Brite Monthly – November
This month’s biblical theme is
Kings and Times of Trouble
The stories of the Kings and Times of Trouble show us that even when times get tough, God is with His people and His promises never fail. Throughout this month, kids will discover that God wants a relationship with them and He is the One they can always look to in hard times.
God’s Promise to David: God wants the best things for His people, not just good things. David desired to build a temple for God, but God had something even better in mind for David. He was going to build a house for David forever through Jesus, the King of Kings, coming from his family line and reconciling all people to God.
Building the Temple: Solomon built a temple so that God could live in the midst of His people in Jerusalem. God’s home is in heaven, but He also wants to live with us. We can have a relationship with God today by believing in Jesus. God wants to have a relationship with us, and Jesus made a way for it to be possible.
Joash: When it seemed like God’s promise was in danger of failing, God preserved a king from David’s line in accordance with the covenant He made with David. God’s promises never fail. No matter how bad things get, God is able to set things right again.
Daniel: The book of Daniel shows us the sovereignty of God. Though Daniel didn’t have a choice in going to Babylon, he was not a prisoner. In the face of hard times, Daniel remained focused on God and His guidance. God is always with His people, even in hard times.
This month’s Unit Title is:
In and out of times of trouble, the relationship we have with God is our strength and our hope. The main characters in our video are two best friends who host an internet show where they do fun and goofy challenges together. This month’s unit is filled with colorful art design and partner activities. Some creative ways to decorate are with images of popular pairs (Batman and Robin, salt and pepper, peanut butter and jelly, etc.) or even with pictures of everyone and their best friends!
This month’s Leader Training Topic is: 
Group Discussions
We were created for community. God has invited us into fellowship with Him, and we have the opportunity to join with others as members of God’s family. As participants in this special community of faith, we are to encourage and serve one another as well as extend God’s love and grace. In your role as a leader, you have a chance to help facilitate this kind of meaningful connection and care. The way that you guide your group can give the kids a taste of community in God’s kingdom. This month we’ll be focusing our attention on group discussions and considering the role you play in cultivating a trusting, engaging space for kids to listen and to share. Central to this is the ability to be fully present with your group, to listen to the kids’ words, to notice their nonverbals, and to respond as the Holy Spirit guides you in the moment. In addition, it can be helpful to commit to some specific practices that will serve kids and encourage them to show up with their thoughts and feelings each week. Over the next few weeks, we’ll explore some of these practices.
Throughout the month, we’ll explore the following topics:
- Week 1: Asking Open-Ended Questions
- Week 2: Affirming Participation and Responses
- Week 3: Flexibility and Responsiveness
- Week 4: Welcoming Questions and Doubts
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!
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.