APRIL CURRICULUM

COME AND JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HOPE AND GOD’S CHARACTER,

AS SHOWN THROUGH GOD’S BIG STORY

In spite of the things that go wrong or the things we don’t understand, we can have hope that God knows what’s best and is working for our good. Because of that, we can trust God no matter what as we begin to explore why the story of Jesus is good news for everyone.

WEEK 1

We start the month in Hebrews 12:1-3 where the author is encouraging a group of Christians to keep following Jesus. Whether in the face of persecution and hard times, or whether we get distracted because of sin, we are reminded that Jesus is worth following.

Bottom Line:

Whatever happens, keep looking to Jesus. No matter the season that life brings with its highs and lows, we are not alone. Not only is Jesus with us, but we have access to others who follow Jesus as we encourage and help one another to keep the focus on Him. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we can remember that there is hope, and we can keep going, no matter how hard or easy the journey may be.

WEEK 2

In week 2, we head to John 12:12-16 Jesus has just arrived in Jerusalem for Palm Sunday, which fulfilled a prophecy the prophet Zechariah wrote about many years beforehand. Even though Jesus wasn’t the King the people were expecting, He was the King they needed.

Bottom Line:

Whatever happens, remember God is still working. Have you ever expected something to go one way, but it turned out differently than you imagined? Sometimes, in those moments we may not know what to do next or what to think, but just like God had a plan to send Jesus, God has a plan for each of us and is still at work in our lives.

WEEK 3

In week 3, we head to John 18–20:18 and 1 Peter 1:3, as we celebrate Jesus, our risen Savior! When all hope seemed lost, Jesus defeated even death itself, proving that He is bigger than anything we could ever imagine and that we can trust Him no matter what.

Bottom Line: Whatever happens, remember Jesus is alive. What’s the best news you’ve ever heard, and what made that news so exciting? It’s probably because that news made a difference in your life for the better. The news of Jesus does exactly that! Through the good and bad, Jesus is alive, and that is GOOD news full of hope.

WEEK 4

For week 4 we head to John 20:19-29 after Jesus’ resurrection. When Thomas heard Jesus was alive, he couldn’t believe it. Jesus showed up for Thomas, showing Thomas that there was no question He couldn’t handle.

Bottom Line:

Whatever happens, remember God is bigger than your questions. Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the things you don’t know or don’t have answers to? Sometimes we may never know the answer, but we can trust that God will be with us even in the midst of our questions. Sometimes it’s not about the answers but about growing closer to Jesus because of it.

MAY CURRICULUM

COME AND JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN INITIATIVE AND

GOD’S CHARACTER, AS SHOWN THROUGH GOD’S BIG STORY

INITIATIVE is seeing what needs to be done and doing it.

WEEK 1

Key Question: How has God met your needs? Sometimes it’s easy to get so distracted by the things we want most in life, or that we don’t have, that we forget about the things we already DO have. Whether we have a little or a lot, God has given us each the best gift we could ever receive. We hope this question invites preteens to reflect on how God has shown up for them throughout their lives.

We start the month in John 3:16-17 where John writes about the greatest love of all. God loved us so much, that God sent Jesus to take our place because of our sin. God took the initiative by making a move to restore our broken relationship, allowing us to one day live with God forever.

Bottom Line:

God took care of our greatest need. Love is a pretty powerful thing. God knew we could never fix sin on our own and needed a Savior, so God sent Jesus to rescue us out of love for us. God didn’t just see a need but chose to do something about it, and when we put our trust in Jesus we can live with God forever.

WEEK 2

Key Question: Who do you see that needs your help? Have you ever come across someone who looked super busy, was hurting, had questions, or seemed like they could use a little extra love and aid? What do you do in those moments? We hope this question gets preteens started thinking about the people in their lives—in any area—who they can help and how they can help them.

In week 2, we head to Exodus 2:1-10 where we find the Israelites facing tragedy. They had begun to grow so large as a nation that the pharaoh of that time grew scared and ordered all the newborn baby boys to die. Miriam and her mother took matters into their own hand, saving Moses, which eventually led to the saving of the rest of God’s people too.

Bottom Line: Look for ways to help the people you love. Have you ever done something good for someone close to you without being asked? How did they react? Sometimes, we shouldn’t wait for an invitation or an ask to meet a need. When we allow God’s Spirit to move in us, we can look around us and make the first move to help those we care about.

WEEK 3

Key Question: How can you use what you’ve been given? Can you think of a time someone has complimented you about something that seemed to come naturally to you? God has given each of us unique gifts and wired us all differently, not just for the betterment of ourselves, but to impact those around us too. We hope this question allows preteens to start thinking about how the ways God made them are impactful.

In week 3, we head to Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus told His disciples a story about a rich man who left for a long journey and entrusted his servants with some of his money. Each one received a different amount, but at the end of the journey, the man was proud of his servants for using what they were given to double the investment. All except for one…

Bottom Line: Look for ways to use what you’ve been given. We’ve all been given something. Whether that’s knowledge and a big brain, money, skills, or something else! God has entrusted each of us with a gift and talent to use in various ways to make an impact. Some ways may not be as noticeable, but we can ask God for help as we figure out what God has in store for us and use what we’ve been given.

WEEK 4

Key Question: How did you first hear about Jesus? Everyone has a starting point in their faith journey. Thankfully God has placed people in our lives to help us grow. We don’t have to figure out the hard parts on our own. We hope this question helps preteens think about their faith and who they can talk to when they want to learn more.

For week 4 we head to John 1:35-42 where we meet Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist. One day as John was with his disciples, they saw Jesus walking by. Jesus was the very same man John had been preparing his disciples for! So when the time came, John’s disciples left to go follow Jesus, and that decision led to more disciples following Jesus as they began to tell one another about Him.

Bottom Line: Look for ways to tell others about Jesus. When you hear good news do you typically keep it to yourself? Probably not! You want to share it with everyone around you no matter how that happens: notes, video, facetime, email, etc. Good news is worth sharing, and Jesus is the best news of all. So what can you do to share Jesus with others?