and what didn t? I wonder if there was anything in your life that didn t make sense. I wonder where you have seen God in your story. When you were younger, what did you think would happen in your life in relation to jobs, family, locations etc. What, of these things, happened and what didn t? I wonder if there was anything in your life that didn t make sense. I wonder where you have seen God in your story. Story sharing During the week, ask your parents or Big Bud the following: Pray together that God will use all that you do, even the small Story sharing During the week, ask your parents or Big Bud the following: Pray together that God will use all that you do, even the small things, as part of His plan for your life. things, as part of His plan for your life.

7 Junior Soldiers Unit 6 : Lesson 2 Let s go on a prayer PURPOSE : For the children to explore and identify the needs of their local community. To participate in the experience of interactive prayer for their community. To explore and understand the diversity of prayer. First of all, I ask you to pray for everyone. Ask God to help and bless them all, and tell God how thankful you are for each of them. 1 Timothy 2:1 (CEV) Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:16 18 Deuteronomy 6:5 9 Acts 2:42 walk! Consider & Prepare Prayer walks aren t a common form of prayer in The Salvation Army but they do have a long history within the broader Christian Church. Besides, they can be a good way to get children (and adults!) thinking about more creative ways of praying, and also confirming for them that prayer can be active, dynamic and relevant. Imagine how liberating and encouraging it can be for a child to learn that they don t have to pray just at church or at their bedside or with a parent or kids church teacher they can pray while walking to school, while playing at school, while with friends, while at the beach, while out shopping with a parent, etc. Prayer should be a part of everyday living. This lesson may need to be a little longer than normal. You could do the Connecting In and planning and preparation the week before and then do the walk and debrief the following time, or perhaps even at another special time. Safety consideration: bring some Big Buds or family members or people from the congregation who might like to join the prayer walk for the day; this will also help with safety while walking around your community. Be especially diligent with crossing streets, passing road works and nearing big dogs! What you will need: For Connecting In A copy of Everyday Zoo: Every Which Way to Pray by Joyce Meyer A copy of the I Pray DVD You can download this from

8 Ability to show above clip on computer or screen Local newspapers, maps and relevant community information Butchers paper and textas for planning the walk For The Main Thing Depending on what you plan to do on the walk will affect what items you will need to prepare Bibles For Tying In Journals textas For Print off the cards for each child. Connecting In Setting the scene Before you go walking it is important to set the scene for children about prayer and especially about prayer for others in their local community. It is good to talk about the variety of ways that we can pray as well as what it will look like to take a prayer walk. Below are a few suggestions of how you can connect your children into this topic. Depending on when your children meet and how much time you have available, you may like to do setting the scene prior to the day you actually go on the prayer walk. They can do their planning etc. and then be all ready to go when they come together on the day of the walk. Every which way to pray There are so many possibilities when it comes to praying. The book below is a great fun way to help the children to see that there is not just one way to talk to God. Everyday Zoo: Every Which Way to Pray, by Joyce Meyer (Zondervan, 2012) This book is filled with a cast of quirky animal characters who interact and explore prayer and what that looks like as they engage with others in their community. Readers will discover that prayer is simply talking to God like a friend wherever and whenever and should be the easiest thing we do each day. Link: Well, we have just read about prayer and how we can pray anywhere and whenever we want; there are no strict guidelines to what prayer looks like. Some of you may have heard of a prayer walk, that is what we are going to do today. Basically we are going to walk through our community and find creative ways to pray for the people who live, work and play here as well as for important services that are provided in the community. I Pray Show the group the I pray clip. Link: The children in this clip are talking about prayer, about the things in everyday life that they pray about. I wonder what you pray for. I wonder when you pray (give the children some time to respond to this).

9 Planning and Preparation You will need to take some time with your group to plan your walk. For this planning and preparation time it would be good to have some local newspapers, maps and any other information that you think might be helpful in mapping out and planning the content of the walk. Some things to consider in your planning: If you have a large group you might like to divide into smaller groups and go to different areas. What are the key locations in your community e.g. school, hospital, police station, park etc.? Identify some of the needs of your community What are you going to do if it is raining or the weather is not suitable e.g. relocate or set up some stations inside that represent key areas in the community? At what places or times are you going to pause? What will the prayer look like on the walk? How will you make it prayer and not just a walk, e.g. silent times, times of sharing, pausing and focusing on prayer? How can we pray when we are out walking? What makes prayer? What should be included? What should we do when we walk? Should we acknowledge God at the start? Where else? Link: There is so much variety in prayer and communicating to God. This is your prayer walk, I wonder what it is going to look like and what you will do and how you will pray. Thanks, God, for the opportunity to pray for our community. The Main Thing Interactive prayer options In preparation for choosing your options read together 1 Thessalonians 5:16 18 and ask the children to share with you what it says about praying. What do you think it would look like in our everyday lives? Below are some suggestions of interactive prayer options to do on your prayer walk. It would be good, as a group, to look at these and think of some other things to do as well. Write names in chalk hand prints outside the school gate or fence. Provide each person with a list of things to look for while on the walk, e.g. rubbish: pray for the environment and our responsibility. A For sale sign: pray for families facing change. A donation bin: pray for those in need. Emergency vehicles: pray for those who are sick or injured etc. Twigs/leaves/rocks pray for protection of the environment. If there is a pond or lake in your area you might like to use some rocks to make ripples in the water, pray for those in our church to be a good influence as they impact others in the community. (Guidelines and supervision will need to be good if you are going to do this option.) Pray for people in your community that you meet or pass on your walk. You might like to (with leaders) ask to pray with someone, or you might like to pray as a group for someone without engaging them. Prayer Walk Now that you have done the preparation let s do it! Enjoy be safe and praise God.

10 Tying In Small group debrief It is really important to help the children debrief about this experience and to help them to take some of the principles and make them a normal part of their everyday rhythm. What did you like about the prayer walk? What was challenging about the prayer walk? I wonder if you had a favourite way of praying today. Share. How could you make this a normal part of your everyday life? What might you need to do differently if you were praying like this on your own? (e.g. safety) Brainstorm together some other ideas that you could do at home or in the car or at school etc. Variations include: Traffic light prayer: when you stop at the traffic lights pray for a person/group of people or service in the community, when you pass a green light pray for someone that you know and when you go through or stop at an orange light pray for your family. Newspapers: read the local newspaper and highlight some things that you would like to pray for. Walk to school: when you are walking to school either pray for those in the houses you pass or pray for as many students and teachers that you know at school. Emergency vehicles: when an emergency vehicle passes you or you hear their siren, pray for those that are sick or injured. Roll call: when the teacher is calling the roll at school, pray for all those called out. Journal You might like to give your children some time to write or draw in their journals about their experience on their prayer walk. They might like to draw a map of where they went and write some of the prayers that they prayed or to highlight some of the things that they can pray for this week as they move about the community with their families. Finish this time together with some corporate prayer, giving opportunity for the children to pray and then a leader to finish the day. Print off the cards attached. The children might like to keep these in their journals or notebook where they could write or stick the challenges, reflect, answer questions or complete activities each week. Family Prayer Walk Take your family on a prayer walk around your area praying for people and services in your local neighborhood. Local Paper Search Search through the local newspaper for stories that stand out, circle them with a texta. Pray about the people, places or activities that are happening in these stories.

11 Local Paper Search Search through the local newspaper for stories that stand out, circle them with a texta. Pray about the people, places or activities that are happening in these stories. Family Prayer Walk Take your family on a prayer walk around your area praying for people and services in your local neighborhood. Local Paper Search Search through the local newspaper for stories that stand out, circle them with a texta. Pray about the people, places or activities that are happening in these stories. Family Prayer Walk Take your family on a prayer walk around your area praying for people and services in your local neighborhood. Local Paper Search Search through the local newspaper for stories that stand out, circle them with a texta. Pray about the people, places or activities that are happening in these stories. Family Prayer Walk Take your family on a prayer walk around your area praying for people and services in your local neighborhood. Local Paper Search Search through the local newspaper for stories that stand out, circle them with a texta. Pray about the people, places or activities that are happening in these stories. Family Prayer Walk Take your family on a prayer walk around your area praying for people and services in your local neighborhood.

12 Junior Soldiers Unit 6 : Lesson 3 The injustice of poverty PURPOSE : For children to explore and understand that poverty exists in the world, but it is not part of God s plan; God requires his people to act justly, love mercy and humbly obey him. What can we do to live out Micah 6:8? Read: Micah 6:1 8 See that justice is done, let mercy be your fi rst concern, and humbly obey your God. Micah 6:8 Consider & Prepare Leader Planning Note: This lesson takes a lot of organizing and careful preparation and, hopefully, will bring incredible understanding about poverty to the children. Make sure you have read all the way through the instructions and chosen your options before beginning your preparation. God has rescued us! God saves us! God is merciful! God tells us what is right and asks for our humble obedience. God wants justice to be done and for mercy to be our first concern. Take some time to think about your relationship with God. Do you recognise his love, his grace, his mercy in your daily life? Compare and reflect on Micah 6:8 from different translations. Justice requires us to seek the good of others, even those who have wronged us. Christian justice has no place for vengeance or self-righteousness. Mercy is to be spared or rescued from judgment, harm, danger, or trouble. Through Jesus, we have mercy, the withholding of judgment against us, granted to us for all of eternity. What does it mean to act justly? Do you act justly? Are you prepared to show mercy to others? When and how do you do this? Are you walking humbly with God? What things do you need to change in your life to live out Micah 6:8? This lesson is a starting point for children to consider the injustice of poverty. There are many resources you can use if you would like to take this further and this lesson could be used to tie in with the Global Project component of the Award work. In the connecting in section you will use some fact sheets from Compassion. These are great resources for this type of lesson. However, you will notice that they promote child sponsorship through Compassion, it is important to let the children know that there are also opportunities to sponsor children through The Salvation Army.

13 The challenge of living on $2 a day for food is suggested in the section as a possible project that could also involve the children s families if they wanted to participate. This suggestion comes from Live Below the Line (www. livebelowtheline.com/au-thechallenge). The Main Thing in this lesson is a poverty simulation game. These games are a lot of fun as well as fantastic learning experiences as long as they are well debriefed at the end. This would be a great opportunity to invite families along, include your entire youth and children s ministry or your whole corps! It may take longer than the regular time you have together so think about how this will work for you. If you have a very small group or only one Junior Soldier and your corps does not want to participate in order for you to provide a simulation game experience you could join with another corps or find out if your DHQ can offer assistance. You may decide there is enough material in the lesson to explore the issue without the Poverty Simulation Game if you are a very small group. Another alternative is to look at some websites with information about the issue of poverty and choose something to get involved in to make a difference. The Salvation Army has projects you could support and Micah Challenge, Compassion, TEAR and World Vision all have good information. What you will need Connecting In Build It Challenge Resource envelopes enough for each child and leader in your group. The envelopes should contain different amounts of resources for the task. Some envelopes should have lots of resources enough to complete the task, other envelopes should have a reasonable amount of resources enough to almost complete the task; and some envelopes should have very few resources making it almost impossible to complete the task or perhaps even to start it. Suggested resources for envelopes: Coloured match sticks, paddle pop sticks, straws, plasticine, pieces of coloured paper (various shapes and sizes as well as different amounts, staples, paper clips, tokens (to hire equipment) Extra resources for hire: Scissors (token), stapler (must have own staples in envelope to obtain stapler hire), glue (token) Print out fact sheets. Put these up on the wall where you will be able to refer to them during discussions. Mazlo s hierarchy of needs. Poverty, hunger and education facts sheets from Compassion. Butcher s paper or a whiteboard for answers and responses. The Main Thing - Poverty Simulation Game Decide how you are going to set up the area for the game, then organise what you need, e.g. masking tape, furniture, whiteboard and markers, butchers paper, print out or make signs etc. Read the set up instructions in the game to assist you. Print out game cards enough for one per participant. Print more of Game Card 1 than Game Card 2 (ratio 3:1) Give those with Game Card 1, income stamps in one or more sessions to start the game with. Vary the number from card to card (give stamps to about 1/5 of the cards you are giving out). Print out role instructions and make sure those performing understand what is required of them in the game. Stamps and markers for game sheets (as needed for roles) If you are going to have work activities or offer real food and drink, you will need to organise those resources as well (see game instructions). Read the instructions for the game to ensure you understand what you need.

14 The Main Thing Bible Print out copies of Micah 6:8 and highlight or bold different words to change the emphasis when reading. Bibles Tying In Mazlo s Hierarchy sheet Print off the cards for each child. Printout for selected option Connecting In Build It Challenge This challenge is suitable for one-on-one, small groups and larger groups. If you are working with one or very few children give them the envelope with the required resources to complete the task. Then give them the envelope with very few resources and let them attempt the task again. Talk about the different experiences they had. Tell the children that they will each receive an envelope and not to open it until you give the instruction to do so. As each child and leader receives their envelope remind them that they should not open it yet. Explain what is going to happen in the challenge. Each child/leader needs to make best house they can out of what is in their envelope. It must be free standing. They will have 10 minutes to complete the task. There will be some equipment on the table that anyone can use but there may be some conditions you need to comply with in order to use the equipment. Someone will need to man the equipment and ensure hire conditions are met. When they begin to open the envelopes they will discover that every envelope does not contain the same resources. Avoid getting involved in complaints about this and tell everyone to try their best to accomplish the task. Allow participants to share resources with each other. Don t suggest it, let them get to that point on their own. At the end of the time ask the participants to show what they have made. Debrief questions It will be helpful to write the answers on a white board or butchers paper to refer back to later. What did you notice about this activity? Who had difficulty completing the task? Why was that? How did you feel if you had very few resources? How did you feel if you had all or most of the resources you needed? What did you do that helped you complete the task? Did you do anything that helped someone else complete the task? How do you think this activity was like real life? What are some situations you know of around the world where people do not have enough? Ask a few of the children and leaders in the group to read some of the facts from the Compassion print outs. Encourage everyone to take a closer look at these later. Does that happen in Australia? Are there people in this country who do not have enough to live on? What do you think is enough? What should everyone have in order to live well? Introduce Mazlo s Hierarchy of Needs pyramid. The bottom level of the pyramid shows the most basic things humans need.

15 The Main Thing Poverty Simulation Game... This game will help your group explore some of the issues of poverty. All of the instructions you need are at the end of the lesson for printing. If you are a small group you may not have enough people for every role. It is possible to have someone act in more than one role however it would be a great opportunity to ask some other members of the corps, Big Buds, leaders etc. or another section to join you. Or choose one of the alternatives suggested in the Consider and Prepare section. After you have debriefed the game: Read Micah 6:8. Have different members of your group, children and leaders, read this verse out using different voices and putting the emphasis in the places that you have highlighted. The rest of the group follows along in their Bibles. If you have a larger group you could do this in a number of different translations as well. Or you might like to give each child a copy of each different version and have everyone read together. For example: The LORD God has told US what is RIGHT and what he DEMANDS: See that t JUSTICE C is done, let MERCY be your first t concern, cern and HUMBLY U obey your God. CEV The LORD God has TOLD us WHAT is right and WHAT he demands: SEE that justice is done, LET mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey YOUR God. CEV The LORD GOD has told us what is right and what he demands: See that justice is DONE, let mercy be your FIRST concern, and humbly OBEY your God. CEV What do you think Micah is talking about? What is justice? Can you think of situations where justice is not done? What is mercy? Can you think of situations where mercy is not shown? What does it mean to humbly obey God? Is this different from just obeying God? How is it different? Can you think of any situations that help you to understand this scripture?

