Lesson Ideas for Pentecost & Paul

This is one of my favorite all-time computer lab lessons. The kids work on defining what the Gospel is and means to us, and then translate it into a new language just like the Holy Spirit did on Pentecost.  For use with either Let’s Talk software or Kid Pix 4 software –both of which use the computer’s ability to speak aloud whatever the kids type.

See the printable lesson plan and list of Pirate and Surfer vocab here!

Neil’s Background Notes on the Visual Images of Pentecost

My red keyword highlights below are meant to trigger some creative thinking and VISUAL presentation ideas that different from the red/dove/flames we usually use.

Christian Pentecost marks the official end of the 50 days of the Easter Season (hence “Pente”). It celebrates the Acts 2 outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Disciples and into the world. Informally it is known as the “Birthday of the Christian Church.” See my ‘church birthday celebration ideas’ below.

Pentecost was originally a Jewish festival. Jewish Pentecost (“Shavuot”) is known by several titles: Feast of Wheat, Feast of Weeks, or Fruits of the First Harvest. In the US, Pentecost occurs in the Spring, so we might think of it as a “Spring Wheat” festival, or a “Planting” festival… the Holy Spirit planting the church, beginning with the Resurrection, and celebrating the “first fruits” of the Resurrection at Pentecost.  Planting something at Pentecost is a great lesson idea.

Pentecost featured “two loaves of bread baked with yeast,” made from the first fruit of the Spring wheat harvest which was supposed to conclude 50 days after Passover. Those two loaves were “waved before the LORD” in the act of thanksgiving (Leviticus 23:15-20 NIV).  Selected animals, such as lambs, bulls and rams, were also sacrificed in the Pentecost ritual. The official date of Pentecost moves every year because its date is based on the date of Easter, and Easter’s dated is based on a lunar calendar, not a fixed Roman one. The Eastern Church sometimes has a different date due to a historic disagreement about the dating of Passover.

At Pentecost, the Lord planted something new!

–the gift of sharing the Gospel in a way that made sense to others.

Key Lesson Idea:

At Pentecost, the Disciples were empowered by the Spirit to share the Gospel. Up until then, they had been keeping it to themselves. Pentecost is the FIRST TIME they step out in faith beyond their own group. A first planting and first harvest. It is the gift of sharing the Good News boldly, and in such as way as it makes sense to those who hear it. It is not the gift of “speaking in tongues” as some mistakenly think. The Disciples speak in known languages. It is a powerful metaphor for the Church today, and for teaching the Good News to children.

Many children may be unfamiliar with the concept of “Holy Spirit.” Some may only think of the Holy Spirit as God’s invisible presence. Many will be unfamiliar with the early church’s understanding that the Spirit is also something that others can SEE and EXPERIENCE the Spirit moving IN US and through us. The Pentecost Pirates and Fruits of the Spirit lesson suggestions tackle this ACTIVE “planting” aspect of the Spirit.

The early Church was often described as a “boat”, and in some churches, that imagery is very apparent, even in the design of the ceiling beams.  What most people LEAVE OUT, however, is that fact that it was a SAILING boat, moved by THE WIND.  That makes sails and sailboats wonderful images for Pentecost. See my worship and Sunday School sailboat ideas below about that!

DVD #11:  Spread the News!
from the What’s in the Bible? series

“Set Sail”

The Spirit is the wind of God propelling the church to spread the message of Christ, and thus, sailboats and sails are great teaching images for Pentecost or about the Church. At the bottom of this Pentecost webpage you can ready my sailboat/sail worship and Sunday School lesson ideas. They include how to make a float-able sailboat in Sunday School and a sail using green craft styrofoam, dowel rods and cloth sails.

Our Faith Through the Roof CD has a music video in it titled: “Set Sail”.  It features video a sailboat bounding over the waves and led by dolphins. The lyrics of the song are very much about joining our Captain (Jesus) and heading for distant shores to spread the message. The tune is very catchy.

Getting and Using the Set Sail Video:

If you already own the CD, you can EASILY EXCERPT the music video “Set Sail” from the end of our Faith Through the Roof CD and use it for Pentecost.  Just open the installed game folder on your computer, and COPY or start the HI RES version of the video2.wmv which we included on the CD.   (The Set Sail music video is also known as “We’ll Follow the Son”.)  This song can be sung by children, youth or adults.

