Journey Off the Map with Children and Salvation

Transcription

1 Journey Off the Map with Children and Salvation Purpose Statement This one-hour plan is designed to train and equip leaders for having salvation conversations with children. Resources to Collect, Prepare, & Copy Resources to Collect VBS 2015 Blank Map Markers ( ) 40 in a package, 5 per conferee needed Heavy duty craft paper or cardboard tubes (paper towel) to make survival kits. Or purchase pillow boxes (available from party stores and Oriental Trading), small boxes or small bags. Straws (1 per kit) Individual packs of honey (1 per kit) Toy compass (1 per kit) Small sharpened pencil (1 per kit) Item 1 (1 per kit) Toy carabineer (1 per kit) Resources to Prepare Label 5 Blank Map Markers per conferee with one of the following phrases on each marker: God Rules, We Sinned, God Provided, Jesus Gives, We Respond. Prepare oversized map markers from paper or poster board and markers with same information as above. Use as visual to adhere to wall as you go through Step 2. Make a survival kit holder from heavy duty craft paper and template or from a paper towel tube. Label Survival Kit. Prepare one survival kit holder for every conferee or one per two conferees if you prefer. Print 1 Item 1 per survival kit, cut along dotted lines, fold and roll up around small pencil. Tie or rubber band paper to the pencil and place in survival kit. Place remaining resources to collect in survival kits. Resources to Copy Handout 1 Focal Wall Description Attach Motto and Verse posters from the JOTM Visual Pack to your focal wall. Leave space to adhere oversized map markers to the wall during step 2. 1

2 Room Setup Description Place a table near the focal wall and cover it with a tablecloth or sheet. Place all the resources available to aid conferees on the table. Arrange the chairs in a large circle to create as much open space as possible. If space is an issue, place the chairs in a few rows, facing the focal wall. Decoration Suggestions Use the VBS 2015 Supersized Backdrop ( ) or posters from the VBS Visual Pack ( ) in the room to create the atmosphere of Journey Off the Map. Crumple long pieces of brown craft paper to create branches and hang them around the room and on furniture. Crumple long pieces of green craft paper to create vines to decorate with as needed. Group any artificial or silk plants and trees in the room together to create a jungle-type feel. Hang a VBS 2015 Giant Inflatable Butterfly ( ) or VBS 2015 Inflatable Dragonfly ( ) in the room from the ceiling or attach it to a wall. Audio Visual Needs CD player VBS Music CD Teaching Steps The Greatest Journey 1. Welcome and Introduction. Play VBS theme music as conferees enter the room. At the door, greet conferees and hand 5 random map markers to each conferee. (Use map markers prepared as described above). Introduce yourself to conferees and thank them for joining us today as we discover tools for having the most important discussions we can ever have. Distribute Handout 1. Suggest that their attendance at this conference indicates a few key beliefs they already have: a. Children can come. Discuss Matt. 19:14 and Mark 10:14, as well as the scriptural examples of Timothy and Samuel. b. Share with conferees that this is a conversation that any of us can and should be ready to have as people on mission with God. It is not a discussion only for professionals it is the responsibility of any significant believer in the life of a child. Briefly discuss Deut 6:4-9, pointing out both parents and Israel s responsibility. Map it Out 2. Explain to conferees that each one has 5 map markers but not a set yet. Instruct conferees to swap with other participants until each possesses five different map markers. Play The Way (Day 3 song from VBS music CD) while conferees work to trade map markers. Conferees should find a seat when they have collected all 5 unique map markers. Say: This morning in your base conferences you were likely introduced to sharing the gospel at Journey Off the Map through using a tool such as this. Let s put these markers in order together. Invite a volunteer to share step one. Briefly discuss and move on through all five markers in like manner. Adhere oversized markers to the 2

