The Gospel Project for Kids Weekly Leader Training: Recent Episodes
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The beginnings of Paul’s journey as a missionary in Acts 13–14 showcased the power and providence of God, even amid harsh persecution. From being sent out and set apart by the Holy Spirit to being wrongly celebrated as gods and experiencing mistreatment and stonings, Paul remained fixed on the hope he found in Jesus. No...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 33, Session 2—Paul Became a Missionary appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The Acts 9 story of how Saul of Tarsus came to be a follower of Jesus is a widely known passage that reveals an essential truth for us as believers: God has the power to transform the hearts and lives of anyone who places their faith in Him. The power of the Holy Spirit changes...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 33, Session 1—Paul Became a Christian appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The twelfth chapter of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth is known for its role in encouraging the church body toward unity. Steering us away from division and partiality, this passage reminds us that we each have a role to play in Christ’s mission of sharing the gospel. Our differences can serve to strengthen...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 32, Session 5—We Are Part of One Church appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Acts 12 tells the story of God’s divine and miraculous rescue of His apostle Peter. While King Herod sought to make an example of Peter, it was God alone who was able to showcase His power and might amidst the persecution of the church. This passage highlights the power of prayer amidst hardship and how...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 32, Session 4—Peter Was Rescued from Prison appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Acts 11 recounts the first time people were called “Christians” because they were recognized as followers of Jesus. In this passage, Peter was criticized by some of the believing Jews for going into the house of Cornelius and eating with Gentiles; however, these same critics later realized that God’s power was at work even among...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 32, Session 3—Gentiles Became Part of the Church appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The story of Peter’s revelation in Acts 10 reveals a core tenet in the gospel of Jesus Christ: God saves all who come to faith in His Son, regardless of their past, cultural differences, or their upbringing. The gospel is for all people, and it took Peter—just as it will require us today—great humility to...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 32, Session 2—Peter Learned That Jesus Is for All appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Peter’s miracles in Acts 9 showcase the power of the Holy Spirit at work within the early church. Though the people who witnessed and heard of these healings and resurrections were amazed and intrigued, Peter did not perform them to wow the crowd or to even illustrate his own strength. Rather, he met people’s needs...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 32, Session 1—Peter Performed Miracles appeared first on The Gospel Project.
In Philippians 2, the apostle Paul expounds upon Christ’s humility and its implications for how we live and interact with others. Though we may struggle with the paradox of His infinite power and meekness, Christ’s humility serves as the truest example for us to follow as we adopt His attitude so that the world may...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 31, Session 5—Jesus Suffered for Us appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The story of the Ethiopian official’s baptism began with an angel giving a command to Philip, an apostle of Jesus Christ. Philip’s on-the-spot obedience led him to clarify the Scriptures and point the Ethiopian official to Christ. As a result of Philip’s desire to live on mission, the Lord provided an opportunity for the gospel...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 31, Session 4—The Church Spread Out appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Acts 6 and 7 detail the story of Stephen, the first follower of Jesus martyred for his unwavering boldness in proclaiming Jesus as Lord. Despite the rejection Stephen faced, he remained firm in his gospel witness to those in the Sanhedrin. Recounting the stories of the Old Testament, Stephen declared God’s faithfulness to bring the...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 31, Session 3—Stephen Was Arrested appeared first on The Gospel Project.
What do Nintendo, peanut butter cookies, and the gospel all have in common? If you guessed “Aaron Wilson”, then you’d be correct! We are excited to announce that Aaron Wilson has stepped into the role of Publishing Team Leader on The Gospel Project for Kids team. Aaron is a longtime Lifeway employee, and we are excited for...
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Acts 6 relays a time when a complaint within the church led to an opportunity for delegation and good deeds. As the apostles continued spreading the word of Jesus and His resurrection, more people began to believe the good news and the church grew in number. Amid this growth, the task of caring for the...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 31, Session 2—The Church Handled a Problem appeared first on The Gospel Project.
In Acts 5, we find the apostles performing many signs and wonders through the power and grace they received from the Holy Spirit. The healing power of the Holy Spirit displayed through Peter, in particular, was so compelling that people laid the sick in the path of his shadow. United in purpose, the apostles also...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 31, Session 1—The Apostles Were Arrested appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Paul’s letter to believers in Rome serves as one of the Bible’s clearest examples of evangelism. The words of Romans 10 bring us back to the essence of gospel truth: we must place our faith in Jesus to receive salvation from sin. However, in order to receive the gospel, we must first hear its words....
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 30, Session 5—We Are to Tell Others about Jesus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
One of Scripture’s most prominent warnings against false motives comes to us in Acts 5: the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Amid the church’s unity and generosity in the previous chapter, the husband and wife’s scheme stands in stark contrast. Though this couple sought to appear generous before others, the Holy Spirit unveiled their treachery...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 30, Session 4—Peter Confronted Sin appeared first on The Gospel Project.
In Acts 4, we encounter Peter’s Spirit-led boldness and the religious leaders’ inability to stop the gospel’s power at work. Despite the danger they faced, the church remained steadfast in their prayers and proclamations, being filled with the courage and conviction that would become their legacy. What truths did the early church cling to amidst...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 30, Session 3—Peter Continued to Preach appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Peter’s healing and preaching in Acts 3 revealed the Holy Spirit’s power at work. Through both word and deed, Peter and John committed themselves to the all-encompassing mission of the gospel—that all they said and did would point back to the truth of Christ as Messiah. What deeper meaning can we glean from this healing...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 30, Session 2—Peter Healed a Man appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The latter portions of Acts 2 relay the Holy Spirit’s transformational work within not only the apostle Peter’s life but also in the lives of thousands of new believers in Jerusalem. In what could have been a somber retelling of herd mentality gone wrong, we instead read of the power of the Holy Spirit at...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 30, Session 1—Peter Preached in Jerusalem appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Today’s passage from Galatians illustrates the Holy Spirit’s power in Christ followers’ lives. Written by the apostle Paul to the non-Jewish congregation in Galatia, this letter outlines the importance of pursuing righteousness by faith as opposed to the works of the flesh. How are believers today at risk of pursuing legalism or lawlessness rather than...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 29, Session 4—The Holy Spirit Changes Us appeared first on The Gospel Project.
In Acts 2, we find the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise from Acts 1:8. Jesus’ followers devoted themselves to one another and to His mission, and we can observe their unity in the first verse of this passage. They experienced the power of the Holy Spirit together as a church body unified by more than mere...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 29, Session 3—The Holy Spirit Came appeared first on The Gospel Project.
In the latter half of Acts 1, Jesus’ eleven disciples were at a turning point in their ministry. Jesus had ascended to heaven, and His followers recognized the gap Judas left. They came together, united in mission and motive as they waited for the promised Holy Spirit. How did the disciples take their next step...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 29, Session 2—The Disciples Replaced Judas appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Today’s passage is found in the first chapter of the book of Acts. Although Jesus’ time on earth was coming to an end, He promised to leave for His followers a special Helper and Guide. God fulfilled His promise to remain with us, and through the gift of the Holy Spirit, He also provided the...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 29, Session 1—God Gave His Followers a Mission appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Today’s passage from Matthew 28 is referred to as “The Great Commission.” We see here that the resurrected Jesus purposely brought His eleven disciples together to receive the invitation and instruction they would need to fulfill the Father’s will. God’s overall plan for His creation has always been that they would know Him and lead...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 28, Session 4—God Wants Us to Know Him appeared first on The Gospel Project.
In the beginning of John 21, we read of the resurrected Christ’s third appearance to His disciples. Although Peter had seen Jesus, perhaps he had not yet come to terms with his three-fold denial of Jesus. Through a series of three questions and commands, Jesus demonstrated His mercy and forgiveness toward Peter’s denial as well...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 28, Session 3—Jesus Forgave Peter appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Toward the end of John 20, we find the disciples gathered, only a week after the discovery of the empty tomb. Word of His resurrection had already begun circulating, and Jesus even made Himself known to some followers. At this point in the story, we read of Thomas’ response when faced with the news of...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 28, Session 2—Jesus Appeared to Thomas appeared first on The Gospel Project.
