DISCOVER "GROWING" (20-30 Minutes) [Give each child a set of "Growing" Activity Pages 1-4] [Guided Conversation] It is important to "grow" in your friendship and relationship with God. The "Growing" Activity Pages begin by helping us identify some things that grow and some things that do not grow. "Circle the pictures of things that grow." Do cars grow? Do rocks grow? How about trees, flowers, balls, children? Who would like to read the next directions? ["Trees and flowers need certain things to grow. Fill in the letters to discover these things."] When you are done, check your answers with the "upside down" words. Trees and flowers need light, water and soil to grow. Children need food, water, love and someone to love, to help them grow. Turn to Activity Page 2. Please read with me: "People who love you... "Next, circle the names of some people in your life who love you." "Now put the names you circled on the lines below." Then read the sentence you have created. Who would like to read their sentence? [Allow several children to read their sentence.] "God Loves You Too!" The next directions say: "Put a box around the ways that help your friendship and relationship grow with the people you love-the people you circled above." [For Younger Children] As I read the phrases, you decide if the statement I read is something that will help you know more about your family or friends. If you think, "Yes, that will help me know my friends/family better," draw a box around the phrase. Listen to each other. Talk with each other. Read some of the same books. Go to different schools. Go places together. Tell each other about special people you know. Be with each other only once a year. Help with homework. Which ones did you put in a box? These activities have helped us think about things that grow, and about how our friendships and relationships grow with people. Who would like to read the next sentence? "Now learn some ways to grow in your new life with Jesus." Please read along with me: "Here are some ways to help you grow in this new life. You need to pray and read your Bible, be with Christians (others who believe Jesus is God's Son), tell others about Jesus and obey God. Here is a song to help you remember what you need to grow." [Sing this to the familiar tune, "Come Thou Font of Every Blessing."] I don't have to wait until I'm grown to be loving, kind and true. I can pray and read my Bible, be with other Christians, too. [Please look at the next page to find ways to help you pray, read your Bible, be with people who believe that Jesus is God's Son.] Let's begin by reviewing some things we have learned about prayer. As I read, please fill in the blanks: [Pause before each blank to allow the children to guess the answers.] 1. Prayer "You can talk to God any t i m e, any w h e r e. You can talk to God by y o u r s e l f and with others. God always answers. Sometimes He says y e s. Sometimes n o. Often He says w a i t a w h i l e. Or He tells us a b e t t e r way." Please look at the prayer list to the right. The directions say, "Find and read this verse in your Bible: Philippians 4:6." If you do not have a Bible, the verse is printed on the Activity Page 4. Please read the first verse, Philippians 4:6. ["Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need. And when you pray, always give thanks."] The directions continue: "Write your prayers and God's answers on the list below." Often people who believe in God and His Son Jesus, keep "prayer lists" to help them remember and be aware of God's answers to their prayers. Please read this list with me. "What I am praying about: My mother to get well. Date I began to pray: March 3. On this date God said: . . . Yes, she is well!" Please read the next entry under WHAT I AM PRAYING ABOUT. "Please, God, I need a Christian friend. November 4." What is under the column, ON THIS DATE GOD SAID? [There is no answer yet.] What could be the answer? [Yes . . . and a specific name. No. Wait a while.] You may wish to use this prayer list or make one of your own. 2. The Bible This section will help you plan a special time to read your Bible and talk with God. Who would like to read? "Every day have a special time to read your Bible and talk with God. Read Psalm 5:3: 'God, every morning You hear my voice. Every morning, I tell You what I need. And I wait for Your answer.' Circle the words in this verse that tell you about a time to talk with God. Write some thoughts you have as you read your Bible. Try it now with Psalm 5:3." Book of the Bible I am reading: [Answer: Psalms] Chapter: [Answer: 5] Verse: [Answer: 3] Write some thoughts you have about this verse. [Allow children 2 or 3 minutes to write.] The character virtue you need to help you read your Bible and talk to God every day is "perseverance." Perseverance means to never, never, never give up. Even if you miss some days - start again. Never give up talking to God and reading His book, the Bible. 