Walk into three different churches today and you’re almost guaranteed to have three different experiences. Between size, worship styles, teaching methods, and more, “church” means different things to different people. But what about THE Church? Not the buildings, but the people of God. Scripture doesn’t lay out specific instructions on service times, types of chairs or pews, or what songs to sing, but it is clear about the who, what, and why.
WE BELIEVE: The Church
MEMORY VERSE: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." Acts 2:42
This Week’s Finish Line: We believe The Church
This weekend was our fourth “We Believe Weekend” of the year. What better time to focus on the Church with our elementary kiddos than on the heels of studying Acts as a church AND our annual Church Leaders Conference? We talked specifically about how the Church isn’t a building like you might think at first. Instead, it’s all people who have been saved through faith in Jesus! The reason we gather as a church each week rather than seeking to walk through life on our own is to encourage, serve, and learn with other believers where we live. Lastly, we learned that our purpose as the Church is to share the hope of the world using our words and actions.
Family Questions:
- Whose family are we adopted into when we trust in Jesus?
- Why is it so important that Jesus is the cornerstone (or head) of the church? (He is our Savior, the source of truth, never changes and is the only reason the church exists. Without Him, nothing else matters.)
- What are some ways believers can “motivate one another,” or encourage each other? How have you encouraged someone else with God’s truth this week?
- What “acts of love and good works,” or service, have you seen the church do in your life or in the lives of others? In what ways can you serve?
- What is the “hope of the world?” (The Gospel or Good News that Jesus came to the world to save people from their sins because of His love)
- What job did Jesus give to the very first believers? (To go everywhere and make disciples by telling others about Him and teaching them His Word. He wanted them to be the church.)
READ EPHESIANS 2:19-20
READ HEBREWS 10:24-25
READ MATTHEW 28:19-20
Bring it Home Conversations & Activities:
* Check out our vision for parents and how to use these activities each week.
Teacher: Meal Time
So far at our We Believe Weekends, we have learned about the Bible, God, Sin & Salvation, and the Church. Spend time this week at meal times practicing We Believe questions and answers from this week. You can use the handout your kiddo got at church this weekend, or you can find all the questions and answers (including flash cards!) by clicking here.
Friend: Drive Time
What is the purpose of the Church? (To share the hope of the world with our words and actions) Talk about all the places you’ll go this week. How can you share the hope of the world (the gospel) at any or all of those places? How can you use your words and actions to share that hope?
Counselor: Bedtime
What is the Church? (All people who have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ) Thank God for the gift of other believers around you. Spend time praying for people you know who do not have a relationship with the Lord. Pray that they would hear the gospel (maybe from you!) and understand that Jesus died on the cross for them, and that they would become part of God’s family!
Coach: Anytime
Why do we gather as a church body? (To encourage, serve, and learn with other believers where we live) Brainstorm fun ideas for encouraging, serving, and learning with others where you live. If they are believers, great! Use it as an opportunity to be the Church to them this week. If they are not believers, great! Use it as an opportunity to show them how awesome it is to be part of God’s family! It could be your community group, neighbors, friends from school, etc. Serve by doing yard work for someone or baking something yummy for others, just because. Encourage by writing someone a note or using your words to tell someone how you see them living out character traits of God. Learn together by picking a topic from Scripture to learn more about together or practice memory verses together. The sky is the limit!!
Prayer
God, thank you for other believers that are around us and encourage us! We ask you that others would hear the gospel too and believe that Jesus died on the cross for them! Bring more people to be the Church!
Looking Ahead
Next week, we will start the month of May with our new traits, CONSISTENCY. We will be talking about constantly following God and His Word!
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