In the final chapter of Luke’s Gospel account, we receive insight into how Christ made His resurrection power known. The manner He chose to reveal His newly resurrected body teaches us how we can share and receive His gospel truths in the present day. Since Christians today represent the body of Christ in action, we...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 28, Session 1—Jesus Appeared to the Disciples appeared first on The Gospel Project.
One of the most magnificent titles given to Christ is that of the complete and perfect King. Paul reflected on both the might and majesty of the risen Jesus as he detailed the immensity of the hope we find in His name. Though we are prone to falter and fail, Christ in His completeness remains...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 27, Session 4—Jesus Is Our Perfect King appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Amidst the darkness of the crucifixion story, the promise of new life in Jesus sprang forth. Here in these passages, the truth of Christ’s victory became known first to His closest followers and then was spread throughout the rest of the world. With what power was Jesus raised from the grave? How did these events...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 27, Session 3—Jesus Was Raised appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Here in the New Testament crucifixion accounts, we read of Christ taking to the cross on our behalf. In this place where Jesus was stripped of His dignity, we find ourselves clothed in His righteousness by faith. Why did the omnipotent Jesus choose the cross? How did the suffering of Jesus lead to life everlasting...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 27, Session 2—Jesus Was Crucified appeared first on The Gospel Project.
All four Gospel accounts of Jesus’ trial revealed the innocence of the Son of Man amid the injustice of the court’s proceedings. From the plotting of the chief priests to the scoffing of those in the crowd, each detail revealed the reality of the Savior’s choice to step forward as the substitute for our sins....
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 27, Session 1—Jesus Was Put on Trial appeared first on The Gospel Project.
It is difficult to comprehend the gospel’s richness without understanding Christ’s role as perfect priest. Because we do not live in the same religious and sacrificial system that the early church was so familiar with, we may struggle to savor the nuances of all this divine position entails. Throughout the promises of the old covenant,...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 26, Session 4—Jesus Is Our Perfect Priest appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Christ’s arrest and betrayal remain some of the darkest accounts we read in the Scriptures. The sinless Savior experienced rejection at the hands of His closest friends, knowing the darkness of death He would soon encounter in the hours that followed. The recurring theme that resurfaced throughout each unfolding event was that Christ foreknew all...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 26, Session 3—Jesus Was Arrested appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The time came nearer for Jesus and His disciples to celebrate Passover together. Christ knew the betrayal would take place soon, yet He earnestly desired to break bread and recline at the table with His closest friends. He was aware of the suffering that was soon to come, too, yet He still took to the...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 26, Session 2—Jesus Shared a Last Meal appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John all recounted Christ’s anointing in the last days before Passover. As Christ, His disciples, and friends all gathered to remember what God had done for His people so long ago, Mary anointed Jesus. We continue to celebrate the legacy of her worshipful act, just as Jesus proclaimed we...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 26, Session 1—Jesus Was Anointed appeared first on The Gospel Project.
In today’s passage from Deuteronomy, Moses spoke to the Israelites about the prophet God promised to raise up from among them. Unlike the imperfect Moses, his successor would prove to be even greater and better than himself. This coming prophet would be the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises of old. Only Jesus could be the...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 25, Session 5—Jesus Is Our Perfect Prophet appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The parables in Matthew 25 called for God’s people to lead lives ready for the Great Master’s return. These passages dwelled specifically on the importance of being moved to action rather than halted by complacency or fear. This infamous parable demonstrated the call to be doers of the Word rather than mere hearers through the...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 25, Session 4—Jesus Warned about Not Acting appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Jesus spent the bulk of Matthew 23 rebuking the Pharisees and Sadducees’ unloving nature. He criticized the self-importance in their hearts and how it served as a stumbling block to those around them. Christ warned these religious leaders against making so much of themselves that they were blind to their own need for a Savior....
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 25, Session 3—Jesus Warned about Not Loving appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Matthew 22 recounts an instance of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming together to try to test, trick, and teach Jesus a lesson. They had heard and witnessed so much about this man from Nazareth but were determined to be the ones to put Him in His place. They sought to do so by means of...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 25, Session 2—Leaders Wanted to Trick Jesus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
In all four Gospel accounts of the triumphal entry, we uncover the truth that Jesus reigns as the sovereign King over everything. From the need for a processional donkey to the praises spilling from children’s mouths, He continued to fulfill the Old Testament requirements for the coming Messiah—the One promised since the beginning. Why were...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 25, Session 1—People Welcomed Jesus as King appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Each year, numerous local churches fill backpacks for children in their communities who have limited access to school supplies. They may schedule a Saturday morning to pack hundreds of backpacks full of pencils, paper, notebooks, scissors, erasers, and more to ensure that children are well-equipped for school. Imagine if they filled the backpacks with candy,...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 24, Session 3—The World Is Against God appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The account of Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead is a foundational passage in the New Testament. Not only was a dead man brought back to life, this passage in John 11 also contains the shortest verse in the Bible and a glimpse into the humanity of Jesus. John 11:25 says, “Jesus wept.” In this...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 24, Session 2—Jesus Raised Lazarus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
As the end of Jesus’ ministry on earth was drawing nearer, large crowds of people followed Him from each town and village. So the question someone raised in Luke 13:23 may seem unusual: “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” Jesus had spent time with the crowds. He had fed them, taught...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 24, Session 1—Jesus Knew He Would Be Rejected appeared first on The Gospel Project.
What makes someone worthy? Have you ever wondered that? What makes someone worthy of the situation they find themselves in? What makes someone worthy of high degrees of responsibility or leadership? What makes someone worthy of recognition or acclaim? For someone who has been exposed to the things of God, it’s common to ask, what...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 23, Session 5—We Are Part of God’s Kingdom appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Jesus often used parables to teach about the kingdom of God. These were fictional stories that illustrated larger points, and those who heard them were often perplexed by their meaning. In Matthew 13, Jesus gave clarity to two important questions that readers of the parables often ask: why does He teach this way, and what...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 23, Session 4—Jesus Taught about God’s Kingdom appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Let’s set the scene: It’s Monday morning, you’re running late for work, where you have an important meeting scheduled first thing. But before you can make it to work, you have to drop off the kids at school. And before you can drop the kids off at school, you’ll need to get everyone in the...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 23, Session 3—Jesus Taught about God’s Love appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Have you ever wondered, Does Jesus care more about what I believe or about what I do? That’s one of those questions that can’t be answered in a word. We learn in the Bible of the danger of a “belief” that is only external. We find warnings like Matthew 15:8: “This people honors me with...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 23, Session 2—Jesus Taught About Behavior appeared first on The Gospel Project.
What do you think would happen if you stomped on a ketchup packet? Would you expect only air to escape the contents of the packet? Undoubtedly, the pressure of the stomp would result in an explosion of ketchup, and perhaps a messy shoe. Oddly enough, we don’t always predict our responses to specific situations accurately....
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 23, Session 1—Jesus Taught About Character appeared first on The Gospel Project.
When we study the miraculous works of Jesus—Jesus’ calming a storm, healing sickness, multiplying food, walking on water, turning water into wine, helping blind people see, or any of the other miracles that Jesus performed—it’s possible to miss the larger story being told and the purpose of these encounters. Like standing too close to a...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 22, Session 5—Jesus’ Miracles Prove Who He Is appeared first on The Gospel Project.
As you read of the miraculous multiplication of bread and fish in Matthew 15 pay attention to what captures your attention. What stands out most? Consider these astonishing observations: Thousands of people had been following and listening to Jesus for three days with nothing to eat. The disciples doubted Jesus’ ability to provide something substantial...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 22, Session 4—Jesus Fed Many People appeared first on The Gospel Project.
