Venue
Downloads
About
This content is provided free of charge by The Ark Church.
Large Group Full Program Instructions
Series Note: Each Summer to the Max lesson incorporates a special venue into the service. Adding a venue allows the summer schedule to change while still keeping the focus on Biblical truth. Venues can be done during the first 30 minutes of service or final 30 minutes of service. If you are also utilizing Summer to the Max Junior lessons, consider keeping one venue at the beginning and one at the end. That will keep costs down by allowing both groups to enjoy the same venue. Each lesson offers multiple venue options at different price points to accommodate your budget. Promoting the venues ahead of time will build excitement for Summer to the Max!
Weekly Venue: Choose one of the following venue options or create your own. These venues connect kids to the story of Abraham as viewed the starry sky and believed that God could and would do the unbelievable.
Magic Show
Purchase magic tricks from David Laflin (www.laflinmagicstore.com) and put on your own magic show. You can also hire a Christian magician from a website such as gigsalad.com.
Indoor Glow Party
Hand out glow necklaces and bracelets. Play games with glow items such as glow in the dark mini golf or volleyball with glow in the dark beach balls. Have fun coming up with inventive games. You can also use blacklight UV paint to create artwork.
Planetarium
Purchase a small indoor planetarium projector and use it to view the sights of the universe. Talk about God’s creation and what Abraham saw in the sky. Another option is to contact a local museum to rent a mobile planetarium.
Engage 2 Prep: This Engage uses two cooked chicken leg bones. Two weeks prior to the Engage, place one chicken bone in a jar of vinegar. Cover the jar with the lid and wait. The result will be that the chicken bone becomes flexible enough to bend. The day before the Engage, obtain a cooked chicken bone and clean off all of the meat.
Host
Welcome to Summer To The Max!
Co-Host
This summer we’re learning to live differently for God so that we can live our lives to the max.
Host
When you live that way for God, you get to be part of His big plan, which means you can change the world. I know that sounds unbelievable, but that’s what today is all about.
Co-Host
We’re going to test out some unbelievable records from the Guinness Book of World Records. Let’s see how we do compared to the record.
Host
Take your fingers and stretch your mouth as wide as you can. (Stretch it out) That’s pretty far, but not as far as a man named Francisco.
Host
His mouth stretches 6.69 inches. (Hold up the rectangle)
Co-Host
Let’s test how long we can hold our breath. Ready, go. (Hold your breath)
Not too bad,
Co-Host
but a man named Budimir from Croatia held his breath for 24 min 37 seconds.
Host
We have two contestants coming up who will try to hula hoop multiple hoops at the same time. (Have two kids hula hoop) Not too bad, but a lady named Marawa did even more.
Host
She did 200 hula hoops at the same time! Speaking of records, would you believe that a 100-year-old man and 90-year-old woman could have a baby?Let’s stand and get started with worship!
Co-Host
Let’s find check out today’s Big Point. It’s time to countdown from three. All of the girls, say, “Three.” Adults, say, “Two,” and boys, shout, “One!”
Host
Let’s all say it together, I Can Believe God’s Word! God promised a couple a baby, and they believed God.
Co-Host
That’s because if God’s says it, you can trust that His Word will come true.
Co-Host
Let’s say our Big Point again,
Co-Host
I Can Believe God’s Word!
Host
God’s Word, the Bible, is full of things that God promises. We can see time after time when God came through on His word. That gives us confidence to believe promises we haven’t seen fulfilled just yet.
Co-Host
Let’s see what the Bible says about that in today’s Big Verse. Everyone, countdown from three. All adults, say, “Three,” boys, say, “Two,” and girls, shout, “One!”
Host
Isaiah 40:8 (NIrV), “The grass dries up. The flowers fall to the ground. But what our God says will stand forever.” The things we see around us won’t last forever, but God’s Word absolutely will.
Co-Host
It reminds me of these chicken bones. I’ll have an assistant help us. See if you can break this chicken bone.
Hand the child the chicken bone that was not in vinegar, and if necessary, help the child break it.
