Welcome!
We’re so excited that you stopped over to see what’s happening in kids ministry! Each week we’ll have all information and links you need to stay up-to-date right here in one convenient place.
We have options for you to work through the lesson with your family or set your kids up to watch one of our virtual lessons.
What we’re studying this month
EPIC: A 4-WEEK SERIES ON THE WILDERNESS
SERIES OVERVIEW:
When we think about the Israelites in the wilderness, we often think of it as a time of disappointment, suffering, and promises deferred. What we often forget is that God was there even in the wilderness, reminding the Israelites of God’s goodness and faithfulness. No matter their present circumstances, the people experienced that God was with them, and moved people like Joshua, Caleb, and Rahab to take incredible leaps of faith! Through the amazing accounts of Israel’s journey during that time, your kids will also come to realize that they can: spend time with God anywhere, trust God, take risks for God, and remember what God has done for us.
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the Bible Challenge
ANYONE WHO CAN SAY THIS MONTHS MEMORY VERSE WITHOUT LOOKING GETS TO CHOOSE A PRIZE FROM THE PRIZE BIN
Anyone who turns in SERMON NOTES will get ONE starburst
Anyone who turns in COLORING PAGE will get ONE starburst (age 6 and under only)
Anyone who completes the study questions gets ONE starburst and ONE SMALL prize
How to Study at Home
Get your Child a snack
Read the Bible Story to your child and/or
Click on the link to the YouTube Playlist for that week and watch the videos.
Review Memory work and Pray with your kids when they are done
If you have time or the desire - choose one of the follow-up activities to help the kids engage with the lesson
Weekly Lesson Plan
BIG IDEA: I can take risks for God.
THE BIBLE: Rahab Helps the Israelite Spies: Joshua 2:1-15; (Philippians 4:10-13)
What are we talking about today?
Hey, friends! I’m so glad you’re here for our Epic adventures of God’s people in the wilderness. Today, we're going to learn about more spies!
We'll learn from today's Bible story, sometimes it's necessary to break the rules to do what is right!
MEMORY VERSE
1 Samuel 12:24 - But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.
SO WHAT? Why does it matter to God and to us?
SCRIPTURE | Joshua 2:1-15 -INSTRUCTIONS: Find Joshua 2:1-15 in your Bible:
Rahab Hides the Spies
2 And Joshua the son of Nun xsent1 two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of ya prostitute whose name was zRahab and lodged there. 2 And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” 6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan aas far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out.
8 Before the men2 lay down, she came up to them on the roof 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, band that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land cmelt away before you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord ddried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and ewhat you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to fSihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.3 11 And gas soon as we heard it, hour hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for ithe Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. 12 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and jgive me a sure sign 13 that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” 14 And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord gives us the land kwe will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”
15 Then she llet them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall.
What is a risk?
In today's Bible story, there is a lot of risk-taking happening!
The two spies from Israel took a huge risk for God by sneaking into Jericho. Something terrible could have happened to them if they were caught by the king of Jericho. But they did it anyway, because they knew that their job of spying on the land was a very important one.
Rahab also took a big risk for God by hiding the spies from the king of Jericho. She could have turned them in–that would have been the safer choice. She might have even gotten a reward for doing it. But somehow she knew that God was about to give Jericho over to the Israelites, and she wanted to do what was right in God's eyes.
Taking risks is tricky. You should never do anything dangerous or something that breaks the law–God would not be pleased with that! But you will find that there are times when you need to take a risk in order to do something that would please God.
Let's talk about it:
How do you know when it's okay to take a risk?
Questions
What risks did the spies take by going to Jericho?
What risks did Rahab take by protecting the spies?
Why is it important to take risks for God?
When do you think it is okay to take a risk?
What is one risk you think you can take for God?
PRAYER
Toddler Tips: A toddler needs may have trouble understanding the concept of prayer because they cannot see God. Echo Prayer is a good strategy to encourage and teach kids how to talk to God. The teacher or parent speaks aloud a short segment of the prayer, and the children echo back the same sentence or phrase.
God, we thank you for helping us to take risks for you. Help us to be wise to know which risks to take. Give us EPIC faith to do great things for you.