SESSION 1 - JOSHUA WAS CHOSEN. CHRIST FOCUS: Jesus was chosen by God for a special purpose.

Transcription

1 UNIT 1. BE A LEADER / PRESCHOOL SESSION 1 - JOSHUA WAS CHOSEN BIBLE PASSAGE: Joshua 1:1-9 LIFE POINT: God has a plan for my life. CHRIST FOCUS: Jesus was chosen by God for a special purpose. BIBLE VERSE: God is with you eerywhere you go. Joshua 1:9 (Paraphrase) The LORD your God is with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (HCSB) The LORD thy God is with thee whithersoeer thou goest. Joshua 1:9 (KJV) The LORD your God will be with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (NIV) The LORD your God is with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (ESV) The LORD your God is with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (NKJV) Production Notes p From simple to inoled, you can tailor Worship for Life to your kids and leaders: Short on supplies and leaders? For an easy prep, enlist a host, a music leader, and prepare the Connection Point game. Then show the ideos for the worship songs and other segments. Do you hae musicians who would like to lead worship songs? Check out the lead sheets on the DVD-ROM or substitute your songs! This symbol denotes that the segment or song is aailable on ideo. h This symbol indicates props that will be needed for today s session. 1

2 Schedule and Props This symbol indicates that a ideo is proided on the DVD-ROM. p This symbol indicates that the actiity is host or leader-led no ideo for this actiity. Ups (Optional) p Huddle People: Small Group Leaders Supplies: beanbag or ball, Joshua Was Chosen Coloring Sheet (DVD-ROM), crayons or washable markers Intro Backstage 1-2 minutes People: Stage Manager Props: clipboard, headset Countdown and Welcome 1-5 minutes People: Host, eeryone Props: none Worship Song 3 minutes People: Worship Leader and/or Worship Team Point Game p Connection 5-10 minutes People: Host, 2 teams of 2 or more kids Props: 2 inflated balloons (1 for each team), 2 cones or chairs Story Bible 5-6 minutes People: Storyteller Props: Bible Song Worship 3 minutes People: Worship Leader and/or Worship Team Set-up, Host Briana and Friends Video 2 minutes People: Host p Closing 2 minutes People: Host Props: none Outro Backstage 1-2 minutes People: Stage Manager Props: clipboard, headset off ears and around neck Ups (Optional) p Huddle People: Small Group Leaders FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 2

3 t m TECH music Video and/or audio capabilities Be a Leader Microphones for singers Eerywhere I Go Lights (optional) God s Loe Optional sound effects aailable (see sound effects file) I Gie All My Thanks to You Jesus Is Alie We Can Loe Jesus Need help planning your session? Additional training for Worship for Life: Kids is aailable at ministrygrid.com/web/biblestudiesforlife. a message from Michael W. Smith Wow! What an honor it is to be asked to write the introduction for a unit on leadership. When I think of leaders in my own life, I think of people who pointed me to Jesus like my parents, my longtime pastor, Don Finto, and mentors like Billy Graham. I e been truly blessed by the godly examples of leadership in my life. Leaders come in many forms, ages, and sizes. Een the kids you teach today are finding their places of leadership. In the Columbine shooting tragedies, I wrote a song about one such leader, Cassie Bernall. Cassie stood in the face of a gun and refused to back down for her faith in Jesus. Hearing her story led me to write the song This Is Your Time in her honor. Cassie s story has been shared millions of times and her faith has been an inspiration to people she neer een met. The kids you lead today may not inspire millions, but what if they inspire just one? Isn t it worth it to impart godly leadership on them? The album I ll Lead You Home is one of my albums which exemplifies the belieer s ultimate leadership example Jesus Christ. Songs like the title track I ll Lead You Home, I ll Be Around, and I m Waiting for You remind us that Jesus is right there for us. Kids will learn in this unit that God has filled the Bible with stories of leaders who exemplify the leadership of Christ, our King! I m praying for you as you share stories of Joshua, Deborah, Hannah, and Samuel that you will find the words that adequately describe to kids how they can follow God s plan for their lies plans for them to lead others to His Son, Jesus. FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 3