16 Tying In How important... Use the Mazlo s Hierarchy of Needs pyramid to help children assess what needs they think were met in the game and what needs are met in their real life. They could try to work out what level of the pyramid they were in in the game and what level they might be in in real life. Why are those things important for us? (NB If you have children in your group who claim that any of the basic needs on the first level of the pyramid are missing in their real life, consult your local child protection guidelines.) Thinking about Mazlo s Pyramid and Micah 6:8 Do you think justice was done in the game we played? How do you feel about the injustices that you experienced in the game and that you see in the world? Did you see any examples of mercy in the game? What were they? How do you think we can humbly obey God to ensure that mercy is our first concern and that justice is done in the world? Prayer: Invite the children to pray for the needs that they understand better today. Pray in a circle with the children praying one at a time, and squeezing the hand of the next child when they have finished. You may want to do this in small groups or as one large group. Print off the cards attached. The children might like to keep these in their journals or notebook where they could write or stick the challenges, reflect, answer questions or complete activities each week. There are two options below for. It would be a good idea to talk to the children, their parents and Big Buds to help you decide which option will work best for your group. Option One Can you live on $2 a day? Take the challenge to try living on $2 per person a day for food. People who live on $2 a day (or less) are considered to be living in extreme poverty. This challenge is designed to help you understand some of the difficulties associated with poverty. You could do this for one day or for five days. It s up to you. You might even like to get sponsors and raise some money to donate to a project! If you have never heard of this challenge you could go to If you have already taken the $2 a day challenge in Unit 4 Lesson 6 you can still choose either option. Option Two Share with your parents, carers or Big Buds about your experience of the game today. Ask them to share what stands out for them in Micah 6:8. Ask them where they see injustice done in the world and talk about what you could do to see justice is done.

17 Option Two Share with your parents, carers or Big Buds about your experience of the game today. Ask them where they see injustice done in the world and talk Option One Can you live on $2 a day? Take the challenge to try living on $2 per person a day for food. People who live on $2 a day (or less) are considered to be living in extreme poverty. This challenge is designed to help you understand some of the difficulties associated with poverty. You could do this for one day or for five days. It s up to you. You might even like to get sponsors and raise some money to donate to a project! If you have never heard of this challenge you could go to Ask them to share what stands out for them in Micah 6:8. about what you could do to see justice is done. The injustice of poverty... The injustice of poverty... Option Two Share with your parents, carers or Big Buds about your experience of the game today. Ask them to share what stands out for them in Micah 6:8. Ask them where they see injustice done in the world and talk Option One Can you live on $2 a day? Take the challenge to try living on $2 per person a day for food. People who live on $2 a day (or less) are considered to be living in extreme poverty. This challenge is designed to help you understand some of the difficulties associated with poverty. You could do this for one day or for five days. It s up to you. You might even like to get sponsors and raise some money to donate to a project! If you have never heard of this challenge you could go to about what you could do to see justice is done. The injustice of poverty... The injustice of poverty...

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20 Poverty Simulation Game Lesson 3 Unit 6 The Injustice of Poverty This game is designed to be run in three 10-minute sessions. Smaller groups may not need the full ten minutes for each session. Setup and resources... Setup the following areas in your space. It may be helpful to mark some areas out with tape. Signs will also be helpful. Village - Mark out or designate an area for the village. This should be big enough for all Game Card 2 holders to sit in. Employment - Set up an area for work and station an employer there. You can provide participants with something simple to do, e.g. cut out paper shapes, fold newspaper, sort recycled junk, sort beads etc. Make sure it isn t too much fun. They can sit on the floor or at a table whatever suits your activity and space best. It is okay if there is not enough space for everyone to work at the same time. The employer will need a stamp to pay everyone for their labour. Shop - Set up your shop with a table or counter for the shopkeeper to sit or stand behind. The shopkeeper will need a marker to cross out stamps and tick that food and drink has been purchased. School - Mark out or designate an area for the school. Set up a whiteboard with markers or Blu-Tak some butchers paper to the wall to use as a blackboard. The teacher may like a chair but students should sit on the floor. The teacher will need a marker to mark the children present at school. Clinic - Set up a small table and chair for the clinic. The health worker will need an immunisation stamp. Border - Clearly mark the border. This should be some way from the other activities if possible. The customs officer will need a table and chair at passport control and a stamp for issuing working visas. Jail- Mark out or designate an area for the jail. There is nothing to do in jail but wait. Cemetery/Observation area - Have an area where those who are no longer in the game can sit and observe. Roles... Assign the following roles and handout the instruction sheets prior to the lesson making sure everyone has a chance to understand what is required of them in the game. It is, however, important that they do not share information with those who will participate in the game. Game Director Health Worker Employer Customs Officer Shop Owner Policeman Teacher

21 Game Director The Game Director is responsible for keeping the game running. Gives all instructions for the game and explain the rules. Observes what is happening in the game and ensures the game stays on track and moving. Makes newsflash announcements allowing some time for each session to commence and for participants to be involved before making announcements. You will need to judge the best time for these to be made, so keep a close eye on what is happening. Blows the whistle to commence and end each session. Keeps time (10 minutes per session is recommended but blow the whistle earlier if needed). Runs the debrief. Employer Your role is to provide employment during the game. Players with Game Card 2 must have a work visa stamp in order to work. You pay two income stamps for basic work. If a player has received a tick for attending school you must pay them two extra income stamps. You can choose how many people you are going to hire at any one time. It is okay to have some players waiting to be employed. Players must stay for three minutes in order to receive their income stamps from you. You can change your mind about what you actually pay them by finding fault with the quality or quantity of their work. Try not to penalize those who have been to school. Do this at least once in each session. In Session One you must not employ anyone without an immunization stamp once the newsflash is announced. Those already employed may finish. Shop Owner Your role is to sell food and drink during the game. You may give out some real food like small amounts of cooked rice (they can eat it from their hands), a rice cracker or dry bread. Keep it plain. You can give a small cup of water for the drink. You can choose to charge one income stamp for both food and drink or two income stamps - one for each. When a player purchases food and/or drink tick the box on their game card and cross off the number of income stamps you are charging them. Increase the price if it is becoming too easy to achieve and not enough people are dying. In Session Three the cost of food (only) increases by two income stamps as soon as the newsflash is announced. Teacher Your role is to provide education during the game. Use the whiteboard or butchers paper to teach basic alphabet or times tables. Students could recite these out loud. You will charge one income stamp for attending school. Mark the income stamp off the game card when they arrive at school. They need to stay at school for three minutes before you can tick that school was attended. At random intervals close the school and stop taking students. When players try to attend school tell them the funding has run out and you need to close until there is more.

22 Health Worker Your role is to provide health care during the game. You charge one income stamp for immunisations. Cross off the income stamp when they arrive at the clinic. Players must stay at the clinic for three minutes before you can give them their immunisation stamp. Immunisations only last for one session. When players are declared too ill to work they will be directed to the clinic for the remainder of the session. You can choose to send them back to the village if you decide you have run out of funding. You can choose to close the clinic at random times for lack of medicine. Send players away and tell them to come back later when you might have new supplies. Customs Offi cer Your role is to provide passport control and issue work visas during the game. All players with Game Card 2 will need a work visa stamp in order to gain employment. You can charge one income stamp as a bribe. You may choose to let some players work without paying a bribe. In Session One they will not have earned income stamps to bribe you with so ask for them to give you their shoes. Those who cannot afford a bribe in Session Two can also give you their shoes. In Session Two players not wearing shoes will be arrested so this is an important aspect of the game. If players sneak across the border you can inform the policeman who may arrest them. Police Offi cer Your role is to create a bit of hardship in the game. Try to have a few people in jail each session. You can fine or imprison players for offences such as littering, stealing or begging. They may or may not be committing an actual crime you can just make up a crime e.g. you are arrested for littering Imprisonment may be for a set period of time e.g. two minutes, the end of the session or until a bribe is paid to you. If you accept a bribe mark off one of their income stamps. You can bribed to procure food and drink if they have enough income stamps. All those in jail at the end of a session remain there unless they are due for release. In Session Two you will need to arrest all those who are not wearing shoes when the newsflash is announced. You may choose to let some go before the end of the session. In Session Two you will also need to mark off food and drink when the newsflash for prisoner aid is announced. Make sure there are still enough players in the game so release prisoners early if you need to.

23 Rules Outline the rules at the start of the game. The game will be divided into three sessions. At the end of each session a whistle will blow. During each session you will need to earn money by working. The employer will decide your rate of pay. You may want to ask what pay you are going to receive before you start working. You will be paid in stamps. You can attend school. This will help you get a better rate of pay, more stamps when you work. However, it may also cost you stamps to attend school. When you attend school, work or the clinic you must stay for three minutes in order to be stamped or marked off. If you leave you don t get paid or educated or immunized. Each person must eat and drink at least once every 10 minutes. You can buy food and drink from the shop if you have enough stamps on your game card. If you do not eat at least one item of food and have one drink before each 10 minutes whistle is blown then you die and are out of the game. The shopkeeper can decide how many stamps to charge you. You can go to the medical clinic to receive treatment or to be immunized. If you live on the other side of the border you will need to go through passport control at the start of each session in order to work. It is up to the customs officer to let you through. A bribe of goods or stamps may be required. There is also a police officer in the game who can put you in jail or fine if you have committed a crime or behaved badly in the game. You could receive a fine and/or be imprisoned for any offences, such as littering, stealing or begging. You may be imprisoned for a set period of time or until you pay a bribe to a police officer. At different points in the game announcements will be made about events that occur. These will affect you so listen carefully. When you hear the whistle, the session has finished. Sit down where you are and wait for instructions. Hand out game cards. Those with Game Card 1 should sit in the village. Those with Game Card 2 will need to start on the other side of the border. Session One Blow the whistle to start the game. Newsflash - Aid organisation offers food vouchers. If you are not currently working or at school you may get free food from the shop. Newsflash - An outbreak of typhoid occurs. If you are not immunised you cannot work for the rest of this session. Blow the whistle to end session one. Everyone should sit down where they are. All those who did not eat and drink are officially declared dead and are out of the game. If you are in jail remain where you are. Game card 1 holders return to the village. Game card 2 holders return across the border.

24 Session Two Blow the whistle to start the session two. Newsflash - A new law has been passed that outlaws bare feet in public areas. Anyone found without footwear in public may be imprisoned or fined. Newsflash - Receive child sponsorship. You may go to school for free this session unless you are in jail or live on the other side of the border. Newsflash - Aid organisation feeds prisoners. All those in jail receive free food and drink. Blow the whistle to end session two. Everyone should sit down where they are. All those who did not eat and drink are officially declared dead and are out of the game. If you are in jail, remain where you are. Game card 1 holders return to the village. Game card 2 holders return across the border. Session Three Blow the whistle to start the session three. Newsflash - Natural disaster destroys crops and water is contaminated. The cost of food increases two stamps for this session. Newsflash - The natural disaster has contaminated the water supply. If you have purchased drink and have not been immunised go to the clinic. You cannot work for the rest of this session. Blow the whistle to end the game. Debrief Sit every down in a suitable area for the debrief. Who was still alive at the end of the game? What do you think helped you make it through to the end? Who died in the first or second session? What happened to you? How did you feel about that? Was everyone able to get what you wanted or needed in the game? Why or why not? What do you think was the purpose of the game? What did you learn from the game? How realistic or unrealistic do you think the game is?

25 Games Card 1 SESSION INCOME Seek employment and perform work in order to earn income stamps. Income stamps are needed to purchase food, drink, education and health care. FOOD & DRINK EDUCATION Attend school to get an extra income stamp each time you work HEALTH Immunise against announced health issues ONE Food Drink Attended School TWO Food Drink Attended School THREE Food Drink Attended School

26 Games Card 2 SESSION INCOME Seek employment and perform work in order to earn income stamps. Income stamps are needed to purchase food, drink, education and health care. FOOD & DRINK EDUCATION Attend school to get an extra income stamp each time you work HEALTH Immunise against announced health issues PASSPORT CONTROL You must have a work visa stamp before you can cross the border and work ONE Food Drink Attended School TWO Food Drink Attended School THREE Food Drink Attended School

27 Child education What is going on? In 1989, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child stated that education is a right for every child. In 2000, this was formalised with Millennium Development Goal 2, aiming to give all children access to a primary school education by Fast facts: In 2008, 100 million children of primary school-age were out of school. Worldwide, 84 per cent of primary school-age children attend school, but only half of secondary school-age children attend. Sub-Saharan Africa still has the lowest primary education rates of all the regions, but it has increased by 18 per cent, from 58 per cent in 1999 to 76 per cent in Children who are homeless, orphaned or who have to work to earn income for their families are least likely to attend school. One child: For Nathaniel Mensah Tei, the opportunity for an education means poverty will end in his household. This 10-year-old from Ghana will be the first person in his family to receive an education, and the mud walls of his house are marked with the numbers and letters he has learned. His father Joseph never attended school and cannot read or write. A fisherman, he hopes his son will be fortunate enough to have better employment opportunities than he did. Thanks to a Compassion sponsor in 2007, Nathaniel is receiving the education he only ever dreamed of before. What is the world doing about it? There is a global push to get children into primary school. Organisations like 1 Goal, an international advocacy agency that promoted primary education during the FIFA World Cup, are making a massive difference on the world stage. In September 2010, the Australian Government committed to spending $5 billion on education programs over the next five years, with a strong focus on basic education. A lack of education causes many problems for children, such as: Increased risk of disease, violence, abuse and exploitation A lack of income generating potential Being less likely to become active contributors to their family and community Increased likelihood of the cycle of poverty continuing in their home. An education has many benefits for children, including: Being better equipped to become agents of change in their local and global communities Greater social and emotional skills Learning to interact with others, understand social structure and respond to external authorities Receiving health care and hygiene education at school.