Faith Through the Roof CD is a teaching game about the healing of the man let down through the roof. The CD makes the point that Jesus was revealing his identify in this miracle.  Jesus tells the player to go spread the message of his presence, just like at Pentecost.

Life of Christ CD lesson 37 (Acts 8:1-4, 9:1-31) covers the story of Pentecost, the selection of Stephen and his stoning, plus the conversion of Saul to Paul. Would you still follow Jesus if you could be arrested for being a Christian?

Pentecost Radio Show on the Computer

Here’s how to have your kids make a “Pentecost Radio Show” on any laptop or computer.

Laptops have webcams that face the user, and they have microphones. This makes them both a CAMERA + TELEPROMPTER.

So yes, it’s technically not just ‘radio’ but moving right along…

Things to do:

1.  PRACTICE.  Make sure you know how to turn on your laptop’s video or audio recording program.

2. PREPARE a Script for what kids can say, and have them walk up to the camera and look at the words on the screen as they look at the camera lense.

3. ASSIGN ROLES. Practice it once or twice, then have them do it “for real.”

ROLES:

Ace Reporter:  The reporter is the ringmaster.
Naysayer 1 and 2: They are quoting from Acts Chapter 2
Pentecost Peter: He’s quoting from Acts Chapter 2
People in the Crowd: (they get to talk in different languages)

General Script Outline….  (I will flesh this out shortly)

We’re standing here outside a room in Jerusalem where a crowd has gathered for the feast of Pentecost. Tell me sir, what are you doing here? “I’m gathered here for the feast.  And you sir? Well, actually I’m just bringing breakfast for the disciples of Jesus who are locked inside that room there. What? who is Jesus? Why are they locked in?  They think the Romans will arrest them.

What was that….sounded like a rush of a mighty wind to me!  (Doors banging open, strange tongues…)

Filipino: Bukey ang Jesu Christo.
Greek: Eseus erne Zotanos
Taiwanese: Yah so go wah. (Jesus has risen.)
Russian: Christos gzyork mezdinyanos
Gallic: Jesus cha a gla bretha.
German: Jesus lebt. (Jesus lives.)
Spanish: ¡Jesus está vivo! (Jesus lives.)
Mandarin (Chinese): Yay su ai ni. (Jesus loves you.)
Korean: Yae su nu sa dang da. (Jesus loves you.)

Thanks to Pastor Ron at a church in Dakota who shared the “radio show” idea. It brought back a fond memory of doing something similar in my own lab years ago.

Reluctant Prophets:  Similarities between Peter and Jonah

We make fun of Jonah, but he was a prophet who simply wanted to AVOID DOING what God told him to do. He “denied” God, and ran away… which is exactly what Peter did. In both stories, their are “foreigners” that God wants to share his mercy with.

Click the image to see our Elijah and Jonah CD

• Jonah tried to hide on a boat. Peter hid from the soldiers and stayed in the upper room.
• Jonah was angry with God. Peter was angry with Jesus when he wanted to wash Peter’s feet.
• Jonah humbled by 3 days in the whale. Peter spent 3 days waiting for the resurrection.
• The Ninevites were “foreigners” to Jonah, gathered in Nineveh and needing to repent. At Pentecost, the foreigners gathered outside Peter’s door.
• Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and preached. Jonah too preached, but resented the fact that the Ninevites DID as he told them to do!

Our Jonah CD does a great job at teaching about the compassion of God to “foreigners.”

The Connection Between Graduation and Pentecost

Like Pentecost, school graduations tend to come about 50 days after Easter every year. Most churches recognize their High School and College graduates …often with cake and the giving of gifts. Many churches do the same thing with Pentecost, the so-called “birthday of the church.”

Consider the parallels….

The Disciples taking on the roles of Jesus after the Resurrection.
Graduates taking over responsibilities from their parents.
Disciples being sent into the crowd. Sending our grads “out into the world.”
Warning Disciples, warning Grads about the world.
Challenging them to remember what they have learned, and be true to their faith.
Naysayers showing up trying to get you to conform to their standards.

I’m sure you can come up with even more parallels.

Pentecost is about assuming more responsibility for Jesus’ ministry.
Graduation is about assuming more responsibility for your education and your life choices.
Same thing, really.

