Yesterday in KidQuest

(From 252 Basics Leader Summary)

Before this month, has it ever struck you how fair God is to everyone, and as a result, how fair Christianity is?

Unlike other religions that require people to keep stringent laws, Christianity is the fairest because God offers His gift of salvation to all, requiring only that we believe in His Son, accepting Him as our Savior. God loved and gave; we believe and receive (John 3:16). God doesn’t discriminate when it comes to whom He wants to spend eternity with. He sent His Son to die for everyone. He forgives everyone who asks for forgiveness. And if we believe in His Son, Jesus, we are going to spend forever with Him—no matter who we are or what we’ve done.

Is that not truly amazing? Fairness is making sure that everyone is treated respectfully. God exhibits fairness and respect for us in the highest measure. None of us deserve His gift of salvation, and yet it is freely offered to any who believe. We weren’t standing with the disciples when Jesus gave His final words before ascending into heaven. We didn’t look into His eyes or feel His hand on our shoulders as He said, “Spread the word.” But when we entered into a relationship with God through faith in Christ, we signed up to be missionaries. When we treat everyone with fairness, telling and showing everyone the way to Jesus, imagine how God can use us to bring others to Him for eternity!

GodTime Cards

It has come to my attention that some of our great kids are a little confused about GodTime cards. So I wanted to clear up some of the confusion with you the responsible parents.

What is a GodTime Card?

A GodTime card is a tool we make available every week to your elementary student. The GodTime card is a weekly devotional card that we pray your child will use to establish a regular devotion time with God. As your child exits the KidQuest room each week, they can pick up their GodTime card copy.

Here is where the confusion lies. Each week, I encourage the kids to take their GodTime cards home and do the 4 devotions over the course of the week. If they bring back their GodTime card the following week, they are entered into a drawing. Before KidQuest really gets under way, the Host will draw 4 or 5 GodTime cards from those turned in. Those 4 or 5 students then recieve a priveldged seat on couches located in the back of the room during the Large Group teaching time. At random, we decided to also give away prizes and snacks to those who have won the drawing. For example, this past week, we drew 4 GodTime cards. Those students got to enjoy a quick snack as they sat on the couches and listened to the Bible story. One of those 4 also received another special prize; A virtue poster.

I hope this helps you understand what the kids are talking about every week.

If your child is unable to come to KidQuest or loses their copy of the GodTime card, you will be able to come to the blog at any time and download the latest one. All you have to do is right click on the image and choose Save As. Then save the image anywhere on your computer that you wish.

Here is a copy of the February 8 GodTime card.

This is an image of what we call the Fridge Door Card. This is a card that is for you the parent. As you can see it shows the virtue of the month, bottom line for the week, memory verse, virtue definition, and things you can talk about with your student.

Just like the GodTime cards, you can pick up one of these as you exit the KidQuest room. You can also download these to print them off and put on your Fridge.



For more material that you can purchase that goes along with KidQuest, check out the links for FamilyTime Virtue Packs and the ReThink Group Store!

This Coming Sunday in KidQuest is IMPORTANT!

I just wanted everyone to know that this weekend in KidQuest is what it is all about. We will be presenting the message of salvation to all our elementary kids. So as you enter the weekend, continue to pray for the hearts of our kids who have never heard the message before and even the kids who have heard it but never accepted it too.

Here is the lesson summary written by 252 Basics.

"Have you ever had an enemy?
Maybe it was someone who betrayed you, rejected you, intentionally hurt you, or maybe he or she caused you pain without thinking, and --zing-- suddenly, you had an enemy. Or maybe you're the one who did the betraying, rejecting, or hurting, intentionally or not.

If so, you can probably understand the temptation to treat that person differently from the way you treat a friend.

This weekend's lesson challenges us to do something unnatural. It isn't natural to treat everyone with fairness, especially and enemy. Thankfully though, even when we were God's enemies (yes, its true; read Romans 5:10), He treated us with ultimate fairness by offering every one of us the gift of forgiveness and a fresh start.

Just look at what He did through Saul/Paul: Saul, who persecuted Jesus through hateful treatment of His followers, ultimately became Paul, the zealous missionary, preacher, and writer of 13 New Testament books.

God wants to work through us like that too. He wants us to allow Him to display His attitude of fairness to those who, to our way of thinking, don't deserve it. When we do, it creates a powerful example of His all-encompassing love and takes a huge step toward turning an enemy into a friend."

(for more information about 252 Basics, check out the link to their website on the right)

February Virtue Video

This video explains what we are teaching in KidQuest this month about Fairness.
It was created by the ReThink Group. For a link to their resources and store, please click on the link on the right.

Past Week in KidQuest

Kids are quick to notice someone who is different from them in some way. Younger children may embarrass us by pointing out the man at the mall who limps. Preadolescents can be hard on peers who’re not considered cool or among the “pretty people.” Let’s face it: as we get older, we’re going to run into all kinds of prejudices—our own as well as others’. Today’s lesson will help kids explore how God wants them to respond to those who are different from them. The basics are simple:

1. Be fair. Make sure that everyone is treated respectfully—including those who are different.
   
2. Jesus modeled this for us, not only by rescuing us from death, but through all His interactions with people.
   
3. He even taught about it directly, through a parable commonly known as “The Good Samaritan” (today’s Bible story). He wants us not only to treat others fairly, but to go out of our way to exercise fairness in the way we treat others—even those who are different.
4. When kids discover and apply Jesus’ teachings about fairness, He will work through them to defuse prejudices and ignite God’s love in the community around them.

Feb 1 in KidQuest

This month in KidQuest we are learning about Fairness.

Fairness is making sure everyone is treated respectfully.
This month at home try to remember to teach this virtue in different areas of your student's life.

This past week we used James 2:1-9 to show that playing favorites is a sin in the eyes of God. So help your children remember this week that they are to be fair to everyone and not show favoritism. The bottom line of the lesson was "treat everyone fairly because everyone's important to God."

Here are some things you could talk about with your elementary student over the course of the week. Don't only ask them about these things, share with your kids times when you have been treated unfairly too whether as a child or even at work.

• Have you ever been treated unfairly?
• What happened?
• What did you do about it?

The memory verse for February is
-- Proverbs 31:9 -- "Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

KidQuest -- February -- Fairness

Basically, a virtue is something God does in us to change the world around us. As you read the next paragraph, you’ll notice some numbers. Here’s what they refer to: (1) the virtue definition. (2) The fact that God created that virtue and exemplifies it. (3) God instills that virtue in us as He shapes us to become more like Him. (4) God uses that virtue in us to influence and impact our families, friends, and neighbors. As others notice the virtue being lived out in our lives, we have more opportunities to tell them about Jesus. As they come to trust Jesus, they’ll influence others as well. See the cycle?

“That’s not fair!” What kid has never put his hands on his hips and cried those words? Most children have built-in radar set to detect when they are being treated unfairly. This month let’s focus on helping them make that radar work the other direction too and learn that (1) fairness is making sure that EVERYONE is treated respectfully. (2) Just think how fair God is. He made each one of us, and although He doesn’t treat us all the same (because we have different needs), He values us equally. He loves each of us dearly, regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, or nationality, and offers His love and salvation to all. All of us come to Him in the same way—through Jesus. Because God treats all of us this way, He is the ultimate example of fairness. (3) As believers, He commands us to treat others with the fairness we desire for ourselves. (4) Imagine the problems that would disappear immediately in a world where everyone was treated with fairness! This month, challenge your kids to set their fairness radar in the direction of others and treat them fairly—because everyone’s important to God.