Elementary | Week of October 25

Welcome to GrowKids Online! This October we are “AMAZED” at all the things God does, especially in the story of Elijah.

DISCUSSION : Elijah and the Chariot of Fire
Read : 2 Kings 2

  • Where did God take Elijah?
  • What did Elijah use to split the water at the Jordan River?
  • How did God take Elijah to heaven?
  • Read 2 Kings 2:11. How can you help others to meet Jesus so they, too, can go to heaven?
  • How can you deliver God’s message in your school?
  • What are some other amazing stories from the Bible you can share with others?
  • What are some ways you can show others God is amazing?

ACTIVITIES

MEMORY VERSE | MEGAPHONE MEMORY
Grab a piece of construction paper and write the memory verse decoratively on the paper. Roll it and tape it creating a megaphone, leaving your decorations facing the outside. Shout the memory verse through your megaphone loud for all to hear!

“The Lord your God, who is present with you, is a great and awesome God” Deuteronomy 7:21 (NIV)

MAKE IT | STORY CARD BOOK
INSTRUCTIONS: Print out this week’s printable. Using what you learned this week, put the story cards in the correct order, telling the story of Elijah and Elisha. Cut out each card and bind them together using a stapler. Find a parent and retell today’s Bible story to them using the pictures in your book.

THINK ABOUT IT | John 14:12
Jesus said whoever believes will do the works Jesus has been doing and will do even greater things than Jesus. God does not just do amazing things in the Bible. God does amazing things right now. God performed miracles back then, and God performs them now. Just like God took Elijah to heaven, one day, Jesus will come back for us to take us to heaven. Now, that is something amazing we can look forward to!

In your journal, write down the amazing things you have seen God do in your own life! Every day the sun comes up, you are taken care of and grow is all a part of the amazing way God cares for you. Ask the people in your own home what amazing things they have seen God do in their lives! God is always at work and it’s truly amazing!

PRAYER

God,
Thank You, God, for the life of Elijah. Thank You for the amazing things You did for him and thank You for the amazing things you do for me, too.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

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Early Childhood | Week of October 25

As we finish out our Amazed series and the life of Elijah, we are going to hear about another man with almost the same name: Elisha. Let’s learn about him together!

Bible Story

INSTRUCTIONS: Point to the kids and tell them to say the word, “Amazing” when you point at them. Feel free to add some fun hand motions.
God did many [amazing] things through the prophet, Elijah. A prophet is just a fancy word for someone who loves God and listens to God so well, that God gives them messages to share with other people about God.

Now, Elijah was getting older and he was tired. He was looking forward to being with God in heaven one day. I can’t wait to go to heaven one day, too. I know it’s going to be [aamzing]! God told Elijah to teach Elisha to be the next prophet. Can you say these names with me? Elijah. Elisha. Great job! Their names are almost the same! But they are two different people. What comes next is so [amazing].

INSTRUCTIONS: Read 2 Kings 2:8-10 together.
Now, who can tell me what a cloak is? Yes, it’s like a long jacket. So, Elijah and Elisha were walking along when Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and hit the water with his cloak. The water did something so [amazing]! It split right down the middle and made a path for them so they could walk across the river to the other side without getting wet.
Elisha wanted to do things for God just like Elijah did!
As Elijah and Elisha were walking along and talking together, suddenly, a chariot and horses made of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind. That is [amazing]!
Elijah passed on what he knew to Elisha and then God did some [amazing] things through Elisha, too!
Wasn’t that a cool story? We can also go to heaven when we believe in Jesus. Isn’t that [amazing]?

Prayer

Pray this Prayer: Thank You, God, for showing us how amazing You are! You did some amazing things in the Bible and You do so many amazing things for me!

