The Fight of Gideon and the Flight of Midian!...Judges 6-7

Big Truth: god strengthens those who know their weakness

  • CREATE a pattern out of anything in your house - it could be a pattern of a knife, a fork and a spoon - or any items of the same colour…a red cushion, a blue t shirt, a green cup, a red pencil, a blue shoe, a green toy…

  • WATCH the Bible Story Video or READ from the Biggest Story Bible Storybook

  • There’s a pattern between God and his people in lots of the Bible - can you fill in the missing words to complete the repeating pattern…

    • God r_s_u_s;

    • the people r_b_l;

    • God d_s_i_l_n_s;

    • the people d_s_a_r;

    • God d_l_v_r_

  • Who do you go to when you need help? Who did the Israelites go to when they needed help?

  • Why was Gideon afraid of the Midianites? How did God use Gideon to show that God was strong.

  • This sentence is repeated a lot on the book of Judges, “there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” Why is this a problem?

  • Who is God’s king that God’s people need?

  • TALK If we follow King Jesus, how might you rewrite the sentence “there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” to show that Jesus is your king?

    Try and memorise Judges 3 v9

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

PRAY

The Walls Came Tumbling Down!...Joshua 6

Big Truth: god FIghts for those who trust in him

  • PLAY follow the leader with the leader marching around the house. See how long you can do it in complete silence.

  • WATCH the Bible Story Video or READ from the Biggest Story Bible Storybook

  • How would you expect an army to defeat their enemies?

  • Even though Joshua, the Israelites, and Rahab believed God’s promises, why might they have been afraid? How did they bravely act on what they believed? They believed God’s promises and obeyed his plans.

  • What enemies has Jesus defeated? Why is this good news for us?

  • TALK Have you ever been afraid to follow God or do what he commands? How can believing God’s promises and trusting Jesus’ victory help us be strong and courageous in those situations?

    Try and memorise Joshua 1 v9 - this song might help

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

PRAY

You're not the Boss of me!...Numbers 16

Big Truth: god judges those who reject his plan and his chosen leaders

  • PLAY follow the leader

  • WATCH the Bible Story Video or READ from the Biggest Story Bible Storybook

  • Who did God choose to lead his people out of Egypt and through the wilderness? Moses. Who prayed for the people to God to ask for God’s forgiveness for them? Moses. Who did he choose to offer sacrifices as the high priest? Aaron.

    The Israelites grumbling about Moses and Aaron as their leaders was actually grumbling about God - God chose Moses and Aaron as His leaders.

  • How did God react to the Israelites rejecting Moses and Aaron as his chosen leaders? What did he do? God will judge those who reject his plans and the people who he has chosen to carry them out.

    TALK about how did Aaron saved the people? How are Jesus and Aaron alike? How is Jesus greater? Jesus is greater than Aaron; he perfectly atoned for our sins with his life.

Try and memorise Deuteronomy 9 v3

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

PRAY

Big People - Little Faith!...Numbers 13-14

Big Truth: Believing god’s promises makes us brave

  • TALK about a promise! If you didn’t already, can you think of a promise that doesn’t depend on you doing something to get the promise? It’s hard isn’t it - but God makes so many wonderful promises, and he keeps them, because he is good - even when we aren’t.

  • WATCH the Bible Story Video or READ from the Biggest Story Bible Storybook

  • Can you remember any of the big promises that God made to Abraham? He would make a huge nation of people who are his, they would know his blessing and they would have a place to live, with Him.

  • It’s hard to remember the promises that God makes. Do you think God forgets his promises? No! It might look like it as we wait, but God always keeps his promises.

  • What were the two reports from the spies? All the spies saw the same thing, why do you think some of the spies were afraid and Joshua and Caleb weren’t? Joshua and Caleb remembered that God is mighty and strong and he keeps his promises and he will keep his promise to give his people the promised land!

    TALK about what things God asks us to do in His word, that we find hard to do and so sometimes we don’t do them.

    PLAY spies - dress up and go big if you like. Then report back on all that you see out of your window. What looked good - what looked scary?!

Try and memorise Numbers 14 v9

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

PRAY

A Tale of Two Goats!...Leviticus 16

Big Truth: God FORGIVES ANd forgets our sins

  • TALK about any special days in the year when everybody does something different? Christmas day, Easter Sunday, birthdays??

