Just keep swimming. Don t give up. SMALL GROUP LEADER GUIDE

Transcription

1 Say the point and Bible verse Just keep swimming. Don t give up. WEEK 1 DON T GIVE UP Galatians 6:9 NLT So let s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don t give up. 1. What should we keep doing, even if we re tired and want to give up? What is good 1. When you re doing something you know you re supposed to do, what things make you want to give up? Ideas: when people make fun of you; when it s hard; when bad things happen; when things don t go your way; when you re tired, etc. 4. Discuss the welcome question: What s the hardest thing you ve ever done? 2. What s something you quit doing that you wish you hadn t? 3. How can you encourage someone else who is thinking about giving up? 4. What kind of blessings might we get when we don t give up doing what is good? Rewards from parents and leaders; rewards from God in heaven when we get there; new knowledge; respect, etc. 1. What s something good you can start doing this week? 2. Who will you encourage this week to just keep swimming and not give up? Say: Doing the right thing isn t always easy. But when we follow Jesus, He helps us keep doing what s good. Let s play a game to practice never giving up! 1. Kids lie on their bellies and pretend to swim. 2. Pick a kid to start the verse (printed on the back). They say the first word, then the kid next to them says the second word. 3. Continue swimming and saying the words of the verse until your group makes it to the end. 4. If someone says the wrong word, keep swimming and start over. 5. Take a break and celebrate! 6. If time allows, repeat the game. Choose a question to ask after the activity. 1. Dory never gave up. What do you think motivated her? 2. How can you keep swimming when you want to give up? Pray Not sure what to pray? Pray this: God, Thank You for helping us never give up. In Jesus name, amen. Card, and play the game again.

2 Say the point and Bible verse God made us to work WEEK 2 WORK TOGETHER 4. Discuss the welcome question: Which superhero do you wish was in your family? Ecclesiastes 4:9 NLT Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 1. What does it mean to succeed? Do well at what you were trying to do. 1. What is good about working as a team? You can use everyone s talents to succeed at something, instead of just your own. 2. What things do you think God can teach you when you work as a team? Ideas: trust; patience; humility; cooperation; love; forgiveness; etc. 3. Talk about a time you didn t like being on a team or in a group. 5. What would you tell Batman if he said he didn t want to be on a team? 1 set of Legos inside one resealable bag 4. Talk about a time you liked being on a team or in a group. The bag of Legos (Save for later use.) 1. Name a group, team, or family that you can be a part of. 2. What can you do this week to work with the people in that group, team, or family? Say: I have some Legos you can use to build something! I will split them up among you. 1. Divide the Legos among your group so each kid has about the same number of them. Say: Now, if we keep our Legos to ourselves, we can probably still build some great stuff but, if we share with each other and work together to build one thing, it will be way more epic! Let s share and work 2. Tell kids to work together to build something fun with all of the Legos as a group. Pray Not sure what to pray? Pray this: God, please help us love others and work with them to do what You made us to do. In Jesus name, amen. 3. If time allows, tear down what the kids created and work together to build something new. Choose questions to ask during the activity. 1. Is it more fun for you to build something by yourself or together? 2. What do you think is helpful about working together? 3. Which character in the movie is your favorite? Card, and build with Legos again.

3 Say the point and Bible verse You are not alone. Give help. Get help. WEEK 3 NOT ALONE 4. Discuss the question: Which movie character do you wish you could go to school with? 1 finger puppet The 1 finger puppet they used Say: Don t let evil conquer you. Fight it by doing good for Jesus! Let s do some fighting while we think about that! Romans 12:21 NLT Don t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. 1. What conquers evil? Doing good things with Jesus power 1. What are some evil situations you see others going through? Ideas: bullying; loneliness; mean friends; not liking yourself; etc. 2. What can you do to give help to those people? Ideas: pray for them; listen to them; help them stand up for themselves; ask what they need; go with them to talk with a trusted adult; etc. 3. What are some evil situations you are facing? 4. You don t have to face evil situations alone. Who can you ask for help? Ideas: godly friends; trusted classmates; trusted adults like family members, parents, leaders, teachers, coaches, etc. 1. Name some people you can get help from. Answers will vary. 2. Name someone you need to help. 3. What will you do this week to help them? Answers will vary. Pray 1. Give each kid 1 finger puppet to wear on their thumb. 2. Kids partner up and grasp hands, right hand to right hand or left hand to left hand. 3. Say together, 1,2,3,4 I declare thumb war! Kids start their thumb wars with their puppets. 4. A kid wins a thumb war when he pins his opponent s thumb down for 5 seconds using only his thumb. Not sure what to pray? Pray this: God, please help us to ask for help and to give help when bad situations come up. In Jesus name, amen. 5. Kids switch partners and start a new round. Say: We never know who will win in thumb wars. But in the war between good and evil, God is good and always wins. Fight for God s side! Follow Jesus and do good! 6. If time allows, keep having thumb wars. Choose a question to ask during the activity. 1. What s fun about thumb wars? 2. Which part of the movie did you like the best? Card, and have more thumb wars.