When someone you know is sick, how do you respond? Do you press in with compassion and prayer, offering to take a meal? Are you tempted to withdraw and leave their needs to others? In today’s passage, we will see Jesus repeatedly draw near to people in their time of need. The Gospel accounts provide...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 22, Session 3—Jesus Healed Sickness appeared first on The Gospel Project.
As Jesus worked miracles, people were curious and amazed. Large crowds started following Him. Among those most interested in the works of Jesus were the Jewish leaders who looked unfavorably upon both the actions of Jesus and the following that He was gaining. Though they were interested, they felt increasingly threatened. The Pharisees and teachers...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 22, Session 2—Jesus Healed and Forgave appeared first on The Gospel Project.
In the Gospel accounts of Jesus calming the storm, we learn that Jesus’ disciples experienced tremendous fear. Their fear was so great, they believed they would perish in the storm. Yet, Jesus experienced the same violent storm, and rather than quake in fear, He slept. The disciples’ fear emerged from a lack of faith in...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 22, Session 1—Jesus Calmed a Storm appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Faith is a common theme throughout the Bible. We may not find the word faith on every page; however, in nearly every description of what God expects of His people, there is at least an indication of faith. Throughout Scripture, we read that faith is the means by which God is pleased with His people...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 21, Session 4—We Are Saved by Faith in Jesus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The Gospels record dozens of descriptions of the works that Jesus did. We learn about how He served, saved, and showed His power in miraculous ways for the sake of revealing His divine authority to His disciples and others. Yet even with all the astounding works of Jesus that are described through Matthew, Mark, Luke,...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 21, Session 3—Peter Worshiped Jesus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
“I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean.” These words from Charles Hutchinson Gabriel’s classic hymn “My Savior’s Love” have been sung and treasured for more than a century. When Gabriel first released this song in a 1905 hymnbook, it served as...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 21, Session 2—People Were Amazed by Jesus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Some have described the journey of walking with Jesus as one of highs and lows, mountain tops and valleys. Even as a believer, there are good days and bad days. There are times when remaining faithful comes easy. There are days when doors open for sharing the gospel and other days when a door is...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 21, Session 1—People Rejected Jesus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
God is loving. God is love. What’s the difference between these two statements? If God is simply loving, then He fits a particular definition of love; however, if God is love, then He Himself is the definition. For God to be loving does not necessitate that He is love, but if God is love, then...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 20, Session 3—God Loves All People appeared first on The Gospel Project.
A clear reality that echoes throughout the New Testament is that God sends those He saves. Jesus commanded His disciples to go and tell others about Him. (Matt. 28:18-20) The story of Jesus and a Samaritan woman in John 4 also provides reminders of this idea. Upon the Samaritan woman’s hearing that God Himself was...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 20, Session 2—Jesus Told a Woman about Living Water appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Light and darkness are contrasted throughout the Scriptures. In John 3, Jesus explained to Nicodemus the hope and grace of God and the means by which He saves. Consider what Jesus was saying as He emphasized this contrast in this conversation. In John 3:19-21, Jesus said, “This is the judgment: The light has come into...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 20, Session 1—Jesus Told Nicodemus about Eternal Life appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The phrase “take away” has many different connotations and applications. For a four-year old, it means someone stole their toy. For a basketball player, it means a steal. For a math teacher, it means subtraction. So, what does it mean that Jesus came to “take away the sin of the world”? In John 1:29, as...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 19, Session 6—Jesus Came to Be the Sacrifice for Sin appeared first on The Gospel Project.
New Christians may find themselves wondering, Now what? What do I do? To answer these questions, we may talk with those new believers about Bible reading, prayer, community, and mission. Though these are all good and essentials things, they alone do not capture Jesus’ initial call to His disciples. When Jesus first began calling disciples,...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 19, Session 5—Jesus Called His Disciples appeared first on The Gospel Project.
We’ve all felt some degree of hunger at one time or another. We may have had a long day at work with no time for lunch and come home hungry. We may have had a hard workout and found ourselves craving a large meal shortly afterward. We may have skipped breakfast in a hurry to...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 19, Session 4—Jesus Was Tempted appeared first on The Gospel Project.
What gives you hope? It seems like a simple question, and most of us who regularly attend church likely know the “right” answer to the question. However, it’s the most important question for every person who has ever lived because your answer will determine your security and eternity. Unlike the hope the world has to...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 19, Session 3—Jesus Was Baptized appeared first on The Gospel Project.
As the narrative of Jesus’ early days on earth unfolded, several unique people are introduced who teach us lessons about our own journey. We find the wise men who sought Jesus with persistence, Herod whose power was threatened by this newborn King, and others such as Simeon and Anna—both who demonstrated a remarkable devotion to...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 19, Session 2—Jesus Was Dedicated appeared first on The Gospel Project.
How many times have you read or heard the narrative of Jesus’ birth? When interacting with a familiar Bible story, it is easy to simply skim over it and assume we understand all there is to know about it. Rather than taking that approach, spend time this week meditating on Luke 2:1-20. The detailed account...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 19, Session 1—Jesus Was Born appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Coming face-to-face with sin in our lives often leads to one of two responses: It may lead to feelings of guilt and shame that cause us to either run and hide or to simply stop trying and give ourselves over to a particular pattern of sin, or it may lead to a place of genuine...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 18, Session 5—We Should Be Sorry for Sin appeared first on The Gospel Project.
What comes to mind when you think about confession? Do you think of sadness? Weeping and guilt? Shame and failure? What about worship? When was the last time you came before God in true confession? What led to your admission of failure before a holy God? The Bible is clear that “God’s kindness is intended...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 18, Session 4—The People Promised to Be Faithful appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Find 1 John 1:9 in your Bible and read it slowly two or three times. Many Christians are familiar with these words; perhaps you have them memorized. We agree that God wants us to confess our sins to Him. We believe that God is faithful to forgive His children by the blood of Jesus. But...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 18, Session 3—Ezra Read the Law appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Recall the last time you were faced with devastating news or found yourself filled with angst, worry, or fear. How did you respond? Anger and bitterness are common reactions to bad news. We may feel tempted to isolate ourselves from others. Grief is complex, and responses vary greatly. However, according to the Bible, Nehemiah’s response...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 18, Session 2—Nehemiah Rebuilt the Walls appeared first on The Gospel Project.
You may never have said it aloud before, but there is a good chance that you have thought it: “If I just had \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ [fill in the blank with your greatest desire], then following Jesus would be so much easier.” What is your greatest desire? For some it may be money; for others, possessions; for...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 18, Session 1—Esther Saved Her People appeared first on The Gospel Project.
There’s a strong likelihood that you have had to repeat a message to the same person multiple times, whether that person is a spouse, child, coworker, or friend. Some things are so important they are worth repeating. And some people are so quick to forget, we must repeat. For example, each of my four children...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 17, Session 4—God Can Always Be Trusted appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Imagine this for a moment: It’s late Saturday night, and you’ve been out of the house all day. You’ve gone from place to place, striving to complete more than seemed possible from your calendar to-do list. You’ve just returned home and sat down for dinner. Suddenly you remember that tomorrow is Sunday. You quickly recall...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 17, Session 3—The People Rebuilt the Temple appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Peace and security are words often heard in the whirlwind of our news cycles. They are used as ideas or desires that require work to achieve. They are used in the negative sense of not being a current reality. They are used as the aim, answer, or solution to the world’s problems. Though the idea...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 17, Session 2—Zechariah Gave Hope appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Rest. It’s a word that means something different to each one of us. For some, rest brings to mind a desire to momentarily break from the chaos of life to sleep, relax, and even recover. For others, rest is an unrealistic hope as they navigate a non-stop schedule of busyness. Yet for others, the word rest suggests...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 17, Session 1—God Delivered His People appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Have you ever heard someone say something along the lines of, “God’s promise of the future should give you hope today”? Maybe you’ve heard it dozens of times or said it just as many. In part, this saying stands because we believe the Bible teaches this principle; however, at the gut level, this idea can...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 16, Session 4—God Is Present with Us appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Daniel 5 contains several notable instances that are reasons to stop, pray, and consider our own lives. One of the most perplexing questions is derived from the words of the queen who entered the scene following Belteshazzar’s inability to make sense of the writing inscribed on the wall by an unfamiliar hand. Following the mysterious...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 16, Session 3—Daniel Served God appeared first on The Gospel Project.