  • WATCH the Bible Story Video or READ from the Biggest Story Bible Storybook

  • What was the special day in this story called? The Day of Atonement

  • What happened on this day? The holiest person in Israel, would go into the holiest place of the holy place to stand before the holy God and talk to God about the sins of all the people

  • What does this tell us about God? He is holy!

  • What does atonement mean? Paying the price for sin.

  • One of the goats was killed as a way of asking for and a sign that we are forgiven. The other goat was taken away as a way of showing that sin is taken away, forgotten. They are a substitute. How is Jesus a better substitute that these goats? He was killed for all sins as the ultimate substitute who dies to pay the price for sin, taking it away. He is the ultimate atonement for sin.

    TALK about why our sin has to be forgiven and forgotten. God is holy but we are not, so we need Jesus.

    PLAY drawing straws - cut some straws into different lengths and take in turn to choose a straw from somewhere where they all appear to be the same length. Whoever pulls out the longest straw wins. Then bring out a perfect straw - this represents Jesus. No matter how good we are, we never measure up to Jesus and his perfection - we need Jesus so we can be God’s people.

Try and memorise Hebrews 10 v10

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

PRAY

A Fancy Tent and a Foolish Cow!...Exodus 32-34

Big Truth: God PEople should worship god the way he commands us to

  • MAKE a tent to learn about this story in

    WATCH the Bible Story Video or READ from the Biggest Story Bible Storybook

  • What was the tent that the God wanted the people to build? Tabernacle. What was the tabernacle for? It was a way of showing the people, that God is with them.

  • Why did the people make a statue of a cow? To have something that they could see and worship. Why was this a big problem? God told them to only worship Him.

    TALK about why God listened to Moses and didn’t destroy the people as their punishment - What does this tell us about God? God is loving and kind as well as just.

    TALK about how Moses is like Jesus and how Jesus is better than Moses. Moses rescued the Israelites, Jesus rescues all people for all time

  • TALK about the things that we might worship (love more than God) in our lives. Say sorry to God and thank you to Jesus for rescuing us from worshipping created things.

Try and memorise Exodus 32 v30

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

PRAY

The Way to Stay Free!...Exodus 19-20

Big Truth: God gives his good rules so we can live free lives that reflect him

  • TALK about rules - are they good or not?Talk about playing a game that your child likes, without any of the rules. What would it be like? CHAOS! God gives His people good rules to follow to show how good he is, to know how to love Him, enjoy Him and reflect Him.

    Watch the Bible Story Video or READ from the Biggest Story Bible Storybook

  • What order did God do things…did he save the people or give them rules first? save them first. God doesn’t tell us to be good so that we deserve to be saved, he saves us when we don’t deserve it, because he loves us! (read 20 v2-3)

  • Write out the 10 commandments and cut them into individual strips of paper. Then sort the commandments into 2 lists:

    • The four that focus on loving God above anything else (with all our heart, soul, mind and strength - Ex 20 v3-11) One God - “You shall have no other gods before me.”; No idols - “You shall not make for yourself a carved image.” ; Watch your mouth - “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”; Take a rest -“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

    • Then the 6 that focus on loving others (Ex 20 v12-17) Honour your parents - “Honour your father and your mother.” ; Don’t murder - “You shall not murder.”; Don’t cheat on your husband or wife - “You shall not commit adultery.”; Don’t steal - “You shall not steal.”; Don’t lie -“You shall not bear false witness.”; Don’t dream about other people’s stuff -“You shall not covet.”

  • Why does God give us these rules to follow then, if he has already saved us? To enjoy life with him as the best way to live. To make him look like the great God that he is. It is our special joy as God’s children!

    TALK about if we are able to keep God’s commandments perfectly? Which are the hardest for us? Does God still love us even if we cannot follow his rules? Why should we try to follow his rules? What might help us to follow his rules?

Try and memorise Exodus 20 v2-3

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

Play Simon says

PRAY

Free at Last: The Story of the Exodus!...Exodus 4-15

Big Truth: God saves his people from the egyptians

  • PLAY a variation of a game where you need to free something from one area (Egypt) and deliver them to another (the wilderness) It could be a bucket of balls that you need to move to a goal, or a box of minifigures that you need to move to the garden.

    Watch the Bible Story Video .

  • Who are the Israelites and what did God promise them? Read Exodus 6 v6-8)

  • How many plagues did God send to show Pharoah that he is the almighty God and command him to let His people go? 10

  • How many of the plagues can you list? Blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, death of the firstborn.

