Large Group Instructions
Countdown / Rules
Suggested optional songs for welcome and Engage segments
“Bang on the Drum” by Todd Rundgren, "Amazing Race" theme song
Engage 2 The Amazing Race Game Prep: Spread the challenges out so that the kids have to race around the entire room. Label the challenges by country. Have the sign printed and taped to the wall or on a stand. The clues and challenges can be adjusted for the games and items you have available. Print or write the clues on cards and place them in envelopes at each station. Give the first clue to the teams at the starting line. Read the clue out loud before starting the game. Follow the teams and read the clues at each stage. For stage one, the kids should have already removed their shoes. Have a volunteer place them at the location.
• Stage 1 (Route Info): Many kids in the island nation of Haiti can’t attend school because their parents don’t have enough money to send them to school. Travel to Haiti and find your shoes to get your next clue. • Stage 2 (Roadblock): It’s a roadblock, so only one teammate can participate. Almost half of the country of Sierra Leone doesn’t have clean drinking water. Travel there and attempt to knock one bottle of water off the stand with the frisbee. (An alternative game option: Play Kap It, where a team must land the water bottle on its cap) • Stage 3 (Route Info): Around 25% of families in America face the problem of not having enough to eat. Travel to America and land three bags of beans in the grocery bag to win the Amazing Race.
Welcome
Host enters. Co-Host is already on stage, sitting by a drum. He/She is wearing sunglasses.
Host Welcome to the Lab! Today we will finish our series on missions. I hope you guys have enjoyed getting out there and serving others this month.
(Play “Bang on the Drum” 2:35-3:06) Co-Host sings the song and bangs the drum offbeat.
Host Will you stop that? I’m trying to teach the lesson.
Co-Host Who’s talking?
Host Me.
Co-Host I can’t see you. How do I know it’s you?
Host Take off the sunglasses. You’re indoors.
Co-Host Oh, it is you. I’m just not into teaching today. I don’t see the point. I’m bored. I’m tired. I’m hungry. I just…
(Play “Bang on the Drum” 2:35-3:06) Co-Host sings the song and bangs the drum offbeat.
Host It’s good that you’re here because we’re going to dig deep to find out why we want to keep sharing the good news about Jesus. But fist, turn to someone nearby and see who can win a fifteen second staring contest. Go!
Engage 1
Host and Co-Host enter
Host Why are you ready to give up teaching?
Co-Host I don’t see the point. Why do I keep doing this over and over and over? I just get tired. I just, I just…
(Play “Bang on the Drum” 2:35-3:06) Co-Host sings the song and bangs the drum offbeat.
Host I wish you would get tired of doing that. I think you need to hear the Big Point. Let‘s choose an assistant to help us reveal it.
Host and Co-Host choose a kid to volunteer.
Host After we count down from three, press that button and read the Big Point. 3…2…1!
Co-Host Let’s all say it together, I Can Keep Going! That’s easy to say. I can say I’m a millionaire, but that doesn’t mean I am.
Host True, but I’ll explain why you can do it. First, we can keep going because God gives us the power to. The Holy Spirit keeps us moving forward. Second, we can keep going when understand why we share about Jesus in the first place.
Co-Host Explain.
Host I’m going to interview some kids. I’ll mention a task that you might easily get tired of doing, and you tell me why you keep doing it anyway.
(Ask the kids about why they should keep doing different tasks such as brushing teeth, cleaning their room, exercise, eating healthy food, etc.)
Co-Host We keep doing those things because they serve a purpose. What about being a missionary?
Host That serves a purpose, too. There are lots of people who need help in our world, even though there are many missionaries out there working. God wants us to get involved and keep working until everyone knows about His great love. Watch this story about a boy from Sierra Leone. It’s a great reminder why we keep going.
Engage 2Materials: Lab Coat (2), Button, Colored Bandanas (5 pair), Country Signs, Frisbee, Table, Water Bottle (5), Bean Bags, Grocery Bag (5)
Host and Co-Host enter
Host His story really helps you understand why we go and serve.
Co-Host I see now what you mean about our Big Point. Let’s say it again,
Co-Host I Can Keep Going!
Host Let’s check out our Big Verse to understand that Big Point better.
Host and Co-Host choose a kid to volunteer.
Co-Host Hit the button as we count down from three and then read the verse. 3, 2, 1!
Allow the child to read the Big Verse.
Host Since we’re talking about the “whole world” I thought it might be fun to play the Amazing Race in our room.