What did Jesus give the Disciples? …share of the Holy Spirit.
The gift we give our Grads could be expressed as a tangible way we are sharing Christ’s spirit with them. A reminder.   Here’s a thought…when you by that “graduates’ book” this year, have the whole congregation sign it!   Invite them to sign their name ANYWHERE in the book, so that their names are a surprising reminder to the grad. 

Book suggestions?  Here’s one:  “Love Wins” by Rob Bell, the teen edition.

Click the image to see the software

The story Elijah and young Elisha is VERY appropriate for graduation Sunday at the time of Pentecost

1 Kings 19 tells the story of Elisha asking old Elijah for a “double share of his spirit.”  And when Elijah is taken up into heaven (ascension!), he leaves behind his cloak…his prophet’s mantle. Elisha has the decision whether or not to pick it up. He does, he strikes the Jordan, the waters divide, and Elisha become an even great prophet than Elijah.

Pentecost Children’s Sermon 1:  “Like a Mighty Wind!”

…a.k.a.”Neil’s Leaf Blower Children’s Sermon”

This one is LOUD and RAUCOUS…and totally gets the point across in a memorable way.

Approach with a large bag by your side and lay it on the floor. Then sit down with the kids and ask them if they know what Pentecost is. Coax the story out of them for a bit. Then admit to them that when we hear Bible stories, they can sometimes seem r-e-a-l-l-y slow and borrrring (say it just like that and fall asleep at the end of the sentence and starting to snore. Talk in your sleep saying things like “O the bible is so boring, snore snore.”)

Then startle them by popping up and saying loudly, “But Not Really! The Bible is often an exciting book because it tells of exciting events. And the story of Pentecost is one of the most exciting stories in the entire New Testament.”

Jump up and grab the big bag. Invite some kids to help you open it. Inside is a LEAF BLOWER attached to an extension cord. Have an older kid go plug it in for you.

Click the pic to see our cool Bible software!

Say, “It has been 50 days since Jesus was resurrected. The Disciples were sitting there all bored and wondering what to do next. then suddenly something like a Mighty Wind blew into their upperroom. (Turn on the leaf blower. You might have it pointed at yourself first so it blows up your hair. If you’re wearing a pastor’s robe, send it flying!).

And it started swirling around the Disciples (swirl the kids). It blew the windows open (hold out a big piece of paper and blow it away). It was God’s Spirit! And it was blowing around as if to say, “Go outside, Go outside! …and if you don’t, I’ll blow you out the door anyway. God’s Spirit is the thing we feel inside us and around us telling us to do the right thing. Telling us to tell his message. Telling us to forgive. Sometimes God’s presence FEELS like a small whisper of wind (turn off your blower as you say this and whisper some things, like “God says forgive that person.”) But sometimes God’s presence feels like a Mighty Wind moving not only you, but other people around you, giving us all the same idea to go out and do good, forgive and tell others about Jesus.

You’re saying all of this over the sound of a very loud leaf blower. This will add to the fun. Blow the kids with the leaf blower, being careful not to blow in their faces. Stick the blower down the back of someone’s shirt. Blow a lot of hair. Swoosh the kids to get up.

And keep telling the story over the sound of the leaf blower. “On the day of Pentecost, OUTSIDE the room the disciples were safely gathered in, –there were a lot of people who had never heard of Jesus Christ. And God’s Spirit wanted them to hear about Jesus. So his Spirit moved the disciples to GET UP and GO into the crowd.

That’s why we celebrate Pentecost, to remember our job as Christians, to remember what God wants us to do… all of you kids (turn on your blower and blow them a bit), and all of you adults! (turn on the blower and blow the adults in the first couple of pews, if a bulletin goes flying, so be it!). —That our job as Disciples of Jesus, is to GO from here and be among friends and strangers, and tell them about our faith, about God’s love, and about the wonderful miracle that happened just 50 days ago. (Now turn OFF the blower and say) “AMEN.”

If your kids now leave for Sunday School, you can say “The kids may now LEAF for Sunday School.” (then turn on the blower and blow them off the steps).

The key to this children’s sermon is to yell over the blower and have fun blowing things around.

Pentecost Children’s Sermon #2

What does the Church Building want for its Birthday?

by Neil MacQueen

Have members/children purchase birthday gifts for the church building itself: light bulbs, paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, cleaning supplies, toys for the nursery, coffee for the adults, donut holes for the kids in the children’s sermon! etc. Wrap in birthday paper and bring to worship.

