Brite Monthly – January 2023

This month’s biblical theme is

Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry

Jesus was fully God and fully man. He experienced the same things we did, but He did it all without sinning from the moment He was born. In the beginning of His ministry, Scripture gives us a clear picture of who Jesus is and what He came to do.

Anna and Simeon: After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph brought Him to the temple. Simeon and Anna were two people who had been waiting to see God’s promised Savior finally come. While at the temple, they were able to both see Jesus, and Simeon declared the truth that Jesus is for all people.

Boy Jesus: On their way back from Jerusalem, Mary and Joseph realized that Jesus wasn’t with them so they returned. They found Jesus at the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. Even as a kid, Jesus lived in complete obedience to God.

Temptation of Jesus and Rejection in Nazareth: Before beginning His earthly ministry, Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Jesus fought back against the temptation using the truth of God’s Word. He was later rejected by His hometown for saying He was the Savior God had promised. Jesus understands our struggles.

Jesus Calls The Disciples: Jesus performed an incredible miracle for a group of fishermen and then He called them to follow Him, along with a tax collector named Matthew. He now calls all people to follow Him. Jesus can change our lives.

Transfiguration: Jesus brought three of His disciples up on a mountain to pray. While there, Jesus began to shine brightly and change in appearance. Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with Him, and God spoke through a cloud and proclaimed the truth that Jesus is God’s Son.

This month’s Unit Title is:

Life can sometimes feel like a giant snowstorm where it’s impossible to see right in front of us. But the answer to all of our troubles in life is Jesus, and He is the one who can guide us the right way. This month’s videos tell the story of a family who has been snowed in for days and are trying to figure out how to spend their time and how to get along.

For decoration ideas, check out our Pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.com/britecurriculum/snowed-in

This month’s Leader Training Topic is: 

Fostering Small Group Community

Relationships are central to what it means to be a human. God not only invites us into a relationship with Himself, but He also gives us the gift of others. It is through our interactions with those who know and love Jesus that we are encouraged to get to know God better and to follow Him. You have been entrusted with a group of kids, a community, that has a shared goal of growing in their knowledge of and love for God. The relationships in this group have the potential to point kids to God and show them how much He cares for them. As the leader, you can demonstrate what it looks like to participate in a community that reflects kingdom values. This includes creating a space where all are welcome, everyone’s thoughts and feelings are valued, conflicts are handled in loving, grace filled ways, and group members respond to each other with thoughtful words and actions. This month we will identify some practical ways to encourage this kind of small group community, marked by relationships of care and kindness that give kids a taste of God’s kingdom.

Throughout the month, we’ll explore the following topics:
  • Week 1 Content – Cultivating Belonging
  • Week 2 Content – Listening Well
  • Week 3 Content – Responding with Care
  • Week 4 Content – Working Through Conflict
  • Week 5 Content – Serving One Another
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.