4 p HUDDLE UPS (OPTIONAL) Optional huddle ups are for churches that hae a drop-off time before the session begins. There are multiple ideas for interaction during this time, such as simple games that preschoolers can play on the floor or within whateer arrangements you gather your kids. (Print the following for your small group leaders.) I Choose You Inite kids to sit in a circle. Toss a ball or beanbag to a child and say: I choose you. At that point, the child will answer three questions. * What is your name? * What is your faorite food? * What do you want to be when you grow up? After answering the last question, that child should toss the ball or beanbag to another child and say: I choose you. That child should answer the same questions. Color Joshua Was Chosen Coloring Sheets Tell preschoolers that today they will hae the opportunity to learn that God had a plan for Joshua to lead His people and that God has a plan for us, too. Distribute coloring supplies and coloring sheets to the preschoolers. Allow them to color on their pages while they wait for the session to begin. If the kids prefer to use blank paper, they can color on the back of the page. FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 4

5 BACKSTAGE INTRO c Estimated time: 1-2 minutes Tech: Video option aailable, t Session Title slide p People: Stage Manager h Props: clipboard, headset (Show ideo or act out the following.) STAGE MANAGER (Show Session Title slide.) Hey, eeryone! I m so glad you re here today. My name is, and I m here to get us started! Today we will meet a man whom we ll be talking about for the next three weeks. God chose Joshua to do a ery special job. We will get to hear about that job and what God did for Joshua and for the people of Israel. First, we need to make sure eeryone s ready to go! Let me just check with the team. (speaks into headset) Hey, lighting team? Audio team? Video team? Are we all ready to get started? Awesome. Eeryone s ready! Let s go find out more about Joshua! So PLACES! (runs offstage) FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 5

6 COUNTDOWN AND WELCOME c Estimated time: 1-5 minutes Tech: Countdown ideo, Life t Point slide, Bible Verse slide p People: Host, eeryone h Props: none HOST (Play Countdown ideo. Host walks out at around 30 seconds.) Hey, eerybody! It s about that time, so let s stand up and gie it all we e got 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Great job! Now, today I will be your leader. Let s see how well you can follow the leader. (try different positions like standing, jumping, or hopping on one foot) Wow, you guys did a great job following me! Did you know that today we ll hear about a man who was chosen by God to be a leader? Just like I was our leader this morning, God chose a man named Joshua. Can you say Joshua? Joshua! Yes! Eeryone, repeat this after me: God has a plan for my life. (Show Life Point slide.) Let s say that again together. (Repeat with slide.) God has a plan for my life. Our Bible erse today tells us that no matter what, God will be with us. Let s say it together: (Show Bible Verse slide select preferred ersion.) God is with you eerywhere you go. Joshua 1:9 (Paraphrase) The LORD your God will be with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (NIV) The LORD your God is with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (HCSB) The LORD your God is with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (ESV) The LORD thy God is with thee whithersoeer thou goest. Joshua 1:9 (KJV) The LORD your God is with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (NKJV) Let s stand and sing! (Host leaes as worship team gets in place.) FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 6

7 SONG c Estimated time: 3 minutes Music or lyric ideo, mics t fortech:singers, lights (optional) People: Worship Leader p and/or Worship Team h Props: none Music: Eerywhere I Go (lead m sheet aailable on DVD-ROM) or worship song of your choice (Show ideo or gie the following to your worship leader.) LEADER (Music begins.) Do you think Joshua may hae been nerous when God picked him to be a leader? I loe that God said He would be with Joshua whereer he went. Did you know that God promises to be with YOU, too? Not just Joshua! Let s sing and praise God because He s always with us! (Show the music or lyric ideo.) (Lead kids to sit as song ends.) Now, let s get ready for Connection Point! FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 7

