Slides and Printables.zip

Slides and Printables

Program Videos.zip

Program Videos

7 Min Countdown

03 sec Countdown

Herman and Rusty Act 1

2 Min Countdown

Herman and Rusty Act 2

H&R Big Do Slide

6 Min Countdown

Herman and Rusty Act 3

60 sec Countdown

8 Min Countdown

Herman and Rusty Title

Big Story Video

H&R BIG REVIEW Bumper

H&R 5 Min Countdown with Rules

Rusty and Ethel believe they are Bible superheroes because of a radioactive Bible. (This lesson presents God’s gift of salvation. Every church presents the Gospel with slight variations and nuances. Read through the steps before teaching. Present the Gospel in a way that is consistent with the scripture and God’s leading.)

Large Group Full Program

Question of the Day: What is the heaviest thing you have ever lifted?





This lesson presents God’s gift of salvation. Every church presents the Gospel with slight variations and nuances. Read through the steps before teaching. Present the Gospel in a way that is consistent with the scripture and God’s leading.

Countdown / Rules

**Host**

Welcome to the Lab! Where is (**Co-Host**)? He/She is supposed to be here for the lesson.





Optional music “The Power” by SNAP!. Lights flash. The **Co-Host** enters through the lights, dancing to the music and singing along. The music is not essential to the Welcome but adds a fun element.







**Host**

What just happened?



**Co-Host**

Oh, I don’t know, maybe the most amazing service opener in the history of our church. The best part? It ties in the with lesson because we’ve got the power, baby!





Optional play “The Power”.  **Co-Host** dances.







**Host**

He/She actually is correct about that. We do have the power, and today we’re going to learn Who gives us that power. Speaking of power, let’s see if you can guess the top ten strongest animals, pound for pound, in the world.





Show the slides and have the kids guess the answers.

	10. Grizzly Bear (.8x Body Weight)

	9. Anaconda (Same Body Weight)

	8. Elephant (1.4x Body Weight)

	7. Musk Ox (1.5x Body Weight)

	6. Tiger (2x Body Weight)

	5. Eagle (4x Body Weight)

	4. Gorilla (10x Body Weight)

	3. Leafcutter Ant (50x Body Weight)

	2. Rhinoceros Beetle (850x Body Weight)

	1. Dung Beetle (1,141x Body Weight)



**Co-Host**

Wow! That’s amazing. Now it’s time for my powerful five minute dance solo.



**Host**

Actually, it’s time to peek in on the lab. But first turn to someone nearby and say, “You’ve got the power!”



Welcome

Worship

**Host** enters. This Engage uses the Diet Coke and Mentos experiment. Detailed instructions and videos can be found online. Be sure to set out a tarp large enough to avoid spilling the drink. The kiddie pool will also help contain it. Consider purchasing the geyser tube to make dropping the Mentos mint easier.



**Host**

Do you think that Rusty and Ethel’s plan to save Slater is the right idea? Me neither.





Optional play “Theme from Greatest American Hero”. **Co-Host** enters, wearing a superhero costume and “flying” around the stage. The superhero costume can even be homemade from items around the house, like a bedsheet for a cape and simple mask.





**Host**

You, too?



**Co-Host**

Yep, they smacked me with the radioactive Bible. I am Captain Bible, defender of Bibles and people who read the Bible, and dogs, and sometimes gerbils, and tiny cats that wear tutus. 





**Host**

There is no such thing as a radioactive Bible. Also, that is not our source of power. Let’s bring up a lab assistant to help us reveal the truth in today’s Big Point.





**Host** and **Co-Host** choose a kid to volunteer.





**Co-Host**

After we count down from three, your job is to read the Big Point. 









**Co-Host**

Let’s all say it together, **The Holy Spirit Is Our Source!** Are you sure gamma rays are not our source, like the Incredible Hulk?



**Host**

Nope, our source is the Holy Spirit. He gives us power to do the things that God wants us to do, even things that seem impossible.



**Co-Host**

Like leaping a tall building in a single bound!





**Co-Host** jumps a few inches off the ground.





**Host**

No, it’s more like this. Watch what happens when I drop this Mentos candy into the Diet Coke.











Drop the candy in the soda to create a geyser of soda.





**Co-Host**

When I receive the Holy Spirit, He produces that kind of power?



**Host**

He does, and that power flows out of us to help others. Let’s see if we can convince Rusty and Ethel.

