Date: 13 & 14 August 2016 Small Group Leader s Guide Theme: God Calls His People to be Transformed Lesson 11 Part 1: God s Word Changes Us Bible Passage: Acts 18:1-4, 9-11, 18-28 Memory Verse: Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old is gone! The new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIRV) Learning Objectives: Children will learn that we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). That includes persevering through difficult situations, family problems, loss of jobs, or anything else thrown at us. Value Highlighted: Boldness Materials needed: GKidz will provide What Can You Do? activity page, Memory verse poster, Caterpillar to Butterfly poster, video clips (saved in Ks laptop), flexible straws (must be bendable type), butterfly stickers, caterpillar pictures, cupcake cups (with pre-cut hole in the centre), cocoon activity sheets, double sided tape A. MEMORY VERSE / SHOW AND TELL (5 min) 1. Have a competition by pairing up the children and see which pair can recite the verse accurately or fast and accurate. 2. Allow 2 to 3 children to display their craft Paul s First Mission Trip. Share with their friends and leaders about their Bible reading on Acts 14. (Alternatively, they can share the dreams and hopes they did last weekend). 3. Reward those children who brought back crafts that their parents had done with them with points. B. INTRO/REVIEW (10 min) 1. Hand each child a What Can You Do? activity page. Ask them to circle the pictures that show activities they have learned how to do. 2. After that ask them to write under the picture they circle at what age they first learned the activity. Copyright@2016 by GKidz, FCBC Page 1
3. When all the children are done get 2 or 3 of them to share the activities they circled and discuss how old they were when they first learned to do each one. 4. Then discuss the following with the children: How did you feel when you had to learn something new? (Leaders, please point to one activity they had circled) What is the easiest way for you to learn new things - by being told what to do, by watching someone else, or by trying it yourself? Why? Leader says, Children, with everything we have learned to do, there is always the very first time we were able to do it. In our lesson today we are going to continue to learn about how God s Word changed two men Paul and Apollos so they could speak boldly about Jesus being the Son of God. And the more they did it, the better they became at sharing God s Word. C. INTO THE WORD (15 min) 1. Before starting your lesson, bring your group together to pray. Thank God for His amazing Word that leads us, encourages us, and changes us. Thank Him for helping us learn how to share His Word with others. Invite your kids to pray by name for people in their lives who do not know God or His Word. 2. Show the Caterpillar to Butterfly poster to your group. Ask the children to identify the first and last pictures. 3. Then ask what the same is and what is different about the creatures. Discuss how each butterfly used to be a caterpillar. But because of a great transformation, or change, that happened during its life, the caterpillar turned into something that looked much different. 4. Just like a caterpillar which turns into a butterfly, God s Word transformed Paul from a person who did not believe that Jesus is the Son of God to preaching boldly that Jesus is the Son of God. 5. Play the video on Paul in Corinth with Aquila and Priscilla (saved in Ks laptop) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97gv- 6i6CYw&index=1&list=PLhilNbrjbAZjBXmOOD8yBAaQ85ki5b0vT 6. Ask the children the following questions: a) Who are the Jews? (Ans: Jews were Hebrews who came from the family line of Abraham.) b) Why were the Jews angry with Paul s preaching? (Ans: They did not believe that Jesus was the Christ.) c) What did Paul work as while he was in Corinth? (Ans: He made tents.) Copyright@2016 by GKidz, FCBC Page 2
Leader says, Children, God knew Paul was becoming afraid and frustrated with the Jews and felt ready to give up on them. But God did not want Paul to stop sharing His Word, so He spoke to Paul to encourage him. After God spoke to Paul, he stayed in Corinth and continued to teach the Word of God. With God s encouragement, he was able to stay in Corinth for another year and a half. He obeyed God s command to keep on speaking, [and] don t be silent. Then he left with Aquila and Priscilla and began traveling again. D. CRAFT / MINISTRY TIME (30min) 1. Leaders, please paste double sided tape at the 2 designated areas on the front and the back of the cocoon activity sheets, and the back of the caterpillar picture in advance: Front ( cocoon activity sheet) Back ( cocoon activity sheet) Back ( caterpillar picture) 2. Show the children the Caterpillar Transformer craft sample. When the caterpillar moves inside the tube, it is as if that it has become a cocoon resting and transforming into a butterfly. Caterpillar Cocoon When they push the straw up the tube, the butterfly will emerge as if it is coming out from a cocoon. Copyright@2016 by GKidz, FCBC Page 3
