Main Idea: Paul shows us the importance of praying and being thankful for those who love and care for us.
Suggested Schedule: (90 mins)
- Welcome (5 mins)
- Game 1 (5mins)
- Review Big Verse (5 mins)
- Set the Scene: Bible story/skit and review questions (10-15 mins)
- Object Lesson 1 talk (5mins)
- Game 2 (5 mins)
- Object Lesson 2 talk (5 mins)
- Game 3 (5 mins)
- Object Lesson 3 talk (10 mins)
- Get out of Jail Game (5 mins)
- Sense How You Feel – activity (10 – 25 mins)
- Seek God – prayer (5 mins)
Setting the Stage: This series will take us through a letter that Paul wrote to the Philippians while he was in prison. Instead of being sad and gloomy about his situation, Paul uses his time to be joyful and thankful. To create a jailhouse rock scene setting you could make your own “jail” props such as ball and chains, stocks or bars.Each week you could challenge the children to come up with a verse from Philippians that is set to music so you could also have musical instruments available.
Supplies:
- Balloons
- String
- Bed sheets
- Bible
- Handwritten letter
- Bills
- Unfinished project (such as Knitting)
- Printables: Philippians PDF scripture, Get out of Jail PDF, Koinonia Slide
- Coloring pens
- Playdough or clay
- Lego or construction toys
- Prayer tent materials – cushions, bibles, fairy lights, cross, candles etc
- All PowerPoint games with some way of showing them (i.e. laptop and screen)
SONG and BIBLE STORY VIDEO IDEAS available via our dedicated Pinterest Board.
GAME IDEAS:
GAME 1 BALL & CHAIN – 5 MINS
Description: Group Game.
Supplies: Balloons, String.
Details: Ball and Chain. (regular/widescreen) Everyone blows up a balloon, ties a piece of string around the balloon and his/her ankle leaving about a foot or so of string between his/her ankle and the balloon. When everyone is ready, the children try to burst each other’s balloons by stamping on them, but also try to keep their own balloon from bursting – if their balloon bursts, they may try to burst other children’s – but the “winner” is the one who has his/her balloon unbroken.
GAME 2 GREAT ESCAPE – 5 MINS
Description: Race
Supplies: Old bed sheets
Details: Great Escape. (regular/widescreen) Place the pile of bed sheets at one end of the room. Each player must run to the end of the room and grab a bedsheet. When they return they must tie the bedsheets together. The quickest player is the winner.
GAME 3 ANIMAL MIX MATCH – 10 MINS
Description: PowerPoint Game
Supplies: No supplies needed
Details: Disguise. (Keynote/PowerPoint) Children need to guess which two animals are in each of the pictures.
BIG VERSE: I pray that your love will grow more and more. And let it be based on knowledge and understanding. Philippians 1:9
(regular/widescreen) or Download the Bible cards here.
SET THE SCENE: 10-15 MINS
Description: Bible story and questions
Supplies: Bible, handwritten letter, bills
Details:
Say: Who loves getting mail? I love getting mail but especially when my mail is handwritten! If I get a handwritten letter and then some other letters (hold up both the bills and the handwritten letter) then I would always open up the handwritten one first it first. I love it because it means that someone has taken the time to write to me. This series we are reading a very special letter that Paul wrote to his friends who lived in Philippi. This letter is in the Bible, called the book of Philippians. Now Paul was in jail when he wrote this letter so let’s find out what he had to say!
Read Philippians 1:1-11.
REVIEW QUESTIONS:
1.What emotions did Paul have in his letter to the Philippians? (gratitude, joy, thankfulness, etc.)
2.How do you think the Philippians would feel when they read it?
3.Why was Paul’s relationship with the Philippians so special (v. 7 It was a relationship built on persecution and hardship)
4.How did Paul show his love for the Philippians (v. 9 by praying for them)
SPOT THE SIMPLE MEANING:
1) PARTNERS IN THE GOSPEL- 5 MINS
Description: Object Lesson 1
Supplies: Picture of a sports team and clip of someone scoring a goal (.mov)
Details:
Say: Is anyone here part of a team? Maybe you are part of a soccer team or a dance team? (show slide of team). A team all works together to accomplish the same goal. A football team works together to score the most points. A dance team work together so that a performance is done. You know, on a team, when one person does well, it’s good for the entire team. One person may score the goal but it’s a team effort and they all celebrate together (show clip).
