In our desire to equip parents as they “train their children up in the way they should go,” we have created a blog series to communicate the lessons our kids will be learning each Sunday, family verses to memorize together, and resources to help you as the parent to disciple your children.

Renew Kids

The word “disciple” means to intentionally impact the life of someone in the direction of being more like Jesus.

Disciples follow Jesus and help others follow Him too.

Every week faithful servants enter into this discipleship process with the children in Renew Kids. Their are three classes every Sunday: Nursery (ages 0-3), Primary (ages 3-6), and Challenge (ages 6-10).

This week’s Family Verse

And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible for him who believes.” —Mark 9:23

Mark 9:23

Having a family verse helps encourage the whole family to be “hiding God’s word in our heart” as we are commanded to do. Take the time this week to learn the family verse together.

Primary Class

Our curriculum for the Primary class comes from The Gospel Project for Kids and systematically teaches the stories of the Bible starting in Genesis and finishing in Revelation. We are currently studying the Old Testament going from Creation through the life of Joseph.

Unit Focus: God the Covenant Maker

God remained faithful to the covenant He made with Abraham and renewed His promises to Jacob despite Jacob’s sin. God used Joseph to provide for the people of Israel and bring them into Egypt, which also set the stage for a glorious demonstration of God’s power to deliver.

Unit Key Passage

And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.” —Genesis 26:24

Bible Passage: Genesis 32-33

Main Point: God changed Jacob’s name to Israel.

Big Picture Question: What can stop God’s plan? Nothing can stop God’s plan.

Discussion Questions

1. Why was Jacob afraid to go back home? (Esau might still be angry.)

2. Who was the man Jacob wrestled with all night? (God)

3. What part of Jacob’s body did God injure when they wrestled? (his hip)

4. What new name did God give Jacob? (Israel)

5. Was Esau still angry with Jacob? (no)

Challenge Class

The Challenge Class is currently studying the Gospel of Mark. Mark emphasizes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus announced the Kingdom of God, healed the sick, and died as a ransom for sinners. Three main groups of people are focused on in Mark: the disciples, the crowds, and the religious leaders, none of whom understood Jesus.  In the Challenge Class we focus on learning to study and read the bible and learn what God is trying to tell us through scripture.

 Gospel for Asia Project

GFA goat

In the Challenge Class they are working on earning a pair of goats for a family through Gospel for Asia. How do they earn this? Every week the kids in the Challenge Class have the opportunity to earn marbles to fill up a jar in order to earn a pair of goats for the Gospel for Asia Ministry. How do they earn marbles?

The Challenge Class can earn marbles in these ways:

  1. Memorize the scripture verse for the Challenge Class
  2. Study the Bible at home
  3. Draw a picture of something they learned in the bible
  4. Learn a new story from the Bible

Challenge Study

This week we will be continuing in the Gospel of Mark and will be focusing on Mark 9:1-29 and we will continue learning the books of the Old Testament. This section of Mark discusses the transfiguration and the disciples reaction to what happened. Jesus also heals a boy with an unclean spirit when the disciples could not and Jesus tells them that “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29)

Scripture Memory Verse

And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible for him who believes.” —Mark 9:23

Discussion:

In the Challenge Class we really encourage the kids to ask questions and think about how the scripture is alive for them today. We would really like encourage the parents to continue to model this at home with open ended questions about the scripture we are studying. The goal of the Challenge Class is for the kids to be able to read and study the bible themselves with the help of their parents and teachers as they grow in Christ.

 Song:

The Challenge Class will be starting to learn the books of the Old Testament this week. A great way to help our kids remember this is to learn the books of the Old Testament in a song.
This is the song they will be singing in class:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhwyB989UCU

Scripture Verse for the Parents

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” —John 13:34-35