During children’s sermon, tell the story of Acts 2 as “the birthday of the church.” Have the children unwrap the gifts. Ask: What else does the church need to make it more welcoming to others? What gift could we give that church that would help your friends come here too?

Alt Finish: Bring in a big wrapped box. In it is a child, “the greatest gift you can give to your church is you.”

Alt Finish 2:  GIVE OUT STARTER DOUGH….

Bread….there is perhaps no tastier symbol of Pentecost. And remember?  In my Bible study notes above on this page I mentioned the tradition of WAVING BREAD during Jewish Pentecost.

Bread is basic, bread nurtures, bread is something you share with neighbors, bread is theological (think communion). Leviticus 23 describes the bringing of bread to the Temple as an act of Pentecost worship.  Distribute a starter dough from one common batch. Bless the batch and divide it up. Send home with instructions how to ‘feed’ new flour to the starter dough to achieve great results.

Theological note: In Rabbinic literature yeast was a symbol of sin (for more details, just look it up). But Christians, starting with Jesus’ “leaven in the loaf parable,” emphasized the ‘enlarging’ properties of yeast. That ‘air’ has often been symbolically linked to the ‘wind’ of the Spirit.

Pentecost Children’s Sermon #3

What Kind of Church Fruit are you?

by Neil MacQueen

There are a couple of fun ways to bring fruit into this children’s sermon. I’ve separately bagged various fruit and handed them out to children. Paper bags increase their sense of anticipation and they can try to guess what’s in there. I’ve palmed some grapes and did the ol’ “make them come out of a kid’s ear” trick (for you amateur magicians out there). I’ve even had an elder toss me lemons from the pew (kids loved that), after which we talked about “being given lemons vs making lemonade.” The point is, get their attention and make it memorable so the Word sticks.

Pentecost celebrates the Spirit coming into the disciples to build the church. God’s Spirit can live INSIDE YOU. How do you know if you have the Holy Spirit inside you? Paul tells us in his letter to the Galatians, chapter 5! He says you can see its fruits, the fruits of the Spirit, he calls them.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (which is like patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

At this point you’re going to have kids reach into their bags one at a time and pull out various fruits, describing each as you give it to a child to hold.

It really doesn’t matter WHICH fruit you pull out for which of the “fruits of the spirit”. You can mix and match. Mango for goodness/sweetness, apples for faithfulness because they are always there when you need them. You can pull out oranges for peace and say something like “oranges have sections you can share.” Make up any associations you want. When you give the fruit to a child, have them remember which of the “fruits of the spirit” goes with their fruit. If you have time, you can ask them to “remind you” when you collect the fruit from them.

When you have all the fruits distributed, point again to each fruit as you repeat to the kids this:

The Apostle Paul tells us that when people see these fruits in us, they will know that the Spirit of God is with us. Love, joy, peace, forbearance (or patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

And the cool thing about God’s Spirit is that you don’t have to carry around a bag of fruit. God gives the gifts of the Spirit straight into your heart.

Addendum #1: I originally did this years ago pulling fruit from inside my robe. The kids thought it was great, but some of the adults snickered 🙁

Addendum #2: I always wanted to pull a nut out of the bag and say, “this nut represents the ministers”…or something like that.

Pentecost Children’s Sermon #4: 

“God’s Spirit Can Transform us from Kernel to Popcorn”

by Neil MacQueen

AIR POPPER POPCORN, God’s Spirit opens our Hearts and turns us inside-out for the world.

This popcorn children’s sermon is based on the demonstration I wrote for my free “Paul and the Bright Light” lesson set, …the Video Workshop lesson plan here:  https://sundaysoftware.com/site/lesson-paul-and-the-bright-light/    You will need popcorn kernels, and an airpopper. Make sure you have the airpopper on an extension cord so you can pick it up for the lesson.  It references the story of Paul on the Damascus Road, but you could easily switch that to “Disciples sitting like unpopped kernels in their upper room.”

Who loves popcorn!  Then let’s make some. (Toss a few hard kernels around at the kids.)  What? Oh, we need a popper?  Good thing I brought one. (Pull out an airpopper, and pour some kernels into your hand and say:)  Who would have ever imagined something so big and fluffy and soft and yummy could come from something so small and hard.