Host
Some people, even people you know and love, may break a promise from time to time. Maybe you worry that you can’t trust God to keep His Word, but that’s why the Bible is so helpful. It shows us story after story when God said something and then did it.
Co-Host
God’s promises are like this chicken bone. See what happens if you try to break it.
Allow the child to bend the bone.
Co-Host
God will never break a promise. Other things fail and go away, but God’s Word will last forever. Let’s stand and worship God.
Abraham and Sarah believed God’s promise, and God came through for them. Trusting God to keep His Word is always the smart choice. One of the promises that God gave us was that if we gathered together, He would be with us. We have some adult volunteers who are up front to pray with you. Maybe you’re struggling a little this summer or you’re worried about something. This is a great time to pray together. When we stand to sing a song, come forward and pray.
Host
We have the opportunity to help a lot of kids this summer.
Share info about the giving project you have chosen to support. Consider donating all summer offerings to a local ministry or global missionary.
Co-Host
The Bible says in Proverbs 19:17, “Anyone who is kind to poor people lends to the Lord. God will reward them for what they have done.” If we know that God’s Word is true and that it lasts, then we can trust what this verse says.
Host
When you give to others, you can trust that God will reward you. We will receive some of those rewards here on earth, and some we get to enjoy with Jesus in Heaven.
Co-Host
Following our Big Point,
Co-Host
I Can Believe God’s Word!, will help you take your life to the max. We would have never heard of Abraham if he hadn’t taken the leap to believe God.
Host
You can tell your family all about Abraham when you do this week’s Big Do.
Host
Read the Big Verse with your family every day this week and talk about why you can believe what God says.
Co-Host
Let’s see how well we remember the Big Verse. We’ve chosen two teams to compete. (Bring up two teams of six kids and an adult/teen volunteer) When we say go, one team member will search through this tote filled with packing peanuts to find a printed portion of our Big Verse.
Host
The volunteer will help the kids place those holding the printouts in the right order. Let’s see who will be the first team to get the verse in the right order!
Play optional game music. Play the game. The verse portion, “But what our God says will stand forever,” is printed on six sheets of paper.
Co-Host
Great job. Don’t forget to share that Big Verse with your family.
Host
You can live differently for God when you trust what He says.
Small Group is optional as time allows. Gather the kids into small groups and discuss the following.
Who believed God's Word in our true story from the Bible today?
What did God ask him to do?
Do you know someone who has done what God told them to do? Can you tell me about it?
How long did Abraham have to wait for his promised son?
What is today's Big Do? Read the Big Verse with your family every day this week and talk about why you can believe what God says.
Summer Big Challenge Games:
Hula Challenge: Keep a two hula hoops spinning on each arm for 20 seconds
Limbo Challenge: You have two chances to make it under the limbo pole without falling
Tap It: Play the memory game on Tap It. Can you make it to round 6?
Brain Freeze: Eat a Pop Ice in under 30 seconds
Hover Ball: Three shots to score a goal with a hover ball
Beach Ball Basketball: Toss two beachballs into a human goal (two people holding hands to make a hoop)
Super Combo: Grab a friend and act out which of the pictures on the screen will not get “X-ed” out
Ultimate Tag: Try to pull both flags from your opponent
Split the room into two teams and alternate choosing one child from each team to come onstage and answer a question. If the child gets the question right, then he or she can compete in a Summer Big Challenge.
Our Big Point says I Can ______ God’s Word!
Believe
Think about
What did God promise to give Abram?
Money
Son
How old was Abram when God promised him a son?
75
35
How many kids did Abram have when God made his promise?
3
0
Abram listened to God and moved to a new country.
True
False
Isaiah 40:8 (NIrV), “The grass dries up. The flowers fall to the ground. But what our God says will stand ______.”
For a while
Forever
God told Abram that his family would be as many as what?
Clouds
Stars
What did God change Abram’s name to?
Isaac
Abraham
Can we trust what God says?
What is this week’s Big Do? Read the Big Verse with your family every day this week and talk about why you can believe what God says.