date: Bible Passage: Genesis 12; 15 16 (Abram) REMEMBER VERSE Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:2 God Is a Covenant Keeper (Part 2) Schedule Anticipate 5 10 minutes Celebrate & Respond Large Group 35 55 minutes Respond & Bless Small Group 20 25 minutes Environment: STORYTELLING In this lesson we see the environment of STORYTELLING in how God kept His covenant with Abram and made salvation available to all people including us through Jesus.. T ruresources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.
Inspire I stood in a white lace dress and heels that made my feet ache so badly that I leaned on my soon-to-be husband, whose hands and voice shook with emotion. Our friends and family watched while we took our vows to love and care for each other, come what may. My husband and I had already made these vows to each other many times before our marriage, though not in the same words. Even so, something different happened while we stood in a church in front of our community that day. That day, the covenant was sealed, and something in my heart knew the difference. Since then, our new marriage has been sweet and beautiful. But I can honestly say that our love does not compare to the love I have found in Christ. Through Christ s death on the cross, God has given me a love found nowhere else. He has given me peace that fills me from the inside out. He has given my life meaning by allowing me to play a part in the most important story ever told His story. Because of the love I have found in Christ, my cup overflows (Psalm 23:5). I am in awe of the fact that He entered into a covenant of love with me and keeps it forever. Tori Funkhouser TruStory Team 2
Equip Before God entered into a covenant with Abram, He told Abram to leave his home and all of his surroundings and go to a new place where God would lead him. So Abram left, not knowing where God would take him. But God s call came with the promise to bless Abram immensely to make him a great nation and to bless all of the people of the earth through him (Genesis 12:2 3). Abram waited 25 long years for God to fulfill His promise. Still, Abram whose name God would later change to Abraham chose to believe that God would keep His promises, even when the promises seemed impossible. The Bible says against all hope, Abraham in hope believed (Romans 4:18). Paul goes on to say that Abram did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised (Romans 4:20 21). Abram believed God would keep His covenant; we have his testimony and the testimonies of many others. God keeps His promises. Environment of STORYTELLING The power of The Big God Story impacts our lives by giving us an accurate and awe-inspiring perspective into how God has been moving throughout history. It further compels us to see how God is using every person s life and is creating a unique story that deserves to be told for God s glory. The 10 Environments guide us in creating a climate that puts God on display. Encourage your families to discover more about creating the environment of STORYTELLING in their homes by checking out HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource and Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony. 3
Support As you prepare for this lesson, spend time reading the passage on your own and let the Holy Spirit transform you with the same verses you will bring to the children. Let your teaching be infused with the passion and conviction that comes from an overflow of your own life. Listen for the specific aha moment God reveals to you as you prepare for the lesson, and integrate that truth into what you share with the kids. TIMELINE ADAM & EVE NOAH ABRAHAM ISAAC JACOB JOSEPH MOSES JOSHUA DAVID SOLOMON This lesson is merely a tool. Use it as a guide, but make it personal. Think about times in your own life when you ve seen God keep His promises, and share your stories with the students. Allow the kids, in turn, to share their own stories with you and their peers. 400 YEARS OF WAITING Pray that God will use you to bring the kids into a time of experiencing Him in the church setting. Also pray that parents and kids experience His realness at home. Pray that your kids will be transformed by their encounter with God that they will know Him better and respond to Him with faith and obedience. If possible, find a time to pray with the parents for their role as spiritual leaders. MARY JOSEPH JOHN THE BAPTIST JESUS CENTURION NICODEMUS PETER LAZARUS PAUL YOU & ME OUR FUTURE WITH JESUS 4