Activities

Activity: FIREWORKS IN A JAR

INSTRUCTIONS: In a bowl, pour two to three tablespoons of cooking oil. Add three to five drops of each watercolor paint color. Use a spoon to stir the paint into the oil. The two will not mix, but stirring will help to break the paint apart. Then, carefully pour the oil into a jar of water. The oil will settle at the top of the jar after a minute. The watercolors, however, will actually begin to shoot down, slowly mixing into the water to create a “fireworks” effect! The watercolors will continue to shoot down like fireworks until all of the paint has fallen from the oil.

# TODDLER HACK: Prepare this activity in less fragile containers and let kids shake the bottle and observe the swirling colors.

Now, we couldn’t use real fire like in our story, but this is pretty amazing, too!

Activity: WHIRLWIND

  • We are going to pretend to be Elijah from our Bible story today. Everybody, stand up. First, Elijah saw a chariot and horses made of fire. What do you think his face looked like when he saw this? He was probably amazed! Show me an amazed face!
  • Next came a whirlwind that took Elijah to heaven! Can you pretend you’re in a whirlwind? Watch out for your neighbors.
  • Great job, everyone! You were all amazing!

Activity: DRESS UP

  • INSTRUCTIONS: Provide towels and sheets in one spot in your room. Encourage the kids to try on a “cloak” just like Elijah wore. They can also act out parts of the story where he rolled up his cloak and parted the water.

SNACK-tivity

Snack Time: CHARIOT OF JELL-O

  • INSTRUCTIONS: Pass out a Jell-O cup (if possible, red or orange) and put one gummy bear on top to be “Elijah” riding on the “chariot.” As they snack, discuss these questions:
  • Did Elijah and Elisha listen and obey God?
  • How did they get across the Jordan River?
  • How did Elijah get to heaven? Do you think God is amazing?

Grow with Jesus — Session 4

This is our second week of “Grow with Jesus” and focuses on the marks of spiritual growth while answering the fundamental question – “How do I know that I am growing as a Christian?”. When we learn that we are made in God’s image with His imperishable seed planted within us, we then understand the significance of the fruit of the Spirit marking our lives as a natural result of the growth of the seed within us. We will also identify longstanding habits and behaviors that have inhibited the spiritual transformation that God desires for all of us and ways that Holy Spirit empowers us for transformation.

Elementary | Week of October 18

Welcome to GrowKids Online! This October we are “AMAZED” at all the things God does, especially in the story of Elijah.

DISCUSSION : God Speaks to Elijah
Read : 1 Kings 19

  • How did God provide for Elijah?
  • How did God speak to Elijah?
  • How did God comfort Elijah?
  • Read 1 Kings 19:11-13. Would you expect God to be in the wind, an earthquake, a fire, or a whisper? What do you think this tells us about God?
  • What is the best time you can listen to God?
  • What are some ways to listen to God’s voice?
  • What is something happening in your life right now that you can talk to God about?

ACTIVITIES

MEMORY VERSE | WHISPER IT
Practice the memory verse, repeat after me style! Say the verse one word at a time and have your child repeat it back to you. Do different variations of how you say the verse! Stand across the room and whisper it to one another. Listening closely is very important when being spoken to you so know how to respond!

“The Lord your God, who is present with you, is a great and awesome God” Deuteronomy 7:21 (NIV)

MAKE IT | CUP PHONE
INSTRUCTIONS: Provide supplies for the kids to decorate their own cups and make a cup phone.
The sound waves travel over the string so you can hear through the cups. We also find it easier to hear God when we are connected to God. What is something you can do to stay connected to God?

Decorate your cups with markers and write prayers to God, “Speak to me, Lord, I am listening”

Isn’t it truly amazing that God speaks to us?

THINK ABOUT IT | Louder and Louder
Blow up a balloon, hold it up, and tap on it. Ask kids if they can hear it very well. Next, hold the balloon up to the ear of a kid and lightly tap on it. Continue around the room doing this to as many kids as possible.
It was a really soft sound at first, but now it sounds pretty loud! Why does this happen?
When you blow up a balloon, you are packing it with air molecules. The tiny molecules are very close together and transmit sound waves super well, which is why the sound is loud when we press it to our ears.
When we tapped the balloon while we were just holding it, those waves had to move through the air –where the air molecules are farther apart, so sound has to travel more to get from the balloon to our ears. . . which makes the sound softer.