8 p CONNECTION POINT GAME c Estimated time: 5-10 minutes Tech: Connection Point slide, t Connection Point theme music Host, two teams p ofpeople: 2 or more kids rops: 2 inflated balloons (1 for h Peach team), 2 cones or chairs Game Instructions: This is a simple race between two competing teams of one or more players per team. If you play with teams, the first player from each team will return to the start line and tag the next person. The first team to hae all members complete the race wins. Determine a start line. Place a cone or chair seeral feet away. Each player will race around the chair or cone and back to the start line while keeping one balloon afloat. Players are not allowed to hold the balloons with their hands. If they hold the balloons or if a balloon hits the ground, the players hae to run back to the beginning and begin again. Host (Play Connection Point theme music and show Connection Point slide.) (Enter after theme music plays.) Hi, eeryone! Welcome to Connection Point! I need to choose some players to help us get started. (Choose two teams of players and introduce them.) For today s game, we hae a plan. The plan is to get from this line (point to start line) to that cone and back. Once a player returns to his team, he will tag the next player. The team will continue until each player gets a turn. There is one more part to the plan though. You hae to keep a balloon in the air at all times. That means, the balloon cannot touch the ground. If a balloon touches the ground, you hae to start oer at the beginning. You aren t allowed to carry any of the balloons in your hands. They hae to stay up in the air. (demonstrate one lap and show kids how to keep the balloon in the air without holding it) Got it? All right, are you ready? Here we go! (Play fun music while kids are racing. Encourage the audience to cheer on the players.) Great job, eeryone! Today we will hear a story about a man named Joshua who was chosen by God. (Theme music/slide to transition. Host leads into next segment.) FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 8

9 BIBLE STORY c Estimated time: 5-6 minutes Tech: Christ Focus, Life Point, and t Bible Story slides; Bible Story ideo p People: Storyteller h Props: Bible (Play the Bible Story ideo or tell the following Bible story.) STORYTELLER (Show Bible Story slide.) Hi, friends! It s a great day to hear God s Word together again! Can you show me that you re ready by sitting down with your hands in your laps? Good! It looks like you re ready to hear a true story from God s Word with me. Has anyone eer heard of a man named Moses? Moses was a leader of God s people, the Israelites. But the time had come when Moses couldn t be leader anymore. God had a plan to choose a new leader for His people. Did you know that God always has a plan? Did you know that God has a plan for your life? Let s say God has a plan for my life! (allows for responses) Good job! God has a plan for your life, and God had a plan to choose a new leader for His people. There was another man named Joshua, and he was Moses helper. When God was ready, He chose Joshua to be the new leader of His people. Let s look at the Bible and read what God said to Joshua. (Open your Bible.) God told Joshua to get the people ready to cross the Jordan Rier. The time had come for the Israelites to lie in the land God promised them long ago. (Read Joshua 1:5.) God said to Joshua, I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leae you. God told Joshua to always remember the instructions He had told Moses to gie to the people. God said, Obey My instructions and you will do well in all that you do. Be strong and brae, not afraid or sad. Remember that I will be with you whereer you go. (Show Christ Focus Slide.) Friends, God has a plan for your life and God is with you eerywhere you go! Did you know that Jesus was part of God s plan for your life? When God sent Jesus to die on the cross, it was His ery special plan to pay for our sins so we could lie with Him foreer. God was with Jesus and He is with us, too! You can be brae because God is with you. You can be a leader because God is with you. Let s say God is with me. (allows for responses) Great job today! Let s pray together. God, we thank You for Your Word today. We thank You that Your Word is true. God, we thank You that You hae a plan for our life and that You are with us eerywhere that we go. Make us brae and strong to follow You. We loe You. Amen. FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 9

10 SONG c Estimated time: 3 minutes Music or lyric ideo, mics t fortech:singers, lights (optional) People: Worship Leader p and/or Worship Team h Props: none Music: Be a Leader (lead sheet m aailable on DVD-ROM) or worship song of your choice (Show ideo or gie the following to your worship leader.) LEADER (Music begins.) Jeremiah 29:11 says that God knows the plans He has for us. Just like God had plans for Joshua, let s remember that God has plans for us, too! Let s sing and thank Him for that! (Show the music or lyric ideo.) (Lead kids to sit as song ends.) FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 10

11 HOST SET-UP, BRIANA AND FRIENDS VIDEO c Estimated time: 2 minutes t Tech: Briana and Friends ideo p People: Host h Props: none HOST Today we learned that God has a plan for us. Let s talk to our friend Briana about it. Listen carefully and remember, when she asks you a question, be sure to say your answers aloud! (Play ideo.) FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 11