28 Education has a particularly significant impact on girls. For example: Every extra year of primary school boosts a girl s future wages by 10 to 20 per cent An educated girl is far less likely to marry as a child (aged less than 18 years), and therefore less likely to be abused Educated women are statistically more likely to have healthier babies and are more likely to educate their own children Educated women on average reinvest 90 per cent of their income into their families, while on average men reinvest only 30 to 40 per cent. What is Compassion doing about it? Compassion International supports more than one million children worldwide. Through the Child Sponsorship Program, every child is given the opportunity to complete primary school. If needed, sponsorship can help provide a child with school uniforms, supplies, extra tutoring and educational assistance and cover the cost of school fees. Many children continue on to complete secondary school. Compassion s Leadership Development Program also enables outstanding students to receive tertiary education and Christian leadership training. LEARN: Visit UNICEF s website for detailed information on the importance of education on a child s life: Watch the Girl Effect: SPEAK UP: Tell your friends via , Facebook and Twitter about your passion to help children receive an education. Invite your friends to join Compassion s Child Advocate Network. TAKE ACTION: Visit the 1 Goal website and sign the global petition to see basic education for all: CREATE: Create a short video, song, poetry, drama, art or dance to raise awareness of children who do not receive a basic education. VOLUNTEER: Volunteer to assist Compassion at events or in the office. Volunteer to help set up a community awareness event with other advocates. Volunteer to get involved with the children s ministry at your local church. SUPPORT: Sponsor a child through Compassion Australia to ensure that every person receives a basic education. Support Compassion Australia s Leadership Development Program to give a student the opportunity for tertiary education. PRAY: Pray to our mighty God for His transformational intervention into the lives of children living in poverty may we all see children the way that Jesus does. Pray for Compassion s worldwide ministry and sponsored children. Source: United Nation s Children s Fund (UNICEF), 2010, Progress for Children: Achieving the MDGs with Equity PSF Compassion Australia PO Box 1 Hunter Region MC NSW 2310 Australia TEL: FAX: compassion@compassion.com.au

29 Child poverty What is going on? We all know that children are the future but they are also a big part of the present. Children under the age of 18 represent: Forty-nine per cent of the population of the world s least developed countries Twenty-one per cent of the population of the world s industrialised nations. In total, there are approximately 2.2 billion children living in the world today. Of these, 1.1 billion half of the child population are living in financial poverty (less than US$2 per day). As a result, they lack opportunities and are robbed of their basic rights to: Safety Good health Education Sufficient nutritious food for development Emotional security. One child Paul Omondi grew up in a home made of sticks, mud and iron sheets in the slums of Kibera, Kenya. His neighbourhood, like other urban slums, had no sanitation or infrastructure no running water, no toilets, no gutters or drains. He played and scavenged among the rubbish, looking for food or items to sell. Even as a child, Paul knew that there were no hospitals nearby and as he watched his sister die when she was just three years old, he learned that getting sick was disastrous. Paul not only lacked the physical needs of a child, he also lacked dignity and the opportunity to achieve needs that Compassion s holistic child development program addressed. Through Compassion s support, Paul graduated with a degree in Community Development from Daystar University in He is now working as a Community Development Manager with the Compassion project that assisted him, as well as a research assistant for Compassion Kenya. What is the world doing about it? In 2000, the world committed to combat poverty through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Develop global partnership for development.

30 While there has been significant progress on the MDGs in the 10 years since, unless the pace of progress increases rapidly over the next five years, many countries will not meet the targets. Progress has been the slowest on MDG 4, regarding child mortality, and MDG 5, regarding maternal mortality. What is Compassion doing about it? Compassion recognises that poverty has many facets: spiritual, economic, social, physical and emotional. Because all components are equally important, Compassion s Child Sponsorship Program uses a holistic child development model to help release a child from every aspect of poverty. Through sponsorship, Compassion assisted children receive: Christian teaching as part of the outreach ministry of the local church Compassion partners with. Health care through regular check ups by medical professionals and ongoing medical assistance as needed. Learning opportunities, such as literacy and numeracy skills, as required as well as opportunities to learn vocational and life skills. Social and emotional care through activities to develop emotional intelligence and basic social skills, which encourages self-awareness, self-control, self-motivation, empathy and commitment. LEARN: Visit Compassion s Child Advocate Network news website where there are regular updates on progress towards the MDGs: Visit the United Nation s Millennium Development Goals website for detailed information on the MDGs: Visit the 4K World Map website for an analysis of worldwide spiritual poverty: SPEAK UP: Tell your friends via , Facebook and Twitter about your passion for the plight of children living in poverty. Invite your friends to join Compassion s Child Advocate Network. TAKE ACTION: Sign the Micah Call to commit to pursue justice, be passionate about kindness and walk humbly with God. Visit Micah Challenge s website for more information: CREATE: Create a short video, song, poetry, drama, art or dance to raise awareness of children living in poverty around the world. VOLUNTEER: Volunteer to assist Compassion at events or in the office. Volunteer to get involved with the children s ministry at your local church. SUPPORT: Sponsor a child through Compassion Australia. PRAY: Pray to our mighty God for His transformational intervention in the lives of children living in poverty may we all see children the way that Jesus does. Pray for Compassion s worldwide ministry and sponsored children. Source: United Nation s Children s Fund (UNICEF), 2009, The State of the World s Children 2010: Child Rights

31 HUNGER FACTS One person in seven 963 million 5.6 million 53 percent More than 140 million 25 percent 15 percent 7 percent More than 6 million Worldwide, 161 million 923 million people 9 million Sources: COMPASSION.COM/YOUCAN

32 Junior Soldiers Unit 6 : Lesson 4 The Global Salvation Army PURPOSE : For the children to explore and understand that Jesus died not only for us but for the whole world so that all people can be connected with Him. They will also explore The Salvation Army s part in letting people know about Jesus, considering a variety of ways the Army s mission makes a difference around the world. God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them! John 3:16 17 (CEV) Consider & Prepare Read: John 3:16 17 Matthew 28:16 20 International website Who are these Salvationists? Shaw Clifton, Salvation Army National Publications, 1999, Chapter 10 Salvationist Internationalism (check with your corps officer to see if they might have a copy of this book, an excerpt is below) Salvationist internationalism is not a complicated thing, but it is one of the Army s hallmarks. We think globally, simply because the Army is in so many countries: 106 at the latest count. We use 160 languages. These simple facts carry with them profound implications. Our internationalism comes to us today with all the overtones of our past and our historical heritage; it dictates many of our values; it is occasionally inconvenient for administrators; but all in all it is seen by Salvationists as a very significant blessing. Perhaps no other modern church, save for the Roman Catholic church, functions on the basis of a worldwide network of national churches all giving administrative, financial and spiritual allegiance to a central spiritual and administrative head, with each national body acting not only in its own interests but also in the wider interests of the international body. In Catholicism all roads lead to Rome; in the Army they lead to the office of the General of the Salvation Army at International Headquarters on Queen Victoria Street, London, England.

33 The Army s founder, William Booth, rejoiced in the spread of the Army beyond the shores of Britain and interpreted this phenomenon as a clear sign and proof that God was pleased with the Army and was deliberately blessing it by empowering its overseas expansion. It was this theological rationale for overseas growth that gave rise directly to the conviction in Booth s heart that Salvationist internationalism should be thought of and treated as a sacred trust from God. This in turn influenced policy decisions in London. Keeping the international Army intact and free from schism was given the highest priority. The Salvation Army began (under that name) in 1878 and within five years had also begun work in Australia, France, Canada, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA. It quickly became an international movement and continues, to this day, to expand into new countries and cultures. This internationalism is based not only on common practices and a common form of administration and leadership, but also on the 11 doctrines of The Salvation Army. You can attend any Salvation Army church in any country in the world and know that the same Christian beliefs will be taught and believed. This gives an amazing consistency and strength to our movement that, as General Shaw Clifton alludes to in the quote above, has helped us avoid schism and breaking into separate Salvation Armies because of doctrinal differences. The children should know that Junior Soldiers in any country in the world from Argentina to Italy to Zimbabwe are taught the same doctrines, the same mission and the same faith-based priorities. As General Linda Bond has said, there is only one Army, one mission and one message for the whole world. What you will need: For Connecting In Supplies for your sorting activity (lollies, tins, buttons, screws, pictures etc.) For The Main Thing Large map of the world Paper Sticky notes/sticky dots/coloured-headed pins Textas, pencils and writing implements The Salvation Army Year Book (each corps should have a copy of this but if you are having difficulty contact your divisional headquarters to borrow a copy) A computer or ipad with access to the internet Your suggestions from the year book and the international website For Print off the cards for each child Zip lock or brown paper bags One bouncy ball per child List of countries where The Salvation Army is present Connecting In This goes with that For this activity you will need a bunch of items for sorting, items that are different but have something in common e.g. lollies, cans of food items, screws or nails, buttons or pictures of people that are cut out of magazines or newspapers.

34 Have a look at the items in the middle of the floor/table, we need to sort them into groups today, I wonder how we are going to do that? Perhaps by colour, by size, by shape, weight etc. Give the children some time to think about how they are going to sort the items (depending on the size of your group and the number of items that you have, these will dictate how this activity is done: you could divide the children into two or three groups if you have enough items or they could work as one large group) Let the children have some time to divide and sort their items and then explain how and why they have divided them that way. Link When we look at things, items, objects and people, we will usually make a judgment about the category or group that they might belong to. For example, if you see someone wearing a police uniform you could safely assume they are a member of the police force, if you saw someone with grey hair, wrinkly skin and a walking stick, you could safely assume they were an older person. There are many people, programs, churches and services around the world that all look different but fit into the same category they are part of the global Salvation Army. There will be something they do, how they think or what they wear that connects them into the international body of The Salvation Army. Just like today when we sorted the lollies/tins/buttons/nails/screws or pictures they fitted into different categories/ groups but they also fitted into the larger group that somehow united them. We have lots of different groups in The Salvation Army but they are all part of the one church and the one mission of The Salvation Army. The Main Thing For the world, Jesus died For this activity you will need a large map of the world, if you don t have one you could see if you could borrow one from your local school or have one printed on a large sheet. (These maps come in handy especially when we are thinking about mission and how we can impact others outside our local community.) You will also need something to stick or pin onto the map to identify the countries, e.g. small sticky notes/flags, smaller sticky dots or coloured headed pins and you ll also need some Salvation Army songbooks. Some of you may have sung the words to this song (song 821) from The Salvation Army Song Book: We re an Army fighting for a glorious King; We will make the world with hallelujahs ring; With victorious voices we will ever sing: There s salvation for the world. For the world, for the world, Jesus died, Jesus died, For the world, for the world, there is room in Jesus side. All the world to save, to battle we will go, And we ever will our colours boldly show, With a trumpet voice we ll let the millions know There s salvation for the world. We re an Army brave, arrayed in armour bright; We will turn the world from darkness into light; As we march along we ll shout with all our might: There s salvation for the world. We re an Army saved, by blood and fire made strong; And with righteousness we mean to conquer wrong; This shall be our universal battle song: There s salvation for the world. (William James Pearson ( ))

35 What stands out for you in the words of this song? What does it say to you about The Salvation Army s mission? It would be good to set the group up in a large circle on the floor or around a large table (or a group of tables connected together) with the map in the centre. Together, identify all the countries that have The Salvation Army established in them (you will get this information from the Salvation Army Year Book, the international website or from the attached list). Put a sticky note on them (it would be good to use small sticky notes/flags or even some little sticky dots or coloured headed pins). Sit back and look at the map and the amazing amount of places where The Salvation Army is making an impact. Get some children to choose a county/territory that they would like explore and see what sort of work is happening there. Look up that county in the year book and see what sort of information you can find about that country. (NOTE: Be aware that some smaller countries are linked together with others to make one territory, e.g. Fiji is linked with New Zealand and Tonga. On the other hand, there are also a number of countries that are divided into several territories, e.g. Australia, USA and India.) It would be good for you to have a look through the year book before the lesson and choose some information that you would like to share with the children. It is important that the children get a good cross-section of work that is done internationally, not just looking at what happens in the developing countries but also what happens in England, America, Canada, Germany etc. The international website also has a lot of good information on it for you to explore either prior to the lesson or to have a computer/ipad with access to the internet available to check things out in conjunction with the year book during the lesson ( On the website there is a section titled News. Have a look at it with the children and share a couple of recent events that have happened around the world or have a look prior to the lesson and print out a couple of the news reports to share. These news reports are updated regularly so it is good for you to check in and see what is currently happening internationally. One of the latest news reports (at time of writing) has the General telling of the exciting advancement of the army into the Kingdom of Cambodia. This takes effect from 22 November 2012 and takes the total number of countries in which the Army has officially recognised work to 126! What the General has to say The General is the international leader of our movement. General Linda Bond is our current General and took office in January She was born in Canada, has served in the UK, the US and Australia, and is now based in London. She has also travelled extensively for the Army as General. In October 2011 at International Headquarters in London, General Bond announced a worldwide focus for the Army under the heading, One Army, one Mission, one Message. She has promoted a range of matters (see the bullet points below) and asked all Army territories to work towards these goals. To provide some accountability, she has asked all territorial commanders to inform her on what they are doing to achieve these goals in their territory. This sort of campaign is only possible because of the Army s internationalism; that is, she hasn t provided a different plan and vision for Africa and another for India and a different one for France, and so on. It s the same plan for every Salvation Army territory, division and corps in the world. ONE ARMY: We see a God-raised, Spirit-filled Army for the 21st century convinced of our calling, moving forward together We will... deepen our spiritual life

36 unite in prayer identify and develop leaders increase self-support and self-denial ONE MISSION: Into the world of the hurting, broken, lonely, dispossessed and lost, reaching them in love by all means We will... emphasise our integrated ministry reach and involve youth and children stand for and serve the marginalised encourage innovation in mission ONE MESSAGE: With the transforming message of Jesus, bringing freedom, hope and life. We will... communicate Christ unashamedly reaffirm our belief in transformation evangelise and disciple effectively provide quality teaching resources Tying In What next? Have a look at the map and see what countries that The Salvation Army is not represented in. It would be great to have a dreaming session with the children, allowing them some time to think about those countries and what the communities might be like and what sorts of things The Salvation Army could be involved in there in the future. Prayer Stand together in a circle around the map and ask the children to pray for The Salvation Army in a particular country, it might be for a particular program that you have talked about, the Junior Soldiers in that place or just for The Salvation Army in that country in general. Ask one of your leaders to finish in prayer and thank God for the special gift that we have of being connected to an international movement with so much variety, but also so much in common and that He will continue to help each of us connected with the international Salvation Army to make a difference for the kingdom of God. Print off the cards attached. The children might like to keep these in their journals or notebook where they could write or stick the challenges, reflect, answer questions or complete activities each week. Praying for the Salvation Army world You will need to provide the children with a pack of goodies before they leave the session today for their activity. In a zip-lock or brown paper bag you will place a bouncy ball and a list of the countries that The Salvation Army is present in. Through the week it would be good if you could pray for all the countries The Salvation Army is present in. You can do this by bouncing the ball and on each bounce pray for one country: I wonder how many you could do in one go? You could do this by throwing the ball into the air and catching it and each time you catch it, pray for one country: I wonder how many you will be able to pray for before dropping the ball? You could do this by bouncing the ball off a wall and then catching it and each time you catch it pray for one country: I wonder how many you will be able to pray for before having to chase the ball?