Host (Play Amazing Race Theme) It’s the TV game show where teams travel around the world and complete challenges. That’s what you’ll do. We’ve chosen three teams who will race to complete three challenges. Each one is based on a different country. Once you’ve finished, move to the next challenge. First team to complete them all wins.
Co-Host We need you to cheer them on and possibly help them complete the challenge. Ready, set, go!
Spread the challenges out so that the kids have to race around the entire room. Label the challenges by country. Have the sign printed and taped to the wall or on a stand. The clues and challenges can be adjusted for the games and items you have available. Print or write the clues on cards and place them in envelopes at each station. Give the first clue to the teams at the starting line. Read the clue out loud before starting the game. Follow the teams and read the clues at each stage. For stage one, the kids should have already removed their shoes. Have a volunteer place them at the location.
• Stage 1 (Route Info): Many kids in the island nation of Haiti can’t attend school because their parents don’t have enough money to send them to school. Travel to Haiti and find your shoes to get your next clue. • Stage 2 (Roadblock): It’s a roadblock, so only one teammate can participate. Almost half of the country of Sierra Leone doesn’t have clean drinking water. Travel there and attempt to knock one bottle of water off the stand with the frisbee. (An alternative game option: Play Kap It, where a team must land the water bottle on its cap) • Stage 3 (Route Info): Around 25% of families in America face the problem of not having enough to eat. Travel to America and land three bags of beans in the grocery bag to win the Amazing Race.
Co-Host Wow, I had no idea there were that many needs in our world.
Host There are actually a lot more than that. There are still billions of people who haven’t heard that Jesus died for them. The good news is that the Bible says that God’s Good News will go to the entire world.
Co-Host We can be part of that if we keep going. That sounds like a great reason to stand and worship.
Big Story
Paul and Barnabas were friends, and they helped each other along the way. That’s why it’s important to have Christian friends around you. We have a lot of them here today, so let’s take a moment to pray for the person beside us. You can just hold your hands toward the kid or adult on each side of you. I want you to pray for them. Pray that God will help them understand that they are a part of His big plan; that they will keep going, telling, and giving; and that they won’t give up. Let’s do that now. (Pause) Awesome. You can pray for your friends any time and any place. I’d like to pray for you, too. (Pray)
Engage 3Materials: Lab Coat (2), Handheld Microphone
Host and Co-Host enter
Co-Host I’m glad that Paul and Barnabas didn’t give up. They definitely understand the importance of their mission.
Host We should be thankful. Christians around the world owe a big thank you to that missionary team. We can follow their example and our Big Point,
Host I Can Keep Going!
Co-Host Herman had a great idea for the Big Do this week. I never thought about praying for people in a different country.
Host Let’s look at this map on screen and play a simple geography game. I’ll name a country; see if you can pick it out on the map and guess how many Christians are in that country.
• Japan: Population 126 million
a. ** 2 million Christians** b. 25 million Christians c. 50 million Christians
• North Korea: Population 25 million
a. 4 million Christians b. 1 million Christians c. 400,000 Christians
• Libya: Population 6 million
a. 500,000 Christians b. 200,000 Christians c. 35,000 Christians
Co-Host There are a lot of people we can pray for this week.
Host That’s just a few of the many countries in our world! Have fun with the Big Do. Let’s gather in our small groups and talk about today’s lesson.
Small Group
Gather the kids into small groups and discuss the following.
- In our video today, what about Moses’ life is different than your life? What was something similar to your life?
- Do you think it was hard for Paul to go back into the city where they had tried to kill him? Why did he do it?
- Why should we not give up sharing the good news about Jesus?
- What did Herman tell us to do with our families in the Big Do? Pray for people in a different country.
Big Review
Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question.
- Our Big Point says I Can ______! a. Keep Going
b. Quit
- What did the people in Lystra do to Paul? a. Call him names
b. Stone him
- What did Paul’s friends do after he was stoned? a. Prayed
b. Ran
- What did Paul and Barnabas do after being attacked? a. Went on vacation
b. Finished their mission
How have we been helped because Paul and Barnabas didn’t quit?
Complete the Big Verse: Matthew 24:14 (NIrV), “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in _________.” a. America
b. The whole world
Who can help you keep going and finish your mission?
There are so many Christians in the world that we don’t need missionaries. a. True
b. False
What was one thing you learned from watching the missions’ video about Moses?
What challenge did Herman give us as this week’s Big Do? **Pray for people in a different country.**