I’m sure you’ve been there: that moment of decision when you weigh the risk versus the reward or the cost versus the benefit to determine what you will do. These moments may come in regard to something simple like whether to eat one more helping of mashed potatoes, if it is worth it to take...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 16, Session 2—Daniel Was Faithful appeared first on The Gospel Project.
God’s Word is living, active, sharp, powerful, and profitable. (Heb. 4:12; 2 Tim. 3:16-17) The Bible indicates that by the power of the Holy Spirit, God’s words teach, rebuke, correct, and train us so that we are complete and equipped for the work that God has created us for. The Bible is full of stories,...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 16, Session 1—Jeremiah Encouraged God’s People appeared first on The Gospel Project.
From the garden of Eden to the great restoration of the last days, men and women have attempted to hide themselves from God, seeking safety and avoidance of the consequences of sin due to those who think, speak, and act contrary to God’s good design. We first find this in the garden following the initial...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 15, Session 4—Every Person Matters appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Throughout 2 Chronicles 36, it is easy to see that God is the One who raises up and removes kings and rulers and all who are in authority. But this reality can sometimes shake us in profound ways. It may cause us to ask why. This question is fair considering that we often see rulers...
The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 15, Session 3—God’s People Were Taken Captive appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Our hyper-vigilant culture is full of warnings: warnings of what will happen if you take certain medicines, warnings not to use forbidden words in particular places, authoritative warnings against actions deemed inappropriate or illegal, and many more. Though at times these warnings may feel harsh, unnecessary, or far too limiting, they exist to guide people...
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If we spend time contemplating what it means to belong to Jesus, the reality is a mystery. How can we who are sinners be forgiven and redeemed? The more we recognize the depth and darkness of our own sin, the greater we understand the magnitude of God’s gift to us: Through His Son, He reached...
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The popularity of true crime shows reveals something interesting about people. Whether it be a television show, a streaming series, or a podcast, audiences love a good thrilling episode that takes you on a journey from the mind-captivating details of a crime, through the exploration of the evidence, to the identification of a suspect, and...
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The Book of Zephaniah serves as a stern rebuke of God’s people and a warning regarding a failure to return to Him faithfully. It also serves as a reminder of God’s expectation of holiness and a description of what that looks like when faithfully lived out among God’s people. Zephaniah 2:3 offers a call to...
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The judgment of God can be found all through the Bible among people who turned from God to their own ways and sought to make a name for themselves or, at the very least, to satisfy themselves at the cost of their disobedience. In Isaiah 22, we find a warning from God regarding the selfish...
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Judah’s King Joash became king at age 7. He redirected all silver that was given at the temple to the workers rebuilding the temple rather than to the priests, and his servants conspired against him, ultimately killing him while traveling on a road trip. Over his 40-year reign, it seems that both Joash’s experiences and...
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Many agree that sin is often, if not always, contrived from selfish ambitions. We can see how our actions, thoughts, and words that disregard God’s instructions for our lives develop from our desire for more, better, or different than what we currently have. Our sin is a statement that we believe that our ways are...
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Miracles are often found in Scripture as a means of God doing what nature cannot explain to show His own power and authority over all things. This portion of 2 Kings 4–6 is no different. But these miracles don’t just teach us about God; they also demonstrate our human nature—to doubt when circumstances appear to...
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Elisha’s incredible loyalty to the prophet Elijah is recorded in 2 Kings 2. He followed Elijah wherever he went. He committed to Elijah even when others told him that Elijah would soon die. And he stayed by his side to the very end. Elisha saw something in Elijah that he himself wanted: his spirit. In...
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Even a dim light is visible in the darkness. There’s no denying that the world today can be described as a dark place where sin is endorsed and idolized, mistreatment of others is normalized for personal gain, and some of the most egregious dismissals of God’s standards are championed in many pockets of culture and...
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The entire Bible is true, without error, authoritative, and clear; however, there are times—perhaps when trying to discern about a new job opportunity or other circumstances when there is seemingly more than one good option—when we may ask, “What does God want of me?” The Bible contains some very clear directives about what we should...
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In Luke 18, Jesus shared several parables and encounters to illustrate the richness and surprising nature of God’s mercy toward sinners. From the widow, to the tax collector, to the blind man, Jesus repeatedly proved Himself to be a merciful Savior who takes great joy in extending the hand of mercy to the most unlikely...
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When you read the description of Solomon’s wealth in 1 Kings 10, it is hard not to have some sense of jealousy about the amount of money and power he had amassed. Solomon is described as having 25 tons of gold come into his possession every year as only a portion of his annual increase...
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Moments of distress or pain and moments of rebellion or wandering often function as God’s classroom for His children to learn to trust Him. These experiences force us to either lean in to God or to leave—to turn from God or to trust in God. These moments are not obstacles to our faith but opportunities...
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What exactly do you pray for the next generation? When you ask God to move and work in the coming generations, what is it that you are asking Him to do? You may hope for them to be good and productive citizens. It may be that you hope to see them make good decisions, marry...
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One of the most glorious ways God shows us His grace is through salvation. Though there are many common graces that apply to everyone—life, breath, relationships, and more; salvation is a gift of God’s grace experienced by only some. In Psalm 51, David recalled the holiness of God, repenting of his sin and ultimately seeking...
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Why is it that we can be so quick to see the sins of others, but have such a hard time seeing our own? In 2 Samuel 12, after David had grievously sinned against Bathsheba, Uriah, and ultimately the Lord, he was confronted by Nathan and forced to see the disgust of his own failure. ...
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David is described in the Bible as a man after God’s own heart. (1 Sam. 13:14) Though at times David showed the depth of his depravity, he also demonstrated a love for God that was radical. In 2 Samuel 6, we see this take the form of David dancing with all of his might before...
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The name of the Lord is holy and set apart. For those who follow Christ, the name of God is one which ought to be held in high regard, above all other names. In 1 Samuel 17, Goliath, the giant warrior of the Philistines, showed little regard for the God of the Israelites. He mocked...
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One of God’s good gifts to us is the way He uses the most unexpected people in the most unexpected ways. We’ve all probably seen this happen at times. A young man or woman that rises to prominence in his or her particular vocation, but no one saw it coming. We see this in sports,...
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There is something inside of each of us that longs for justice. When your family or community is impacted by an atrocity, there is an innate wiring to every person that desires to those responsible be punished. Where does this come from and what should we do with this? Our desire for justice comes as...
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The sacrificial system of the Old Testament was the rhythm and practice of the people of God for many generations. It brought about reminders of the authority of God and the sin of the people. God used these sacrifices as temporary atonement for sin and a foreshadowing of the permanent sacrifice of Jesus that was...
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Gilgal was a place the Israelites knew well. It was the first place their ancestors set foot in the promised land; the place where they built a memorial of 12 stones after crossing the Jordan with the ark of the covenant; a place that they looked back on and remembered the power, greatness, and provision...
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It can happen to any of us: We look at our circumstances, forecast a coming trial or opportunity, and act accordingly—only to find out that the situation doesn’t play out quite like we expected. This is precisely what happened in 1 Samuel 8–10. The people of Israel, while assessing their circumstances, discerned that Samuel’s days...
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What comes to mind when you think about sin? Consider your emotions—does the thought of sin make you sad? Angry? Indifferent? To fully understand the beauty of salvation and the power of grace, you must take sin seriously. Consider what our sin says about God. Sin says God may be powerful, but not enough to...
