Brite Monthly – April 2024
This month’s Biblical theme is:
The Birth of the Church
Jesus ascended into heaven, promising that a Helper would come. Days later, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples just as Jesus had promised! They were able to speak in other languages and preach. The Church was born and many people believed. Stephen became the first martyr when he spoke about Jesus without fear of repercussions. Jesus was with the early Church then and He is still with the Church today!
Monthly Bible Verse: If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31b)
Jesus Appears to the Disciples: Jesus had died on the cross and risen from the dead. The disciples were hiding in a locked room when Jesus appeared to them! He showed them His wounds and reassured them of His love.
Jesus Ascends: On the Mount of Olives, Jesus told them the Holy Spirit would come to them and they would be His witnesses all over the world! Then, He ascended into heaven. The disciples were promised that Jesus would return again someday.
Pentecost: There was a sound like wind and flames of fire appeared above the disciple’s heads. They began speaking in other languages. Peter preached about what Jesus had done. Three thousand people believed in Jesus and the Church was born.
Stephen: Stephen told people about Jesus and performed miracles. False accusations were made about him to the religious leaders. Stephen preached that they had rejected Jesus. In anger, they stoned him to death. Jesus was with Stephen the whole time.
This month’s Unit Title is: Explore!
This month, we will be exploring and learning about Jesus’ last days on Earth and the birth of the Church. The early Church made a movement that took off to great places unknown. They didn’t always know where they were going and had to trust in God to be their GPS. To decorate, use maps, airplanes, travel posters, suitcases and postcards!
Check out our Pinterest page for more ideas at https://pin.it/6kUYjf1.
This Month’s Leader Training Topic is: Responding to Tough Questions
Life is full of questions. Some surface and an answer is immediate or sure. Others linger in our minds or hearts and are not easily satisfied. Some questions are purely intellectual while others have a grip on our emotions. Some questions feel safe to ask while others feel risky or uncomfortable. Having questions is a human experience and not one limited to adults. Kids often ask the most thoughtful questions because they are brave enough to speak them aloud.
When we look to Scripture, we see that those who knew God felt the freedom to bring their questions to Him. We need look no further than Jesus to see God’s heart of hospitality toward and engagement with questions. As you lead your group, you have a chance to extend a similar welcome and care toward the questions of your kids. Your willingness to listen closely and thoughtfully engage their questions, particularly the tough ones, will no doubt encourage kids that they can ask honest questions about and of God. This month, we’ll explore what it looks like to approach the kids’ tough questions with kindness and intentionally, guiding them to God, the source of all wisdom.
Throughout the month, we’ll explore the following topics:
- Week 1 Content: Welcome Questions
- Week 2 Content: Be Curious
- Week 3 Content: Look to Scripture
- Week 4 Content: Point to Jesus
Teaching Kids about the Gospel:
The Gospel is the good news. God wants everyone to know this good news and not to miss out on this invitation!
Here’s the Gospel in four words: God, Us, Jesus, Trust.
God
God is loving, 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.