Bible Stories: This Little Light of Mine

In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus states: “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good … Continue reading →

Bible Stories: The Beatitudes

As I have revealed before, I am teaching a children’s Bible class on Sunday mornings. We are currently doing lessons through the Book of Matthew. When I came to the beginning of Matthew chapter five, I really, really struggled with the lesson. Matthew 5:3-12 is a section of scripture which begins what has been named the “sermon on the mount”; however, the specific verses mentioned deal with the beatitudes. I think that although this section of scripture is hard to understand, children still need to be exposed to the beatitudes and taught the beatitudes. One of the first things to … Continue reading →

Bible Stories: The Calling of Disciples

In Matthew 4:12-25, immediately following the temptation of Jesus, the Bible describes the calling of some of the disciples of Jesus. In the section of scripture the Bible explains the calling of Andrew and Peter as well as James and John. Andrew and Peter (also called Simon, a good point to explain to children) were brothers who worked as fishermen. (As a side note, you might want to consider combining the material found in Matthew chapter four, with the material found in Luke chapter five, which gives a more detailed account of the calling of Andrew and Peter.) James and … Continue reading →

Christian Unity

Though not every Christian church or denomination is the same, if they are following the Bible, the differences may not be worth the amount of division that we see in the world today. The big issue here is how scripture is interpreted. It’s pretty obvious that every sect of Christianity believes they’re right. The churches I’ve seen having the most growth and changed lives seem to be the ones that are also able to work with other churches in reaching out to the community in a non-condemning way. This should not be mistaken for condoning sin! Not all churches that … Continue reading →

Bible Stories: The Temptation of Jesus

In Matthew 4:1-11, the Bible speaks of the temptation of Jesus. While the concept of temptation may be too advanced for some children, I think it is an incredibly important concept for children who are a little older to understand. Even beginning at a young age, children will be tempted by their friends or by things they see on television to behave in ways that are unacceptable. Hopefully if children realize that temptations exist in this world, they will be better prepared to fight against the temptations that they are faced with in their lives. I would begin this lesson … Continue reading →

Choosing My Standard

This is the first part of a small group series I’ve been working in called, “Values that Last“. Though I could probably write several blogs on this session alone, I am just going to focus on the specific areas that really hit home for me. There seems to be a decay of truth in today’s society. This is likely a result of three philosophies (among others) that have taken root in our society: Individualism: Personal independence, relying on yourself, the standard of your own life and what seems right to you. “In those days there was no king in Israel; … Continue reading →

Bible Stories: John the Baptist

The next story which is found in the book of Matthew is about John the Baptist. There are only a few short verses found about his story here (Matthew 3:1-17); however, you can find out more information about him through reading the other gospels such as in Luke chapter one which speaks of the events surrounding his birth (which is also a very interesting story). The few verses about John the Baptist show John as a unique individual, wearing a garment of camel’s hair with a leather belt and eating a unique diet of locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4). … Continue reading →

Activities for “Escape to Egypt”

In my previous entry over the story of Jesus’ family fleeing to Egypt and eventually settling in Nazareth, I expressed how surprised I was when the students I teach in Bible school class thoroughly enjoyed the lesson (which I thought would be somewhat boring to them). I was also surprised by how much my kids enjoyed the very, very simply craft and corresponding class activity I did with them relating to the story. I thought I would share these ideas with you. The first thing I did in class is what I would call an activity. To prepare the activity, … Continue reading →

Bible Stories: Escape to Egypt

I have been teaching stories from the book of Matthew to my Bible class children on Sunday mornings. When I came to the lesson from Matthew 2:12-23, I thought that it was a lesson the children should know, but that they probably would not find the lesson very interesting. I was so wrong! I am not sure what intrigued them so much, but they really enjoyed the lesson. The short lesson over Jesus’ family’s escape to Egypt and then eventual settling in Nazareth really grabbed the children’s attention. So I encourage you to teach your children this story, and do … Continue reading →

Values That Last: Intro

I’m going to begin a series of blogs taken from a small group study course our church is promoting. The title of this course is called “Values That Last” and was presented to those who wished to participate, as a “small-group-in-a-bag”. Within this bag everything that is needed to lead and maintain a group is there: Study books, group leader guide, DVD (for leader instruction and group lessons), pens, name tags, invite cards, and contact information for further support by our church. All of this was provided completely free of charge. My husband and I will be working together on … Continue reading →