Large Group Instructions
Series Note
Each Winter to the Max lesson incorporates a special venue into the service. Adding a venue allows the summer schedule to change while 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 Winter to the Max Junior lessons, consider having the elementary and junior groups use the same venue. Either group can go first and then switch in the middle of service. 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 Winter to the Max!
Weekly Venue
Choose one of the following venue options or create your own.
Serve Day
Find a serving project, preferably related to that month’s giving project, for the kids to complete. Consider partnering with a local missionary or non-profit.
Indoor Campout
Host an indoor campout for the kids complete with tents and “fake” fires. Enjoy campfire treats and watch a fun movie “under the stars.”
Exotic Animal Show
Hire an exotic animal show to come and show the kids some new animals they may have never seen in person. Remind the kids that like sheep, or the exotic parrot, we listen to Jesus’ voice.
Host and Co-Host enter.
Host
Welcome to Winter To The Max! I am excited about all we are learning about following Jesus. Being a friend and follower of Jesus is the best choice.
Co-Host
Do you think that you can be a friend and follower of Jesus? You sure can. Turn to someone nearby and say, “You can be Jesus’ friend and follower.”
Host
If you are a follower of Jesus, then there are a few things you should always do. Do you know what any of them are? Don’t worry, our Big Point tells us. Let’s find out what it is.
Host
I Will Listen To Jesus!
Co-Host
Listening to Jesus is a wise choice because Jesus has important things to tell us. Jesus’ words help us.
Host
Let’s practice listening by playing a game. Listen closely to what we say so that you can fill in the missing words. I’ll start. “Twinkle, twinkle, _____ _____.” (Pause) Right, little star. Can you sing the song? (Sing along with the kids)
Co-Host
Let’s try another one. “Hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle. The cow jumped over the _____.” (Pause) Moon! Let’s say the rest. “The little dog laughed to see such a sport, and the dish ran away with the _____.” (Pause) Spoon!
Host
I wonder if you can finish this. Put your hands next to your ears and listen closely. “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great ____.” (Pause) Fall! Let’s keep going. “All the King’s horses, and all the king’s men, couldn’t put Humpty together _____.” (Pause) Again!
Co-Host
You did great. Clap loudly for yourself. It was important to listen so you would know how to finish the nursery rhyme. It’s important to listen to Jesus to find out all the important things that Jesus wants us to know.
Host
We listen to Jesus when we read our Bible, pray, and listen at church. We want to keep our listening ears ready to hear what Jesus says. Let’s pretend to turn on our listening ears now.
Co-Host leads the kids in pretending to “turn on” their ears.
Co-Host
Good job!
Host and Co-Host enter.
Co-Host
Let’s see how well you listen. I will call out some names. If I call your name, raise your hand up high.
Call out the names of some of the kids in the room.
Host
If you weren’t listening, you wouldn’t have heard us call out your name. If we don’t use our listening ears to listen to Jesus, then we won’t hear what Jesus says to us. Let’s practice the Big Point again with our motions,
Host
I Will Listen To Jesus!
Co-Host
Let’s see what the Bible says about our Big Point by reading our Big Verse.
Co-Host
John 10:27 (NIrV) says, “My sheep listen to My voice. I know them, and they follow Me.” Can you make the sound a sheep makes? Did you know that sheep know exactly what their shepherd’s voice sounds like?
Host
Just like those sheep, we can listen to Jesus and know when He tells us important things to follow. Let’s play a listening game with animals. In this game, we’ll show you a picture of three animals. You’ll hear two sounds, then you’ll tell us which animal you didn’t hear.
Play the slides. After the two sounds play, ask the kids to identify which animal didn’t make a sound.
Co-Host
You knew the sounds those animals make, and when you listened closely, you knew which one stayed quiet. We want to listen closely to everything Jesus says in the Bible.
Host
If we don’t know what Jesus says, we won’t know what is true or what kinds of things God wants us to do.
Co-Host
Hold your hands up to your ears, like you are trying to block out all the sounds. (Hold your hands over your ears and then take them down) Let’s take our hands down. We don’t want to cover our ears. We want to listen to Jesus.
Host
In just a moment we’ll listen to a story about some people who didn’t want to listen to Jesus. Yikes! Is that a wise choice? No way! Let’s make a wise choice and listen to this Bible story.
Let’s take a moment to listen to Jesus. Close your eyes and bow your heads. Quietly sit and think about Jesus and how much He loves you. Tell Jesus that you want to listen to Him. Then sit quietly for a moment and listen. (Pause) Good job. Now I’ll pray for all of us.
Host and Co-Host enter.
Host
Let’s all practice our Big Point again,
Host
I Will Listen To Jesus!
Co-Host
It’s so sad that the people in Jesus’ hometown wouldn’t listen to Him. They made an unwise choice. I’m glad that we can make a better choice today.
Host
You can tell your family about the Big Story when you do the Big Do this week.
Host
Go outside with your family. You can go to the park or even just sit outside. Listen closely and see how many different sounds you hear.
Co-Host
Let’s try that now. Everyone, stand up, and let’s pretend to walk to the park.
Have the kids march in place. Describe the pretend world around you, like waving to neighbors, stopping a crosswalk, looking at buildings, etc.
Host
You can sit back down. We’re going to show you a park and play some sounds. Let’s see how many sounds we know.
Play the video and encourage the kids to guess all of the sounds. Listen to the video ahead of time so you can identify the sounds.
Host
That was fun. You were great listeners. I think that you can do a great job listening to Jesus, too. Let’s say our Big Point once more,
Host
I Will Listen To Jesus!
Did our Big Point say I Won’t Listen To Jesus or I Will Listen To Jesus?
Let’s pretend to open a book. Run your finger across the page, like you are reading the words. Who stood up and read in our Big Story? Jesus Did the people want to listen to what Jesus said? No
Stand up and see how high that you can jump. Ready? Go! You can sit back down. Did the crowd take Jesus up on top of a hill because they were mad at Him? Yes Who protected Jesus? His Heavenly Father
Let’s make some animal sounds. (Make various animal sounds) John 10:27 (NIrV) says, “My sheep ______ My voice. I know them, and they follow Me.”
Listen to
Ignore
What is our Big Do? Go outside and listen to sounds