12 p CLOSING c Estimated time: 2 minutes Tech: Session Title slide, t Bible Verse slide p People: Host h Props: none HOST (Show Session Title slide.) God has a plan for me! And He has a plan for you! That s a pretty big deal. God chose Joshua to lead God s people across the Jordan Rier. You can lead your friends, your brothers and sisters, and the kids in your neighborhood to follow God and His plan. He has a plan for you. (Show Life Point slide.) Remember, God has a plan for my life. Let s say that one more time so we don t forget it. (Repeat with slide.) God has a plan for my life. Optional Giing Segment: Did you know that God already has eerything to make sure that His plans for your life happen? When we gie to God, we re not giing it to Him because He needs it. We re giing to God to show Him how much WE need Him! We need to remember that God is the One in charge of the plans for our lies! If you d like to gie to God today, (Gie your own directions for how the kids can gie to God. Perhaps you hae buckets in the back of the room, a chest up front, or an enelope that each small group leader passes.) (Show Bible Verse slide select preferred ersion.) Let s go oer our erse one more time to remind us that God will always be with us. God is with you eerywhere you go. Joshua 1:9 (Paraphrase) The LORD your God will be with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (NIV) The LORD your God is with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (HCSB) The LORD your God is with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (ESV) The LORD thy God is with thee whithersoeer thou goest. Joshua 1:9 (KJV) The LORD your God is with you whereer you go. Joshua 1:9 (NKJV) FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 12

13 BACKSTAGE OUTRO c Estimated time: 1-2 minutes Tech: Video option aailable, t Session Title slide p People: Stage Manager Props: clipboard, headset off ears h and around neck (Show ideo or act out the following.) STAGE MANAGER (Show Session Title slide.) God has a plan for us, just as He had for Joshua. Hae you eer thought about the plans God has for you? He has plans for you now and later on when you grow up. And no matter what, God is with you eerywhere you go. Be sure to grab the One Conersation page on your way out. It will help you talk with your family about what you e learned today. Can t wait to see you next week! FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 13

14 p HUDDLE UPS (OPTIONAL) This time is designed for churches that hae a pick-up time from a large room as parents arrie. It s a great time for follow-up conersations and questions from small group leaders about the session s content. You also can use the missions emphasis (below). (Print the following for your small group leaders.) Who was the man we were introduced to today? (Joshua) Who was leading the people of Israel before Joshua came along? (Moses) What did God want Joshua to do? (lead the Israelites) What did God promise Joshua? (that He would always be with him) MISSIONS EMPHASIS (OPTIONAL) Tell the missions story Stibuno about a missionary to Japan. Talk about the challenges that Stibuno and Steen face. Share with kids that God gies all people gifts and abilities. He desires that people would use their gifts for Him and His glory. Encourage kids to use their gifts and abilities this week to tell others about God. Missions Story: Stibuno Steen Kunkel works as a missionary in Japan, but Steen has a special story. Steen likes to draw. He draws a manga character called Stibuno. Manga is a style of Japanese comic book that is ery popular. The stories in these comic books usually are about iolence, adenture, romance, and action. But Steen s character, Stibuno, is about the loe of Jesus. In the stories Steen writes, Stibuno s greatest challenge is for him to lie in a world that does not know about Jesus. Stibuno wants to become a leader and share the gospel. Steen s greatest challenge is to share the gospel using his gifts. Steen says: Stibuno reminds me a lot about my childhood and how God has been helping me grow. Steen s parents are missionaries in South America. Steen was diagnosed with autism when he was 1 year old. Autism is a brain disorder. Some people with autism are nonsocial they do not like to talk to people or be touched by people. But God helped Steen. He loes being with other people and sering God. Een though he was told he could neer speak another language, he can now speak fie languages, including Japanese. I would neer imagine that I would really speak Japanese and become a major part of this church in Japan, Steen says. In Japan, Steen works for a Filipino-Japanese church. He translates for the pastor, teaches English to Japanese kids, helps in the youth ministry, and plays keyboard in the church band. FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 14

15 Steen says he is much like his character Stibuno. He has been gien new armor. Being far away from his family, he has learned to depend on God for help. He knows he was made to sere God, tell people about Jesus, and tell people how God helped him. Steen wants people with disabilities to know that they can hae the hope of sering God. Not eeryone is made the same. Steen wants people to neer gie up or lose hope because God is working in their lies. FOR LIFE PRESCHOOL 15