3 focal wall as each point is discussed. Point out to conferees that this is one tool they can use to share the gospel with kids, but they can use whatever they are comfortable with as long as they use the Bible as their guide and source. Discuss other tools available. Survival Guide 3. Invite conferees to pick up the survival kits from under their chairs (if you were able to prepare one for each conferee if you only prepared one for every two conferees indicate that they will share). Instruct conferees to open their survival kits and inspect the elements inside. Ask them to turn to someone they may not know and introduce themselves, then take turns using one of the items to tell or describe one piece of their conversion story. Explain that today we will be using this survival kit as our guide to give us tips of things to do and things not to do when discussing salvation with kids. The conversations that they just had with one another is the most important thing to remember in this journey it is important to build relationships with children. The conversations that they had with one another also points us to our first tip: a. Remain conversational, not confrontational. b. Ask open ended questions. Ask conferees to pull out the straw from their kits. Ask volunteers to describe how they might use it for survival. Affirm answers. Then point out the ends of the straw and ask a conferee to describe them. Discover that both ends are open. This reminds us to only ask open ended questions when discussing conversion with kids. i. Tell me some things people have told you about heaven/salvation/baptism, etc. ii. Tell me what you are thinking about/tell me why you came to pray. iii. What do you think it means to be a Christian? c. Never assume that a child understands your church talk about becoming a Christian. Lead conferees to pull out the packet of honey. Discuss how a survivor might use honey. Read Proverbs 16:24. Explain that the words we use can be pleasant to the soul of a child or they can be confusing and distracting. Give examples: i. Jesus in your heart ii. Give the preacher your hand iii. Saved iv. Born again v. Redeemed by the blood of the lamb vi. Washed in the blood d. Make the distinction between becoming a Christian and Baptism. Ask conferees to find their compass. Discuss the importance of a compass in finding our location, directing our steps and providing a guide when we get confused. Explain that children often get confused by baptism and many will come and say: I want to get baptized. Discuss some of the reasons for confusion. Show a magnet and use the magnet to change the direction of your compass. Explain 3

4 that baptism can act like a magnet and though the children are drawn to it, it also can cause the compass to go off track. i. Tell the child what baptism is and what it is not. ii. Move the magnet away. Tell the child you will talk to them more about baptism later but first we need to talk about what it means to be a Christian. iii. If/when the child prays to receive Christ, tell them about the next steps and explain baptism. Give examples and ideas on how to explain baptism to the child. e. Give time for the child to answer without giving the answer. Direct conferees to find the pencil wrapped in paper and instruct them to look at the paper. Ask a volunteer to tell the group what it is and how they would use it for survival. Discuss why sundials come in handy in survival. Explain the importance of giving children time to answer when they are responding to the gospel. If a child can t answer within a reasonable time, consider rephrasing the question. f. Every child deserves personal counseling. Invite conferees to pull out the phone from their survival kits. Point out that phones provide an opportunity for one to one communication. Children are so easily influenced by what their peers are doing. We must be careful with children to speak with them individually about this most important decision. g. Help anchor the memory in the child s mind about where and when he became a Christian. Instruct conferees to find their last survival item. Ask what a carabineer is used for. Point out the importance of giving children a tool that will anchor their memory. Invite conferees to brainstorm ideas on how to help children do that. Discuss the importance of children writing down their story. Continue the Journey 4. Wrap up your session by discussing methods for continuing the connection with children who have made a decision. Stress the importance of continuing our connection with these new believers by engaging them in discipleship. Ask conferees: What are things your church does with children that make decisions to follow Christ. Point out resources available to help with discipleship: a. I m a Christian Now Resources b. I m a Christian Now What daily devotionals Pray for conferees and dismiss 4

5 Children and Salvation Conference Handout Survival Guide 1. Remain, not. 2. Ask - questions. 3. Never a child understands your about becoming a Christian. 4. Make the between becoming a and. 5. Give for the child to without giving the. 6. Every child deserves. 7. Help the. Notes: Handout 1

6 Handout 1

7 Item 1 DIY Sundial Template from Not to scale printed smaller for demonstration purposes only Cut out, fold and wrap around pencil. Place in survival kits.