Jesus is not just a historical figure but our saviour and redeemer - for ALL people. It can be easy for kids to become over-familiar with Jesus having learned about Him from a young age. We want to keep expanding their view and awe of Jesus, helping them understand He is their personal saviour, and the saviour of the whole world.
We’ve reached the end of our time going through the old testament and so we start our 18 month journey seeing how a lot of the OT promises are fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus’ arrival was for a purpose, this unit helps kids understand what that purpose is.
Why is it so hard when we keep falling into sin and temptation? How should we feel when we sin?
Dad Rhys has found this book a helpful springboard into great conversations with his three children, providing a platform not only for conversation but a reason to open the bible with his kids and explore together what scripture has to say about topics teenagers have questions about, but not always willing to initiate. Read how this book has helped open conversations and deepen the relationship between Rhys and his 3 children.
Is Jesus really coming back? Can we trust Him when He says He’s going to return?
It can often feel like God is far away, especially when kids are going through difficult circumstances. Learning that God was still with his people when they weren’t in the promised land shows us God is with us too while we wait to be at home with Him in heaven. God did come to earth as Jesus the Son, who is now in heaven preparing the place for us and has given us His Spirit until He calls us to heaven to be with Him forever.
Over three Sundays during term 4, year 5 kids are taught what church is all about and are given the chance to experience segments of church before they’re invited to join each Sunday in the new year.
Church is where we want all kids to land and be active participants for the rest of their lives. Here’s 7 ways parents and the church community can help smooth the way for this change when kids have been used to Kids Church for many years and are now joining ‘big’ church.
Change My Heart is a new song helping kids realise their actions come from their hearts, so in order for repentance to happen we need to let Jesus change our hearts first before we can expect our actions to change. Listen to the song, and learn what song-writer Andrew Wilson had to say about writing it.
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Heb 12:11
God disciplined His rebellious people because He loves them. God disciplines us because He loves us. What can we learn from this about whether we should discipline those God has entrusted to our care until He returns or calls us/them home?
As we live in this “now but not yet” period of time - saved from the punishment of our sin through Jesus’ death and resurrection, but still struggle with our sinful desires as we await Jesus’ return - we can get too preoccupied with us and lose sight of God’s power to change us. Helping kids learn what repentance is and looks like will help them the rest of their Christian life. God’s warnings of repentance are for our good, because He loves us.
Parents and Kids Leaders alike find this book a helpful reminder to make Jesus bigger in the lives of children as we teach them from scripture. Read Emma’s experience from reading this book.
Our hearts were made to worship and love God. But because of sin, we allow other things to take God’s place in our hearts. The Bible has many examples of people who committed idolatry, but idolatry is not a sin of the past. Kids, too, struggle with idolatry today by loving and valuing other things more than God. Through Jesus, we can turn away from idols and turn back to God.
Solomon was a wise king who wanted to do God’s plan. Solomon wasn’t perfect, but God had a plan to give His people a greater and wiser King — His Son, Jesus. Jesus completely trusted God. Jesus surrendered His own life to die on the cross for our sin.
God was with David and led him to many victories over Israel’s foes. God also showed His amazing grace to David when he sinned against God. It is what we learn about God’s character and promises that make it worth spending time learning about King David in 1 & 2 Samuel.
We don’t mind justice when we’ve been wronged, but judgement when we have wronged others is unpleasant. When God brings judgement on those who have sinned, does this mean God doesn’t love us anymore? On the contrary, it is because God loves us that he judges sin. An unloving God would be permissive and dismissive of our actions, thoughts and words. God is good to judge sin.
When I was teaching as a primary school teacher I was looking for an age-appropriate kids Bible that was faithful to scripture. I taught in a Christian school where we had frequent time for bible devotions. I had used the Jesus Storybook Bible which is great for younger kids, the kids in my class were older primary. It was at this point that I stumbled across this book - One Big Story Bible Storybook.
It is suitable for kids who are ready to read on their own, but not quite up to reading whole books and chapters independently in the Bible. It has a clear and consistent format showing the scripture reference, with each story fitting on a double-page spread. It features a comprehensive overview of the different books in the bible, even most of the minor prophets. What set this bible apart from others I investigated is the “Christ Connection” included with each story, helping readers see that the bible really is one big story all about Jesus. The Big Picture questions and answers are also helpful for any adult reading along to encourage understanding beyond comprehension. There is a lot of cross-over with The Gospel Project for Kids, the new curriculum now being used at HBC:Kids.
After using the One Big Story Bible Storybook with my class, the appropriate detail for this age prompted an increase in questions about God as students sought to understand God’s Word comprehensively rather than a collection of individual stories. They really did start seeing the One Big Story of the bible. I even found myself looking for the ‘Christ Connection’ in my own bible reading, making for a richer experience for me too.