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The ark of the covenant was a physical reminder of God’s tangible presence with His people. Rather than treat the ark with reverence, they treated the ark as a sort of good luck charm. In our Bible story today, we see what happened when the ark was taken from the people of Israel. Except in...
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When was the last time you prayed fervently to God? What did you need? Did He answer in a way you expected? When Hannah wanted a baby, she cried out to God with great earnestness so much that the priest Eli thought she was drunk. Hannah had confidence that God heard her prayer. She understood...
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The story of Ruth is an incredible story. We see how gracious and good God is. We see the providential care God has for a woman who was not Jewish. She was from Moab—a descendant of Lot, not a child of Abraham. Yet, she became a recipient of God’s promise to Abraham because salvation is...
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Samson is one of those characters in the Bible you don’t easily forget. He was strong, handsome, successful, and blind. He is what in literature is called an anti-type. He is a type of Christ in all the wrong ways. Samson was consecrated from an early age yet disobeyed his covenant promises and dishonored his...
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In the Book of Judges, we see a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, rescue, obedience, and then back to sin. The condition of man’s heart when left to himself will “do what is right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Our own hearts lead us to sinful behavior that leads to enslavement to sin. Judges...
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The Bible is a supernatural book filled with accounts of supernatural events. Dozens of miracles are recorded in the Bible. Each miracle points to a greater reality and reveals to us what God is like. In the story of Israel’s crossing the Jordan, we see how God hears our cries and provides for us in...
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Joshua was getting along in years, so he gathered the people at the place where God had made a promise to Abraham. (See Gen. 12:6-7.) Joshua wanted the people to remember and to live based on what they knew to be true about God: God can be trusted. He is good, and He is faithful. ...
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In this week’s story, we see that God fights for His people and gives them peace and rest. We live in a world filled with conflict and pain. We desperately want peace. The reality is that true peace doesn’t come from any amount of solitude or self-confidence; we need true peace that comes from being...
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In our Bible story this week, we see not just mercy, but courageous mercy. Rahab by faith, courageously trusted God and hid the Hebrew spies. Mercy is not courageous until being merciful costs us something. Rahab’s mercy was pushed to the testing point. She had compassion and, in doing so, risked her life. She showed...
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In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul points out that Scripture is enough for us. It is our source for godliness and our final authority in matters pertaining to doctrine. The confessions of every Protestant denomination affirm the sufficiency of Scripture. Why does this matter for kids? We need to teach our kids that even though the...
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The children of Israel often gave in to worry and bitterness. Their attitude revealed deeper heart issues: their belief that God had failed to take care of them and would fail in the future. It was in the 40 years of wandering in the desert that God showed them over and over that He was...
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We often think that fear is the absence of courage, and to some degree, it is. However, true courage is not someone who is free of fear. Courage comes to us most often, and especially when we are young, from the presence of another. In C. S. Lewis’ The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Lucy,...
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Peter began his first epistle by reminding believers that we are not of this world; our true citizenship is found in God’s kingdom. As such, we live in the present world as exiles and ambassadors—representatives of our true King. With this reminder established, Peter explained how Christ’s ambassadors are to live, which can be summed...
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If there was one thing the Israelites were good at, it was grumbling. They weren’t just good; they were experts: “We have no food. We have no water. Why are we in the wilderness left to die? The land has big people in it.” And on and on and on. We have to wonder how...
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Many of us categorize sins, whether we intend to or not. There are the major sins—the really bad ones like murder that are clearly wrong. Thankfully, few of us are prone to commit these sins, so we are pretty safe from them. Then there are the significant sins, like getting angry or lying. We know...
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If you’ve ever bought a house, you likely know that even the “most perfect” house really isn’t perfect. There seems to always be some compromise that must be made: location, yard size, location of a bathroom, school district, price, and so forth. The choice is then ours to make: do we live with the compromises...
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Think back to Eden. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God, their eyes were opened and they realized their nakedness. What was once no problem in their innocence had become shameful in their sinfulness. So the couple took leaves to try to cover their bodies and their shame. But what did God do just before...
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One of the key themes of the Bible is God’s desire to live with the people He created. We see this first in God’s creating the garden of Eden, placing Adam and Eve into this paradise, and then presumably coming down regularly to be with them. But when Adam and Eve rebelled against Creator God,...
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After all God had done for the Israelites, the story of the Israelites’ worshiping a golden calf may seem surprising. How could God’s people turn so quickly from God, who delivered them from slavery and provided for them, even after they explicitly agreed to do everything He had commanded? (See Ex. 24:3.) When we think...
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As the rescued people of Israel traveled toward the promised land, God met with Moses at Mount Sinai and made a covenant with the Israelites. We refer to this covenant as the Mosaic covenant. God promised five things in this covenant: 1) Israel will be God’s own possession; 2) Israel will be God’s kingdom of...
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The Israelites had personally experienced God’s faithfulness as He directed them out of Egypt, fought for them as He parted the Red Sea, and then delivered them into the wilderness with the promise of a land of their own. What happened next is retold as a cautionary tale in both the Psalms and Book of...
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God’s faithfulness is present throughout the Bible, but the theme is prominent in the Book of Exodus. God is consistent and unchanging. Even when the Israelites are faithless, God is faithful. The Israelites regularly celebrated God’s miraculous acts like the Passover and the parting of the Red Sea to remember that God keeps His promises....
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God’s people were finally free. After 430 years of slavery in Egypt, the Israelites—now numbering 600,000 men plus their families—were on their way out with Moses as their leader. God had promised to give them a new land: “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:17). What did sudden freedom feel like? Did the...
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God’s heart is for His people. When the Israelites cried out to the Lord, He heard them and had a plan to rescue them from their suffering. That’s why God called Moses back to Egypt. Though Moses had been raised among the royal household in Egypt, his heart was for his own people too. God...
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Moses’ life was in danger from the moment he was born. He was an Israelite—a descendant of Israel (Jacob)—living in Egypt after Jacob’s family had moved there, seeking food during a famine. Jochebed hid her baby boy as long as she could—about three months—before she put him in a basket among the reeds of the...
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In research, there is a common practice used to measure data: the pretest and posttest. The pretest is a baseline, assessing the state of something prior to experimental factors being introduced. As is suggested by the name, this happens prior to the experiment. The posttest is a comparison, designed to compare the outcome of the...
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The story of Joseph is packed full of moments that resonate with us. Maybe you were the favorite child or the favorite child’s sibling. Some people resonate with being cast away from family or being undeservingly welcomed into a new family. Some resonate with finding favor with an enemy or showing favor to an enemy....
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Jacob’s journey in Genesis is one of unexpected and undeserved blessing after blessing. With a name that literally means “he cheats,” Jacob was a surprising recipient of the privilege and opportunity God gave him. Jacob was a cheater, a liar, and a deceiver. He was quiet and not strongly gifted. And he was gullible, too....
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It’s been said that when a word or phrase is repeated in the Bible, we ought to pay close attention. In Genesis 22, Abraham repeated one phrase three times: “Here I am.” Abraham first used “Here I am” on his journey when God called his name. Abraham’s eager response to God shows that he was...
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We marvel at stories with two characters who are total opposites of each other. This is why so many stories feature some form of a noble hero and an immoral villain. The contrast of character and conduct is what drives the tension of the story. In Genesis 14, we find two completely opposite kings: the...
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Think about all of the choices that we have each day. Just in the morning, we have dozens of different cereals to eat, perhaps that many varieties of milk to pour on top of the cereal, and nearly as many ways to make coffee to go with it. All of these are choices that we...
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We love to measure the health, success, or sustainability of pretty much anything and everything. We measure our kids by their grades in school. We measure teams by their wins and losses. We measure people by their influence and following on social media. In a world obsessed with measuring “success,” we ought to be assessing...
