Slides and Printables.zip

Slides and Printables

Slides.zip

Slides

Program Videos.zip

Program Videos

7 Min Countdown

03 sec Countdown

2 Min Countdown

Herman and Rusty Act 3

Herman and Rusty Act 2

Herman and Rusty Act 1 

H&R Big Do Slide

5 Min Countdown

Herman and Rusty Title

Big Story Video

H&R BIG REVIEW Bumper

H&R 5 Min Countdown with Rules

It’s ok to disagree with your friends if they do something that God says is wrong. Maybe you’ve been tempted to go along with the crowd and celebrate things that don’t match what God likes. Let’s see what Rusty did when he found himself surrounded by people who celebrate bad things.

Large Group Full Program

Question of the Day: Which holiday do you most love to celebrate?



Countdown / Rules

The **Host** and **Co-Host** are wearing lab coats. 



**Host**

Welcome to the Lab! 



**Co-Host**

Learning about Daniel’s and his friends’ lives in Babylon has opened my eyes to a lot of upside down stuff in my world.



**Host**

The more you read God’s Word, the more it opens your eyes to what’s happening so you can see the difference between the truth and what is false.



**Co-Host**

Speaking of spotting the difference, let’s challenge each group to see if you can do that with this picture. It seems as though Ethel’s cats have gone a little crazy while she was gone.





**Host**

We will put one Connector in front of each section of kids to make teams. See if you can spot the ten differences between the two pictures. The team that finds the most wins.





If using a large projector and screen, consider giving the first Connector who claims to have found all 10 a laser pointer to use to point to the differences. If using a TV, then simply have them run up and point on the TV. Another option is to give each Connector a copy of Slide A and a writing utensil so they can circle the differences. The **Host** should have a printout of Slide B so he/she can verify the answers.



**Co-Host**

Great job to our winners!



**Host**

Today is all about spotting what isn’t good and choosing the right thing instead. Let’s see what they are up to in the lab today.



Welcome

Worship

**Host** and **Co-Host** enter. Prior to this Engage, choose a child, and keep him/her backstage. Explain to the audience the directions, and then bring the child out. Ensure the child can’t hear what you tell the audience to do.



**Co-Host**

Do you think that Rusty’s idea to become a mime is a wise way to handle the situation?



**Host**

It’s not. I think he’s trying to avoid having to speak up about something he knows is wrong.



**Co-Host**

Have any of your friends ever tried to convince you to do something with them that you know is wrong?



**Host**

It’s tough when it seems like everyone likes the wrong things. Let’s see what our Big Point says. I need a volunteer to help us reveal it.



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



**Co-Host**

After we count down from three, you can read the Big Point.

**Host**

Let’s all say it together, **I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!**



**Co-Host**

Part of living right side up in an upside down world is choosing to live by God’s truth, even if it goes against what a lot of people say.



**Host**

That’s not easy. Earlier we chose a volunteer who is now backstage. He/She can’t hear us. We are going to show him/her some slides of different things and ask him/her what it is. Super easy, except we want you to disagree with whatever he/she answers. Really make it seem like you don’t agree with the obvious truth. 



**Co-Host**

See if you can convince him/her to go along with the wrong answer.



Bring out the child. Show the slides and ask him/her questions about each one. Then ask the audience if they agree and what they think the answer is. See if the kid will change the answer. 



**Host**

Okay, we’ll let you in on a secret. The whole audience was trying to see if they could convince you to change your mind, even though you were right.



**Co-Host**

Did you feel a lot of pressure when everyone else disagreed with you?



**Host**

When you know the truth, you can’t be afraid to stick to it, even if it’s not popular. Let’s see if Rusty can do that.



Engage 1



**Host**

If Rusty drops by the party and doesn’t say anything, do you think other people will think he’s ok with his cousin breaking the law?



**Co-Host**

It will look like he’s cool with it all. Rusty should listen to the Big Point,

**Co-Host**

**I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!**



**Host**

Let’s turn to the Bible and learn how to do that by checking out the Big Verse.





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

**Co-Host**

After we count down from three read the verse. 

**Co-Host**

Amos 5:15 (NIrV) says, “Hate evil and love good.” That’s a simple command.



**Host**

It is simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to follow. This verse doesn’t mean that you should hate anyone. In fact, the Bible teaches the opposite.



**Co-Host**

When it says hate, it’s helpful to think of it as rejecting the kinds of things God doesn’t like. If a person does something that God doesn’t like, should we join in and do it too or reject it? We don’t hate them, but we can’t join in with them.



**Host**

Let’s choose a volunteer to help us with something. (Choose a volunteer) Have you ever used magnets to pick up stuff? What kind of material does a magnet attract?



**Co-Host**

That’s right, metal. Use a magnet to see if you can pick up some of the metal objects.



Allow the kid to try the magnet out on the different items.

**Host**

Think of those metal objects as the things that the Bible tells us God loves. We should try to attract all of the good things that match what God likes. Let’s see what happens when we try to make the magnets touch north to north and south to south.



Have the kid attempt to connect the magnets on the same pole.

