Leader s Guide Four missions experiences on inspiring others to follow Jesus Location: Hamburg, Germany Focus verse: Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others. 1 Peter 4:10a (HCSB) Overall message: They re a pretty normal Texan family: mom, dad, two teens. Jason s a quarterback coach. Caryn s a sideline mom. Jason and his son teach tae kwon do. Together, Jason and Caryn belong to a Christian motorcycle association and attend biking events. The Bishops have been transplanted to Hamburg (HOM-berg), Germany, to do ordinary things in an extraordinarily tough mission field. Hamburg is a city filled with people who are indifferent to God. Kids will discover how the Bishops use their interests, hobbies and spiritual gifts to reach their fellow (you guessed it) Hamburgers! Before you begin: This resource is a collection of experiences to plug your kids into global missions. We hope you will take the ideas included here and expand your children s view of missions and their role in God s kingdom. KOM writer: G.G. Mathis is a veteran children s Bible study, missions and VBS writer, testing her teaching ideas on boys and girls at Forest Park Baptist Church in Joplin, Missouri. When she s not working or writing, there s either a cat, a book or a cup of tea in her lap. This is a product of IMB, 3806 Monument Ave., Richmond, VA 23230. For comments or questions, contact Kids On Mission at IMB by calling (800) 999-3113 Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture referenced is from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Experience 1 Prepare From the DVD-ROM or kidsonmission.org, prepare to show the Black belts, bikers and noisemakers video. Download and print the Germany map, the Bikers and Black Belts focus verse and the Bishop family photos. Introduction Guide kids to stand in a circle. In random order, call out terminology from the table below. If kids think you ve mentioned a motorcycling term, they should hold their hands out as if grasping handlebars. For a football term, they should hold their hands above their heads, like a referee s touchdown signal. For tae kwon do terms, they should drop hands to their sides and bow. Motorcycle terminology Ape hangers (long, high handlebars) Black belt Tae kwon do terminology Audible Football terminology Carving Grandmaster Chucking Chopper Crescent kick Flea flicker (type of trick play) Fishtail Mountain-shaped block Neutral zone Keep the shiny side up (ride safely!) Sparring Nickel defense Leathers Dojang (place where one trains) Wishbone formation Tail gunner (last rider in a group) Crane stance Bootleg Lane stealer Hammer fist Illegal formation continued on next page
Experience 1 continued from previous page Display the Germany map. Tell kids that the Bishops, a missionary family in Hamburg, enjoy all three activities (biking, martial arts and football). Because of their interests, the Bishops find opportunities to make friends and tell those friends about Jesus! Black belts, bikers and noisemakers Show kids the Black belts, bikers and noisemakers video. Display the Bishop family photos. Ask: Do you think living in Hamburg is similar or different to living in the United States? Why? Emphasize that a major difference is the lack of people who follow Jesus, worship and study the Bible together. Display the Bikes and Black Belts focus verse and read it together. Leave the focus verse displayed in the room. Pray Lead kids to make one of the three motions used in the introductory game. Kids who chose motorcycles can huddle and pray that the bikers who have met Jason and Caryn Bishop will want to find out more about God. Kids who chose tae kwan do can huddle and pray that the Bishop kids will be strong Christian leaders in their schools. Kids who chose football can pray that Caryn s friends will want to know about Caryn s faith in Jesus.