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The Bible is full of promises. As early as the first few chapters of Genesis, we begin to see God make, and even fulfill, His promises: promises for punishment and for blessing, for death and for life, for separation and for salvation. In Noah’s journey to build an ark, survive the flood, and begin to...
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Siblings often fight and compete as children, and even adults. It may be over something as innocent as who gets the last cookie or as serious as who inherits their parents’ prized heirloom. The competition Cain felt toward Abel—the world’s first siblings—reminds us that these family tensions can cause great damage to our relationships with...
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Does the story of the fall surprise you? How could Adam and Eve—who had everything they needed—rebel against a loving God? Do you think you would have acted differently? Adam and Eve’s story is our story. Think about the last time you blatantly sinned. What lies were you believing in that moment? Satan wants us...
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In the first two sessions of this unit, we have seen a common thread of God’s glory. God created everything, including people, to display His glory. In this session, we want to make sure that our kids understand what that means. What is God’s glory? Defining God’s Glory God’s glory can be thought of as...
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Humans are at the center of everything God created. Only God Himself is more important. That is why the creation of the first man and woman—Adam and Eve—deserved its own session. As you prepare for this week’s session, there are two words that might be unclear or even confusing. The first is our in Genesis...
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The Bible begins where we would expect it to: with the beginning of all of creation. But the beginning that Genesis 1:1 speaks of is not the beginning of everything. It was not the beginning of God. God is eternal—He has no beginning and no end. He has always existed. So the beginning in this...
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This may be the shortest post I will share with you, but I believe its brevity in no way compromises its power and helpfulness. As we wrap up our journey through the story of the Bible this time around, this is the big idea we want our kids to latch onto: Jesus has won. Not...
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Revelation 4–5 is full of perplexing imagery, as is much of the rest of the book. One seated on a throne with the appearance of jasper and carnelian stone. Do I even know what jasper and carnelian stones are? A rainbow with the appearance of an emerald. Green, right? Twenty-four elders. Who are they? Thunder,...
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Revelation 2–3 is the section of Scripture I always wish we had more time to invest in during each of our three-year cycles. It pains me to cover all seven churches in one session. Each could make a fantastic session on its own. Each letter is built on fascinating historical context that when known more...
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John, along with Peter and James, was among Jesus’ closest friends. As you read through the Gospels, you will see this inner three play a more significant role than the other nine disciples. And John was the one that Jesus entrusted the care of His mother to instead of counting on His unbelieving half-brothers to...
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I enjoy a good argument. Not one that is saturated in anger, mind you, but a nice, friendly, impassioned debate. Is synchronized swimming a sport? (no)Is a hotdog a sandwich? (no)Are all the Star Wars movies enjoyable? (yes)Should people use gift as a verb? (no) There’s just something about going back and forth with someone...
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Reading parts of 1 John can be confusing—if we don’t understand the letter’s context. As we read, we might wonder if we are saved—if anyone is saved—because John seems to say that if we sin (and we all do), then Christ is not in us. But that is not what he was saying. John was...
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As a father of three children, I want my kids to do what is right. I want them to honor and obey their mother, my wife, when she tells them to do something. I want them to respect their teachers. I want them to obey God. But it is much more than that. I don’t...
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This week, we wrap up the Book of Acts and study the culmination of Paul’s journey to Rome. The shipwreck along the way garners most of the attention of these final chapters, and rightfully so, but I want us to turn our attention to the last two verses of the book. 30 Paul stayed two...
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Sometimes how something is done is just as important, or even more important, than what is done. Take baking for example. I am not an expert baker by any stretch of the imagination, but I dabble with baking and can do OK. One of the things that I have learned is that sometimes the baker’s...
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I have never been a farmer or a soldier. I imagine I am not alone. Because of this, when the Bible uses these as metaphors for living in faith, I can understand them, but only to a point. I can understand them conceptually, but not experientially. But when Paul talks about an athlete training or...
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We love to find ways to separate ourselves as people. We are so good at finding reasons, almost all of which are pretty poor and many even sinful, to divide ourselves. We relish an “us against them” posture, one which is manifested in countless forms of “us” and “them.” Let’s be clear: none of this...
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We have a nagging tendency to equate “good” with “easy” and “bad” with “difficult.” If something is easy and comfortable, we see it as good. But if something is difficult and uncomfortable, we see it as bad. Seeing Good and Bad More Clearly While there are times when easy is indeed good and difficult is...
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In baseball, one of the most coveted types of players is called a “five-tool player.” A five-tool player is an athlete who is strong in each of the five areas of playing the game: speed, throwing, fielding, hitting, and power. The reason why these athletes are prized is because they are rare. A player might...
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There are some things we hope for which are completely out of our control. Whether or not what we hope for happens, from our perspective, seems like nothing more than random chance. We might hope in this way that there is no traffic for an upcoming commute. We might hope in this way that a...
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I don’t know much about the physics of flight, but one thing I do know is that the wing on each side of the airplane is kind of important. Without those wings, the plane wouldn’t be able to lift off of the ground. But once in the air, those wings don’t fold up or retract...
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One of the challenges of covering Paul’s missionary journeys is that there is so much content in each. Often, that means taking a higher level view of the journey and covering it in generalities, or only dipping into selected parts. Either way, it is a challenge. While Paul’s visit to Athens is covered in this...
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We know better. Nothing is really free, is it? That “free” weekend get-a-away isn’t really free—you “pay” for it by enduring a four hour time-share sales pitch. That “free” 1-month trial isn’t really free—you “pay” for it by needing to give your credit card info which they automatically bill on day 31 as they make...
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This week’s session covers the pastoral epistles that Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus and provides us with a fantastic opportunity to help our kids develop a heart for the pastors, elders, deacons, teachers, and other leaders in the church. Here are three take-aways you might want to consider being sure to address: We Should...
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When word of various sins—some quite severe—taking place in the church in Corinth reached Paul through a believer named Chloe, he penned a letter to admonish the church to be holy. Paul addressed what are probably the two most severe sins first and last. First, he rebuked the church for its open and willful disunity....
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This week, we see the story of the church take a major turn, one that we should be immensely grateful for. In Acts 13-14, Paul and Barnabas take the first recorded church missions trip. Thus, the final step of the formula Jesus gave to follow in Acts 1:8 began in earnest. The gospel was being...
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I don’t understand how a 7-800,000 pound Boeing 747 can lift off the ground and fly. I don’t understand how a 200,000 ton cruise ship can float. I don’t understand how the MacBook Air I am using right now does what it does. I don’t even understand (fully) how my Toyota gets me to the...
The post “The Church United”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 32, Session 1—Peter Escaped from Prison appeared first on The Gospel Project.
I’m afraid of heights, although I would choose to rephrase that as I have a healthy respect of why God did not give people wings. I have a fear of being hit by a train when I drive across railroad tracks. Yeah, my family finds that one rather silly too. Just recently, I learned that...
The post “The Church United”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Easter: Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection appeared first on The Gospel Project.
When I was a kid playing baseball with my friends, one of the favorite things for us to do was to copy the batting stances of some our favorite professional players. If you aren’t very familiar with baseball, often players will have rather unique stances when they are up to bat and also when they...
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We aren’t exactly sure of who wrote the Book of Hebrews and the context of why it was written. Common views of authorship include Luke, Clement, Barnabas, Apollos, Timothy, Peter, Silas, Jude, and of course Paul. Yeah, pretty long list of candidates. While the specific context is not known either, fewer suggestions than those of...
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Consider all of the difficulties the young church had been through to this point in its history: Peter and John’s arrest (Acts 4)Ananias and Sapphira’s deception (Acts 5)The apostles on trial (Acts 5)The dispute between the Hebraic and Hellenistic Jews (Acts 6)Stephen’s martyrdom (Acts 7)Severe persecution and scattering (Acts 8) Yes, the church had also...
