KIDS: Godtime Cards from September 4
Posted by Caity Shinnick on 09/07/2011
There really is SO much to know! But one of the great things about Jesus was the way He seemed to be able to take many complicated issues and simplify them down to what really matters. In fact, while He was on earth, Jesus took over 600 Jewish laws and simplified them down to two. He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And “Love your neighbor as yourself.” That’s it. Everything we need to know—everything we need to put into practice—comes back to these two things.
Have you ever stopped to think about how Jesus didn’t just teach the great commandment? He really lived it as well. In fact, we believe that He started living this way from the very beginning. The Bible only gives us one story and one comment on the life of Jesus from the time of his birth until He began His ministry at 33. The story tells us that Jesus spent time in the temple studying God’s Word, and from that time, He grew in His relationship with God, in His ability to make wise choices, and in his ability to love others. (Luke 2:52)
This month as we talk about knowledge, we aren’t just talking about learning more or gathering more information. We are talking about really understanding what’s important to know. You might say it this way: It’s not how much you know, it’s what and who you know that really matters! When we look at the life of Jesus, we believe that there are three main things that we need to know. It just so happens that these things are the foundation of the 252 Basic curriculum. So join us as we spend some time talking about the basics: I can trust God no matter what. I need to make the wise choice. And I should treat others the way I want to be treated.
This month, let’s think about how:
1) God created knowledge and exemplifies it.
2) God instills that virtue in us as He shapes us to be more like Him.
3) God uses that virtue in us to influence our families, friends, & neighbors.
Remember: A virtue is something God does in us to change the world around us.
As others notice the virtue being lived out in our lives, we have more opportunities to tell them about God. As they come to trust God, they’ll influence others as well. See the cycle?
This week, we learned about the time that Jesus spend studying God’s Word in the temple, from Luke 2:41-52. Our Bottom Line is: Since God knows everything, I should discover what God says. We can share our knowledge about what God says with others and they can see how it changes our life for the better—in building a stronger relationship with God and also in making wiser choices and loving others even more. Jesus is our best example, so we’ll learn what happened in His life from 12 years old to 33, in our memory verse—Luke 2:52.
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:52
Click here to download this week’s Godtime Card.
Click here to download this week’s Parent Cue Card. (Previously called Fridge Door Card)
©2011 The reThink Group • All rights reserved. • www.reThinkGroup.org
Photo Recap: Kids Day in the Park
Posted by Luke Flener on 08/15/2011
Thanks to all who helped make Kids Day in the Park 2011 a success. Over 700 backpacks filled with school supplies were given away. Here’s a look at all the fun the kids had!
Kids: Godtime Cards from June 19
Posted by Caity Shinnick on 06/20/2011
There are times in everyone’s life when things look bleak. It could be the death of a loved one, a family going through a divorce, or even something like clinical depression. When life is hard, we have a hard time seeing light at the end of the tunnel. (1) Faith is trusting in what you can’t see because of what you can see. (2) We can’t see God, but He’s always been faithful to those called to His purpose. (3) God wants us to trust Him, even and especially when we suffer through the trials of life. The writer of Hebrews knew that people of long ago were praised for having faith when times were tough. (4) Remembering how our predecessors overcame challenges through their bold faith bolstered the confidence of the early Christians struggling with hard times. Likewise, when others see us standing firm in what we believe, whether in good times or bad, their spirits can be lifted and their confidence restored. This week, focus on helping kids discover they can have faith in tough times, just like Joseph did.
Spend some time this week with your kids working through their Godtime cards and reading our memory verse for June:
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
Click here to download this week’s Godtime Card.
Click here to download this week’s Fridge Door Card.
©2011 The reThink Group • All rights reserved. • www.reThinkGroup.org
Kids: First Look for Infants, Toddlers, & Pre-Schoolers
Posted by Caity Shinnick on 06/13/2011
We are beginning our curriculum, First Look, for infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers this month. This curriculum gives preschool children a first impression of their loving heavenly Father. The curriculum keeps it simple and fun, repeating one basic truth about God all month long. First Look also helps children understand worship and introduces them to small group time. It encourages children to talk to God any time at any place.
First Look uses several key strategies:
+ Teach less for more – Repeats one key truth (Bottom Line) all month long.
+ Engage the five senses – Helps master the concept through creative activities.
