Equipping Christians for Life's Journey
Overview
This curriculum teaches 16 principles of Christianity in (hopefully) an engaging and memorable way. The intent is that these 16 principles--we refer to them as pieces of equipment--help prepare one for, and are needed for, life as a christian. Each lesson has (1) a piece of "equipment," which is the principle (example, Teamwork and Endurance), (2) a symbol (example, rope), and (3) a card, which is like a trading/baseball card with graphics and words on it (example, rope and title on the front and scriptures and graphics on the back). In Week I each student gets a backpack (you guessed it--for the equipment). With each lesson the students get a physical representation of the symbol (example, a piece of rope) and a trading card for the equipment. These 16 pieces of equipment/principles are 16 concepts (the Bible, prayer, stewardship, etc.) we normally want to teach and can be taught in a variety of ways. Therefore, we feel the curriculum can be modified for various uses and settings. Students put a Bible in their backpack. The Guiding Principles for this curriculum are listed below. This is a curriculum I, Jim Olsen, and Scott Edwards developed.
This web page is where I stored most of my notes and files. I make it available for others who wish to implement something similar in their own church.
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to create a curriculum to teach christian principles which will help youth (young Christians) grow as Christians and be equipped for a successful life as a christian.
Long range: We encourage the youth to use the backpack to have a handy place to store their Bible and other christian materials. Students going into Confirmation Class can use it to store their confirmation book and Bible (so they don't get lost). College students, similarly, can use it for Bible Study materials.
Equipment List
Equipment list.doc
A few comments on getting and making the equipment symbols is below.
History
Scott and I used this in our Junior High Sunday School class in 2008-2009. We are teaching it again 2010-1011. The curriculum could be used for youth groups and senior highs.
Lesson Plans
These lesson plans are intentionally brief to allow the teacher to use their own ideas and creativity. At some point in every lesson, read the Bible passage (out of the Bible) or off the card.
Week 1 - Jesus as Savior <Cross>
Materials: (for each student) Backpack (good to have a main section and a smaller, zipper, section for the cards and physical icons); week 1 cards; crosses (We got some crosses on a a necklace. The necklace can be used to put the other icons on.)
Discussion Overview: Discuss the overall concept of equipment for Christian living and for life's journey. You need a backpack for your journey and to hold your equipment. Distribute backpacks.
Discuss first piece of equipment: Discuss the first piece of equipment, Jesus as Savior. Distribute cards. Discuss the multiple facets of Christ. How do these relate? (Read the Bible passage.) Distribute crosses. Put cards and crosses in backpack. Put name in/on backpacks. Leave backpacks in the classroom for next week.
Week 2 - The Word/Bible <Light>
Materials: (for each student) week 2 cards; lights (we used small LED flashlights from a Christian bookstore that had a Bible verse on them. Poster board; printouts of headings; printouts of Bible passages.
Discussion Overview/update: Review the overall concept of equipment for Christian living and for life's journey. Bring anyone absent up to date (give them backpack and equipment and card).
Discuss equipment: The next (obvious?) piece of equipment, the Bible. Distribute cards.Why is the Word compared to a light? How is the Bible a light? Distribute lights. Preview the activity. Show the poster with the headings. Show and read one of the Bible passages on a slip of paper and determine which heading it goes under.
Activity: See the attached files on advice from the Bible for everyday living. Cut (use a paper cutter) so that each Bible passage is on a slip of paper. Hide the slips of paper (we put the slips into little origami gems, but you could use Easter eggs, envelope, or nothing but the slips of paper) in some dark room in the church (we used the sanctuary balcony and a storage room). Send students to the rooms with their lights to find the Bible passages (it is useful to know how many are in each room, so that they get all of them). Students return to the classroom with the slips of paper. Students work together, reading the Bible passages and determining under which heading to place the passage. Glue passages to the poster. Display the completed poster in the room.
www.amygrant.com Thy Word song. File: Bible advice: Bible Advice.docx BibleAdvicePosterHeadingsWeek2.docx Bible teaching on managing your money.docx
Week 3 - The Two Great Commandments <Two-sided Coin>
Materials: (for each student) week 3 cards; Shrinky Dinks or laminated 2-sided coins, Sharpie Markers, Oven, scissors, half-inch diameter split rings (these are small key rings), poster paper and markers (see discussion option).
Discussion Overview/update: Review the first two pieces of equipment for Christian living and for life's journey. Bring anyone absent up to date.
Discuss equipment: Today's equipment is the two great commandments. Distribute cards. Read Mark 12:29-31. Jesus is quoting from the Old Testament -read Duet 6:4-5 and Lev 19:18. Note Jesus did add one way to love God--What is it? (ans: with your mind). Discuss examples of two sides of the same coin concept (in football the offense passes and runs, father and mother, harddrive is an output device and an input device, etc.). Why are the two great commandments 2 sides of the same coin (one answer: by loving our neighbors, we love God, "even as you did it to the least of these, you did it unto me.") is the Word compared to a light?