Navigating This Lesson Below you ll find descriptions of terms you may encounter throughout the lessons. Leader Tip: Suggestions for programming and classroom management. Programming Note: Suggestions for modifying or adjusting programming to best fit your service schedule. Partner Church Comments: Insightful comments, suggestions, and variations offered for activities and programming provided by our national network of children s and family ministry leaders. Optional: Suggestions of ways you can adapt the activities and games to best fit your own church and group of kids. Host: The Host offers the same spirit of hospitality, generosity, and inclusiveness to the kids that the host of a party would offer to the guests at her home or gathering. Programming Note Always feel free to adjust the lesson to fit your service schedule. If you run out of time, consider cutting an activity. To fill time, consider adding a game to CONNECT or adding more worship time to large group RESPOND. If you need to end the lesson early, consider skipping to the BLESS section to send out the kids with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others. Small Group Leader: The Small Group Leader shepherds the kids through questions about the portion of The Big God Story and biblical truths, engages them in community-building activities, helps them create a remembrance of their experience, and blesses them before they leave. Ideally, Small Group Leaders work week after week with the same group of kids, giving them the opportunity to develop lasting relationships with each child. Worship Leader: The Worship Leader facilitates individual and corporate worship by listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit and inviting others into the worship experience. Storyteller: After active involvement with the Scriptures and the lesson, the Storyteller recounts the Bible passage for the kids in an engaging way. He leads out of an overflow of his own life, telling personal stories as prompted and guiding the kids into a time of natural worship response. AV Technician: This person facilitates the behind-the-scenes aspects of programming, including sound, lighting, slides, etc. The AV Technician makes sure things run smoothly and is willing to help with anything including stepping into any of the other leader roles. 5
Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List at tru.davidccook.com) Anticipate// Small Group Check-In 5 10 min. Encourages interaction among kids, leaders, and parents; engages the kids in curiosity and anticipation of the lesson; and creates an inviting atmosphere. Grains of Sand zip-top sandwich bags (1 per child) sand (enough to fill each bag half full) stopwatch or timer Celebrate// Large Group 20 35 min. Establishes community and tells stories both personal and biblical in a fun and engaging way. Traditions mementos for your church Traditions (rocks, marbles, gumballs, etc.) Remember Verse cards, slide, and animation (see tru.davidccook.com) Connect Question Connect Question slide (see tru.davidccook.com) Connect Activity: Color Match (for Younger and Older Kids) Connect Activity slide (see tru.davidccook.com) Connect Activity: Letter Match (for Older Kids) Connect Activity slide (see tru.davidccook.com) The Big God Story Bibles (1 per child) Timeline slide and animation (see tru.davidccook.com) small suitcase star stickers (10 20) small baby item (pacifier, bottle, blanket, etc.) medium-sized jar or clear container (with leakproof lid) sand (enough to fill jar or container half full) table black butcher paper or poster board tape clear bowl (large enough to hold all of the sand you placed in the jar) *To make metric conversions, search the Internet for a metric conversion chart or calculator. 6
Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List at tru.davidccook.com) Respond// Large Group 15 20 min. Creates space for children to respond to the Holy Spirit in worship and community as a large group. shallow bins or baking pans (1 per 3 4 kids) sand (from ANTICIPATE) worship music (suggestion: Remain, TruWorship Sincerely Yours) Respond// Small Group Bless// Small Group 15 20 min. Discusses truth, reflects on the lesson, engages in relationships, and creates a project or a piece of art individually or together. 5 min. Sends the kids out with a sense of peace and blessing so they can be a blessing to their families and others. Reflect: God Is a Covenant Keeper Bibles (1 per child) Create: Colorful Sand on the Seashore sand (1 cup per 2 children) tempera paint powder (in various colors, see discountschoolsupply.com) spoons (1 per 2 children) plastic bowls or cups (1 per 2 children, plus 1 for every tempera paint powder color) large jar or other clear container (big enough to hold all the sand) optional: funnel, baby food jars (1 per child) Bible HomeFront Weekly (1 per child; tru.davidccook.com) HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource (1 per family; tru.davidccook.com or HomeFrontMag.com) *To make metric conversions, search the Internet for a metric conversion chart or calculator. 7
