Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Follow the Leader
Materials: no materials needed
Tell the kids to make a straight line. Tell them that the first child in the line is the leader, and they will follow the leader wherever she goes and do whatever the leader does. Allow time for several children to be the leader. Afterward, explain they will learn today how Jesus called many men to follow Him so that He could tell people God’s truth. Read the Weekly Verse together.
Live It Out
Game – Jesus and Sardines
Materials: no materials needed
Take the kids to a large area with plenty of space. Ask for a volunteer to be Jesus. Instruct the volunteer to hide somewhere in the large space while no one else is looking. Instruct everyone else that they are to look for Jesus. When they find Jesus, they are to hide with him until everyone is packed in like sardines. The last person to find Jesus will be him for the next round. Afterward, explain how the crowds always looked for Jesus wherever He went because of His miracles and teaching. Say the Life Point together.
Craft – Disciple Choosing Collage
Materials: magazines, paper, glue, scissors
Before the session, gather as many magazines as possible. Give each child a piece of paper, glue, scissors, and a magazine. Instruct them to cut out pictures that could relate to Jesus calling His disciples and glue them to their paper. Tell the kids to write the Life Point at the top of their page. Afterward, allow several volunteers to share their collages and explain why they chose specific pictures.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Boat Building
Materials: various items like paper, craft sticks, cardboard, tape, etc.; bucket; water
Form the kids into groups of two or three. Give them the materials and instruct them to build a boat. Give the children enough time to make their boats. Allow each group to test their boat in the bucket of water to see if it floats. Explain to the kids that Jesus proved He was the Messiah by helping men catch many fish from their boat! He did this so many people would believe He was telling the truth about God’s Kingdom. Say the Life Point together.
Live It Out
Game – Catching Fish
Materials: kiddie pool (or large sheet of blue paper), construction paper, scissors, paper clips, two fishing rods with magnets
Before the session, cut out simple fish shapes from construction paper. (The more, the better!) Attach a paper clip to each fish. Gather two fishing poles and attach a magnet to the end of their lines. Place the kiddie pool in the middle of your classroom and put all the fish inside the pool. Form two teams of kids and place each team on opposite sides of the pool. Tell the teams that they will compete to catch the most fish with their magnets. After one child catches a fish, he will hand the pole to the next team member. Everyone should have a turn before anyone repeats. The team that catches the most fish is the winner! Talk about the Bible story as they play. Remind them that some of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen, but He turned them into fishers of men so they could tell people the Gospel.
Craft – Disciple Puppets
Materials: brown paper lunch sacks, glue, markers, decorative items (yarn, stickers, etc.)
Give every child a lunch sack and ensure they have access to the rest of the supplies. Read the list of disciples from Luke 6:13-16. Instruct the kids to create one of the disciples on their paper sack so that it will be a puppet when they are finished. Review the Bible story and Life Point as the kids work. Allow several volunteers to present their puppet to the class and have the puppet introduce himself to everyone. Say the Weekly Verse together.
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