Discussion option: We wanted to point out the difference between the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and the second great commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. To start the class period (before we gave them even the topic for the day) we said we were going to split up into two groups. Each group took a sheet of poster paper and markers. One group (in one room) wrote a list of examples of Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, (e.g., don't steal, return things you borrow) and the other group lists examples of the second great commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself (e.g., get to know the person before you judge/react to them; anticipate your neighbor's need and do something about it-don't just sit back and do nothing. The former has the idea of mow up to, but not much over the lot line. The latter is the idea of take a casserole over if their father died and they are arranging a funeral. Then we brought the groups together, posted the lists and compared them and discussed the similarities and differences.
Activity: Make 2-sided coins out of shrinky dinks. (Preheat oven before class.) At a minimum have a circle (about 3-3.5" diameter) drawn on shrinky dinks. White, non-clear, shrinky dinks work well. Write, with a sharpie Love God ~ Mark 12:30 and the numeral '1' on one side of the shrinky dink. Write Love Your Neighbor ~ Mark 12:31 and the numeral '2' on the other side in another color (this can be done ahead of time or the students can do it). Students cut out the circle. With the extra shrinky dink (about 2" by .75") have each student make a name shrinky dink. Punch a hole (with a paper punch) near the edge of each coin and name card. Go to the kitchen and heat/shrink the shrinky dinks (as per the instructions). Put the coins and the name cards each on a split ring. Put on, or in, the backpack.
Week 4 - Prayer <Plug-in>
Materials: (for each student) week 4 cards; Plug-ins; split rings.
Discuss equipment: Want to compare wishing to praying. Can start out class with a game show. Ask questions for students to gain points, and then they get to make wishes. Have them share their wishes (some make be for millions of dollars, some may be for world peace). Move into a discussion of prayer. How is prayer different from wishing? Pass out cards. Discuss the importance of making a connection to God. Connection to the power is the key. Read Bible passages on card. Discuss acronyms if you wish (e.g. Praise Repent Ask Yield to God's will). There are other prayer acronyms (see the file). Distribute plug-ins. We put the split rings through the hole in one of the three prongs of the plug-in.
File: prayer-acronyms.doc
Week 5 - Attitude of Service <Towel>
Materials: (for each student) week 5 cards; Towels. Basin and towels.
Introduction: The teacher brings in a basin a of water and a towel and proceeds to wash the feet of the students. This can be (will be) awkward but can be very meaningful. (If it is too awkward for your personality, do something different.) Make the connection to Jesus washing the feet of the disciples at the last supper.
Discuss equipment: Distribute the cards and towels. (Read the Bible passage.) Discuss the six basic needs from Matthew 25:
42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' Discuss Maslow's hierarchy of needs. How do we serve others?
Week 6 - The Holy Spirit <Helpful Wind>
Materials: (for each student) week 6 cards; personal fans (battery operated). Small backyard (child's) swimming pool with water; building supplies to make (sail) boats (construction paper, Popsicle sticks, tape).
Discussion: Introduce the topic of the Holy Spirit. Explain how breath, wind, and spirit are the same word in the Greek. Pass out the cards and personal fans. (Read the Bible passage.)
Activity: Students will each make a sailboat. Each student gets the same amount of building supplies (e.g., 10 Popsicle sticks, two pieces of construction paper, and tape). Students will build the sailboat which they will sail (one at a time), using their helpful wind (the personal fan), around a course in the swimming pool. After the building period, have the youth sail their boats. Optional: If you wish you can make it a competition using a stopwatch to time each run.
Week 7 - Attitude of Stewardship <Earth>
Materials: (for each student) week 7 cards; earth (keychains with picture of the earth ("earthrise" photo taken from the moon works nicely) inside works). For the skit you need play money (slips of paper with "1" on them work - each stands for a talent). Something to sell (such as books).
Discussion: Introduce the topic of stewardship.
Activity: You are going to act out the parable of the good steward from Matt 25. Need three servants, master, merchants (one to sell goods (such as books) and one to buy goods), banker. Take volunteers for the parts. Go over the story. Plan how the skit will work (where the merchant will be, the banker, where the money will be buried, etc.). Make sure to have the "flow of money" all figured out. After the plan is made, have the teacher read the parable from the Bible. At each step, pause and have the youth act it out.
Discussion: Discuss stewardship of time, body, and resources for home, church/community, and world. Discuss the big picture of stewardship--it is much, much more than just giving money to the church.