Put the kernels into the popper but don’t turn it on.  Hand out small plastic bowls to each kid at this point and start getting excited waiting for popcorn. The kids will tell you to turn it on, -at which time you say, “Oh, we need warm air to turn the seed into popcorn, okay.”

As the popcorn starts to pop, hold the popper up and try to shoot popped-corn into their bowls (they will love this and it’s okay to be messy in God’s House. The adults will love it too.)  Make sure there’s plenty to go around.

While munching on popcorn….
Do you know why hard popcorn seeds explode into munch popcorn?  It’s because there’s a little bit of water inside the seed that the warm air in the popper causes to expand. And it happens so fast that the popcorn kernel turns itself inside out in an explosion.

According to the Bible, there was a man named Saul who hated Christians. Then one day while he was walking along the road to  Damascus, Jesus appeared to him and said, “Saul, why are your hurting other Christians? Why do you hate me?”  Saul became blind and was led to a Christian’s house. A few days later, Saul came to believe in Jesus, and suddenly he could see!  He started calling himself PAUL, …does that name sound familiar?   Yep, Paul went on to become one of the most famous Christians ever! … and he wrote about half of the letters in our New Testament.    He started out like this (hold up a kernel), and Jesus turned him into this (hold up popped popcorn).

[Alternately:  After Jesus had been resurrected and gone back to heaven, the Disciples were sitting around like unpopped kernels waiting for something to happen. They didn’t feel very powerful or changed. Then God’s Spirit blew down upon them at Pentecost and made them EXPLODE with faith and gifts to share the message of Christ to the crowd.  (blow the airpopper air at the kids).]

Within each of us is something God’s Spirit can WARM UP and cause us to explode in faith. People you think could never change can suddenly be filled with God’s Spirit, filled with faith, and do great things in his name. Even little tiny people, like Jennie’s brother Jack here who can’t even walk yet, can be filled with the Spirit of God and explode to become a great man of faith, serving others, speaking God’s word, forgiving, loving, helping.

If Jesus can turn bad people like Saul inside-out and make him into a great follower of Jesus. God can take good people like you, and make your better, more faithful, more loving.

But here’s the thing:  You have to invite his Spirit into you, to let him do it!  (turn on the popper for a moment and blow some warm air on each child) You have to admit you need God, you need to trust him, and let him into your heart. Let’s pray for God’s Spirit to come in and make our faith explode.

Pentecost 5: The disciples are resurrected from their upper room tomb, –a lesson/children’s sermon

Pentecost resurrected the Disciples from their upper room tomb, –a lesson/children’s sermon

Pentecost is a resurrection for the Disciples. The Spirit sweeps in and resurrects their faith and sense of purpose.  The scripture talks about dying and rising with Christ.  We too must move from death to life.  Before that, they were holed up in their upper room…. not knowing what to do, where they were going, -they were dead and waiting.  We too are “on hold” just before Pentecost. We’ve heard the message of Easter, marveled at it, but wonder what difference it will make, …what we need to do next. We are in a tomb.

For children:  

Simulate the Upper Room by using either a cardboard refrigerator box or a large canvas (stretched over the kids and you). Cut doors and window “flaps” in either the cardboard or canvas so they can “blow open” their “room” on cue –just like the Holy Spirit did.

While you’re under there with the kids, begin talking about the sad state the disciples were in that day, not knowing what was going to happen next, no sure how or if Jesus would come.  Then make the tomb/room “rumble” a bit, shaking with the wind during your talk. Invite the kids to help the wind begin to blow open that room, and eventually, blow it off big!  If you want to make a real surprise for the congregation, distribute “flame headbands” (made out of construction paper) to all the kids after they get into the room/tomb. When the door/canvas blows open, have the kids pop up with their flames above their heads. The congregation will love it.

Why do people hide from God? From strangers? From responsibilities? From the fear of being caught outside by the Romans?  From fear of talking to others about Jesus?

How do you get over that fear?  (prayer and practice!  …and relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to help you.)

Pentecost 6: Faith Meant to Fling — a lesson/children’s sermon idea

For this lesson or children’s sermon you will need several things to throw or launch, including toys you will buy in bulk and give to the kids. Some of those things won’t go very far, others will demonstrate the Pentecost proposition that “faith is meant to be flung” — shared, given away, and you don’t always know where it will land.  Use these flying things to illustrate your talk, then give them out to the kids and let them try give them a “fling.” If you do this in worship, invite the adults to “fling or fly” the items back at you. I’ve divided the activity/talk into “3 Acts” (steps). See notes below.  What a lot of great metaphors to expound on and demonstrate!