37 Praying for the Salvation Army world You will need to provide the children with a pack of goodies before they leave the session today for their activity. In a zip-lock or brown paper bag you will place a bouncy ball and a list of the countries that The Salvation Army is present in. Through the week it would be good if you could pray for all the countries The Salvation Army is present in. You can do this by bouncing the ball and on each bounce pray for one country: I wonder how many you could do in one go? You could do this by throwing the ball into the air and catching it and each time you catch it, pray for one country: I wonder how many you will be able to pray for before dropping the ball? You could do this by bouncing the ball off a wall and then catching it and each time you catch it pray for one country: I wonder how many you will be able to pray for before having to chase the ball? Praying for the Salvation Army world You will need to provide the children with a pack of goodies before they leave the session today for their activity. In a zip-lock or brown paper bag you will place a bouncy ball and a list of the countries that The Salvation Army is present in. Through the week it would be good if you could pray for all the countries The Salvation Army is present in. You can do this by bouncing the ball and on each bounce pray for one country: I wonder how many you could do in one go? You could do this by throwing the ball into the air and catching it and each time you catch it, pray for one country: I wonder how many you will be able to pray for before dropping the ball? You could do this by bouncing the ball off a wall and then catching it and each time you catch it pray for one country: I wonder how many you will be able to pray for before having to chase the ball? Praying for the Salvation Army world You will need to provide the children with a pack of goodies before they leave the session today for their activity. In a zip-lock or brown paper bag you will place a bouncy ball and a list of the countries that The Salvation Army is present in. Through the week it would be good if you could pray for all the countries The Salvation Army is present in. You can do this by bouncing the ball and on each bounce pray for one country: I wonder how many you could do in one go? You could do this by throwing the ball into the air and catching it and each time you catch it, pray for one country: I wonder how many you will be able to pray for before dropping the ball? You could do this by bouncing the ball off a wall and then catching it and each time you catch it pray for one country: I wonder how many you will be able to pray for before having to chase the ball? Praying for the Salvation Army world You will need to provide the children with a pack of goodies before they leave the session today for their activity. In a zip-lock or brown paper bag you will place a bouncy ball and a list of the countries that The Salvation Army is present in. Through the week it would be good if you could pray for all the countries The Salvation Army is present in. You can do this by bouncing the ball and on each bounce pray for one country: I wonder how many you could do in one go? You could do this by throwing the ball into the air and catching it and each time you catch it, pray for one country: I wonder how many you will be able to pray for before dropping the ball? You could do this by bouncing the ball off a wall and then catching it and each time you catch it pray for one country: I wonder how many you will be able to pray for before having to chase the ball?

38 Angola Antigua Argentina Australia Austria Bahamas Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize Bermuda Bolivia Botswana Brazil Burundi Canada Cambodia Chile China Colombia Congo (Brazzaville) Congo (Kinshasa) Costa Rica Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Estonia The Færoes Fiji Finland France French Guiana Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Greenland Grenada Guam Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Ireland Italy Jamaica Japan Kenya Korea Kuwait Latvia Lesotho Liberia Lithuania Macau Malawi Malaysia Mali Marshall Islands Mexico Micronesia Moldova Mongolia Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Nigeria Norway Pakistan Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Romania Russia Rwanda St Kitts St Helena St Lucia St Maarten St Vincent Sierra Leone Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Tanzania Togo Tonga Trinidad & Tobago Turks & Caicos Uganda Ukraine UAE United Kingdom USA Uruguay Venezuela Virgin Islands Zambia Zimbabwe Angola Antigua Argentina Australia Austria Bahamas Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize Bermuda Bolivia Botswana Brazil Burundi Canada Cambodia Chile China Colombia Congo (Brazzaville) Congo (Kinshasa) Costa Rica Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Estonia The Færoes Fiji Finland France French Guiana Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Greenland Grenada Guam Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Ireland Italy Jamaica Japan Kenya Korea Kuwait Latvia Lesotho Liberia Lithuania Macau Malawi Malaysia Mali Marshall Islands Mexico Micronesia Moldova Mongolia Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Nigeria Norway Pakistan Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Romania Russia Rwanda St Kitts St Helena St Lucia St Maarten St Vincent Sierra Leone Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Tanzania Togo Tonga Trinidad & Tobago Turks & Caicos Uganda Ukraine UAE United Kingdom USA Uruguay Venezuela Virgin Islands Zambia Zimbabwe

39 Junior Soldiers Unit 6 : Lesson 5 All messed up! PURPOSE : For the children to explore and understand that God s intention was, and still is, that we would live in love and harmony with him and others. They will explore how the choice that Adam and Eve made impacts our world and relationships today. We believe that we were created in the image of God to live in harmony with God and creation, a state which was broken by disobedience and sin and, as a result, we live under the compulsion of sin. Doctrine Five, simplifi ed version We believe that our fi rst parents were created in a state of innocency, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness, and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God. Doctrine Five Consider & Prepare Read: Genesis 3:1 3 Genesis 2 and 3 The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine (p 109) God s intention was that we would live in a state of love and harmony with him, with one another, and with the rest of creation. He also made us free, wanting us to love him voluntarily, not as puppets. Romans 3:23 and 6:16 23 The Jesus Storybook Bible The terrible lie (p 28 36) This is a great account of the fall and uses helpful language to communicate this difficult topic; this is a good resource to use with kids. The doctrine of original sin has captivated theological minds for centuries and continues to be a topic of keen debate among Christians and between branches of the Church, so it is, undoubtedly, a difficult topic to teach to children. It can be hard to have a child admit to a wrong they ve very obviously done (!) so how do you convince them that they carry a weight of sin because of something Adam and Eve did in a different country many, many years ago?

40 While the notion of original sin needs to be taught, the focus, however, should be on something more easily understood by the children namely, the consequences of their choices and God s desire to live in harmony with humanity. According to the biblical account of the fall, Adam and Eve knew what was the right and wrong thing to do, but they intentionally disobeyed God and broke the perfect relationship between God and us. They created a division that was only resolved when Jesus acted as mediator between humanity and God and allowed us to, once again, enter into close relationship with Him. As you teach this lesson, you don t want to give the kids a guilt trip that they ve done something wrong the human condition is the human condition and we re all sinners in need of a saviour. Rather, you want them to finish this lesson knowing that God loves them and that entering into and maintaining a personal relationship with Jesus is the best thing they can do in response to God s love. What you will need: For Connecting In Pile of money (real or Monopoly) Special item (see activity) A packet of M&Ms or Smarties per small group Sheets of A3 paper or large sheets of butchers paper Latex gloves (if this activity is the option you choose) For The Main Thing The Jesus Storybook Bible Bibles Two large sheets of butchers paper one white and one black (the black sheet can be smaller pieces that make up the same size as the larger one) Textas, pencils or drawing utensils or craft supplies, depending on which option you choose White crayons, chalk or gel pens For Tying In Journals or sheets of A4/A3 paper Textas, pencils or drawing utensils For Print off the cards for each child. Connecting In Connecting in Illustration For this illustration you will need to have a pile of money (you can use Monopoly money if you like for this) and a special item that you might have saved money to buy. I want you to think about something that you would really love to buy but, at this stage, you would need to save for it as it is too expensive. Do you all have something in mind? How much would it cost? How long do you think it would take you to save for this?

41 I wonder how you would feel if you spent a lot of time saving your money, bought the item and then, when you open the box, you found that it was broken or damaged in some way (Allow some time for the children to respond with some suggestions of how they might feel.) Link: I am sure that you have all had a similar situation to the one that we have talked about together, it might not have been something that you have saved for, but I am sure there has been a time where you have been really looking forward to something and then been disappointed because it was broken or messed up or somehow spoilt or ruined. Today we have been talking about how disappointed we might be in this situation but we are going to explore further how God felt when something that He loved and created to be wonderful and perfect got spoilt and all messed up. God wasn t only disappointed but it broke His heart and our relationship with Him. Don t eat the M&Ms For this activity you will need a packet of M&Ms or Smarties per small group. Divide the children into small groups of 2 4 children depending on the size of your group. They will also need a few sheets of A3 paper or a large sheet of butchers paper each. (It would be good before you start this activity to get the children to wash their hands or if you like they could wear some latex gloves.) Give each group some paper and their packet of M&Ms In your group, divide the M&Ms by colour Each group needs to make a picture using the M&Ms of nature or God s world Before we start I am going to give you some rules: in fact, there is only one rule DON T EAT THE M&Ms. You can do whatever you like, but don t eat the M&Ms Give the children some time to complete this activity, but not too long as it is just a Connecting In activity to the main part of the story. Link Ask the children to tell others in the larger group about the pictures they have made. Well, that was a fun activity. Let s pack up the M&Ms and put them away and move onto exploring our topic for today. (I am sure you will have lots of children that will complain and ask to eat the M&Ms.) Discuss what were you hoping we were going to do after we had made the pictures? What was the one rule that we spoke about at the start? (Don t eat the M&Ms.) This rule didn t say don t eat them just while you are doing the activity it said don t eat the M&Ms. I wonder if anyone can tell me what they think the topic might be about today (allow the children opportunity to give suggestions as to what this might be Adam and Eve eating the apple from the tree in the Garden of Eden) When we started we talked about one rule: don t eat the M&Ms. This activity reminds me a little about the story in the Bible that tells us how Adam and Eve were given only one rule, just like us. There came a time when they chose not to follow this rule anymore and ate from the tree that God had asked them not to. Their choice is something that changed the wonderful creation that God had made; it was perfect but got spoilt and messed up. God was disappointed and, more so, it broke His heart and our relationship with Him. No we are not going to eat the M&Ms! The Main Thing The Jesus Storybook Bible It would be really great at this point to read the section from The Jesus Storybook Bible that looks at the fall. It has great language to help the children to engage with this difficult topic. This Bible is widely available and a fantastic resource that it well worth having on the shelf.

42 Read for the children The terrible lie (p 28 36). If you can t obtain the book, you could read Genesis 2:4 3:24 from the CEV version. This story is the foundation for out activity today, let s explore this together. Love and Harmony For this activity you will need two large sheets of butcher s paper one white and one black (the black sheet can be smaller pieces that make up the same size as the larger one), textas, pencils or drawing utensils or if you choose to make a collage then you will need a range of craft materials, e.g. foil, fabric, sticks, leaves, glue, cotton balls etc. You will also need some white crayons, chalk or gel pens to write on the black paper/card. God created the world for us to live in, a wonderful perfect world for us to live in and enjoy. As a whole group, create a big picture or collage of what God s perfect world would be. (Use the large white sheet of butchers paper for this) What are some of the good things in God s world? (love/harmony/friends) In the story that we read earlier, what happened to change the perfect world that God had created for us to live in? (Adam and Eve were told not to eat fruit from the tree at the centre of the garden but they chose to do this and disobey God.) Because of that bad choice we have (black pieces of paper) in the world. This picture doesn t represent what our world is like today, it is not God s ideal world. What are some things in our world today that aren t represented in this picture of God s perfect world? (Negative words and people, hurtful things, hard and challenging times, sad situations, bad thoughts, jealousy, greed etc.) You will now need your black sheet of butcher s paper (if it is a large sheet cut it up into smaller sections or have your black pieces of card ready). On the black paper/card use white crayon/chalk or gel pens and write down some of the sins, bad choices that have entered God s world (violence, anger, greed, lying, selfishness, bullying, jealousy, horrible words, disobedience etc.). Take some time with the children to decide what they are going to add to the black paper. When you have finished putting these things onto the black card, place the cards one by one over God s picture (see note below) while reiterating how, because of the choice that Adam and Eve made to disobey God, things changed in God s world: it became spoilt and all messed up, letting in all these nasty, yucky things that impact who we are and how we treat each other. NOTE: It is important to ensure that when you are placing the black card over God s perfect creation that you leave some white or good spaces. This shows hope and that everything is not totally black, and that we can still see God s goodness in some people and places in our world. But the story does not stop there. God wanted people to live in right relationship with Him but importantly He wanted it to be our choice, He didn t want to force us to love and obey Him. So throughout the Old Testament, you can read stories of God sending people called prophets to remind people that they should love, honour, respect and obey God. Sometimes people would do this, but then they would forget again. So finally and we read about this in the New Testament God sent his own Son, Jesus, to not just tell people but show them how to live in a way that pleases God.

43 So to close the gap between us and God, to get us back into right relationship with God, we simply have to accept Jesus as our Saviour. In 1 Timothy 2:5 it says that there is one God and one mediator (or middle man ) between God and humanity, Christ Jesus. Read John 3: Why do we call Jesus our Saviour? Because we needed to be saved from our broken relationship with God. God didn t save us by making us do a program or getting a special license or passing a test or developing a special ability, he saved us by sending Jesus and inviting us to accept Jesus as our Saviour. Move the black pieces of card as you are talking to show more of the original picture. With Jesus in our lives, He helps us to make better choices in relation to: greed, anger, lies (list of sins and negative choices etc.). We can also reflect God s image His original world and design of love and harmony. The good and wonderful parts of God shine (white), through the black even though the black is still around us. God helps us deal with black, He helps us to deal with all the things that we have written on the black cards. Because we live amid sin (black card) we are still affected by it, but Jesus helps us make better choices and is always with us, helping us when we are affected by other people bad choices. Tying In It s our choice We need to make a choice whether we want to be connected with God; if we want to be connected to and follow Jesus and lessen the impact of our bad choices. If you are a Junior Soldier you will have already made this choice to be connected with God and follow Jesus but is something that many Christians like to do again to show their commitment. (There may be some children in your group who have not made this choice so make sure that you are sensitive at this point and give opportuntiy for those that would like to make that choice/commitment for the first time or as a reinforcement.) You will need to divide your group into small groups for this activity and get the children to use their journal or a sheet of A4/A3 paper. Ask the children to turn the journal/paper so that the page is landscape. (You might like to have a large sheet out the front to show the children how to make up their page.) Ask the children on the left hand side of the page to draw an outline of themselves and on the left-hand side of that outline as them to write/draw the things that say Who I am. (If you have a child that only writes positive words then you might like to create a discussion around this e.g. Are you friendly all the time? We don t want this to be a negative activity but one that creates a true picutre of who they are and how they interact with others etc.) On the far right-hand side of the page ask them to put a heading and write/draw the way that God wants them to be, the words, thoughts and actions that He would want them to do. Let s all have a look at the images that we have drawn of ourselves (give the children opportunity to share some things about themselves with their group). I am sure that there are lots of great things that help to describe who we are but I am sure that there are some things that we all might need to work on to get us to the other side of the page to look exactly like what God would like us to be, the perfect picture that He has for us.

44 Ask the children to put another heading in the middle of the page What do I need to choose to do differently? Look at the picture of yourself and then at the picture of what God would like us to be and then think about the things that you might need to choose to do differently that will help you to move closer to God s picture. What sorts of things can Jesus help us with to move us from here (indicate one side of the page) to here (i.e. the other side)? For example, if I choose to watch less television then this might help me find more time to help others or around home, if I choose to read more of my Bible then I might be more loving and kind, if I hang out with my Big Bud then I will be able to learn more about how to live as a Christian, etc. (It is important as the children reflect on getting from here to here that you and other leaders help them to think through the choices that they might need to make and how Jesus can help them to move closer to the picture that God has for us connected with Him.) Take time to close in prayer together. Ask all the children to stand on one side of the room and have them pray and ask Jesus to help them with one of the areas that they identified. After they have prayed they can walk to the other side of the room and support the others as they pray. Have a leader close and pray for all those that have taken steps towards Jesus. Print off the cards attached. The children might like to keep these in their journals or notebook where they could write or stick the challenges, reflect, answer questions or complete activities each week. Prayer changes things Show the picture that you have created in your journal to your Big Bud/Junior Soldier leader and ask them to pray for some of the choices you want to change. Pray at least three times this week thanking God for all the great choices that you have made with Him and for help in changing the things that you have outlined in your picture. You might like to put this up somewhere in your room to remind you throughout the week.