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Who are you? Easy enough question, right? But stop and think about how we tend to answer this. What is the first response you would give beyond your name? Perhaps that you are a husband, a wife, or a parent. Perhaps what you do for a living. Perhaps your nationality, your gender, your ethnicity, or...
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Most people reading this are doing so from North America, and most of them from within the United States. Which means few, if any, of us have suffered for the gospel. Facing Adversity for the Gospel While we might talk about persecution for our faith, the reality is that what we experience is a mild...
The post “The Mission Begins”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 30, Session 4—Guarding the Truth appeared first on The Gospel Project.
There is just something about putting on clean clothes. I love when I work outside and get all dirty, and then go in to shower and put on clean clothes. It’s a great feeling. Or, there have been times when I have gotten soaked, and to clean up and put on dry clothes feels amazing....
The post “The Mission Begins”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 30, Session 3—New Life in Jesus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
I have to admit, I have watched and enjoyed the Cobra Kai series. If you aren’t familiar with Cobra Kai, it is a series based on the Karate Kid film franchise, which is an incredibly cheesy, vintage 80s, spectacle in of itself. I was a teen in the 80s when the first Karate Kid was...
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If you have ever assembled furniture, a toy, or pretty much anything else, you know how important good, clear instructions are. There have been times when I have found myself scratching my head, baffled by what I was supposed to do because the instructions were unclear. It’s no fun at all. It’s frustrating. For some,...
The post “The Mission Begins”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 30, Session 1—Philip and the Ethiopian appeared first on The Gospel Project.
“Faith without works is dead.” Who would imagine that these five words that wrap up James 2:26 would be so controversial? The source of all the fuss centers on what some seem to think James was saying: that faith alone is not sufficient for salvation, rather that works must accompany faith. Let’s be clear. This...
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I have been looking forward to this session for a long time. About four years ago as we developed the scope and sequence for this cycle of The Gospel Project, this session stood out because it gives teachers the opportunity to walk through the gospel using Romans—sort of a Romans Road session. Yes, we talk...
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If you are a little older—more “experienced”—like I am, you can remember a time before passwords. Do you remember those pre-Internet days when the only things we had to remember were locker combinations in school and perhaps a four-digit pin once in a while? How things have changed. Now, we have tons of passwords for...
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Sometimes I wish they had broken chapters in the Bible up differently. Keep in mind that chapters and verses are not part of the inspired Scriptures. They are later additions to make it easier for us to find what we need. Many times, the chapter and verse designations make sense. But not always. Such as...
The post “The Mission Begins”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 29, Session 1—Ananias and Sapphira appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Growing up, I never cared for soccer. At all. I thought it was boring. And there was no way I was going to play that boring game because it shared a season with the best game around—baseball. But something made all of that change. I still enjoy baseball, although not as much as I used...
The post “The Mission Begins”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 28, Session 4—Living Like Jesus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The heart of Peter’s epistle written to the early church which was likely enduring, or about to endure, Roman persecution at the hands of Nero can be found in the second chapter: 11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. 12 Conduct...
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When many of our kids (and us too perhaps) think of Christmas, they think of trees, lights, decorations, presents, special meals, and family gatherings. There is nothing at all wrong with these aspects of the Christmas season, but we know that there is more, much more, to Christmas. In John’s prologue to his Gospel, he...
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Are you weary? Do you feel stretched thin—far too thin? This year has surely been a trying one, hasn’t it? We have taken a beating personally. We have taken a beating in our ministries. And we have taken a beating as a nation, and beyond. What we desperately need right now is rest. We need...
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Seeing the connection between Passover and the crucifixion of Jesus is not difficult. As we know, Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples on Thursday evening before going to the garden to pray with them. Hours later, in the middle of the night, Jesus would be arrested, tried, and found guilty of bogus charges....
The post “The Mission Begins”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 28, Session 1—The Holy Spirit Came appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Throughout high school and college I worked at a hardware store. It was a great job, but like any job, it was not without its frustrations. The store I was in during college was used as a training store for new managers. These manager trainees would work at our store for a couple of months...
The post “Jesus the Savior”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 27, Session 4—Jesus Returned to Heaven appeared first on The Gospel Project.
I am a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While I don’t read the comic books from which the movies come, I have seen all of the movies at least twice and just recently binged them all in chronological order. (Yes, I am a fan of chronology for more than just the Bible’s one...
The post “Jesus the Savior”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 27, Session 3—Jesus Appeared to the Disciples appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The key to being a disciple of Jesus is not just in what we know about Him. That is critically important, of course, but discipleship is much more than that. To be a disciple is to be a person who follows Jesus with every fiber of your being—with your mind, for sure, but also with...
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The world will go to great lengths to dismiss Jesus. Even during Jesus’ earthly ministry, people went to absurd lengths to avoid acknowledging that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. At one point, some people accused Jesus of casting out demons by Satan’s power—pure nonsense, which Jesus pointed out. At other times, people looked...
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Sometimes the simplest of sentences are the most complex. “It is finished.” In English, just three words—twelve letters—uttered by Jesus and recorded in John 19:30. But how powerful, and how beautiful, this three-word sentence is. It The mission Jesus had come to fulfill. Everything that Jesus had done to this point mattered, of course. His...
The post “Jesus the Savior”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 26, Session 5—Jesus’ Crucifixion appeared first on The Gospel Project.
I have felt the sting of betrayal, and unfortunately, I am sure you have as well. What makes betrayal so difficult is that its power is in direct proportion to the relationship you have with the one who has betrayed you. If the relationship was marginal, betrayal can be more of an annoyance or frustration....
The post “Jesus the Savior”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 26, Session 4—Jesus Was Arrested appeared first on The Gospel Project.
This week, we have the opportunity to help our preschoolers and kids further understand and appreciate the Lord’s Supper. While believers might disagree on what the elements are, the full meaning of this church ordinance, and how frequently a church is to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we would all agree that it is quite important....
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I enjoy riddles. Like this one: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I? Riddles like this one are fun for me because they give me the opportunity to stretch my thinking. The way to solve most riddles is to think outside of the box. Like this one. The answer? Footsteps....
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It was Passover—one of the major feast celebrations of Israel when the people turned their attention back to how God had rescued His people from captivity, thanks to the blood of an unblemished lamb. As Jesus made His way into Jerusalem, a city that was overflowing with pilgrims for the celebration, the people greeted Him...
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The raising of Lazarus is one of my (many) favorite passages in Scripture. For some reason, it has always connected with me. As teachers, this story is either a dream because there are so many wonderful details to explore or a nightmare because there are so many wonderful details to cover. I choose to be...
The post “Jesus the Savior”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 25, Session 4—Jesus Raised Lazarus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Like many parents, my wife, Tara, and I are in this odd season of playing the role of teacher for our three kids who are distance learning for a quarter of school. While Tara is carrying most of the weight of this task, from time to time I am called on to help with a...
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It has been said, in truth, that there are only two types of people: the saved and the lost. That’s it. Just the redeemed and the unredeemed. The forgiven and condemned. Those who are in Christ and those who remain in Adam. This binary perspective of people is quite important. For those of us in...
The post “Jesus the Savior”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 25, Session 2—Three Parables appeared first on The Gospel Project.
This week, we will look at some of the kingdom parables from Matthew 13, and then next week we will look at Luke’s three lost parables, so perhaps a parable primer might be helpful. What is a parable? Put as simply as possible, a parable is a made-up story. But this simple definition in no...
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I remember it well. It was April 1985. Coca-Cola, which had been sagging in soft drink sales, unveiled a product everyone was anxious to try: New Coke. New Coke was new, but it was not good. New Coke bombed, leaving Coca-Cola scrambling to crank out the original cola formula, which it branded as Coca-Cola Classic....
The post “Jesus the Servant”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 24, Session 4—Jesus Showed His Glory appeared first on The Gospel Project.
On May 19, 2001, I stood on the platform of FBC Owensboro, Kentucky, with a handful of other men and watched as every head in the audience pivoted on cue as soon as they heard a series of distinct notes play over the organ. The doors in the back of the sanctuary opened, and Tara,...