  • What did God tell his people to paint over their doors to save them from the final plague? The blood of a lamb (read Exodus 12 v12-13)

    TALK about how the lamb had to die to save the Israelites from Egypt. How is this story like the story of Jesus? We are saved by Jesus - his blood means that God ‘passes over our sin’.

    TALK about how God saved his people again by making a path through the sea so they could be free. How has God made it possible for us to be free?

Try and memorise Exodus 12 v13

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

PRAY

God raises up a Deliverer!...Exodus 1-3

Big Truth: GOD RAISES UP A LEADER TO DELIVER HIS PEOPLE OUT OF SLAVERY

  • PLAY Follow the leader

    Watch the Bible Story Video .

  • What did Pharaoh command to be done to the Israelite baby boys? Did this happen? How were these babies saved? How was Moses saved?

  • God told Moses something 3 very important, what was it? (I AM GOD, I WILL RESCUE THROUGH YOU MOSES, I AM WHO I AM, which means that he is the always and forever God)

    TALK about who else said they are the ‘I AM’ [JESUS] Read some of the I AM sayings (John 8 v21 and 11 v25) What does this tell us about Jesus? [He is the always and forever God!]

    TALK about Moses rescuing God’s people the Israelites long ago. Who has rescued all people? If they trust Him? [JESUS]

Try and memorise Exodus 3 v17

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

Joseph's mean brothers and what God meant to do!...Genesis 36; 50

Big Truth: God WORKS ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO HIS PERFECT PLAN

  • Talk about plans that you have made that went well and plans that did not go well.

    Watch the Bible Story Video . Whilst you watch it, count how many times things got worse and better.

  • Talk about some of the things that were worse and some of the things that were better in Josephs life.

  • Read Genesis 50 v20. What is the worse thing in this verse, and the better?

  • Some terrible things happened to Joseph in his life, but God always had a plan, a perfect plan to rescue people.

    TALK about things that are hard in life and what you can remember about God in these times.

    TALK about how we can be sure that God has a perfect plan to save His people [JESUS] and this doesn’t change, not matter how hard things are. We can trust God.

Try and memorise Geneses 50 v20

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

Blessings in the Night!...Genesis 28; 32

Big Truth: God REMINDS JACOB THAT HE WILL KEEP HIS PROMISE AND HE WILL BE WITH HIM

  • What is a ‘Promise’? To say that you will do something

  • What promise did God make to Abraham (and Issac and Jacob)? He would have many descendants (a very big family that went on for years and years!)

    Watch the Bible Story Video . Whilst you watch it, make a list or draw as many things as you can, to create a list / picture of Esau and Jacob.

  • What happened in Jacobs two dreams? God came down to be with his people and Jacob wrestled with a God figure / angel

  • Did Jacob deserve for God to be with him?

  • Why do you think God still blessed Jacob, even though he kept getting things wrong? Because God has said that he would do this - it was his promise

  • God has come to this world, to be with us. How do we know this? Because Jesus came to earth and Jesus is God

  • What name of Jesus means ‘God with us’? Immanuel

    PLAY ‘Thumb Wresting’

    • Have a thumb war to reming you of Jacob wrestling with the angel in the night

  • God reminds Jacob that he will keep his promise and he will be with him and this is good news for us - how do we know that God keeps his promises and that he is with us?

  • Think of a time when you really want to know that God is with you. When you are scared, or angry or tempted. Pray that God would help you to remember this truth this week.

Try and memorise Geneses 28 v15

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

God's Tricky, Hairy, Blessed People!...Genesis 25; 27

Big Truth: God BLESSES HIS PEOPLE EVEN WHEN THEY KEEP GETTING THINGS WRONG

  • What is a ‘Promise’? To say that you will do something

  • What promise did God make to Abraham? He would have many descendants (a very big family that went on for years and years!)

    Watch the Bible Story Video . Whilst you watch it, make a list or draw as many things as you can, to create a list / picture of Esau and Jacob.

  • What did Jacob do that was wrong? Stole his brothers blessing by tricking his father.

  • So, did Jacob deserve His Father’s blessing?

