Tag Archives: Bible story

The Man by the Pool – John 5

Posted in Craft, New Testament Bible Stories, The man by the Pool, Toddler Group by
Bible reference John 5:1-9
‘One day Jesus was in the big, important city of Jerusalem (ask children to repeat name)
In Jerusalem there was a special pool of water. The people believed that when the water started to move that the first person to get into the water would be made better. So every day lots of people who were unwell sat around the pool and waited.
Now, Jesus was walking near to the pool and he saw a man who had been unable to walk for a long, long time. He asked him, ‘Do you want to get better?’
The man said, ‘When the water moves there is no one to help me to get into the water and someone else always gets there first.’
Jesus listened to the man and then he told him, ‘ Get up, pick up the mat you are lying on and walk.’
And that’s exactly what the man did. He got up and picked up the mat he’d been lying on and he walked! He was so happy!
Jesus was able to make the man walk because he is the Son of God.’
Craft Idea – we decorated footprints

Emergency Bible lesson!

Posted in Bible story for 5-11 year olds, Bible storytelling, Craft, Emergency Bible Lesson, Emergency Bible Story Kit, Jesus calms the storm, Parachute by

Do you ever have to organise a last minute Bible lesson/story for your Sunday school or Church club? Maybe someone is absent and you are the one who gets the text message ‘Can you sort out a Bible Story for club tonight?’

Well, here is an idea to help. There are a few things you will need but your group may already have them. Even better think ahead and have an Emergency Bible Story Kit all ready made up! The age group in mind is 5-11 year olds

The story is ….

Jesus calms the storm (Mark 4:35-41)

Main teaching point – Who is Jesus? The Son of God.

 

To tell the story you will need a parachute and a Bible.

To prepare take some time to read the Bible passage. It is a very simple story. Make a mental note of what happens when and where the action takes place and what time of day it is. These details are important and will help with telling the story.

Now with the children –

Everyone sits around an opened out parachute. Play a couple of parachute games fIrst to burn off some energy. Play one game of making waves and then stopping when a leader calls out ‘Be still’. This will come in handy when you tell the story.Then calm everyone down by finishing with making calmer and calmer ripples until eveyone is sitting still.

Now you are ready to begin. Have the children sit around the parachute and if you are the one telling the story you might want to stand and not have to work the parachute (let other leaders/heplers do that) Explain that the parachute will be Lake Galilee in the Bible Story and that at the moment it is still and calm. The sun is setting and it’s getting late. Jesus and his disciples have been very busy all day .. then continue telling the story in your own words. Remember that Jesus gets into the boat and makes himself comfortable with a pillow and goes to sleep. Then the storm starts. Get the group to use the parachute to imitate the waves as they get rough.

The disciples become more and more anxious – they wake Jesus up ‘Don’t you care?’ Then he speaks to the storm, ‘Be still’. The group need to still the parachute straight away.

Why are you so afraid, have you still no faith?’ Jesus asked. The disciple were filled with fear, ‘ Who is this that even the wind and waves obey him?’ they asked each other. (If you can, read this from your Bible)

Teaching point – How could Jesus make the storm stop? The Bible tells us that Jesus was able to make the world. (John 1:3) Nature obeys him because he is God.

Application point – If Jesus is God what does that mean for us? How should we treat Jesus? Give the children some ideas – you could write them on large pieces of paper or a white board. (for example – listen to him, follow him, obey him, find out more about him from the Bible)

Craft Idea – if you have white, blue and brown paper you could make ‘storm’ and ‘calm’ pictures. The children would need the paper, glue and scissors. Feel free to print the following pictures to give them ideas. We use Construction paper from Costco but you can get it from Amazon too. It’s always useful!

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Hope this helps if you are ever ‘landed in it’ when it comes to telling a Bible Story!

 

The story of Hagar – God is everywhere

Posted in Craft, Everywhere I go God is there craft, God is everywhere, Hagar, Knitted doll for storytelling, Old Testament Bible stories, Pdf file, Toddler Group by

You can use this story about Hagar to teach children that God is everywhere. We can never be somewhere that is away from God. Wherever we go, God is there. The suggested craft activity is a bus – children may sometimes go on a bus journey – but no matter where they travel to – God is there. This is a real comfort to children and adults.

The story is written for telling at a toddler group. If telling to older children include more detail from the Bible passage.

The story of Hagar can be found in Genesis 16. She was Sarah’s slave and Ishmael’s mother. Things were difficult for Hagar and she ran away.But God knew where she was and spoke to her. God gave Hagar a promise about the son she would give birth to. She responds with the acknowledgement that ‘You are a God of seeing. Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’

To tell the story to young children you will need

A story bag with a doll to represent Hagar.

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Begin by taking ‘Hagar’ from the bag and introducing her to the children (say hello to Hagar – children wave)

Hagar was very sad. Can you pretend to be sad?

She decided to run away. Pretend to run by tapping hands on knees or run on the spot. Get the children to join in.

Then she sat down. No other people  there.

But, God knew where Hagar was.

He talked to her. ‘It will all be alright Hagar. Go back home’.

Hagar listened. She knew God could see where she was. She knew that God is everywhere.

‘You are the God who looks after me.’ she said.

Hagar was happy again. She went back home.

God sees you too and cares for you wherever you go. Wherever you go God is there.

The following is a simple craft to go with the story – ‘Wherever I go, God is there’. Print as many as you need. The children can add colour and people. I used some smiley face stickers for the people on the bus.

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God_is_everywhere_(Bus) PDF file.