Experience 2 Prepare If kids have not seen it previously, from the DVD-ROM or kidsonmission.org, prepare to show the Black belts, bikers and noisemakers video. Download and print the Bishop family photos, Headgear activity page and Stand-out stunt cards. Cut the cards apart and drop into a gift bag or basket. In a second bag or basket, place marbles, buttons or paper scraps. Every item should be the same color except one. (Optional) Bring a football, hard hat, motorcycle helmet or another piece of protective wear. Provide markers or colored pencils Recap Using their hobbies and activities as a connecting point, the Bishops minister to families in Hamburg, Germany. Stand-outs Direct kids to sit in a circle. They will take turns drawing a marble (or other item) from the bag. The player who chooses the odd-colored item is the stand-out. The stand-out will draw a Stand-out stunt card and follow the instructions. (If you have an especially shy player, allow her to choose a stand-in to complete the stunt.) Repeat the game several times. Special protection needed! Show the Bishop family photos and/or the Black belts, bikers and noisemakers video. Comment that Jeremiah and Cayla Bishop are stand-outs because they are faithful Christian kids living in a community that doesn t know or honor God. Explain that the billboards and stores in Hamburg are full of pictures that kids shouldn t see. Say: Jeremiah needs you to pray for him and Cayla. They need God to guard their minds and keep their thoughts focused on Him. continued on next page
Experience 2 continued from previous page If you brought a helmet, ask kids to describe how it provides protection. Challenge kids to think of ways people can protect their minds from inappropriate thoughts. (Ask God to help, remember Bible verses, refuse to watch off-limits videos, etc.) Pray Distribute Headgear activity pages and markers. Encourage kids to write on each helmet one way they can pray for Jeremiah and Cayla Bishop. Invite volunteers to share what they wrote. Encourage kids to pray for the Bishops as they continue to decorate the pages. Suggest that kids display their finished pictures at home and encourage their families to pray that the Bishops continue to be outstanding witnesses for Jesus in Hamburg.
Experience 3 Prepare From the DVD-ROM or kidsonmission.org, prepare to show the Thanks from the Bishops video. Download and print a copy of Saw it! Heard it! for each child. Provide pencils, markers, or (optional) small stickers. Bring a pad of sticky notes and a handful of your church s offering envelopes. If your church does not have offering envelopes, bring standard white envelopes. Recap Using their hobbies and activities as a connecting point, the Bishops minister to families in Hamburg, Germany. Saw it! Heard it! Distribute copies of the Saw it! Heard it! activity page. Challenge kids to look for the items mentioned in the Thanks from the Bishops video. When they spot an item, kids can X it on the grid or cover it with a sticker. Play the video and call for kids to recall where they spotted each item: Flower Bishop family photo Satellite dish Backyard soccer scene Kid with braces Bishop family photo Sunglasses Worn by man in biker vest Crane Hamburg skyline Fan Living room Bible study Kiddie pool Backyard baptism Rolling suitcase background of biker shot Bird feeder background of backyard baptism Challenge kids to recall other things they saw in the video. continued on next page
Experience 3 continued from previous page Play the video a second time. This time, challenge kids to listen with their eyes closed. When the video concludes, challenge kids to complete the Heard it! section of the activity page (answers: North, eight, thankful/grateful). Thank you (sticky) notes Distribute sticky notes. Encourage kids to write a one-sentence thank you on each note; for example: Because you give, people in Germany hear about Jesus or Great things happen when people give! Allow kids to affix a sticky note to each of the offering envelopes you brought. With permission from the church staff, return the offering envelopes or ask that they be distributed so that givers will find the thank you notes as they prepare their offerings. Permit kids to take one envelope home. Challenge them to return it to church with their own offering inside. Pray Invite volunteers to pray that God will give Christians the desire to give so that the Bishops can continue His work in Hamburg.
Experience 4 Prepare Download and print the Bikers and Black Belts focus verse. Provide index cards and pencils. Bring a small super-bounce ball. Recap Using their hobbies and activities as a connecting point, the Bishops minister to families in Hamburg, Germany. You re gifted! Call attention to the Bikers and Black Belts focus verse. Prompt kids to read it aloud together. Explain that God gives everyone interests and skills that can be used in His work. God also gives Christians spiritual gifts such as leadership (administration), teaching, mercy or encouraging. Conceal the focus verse. Ask: What does the Bible say people should do with the gifts God has given them? (Serve others.) Wall ball Give everyone two index cards. Lead kids to write or draw on each index card a hobby, an interest or something they love to do. Tape the cards in a random pattern on the wall no higher than kids shoulder level. Hand the super-bounce ball to a volunteer. Require her to stand about three feet from the wall. Allow her three tries to bounce the ball on the floor before it hits the wall, aiming to hit one of the index cards. When a ball touches a card, read the hobby/interest/skill aloud. Challenge everyone to think of one way a person could use that interest to serve others or share Jesus. Continue in the same way until everyone has had an opportunity to bounce the ball. Pray Pray for kids by name. Ask God to show them how to use the gifts and talents He has given them to serve others.
