August 2, 2020

Bible Story: Paul’s Work in Ephesus

Bible Reading: Acts 19:1-20:24

Bible Point: God’s Word will spread through Christ followers.

Questions to ask:

-What did Paul talk about as he traveled around? 

-Did Paul run into obstacles on his journey?

-What would you do if God told you to travel to far away places?

Parents, share with your children about a time that you were called to go to a different place, a new job, or into a relationship with someone, so you could share about Jesus.  Were you afraid? How did God take care of you during that time?

July 26, 2020

Bible Story: Love

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 13

Bible Point: Love is the one gift that lasts forever.

Questions to ask:

-How has Jesus shown us God’s love?

-How does being loved make you feel?

-What is one way you can show someone you love them today?

Parents, share a story of love with your children. What happened? How did it make you feel? What was the result of the act of love towards you/the person in your story? Does love affect how you live your life?  Be assured this will affect them, our kids love to hear from us!

July 19, 2020

Bible Story: The Body of Christ

Bible Reading: Acts 18:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12

Bible Point: God’s people should live in unity.

Questions to ask:

-Are we meant to have separate lives from other Christians or fellowship WITH them?

-How is the church like the human body?

-What gifts has God given you? Your family members?

Parents, have you experienced a time of disunity in the church? Can you share with your children the damage that is caused? Also, share a time that you saw the church acting as a body, functioning well together…

July 12, 2020

Bible Story: The Fruit of the Spirit

Bible Reading: Galatians

Bible Point: The fruit of the Spirit flows out of our lives as God changes our hearts and we live for Him.

Questions to ask:

-Do you think you can do good things to make God love you?

-Is Jesus enough to take away our sins or do we need to have good works too?

-What fruit of the spirit would you like to have more of?

Parents, tell your children about a fruit that you aspire to see more of in your own life? Explain how we may fail over and over, but His grace is enough and His mercies are new every morning! 

July 5, 2020

Bible Story: The Gentiles are Converted

Bible Reading: Acts 10:1-11, 18

Bible Point: Jesus Died for Everybody

Questions to ask:

-Does God love everyone the same?

-How did God speak to Peter about this matter?

-Who is the Holy Spirit available to?

Parents, share if there has ever been a time that you showed partiality or favoritism? How did it make the other person feel or how did it make you feel?  Make sure to convey to your children how much God loves EVERYONE! We can show Jesus’s love by how we love others.

June 28, 2020

Bible Story: Saul is Knocked to the Ground

Bible Reading: Acts 8:1-8, 26-40, 9:1-28, 22:4-21, & 26:9-18

Bible Point: The Lord can save and use anyone!

Questions to ask:

-What did Saul do to Christians before his life was changed?

-How did God change Saul?

-Did Saul’s past help him tell others about Jesus in the future?

Parents, use this time to tell your children about a redeemed life you have seen God work through.  It could be your own or a friend’s… how amazing to be able to teach our children about God’s redemptive power in our weak and broken lives!

June 21, 2020

Bible Story: The Death of Stephen

Bible Reading: Acts 6-7

Bible Point: No one can stop the advancement of the Gospel!

Questions to ask:

-What happened to Stephen as a result of him preaching the Gospel?

-Did this stop the advance of the Gospel throughout the countryside?

-Do you trust that God uses sad things for His glory and good?

Parents, share with your children how we can advance the Gospel in a world that doesn’t want to hear it.  Discuss practical ways we can show love to others by how we live.  Have you ever advanced the Gospel when it wasn’t welcomed?  Tell your kiddos about it!

June 14, 2020

Bible Story: Ananias & Sapphira

Bible Reading: Acts 4:32-5:16

Bible Point: It is serious to sin against God.

Questions to ask:

-What did Ananias and his wife say they would do with the money they got from the sale of their land?

-Is our sin the terrible part or who we are sinning against that is so terrible?

-Did God’s judgement help the new believers see how serious it is to sin against God?

Parents, share with you children a time that you felt the seriousness of your sin. Try to put the feeling of conviction into words for them to understand what it might feel like when the Holy Spirit corrects our sin nature. 

June 7, 2020

Bible Story: The Lame Beggar Walks

Bible Reading: Acts 3:1-4:22

Bible Point: Believing in Jesus and His death for our sin is the only way anyone can be saved.

Questions to ask:

-What did the people in the crowd think about what happened? 

-Were Peter and John afraid of the religious leaders?

-Who did Peter and John give all the credit to after the miracle occured?

Parents, share with your child about a time that you had to share truth even when it wasn’t popular.  Were you afraid? Encourage them to always give God the glory (credit) even when it isn’t the cool thing to do!  Assure them that following Jesus is ALWAYS RIGHT!

May 31, 2020

Bible Story: New Believers

Bible Reading: Acts 2:36-47

Bible Point: God’s power changes people!

Questions to ask:

- How did the people’s behavior change after they heard the good news of Jesus and decided to follow Him?

- Do you have a hard time sharing? It is hard to share because our nature is to be selfish. Ask God for His help when you need it and He will give it to you!

- Has someone ever shared with you? How did it make you feel?

Parents, tell your  children about a time that someone shared with you and how it made you feel.  Also, share with them about a time that you felt led by the Holy Spirit to give to someone else and what happened… again, sharing how God works in our lives is such a beautiful privilege of living as a believer! 

May 17, 2020

Bible Story: Pentecost

Bible Reading: Acts 1:12-2:13

Bible Point: The Spirit Jesus promised had come.

Questions to ask:

- What was the first amazing thing the disciples did once they received the Holy Spirit?

- Try to speak a different language… can you do it? Can you understand each other?

- Why did Jesus send the Holy Spirit to believers?

