Brite Monthly – April 2023

This month’s biblical theme is:

End of Jesus’ Ministry

In the final days of His earthly ministry, Jesus defeated death and made a way for all of us to live forever with Him. In His interactions with those who were closest to Him, we see the grace, peace, and forgiveness that He offers each of us.

Judas Betrays and Peter Denies: Judas and Peter were two of Jesus’ disciples and closest friends. Judas betrayed Jesus for silver, and Peter denied knowing Him. Even though Jesus knew His friends would hurt Him, He still loved them. He loves us first.

Death and Resurrection: After His arrest, Jesus was crucified as if He was a criminal, even though He had done nothing wrong. He died and was buried. Three days later, His disciples found the tomb empty and angels told them that He had risen from the dead. He had defeated death forever.

Road to Emmaus: Two followers of Jesus walked along the road, discussing all that had happened. Jesus walked beside them, but they didn’t know it was Him. He explained to them how all of the prophets and law of the Old Testament pointed towards Him and His salvation.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples: As the disciples gathered together in a room, Jesus appeared among them. They were scared and confused. “Peace to you,” He said. Because Jesus is alive and defeated death, we can have His peace.

Jesus Reinstates Peter: Peter was fishing without any luck. Jesus called out from the shore, encouraging him to put his net on the other side. When Peter did, he caught many fish. He realized it was Jesus and swam to shore. Jesus reaffirmed that Peter still had a place in serving Him. He was forgiven and restored.

This month’s Unit Title is: Case Closed

This month’s videos include a kid detective who is trying to solve a case of missing candy in his own house. Decorations for this unit can include mystery decor such as magnifying glasses, finger prints, and caution tape. Check out our Pinterest page for more ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/britecurriculum/caseclosed/.

For more creative ideas, you can check out our Pinterest board here: https://pin.it/zK1bdsh

This month’s Leader Training Topic is:

Small Group Traditions and Practices

When your small group meets each week, you have the opportunity to engage new content together as you listen to God’s word and explore just how amazing God is! The kids in your group have the chance to learn new things and to respond to God’s invitation to believe in and follow Him. The curriculum is designed to provide your group with a variety of experiences and discussions that will invite kids to participate and help them to process what they are learning. While this aspect of your group time changes from week to week and is designed for you, there is also value in cultivating some consistent small group traditions and practices that are unique to your group. Having some elements of your group time that are familiar and expected, helps kids to feel a sense of safety with the group. Also, the incorporation of small group traditions and practices provide an opportunity to express the values of the group, such as celebrating special days together, praying for the needs of those in the group, and being intentional about building relationships with one another. This month, we’ll explore different traditions and practices that can help to enhance the connection between kids in your group and the care that the group is able to provide.

Throughout the month, we’ll explore the following topics:

Week 1 Content – Greetings
Week 2 Content – Goodbyes
Week 3 Content – Prayer Practices
Week 4 Content – Birthdays
Week 5 Content – Holidays

Teaching kids about the gospel:

The gospel is the good news. God wants everyone to know this good news and to not miss out on this invitation!

Here’s the gospel in four main words: God, Us, Jesus, Trust.

God

God is a loving God who is all-powerful and holy. He knows and sees everything, and rules over everything. God created all people in His image, and we are valuable to Him.

Us

But we have sinned, and our sin separates us from God. What is sin? Sin is anything we think, say, or do that disobeys God. The penalty for sin is death and separation from God forever.

Jesus

But because God loves us so much, He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sin. Jesus died in our place. But He did not stay dead—He rose again three days later. Because of Jesus, we no longer have to be separated from God and we are offered the free gift of eternal life!

Trust

God gives salvation, rescuing us from our sin, to everyone who places their trust in Jesus as their Savior. What is trust? It means that we rely on what Jesus did. You cannot be saved from sin by doing good things, but only through what Jesus did for you.