  • Why do you think God still blessed Jacob, even though he was really sneaky and mean to get the promise? Because God has said that he would do this ‘the older would serve the younger, 25 v23)

  • What does this make you think about God? We can trust Him because he will do what he says

    PLAY ‘Spot the difference’

    • One person has to look away whilst the other changes something in the room. When they look back they have the spot what has been changed.

    • Remind that Jacob made himself appear, feel and smell different to trick Issac so that he would get Esau’s blessing.

  • God blesses his people even when they keep getting things wrong and this is good news for us - but why?

  • How do you think that God has blessed (caused great happiness) you? Ultimately, through Jesus

Try and memorise Geneses 25 v23

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Listen or Sing

It's a Boy!...Genesis 21-22

Big Truth: God PROVIDED A SON AND A SACRIFICE FOR ABRAHAM

Watch the Bible Story Video and pick some of the questions and activities to explore the story:

  • What is a ‘Promise’? To say that you will do something

  • What promise did God make to Abraham that made him and Sarah laugh? They would have a child.

    BREAK: Abraham had to be so patient to wait for God to keep his promise, he was 100 years old by the time that Issac was born. Play the red light - green light game to explore ‘waiting’. You have to get from one side of the room / garden to the other. When I shout ‘red light’, you have to stop like a statue and wait (if I see somebody move, they go back to the start). When I shout ‘green light’, you can go!

  • What does ‘Sacrifice’ mean? To give something up in place of something else

  • What did God ask Abraham to sacrifice? Issac, his son

  • How do you think Abraham felt when God asked him to do this?

  • What does ‘Faith’ mean? Believing what God says, no matter what

  • Why do you think Abraham was willing to do what God said, and sacrifice his son that he had waited so long for? Because he had faith in God, he trusted God - no matter what

  • What happened to Issac? Was he sacrificed? He was saved - God provided an animal to be killed in his place, to rescue him.

  • God provided a person to save us, who was it? Jesus

  • Why did we need to be saved? We needed to be saved from death - the punishment for sin.

  • What do we need to do to be saved? Nothing, just believe that Jesus died to save us, just like God promised.

Try and memorise Proverbs 3 v5

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Play Red Light - Green Light again

Play ‘Try not to laugh’

  • Face each other and see who can last the longest without laughing.

    • It’s hard to not laugh at things that are funny or sound unbelievable. Abraham and Sarah laughed at God’s promise, because it sounded so unbelievable. But God can do what He wants and He always keep his promises!

Listen or Sing

The Judge Judges Justly...Genesis 18-19

Big Truth: God IS THE JUDGE WHO JUDGES JUSTLY

Watch the Bible Story Video and chat about it:

  • What does a judge do? Says what is right and wrong.

  • Can you think of somebody who judges? (who says when something is right and wrong?)

  • What should a good judge be like and do? Always say what is right and what is wrong.

  • In the story, God judges the people in Sodom and Gomorrah…

    • What does he do to judge them? // Why does he judge them? // Do you think God was right to judge them? Why?

      God is just and he will make good judgements

  • Who is saved in the story? Why are they saved?

    God blesses those who obey and punished those who disobey

  • Is there anybody who obeys God all of the time? No, even us

  • So if God is a good judge, what should he do to us? Punish us, like the people in Sodom.

  • How can we escape God’s right judgement and punishment? Only through forgiveness in Jesus, because he takes our punishment!

Try and memorise Psalm 75v7

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Spend 1 minute thinking of as many things that you can that you did wrong yesterday

  • Write them down on separate pieces of paper. Have a big piece of paper, split in half with ‘Me’ written on one side and ‘Jesus’ written on the other. Hold up each of the things done wrong in turn and ask, ‘who did this wrong, you / me or Jesus?’ Then stick it on the ‘Me’ side. Once they are all on the page, ask ‘Who does God punish for all of these things?’ If we trust Jesus - Jesus - even though he has done nothing wrong! If we trust ourselves to be good enough - he will punish us!

Listen or Sing

Let's Make a Deal...Genesis 15; 17

Big Truth: God can always be trusted

Watch the Bible Story Video and chat about it:

  • Can you remember any of the promises that God gave? Snack crusher rescue, People, Land, Blessing, Friends with God

  • What is a promise? Something that somebody says that they will do, or will happen

  • Did Abram find it hard or easy to trust God’s promises? Why?

  • Have you ever made a promise that was hard to keep?

  • Have you ever been made a promise that was hard to believe?

  • What did Abraham need to do? Trust God’s words - believe that he would keep his promises, no matter how amazing and hard to believe they are!