The post “Jesus the Servant”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 24, Session 3—Jesus Walked on Water appeared first on The Gospel Project.
This week, we look at Jesus feeding a large crowd of people, often known as the feeding of the 5,000. While that is a common way to describe this story, we preferred to make it more vague because it was actually many more than 5,000 fed that day—that was just the number of men. When...
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COVID-19. Unemployment. Murder hornets. Injustices. Civil unrest. The year 2020 has provided many reasons and opportunities for us to be afraid, hasn’t it? I know that over the last four months, waves of fear have felt like they were crashing over me at times. I would imagine our kids have felt that too. Which is...
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I’m not a farmer. Not even close. One time I was speaking to a group of students in rural Florida farming community and mentioned that I saw watermelons being dug up for harvest. The students being students didn’t hold back their snickers and outright laughter. When I later asked someone what had happened in that...
The post “Jesus the Servant”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 23, Session 5—The Good Shepherd appeared first on The Gospel Project.
We treasure what we love and we love our treasures. When our treasures are proper, this is great. It is right and fitting that we treasure Christ and that we love Him. It is right and fitting that we treasure God’s Word and that we love reading it. It is right and fitting that we...
The post “Jesus the Servant”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 23, Session 4—Jesus Taught about Possessions appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Have you ever talked to a celebrity? It can be intimidating, can’t it? When I was in college, I attended a movie premier where Baltimore Orioles icon Cal Ripken, Jr. was in attendance. Before the premier began, I saw him standing alone so I mustered the nerve to go up to him to say hello....
The post “Jesus the Servant”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 23, Session 3—Jesus Taught about Prayer appeared first on The Gospel Project.
I used to play golf. Like most golfers, I was rather bad at the game, but still it was fun. No matter how bad a round was, though, there was always that one shot—that one shot that actually felt good and went pretty much where you wanted it to go. And that one shot would...
The post “Jesus the Servant”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 23, Session 2—The Cost of Following Jesus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
One of the more important questions we can help our kids answer is this one: What does a follower of Jesus—one of His disciples—look like? This question should naturally flow from our sharing of the gospel. We start with who God is and what He has done for us in Christ, but we cannot stop...
The post “Jesus the Servant”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 23, Session 1—The Sermon on the Mount appeared first on The Gospel Project.
This week we study perhaps my favorite Bible story in all of Scripture. I have enjoyed this passage for quite a while, but came to love it deeply about thirteen years ago. This week, I thought you might appreciate hearing the story of why. What in the World Are We Doing? My wife and I...
The post “Jesus the Servant”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 22, Session 4—Jesus Healed a Man Who Was Blind appeared first on The Gospel Project.
I think I have shared some about my lawn mower struggles (yes, first-world problems). Welp, we have experienced a fresh batch of these struggles in the Dembowczyk home—actually, in the yard to be more precise. Last weekend, our riding lawnmower died (again). It wasn’t starting a few weeks ago, so I had just put a...
The post “Jesus the Servant”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 22, Session 3—Jesus Healed a Man Who Was Lame appeared first on The Gospel Project.
I tend to be a driven and focused person. So much so that at times my wife will laugh at me for being oblivious to my surroundings when I am thinking on something. In those times, I don’t like distractions. I want to put all of my energy–all of my attention—on the task at hand....
The post “Jesus the Servant”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 22, Session 2—Jesus Healed a Woman and a Girl appeared first on The Gospel Project.
As I write this post in mid-April, much, if not most, of the entire world is still locked down in a state of social distancing because of COVID-19. It is amazing how quickly and deeply this “new normal” has set in, so much so that these days when I see people gathered in a movie,...
The post “Jesus the Servant”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 22, Session 1—Jesus Healed Ten Men appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Sometimes social norms make sense, other times they don’t. Don’t chew with your mouth open makes total sense. Which side of the plate the fork and knife belong on, not so much. Holding a door open for someone makes sense. Everyone facing the same way on an elevator, not so much. You get the idea....
The post “Jesus the Messiah”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 21, Session 4—Jesus and the Samaritan Woman appeared first on The Gospel Project.
The encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3 can be challenging, at least the middle part of it. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, one of the few who seemed to be open-minded about who Jesus was. So early in Jesus’ ministry, Nicodemus went to Jesus at night, likely because he did not want to be...
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Have you ever been confronted with the fact that you aren’t as special as you might think you are? Perhaps you got a Christmas gift from a boss, only to discover everyone else got that gift too. Perhaps you purchased what you thought were rare, premium tickets to an event, only to discover that about...
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Has anyone ever asked you if you were hungry? Chances are, they asked not purely because they cared about your well-being, but because they were hungry too. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course—it’s not like we should take offense to such a question—but the point is that motivations can be more complicated than meets...
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I haven’t had a good relationship with riding lawnmowers. One of the times when we lived in Florida, I had an old riding mower that I used on my acre+ property. But it seems like every single time I went out to mow, there would be something wrong with it such as a flat tire...
The post “Jesus the Messiah”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 20, Session 4—Jesus Called Disciples appeared first on The Gospel Project.
They say that the best baseball umpire in the one who goes unnoticed. I am a terrible umpire. Years ago, I was part of a baseball ministry called Athletes in Action. We would take college baseball players on mission trips over the summer to play ball and share the gospel. Each summer began with a...
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One of the more common tropes found in game shows is the “choice.” The contestant has to make a choice: will she keep what she has or risk it for what could be better? Will she choose door 1 or door 2? Will she keep playing or walk away? The reason why the “choice” is...
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Hope is powerful. Actually, it is much more than that. Hope is essential. I have read or seen so many stories where hope was the one thing that separated life and death. Stories where those with hope lived another day while those without it perished. Stories of sailors stranded in shark infested waters for days...
The post “Jesus the Messiah”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for the Easter Session—Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection appeared first on The Gospel Project.
When I was a kid, I loved to watch war movies. But one part of those movies that I didn’t enjoy was what I considered to be the painfully slow build-up to the action. As a kid, I didn’t care about the context; I just wanted the action. Now, I see why the context is...
The post “Jesus the Messiah”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 20, Session 1—Jesus’ Baptism appeared first on The Gospel Project.
One of the big take-aways from this week’s session is that even as a child, Jesus wanted to honor the Father. Jesus was drawn to the temple—His Father’s house—and He apparently delighted in engaging with the religious leaders in talking about God. As a quick note, Jesus was not being disobedient in this encounter. That...
The post “Jesus the Messiah”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 19, Session 5—Jesus as a Child appeared first on The Gospel Project.
One important truth about the Messiah, a truth that many in Israel missed, was that He would be provided for all humanity. Jesus did not come to be the Savior just for Israel, or just for the religious, or just for males, or just for the wealthy. He came to be the Savior of all...
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The universe J.R.R. Tolkien created for The Lord of the Rings is amazing, full of mighty and majestic humans, elves, dwarves, and other creatures. Consider who is part of the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandolf, a powerful wizard.Aragorn, the king of the menBoromir, a fierce warriorGimli, a brave dwarfLegolas, a skilled elf And then there...
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Think of the barren women we encounter in Scripture. Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel in Genesis, Hannah in 1 Samuel, and here, in Luke 1, Elizabeth to name a few. Have you ever wondered why God chose to use so many barren women in the story of Scripture? He did so because He wanted to make...
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It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”A Take of Two Cities by Charles Dickens All children, except one, grow up.”Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie In a whole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved...
The post “Jesus the Messiah”: Preschool & Kids Leader Training for Unit 19, Session 1—From Adam to Jesus appeared first on The Gospel Project.
One of the most important parts of a quality group experience is being prepared as a leader. And from the beginning (but not that beginning), The Gospel Project has been providing weekly leader training for every session of curriculum through LifeWay’s Ministry Grid training platform and posts and videos found here on the blog. Recently,...
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