I’d recommend this book for children who are ready for something "next level ", but not quite ready for reading whole chapters and books of the Bible. It is also helpful for adults wanting to up-skill their own knowledge of how some of the more obscure Old Testament passages point to Jesus and/or how to explain this to kids.
- Fiona Thomson
Australian church survey statistics show that 75% of adults came to know Jesus before the age of 20, so the kids and youth of HBC, this generation and the ones to come, will be the ones heralding the return of Jesus in the Hunter long after we have gone!
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 2 Thess 4:16-18
With this eternal perspective established last week, now it begs the question, “What is really important then?”
Heaven is our home,
Here is not our own,
Remember Jesus Christ!
Soldier Sam had forgotten he had a job to do, he was too busy enjoying life.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
We’ve been given a job to do too while we wait for Jesus’ return, and it is the same as the one given to Jesus’ first followers. Tell our friends about Jesus, careful to obey Jesus ourselves too, but remember grace - this is the gospel.
Let’s keep remembering this new home for everyone is exactly that, a home for ALL people in Newy and LakeMac, not just us. This is not our building, it is Jesus’ building, and it’s for them too.
Here are some activities you might like to do at home this week with your kids:
Helping with the shopping - this might sound like a nightmare, but giving kids the shopping list and ticking off the items as they go in the trolley is a good exercise in staying on-task. How can we stay on-task for Jesus while we wait for His return? What written reminders do you have around home?
2 Tim 2:8 - Help the kids with their memory verse for this series. Print it out, help them remember it, discuss how remembering Jesus’ eternal perspective helps us keep one too. This is the gospel!
Sing-along - We’ll be singing these few songs in Kids Church, looking forward to joining together with kids from all around HBC on Big Sunday for a special Church4Kids for all Kindy-Yr 5:
Colin Buchanan: This is the gospel
Colin Buchanan: Go go go in the gospel power
Colin Buchanan: survival man
Colin Buchanan: John 14:1-4
Talk about your job - Do your kids know what you do when you go to work? Talk about having specific responsibilities that are expected of you. How does this help as we think about the job Jesus has given us to do?
Throughout this series the kids are also learning more about our future than just the new site God has graciously given us. During Kids Church the kids are learning that even this new property will pass away -
Heaven is our home,
Here is not our own,
Remember Jesus Christ.
Here’s some of what the kids have been learning to help your discussions at home.
U5’s are following several parts of God’s Big Picture:
Part 24 - God’s New Kingdom Spreads (May 16)
Heaven is our Home,
Here is not our own,
Remember Jesus Christ
He’s given us work to do,
tell people about Jesus!
Part 25 - Letter to Live By (May 23)
Heaven is our Home,
Here is not our own,
Remember Jesus Christ
He’s shown us how to love one another
Part 26 - The Very Good Ending (May 30)
Heaven is our Home,
Here is not our own,
Remember Jesus Christ
He’s gone to prepare a place for us.
We’ll also be enjoying some great songs along the way:
Colin Buchanan: This is the gospel
Colin Buchanan: John 14:1-4 (particularly on May 30th)
Australian church survey statistics show that 75% of adults came to know Jesus before the age of 20, so the kids and youth of HBC—this generation and the ones to come—will be the ones heralding the return of Jesus in the Hunter long after we have gone!
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
—2 Corinthians 5:1-5
School kids this week were reminded of our temporary nature, even our new church home in Garden Suburb.
Heaven is our home,
Here is not our own,
Remember Jesus Christ!
Like soldiers on assignment we live light, we have a job to do and we look forward to going home.
This is a helpful perspective we can all keep as we get excited about establishing a home for Jesus to be made known in Newy and LakeMac. Here’s some activities you might like to do at home this week with your kids:
Build blanket forts - they’re fun, but they’re temporary.
2 Tim 2:8 - Help the kids with their memory verse for this series. Print it out, help them remember it, discuss how remembering Jesus’ eternal perspective helps us keep one too. This is the gospel!
Sing-along - We’ll be singing these few songs in Kids Church, looking forward to joining together with kids from all around HBC on Big Sunday for a special Church4Kids for all Kindy-Yr 5:
Colin Buchanan: This is the gospel
Colin Buchanan: Go go go in the gospel power
Colin Buchanan: survival man
Colin Buchanan: John 14:1-4
Camp out in the Backyard - camping is a great adventure and a break from screens and technology. Sitting around the campfire is an awesome opportunity to keep chatting about what the kids are looking forward to about the new building and discussing how your family might be generous in making it happen.