There are several “toys” you can buy in bulk to demonstrate different aspects of this proposition. They can be found cheap on Oriental Trading Company.

• Balsawood gliders (very inexpensive, easy to assemble, able to draw/write on them, and they are fun to fly).
• Jesus Fish Flingers (found these at Oriental Trading Co. how fun!  Buy dozens for the whole congregation. Could a message fit inside?
• Frisbees (“flying discs”). These can be purchased in bulk and used to demonstrate (in a safe room or outdoors) how “flinging technique” is important. You just can’t toss the message out there, you need to “beautifully fling it” to get it to travel. (Demonstrate)All these objects could be drawn or written on for a full-blown lesson.

Act 1: You demonstrate various “flying things” (both those that fly well, and don’t fly well). See “don’t fly well” notes below. 

Act 2: You talk about Pentecost, and the fact that “putting yourself out there to share” means letting the Spirit guide your flight, and never quite knowing what kind of effect you are having.

Act 3: Kids help you fling, then you invite the adults to “fling back.”  Pentecost was contagious, just like our “fling fest” is. When other Christians see you sharing your faith or living out your faith, they are encouraged to do it too.

Sometimes you don’t know exactly where your “flinging” will take you. (Flinging fish and frisbees is an inexact science.) You try to aim at that person over there, but you end up flinging at the person next to them. (You think you are helping person X, but person Y sees what you are doing and is affected.)  Who needs to hear the message of God’s love and forgiveness from you?   A sibling? friend? parent?  someone at school or in your neighborhood?  The “closer” you get to them, the easier it is for them to receive the message (you could demonstrate close vs far too).

Things that don’t fly so well:

• A wad of paper with your “best intentions” written on it.
• A glider that has a string or weight attached to weigh it down (burdened by fear, guilt, sin).
• Never getting your faith out of the package and assembling it. (Fling a packaged, unbuilt glider.)

Corollary Activity for extended follow-up:

All these flying things need wind/air to keep them up.  Demonstrate the Spirit of God sustaining us and helping us “deliver” the message by doing this game:   (1) Write a message on a piece of tissue paper. (2) Give pairs of students two straws to blow at the tissue to try and keep it up in the air and blow it to the goal line.

Pentecost Sailing Boat Ideas

The early Church was often visually represented as a boat on the sea. That image shows up in a lot of art, stained glass, an even in the ceiling beam architecture seen in many sanctuaries. What is often FORGOTTEN is that the boat was a SAILBOAT driven by the WIND (Spirit).  At Pentecost, the Spirit first manifested itself as a MIGHTY WIND.  That makes SAILS a great metaphor for Pentecost.  Our boat is going nowhere if we don’t raise our sails to catch God’s wind. Lots of great teaching and preaching on that metaphor!

For Sunday School….

Click to see our free Summer lessons

In Sunday School, have kids make sailboats that really float. Make the sails out of dowel rods, string and fabric. Carve the boat out of green open cell styrofoam.  The “mast” dowel rod can be stuck into the green foam. Kids can work on positioning it.  Have a leaf-blower handy to provide “wind” for your sailing trials.

These boats will need a weighted KEEL so that they don’t tip over. To make your weighted keel, have pre-cut triangular pieces of plastic which you can slide down in a slot you’ve made through the boat hull. The wide part of the triangular cut keel will keep the plastic from falling through the hull, but allow part of it to hang below the boat, while providing weight to the hull so it doesn’t tip over.  If you use plexiglass, use a file to round the points, and have the kids use emory cloth to smooth the edges.  Also… have some small stones which you can push down in through the top of your hull to provide “ballast”.  Experiment!  Getting the church properly built to catch God’s wind takes some trial and error.

