Sunday School Lesson Plans to download.
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10 Ways to a
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Making a Great Youth Facility.
Leading a Middle School Youth Group
Keeping Kids Interested in Church
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Junior High Sunday School Lessons Beginnings page 5
This page contains simple Sunday School lessons for Middle School age kids.
For my very first class I ask a simple question: "Why did Jesus come?" You will hear the simple answers the kids were taught in elementary school: "To save us from our sins." That's a good answer but it's not what we're looking for. Keep asking the same question. Any answer is a good answer. Encourage them to talk. I sometime toss candy to liven things up and set the tone for later classes.
Eventually you will say, "The answer you're looking for is: Jesus came to clear a path for us to get to God." These kids are just beginning to be able to think abstractly. It's time to introduce them to an invisible, all-knowing, all-powerful God.
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The 13 Most Important Bible Lessons for Teenagers By Group / Group Publishing Teenagers with a firm faith foundation, who know what they believe and why, aren't easily swayed by others who might challenge their faith. The lessons used in this book, therefore, are designed to instill a solid faith in teens who are new to Christianity. Using active-learning techniques to hold teenagers' interest and keep them involved, this book offers a biblical perspective on faith issues, such as Creation and Jesus' return. With concise and easy-to-use handouts, teachers will be able to help teenagers learn vital faith concepts with ease. |
The goal of this lesson is to ready the kids to hear and expect to hear from God. They also must begin to seek to hear but also test what they hear. We will be discussing the ways that Christians hear God.
This is a one page lesson plan with a movie clip suggestion to begin.
Use the reverse side of the Sunday school lesson plan to print pictures of previous youth group activities.
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With this lesson Bible study we introduce the kids to the abstract idea of an invisible God, pretty much indescribable in human terms. As children they can only grasp concrete ideas. Stories in the Bible involving people as well as an understanding of Jesus (a human) are understood. In this lesson we focus on the immensity of God the Father. We also discus practical applications of worshiping a spirit in spirit and in truth.
This is a two page lesson with leaders guide.
Note: In this lesson we touch on some unbiblical teachings and mysticism that can mislead Christians in this area. Click here for a link to an article discussing this issue from the conservative end of the spectrum. While I do not endorse this article it is useful to understand both sides of the issue.
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Olson also views The Shack with a theologian's eye and finds much sound truth.
Welcome to the Planet: What on earth am I here for? Week 1: The Challenge to Move Ahead Week 2: You Were Planned for God's Pleasure Week 3: You Were Formed for God's Family Week 4: You Were Created to be Like Christ Week 5: You Were Shaped for Serving God Week 6: You Were Made for a Mission
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I used a quote from The Shack in this lesson and drew a lot of information about the attributes of God from this A.W Tozer book, The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God: Their Meaning in the Christian Life. You can use these links to buy copies for yourself from amazon.com.
IBS offers a response to The Shack called Finding God In The Shack offered thru the banner below.
A.W Tozer was an awesome theologian. There are other books by him on this same subject including The Attributes of God Volume 1 & 2: A Journey Into the Father's Heart.
Really good stuff.
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The Knowledge of the Holy
Order this new book by Randal Rauser clicking on the banner above.
Aware both of the excitement and uncertainty generated by The Shack, theologian Randal Rauser takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the pages of the story. In successive chapters he explores many of the book’s complex and controversial issues. Thus he explains why God the Father is revealed as an African American woman, he defends the book’s theology of the Trinity against charges of heresy and he considers its provocative denial of a Trinitarian hierarchy. But at its heart The Shack is a response to evil and so Rauser spends the final three chapters considering the book’s explanation for why God allows evil, how the atoning work of Christ offers new hope for a suffering world and ultimately how this hope extends to all of creation. Through these chapters Rauser offers an honest and illuminating discussion which opens up a new depth to the conversation while providing the reader with new opportunities for Finding God in The Shack.
The goal of this lesson is to expand teens realization of the intimate relationship God has planned for us with the culmination of time. Biblical knowledge is hard pressed to keep up with the excitement and adrenaline rush provided by today’s entertainment. Kids are bored with Christianity. If they only knew what they were in for -the inexpressible joy promised by God when we unite with Him.
This is a two page lesson plan with a pre-lesson activity.