Engage 1

**Host** and **Co-Host** enter. This Engage uses a Bernoulli bag that can be purchased online.





**Co-Host**

I specifically told Rusty that was my theme song. Did he and Ethel look like they actually have superpowers? 



**Host**

If they want to help Slater, they should listen to the Big Point. 

**Host**

**The Holy Spirit Is Our Source!** Don’t take our word for it, let’s see what the Bible says.





**Co-Host**

Yep, we can always back up our Big Points with a Big Verse. Your job, after we count down from three, is to read the verse. 



**Co-Host**

Acts 1:8 (NIrV), “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” So, when we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive power. 



**Host**

His power can accomplish so much more than anything we could possibly do on our own. Let me show you what I mean with this experiment.





**Co-Host**

I want you to see how much air you can fill this bag with, only using three breaths.





Have the child hold the bag up to his/her mouth and blow three times. Grip the bag and slide your hand down the bag to trap the air. It should only fill about a quarter of the bag.





**Host**

Hmm…it didn’t fill up that much. That’s what it’s like when we try to do amazing things on our own. Let’s try it again, but this time I want you to hold the opening as wide as you can and blow it up with one breath.





Have the child hold the opening wide and keep it about six inches away. Quickly tie off the end after one breath. The entire bag will be full of air. Check out (stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/power-of-air-sick-science/) for an explanation.









**Co-Host**

That’s what it’s like when we have the Holy Spirit’s help.



**Host**

He powers us up to do things that seem impossible. Let’s stand and take a moment to worship God.



Engage 2

The first step to receiving that power is to say, “Yes” to following Jesus. The Holy Spirit is only a gift to those of us who are Christians. When you say, “Yes,” you will have access to the Holy Spirit and His power.



If you have never said, “Yes, I want Jesus to forgive me, be my best friend, and I will follow Him for the rest of my life,” then today is your day! I’d like everyone to close your eyes and bow your heads, so no one is distracted. If you have already said, “Yes” to Jesus, you believe that He is alive, and you are His friend and follower, give me a thumbs up. If you’ve never said, “Yes” to Jesus before, and you want to say, “Yes” to Him right now and ask Him to forgive you and tell Him you want to live your life differently, raise your hand. We’re going to pray all together. Those of you who are already friends and followers of Jesus can join in, too. Repeat after me, and let’s pray... 



Dear God,

I know everyone needs a Savior, and I know I can’t save myself. Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross for my sins and God raised You from the dead.

Right now, I say you are my Lord, my Savior, and the One who forgives me. Thank you, Jesus, that You are my best friend and leader of my life, because I’ve said, “Yes” to You. Amen.

Later we’re going to meet in our small groups. If you said, “Yes” to Jesus for the first time, then you will go to that small group to talk a bit more about the awesome decision you made today.





Big Story

**Co-Host**

Wow! I’m glad to hear that Slater is feeling better.



**Host**

The Holy Spirit can use us to pray for people, just like Peter did in our Big Story. Let’s say the Big Point again, 

**Host**

**The Holy Spirit Is Our Source!**



**Co-Host**

That would be a great story to share when you do the Big Do. 





**Host**

Turn off the lights in the room and light a candle or turn on a flashlight. Talk about how the Holy Spirit is our source of power.



**Co-Host**

I wish I could see the Holy Spirit.



**Host**

Even though we can’t see Him, we can see what He is doing. We can see how He works in our lives and in the lives of people we know. It’s like the air. You can’t see it, but you see its effects.



**Co-Host**

That gives me an idea for a game. Let’s use our invisible air to move some objects.



**Host**

Great idea. We have 15 plastic cups set up on each table. We have a kid and adult volunteer team from each group. When we say “Go,” the volunteer will blow up a balloon and hand it to the kid, who will let the air go to push a cup off the table.



**Co-Host**

Whoever knocks off the most cups wins. Go!







**Host**

Great job to our winners. Let’s gather in our small groups and discuss what we have discovered about the Holy Spirit.



Engage 3

Gather the kids into small groups and discuss the following.

- How did Ethel and Rusty try to help Slater at first? **They became superheroes** Was that the right decision? Why not?



- How do you imagine people reacted when Tabitha came back to life? Can things like that only happen for Peter, or could the Holy Spirit use us, too?



- What are some things the Holy Spirit could give you the power to do? **Be bold to talk about Jesus; be brave to do the right thing, even when no one else does; pray for others**



- What did Herman tell us to do with our families in the Big Do? **Turn off the lights and use a candle or flashlight. Talk about how the Holy Spirit gives us power**

Small Group

Optional play game music. Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question. 