4 Say the point and Bible verse God loves you. Learn to love others. WEEK 4 LEARN TO LOVE 4. Discuss the question: If you were a piece of furniture, what kind of furniture would you be? Luke 6:27 NLT love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 1. What does this Bible verse tell us to do to our enemies and people who hate us? Love them. 1. How are we all like the beast? We have all done ugly, mean sins. 2. How can we be changed from sinful beasts to loving children of God? By choosing to follow Jesus and asking for His forgiveness 3. What do you think is so important about loving our enemies? Ideas: it shows what God s love is like; they might learn about God and choose to follow Him; it helps you to get over being angry, it helps you to forgive, etc. 4. When is it hard to be kind? 1 Beast activity sheet 1 set of markers Their Beast activity sheet Markers (Save for later use.) 1. Give each kid a Beast activity sheet. Ask: How can we share God s love with an enemy? 5. What do you think will help you to be kind? 1. Who do you need to show love to this week? 2. How can you safely show love to that person? Ideas: pray for them; help them with a chore; say something nice to them; etc. Pray 2. Kids respond. Help them if they need ideas. 3. Kids write or draw ideas under the heading they match: either Kind Words or Kind Actions. Say: God s love changes us from wretched, sinful beasts into children of God. We share God s love through kind words and actions so other people, even our enemies, can choose to follow Jesus and be changed, too. Let s share our loving ideas with the beast and watch him change! Not sure what to pray? Pray this: God, thank You for changing us with Your love when we follow Jesus. Please help us to share Your love. In Jesus name, amen. 4. Kids fold on the dotted lines to cover up the beast s angry face and reveal a much calmer prince. 5. If time allows, kids color activity sheets. Choose a question to ask during the activity. 1. What would you have done if you were a prisoner in the beast s castle? 2. Which part of the movie was your favorite? Card, and continue decorating the activity sheets.

5 Say the point and Bible verse Don t let fear stop you. WEEK 5 OVERCOME FEAR 4. Discuss the question: If you had to sing in front of everyone, what song would you sing? 1 scratch art animal mask 1 Isaiah 41:13 verse label 12 scratching sticks 1. Who is always there to help you when you are afraid? The Lord your God 1. What are some feelings that show us we re afraid? Worry; nervousness; being scared; anxiety; etc. 2. What are some good things people might be afraid to do? Stand up for what s right; try out for a sports team; take an art class or a dance class with people you don t know; talk in front of the whole class; work hard at school when people tease you for it; etc. 3. What advice would you give to the elephant and the gorilla? Idea: God made you to sing! You need to do it, and He will help you. 4. What are some ways God might help us? He might give us courage; let us know He s near; make people say encouraging words to us; etc. Isaiah 41:13 NIV the LORD your God says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Their mask with a verse label on it Scratching sticks (Save for later use. Count to make sure all are returned.) Say: Don t let fear stop you from doing the good things God wants you to do. Face your fears with God s help. Stick your Bible verse on your mask and scratch a word or picture onto it to remind you to ask God for help when you re afraid. He will help you! 1. Give each kid a mask and a scratching stick. 2. Kids stick the verse label onto their masks. 3. Kids scratch a word or picture onto their masks that will remind them to ask for God s help when they re afraid. 4. If time allows, kids continue decorating their masks. Choose questions to ask during the activity. 1. Which animal sang the best? 2. What do you think the elephant was afraid of? 3. What do you think the gorilla was afraid of? 1. What do you know you should do, but you are nervous about doing? 2. When you re nervous about doing something, what can you do to fight the fear? Pray; ask for God s help; say the Bible verse; read God s Word; ask someone else to help you do what s right; etc. Pray Not sure what to pray? Pray this: God, thank You for being there to help us when we re afraid. Please help us do what You made us to do. In Jesus name, amen. Card, and continue decorating masks.