In Paul’s case, he reminds the Philippians that they are on his team working together to tell people about Jesus. “I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel”.
And just like the Philippians were part of Paul’s team you are all part of my team. That’s right we are a team!
2) PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE WE LOVE – 5 MINS
Description: Object Lesson 2
Supplies: Bible, Koinonia Slide
Details:
Say: The bible has a word for this partnership – it’s called Koinonia (show slide) and means community or group of people who share common goals. It’s like your spiritual team. Now look around – we are a Koinonia! We are a group of people working together to help each other and tell others about Jesus! God has given us each other so that we can love each other, encourage each other to follow Jesus, and help each other do what God wants us to do.
Paul had a group of friends who he shared Koinonia with and part of this was that he prayed for them. “I pray that your love will grow more and more. And let it be based on knowledge and understanding”. I want you to look to the person on your right. If there is no one on your right, look at the person on your left. How much do you really know about this person? Have you ever prayed for them?
(if time you could spend a few moments getting to know one another asking the person on your left or right some questions such as favorite hobby, and any prayer requests they have?)
Let’s follow Paul’s example and pray for and encourage one another! Did you know that you can pray scripture for people?! Let me show you – I pray that (Insert child’s name) love will grow more and more. (if time let the children have a go)
3) GOD WILL FINISH WHAT HE STARTED – 5 MINS
Description: Object Lesson 3
Supplies: Uncompleted piece of work (e.g knitting, tapestry), slide of a sunset
Details:
Say: Has anyone ever started something and then got bored with it and never finished it (allow children to share). Well this is my Knitting. I started this over a year ago and then just got bored. It’s so easy to start something and then quit when we get bored, or tired. Well Paul reminds his friends that God is the only one who never quits! “I am sure that the One who began a good work in you will carry it on until it is completed. That will be on the day Christ Jesus returns“
God ALWAYS finishes what he started. You just have to look up at the stars at night or a sunset (show slide of sunset) to know that God finished all good things. We can be thankful that God will never quit or give up on us or each other and will finish what he has started in all our lives!
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES: GET OUT OF JAIL GAME – 5 MINS
Description: Team or individual game
Supplies: PDF Get out of Jail JPeg, bibles.
Details: Using the printout or slide (start at the ‘imprisoned’ end and move through the maze to get to the ‘free’ on the other side) to find the scripture! The correct route will take them through the passage “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy” (Philippians 1: 3-4)
If time, spend a few moments reading Philippians 1:1-11 and share with each other which is your favorite verse and why.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.How does it make you feel when you pray God’s word for your friends and family?
2.Do you expect God to answer and bless these people? Why?
3.What other kinds of things can you pray for your friends and family?
SENSE HOW YOU FEEL – 10 MINS EACH OR IN TANDEM/ROTATION
Encourage the children to think about the questions above as they do one of the activities:
Description: Craft.
Supplies: Philippians PDF scripture card, pens, card
Details: Color and decorate the scripture card and give to a friend.
Description: Moulding activity.
Supplies: Playdough or clay.
Details: Mould someone who encourages you.
Description: Building activity.
Supplies: Lego or construction toys.
Details: Build a scene of your church or community.
Description: Sensory activity.
Supplies: Create a prayer tent space using cushions, lights, a cross and tent if you have one. Have some quiet music playing.
Details: Encourage the children to spend some time listening to God. Have some scriptures around to help focus them. Allow time to draw or write anything that they have heard.
Description: Activity Booklets.
Supplies: 5-7s and 8-11s booklets (included in download), markers.
Details: Fill in or color the 5-7s (PDF) and 8-11s (PDF) booklets
SEEK GOD: 5 MINS
Description: Prayer/Encounter activity
Supplies: Soft worship music.
Details: Ask the children to stand. Play some quiet music in the background.
Say: Today we have learnt how Paul prayed and gave thanks for his friends. Let’s take a minute to be thankful to God for all the people he has given us to support us and encourage us.
As the music plays let’s ask God to give us a word or a picture for someone. Allow some time for these to be written down and shared.
Dear God, thank you that you are here and that you have given us amazing friends to support us on our walk with you. We pray for all those who love and care for us. Amen.
ZOOM FRIENDLY LESSON:
THANKFUL ABCS GAME (regular/widescreen)
THANKFUL PICTIONARY GAME (regular/widescreen)