  • Do you think God is somebody that we can trust? Why?

Try and memorise Genesis 15 v6

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Count the stars in the sky one night

  • This is how many people Abraham would have in his family - Abraham was part of God’s family - so this is how many people would be in God’s family! WOW! Too many to count!

Listen or Sing

A Father of Nations...Genesis 11-13

Big Truth: God promises to bless the nations through Abraham

Watch the Bible Story Video and chat about it:

  • If you had to plan to rescue people, what top 3 things would be part of your plan?

  • What did God tell Abraham to do? Leave his home, with all of his family

  • Do you know who was part of Abraham’s family? Clue: they are the biggest blessing that God has ever given, a ‘rescue for the whole world blessing’! Jesus - God always keeps his promises, no matter how big they are!

Try and memorise Genesis 12 v2

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Create a family tree

  • Be as creative as you like to try and remember that we can be part of God’s family because of Jesus!

Listen or Sing

A Table and a Tower...Genesis 10-11

Big Truth: People wanted to be great, but only God is great

Watch the Bible Story Video and chat about it:

  • What’s the biggest, tallest thing you have ever seen?

  • Why did the people in Genesis 10 build a huge tower? To be strong and powerful and great, ever greater that God!

  • Can anybody ever be as great as God?

  • Can anybody ever build a tower big enough to even get near to God?

  • So how can we be with God? God will come to us - rescue the world. Jesus will do it - Jesus had done it! God sent Jesus to the world, to rescue us, because we cannot be near God on our own. We need Him.

Try and memorise Genesis 11 v9

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Build a Tower

  • Be as creative as you like to try and remember that God has to come to us because he is so great, we cannot get to him on our own - we need Jesus!

Listen or Sing

Rain, Rain, Go Away...Genesis 6-9

Big Truth: God sent a flood to judge all the wickedness on earth

Watch the Bible Story Video and chat about it:

  • REMINDER: What was life outside of the garden of Eden like? Not good - sin was everywhere and in everyone

  • Have you ever been out in the rain for a long, long time?

  • How long did God make it rain for? 40 days and 40 nights - NONE STOP!

  • What would the rain do? Destroy the world because sin was everywhere and in everyone - how sad!

  • Who did God choose to save from the rain? Noah and his family

  • What did God do when the rain stopped and the land dried up? Made a promise, again! A Rainbow - a bow pointing to the sky, instead of at the earth! God will rescue the world, by taking the arrow from the bow, Jesus will do it - Jesus had done it!

Try and memorise Genesis 7 v12

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Draw or create a rainbow / Build an Ark

  • Be as creative as you like to try and remember God’s promise to judge through Jesus

Listen or Sing

From Bad to Worse...Genesis 3-4

Big Truth: Sin was everywhere and in everyone

Watch the Bible Story Video and chat about it:

  • REMINDER: What does Sin mean? ‘So long God, I’m in charge, No to your rules and love’

  • What happened to Adam & Eve after sin entered the world? Sent away by God // Can’t be friends with God

  • Who are Cain & Abel? Adam & Eve’s children

  • What did Cain do? Killed his brother Abel

  • What was life outside of the garden of Eden like? Not good - sin was everywhere and in everyone

  • Do you remember what God promised? He would send the snake crusher to rescue the world from sin

Try and memorise Romans 5 v12

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Talk about things that are spoiled in us because of sin

  • Try to bring focus on to our relationship with each other and with God.

Listen or Sing

A Very Bad Day...Genesis 3

Big Truth: Sin, suffering and death came into the world because Adam disobeyed God.

Watch the Bible Story Video and chat about it:

  • What did the snake do? Deceive

  • What did Adam do? Doubted God // Disobeyed God

  • What did Eve do? Doubted God // Disobeyed God

  • What happened to the world because of what Adam & Eve did? Sin entered - - we can’t be friends with God

  • What does Sin mean? ‘So long God, I’m in charge, No to your rules and love’

  • What did God do? Made a promise to send the snake crusher who will deal with sin - Jesus (3v15)

Try and memorise Genesis 3 v15

  • You read it > look up any words you don’t understand > you read it and skip words for children to fill > you read it > they read it

  • Add some actions

Talk about things that are spoiled in our world because of sin

  • Try to bring focus on to our relationship with each other and with God

Listen or Sing

Get in touch