ANTICIPATE CELEBRATE RESPOND BLESS SMALL Group SECTION Anticipate// 5 10 min. Small Group Leaders An energizing time for parents and kids to start engaging with the material that will be presented in the lesson. Grains of Sand In Genesis 22:17, God promised Abraham formerly Abram that He would give him so many descendants that counting them would be like counting the grains of sand on the seashore. Today lead your kids in a fun and sandy activity that challenges them to count grains of sand a virtually impossible task! SUPPLIES zip-top sandwich bags (1 per child) sand (enough to fill each bag half full) stopwatch or timer It is intentionally designed to spark curiosity and cultivate a sense of awe and wonder about God. Encourage parents to participate in this time with their kids. SET UP Fill the baggies about half full of sand and seal the tops. ENGAGE (Welcome children as they arrive and ask them to take a seat at the table.) In today s portion of The Big God Story we will hear about God s covenant with Abram, whose name God later changed to Abraham. God promised to give him so many descendants (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so on) that counting them would be like trying to count the number of grains of sand on the seashore. Wow! Can any of you guess how many grains of sand you might find on all the beaches of the world? (Allow children to shout out their guesses.) That s a lot of sand! Let s see what it s like to count grains of sand. Give each child a bag of sand. Then give the kids 60 to 90 seconds to count as many grains of sand as they can. Be enthusiastic, creating a race-like atmosphere. When time is up, see how many grains each child was able to count. Programming Note The activity option in ANTICIPATE is designed to take place during your check-in time. Your time frame may range from five to ten minutes, depending on your church s facility and service-time setup. You can choose the option above or add an idea of your own. This section is also created to be flexible according to your facility. If it works best to direct kids and their parents to individual small group rooms for this time, set up activities in each room. And if you check kids directly into your large group space, arrange your ANTICIPATE activities accordingly. Encourage parents to join their children in the activity. This helps with transition, introduces parents to the lesson, and supports parents as the primary nurturers of their children s faith. 8
ANTICIPATE CELEBRATE RESPOND BLESS SMALL Group SECTION Respond// 15 20 min. Small Group Leaders A time to engage in relationship, reflect on the lesson with spiritual conversation, and/or create a meaningful project or piece of art. Resource Tip Science Experiments activities are available for this lesson. Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users may access this resource at tru.davidccook.com. Reflect: God Is a Covenant Keeper Ask your group to take a seat on the floor or around the table. Share something God revealed to you during Storytelling or large group RESPOND. After you ve modeled this for them, encourage the kids to share their own experiences and thoughts. Optional: Older kids can journal their responses before sharing them with the group. Then encourage the kids to open their Bibles and read the suggested passages as you discuss the story together. Questions for Younger Kids What is a covenant? Are you one of Abram s descendants? (Galatians 3:29) What does God s promise to Abram mean to us? (Galatians 3:26 29; Romans 8:14 16) What interested you the most about this part of The Big God Story? What does this part of The Big God Story show you about God? What is something you learned about God today? What is something you learned about how God feels about us? Questions for Older Kids Do you think it was hard for Abram to believe God s promise? Why or why not? (Genesis 16) Have you ever had to wait a long time for a promise to be fulfilled? Are you still waiting? Who did God say would be some of Abram s descendants? (Genesis 17:6) What was something you heard today that made you want to know more? What does today s part of The Big God Story show you about God? What is something you learned about God today? What is something you learned about how God feels about us? Create: Colorful Sand on the Seashore SUPPLIES sand (1 cup per 2 children) tempera paint powder (various colors; discountschoolsupply.com) spoons (1 per 2 children) plastic bowls or cups (1 per 2 children, plus 1 for every tempera paint powder color) large jar or other clear container (big enough to hold all the sand) optional: funnel, baby food jars (1 per child) SET UP Pour one cup of sand into each bowl or cup. You will need one bowl or cup of sand for every two children. Put each color of tempera paint powder into a separate bowl. 16