Look up the verse John 10:27 and read it aloud.
Who are Jesus’ sheep?
Do you feel you know or recognize God’s voice? Why or why not?
Has God ever asked you to do something? What was it? Did you do it?
Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are like sheep who hear and follow Jesus. We must follow God’s voice because God leads us in the right way.
What does it look like to follow God’s voice?

PRAYER

God,
I am here, I listening. I want to hear your voice and I want to follow the path You have for my life. I give You all of my worries and fears. God, help me to hear Your voice even when it’s hard.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

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Early Childhood | Week of October 18

Shhhhh….Hey GrowKids! This week we are learning about whispering! There are many ways God speaks to us. Sometimes it’s through His Word, the Bible, or in our thoughts, and sometimes, it’s even in a voice we can hear. In today’s lesson, we will learn about a time when God spoke to Elijah in a whisper.

Bible Story

  • Does anyone remember who Elijah is from our Bible story?
  • But some people didn’t like Elijah and didn’t like him telling people what God was saying. There was one person who really, really didn’t like Elijah. Her name was Jezebel and she wanted to hurt Elijah. Was that nice of Jezebel? No! But she was the queen so she had a lot of soldiers helping her, too. How do you think that made Elijah feel? Yes, I would be scared, too!
  • Elijah was afraid and ran. He felt like he was all alone. So, guess what God did? God took care of Elijah again! Let’s see how.
  • Instructions: Read 1 Kings 19:11-13
    • TODDLER HACK: Have kids try making sound effects with you while you tell the story, such as blowing air for wind, pounding the floor for earthquake, crackling sounds for fire.
  • God told Elijah to go stand on a mountain and that God would pass by.
  • Then, there was a strong wind! The wind was so powerful, it shattered rocks! Was God in the wind? No, God wasn’t in the wind.
  • But then a great earthquake came. Was God in the earthquake? No, God was not in the earthquake either.
  • And then, there was a fire. Was God in the fire? No, God wasn’t in the fire either.
  • So, where was God? Yes! God came in a gentle whisper. God told Elijah he wasn’t alone. There were 7,000 people out there who still believed in God, like Elijah did.
  • Once again, God knew what Elijah needed and God provided it. This time, what Elijah really needed was to hear what God had to say. God is amazing! God spoke to Elijah and God speaks to you and me!

Prayer

Pray this Prayer: God, thank You so much for being so amazing! Thank You for speaking to me. Help me to hear You when You are speaking.

Activities

Activity: THE SOFT WHISPER

  • Today we’re learning about how God speaks to us.
  • I am going to say something to you and I want you to see if you can hear me.
  • Instructions: Whisper, “God is amazing” softly so the kids cannot hear you.
  • Did you hear me? Sometimes it is hard to hear a whisper.
  • Now, I am going to say it again and see if you can hear me this time.
  • Instructions: Use a megaphone made out of construction paper or cardstock paper that is eight inches by eleven inches (simply rolled up into a cone shape). Say, “God is amazing.”
  • It was much easier to hear me the second time, wasn’t it?

Activity: DO YOU HEAR ME NOW?

  • It’s hard to hear a whisper. Now, you are going to try to hear me whisper with a lot of noises around you.
  • Instructions: Tell the kids to make as much noise as they can. Encourage them to play “drums” by hitting the floor with their hands, stomping their feet, or clapping their hands. Then, you will say, “God spoke to Elijah in a whisper” to the kids. Tell the kids to stop making noise and try and guess what you said.
  • God is so amazing! God speaks to us. But sometimes when God is speaking, there are so many things happening that keep us from hearing what God says to us.