3. Tell them that as God created a caterpillar to change into a butterfly, He can change us too. As we know more of God s Word through reading the Bible, the Holy Spirit will tell us and teach us to do the right thing that pleases Him, point out our mistakes and bad habits, help us to learn from our mistakes and to build up good habits. For example, God s Word tells us to obey Him, our parents and those in the authourity (e.g. their grandparents, teachers, GKidz leaders, etc). The Holy Spirit may remind you of your bad habit, eg. bargaining with your parents to extend your TV time every time when they ask you to stop watching TV and take shower, instead of obeying your parents and taking shower immediately. After you have heard from the Holy Spirit, you would want to repent by saying sorry to God, ask Him to forgive you and start obeying your parents without bargaining or grumbling. Tell the children that they will ask God to speak to them what are the good habits that God wants them to build, so that they will be able to do the things that are pleasing to God and be God s super kids. Ask the children to close their eyes and to quieten down. Ask them to pray after you: Dear Jesus, we pray that You will teach us to do what pleases You. Show us our mistakes or bad habits. We are sorry for them, please forgive us. Teach us to do it right in God s way. In Jesus name. Amen. Leaders to say immediately after the prayer: Children, let s continue to close our eyes and listen to what God wants to tell us quietly. Play soft worship music in the background. 4. When you think that the children are ready, ask the children to share what God has told them. After that, give them a cocoon activity sheet each (refer to Appendix for enlarged wordings), ask them to: a) Write their names on the line next to the words God s Word changes on the cocoon activity sheet. b) Draw / write what God has told them just now on the cocoon activity sheet. Leaders, please help the younger ones to write down the key words as some may not know how to spell yet. c) If the child does not hear from God during this time, tell the child that they will continue to pray and hear from God during their family devotion with their parents at home. Copyright@2016 by GKidz, FCBC Page 4
5. Tell them that their parents will sign next to the thumbs up sign on the good habit box on the cocoon activity sheet if their parents have noticed that they are putting effort in building the good habit that they have drawn / written. They will bring the completed craft for the next lesson to share and accumulate reward points. 6. Give the children a cupcake cup each. Ask them to: a) Peel off the pre-taped double sided tape at the centre of the reverse side of the cocoon activity sheet. b) Paste the cupcake cup onto the double sided tape. Make sure the base of the cupcake cup aligns with the bottom edge of the double sided tape. c) Tape the cocoon activity sheet round the cupcake cup to form a tube. Make sure there is enough space at both ends of the tube, for hiding the butterfly (at the top) and the caterpillar (at the bottom). Top view Bottom view 7. Give the children a butterfly sticker (with 2 butterflies), caterpillar picture (with 2 caterpillars), and a flexible straw each. Ask them to: a) Stick the flexible straw (the longer end of the straw) in the middle of the butterfly stickers. Fold along the dotted line and make sure the stickers cover the straw. Copyright@2016 by GKidz, FCBC Page 5
b) Put the other end of the straw (the shorter part with no butterfly) through the pre-punched hole in the middle of the cupcake cup. c) Wrap the caterpillar picture around the straw by folding it and tape the ends with double sided tape. Please refer to the photos below. Make sure to fold along the dotted line and the caterpillar picture can move freely ALONG the straw and crawl inside the cocoon paper without pushing the straw in, so that the BOTH the butterfly and caterpillar can HIDE inside the cocoon. Reverse side of the caterpillar slip Make sure the caterpillar can move freely ALONG the straw You must be able to hide both the butterfly and caterpillar inside the cocoon d) Bend the shorter part of the straw, so that it will be like a lock which will prevent the caterpillar from dropping off. 8. Remind them to bring the completed craft for the next lesson to share and accumulate reward points. 9. Pray for the children and their parents that God will transform them with His Word and power, and the children will be able to build good habit. 10. During dismissal, brief the parents to follow up and pray together with their child at home. Ask the parents to help their children to remember to bring their completed craft to GKidz at the next lesson to share and accumulate reward points. Reference: Rio Early Elementary Leader s Guide, Spring 2011 Copyright@2016 by GKidz, FCBC Page 6
Appendix Copyright@2016 by GKidz, FCBC Page 7