Parents, tell your children about a time the Holy Spirit led you to do something hard. How did He call you, then equip you to do something you could not have done without Him?  The testimony of believer is powerful! What a joy to share with our children!

May 10, 2020

Bible Story: The Ascension

Bible Reading: Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-11

Bible Point: After watching Jesus ascend into Heaven, the disciples worshiped Jesus and were full of joy.

Questions to ask:

-Who did Jesus tell the disciples would come and help them and give them power before He ascended into Heaven?

-Why weren't they sad when Jesus left them?

-When will Jesus come back for believers?

Parents, share with your children how you have seen the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. Tell them about a time that He spoke to you, that He helped you. It is important for them to know the reality of the Holy Spirit in our lives as believers. How amazing to tell stories to our tiny people of what God has done!

May 3, 2020

Bible Story: The Great Commission

Bible Reading: Matthew 28:11-20; Luke 24:45-49

Bible Point: Jesus commanded the disciples to go and tell people from every nation about Him.

Questions to ask:

- What message does Jesus tell His disciples to spread?

- How can the hope of Jesus help people who are afraid of the COVID-19?

- Do you see how the hope of Jesus was for people a long time ago and He is for people now too?

Parents, share with your children how opportunities to share THE GREAT message of Jesus are woven into our everyday.  Maybe role play through pretend conversation or give them ideas of answers they can give to others when asked about hope, future, fear, or worry. Pray together that we would take every chance to show the love of Jesus and spread His name!

April 12, 2020

Bible Story: The Resurrection of Christ

Bible Reading: Matthew 27:62--28:16, Mark 16:1-13, Luke 24:1-12 and John 20:1-18

Bible Point: Jesus’s death and resurrection is the most important part of the whole Bible.

Questions to ask:

-What happened to the soldiers guarding the tomb? 

-Which one of the disciples ran to the tomb?

-Why is Jesus’ resurrection so important?

Parents, what the Pharisees did actually helps us to believe that Jesus really did rise from the dead. By posting a guard, the Pharisees made sure that Jesus’s resurrection was not faked. When we look back, we can see that God used even the Pharisees’s unbelief to confirm that Jesus really did rise from the dead.

Use a modern day, personal example of when the enemy means for something to be harmful/evil, OUR LIVING GOD reigns all powerful every minute of every day! 

“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, all fear is gone!” Sing together :)

April 5, 2020

Bible Story: The Death of Christ

Bible Reading: Matthew 27:33-66, Mark 15:23-47, Luke 23:33-56 and John 19:23-42

Bible Point: Though Jesus was sinless, He became sin for us.

Questions to ask:

-How did Jesus feel on the cross?

-Who did Jesus die for?

-Why is Jesus’ death so important?

Parents, explain to your children how hard it would be for you to give your child’s life for someone else. NO WAY! BUT, God did it for us! Discuss as a family the significance of Jesus’ death and how it should change your family in a way that draws people to God!

March 22, 2020

Bible Story: The Crucifixion & the Criminals

Bible Reading: Matthew 27:1, Mark 15:1-22, Luke 23:1-43, & John 18:28-19:22

Bible Point: We either believe in Jesus or reject Him.

Questions to ask:

-Is there any sin Jesus cannot forgive?

-Had Jesus actually done anything wrong? 

-How many robbers were crucified with Jesus? Why does one robber have his face turned away from Jesus?

Parents, what are some ways we reject Jesus with our actions? How can we show others we believe in Him?

March 15, 2020

Bible Story: Miriam

Bible Reading: Numbers 12

Bible Point: Envy affects us negatively.

Questions to ask:

-What does the word “envy” mean?

-Why do we become envious of people? Why did Miriam become envious of Moses?

-How do you think envy is harmful?

Parents, share about a time that you envied someone and how it made you feel. Be real with your children because humility is something we want to model as Christ modeled it for us! Has someone ever torn you down with their words? What was that like?  Explain how we want to lift others up as Christ followers, not tear them down.

March 8, 2020

Bible Story: The People of Israel Complain

Bible Reading: Numbers 11

Bible Point: Israel complained when they should’ve been thanking God.

Questions to ask:

-What is something you complain about?

-Is complaining a sin? (When we complain, we are telling God that what He has given us is not good enough.) 

-What are the people loving more than God in this story?

Parents, share about a time that you overlooked God’s provision and panicked about something else He “wasn’t doing for you”. It is important for our children to know the ways that God provides for our families and for them to see how we must daily check ourselves and surrender to make sure our hearts are in the right place. Shine light on His faithfulness in your life!

March 1, 2020

Bible Story: God has Mercy on Israel

Bible Reading: Exodus 33-34

Bible Point: God’s mercies never fail even though we fail.

Questions to ask:

-Why were the people sad that God said He wouldn’t go with them anymore? 

-What made God angry about the Israelites’ behavior?

-What do you think you would do if you saw God?

Parents, make sure to emphasize how God gives us new mercies every morning. We can always try again! Share a time in your life that God corrected you or you experienced consequences from disobedience.  Explain God’s goodness and forgiveness even when we don’t deserve it, He is faithful!

February 16, 2020

Bible Story: The Golden Calf

Bible Reading: Exodus 32

Bible Point: Jesus’ blood covers over all our sin.

Questions to ask:

-Why don’t we need to kill animals today and use their blood to cover our sins?

-Why was making the golden calf such a bad thing?

- Can you think of a time that you disobeyed your mom and dad?

Parents, explain that some things in the Bible are hard to understand (all the animal blood), but it’s okay that we don’t fully understand the mysteries of God.  He is God and we are not. Share about how God’s love and Jesus’ blood have made a difference in your life as an adult! We can never share enough about God’s goodness and “real” things with our children, it makes Jesus that much more real in their little minds!