Activity: WIND, EARTHQUAKE, FIRE

  • We are going to pretend we are Elijah! When he was standing on the mountain waiting to hear God’s voice, what came first? It was an earthquake. Pretend like the earth is shaking! Can you keep your balance? What should we do when there’s an earthquake?
  • Does anyone remember what came next? Yes, it was the wind! Pretend like the wind is blowing you around our room. It’s the strongest wind you’ve ever felt!
  • Then, what came next? Yes, it was a fire! Pretend there is a fire. What should we do when there’s a fire?
  • Was God in any of those?
  • Where was God? That’s right. [Whisper] God was in the gentle whisper. Can you whisper, too?
  • God is amazing! God spoke to Elijah and God speaks to you and me!

SNACK-tivity

Snack Time: LOUD AND SOFT

  • Pass out two types of snacks to the kids: one that’s crunchy, and one that’s soft. As they eat, ask them questions about today’s Bible story.
    • TODDLER HACK: Try getting kids to whisper during the entire snack time!
  • Why was Elijah scared so much that he decided to run away?
  • Where did God tell Elijah to go?
  • Was God’s voice super loud?
  • How loud or soft was God’s voice?

Grow With Jesus — Session 3

This session begins the “Grow with Jesus.” A natural byproduct of Being With Jesus, is our desire to glorify God through becoming more like Christ. Just as a healthy vine produces good fruit, God desires to see us grow through the process of transformation. As we seek to glorify God by bearing much fruit and becoming true disciples (John 15:8), we will discover the Cycle of Growth that leads to the process of growing with Jesus to become more like Him.

Elementary | Week of October 11

Welcome to GrowKids Online! This October we are “AMAZED” at all the things God does, especially in the story of Elijah.

DISCUSSION : Elijah and the Prophets of Baal
Read : 1 Kings 18

  • Who were the people of Israel worshipping instead of the one, true God?
  • Why did Elijah challenge the prophets of Baal?
  • What did Elijah do before God burned up the sacrifice?
  • Read 1 Kings 18:39. How did the people respond when they saw God answered Elijah’s prayer to burn up the sacrifice?
  • What needs do you pray to God about?
  • What are some needs God has given you already? Think about some specific needs you have right now, and how God might be meeting them.

ACTIVITIES

MEMORY VERSE | MEMORY VERSE SANDWICH
INSTRUCTIONS: Print out this week’s “coloring page” and make a Memory Verse sandwich! Hang them up in the write order, make magnets for the fridge or lay them out on the kitchen table. Work together to put the memory verse in the correct order.

“The Lord your God, who is present with you, is a great and awesome God” Deuteronomy 7:21 (NIV)

MAKE IT | Wish List vs. Need List
Using two different pieces of paper, create a “Wish List” and a “Need List.” A wish list is a list of things you wish you could have. Write down a list of all the things you wish to have (Ex. A dog, a Disney vacation, a trampoline…) Talk about the things on the wish list, write or draw them on the list.

Now, let’s write down some of the things we need. To start us off: we need food and water. What are some others? Write or draw the things you need on your Need List.

THINK ABOUT IT | One Thing You Need
Pretend you are going to travel somewhere and you can only take one thing with you. What would it be? Write it down on the index card. Let’s take a look at the index card we wrote on in: Your family is going on a trip and you can take only one thing with you as you travel. What did you write down?

After hearing today’s Bible story, do you still think that’s the best item you could have chosen?
How would you use it? If you could change it, what would you change it to and why?
Thank goodness we have a God who knows what we need, and what’s more, what’s the very best for each of us!

PRAYER

Dad in Heaven,
Thank you for taking care of us, You always know what’s best for us. Whether a need or a want, you know exactly what we need. May we grow to become more like you in all we do.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

Hey Parents! Make sure you’re staying up to date with all things Grow Kids by clicking the “like” button on our Facebook page and following us on Instagram!