45 Show the picture that you have created in your journal to your Big Bud/Junior Soldier leader and ask them to pray for some of the choices you want to change. Pray at least three times this week thanking God for all the great choices that you have made with Him and for help in changing the things that you have outlined in your picture. You might like to put this up somewhere in your room to remind you throughout the week. Show the picture that you have created in your journal to your Big Bud/Junior Soldier leader and ask them to pray for some of the choices you want to change. Pray at least three times this week thanking God for all the great choices that you have made with Him and for help in changing the things that you have outlined in your picture. You might like to put this up somewhere in your room to remind you throughout the week. Prayer changes things Prayer changes things Show the picture that you have created in your journal to your Big Bud/Junior Soldier leader and ask them to pray for some of the choices you want to change. Pray at least three times this week thanking God for all the great choices that you have made with Him and for help in changing the things that you have outlined in your picture. You might like to put this up somewhere in your room to remind you throughout the week. Show the picture that you have created in your journal to your Big Bud/Junior Soldier leader and ask them to pray for some of the choices you want to change. Pray at least three times this week thanking God for all the great choices that you have made with Him and for help in changing the things that you have outlined in your picture. You might like to put this up somewhere in your room to remind you throughout the week. Prayer changes things Prayer changes things

46 Junior Soldiers Unit 6 : Lesson 6 Stay hooked on God! PURPOSE : For the children to explore and understand there are a number of things in the world which can harm them, and that some things can seem quiet harmless and even be helpful, but when you let those things consume your life and take your focus off God, they will harm you. We will look at ways that the children can protect themselves against such things. I will not use anything that may injure my body or my mind, including harmful drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Junior Soldier Promise Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifi ce, pure and pleasing. That s the most sensible way to serve God. Don t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him. Romans 12:1,2 (CEV) Consider & Prepare Read: Junior Soldier promise Romans 12 Romans 8 Romans 1:21 1 Corinthians 15:33 1 Corinthians 5:11 Exodus 23:2 This lesson focuses on the last portion of the Junior Soldier promise. Although harmful drugs, alcohol and tobacco are the only things that are mentioned in the promise, there are a lot more things that can be harmful and can injure the body and mind. Think about things that you struggle with and then think about what sort of things a child could struggle with. What cultural things can impact their lives for the negative? What about the internet? Computer? Mobile phones? These can be helpful tools in the lives of individuals, but there are uses of them that can cause harm.

47 It is important that we talk to the children about the things that are harmful for us, but it is more important to talk to them about resisting the temptation to take part in such things and give them strategies as to how to keep close to God so that it s easier to resist. It is important also to keep in mind the children that you have in your group and the families that they come from especially in regards to drinking and smoking. You may have children who have parents or older brothers or sisters that drink and smoke and so you need to be prepared for questions that might be asked. Remember that smoking and drinking alcohol aren t sins, but in The Salvation Army we don t do them because we want to live in a holistically healthy way, that is, not just looking after our thoughts, emotions and spiritual health, but also our physical health. We also seek to avoid smoking and alcohol because they can become addictive and usage can affect our behaviour. What you will need: For Connecting In Items to form an obstacle course Blindfolds Several sets of dominoes For The Main Thing Twister game in box 3 4 children to volunteer Octopus straps For Tying In Butchers paper or whiteboard and appropriate markers Post-it notes Pens/textas For Print off the cards for each child Seeds for each child Connecting In Blinded Set up an obstacle course using things around your hall/room. Have the children go through it being able to see all the obstacles along the way, talk to them about how hard/easy it may have been for them. Perhaps make it into a competition as to who can get through the fastest (you might like to time them and run a leader board). Get them to go through a few times each, so they get used to the course. Get the children to go through the course again but, this time, blindfolded. Once you have put the blindfold on, shift some of the things around without letting them know that you have moved things so that the course is different (if they have memorised where everything was, they will be in for a surprise). Link Ask the children: When you went through the course blindfolded, did you expect that things would have changed? Was it harder going through not being able to see? Why/why not?

48 Sometimes in life we can be a bit blinded to what is ahead of us, a little bit like wearing a blindfold and not being able to see what is coming. We can make choices that impact the direction we should be going. For some people it has looked a little bit like this they choose to take a first little drink of alcohol, or watch an adult movie, or look at a bad site on the internet etc. and they soon find themselves caught up in things that they don t want to be doing. There are always plenty of things around to try and slip us up; today we are going to explore how Jesus can help us in these situations. When we pay attention to what Jesus teaches us in the Bible and stay connected to Him in prayer, we can be strong when it gets hard or we are tempted to do things we know are not the wise choice. OR Domino creations You will need several sets of dominoes for this activity. Get the children to build some routes with them (i.e. end-on-end rows, designed to topple), making sure you tell them all to be very careful not to knock over anyone else s creation. You might like to get two or three children to work together in small groups to build their creation. You will need to tell the children that you want to see how long the dominoes can stay up during our time together. Set a time limit to get the creations completed. During the making of the domino creation, go around and knock over the first domino in one of the creations (you will need to be sensitive about this as this could upset some children, so choose wisely whose group you will do this too) and get them to start again. Link We all have choices in life, and I chose to knock over some of the dominoes. This means that and their group will be mad at me hopefully only for a short time unless I choose to do it again! I wonder if their response will be different then and if the consequences for me will last longer. All our choices have consequences; some will last into eternity (forever), some into next week and others possibly only a short time. You make choices every day about what you will do. Will you get up late and skip breakfast? Will you watch that movie all your friends are going to even though you know it s or adults and that your parents wouldn t approve? Will you check out that adult site on the internet that the kid in school was talking about? There are always plenty of things around to try and slip us up, today we are going to explore how Jesus can help us in these situations. When we pay attention to what Jesus teaches us in the Bible, we stay connected to Him in prayer and stay close to Him, we can be strong when it gets hard or we are tempted to do things we know are not the wise choice. The Main Thing You will need: A game of Twister, 3 4 volunteers to play the game as you talk and an Octopus strap Read together: 1 Corinthians 15:33 It tells us, Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character. This verse reminds me of a game many of you probably have played. It s a popular party game called Twister (show the Twister game box). The box says this is a game that ties you up in knots. That s a lot like hanging around people who are not living for or with God. You can get caught up in what they are doing and at times feel like you are tied up in knots. (Take the game out of the box and set it up while explaining the objective of the game. Have 3 4 children begin playing as you continue). In this game, each player must position their hands and feet from one coloured circle to another as the spinner tells them. Before long, the people playing will get all twisted up with one another and eventually the players will collapse. That s exactly what can happen to us when we are hanging out with the wrong sort of people who are probably not making the wisest choices. (Play a short game of Twister if you have time, or you might like to say that at the end of the lesson, if there is time, they can play a game or two.)

49 Read together: Exodus 23:2 It tells us not to follow the crowd in doing wrong. It can be easy to get tangled up in doing wrong if we are hanging out with the wrong kind of people and making the wrong type of choices. It s one thing if you have friends that are not Christians and you are influencing them and sharing Jesus with them, but it s another thing if your friends begin influencing you to choose things that God doesn t want you to do. If you know you are doing things that God wouldn t approve of because of some friendships you have, then you need to choose whether that friend is the best friend for you. Don t be a people pleaser, be a God pleaser or you will find yourself all twisted up. The Bible says that you will be blessed if you avoid the wrong that someone might ask you to do, or avoid the things that are wrong that others may do. So be very careful who you choose to be your friends and don t get tangled up with the wrong people. Read together: 1 Corinthians 5:11 This verse warns us not to hang out with anyone who calls himself a friend or a Christian but is actually evil, greedy, a liar, a thief or someone who puts other things before God. When we hang out with the wrong crowd we will get all twisted up and eventually take on the same habits of those we are hanging out with. Another way of looking at it is if you take this octopus strap. (Get two children to carefully pull the cord making sure that they don t let go.) Like bungee cord, it s made of strong rubber straps but it has hooks on both ends. It is great for strapping things down. The reason it works is that it always wants to snap back into whatever it is hooked to. You can pull and pull, but eventually it will snap back to whatever it is hooked on to that hook anchors it. In our life, we need to watch what we are hooked on to. If we are hooked to God, even when sin stretches us away, we will always want to head back to Him BUT if we allow the choices we make to lead us to sin, it can pull us away from God. We may try to run, but we will be pulled back to sin. So we need to make sure we are hooked into God by praying, reading the Bible, going to church and serving God. Don t let sin get a hook into you and drag you away from God. The other things is, the closer I stay hooked on to God, the stronger and safer I feel. Imagine if I hooked one end of this strap onto something and then I actually stretched the cord and wound it around an object four or five times before hooking it back near the first hook. That object would not only be closely bound to the other object, but it would be secure and the link would be strong. The Bible says that the closer and stronger our link to God, the less likely we will be drawn away from Him and the better we will avoid negative influences in our lives. Tying In Strategies For this activity you will need a large sheet of butchers paper or a white board with the outline of a child on it (you may like to trace around one of the children before you hang it up on the wall). Read together: the Junior Soldier promise When we think about the JS promise and the last section: I will not use anything that may injure my body or my mind, including harmful drugs, alcohol and tobacco, I wonder what sort of other things you think would harm your body?

50 Pass out some colourful post-it notes to each child and have them write things that they are often tempted to do, or things they could be tempted to do, that might harm them physically, might harm how their relationships with friends and family, might harm how they think, the words they say, their attitudes or even harm their relationship with God. Ask them to come and stick them inside the outline that you have on the paper/board. You guys are a bunch of smart children that know some ways you might be able to help each other to resist the temptation of making the unwise choice. Give the children time to discuss and have input into some strategies that they might be able to use in a variety of situations. Once you have a good number of strategies, write them on to some more post-it notes and stick them on top of the temptations that are already on the wall. Divide the children into pairs and ask them to pray for each other and the things that they might find difficult when it comes to making the wise choice. Also pray that they would depend on God when it comes to resisting the temptations that come their way. Print off the cards attached. The children might like to keep these in their journals or notebook where they could write or stick the challenges, reflect, answer questions or complete activities each week. For this activity you will need to give each child some seeds to grown and look after (you choose what kind you want to give, but I would recommend something fast growing like radishes). Before the end of the lesson it would be good to talk to the children about what they need to do and why they are doing it. Plant your seeds at home either in a pot or the garden (ask about the best place to plant these first). You will need to look after you seed in order for it to grow. Talk with your family or Big Bud about What sorts of things you will need to do to look after the seed, e.g. where to plant it, how often you water it etc. What happens if you don t look after the seed? If this is how you look after the seed so that it can grow, how do you look after your life so that you can grow, too? How can your parents or Big Bud help you, especially when it comes to staying close to God? Radishes... As well as their ease of growth, radishes are satisfyingly quick and can be ready for harvest in 6 8 weeks. Sow seeds direct into a sunny garden bed that s been well dug. As the plants grow, mulch around them with a layer of fluffy organic material. This will hold moisture in the soil, suppress weeds and discourage snails and slugs. Make sure the seeds are kept watered. (The snails and slugs can be seen as the things that tempt us and try and ruin our relationship with God.)

51 Plant your seeds at home either in a pot or the garden (ask about the best place to plant these first). You will need to look after you seed in order for it to grow. Talk with your family or Big Bud about What sorts of things you will need to do to look after the seed, e.g. where to plant it, how often you water it etc. What happens if you don t look after the seed? If this is how you look after the seed so that it can grow, how do you look after your life so that you can grow, too? How can your parents or Big Bud help you, especially when it comes to staying close to God? Plant your seeds at home either in a pot or the garden (ask about the best place to plant these first). You will need to look after you seed in order for it to grow. Talk with your family or Big Bud about What sorts of things you will need to do to look after the seed, e.g. where to plant it, how often you water it etc. What happens if you don t look after the seed? If this is how you look after the seed so that it can grow, how do you look after your life so that you can grow, too? How can your parents or Big Bud help you, especially when it comes to staying close to God? Growing your own... Growing your own... Plant your seeds at home either in a pot or the garden (ask about the best place to plant these first). You will need to look after you seed in order for it to grow. Talk with your family or Big Bud about What sorts of things you will need to do to look after the seed, e.g. where to plant it, how often you water it etc. What happens if you don t look after the seed? If this is how you look after the seed so that it can grow, how do you look after your life so that you can grow, too? How can your parents or Big Bud help you, especially when it comes to staying close to God? Plant your seeds at home either in a pot or the garden (ask about the best place to plant these first). You will need to look after you seed in order for it to grow. Talk with your family or Big Bud about What sorts of things you will need to do to look after the seed, e.g. where to plant it, how often you water it etc. What happens if you don t look after the seed? If this is how you look after the seed so that it can grow, how do you look after your life so that you can grow, too? How can your parents or Big Bud help you, especially when it comes to staying close to God? Growing your own... Growing your own...

52 Junior Soldiers Unit 6 : Lesson 7 Who has God created me to be? PURPOSE : For the children to explore and understand that God has made each of them in a specifi c way and they should use all they have to worship and serve Him. I cannot go in these, he said to Saul, because I am not used to them. So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose fi ve smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:39b 40 (CEV) Consider & Prepare Read: 1 Samuel 17: Samuel Samuel 2:1 7 Exodus 4:2 5 This lesson is part of a series, Lesson 7 and Lesson 8 go together and look at the story of David and Goliath and how God used what David had to do great things for Him. The children will be exploring what they have as well as how God might use what they have to worship and serve Him. God has created each of us as unique individuals. He has given each of us a particular set of characteristics, gifts, talents and experiences that help form us into a special and unique person. If we are open to God, He can use all that we have and all that we have experienced to make a difference for Him. God used David s abilities and his courage to do His work in the story of David and Goliath. What other people said, thought and feared, was different to David because of his relationship with God and the special gifts and experiences David had. To give some background to the key message of this lesson you might also like to read and consider the story of Moses who was challenged by God to use what he had in his hands to do God s work (Exodus 4:2 5). NOTE: For the Connecting In activity, ensure that children bend their knees and DO NOT attempt to move the heavy objects far from the floor/ table.