+ Teach with the end in mind – Helps a child by age five, to believe:
The three truths we’re teaching are:
1. God Made Me
2. God Loves Me
3. Jesus Wants to be My Friend Forever
There are take-home materials each week that you can use to engage your child. On Mondays, we’ll post the take-home materials in case you aren’t here on Sundays. We believe you, as the parent, are the most spiritually influential person in your child’s life, and we want to partner with you. Email us at kids@ethoslove.com if you have any questions!
©2011 The reThink Group • All rights reserved. • www.reThinkGroup.org
Kids: Godtime Cards from June 12
Posted by Caity Shinnick on 06/13/2011
How do I know I’ll go to heaven when I die? Will it really be as great as everyone says it will be? How do I know that following God is the best way to spend my life? There are a lot of questions for which we have that don’t have definite, scientifically tested and proven answers. That’s where faith comes in. (1) Faith is trusting in what you can’t see because of what you can see. We can’t see heaven yet, and we don’t know the outcome of God’s plan for our lives. We do know God’s promises for us, though, and we’ve seen how He’s kept His promises in the past. (2) The writer of Hebrews gave us a whole bunch of examples of great men and women of faith and how God proved faithful in their lives. (3) God wants us to have faith in Him. He wants us to trust that His plan is the best plan. (4) There’s something about real people of faith that inspires others, an unseen sense of confidence and strength that emboldens someone to go out on a limb and do something incredible. When we follow God, regardless of whether we can see the outcome, we accomplish more than we ever could alone. This week, inspire kids with Abraham’s leap of faith as he followed God out of his comfort zone into a future he never could have imagined.
Spend some time this week with your kids working through their Godtime cards and reading our memory verse for June:
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
Click here to download this week’s Godtime Card.
Click here to download this week’s Fridge Door Card.
©2011 The reThink Group • All rights reserved. • www.reThinkGroup.org
Kids: Godtime Cards from June 5
Posted by Caity Shinnick on 06/07/2011
This past Sunday, we looked at the lives of early Christians and focused in on how they were persecuted because they followed Jesus. Most probably felt angry, scared, alone; they probably wondered where God was in this and if He really loved them. But He did love them and still loves us! And that’s one reason the book of Hebrews was written…to remind God’s children that He loves them and they can trust Him even when bad things are happening!
Spend some time this week with your kids working through their Godtime cards and reading our memory verse for June:
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
Click here to download this week’s Godtime Card.
Click here to download this week’s Fridge Door Card.
©2011 The reThink Group • All rights reserved. • www.reThinkGroup.org
Kids: June’s Virtue is Faith
Posted by Caity Shinnick on 06/07/2011
Virtue: Faith—trusting in what you can’t see because of what you can see.
Memory Verse: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
Bible Story: God made everything • Hebrews 10:32-35; 11:1-3
Bottom Line: You can trust in a God you can’t see because you can see what He’s created.
Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s … invisible? Wait. What? If God is as big and powerful as we say He is, you should at least be able to see Him, right? Well, that’s where our virtue of the month comes in. We define faith this way: (1) Faith is trusting in what you can’t see because of what you can see. So, no, we can’t see God, but (2) He provides an amazing amount of evidence of His existence. Just look! Up in the sky! Or at the mountains and rivers and stars and rainbows and trees and platypuses and thumbprints … well, you get the point. (3) God could’ve made Himself known in even more obvious ways so there would be no question that He’s God. Instead, He wants us to see the evidence for ourselves and choose to trust in Him. (4) As our faith strengthens, we are compelled to put more of ourselves in God’s enormous, creative hands. Then He can use us to impact and influence our world. All month long, we’ll be looking at the tumultuous lives of the early Christian church and how the writer of Hebrews used the history of the world to help build their faith.
What a great month it will be as we dive deeper into stories of faith in our spiritual heritage. Think of the times when you have had to trust God in seemingly impossible situations and your faith was built. Share those times with your kids. Ask them how their faith has been strengthened. Take time to read the memory verse together and practice reciting it. You can also download the Godtime card and Fridge Door card each week. These cards provide natural ways to discuss and practice the month’s virtue.
If you have questions, please email kids@ethoslove.com.
©2011 The reThink Group • All rights reserved. • www.reThinkGroup.org