More Info.: http://www.gbod.org/stewardship/article.asp?id=12265 stewardship-cycle.docx
Week 8 - Teamwork and Endurance <Rope>
Materials: (for each student) week 8 cards; rope (a 3-stranded rope is best). Put a split ring through it so it can be attached to the carabiner or backpack. Long rope.
Activity: Set up a tug of war. Ask for a volunteer (1 student) to challenge the teacher (this works best if the teacher is big and the student is smaller). The teacher will win. Have a second student help (the teacher will probably still win). Keep adding students until finally they can beat the teacher.
Discussion: Discuss teamwork and endurance. Read the Bible passages. Discuss examples of when 1+1 is greater than 2. What activities can be done more effectively with two people working together than two people working individually? Distribute cards and pieces of rope to each student.
Week 9 - Faith to See the World as God Intends <Contact lenses>
Materials: (for each student) week 9 cards; contact lens case (empty-it's a metaphor!). Optional: full-size magnifying glass.
Activity: Optional: show how the magnifying glass works. Show how it can turn an arrow upside down. It can make things blurry or clear.
Discussion: Discuss faith. Discuss the two extremes: (1) "I am a helpless sinner and I'm doomed and I can't do anything right. (2) I am successful on my own, I'm good, I can pull myself up by my own bootstraps. Explain that faith in our Savior Jesus puts us in between the two extremes. We are a sinner, but not without hope. With God's help we are forgiven and can do better. We do need God's help. We cannot do it alone. (Read the Bible passage.)
Week 10 - The Moral Compass <Compass>
Materials: (for each student) week 10 cards; small compasses.
Discussion: Introduce the topic of morality. Discuss moral decisions and compare and contrast to ethical decisions. Do an activity with the compass if you wish. Explain how a compass is used. Explain the weaknesses of a compass. (Read the Bible passage.)
Notes: MoralCompass-notes[1].docx
Week 11 - Ability to Guard Against Evil <Shield>
Materials: (for each student) week 11 cards; small compasses. Shrinky Dinks, Sharpie Markers, Oven, scissors, half-inch diameter split rings (these are small key rings). Some type of shield (chair cushion or something). Ping pong balls.
Activity: Optional: Ask for a volunteer to defend themselves with a shield. Give then the shield. Throw ping pong balls at them. Give others a chance.
Discussion: Discuss how a shield is used. Move into the topic of guarding against evil. Reach Ephesians 6:10-17 on the full armor of God. Discuss the Roman Shield (see the file below) and it's makeup against fiery darts. Show pictures of shields.
Activity: Make Shrinky Dink shields.
File: Passages.on.God.as.our.Shield.docx
Week 12 - Thankfulness <Turkey feathers>
Materials: (for each student) week 12 cards; Turkey feathers (options include made of color clay with a jump ring- baked).
Discussion: What are we thankful for? Discuss worship. What is it? Where can we do it? Card has pictures of different settings for worship. (Read the Bible passage.)
File: thanks-and-worship.docx
Week 13 - Communion <Cup>
Materials: (for each student) week 13 cards; small Cups (made out of a dowel drilled out-put a screw-eye in it so it can go on the lanyard. Wood burning iron. Soda and potato chips. Set out soda in cups and a plate of chips ahead of time.
Activity: Announce that we are going to have communion. It is soda and chips. Make a plan for doing it (reverently). Go through a communion line.
Discussion: Discuss communion. What that communion if it is not bread and juice/wine? (Read the Bible passage) Discuss the aspects of communion. Pass out cards and cups.
Activity: Optional: Wood burn on cups (ideas include cross, rho chi, initials)
File: Communion is.docx
Week 14 - Love of Family and Friends <Joined Hands>
Materials: (for each student) week 14 cards; heart keychains. Clear plastic heart-shaped keychains. Put two pictures inside (back-to-back): two hands joined and a family picture. Each student needs to supply a small family picture (it is a good idea to e-mail the parents and request their help). Cut out the picture in the heart shape to put inside the plastic heart. Paper and pencils.
Discussion: Introduce that today's topic is love of family and friends. Pass out paper and pencils. Have the youth make two lists. (1) What traits do you want in a friend? (s) What traits do you want int a family member? Items which would appear in both lists can be starred. Give students a few minutes to write down their ideas in the lists. As a whole class discussion, make a Venn Diagram with one circle labeled as traits you want int a friend and the other as traits do want in a family member. Make sure there is a large overlap of the two circles. As you discuss the traits, decide if they will go in the family-only area, friend-only area, or the overlap (friend and family area).
Discuss equipment: Pass out the cards. Discuss the Bible passages on the card. Pass out the heart keychains. Discuss the need for a family picture (unless you did that in advance).