53 During this lesson, keep an eye, especially, on children that may have low selfesteem; it would be easy in this lesson for some kids to say that they do nothing well and have no talents. Be quick to stop any children, unfortunately or naively, who may seek to confirm such negative thoughts and comments. What you will need: For Connecting In Prepare to share a short story about a time in your life when you did something that showed courage; a time when you did something that other people thought you wouldn t be able to do Mark a distance of 9ft (2.74m) on the floor by drawing two chalk lines or using two strips of masking tape. If your ceilings are high enough you could mark this height on the wall instead. Prepare a sack of rice, potatoes etc. that weighs 6kg. Prepare a sack or another object that weighs 56kg. This is about the weight of an average-sized 12 year-old. You could find someone that is roughly the right weight and use them for this activity. For The Main Thing Bibles Sheets of A4/A3 paper or sheets of butchers paper A range of coloured playdough or paper Magiclay or plasticine if you choose this option Textas, pencils or crayons Coloured sticky notes For Tying In Print off copies of the Who has God made me to be? charts Pens or markers for filling in the chart ENSURE YOU TAKE COPIES OF THESE AFTER THE CHILDREN HAVE COMPLETED THEM as you will need them for Lesson 8 For Print off the cards for each child. The children will take home their Who has God made me to be? charts to talk over with their Big Bud and family. Connecting In Wearing David s shoes Explain to the children that you would like them to share a story of a time when they did something that took courage; something that other people thought they wouldn t be able to do. (You will need to be prepared to share your own story of when you may have faced a situation like this, to help kick off this section.) After the children have had an opportunity to share, remind them that God has created each of us as unique individuals. He has given each of us a particular set of characteristics, gifts, talents and experiences that help to form us into a special and unique person. If we are open to God, He can use all that we have and all that we have experienced to make a difference for Him. Link Today we are going to explore the story of someone you are probably familiar with, who had lots of people think that he was not able to do something a little bit like some of the stories that we have just been talking about. David, who was only a boy, fought a massive soldier named Goliath. He was able to do this for God because of who God had made him to be, because of the gifts, abilities and experiences that he had had. It took great courage for him to do this but also trust in God. Let s have a look at some of the facts about the story before we share in it together.

54 Goliath was 9ft tall. That s 2.74m. I ve marked this distance on the floor to show what it would look like to be that tall. Would anyone like to lie down with their feet on the first mark to see how much taller Goliath was? Goliath was so strong that he could use massive weapons and pieces of armour to protect himself. This sack weighs 6kg. That s how much just his spearhead weighed. Who would like to try to carry it across the room from one side to the other? Goliath was able to lift that above his head and throw or thrust it to kill enemy soldiers. This sack (child/object) weighs 56kg. That s how much Goliath s coat of armour weighed. Would anyone like to try to lift it off the floor/ table? Make sure you bend your knees! Goliath was huge and strong but David had the courage to face up to him. David knew who God had created him to be and he knew the work God wanted him to do. He fought Goliath and he won. The Main Thing David s story in four parts Children and the leader open their Bibles to 1 Sam 17. This is the story we will be reading today, but if you want to read more of David s story it is in 1 Samuel 16 through to 2 Samuel 24, and then into 1 Kings! Today we will just look at one section of his story. In exploring the story today you might like to approach it in a couple of different ways: The children can individually draw the four scenes of the story that you are going to explore today. They can take a sheet of A4/A3 paper and fold it in half and then fold it in half again to create four sections in which to draw the four scenes. You can get the children to work in small groups and give them 4 sheets of A3/A4 paper to draw the four scenes together as a group, having everyone contribute to the images. Or you might like to have the children work in small groups, provide them with some paper on which to create their scenes using playdough, paper Magiclay or plasticine as the story is read. NOTE: It s okay to read part of the story while they are still drawing. This may help children to stay focused. NOTE: For children who are younger or have vision impairment, use a separate sheet of paper for each scene and allow a little more time. Setting the scene Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a wide, green, grassy valley. There are hills on either side of the valley. Camped at the top of one of these hills is the Israelite army. Camped at the top of the hill on the other side of the valley is the Philistine army. This is the setting for our story and where we will begin today. SCENE 1 (As you are sharing this part of the story ask the children to draw/create the setting that they have just imagined above.) The Israelite army was filled with brave, strong soldiers, who were used to fighting wars to defend their towns. This time the Philistines had come to attack and the Israelites had responded by moving out to protect their people. But the Philistines had men amongst them who were said to have giant blood in them. They were huge. One in particular had become their hero. His name was? (Give the children a chance to answer.) That s right, Goliath. Goliath was big! Goliath was strong! Goliath was proud! And Goliath was mean! Each day Goliath put on his armour, stalked down into the valley and shouted at the army of Israel: Why are you even bothering to prepare for battle? I m the best soldier in our army. I dare you to send one of your soldiers to fight me! He teased, Go on, choose your best! If he can kill me, our people will be your

55 slaves. But if I kill him, your people will be our slaves. Here and now I challenge you, your whole measly army; choose someone who is brave enough to fight me! Now King Saul and his army could hear these threats and taunts but they did nothing. Maybe they were hiding out in their tents with their knees shaking, terrified of Goliath. Maybe they were just smart enough to know they didn t stand a chance and were waiting, hoping that Goliath would catch a virus! Whatever the reason, they let Goliath go on making his daily challenge. (Ask the children to add Goliath into their scene. If they are drawing get them to add a speech bubble and include something he might have said. For a speech bubble, the children might like to use a bright coloured sticky note, these come in a variety of shapes and colours.) In the meantime, a boy called David was home with his dad, Jesse, in Bethlehem, looking after the sheep. Three of his seven older brothers were off with the army and one day, since there were no mobile phones, Twitter or internet, Jesse sent David off to deliver a message to his brothers and check on the progress of the battle. So the next morning David left someone else to watch the sheep and headed off to the battle zone. David found his brothers and was chatting with them when Goliath showed up again Why are you even bothering to prepare for battle? I m the best soldier in our army. I dare you to send one of your soldiers to fight me! He teased, Go on, choose your best! If he can kill me, our people will be your slaves. But if I kill him, your people will be our slaves. Here and now I challenge you, your whole measly army; choose someone who is brave enough to fight me! David looked around, watching excitedly to see who would be chosen. But his brothers ran off, scared, along with the other soldiers. David was astounded. Are you really going to let him speak to us like that? He asked some soldiers nearby. We belong to God. We have him on our side. Who is this big thug to mock our God and his people? I ll take him on. I ll knock him down and cut off his head. David s oldest brother, Eliab, heard what David was saying. You little pipsqueak! Who do you think you are? Go back where you belong, playing with the sheep back home with daddy. I bet you ve run off and left them to fend for themselves. You are such a little brat. You just came to watch the fighting, didn t you? Now what have I done wrong? said David, I just want a chance to teach that big bully a lesson. (Ask the children to add David into the scene next to Goliath to show how much bigger he was than David.) Debrief questions for Scene 1: What did David s dad, Jesse think about who David was? What did David s brother, Eliab, say about who he was? David wasn t a soldier, like his brothers. Was he being brave or being foolish about fighting Goliath? SCENE 2 (As you are sharing this part of the story ask the children to draw/create David talking to King Saul and trying on the armour that was too big for him. If they are drawing include some speech bubbles showing what they might have been saying to each other. If they are creating with clay get them to share some phrases with each other about what they might have been saying.) 1 Samuel 17: (CEV) Some soldiers overheard David talking, so they told Saul what David had said. Saul sent for David, and David came. Your Majesty, he said, this Philistine shouldn t turn us into cowards. I ll go out and fight him myself! You don t have a chance against him, Saul replied. You re only a boy and he s been a soldier all his life.

56 But David told him, Your Majesty, I take care of my father s sheep. And when one of them is dragged off by a lion or a bear, I go after it and beat the wild animal until it lets the sheep go. If the wild animal turns and attacks me, I grab it by the throat and kill it. Sir, I have killed lions and bears that way, and I can kill this worthless Philistine. He shouldn t have made fun of the army of the living God! The Lord has rescued me from the claws of lions and bears, and he will keep me safe from the hands of this Philistine. All right, Saul answered, go ahead and fight him. And I hope the Lord will help you. Saul had his own military clothes and armour put on David, and he gave David a bronze helmet to wear. David strapped on a sword and tried to walk around, but he was not used to wearing those things. I can t move with all this stuff on, David said. I m just not used to it. Debrief questions for Scene 2: What did King Saul say about who David was? What did David say and know about himself? What did David say and know about God? SCENE 3 (As you are sharing this part of the story ask the children to draw/create David fighting Goliath. If they are drawing get them to include a speech bubble and what David might have been saying. If they are creating with clay get the children to share a phrase with each other about what David might have been saying.) David took off the armour and picked up his shepherd s stick. He went out to a stream and picked up five smooth rocks and put them in his leather bag. Then with his sling in his hand, he went straight toward Goliath. Goliath came toward David, walking behind the soldier who was carrying his shield. When Goliath saw that David was just a healthy, good-looking boy, he made fun of him. Do you think I m a dog? Goliath asked. Is that why you ve come after me with a stick? He cursed David in the name of the Philistine gods and shouted, Come on! When I m finished with you, I ll feed you to the birds and wild animals! David answered: You ve come out to fight me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I ve come out to fight you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful. He is the God of Israel s army, and you have insulted him too! Today the Lord will help me defeat you. I ll knock you down and cut off your head, and I ll feed the bodies of the other Philistine soldiers to the birds and wild animals. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a real God. Everybody here will see that the Lord doesn t need swords or spears to save his people. The Lord always wins his battles, and he will help us to defeat you. When Goliath started forward, David ran toward him. He put a rock in his sling and swung the sling around by its straps. When he let go of one strap, the rock flew out and hit Goliath on the forehead. It cracked his skull, and he fell face down on the ground. David defeated Goliath with a sling and a rock. He killed him without even using a sword. David ran over and pulled out Goliath s sword. Then he used it to cut off Goliath s head. Ooooh, gross! Debrief questions for Scene 3: When David spoke to Goliath, do you think he (David) would have sounded a bit scared? What was David trying to prove to the Philistines about God? When David hit Goliath with his first stone, was it just a lucky shot?

57 SCENE 4 (As you are sharing this part of the story ask the children to draw/create the Israelites returning with their loot and David returning as the winner of the battle. If they are drawing get the children to include some speech bubbles about what is being said. If they are creating with clay get the children to share some phrases that they think might have been said.) Now you might think that s the end of the story but it s not quite done. When the Philistine soldiers saw that their unbeatable hero had been killed they turned and ran just as fast as they could go. The Israelites were not about to let them go that easily. They let out a wild battle cry, Yaaaaahhhh! and chased them. When they returned from chasing the Philistines, the Israelites took all sorts of goodies from their deserted camp site. And David came back as the winner carrying Goliath s head. Yuck! Debrief questions for Scene 4: Why did the brave Philistine army suddenly turn chicken? Do you think David would have thought of himself as a hero and champion? (No, he would have praised God.) How do you think David would have gone if he was wearing heavy armour and trying to use Saul s sword? David knew who God had created him to be. Because of this, he wasn t afraid to do God s work, even when other people said he couldn t do it. He chose not to do what the other Israelites were doing. Instead of running and hiding he went out to fight. He chose not to do things someone else s way. King Saul tried to dress him in armour and send him out with a sword but David knew that wasn t the right way for him to fight. He chose not to let what other people were saying define who he was. He used what God had given him to do God s work and to do it well. We can learn a lot from the way that David went about using all that God had given him and how God had made him to worship and serve his God. I wonder if you know the special things that God has given you and the special way in which He has made you. I wonder if you will be willing to trust God to use these things to worship and serve Him when and where needed. Tying In Who has God made me to be? Ask the children: What do other people like and respect about you? What can you do well? What do you love to do? Are there things that you have done because God has asked you to? If so, what happened? Explain that our gifts, talents, characteristics and experiences help to make us one of a kind and so very special to God. We are going to create our own Who has God made me to be? chart and include the following things: gifts, talents, characteristics, experiences and other special stuff. Let s look together at what these things mean and then help each other as we fill them out.

58 Gifts: These are the things that God s Holy Spirit gives us to help us to do his work. For example if we read 1 Corinthians 12:7 11 it tells us these things. Some of us can speak wisely, while others have great faith or the power to heal the sick, or the power to work mighty miracles. Some of us get messages from God, and some of us recognize when God s Spirit is present. And we read in Romans 12:6 8 about gifts such as serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading and showing mercy. You might have noticed that while you like helping the leaders to set up or put things away, someone else here is good at talking to people about Jesus, while another person prays a lot. These are all different spiritual gifts! Talents: These are the other special things that we can do well and usually love doing like cooking, playing sports, drawing, reading, making or creating things or something extra special, out of the ordinary etc. Characteristics: These reveal how we act, think and behave. Some examples of characteristics are being kind, cheerful, generous, loving, helping others, cooperative, honest, hardworking and patient. Experiences: These are the special things that we have done or been a part of that affect who we are, how we think and how we sometimes look at the world. For example: if you have lived in lots of different places you might have become very good at making friends. If you have travelled to other countries you might be more interested in different cultures. If you have spent time in hospital you might be extra understanding of people who are sick etc. Other special stuff: This is anything else that you can think of that makes you different or stand out from others. Things that people might say to describe who you are. Allow each child some time to fill in a Who has God made me to be? chart, it would be good if you can help and affirm them in their gifts, talents etc. as well as encouraging the other children to have input in affirming the things that they see as being special about others in the group. Prayer time Ask the children to name one thing about who God has created them to be that they are happy about. Ask the children to each share with a partner something they like and value about that friend. Jesus, we can see that you have made each of us different from everyone else. We are unique and so special to you. Thanks for being so creative! Please help us to value the differences in each other and in ourselves. We know that you have made us in a special way so that we can worship and serve you. Amen Print off the cards attached. The children might like to keep these in their journals or notebook where they could write or stick the challenges, reflect, answer questions or complete activities each week. Talk with your Big Bud or another adult about your Who has God made me to be? chart. Share a story with them about something you have done that took courage. Show them the things that make you special. Ask them to pray for you to be all that God has created you to be, so that you can worship and serve God in your own unique way.

59 Share a story with them about something you have done that took courage. Show them the things that make you special. Ask them to pray for you to be all that God has created you to be, so that you can worship and serve God in your own unique way. Share a story with them about something you have done that took courage. Show them the things that make you special. Ask them to pray for you to be all that God has created you to be, so that you can worship and serve God in your own unique way. Talk with your Big Bud or another adult about your Who has God made me to be? chart. Talk with your Big Bud or another adult about your Who has God made me to be? chart. Share a story with them about something you have done that took courage. Show them the things that make you special. Ask them to pray for you to be all that God has created you to be, so that you can worship and serve God in your own unique way. Share a story with them about something you have done that took courage. Show them the things that make you special. Ask them to pray for you to be all that God has created you to be, so that you can worship and serve God in your own unique way. Talk with your Big Bud or another adult about your Who has God made me to be? chart. Talk with your Big Bud or another adult about your Who has God made me to be? chart.