Have a pool to float them in for part of your lesson. Write verses/encouragements to the sail

For Pentecost Sunday Worship, consider some of the following ideas:

• Park a sailboat in the church parking lot. The kids will enjoy hearing about Pentecost by climbing aboard!
• Place a small sailboat in the sanctuary. This would be a fun place to do your children’s sermon from.
• Have the kids CREATE SAILS for Worship out of colorful cloth, white sheets, and decorate them with symbols and sayings for Pentecost. Make your mast and boom out of PVC.  These can be carried into worship and set in an upright piece of PVC that you have anchored to a piece of plywood using a pipe flange (so the sails don’t tip).
• Bring in a large anchor, or make one out of paper mache.  Talk about when it’s appropriate to set your anchor, and when it’s appropriate to weigh anchor!
• Get decorative fishing nets from Oriental Trading Co.
• What’s our Rudder?  Center board?  Jesus, the Scriptures.
• Who’s at the helm?  Who’s the crew and who’s the captain?   Is the person who serves in the galley less important than the crew who raise the sails?
• Where are we headed to?  Do you get there in a straight line when you sail?

Click to view a full-length compressed version of the “Set Sail” music video from our “Faith Through the Roof” software.

Fruits of the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-23

Galatians 5 is a good memory verse for Cal & Marty’s Scripture Memory Game CD, and also for a Bible Crossword and Wordsearch puzzle, or a Fall of Jericho quiz (matching actions you could take, or words you could say to the “fruit” of the spirit it represents). A wordsearch puzzle will help cement the words in the student’s memory, and a crossword puzzle can explain their meaning. Older children and youth should make the puzzles themselves, then invite other students to their computer to do their puzzle (these programs allow students to play them on screen, or you can print them out).

OTHER Fruits of the Spirit Lesson Ideas…

Video: DVD #12 “Paul’s Letters”  in the What’s in the Bible? series has a wonderful section on the Fruits of the Spirit.  It’s in Part 2, Chapter 4. Very kid-friendly

Kid Pix software: Illustrating the Fruits of the Spirit

In years past, I’ve had my kids Illustrate various fruits using the Kid Pix software, –adding talking text to the screen and in effect, turning the passage into a talking Bible storybook in Kid Pix.

What Godly-trait can a Watermelon represent?

This is a fun idea which is similar idea to our Pentecost with Pirates idea). Come up with “New Fruits of the Spirit” and make the fruits teach their meaning in fruit language.

Here’s How: Use Kid Pix to draw the fruit. Draw talk bubble above the fruit, then use the talking text tool to add explanation as if the fruit is explaining itself. This is a humorous approach that will need you to PRIME the students with ideas. In my lab, I had five or six different fruits, and each had a “fill-in-the-blank” statement which stoked the kids’ illustration. They still needed my help to think through what this all means, but that was a very “fruitful” part of the lesson!

Have some of these fruits in the classroom to stoke their thinking.

(WARNING: This looks just like “fun” but it can actually be quite deep for older children. Part of the fun is to try and be clever…. to talk like a particular fruit would. This gets their brain cells whirling and enhances their memory of the lesson.)

Examples: The grapes said our words to others should be sweet. The watermelon says, “When you have God’s Spirit in you, your heart is so big you always have plenty to share.” The Apple says, “I I leave behind seeds of _______ and ______________(ex. friendship and caring) that will grow in other people’s lives.” (The teacher might give them kids the idea of “Apple leaves behind seeds that turn into good things for other people, such as _____” and the kids have to fill in the blank with ideas such as “being kind” or “befriending a sad person.”)

The Pineapple says, I’m tough on the outside –I stand up for what it right, such as……” (The pineapple then mentions something a FRUITY KID might have to stand up for …such as “stand up against bullying.”) And okay….the banana says gentleness was very “appealing”

DK has a good chart of the Fruits and coloring pages at http://www.dltk-bible.com/fruits_of_theThe _spirit.htm.  If the link goes dead, search google and google images.

A Fruity Bible study is in order here….

Jesus often referred to “fruits” as the product of godliness. It’s the thing people see growing out of you… what you offer to the world. We are to be known by our fruits.

Fruits are not only productive, sweet and nourishing, they also by definition BEAR SEEDS. Do a little demonstration of this by slicing an apple, sharing it, and then showing and talking about the seeds.

Fruits are also something that come in-season, in time. Fruit trees need tended to and pruned. The Church, the Bible, the Holy Spirit …these are all things which nourish and prune us to bear good fruit. Lots of great metaphors here.

“The Bible” Chapter 10: Courage (The Early Church)

…from the recently produce movie “THE BIBLE” featuring 35 minutes of Early Church History. 

(This is the movie produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey.)

EPISODE 10 : COURAGE