File: Love+of+Family.docx
Week 15 - The Great Commission <Sandal>
Materials: (for each student) week 15 cards; sandal keychains. 20 footprints (cut out of construction paper) each with a method-of-fulfilling-the-great-commission. Before class put the 20 footprints around the church (outside the classroom). Have 10 left and 10 right footprints.
Discussion Overview and Activity: Pass out the trading cards. Overview the concept of the Review the overall concept of the Great Commission. Discuss a couple methods of making disciples--from subtle (such as bring a friend to youth group) to direct (such as become a pastor). Discuss the idea that there are many ways we can make disciple, directly and indirectly--and that there are 20 footprints around the church, each with a method written on it. We will go out of the classroom and find the 20 footprints and bring them back to the classroom(depending on the church's setup and size of the group, determine how you will send the youth out to find the footprint).
Discuss equipment: After the 20 footprints are brought back to the classroom, discuss them one at a time. Have the youth read the footprint (method-of-fulfilling-the-great-commission). Discuss what it means and how we might do it (some we can do now as teen-agers, some later in life (some maybe never)). Then have the youth put the footprints (one at a time as they are discussed) on the wall (using stick-tack or tape) in a walking pattern (left, right, left, etc.). Get creative, perhaps a curving path near the door--going out into the world. Pass out the backpacks and the sandals.
Files: NEEDIT (has list of 20 methods-of-fulfilling-the-great-commission)
Week 16 - The Body of Christ - Church <Truss>
Materials: (for each student) week 15 cards; sandal keychains. 20 footprints (cut out of construction paper) each with a method-of-fulfulling-the-great-commission. Before class put the 20 footprints around the church (outside the classroom). Have 10 left and 10 right footprints.
Discussion Overview and Activity: Pass out the trading cards. Overview the concept of the Review the overall concept of the Great Commission. Discuss a couple methods
Files: Body of Christ.docx
A few comments on getting and making the equipment symbols
- Get creative. Brainstorm.
- Make what you can yourself. For example, get some rope and cut it into pieces (you may want to do something to the ends so they don't fray).
- Buy stuff from the Oriental Trading Company (e.g., you can get a package of 12 compases cheap).
- We liked the idea of making it possible to attach every symbol to the backpack. (Some you like to have things hanging from their backpack.) We ordered (a large number of) "split rings" for this purpose.
Card Files:
The first 8 cards were made with a trading card making software. I abandoned it and switched to PrintShop for the last 8.
The hardest thing to transfer of this curriculum is the card files. If you wish to use my computer files, e-mail me or call me.
1JESUS-cross.cst
2word-bible card.cst
3Two-Great-Commandments.cst
4Prayer-plug-in.cst
5Service-towel.cst.cst
6HolySpirit-Wind.cst
7Stewardship-earth.cst
8Teamwork-rope.cst.cst
Other Files:
To print on shrinky dink to make coin - coin+background[1].docx coin background.docx
Advice from the Bible Poster Headings: BibleAdvicePosterHeadingsWeek2.docx
Advice from the Bible: Bible Advice.docx
Advice from the Bible on Money: Bible teaching on managing your money.docx
Prayer acronyms: prayer-acronyms.doc
Stewardship key chain front and back: stewardship-cycle.docx
Guiding Principles
- Use physical and pictorial representations of christian principles.
- Make the program Comprehesive - touch on most of the key christian principles.
- Make it Practical - remember that.
- For the most part, use interesting or "double-meaning" symbols
- Also use the staples: cross and bread-and-cup symbols.
- The main intent of the program is to teach the basics. The assumption is that this program can be used with new christians/youth. However, it could be modified for others.
- (Extending from the previous principle) Include extension resouces beyond just the basics.
Key Bible Passages
The way the truth and the life http://members.aol.com/RSISBELL/way.html
Deut 32:2 2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.
Resources
Personal notes
7-6-08
From Screwtape Letters (CS Lewis). Letter 10: "All mortals tend to turn into the thing they are pretending to be." "If he is a big enough fool you can get him to realise the character of the friends only while they are absent; their presence can be made to sweep away all criticism."
Letter 12: "As long as he retains externally the habits of Christian ....but whose spiritual state is much the same as it was six weeks ago." "...as one of my own patients said on his arrival down here, 'I now see that I spent most of my life in doing neither what I ought not what I liked.' The Christians describe the Enemy as one 'without who Nothing is strong.'" "But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,"
President Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States
“Of the many influences that have shaped the United States into a distinctive nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.”
Misc.
letter To parents near the end.docx
Love of Family.docx
Communion is.docx
thanks-and-worship.docx
Trading Card template.sig
Spiritual Walk - this is a separate project Scott and I did for your Sr. High youth group
Files
Page created by Jim Olsen, Macomb, IL. Junior High Sunday School teacher at Wesley United Methodist Church. Scott Edwards is my co-teacher.
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