60 Characteristics Name: Talents Other Experiences special stuff Gifts

61 Junior Soldiers Unit 6 : Lesson 8 With God I can do it! PURPOSE : For the children to explore and understand that God has made each of them in a specifi c way and they should use all they have to worship and serve Him. God has made you able to do His work, and you should do it! David answered [Goliath]: You ve come out to fi ght me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I ve come out to fi ght you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful. 1 Samuel 17:45 (CEV) Consider & Prepare Read: 1 Samuel 17:31 50 (CEV) This lesson is part of a series, Lesson 7 and Lesson 8 go together and look at the story of David and Goliath and how God used what David had to do great things for Him. The children will be exploring what they have as well as how God might use what they have to worship and serve Him. We learnt about David in the last lesson and explored what God had already built into David to equip him for the task of defeating Goliath. 1. Life experience: David was still a child, yet he was able to draw on significant life experience in battle with wild animals to prepare him for facing Goliath. 2. Faith: In addition to this, David had no question in his mind about God s delivering presence in his life as well as God s awesome majesty. 3. Passion/fire about the problem: In David s eyes, even the army of the living God should not be mocked, he was righteously angry! Go back to the passage above: In coloured pen or marker, underline the parts of the story in the reading above that show you that David knew he could and should fight Goliath. Now in another coloured pen, underline the parts of the story where other people speak about David. This lesson is all about the I cans of God equipping his people for very specific tasks (some are heroic one-offs, some are day-to-day acts of courage and service). We will hear back from children who have been considering their potential to serve God in ways that fit who they are and the life experiences (perhaps even battles) they have already faced. Remember to consider their potential in the light of life experience, faith, and passion/fire.

62 Pray for the children in your group. Ask God to help you to see potential in the children as He has equipped them. Write down any notes that you may need to have on hand to encourage the children with any wisdom and vision you have been given about their wonderful potential in Him. The end goal of this lesson is that children will design a project to do and decide what (if any) other help or resources they might need. If you have a variety of abilities in your group with varying levels of independence, please consider allowing your more independent children to design their own projects (or work in pairs) while you help the more dependent children to design a project that they can do together, or if this is difficult, then design a project as a group that they can all carry out as individuals in their homes and communities. Note that the projects that you agree on can be used in relation to the projects section in their award passports. See leaders notes in relation to the project section, ideas and suggestions. What you will need: For Connecting In The children need a copy of their charts from last lesson. It would be wise for you to have kept a copy. Music for action song (CD, accompanying instrument, whatever is needed for the song) For The Main Thing The project work sheet (a copy for each child) Post it notes, or small pieces of paper for the Brainstorm Race Chart paper or a white board with sections marked for teams to put their ideas into for the Brainstorm Race. Timer for the Brainstorm Race A4/A3 or sheets of butchers paper Pencils, pens and Bibles For Tying In Action song reprise Any pictures that the children drew last lesson of the David and Goliath story. Bibles For Print off the cards for each child. Copy the children s project sheets so that you can keep a copy and pray for them in their project Connecting In Welcome the children to an exciting project design lesson! Do an action song: Choose a song that is about doing all things through Christ who strengthens us (e.g. Be Happy by Doug Horley on the Lovely Jubbly album). Sing it as loud as you can! The Choosing Game: (Leader s note: there are no wrong answers for this game, it is simply to get the children in touch with their own ideas, inclinations and choices.)

63 To set up this game, indicate three different areas of your activity space. In this game you need to choose your answer to the given situation and run to the area that indicates your answer, e.g. Space 1 is for option 1, Space 2 is for option 2, Space 3 is for option 3 which is I don t know, or I would do something else. As you give the options, help to remind the children where they need to go by pointing to the space that they can go to for the choice they make You can make this activity very meaningful by affirming that the choices are all good (1 and 2), and that sometimes we need time to think over what we need to do to respond (3); then, there are other children in area 3 who have thought of something else ask them what they would do in that situation. Affirm good, Godly ideas, and laugh off the silly responses from your comedians, challenging them about what they could do in that situation that would please God. It is also important to encourage children to be honest with their choices and not just choose what they think is the right answer. Situation 1: A child you don t know at school is being bullied by a kid much bigger than you. Do you: 1. Pray about the situation and comfort the bullied child. [Option 1] 2. Go to the school principle or teacher/s on duty and ask for help and keep bothering the teachers until something is done. [Option 2] 3. I don t know/ I know what I d do and it s something different. [Option 3] Situation 2: You have discovered that your family doesn t buy fairtrade chocolate and you want them to. Do you: 1. Stop eating chocolate in protest and start bugging your family to only use fairtrade chocolate. [1] 2. Write to the manufacturers of your favourite chocolate and ask them to become fairtrade. [2] 3. I don t know/ I know what I d do and it s something different. [3] Situation 3. There s a new group of children at your church and you are really shy. Do you: Pray and hope that they will feel welcome. [1] Ask a few of your really outgoing friends to come and meet them with you. [2] I don t know/ I know what I d do and it s something different. [3]. Situation 4. One of your very close friends is sad about something in their family. Do you: Ask them how they are and ask your parents if you can have that friend over to play more often. [1] Pray for them whenever you think about the problem. [2] I don t know/ I know what I d do and it s something different. [3] Link In the last lesson we filled in a chart where we looked at Who has God made me to be?, which helped us to see our personal potential and abilities and how we can use these to worship and serve God. Who talked with their Big Buds about their chart this week? Who talked with someone else about their chart this week? I wonder if any of you have done some thinking and decided to add something extra to your chart. God has given all of us different skills and life experiences, and different things get us all fired up as well. We are paying attention to what those things are, so that we are ready when God gives us opportunities to step up and do His work. Some opportunities are all around us every day (like the boy who shared his lunch with Jesus so that others could have something to eat). And some opportunities may come up once in a life time (like David telling a King that he was wrong and going out to fight a giant with a sling and a stick, because he knew God would be with him when fighting Goliath!). The Main Thing Brainstorm Game: The idea of this game is to build up a list of identifiable problems that the children can see that they may be able to use later as a springboard for their project. Divide the children up into teams, or pairs, or if you have a small group, run this activity with individual children as competitors.

64 Hand out a pencil or pen and a stack of post it notes to each child or team. Tell them that they will have a limited amount of time to identify the problems or challenges in their church, or community, or family that they think children could help to make better. If the children are working in a group, seat them away from the whiteboard They will need to allocate a runner (to run to the whiteboard and stick up their group s ideas), a writer (to quickly write ideas down), and the rest of the group are thinkers (to help give ideas to the writer). If you have a small group, or just one child, race the clock and just total their pile of ideas when the time is up. Give the children five minutes and start the Brainstorm Race. Total up the ideas and cheer the winning ideas team. Link: Read out the ideas the children have had and ask the children to explain any that are difficult to read or understand. Are any of these problems ones that you think God would like us to make a difference in? Who has special gifts and experience in some of these areas? I wonder what sorts of things could be done to make a difference. Project Planning Hand out some plain A3/A4 paper or large sheets of butchers paper (some kids will like more space to be creative as they plan and explore the difference they are going to make). If you have a variety of abilities in your group with varying levels of independence, please consider allowing your more independent children to design their own projects (or work in pairs) while you help the more dependent children to design a project that they can do together, or if this is difficult, then design a project as a group that they can all carry out as individuals in their homes and communities. Outline the things that the children will need to think about in their planning and preparation, offering help where needed. Project areas to think on and include in your planning On a large sheet of butchers paper or whiteboard write up the following information for the children to use as a reference for their planning and preparation. Identify the need or challenge. Describe or draw what you think needs to happen. How has God enabled or skilled you so that you might be able to meet this challenge or solve this problem? From my life experience so far Because I have faith in God that it s right to do I have a passion/fire about this issue Do you need other people to help you? Could they be members of your family? Who are they and what should they be able to do? Do you need any stuff to do your project? Write down, step by step, what you will do. When will you put this plan into action? How will you know that you have made a difference?

65 Tying In Sitting in a circle ask the children/pairs/groups to share with each other about the project they have decided to do. Invite children to share their hopes about the difference that they want to make. Ask all the children to open their Bibles or so that they can all see 1 Samuel. Highlight the drawings/creations of the David and Goliath Story that they did last lesson. What was David doing before he fought Goliath? (harpist 1 Sam 16:15 20, shepherd 1 Sam 16:11, armour bearer 1 Sam 16:21 22, messenger for his family 1 Sam 17:12 18) Did he do anything else after he fought Goliath and killed him? (became an officer in Saul s army 1 Sam 18:5, eventually became king 2 Sam 5:1 5) Did David serve God on just one day? (no, he served God all his life; he failed and he succeeded) Are our projects single day projects or longer projects? (various answers anticipated) Does your project look challenging? Read over the information on your project sheet: How has God enabled you to meet this challenge or solve this problem? (life experience, faith, passion/fire) Pray: Gather the children together and pray for each child and their specific project. If in a larger group, do this kind of prayer in smaller groups so that every participant is prayed for before they leave. Ask God to give everyone the strength, wisdom and courage to make a difference by doing God s work. Sing: Action song about God enabling us to do all things in his strength! Print off the cards attached. The children might like to keep these in their journals or notebook where they could write or stick the challenges, reflect, answer questions or complete activities each week. Project This section can be set aside to encourage the children to recruit any helpers that might be needed (family or friends) or organise the resources they will need to carry out their plan. They will need to take their plan home. It would be good for them to share this plan with their family and Big Bud so that they can support them in any specific way and pray for them too. Keep a copy of the plan and pray for each child this week.

66 Share it with your family and Big Bud Is there any way that you would like them to support or help you with this project? Ask them to pray for you in relation to your project. Share it with your family and Big Bud Is there any way that you would like them to support or help you with this project? Ask them to pray for you in relation to your project. Take your plan home Take your plan home Project Project Is there any way that you would like them to support or help you with this project? Ask them to pray for you in relation to your project. Is there any way that you would like them to support or help you with this project? Ask them to pray for you in relation to your project. Share it with your family and Big Bud Share it with your family and Big Bud Project Take your plan home Project Take your plan home

67 Junior Soldiers Unit 6 : Lesson 9 Never too small or young! PURPOSE : For the children to explore and understand that they are important and of value to God and His work in the world now and not just in the future, and that they don t have to be an adult to do great things for God. Don t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV) Consider & Prepare Read: Judges 6:12, 6:1 16, 6:23, 6:34, 7: Timothy 4:12 Gideon and Timothy were just two leaders in the Bible who held positions of responsibility despite their relative youth. They flew in the face of a culture that equated wisdom with age (i.e. the older you are, the wiser you are) and they achieved this because of their faith and trust in God. Adults today including church leaders need to recognize that children are not merely the future of the church, they are the church. They can worship and pray and read Scripture and witness and care for others every bit as well as a grown-up. In some instances, they ll even do it better a child s prayer can often be far more honest and heartfelt than the rehearsed, cliched words of an adult. If, as a leader, you came to faith as a child, it may be helpful to share some of your own story with your children. For them to hear that you found faith as a child, not an adult, can be a powerful real-life illustration for them. Also, read through The Main Thing material in this lesson and get familiar with it; if you can lead it without reading it, it will have a better impact on the children. What you will need: For Connecting In Chairs Oreo biscuits Timer For The Main Thing Two large cans of food (with crowns around them)

68 Bag of cotton balls Diamond prop or picture For Tying In Various sizes of the same chocolate or foods (see instructions in Tying In) For Print off the cards for each child. Connecting In Bite the Bickie For this activity you will need some Oreo biscuits, a timer and some great facial muscles. You might like to have a camera on hand as you can capture some amazing facial expressions. Test your control of your facial muscles with this simple Minute To Win It game! The Goal Move a cookie from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands. How to Play Bite the bickie is extremely simple, at least in theory. Sit in a chair with a plate of Oreo biscuits beside you. Lean your head back and place a biscuit in the center of your forehead. When the one-minute timer begins, use only your face to move the biscuit from your forehead to your mouth. The Rules Biscuits must be placed in the middle of your forehead, not touching your eyebrows. You can tilt your head and move your face, but you cannot touch the biscuit with your hands. The biscuit must remain in contact with your face, so you can t try to toss it from your forehead and catch it in your mouth. If a biscuit falls before reaching your mouth, you must start over with a fresh one. The biscuit must actually go in your mouth, held securely by your lips and/or teeth, to count. Tips and Tricks Tilt your head in the opposite direction from the way you want the biscuit to go, to provide stability. Use repetitive motions with your face muscles to slowly but steadily move the biscuit along. When you get the biscuit close to your mouth, slowly and gently tilt your head to get it to its final destination. Link God created us with a great purpose in mind. When we look at some of the more simpler things in life and look at the detail that went into their creation and what their purpose is, we can appreciate how much greater our purpose in life is. Make sure each child has an Oreo in their hand. Do you think this Oreo came from nowhere? Do you think that some accident in a food factory created this Oreo? Are there trees that grow Oreos? Wouldn t that be nice! No, someone created this Oreo. Someone thought of a recipe that would be the chocolate biscuits on the outside and the cream filling, and they probably had to change their recipe several times in order to get it just right. Not only did they have to come up with a recipe, but they also had to design a machine that would make the biscuits exactly the same size and make the design on the top and then to pipe the correct amount of filling for the middle. Let me ask you a question. What was the purpose of creating the Oreo? (We wanted to have something sweet to eat!)

69 You know, we are things that are a thousand times more complicated and detailed than an Oreo. God spent a lot of time making us. He took a lot of thought in creating the way we would look and how our bodies would work. The purpose of an Oreo is for us to have something sweet and yummy to eat. Our purpose is much greater than that. God has created us with a specific purpose for our lives, things that we can do to change and impact the world for Him and not just in the future and days to come, but right now, too. The Main Thing Small and mighty You might ask: But how can I, a child, change this world? Let s look up in the Bible together 1 Timothy 4:12. It says, Don t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. How do you think that we can do that? (Give the children some time to respond and share what they think.) We can t change how people see us, but we can be an example to others in how we live, speak and serve God. God wouldn t want to hear us say, But I m only a child, I can t do anything for God. We need to understand that God made us so that we can impact this world for Him, starting right now, not only when we have grown into an adult. We are going to have a look at someone in the Bible that thought he couldn t do something because he was too small, but God used him for a BIG job. Has anyone heard the story of Gideon before? Gideon did not think that he could do what God wanted him to do. There were two kings of the Midianites who were the worst, and they had really big armies. Let s imagine that these two cans of food are the two kings of the Midianites. These were some really bad people! And this was our hero, Gideon (show cotton ball). Now God told Gideon that he was going to be able to defeat these two kings. What do you think seems a little crazy, right? I mean, a cotton ball could not defeat these big full tin cans! This can could squish this cotton ball! And that was what Gideon thought. Gideon could not imagine any way that he could go up against these kings. But then, God gave Gideon an army! (Dump out cotton balls). Now that Gideon had an army, was there a possibility that he might be able to defeat these kings? What do you think? But God told Gideon that Gideon did not need this many people in his army he just needed a few. (Get rid of most of the cotton balls, just leave a couple). I wonder what happened next Well, it was with only these few men that little Gideon defeated the two big kings (knock the cans to fall onto the floor while you re holding cotton balls). Now, did the cotton balls knock the cans onto the floor? No, not really, it was really me, just with the cotton balls in my hands. Because this is my table/stage, and I m the biggest one here, and I can do what I want. And that is how God used Gideon. God took Gideon, and with God s hands and God s power, Gideon got the job done. Gideon used to feel powerless, like he could not do anything, especially what God had asked Him to do with the big kings. But when he realized that God was with him and that he could trust God, Gideon literally changed the world. And it s the same with you no matter the challenge; never think you are too young or too small. God sees a mighty warrior inside of you, and you can with God change the world! Gideon was not a very big person or an old person or an important person. But God used Gideon in a very, very big way, and God can do the same with us, believing in God and trusting Him can help us to do amazing things, things that we probably don t think that we could possibly do. (You might have a situation that you can share with the children of a time when God helped you to do something that you did not think that you could possibly do).