ANTICIPATE CELEBRATE RESPOND BLESS ENGAGE God promised to give Abram, whose name God later changed to Abraham (optional: point to The Big God Story timeline), so many descendants that counting them would be like trying to count the grains of sand on the seashore (Genesis 22:17). And by trusting and obeying Jesus, we re counted in that number! Today we re going to respond to God as we think about the amazing truth that we re a part of God s family. Have children find partners. Give each pair a bowl or cup of sand and have them decide together what color sand they would like to make. (They can choose from the different tempera paint powder colors.) Once they ve decided, each pair can measure one spoonful of colored paint powder, add it carefully to their sand, and stir. Their sand should turn the color of the paint powder. If needed, they can add a little more powder until they achieve the desired color. As the children work, encourage them to talk about the following questions: How does this sand remind you of God s promises? How does God invite us into His story? Once every pair has successfully colored their sand, set the large jar or container on a table where everyone can see it. Then call out colors one at a time. Pairs with that color sand can come forward and, one at a time, carefully pour their sand into the jar. (If you have a funnel, make it available for kids to use when pouring.) The result should be a colorful layered sand look. Then invite the children to share their thoughts on the two questions they discussed earlier. Display the sand jar in your room until after the REMEMBER & CELEBRATE weekend. Encourage kids to think about God s covenant promise to Abram and our role in His story every time they see the sand. Optional: For older kids, allow each one to put some sand into a baby food jar and take it home to remind him during the week that God keeps His covenant. 17
ANTICIPATE CELEBRATE RESPOND BLESS SMALL Group SECTION Bless// 5 min. Small Group Leaders A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement or guidance. Blessings can be offered in order to ask God s Spirit to overflow from the child s life to bless others or prayed over a child for the purpose of declaring God s protection, joy, or wisdom. Programming Note Depending on the structure of your end-of-service pick-up time, you might give this formal blessing at the end of small group, or you might move it to the end of large group RESPOND. If parents typically arrive to pick up their children at about the same time, involve them in the blessing. However, if parents tend to pick up their kids at staggered intervals, you might have each Small Group Leader bless her group before transitioning into the small group room. Leader Tip Every lesson ends with a blessing. This is a time for parents and leaders to speak truth over children s lives. The idea of the blessing is to transition the child from being blessed to being a blessing to others. The blessing can be done in many ways, but the more intentional you are about it, the more powerful it will be. Depending on whether parents are able to join this time, you may want them to put their hands on their child s head or kneel and look him in the eye as they bless him. Leaders, be sure to model how you envision the blessing working in your church so your volunteers and parents become comfortable with it. As kids are blessed, tell them they have the opportunity to also be a blessing to others. Encourage them to freely share with others the joy and love they have received from God. Encourage the children to hold their hands in front of them, palms up. This posture is meant to symbolize a willingness of heart to respond to God s Holy Spirit and receive what God has for them. Invite them to remain in this posture as you bless them. Encourage parents to come early in order to read the blessing over their child. Before blessing your children, give them an opportunity to bless each other with words of truth. Have kids remain with their partners from the CREATE activity. Encourage them to each take a turn blessing the other person with a simple truth about how God feels about each of them. For example, they might say, [Partner s name], God loves you so much or [Partner s name], God invites you to be a part of His story. Finally, open your Bible as you read this blessing, based on Psalm 121:8, over the kids: Friends, God loves you and invites you to be a part of His story. May you know His love and remember that He is watching over you your coming and your going now and forevermore. 18
ANTICIPATE CELEBRATE RESPOND BLESS HomeFront Weekly: Be sure to send home the HomeFront Weekly for next week s lesson! This preteaching tool for parents encourages families to spend time in God s Word together before children arrive at church. HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource: This magazine gives families ideas for creating fun, spiritually forming times in their homes setting aside a sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday lives! As the new issues become available each month, you may choose to print them for families or encourage them to visit HomeFrontMag.com to subscribe to have the magazine sent directly to their inbox. HomeFront is also available as an app for your iphone, ipad, or Android device. 19