3. Christians (people who follow Jesus) need to spend time with others who know God and His Son Jesus. Who would like to read the next words? "Christians . . . Help each other grow. Help care for each other. Encourage each other. Help each other with problems." Look at the next direction and read it with me. "Draw pictures to show where you can find other people who believe Jesus is God's Son." [Allow learners time to complete their drawings] People who follow Jesus learn to tell others about Him. The next page tells us one way to do this. Please turn to Activity Page 4. Who would like to read? 4. Learning to Tell Others About Jesus "Make a list of friends you want to tell about Jesus:" "I can pray for these people every day." Christians learn to pray for their family and friends. They pray they will come to understand and know God's love and His Son Jesus. You may put the names of family or friends on these lines. Who would like to read the words under the list? "I can learn to tell these people about God and His Son Jesus." The last way this page tells us how to grow is number 5. 5. Loving and Obeying God Please read: "John 14:21: 'He who knows My commands and obeys them is the one who loves Me. And My Father will love him who loves Me. I will love him and will show Myself to him.'" Talk with God. Your prayer could be something like this:I love you God. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for growing your character in me. Thank you for helping me learn to obey by ... Talking to You every day.This grows responsibility in me. Reading my Bible. This grows perseverance in me. Respecting my parents. This grows respect in me. Choosing to tell the truth. This grows integrity in me. Forgiving family, friends and others. This grows forgiveness, grace and mercy in me. Thank you for always loving me as I make right and wrong choices. There are four Bible verses to learn. Beside each verse write one of the five things you can do to grow in your friendship and fellowship with God. The word you choose needs to match what the verse is saying. Answer Key: Pray "Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need. And when you pray always give thanks." (Philippians 4:6) Pray "Every morning You hear my voice. Every morning I tell You what I need. And I wait for Your answer." (Psalm 5:3) Forgive family, friends and others. "Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24) Read God's book the Bible. "He who knows My commands and obeys them is the one who loves Me. And My Father will love him who loves Me. I will love him and will show Myself to him." (John 14:21) When you memorize these verses, please tell them to me. SUMMARY (2-5 Minutes) [Guided Conversation] We have learned five things that help us love and obey God. Let's list them on the chalkboard or a large piece of paper. [Allow children to write ideas, making sure the following ideas are identified.] 1. Pray. Talk with God often. This grows responsiblity in us. 2. Read the Bible. Plan a special time to read the Bible and talk with God. Never, never, never give up talking to God or reading His book, the Bible! This grows perseverance in us. 3. Respect parents, grandparents, foster parents. This grows respect in us. 4. Choose to tell the truth. Tell others the truth about Jesus. This grows integrity in us. 5. Forgive family, friends and others. This grows forgiveness, grace and mercy in us.

THINGS THAT GROW Trees Flowers Children THINGS THAT DO NOT GROW Cars Rocks Balls         I don't have to wait until I'm grown to be loving, kind and true. I can pray and read my Bible, be with other Christians, too.       Ways to grow in your new life with Jesus: Pray. Read your Bible. Be with Christians.         THE BIBLE Every day have a special time to read your Bible and talk with God. Bible verses found in week Five "Growing": Philippians 4:6 "Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need. And when you pray, always give 'thanks.'" Psalm 5:3 "God, every morning You hear my voice. Every morning, I tell You what I need. And I wait for Your answer." John 14:21 "He who knows my commands and obeys them is the one who loves Me. And My Father will love him who loves Me. I will love him and will show Myself to him." Hebrews 10:24 "Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds."       THEME THOUGHTS PRAYER is talking to God by yourself and with others. CONFESSION MEANS ... ... telling God you agree with Him that what you thought or did was wrong. WITNESSING MEANS ... ... telling others about Jesus. ... to be loving and kind. ... to be honest. FELLOWSHIP MEANS ... ... thinking and caring about God and others. ... helping each other show love and concern. ... trying to do good things with and for others. ... spending time with God by talking to Him, and with other people by sharing and doing things with them. Forgiveness is... To stop blaming or feeling anger toward someone who has hurt or wronged us; to pardon or excuse a wrong thought, word or action. Respect is... Showing honor to people, by listening, being ccourteous, polite, and demonstrating manners. It includes self respect, the avoidance of self criticism and respect for order and authority. Perseverance is... Continual steady effort made to fulfill some purpose, goal, task or commitment; to persist in spite of difficulties. Never, never, never give up.       The daily process of character building includes learning to pray, learning to read the Bible, being with other Christians, learning to tell others about Jesus and choosing to obey God.

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