70 Diamonds I have here the strongest material in the whole entire world. This rock that I have behind my back is so strong; people can t even make anything as strong as it. There is no rock anywhere in the entire world that could possibly, ever, ever be as strong and awesome as this rock that I have behind my back. Other rocks try to be as strong as this rock, but they fail. Would you like to see the strongest, most awesome-est rock in the whole entire world? (Take out diamond). Here it is! This is the strongest rock in the whole entire world! There is nothing stronger than this! Oh, I know what you re thinking, that this rock is so small, there s nothing to this rock! But do you want to know something? They take little rocks just like this, and they can grind up metal and even other big, huge rocks. People use this little rock to smash up other huge rock! This rock is called a diamond. It may be small, but even though it s small, it has huge potential, and can do some really big jobs. And, it s also the most valuable rock in the world. You can pay more for this little diamond than you can for tons and tons of big truckloads of normal rock. This diamond is small. You know what, you may be young and small right now, but God has a big plan for you. God can do great things even with small objects like diamonds or small people like children! For God, a big plan doesn t mean you have to change the world or win a war or solve an international crisis it might just mean that you are used by God to encourage someone or challenge someone or introduce someone else to Jesus. When you do something that you didn t think you could do, you know, that might mean you are in God s hand and He us doing great things with you. Gideon thought he was too small and unimportant to do anything for God. But Gideon had faith that with God he could do something that he could not do on his own. Read together Judges 6:12 The angel appeared and spoke to Gideon, The Lord is helping you, and you are a strong warrior. Don t be fooled by size or age or ability! With God we can do amazing things if we have faith and trust in Him. Tying In Supplies: Various sizes of the same chocolate bar or certain foods, e.g. tiny tin of baked beans, medium and large or perhaps a mini muffin, medium and a mega-sized muffin etc. Don t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12) Call several children up to be taste-testers. Today we are going to have a taste test. Kids, I want you to tell me which tastes better, this miniature Crunchie bar, this regular Crunchie bar or this large Crunchie bar? Of course they are all going to taste the same, yes, it would be better to have more but the taste is the same. (Continue this with two or three other chocolate bars, or foods, e.g. muffins, pizza, etc.)

71 When we live a life connected with Jesus, no matter our age or our size, the same sorts of things can happens for us. We are friends with Jesus and there is no difference regardless of your age; just like in the small, medium or large versions of these foods, there is no difference in the taste there is no difference in how we can be friends with God and how He might work through our lives. We are all saved by the choice that Jesus made on the cross and we are all able to have the Holy Spirit help, support and guide us every day. God doesn t treat children any different from adults. We all have the ability to pray and expect big things from God. We all have the responsibility to share Jesus with others. We all face temptations and tricky choices. We can all be forgiven when we ask for the wrong choices we have made. Our verse for today says, No one should look down on you because you are young. We don t have to wait until we grow up to live in ways that please God. Everywhere you are, people watch how we live, the words that we choose to say, the way we act, the choices we make and the attitudes we have. These are the ways we are supposed to show our commitment to God according to this verse: In speech: say good things and encourage people In conduct: obey His commands, and treat others with kindness, have a good attitude In love: God wants us to love others and show His love In faith: live your life to please God In purity: have good thoughts and actions, keep your life safe from things that can hurt you (scary movies, bad video games, music with bad words, bad websites etc.) Whether you are a small, a medium, a large or an extra-large, if you have asked Jesus into your heart, your job is love Him with all your heart and soul and mind and strength and to love others as you love yourself. (Stand together as a large group and join arms.) As a group today, we stand together so that we can support and encourage each other so that no one will look down on us because we are young as we strive to follow God in all we do. Go around the circle praying for each other and encouraging and challenging each other to do what God requires of them. Print off the cards attached. The children might like to keep these in their journals or notebook where they could write or stick the challenges, reflect, answer questions or complete activities each week. Family Bite the Bickie Challenge your family to the minute to win it game you played today, getting the biscuit from your forehead to your mouth. When each family member has had their turn (even if they don t get it in their mouth) all the others at the table need to say what they appreciate about them. Ask your parents what they wished they could have done as a kid, and was always told they weren t old enough or big enough to do? Did that frustrate them? Share what you would like to do, with help from God.

72 Challenge your family to the minute to win it game you played today, getting the biscuit from your forehead to your mouth. When each family member has had their turn (even if they don t get it in their mouth) all the others at the table need to say what they appreciate about them. Ask your parents what they wished they could have done as a kid, and was always told they weren t old enough or big enough to do? Did that frustrate them? Share what you would like to do, with help from God. Challenge your family to the minute to win it game you played today, getting the biscuit from your forehead to your mouth. When each family member has had their turn (even if they don t get it in their mouth) all the others at the table need to say what they appreciate about them. Ask your parents what they wished they could have done as a kid, and was always told they weren t old enough or big enough to do? Did that frustrate them? Share what you would like to do, with help from God. Family Bite the Bickie Family Bite the Bickie Challenge your family to the minute to win it game you played today, getting the biscuit from your forehead to your mouth. When each family member has had their turn (even if they don t get it in their mouth) all the others at the table need to say what they appreciate about them. Ask your parents what they wished they could have done as a kid, and was always told they weren t old enough or big enough to do? Did that frustrate them? Share what you would like to do, with help from God. Challenge your family to the minute to win it game you played today, getting the biscuit from your forehead to your mouth. When each family member has had their turn (even if they don t get it in their mouth) all the others at the table need to say what they appreciate about them. Ask your parents what they wished they could have done as a kid, and was always told they weren t old enough or big enough to do? Did that frustrate them? Share what you would like to do, with help from God. Family Bite the Bickie Family Bite the Bickie

73 Junior Soldiers Unit 6 : Lesson 10 All welcome at PURPOSE: For the children to explore and understand that with the birth of Jesus, God demonstrated that He values everyone and welcomes all into His family as His children. Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are. 1 John 3:1a Consider & Prepare the stable! Read: Matthew 1:1 25 Luke 2:1 20 John 1: John 3:1a In Matthew 1 we read the genealogy of Jesus; it establishes that Joseph is a direct descendant of the house of David. God promised King David that one of his descendants would sit on the throne for eternity. Other Old Testament prophecies spoke of a Messiah or Saviour who would save people from their sins and reunite them with God. God always intended to be in relationship with His creation but, because of sin, humanity chose to distance itself from God. In today s lesson we will look at Joseph s relationship to people in Bethlehem and how God invites unlikely people to become a new family, through their relationship with Jesus Christ. Note that shepherds were low on the rung of Jewish society. They were seen as outcasts from religious circles because they couldn t participate in cleansing ceremonies needed for temple worship. According to Jewish custom, Jews were required to wash at least three times a day. Shepherds had to stay with sheep 24/7, so they couldn t participate in things like Sabbath and annual festivals (Yom Kippur, Passover, Hanukah, etc.). They lived on the outskirts of town with their sheep and didn t participate in the daily lives of those in the city. The other important thing to realize was that Bethlehem was only 8 km from Jerusalem. Bible commentators believe that these particular shepherds may have tended the flocks that were used for all sacrificial lambs used in the great temple. We know that Jesus became the sacrificial lamb for humanity and these shepherds were witnessing the fulfillment of old related prophecies (Leviticus includes the practice of sacrificing lamb to absolve sins and Isaiah 53:10 refers to the Lord making his life a guilt offering). John the Baptist reinterprets

74 the Old Testament scriptures and uses this as a prophecy and foreshadowing that Jesus is the lamb that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). During this lesson, be aware of children from dysfunctional, chaotic or non-participatory families and be especially sensitive to them. What you will need: For Connecting In Chairs to play Musical Chairs Computer or media device to play DVD or clip Snacks or treats, if this is the option that you choose For The Main Thing Bibles Max7 DVD clip downloaded from Computer or media device to play clips CD or musical instrument to accompany the Christmas carol O, come let us adore Him For Tying In You will need to download a Max7 DVD, R U smarter than a fly_ Christmas pudding from Christmas tree for decorating Card cut in a variety of shapes, e.g. baubles, people, stars etc. Add a piece of ribbon or string for hanging purposes. Textas, pencils etc. For Print off the cards for each child Card, patterned paper with Christmas designs, stickers and other craft materials Church Family Christmas Celebration information Connecting In Musical chairs Play a game of traditional Musical Chairs. Once the game is over play again, but this time, instruct the children that they have to try and see how many people they can get onto one seat each round. The group with the smallest number on the seat is out. (It would be good to put some boundaries around this game for the safety of those playing.) Ask these questions: How did it feel to play the game with only one person to a seat? How did it feel trying to squeeze as many as possible on to one seat? How did it feel when you were out and no longer included in the game? Link: It is fun to play a game, but not so much fun when you are the one that is sitting out. It is not a great feeling when you are left out or not included in something. I wonder if there has been other times when you felt included or excluded. (Give the children some time to share their thoughts.) There are times when we are left out from activities and times when we might leave others out. As we lead up to Christmas, we want to focus on Jesus being born for everyone this means that nobody is left out and that God loves us all. God loves us and welcomes us into His family: we are always welcome.

75 Left out For this activity we want to engage the children in discussion about feeling left out. Below are a couple of suggestions to help initiate this discussion. Leader to bring in a DVD or clip to watch on a laptop, ask some of the children to come and watch with you but ask the other children to do something else that s not fun, e.g. sorting out a stack of coloured squares into individual piles. Have the laptop positioned so that the group not included cannot see what is on the screen. After a short amount of time invite the other children to come and join you. Same as the above. Leader brings in special party treats and starts to eat them alone, and then invites some of the children to join in while you ask the rest of the children to do something else not fun, e.g. sharpen the pencils. After a small amount of time, ask the other children to come and join you. Link: I wonder how you felt today either if you were in the group that was excluded or if you were in the group that was included. (Give the children some time to share their thoughts.) It is not a great feeling when you are left out or not included in something. I wonder if you have had some other times when you felt included and excluded. (Give the children some time to share their thoughts.) There are times when we are left out from activities and times when we might leave others out. As we lead up to Christmas, we want to focus on Jesus being born for everyone this means that nobody is left out and that God loves us all. God loves us and welcomes us into His family: we are always welcome. The Main Thing A part of God s family Jesus birth makes it possible to become part of God s family (John 1:12 14, 1 John 3:1a) Together, read the account of Mary and Joseph (Luke 2:1 7) having to go to Bethlehem and finding no room for them at the inn and giving birth to Jesus in a stable. Perhaps you could assign different parts to different children to be read as a dialogue. Why were Joseph and Mary going to Bethlehem? Do you think joseph would have had family there? Why? (Joseph would have had lots of aunties, uncles, cousins, relatives who also would have come to Bethlehem for the census. Yet none of them would give Mary and Joseph a place to stay.) Ask the children the following questions to get them to think about how Mary and Joseph would have felt coming to Joseph s home town of Bethlehem for the census and being left out by people in the town. Who travels to be with family at Christmas, or does the family/friends come to you? Where do you stay, e.g. grandparents, caravan park nearby, tent in the backyard, etc? Have you ever travelled to see your family and they were not home or they had run out of room for you? If yes, what did you do? If no, what would you do or how would you feel? So Mary and Joseph end up in the stable out the back of the town, alone. God provided for them a new family. God s plan was to use this young couple to introduce the Messiah to the world and to show that God wanted all of His creation to be in relationship with Him, not just the Jews. Who is this new family?

76 Introduce the shepherds: max7 clip the Christmas story_the shepherds or read Luke 2:8 20. Explore the shepherds together and their place in Jewish society. (See earlier notes.) What do shepherds do? How do you think they lived back in biblical days? Why would God have chosen the shepherds to tell this good news to? (Assuming Joseph s family was in town). Who else lived nearby? (Joseph s family, Jerusalem was 8 km down the road, full of religious leaders etc.) God doesn t always choose the most prominent person to be the bearer of great news. Even though Joseph s family was absent at the birth of Jesus, God sent others to celebrate the birth of Jesus and invited them to be part of His family (read aloud 1 John 3:1a). God was extending His love not just to the Jews but to ALL people, both those who lived on the edge of Jewish society, and even to foreigners who didn t even worship him (the wise men). Jesus came with a message that everyone can belong to the family of God. We are going to explore some scripture together that tells us about this message: Read Luke 2:17 The shepherds were so excited they spread the news and invited others to also come and see and be part of this new family dynamic. Read John 1:12 14 Verse 14: The Word became a human being and lived here with us (this was Jesus). Verse 12: And some people accepted Him and put their faith in Him. So He gave them the right to be the children of God. Anyone and everyone can belong to God s family. We are all children of God and we are allowed to call him our heavenly Father. Sing: Sing O, come let us adore him (guitar, piano, percussion instruments, CD or unaccompanied) Tying In R U smarter than a fly You will need to download a Max7 DVD, R U smarter than a fly_ Christmas pudding from Play the clip on the screen or a computer for the children. Find and read together John 3:16 17 Jesus came into the world as a baby for you. You are important to Him. You can become a friend of His whenever you want to. Jesus wants to be your friend.

77 Christmas FAMILY Tree... For this activity you will need a Christmas tree to decorate (any size) and some card cut into a variety of shapes e.g. baubles, people, stars etc. There will also need to be some string or ribbon on the card so that the shapes can be hung on the tree. Invite the children to decorate the card shapes with a picture of Jesus and the shepherds. Then get them to add either their name and the names of family and friends, or pictures of them to some more of the card shapes. Get the children to then decorate the tree with all the different card shapes to create God s family tree. Everyone is welcome on God s family tree. No matter what our family is like, we can belong to God s family. We can thank God today for inviting us to be a part of His family. Now is the time to make the decision, or to renew my decision to belong to God s family by placing my name or picture on the tree. Pray in small groups, thanking God for His warm welcome and invitation to join His family, for including each of us. You might like to finish by using the song again, O, come let us adore Him. Give children time to finish their prayers and talk with each other or a leader. Print off the cards attached. The children might like to keep these in their journals or notebook where they could write or stick the challenges, reflect, answer questions or complete activities each week. Including Others Just like God welcomes all of us into His family, we want to include others in our family. Make some invitation cards to invite people to your church family Christmas celebrations or to your personal family Christmas event (party, lunch, etc.). You will need to have information from your leader regarding the church activities over the Christmas period. You might like to provide some craft materials for the children to take home so that they can make the special invitations above for people they know.