 - Our Big Point says The Holy Spirit Is Our ______!

    - **Source**

    - Friend



 - How did Ethel and Rusty try to help Slater?

    - **They became superheroes**

    - They raised money for him



 - When Peter prayed for Aeneas, what happened?

    - He died

    - **He got up and walked**



 - What happened when Peter prayed for Tabitha?

    - **She came back to life**

    - She got sicker



 - Who powered Peter up to help others?

    - His own superpowers

    - **The Holy Spirit**





 - Complete the Big Verse: Acts 1:8 (NIrV), “But you will receive _____ when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”

    - Fear

    - **Power**



 - What happened in the city after Tabitha came back to life?

    - People ran away

    - **People believed in Jesus**



 - True/False: Rusty and Ethel chose to pray for Slater.

    - **True**

    - False



 - What are things the Holy Spirit can help you do?



  - What challenge did Herman give us as this week’s Big Do? **Use a candle or flashlight and talk about how the Holy Spirit gives us power**

Big Review

Large Group Abbreviated

This lesson presents God’s gift of salvation. Every church presents the Gospel with slight variations and nuances. Read through the steps before teaching. Present the Gospel in a way that is consistent with the scripture and God’s leading. "Yes Prayer" slides are available in downloads.

**Host**

He/She actually is correct about that. We do have the power, and today we’re going to learn Who gives us that power. 

**Host**

No, not exactly. It's more like... a geyser, a fountain, an explosion!

**Co-Host**

Acts 1:8 (NIrV), “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” So, when we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive power.

**Host**

His power can accomplish so much more than anything we could possibly do on our own.

**Co-Host**

We can do all the things God wants us to do with the Holy Spirit’s help.

**Host**

He powers us up to do things that seem impossible.

**Host**

Turn off the lights in the room and light a candle or turn on a flashlight. Talk about how the Holy Spirit is our source of power.

**Co-Host**

I wish I could see the Holy Spirit.

**Host**

Even though we can’t see Him, we can see what He is doing. We can see how He works in our lives and in the lives of people we know. It’s like the air. You can’t see it, but you see its effects.



**Co-Host**

Let’s gather in our small groups and discuss what we have discovered about the Holy Spirit.

Midweek / Classroom

Question of the Day: What do you do when you lose power in your house?

Engage 2 Prep: Print enough activity sheets for each child. Choose from younger and older versions of the word search. You may want to also print a copy of the answer key for each.

Hey guys, welcome to the Lab! Raise your hand if you have ever lost power at your house during a storm. When you don’t have power, you can’t do much. You can’t watch TV, you can’t play video games, you can’t even use the microwave. Power helps us do a lot. The Holy Spirit gives us power, but it isn’t the kind that lights up our house. His power helps us do the things God wants us to do. Let’s stand up and worship, but first, turn to your neighbor and tell them the thing you miss the most when you lose power. 



Using tape, mark a starting line and a finish line. Leader enters, dressed in a lab coat.

You guys did a great job worshipping God! It’s now time to break up into your small groups. Go ahead and turn to your Small Group Leaders now.



Use these two minutes to introduce yourself to your kids and go over the rules you have for your group. This will set the expectation and show the kids clear boundaries, setting your group up for success. The ball can be used as a tool to signify whose turn it is to respond. 



It’s time for Lab Wars! During Lab Wars we battle it out, team against team, until one group stands victorious. Did you know wind is a source of power? For tonight’s battle, we will use our breath to race ping pong balls across the finish line. Small Group Leaders, send up one representative to play the game! 





Play optional game music. Line up each team at the start with their ping pong ball. Using their breath only, they must blow their ping pong ball across the finish line. The team that reaches the finish line first wins! Note: If you have more than 2 teams, it may help to use different colors or a marker to number the ping pong balls. Play the game.

Congratulations to the winning team! Wind is a pretty powerful thing. Windmills use the wind to generate electricity. You can’t see the wind, but it produces a massive amount of power that can light up an entire city. You can’t see the Holy Spirit either, but the power He gives us is way greater than all the electricity in the world. He gives us the power to follow Jesus. Let’s check in with our friends at the lab to see what they are up to this week.  



Lab Wars

Each small group will need a Lemon Light Kit and 4 lemons. You can find the kits on Amazon or you can purchase the items needed separately. Each kit should include 4 pieces of copper, 4 pieces of zinc, 5 electrical wires, and 1 LED.