Going Further More ideas using this theme Download and print the Bikers and Black Belts parent letter. Give to parents so they can help kids extend their missions experiences through family activities. Invite a special guest to meet with kids: A member of a local Christian motorcycle association can show off his wheels. A church member skilled in martial arts can give a demo or show kids a few basic moves. Either of them can talk about ways their interests provide opportunities for them to share their faith. The material in this article about Jason Bishop is for adults, but its contents helps kids leaders comprehend spiritual and cultural condition of Hamburg, Germany. Read it here: http://stories.imb.org/eurasia/stories/view/wanted-real-men-willing-to-make-a-difference If you have efficient Internet access in your classroom, use a translation app like Google Translate to find the German equivalent of American words. Challenge kids to pronounce the unusually spelled words such as schmetterling (butterfly), KÜhlschrank (refrigerator), or schlittschuhe (ice skates). Don t forget to visit kidsonmission.org for more activities and KOM experiences you might have missed. Also, like us on Facebook and see how other churches are using KOM.
Bikers and Black Belts Germany Map Hamburg Poland Netherlands GERMANY Belgium Czech Republic France
Bikers and Black Belts Focus Verse Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others. 1 Peter 4:10a (HCSB)
Bikers and Black Belts Bishop Family photos Meet the Bishop family (from left to right): Jeremiah (age 14), Jason, Cayla (age 12), Caryn. They live in Germany because they want the people there to know the good news of Jesus.
Bikers and Black Belts Bishop Family photos The Bishops are a missionary family living in Germany. They invite friends into their home so they can build relationships with them and tell them about Jesus.
Bikers and Black Belts Bishop Family photos Jeremiah Bishop (right), age 14, teaches martial arts in Germany. He meets a lot of people and can show them that Jesus makes a difference in his life.
Bikers and Black Belts Bishop Family photos The Bishops use every part of their lives to be a witness. That includes motorcycles, football and martial arts.
Stand-out Stunt Cards Pretend to ride a motorcycle with a flat tire. Make chicken noises. Demonstrate your best cheerleader move. Act like a gorilla with fleas. Do a martial arts kick. Demonstrate how you act when you have the flu. Pretend to say something in German. Pretend to eat something. We ll guess what you re eating!
Saw It! Heard It! Saw It! Flower Satellite dish Kid with braces Sunglasses Crane Fan Kiddie pool Rolling suitcase Bird feeder Heard It! Hamburg is in Germany. Because Christians give, people came to faith in Jesus last year. Jason is that people give to missions!
Headgear
Parent Letter Dear Parents, They re a pretty normal Texan family: mom, dad, two teens. Jason s a quarterback coach; Caryn s a sideline mom. Jason and his son teach tae kwon do. Together, Jason and Caryn belong to a Christian motorcycle association and attend biking events. The Bishops have been transplanted to Hamburg (HOM-berg), Germany to do ordinary things in an extraordinarily tough mission field. Hamburg is filled with people who are indifferent to God. Kids On Mission are discovering how the Bishops use their interests, hobbies and spiritual gifts to reach their fellow (you guessed it) Hamburgers! This month s focus verse is 1 Peter 4:10. After learning the verse together, remind your child how gifted he or she truly is. Leave encouraging notes in lunchboxes, sock drawers, or bedroom doors. (I love to hear you sing! Your math skill amazes me.) Help your child recognize that talent extends far beyond athletic or artistic skill. God has need of people who can organize, write, think and do dirty jobs without complaining! American football is relatively new to Hamburg so Caryn Bishop helps football parents rev up their team spirit. Does your child play on an athletic team? Consider ways your family can minister to the sideline parents. Bring treats. Host a post-game movie. Schedule a team visit to your church. Check out the resources at kidsonmission.org. Watch the Bikers and Black Belts video clips with your child. Invite him to share his learning experiences with you. Additional articles, prayer guides, and photos (some kid-appropriate, some for parents only) about mission work in Hamburg can be found at http://europeanpeoples.imb.org/pray/view/hamburg-video-guide. Thanks for helping us show kids how they can be on mission right now and in the future!