Do you think that Rusty and Ethel’s plan to save Slater is the right idea? I don’t think so either. There is no such thing as a radioactive Bible. Also, that is not our source of power. Let’s take a look at our Big Point to find out exactly where our power comes from. I need a small group to help me countdown to reveal what it is! 

**The Holy Spirit Is Our Source!** He gives us power to do the things that God wants us to do, even things that seem impossible. Let’s turn to our small groups and do an experiment showing how a lemon can be a source of power. 



Each small group has 4 lemons and the supplies needed to use the lemon to light up a LED light. Follow the steps below to conduct the experiment. 





- Take 4 lemons and push 2 metal plates (one copper, one zinc) into each of them. Depending on the kit, you may need to roll the plates into a tight tube before inserting them into the lemons.

- Connect the copper plate of a lemon to a zinc plate of another lemon with the wires.

- Connect the wire from the copper plate of first lemon to long terminal (+) of the LED light

- Lastly, connect the wire from the zinc plate of last lemon to short terminal (-) of the LED. You will find that the LED glows.

I can’t believe you can use a lemon to light up a light bulb! Just like this lemon was the source of power for the light, the Holy Spirit gives us power so we can be a light to the people around us. Let’s see if Rusty and Ethel can grab a hold of our Big Point, 



Did Rusty and Ethel look like they actually had superpowers? If they want to help Slater, they should listen to the Big Point, 



**The Holy Spirit Is Our Source!** Don’t take my word for it. Let’s see what the Bible says. I need a small group to help me countdown to reveal what it is. 

Acts 1:8 (NIrV), “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive power. His power can accomplish so much more than anything we could possibly do on our own. What exactly does He give us the power to do? Let’s do a fun activity in our small groups to find out.  

Pass out one activity sheet per child along with a writing utensil. Have them complete the word search. If they get stuck, the answer key is provided in printables. If you have extra time, ask the following question.

⦁	Someone, raise your hand and tell me something the Holy Spirit gives us the power to do.



The Holy Spirit gives us the power to do some amazing things. Sometimes we may feel like we don’t have the strength to be patient, love others, or pray. But the truth is we have the power inside of us to do good. That power comes from the Holy Spirit, and all of us who have said, “Yes” to Jesus have the Holy Spirit inside us. Let’s say our Big Point all together, 





Let’s turn to our small groups and talk more about what it means to say, “Yes” to Jesus and the power that comes from the gift of the Holy Spirit.  



The goal in this segment is to create a place where kids can openly share and to bring accountability as they become more like Jesus. Do this by truly listening, responding with love, and showing them what it looks like to be a friend and follower of Jesus. The ball can serve as a tool to signify whose turn it is to respond. 





⦁	Who said “Yes” to Jesus today for the very first time? Celebrate with them! Have everyone give them a high-five, etc. 



⦁	What happens when we say, “Yes” to Jesus? We become a new creation, which means Jesus changes us on the inside, we are forgiven. 



⦁	When you say, "Yes" to Jesus, what are you saying, "Yes" to? We are saying “Yes” to making Him the Leader of our life and to following Him. We are saying, "Yes" to getting to know Him.



⦁	What is something the Holy Spirit can give you power to do? Be kind, obey your parents, know what to say, pray for healing, etc. 



⦁	How does it make you feel knowing the Holy Spirit will give you the power to do these things?



The Holy Spirit gives us power to do amazing things! But He doesn’t just help us perform miracles; He also helps us follow Jesus. We still have to choose to be loving and kind, but we’re not on our own. When you feel like you can’t obey your parents or show kindness to a kid at school, remember our Big Point, 



Wow! I’m glad to hear that Slater is feeling better. The Holy Spirit can use us to pray for people, just like Peter did in our Big Story. Let’s say the Big Point one more time, 



**The Holy Spirit Is Our Source!**

Herman had a fun idea for the Big Do this week. 

Turn off the lights in the room and light a candle or turn on a flashlight. Talk about how the Holy Spirit is our source of power. Let’s turn to our small groups to finish up tonight’s service.





Use this time to hand out any positive reinforcement tools (i.e. Candy, stickers, prize coupons, etc.) Tell your group how much you enjoyed spending time with them this week. Finally, end your time together with a prayer and maybe a group cheer. 

The Helper Week 4

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Large Group Full Program Instructions

Large Group Full Program Instructions