**Co-Host**

You can’t do it. They literally will not attach to each other. In fact, they push away. Whenever we know something is wrong, because it’s something God said in the Bible He doesn’t like, then we have to push it away. We don’t want to celebrate or love what is wrong just because others do. Let’s take a moment to stand and worship God.



Engage 2

Maybe you’ve been tempted to go along with the crowd and celebrate things that don’t match what God likes. It’s hard sometimes to go opposite of a lot of people. The good news is that you aren’t alone. We have some Connectors who want to pray with you because they love you. You have lots of people who love God that are on the same side as you are. If you’d like to pray with them, come to the front and let’s pray together.

Big Story

**Co-Host**

Rusty definitely made the right decision to stay far away from his cousin’s party.





**Host**

He could have gotten in some big trouble. The same is true for Daniel. Had he joined in Belshazzar’s disrespectful party, he might have ended up on the wrong side of that enemy army. Instead, God helped him become a leader in the new kingdom. Remember our Big Point, 





**Host**

**I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!**



**Co-Host**

That’s a story you can share with your family when you do this week’s Big Do. 

**Host**

Have a party at the end of the week to celebrate all of the ways that your family obeyed God.



**Co-Host**

Let’s see if we can pick out the kinds of things we should and shouldn’t celebrate. If you think we should celebrate it, shout “Yay!” If not, then shout, “Boo!”



Show the following slides and allow the kids to respond.

**Host**

Great job! Let’s turn and connect with our small groups and talk about why we want to go God’s way.





Engage 3

Gather the kids into small groups and discuss the following. 





 - Why is it hard sometimes to speak up and disagree, even when you know it’s the right thing to do? 

 - Was it risky for Daniel to tell the king that he was wrong? Why? **The king could have hurt him or had him killed**. Why would it have been wrong to join in the king’s party or ignore it? **The king was disrespecting God**.

 - What are some things that you could do differently this week to show that you won’t celebrate bad things? 

 - What did Herman tell us to do with our families in the Big Do? **Have a party at the end of the week to celebrate all of the ways that your family obeyed God.**





Small Group

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

 - Our Big Point says I Won’t Celebrate _____ Things!

    - Annoying

    - **Bad**



 - What did Rusty become to avoid a confrontation?

    - Weatherman

    - **Mime**



 - The king threw a party where he used items taken from where?

    - **God’s temple**

    - Daniel’s house



 - How did the king and his guests treat God during the party?

    - Respectfully

    - **Disrespectfully**



 - What appeared and wrote on the wall during the party?

    - **Hand**

    - Pencil





 - Amos 5:15 (NIrV) says, “____ evil and love good.”

    - Love

    - **Hate**



 - King Belshazzar was defeated by an enemy that night.

    - **True**

    - False



 - What happened when Rusty decided not to go to the party?



 - Why do we not want to celebrate bad things?



  - What challenge did Herman give us as this week’s Big Do? **Have a party at the end of the week to celebrate all of the ways that your family obeyed God.**





Big Review

Large Group Abbreviated

**Host**

Welcome to the Lab!

**Co-Host**

Learning about Daniel’s and his friends’ lives in Babylon has opened my eyes to a lot of upside down stuff in my world.

**Host**

The more you read God’s Word, the more it opens your eyes to what’s happening so you can see the difference between the truth and what is false.



**Co-Host**

Today is all about spotting what isn’t good and choosing the right thing instead. Let’s see what they are up to in the lab today.

**Host**

Let’s all say it together,

**I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!**

**Co-Host**

Part of living right side up in an upside down world is choosing to live by God’s truth, even if it goes against what a lot of people say.

**Host**

That’s not easy. 



**Co-Host**

When you know the truth, you can’t be afraid to stick to it, even if it’s not popular. Let’s see if Rusty can do that.

**Co-Host**

Amos 5:15 (NIrV) says, “Hate evil and love good.” That’s a simple command.

**Host**

It is simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to follow. This verse doesn’t mean that you should hate anyone. In fact, the Bible teaches the opposite.

**Co-Host**

When it says hate, it’s helpful to think of it as rejecting the kinds of things God doesn’t like. If a person does something that God doesn’t like, should we join in and do it too or reject it? We don’t hate them, but we can’t join in with them.



**Host**

Like a magnet attracts metal, we should try to attract all of the good things that match what God likes. 

**Co-Host**

And whenever we know something is wrong, because it’s something God said in the Bible He doesn’t like, then we have to push it away. We don’t want to celebrate or love what is wrong just because others do.

**Host**

Have a party at the end of the week to celebrate all of the ways that your family obeyed God.

**Co-Host**

Wow! That is such a great reason to celebrate!

**Host**

Let’s turn and connect with our small groups and talk about why we want to go God’s way.

Midweek / Classroom

Lab Wars Prep: This segment uses a Power Point interactive game of matching. If you don't have that option consider printing the cards and using for the game. Alternatively any kind of memory game prepped ahead would work as long as OPPOSITES are available for matches, such as Tall/Short, Boy/Girl, Happy/Sad, Open/Shut, Empty/Full, etc.

Hey guys, welcome to the Lab! Have you ever had a friend who thought that wrong things were actually right and right things were wrong? That’s confusing, right? I am glad that when we follow God we can know the Truth, which helps us live right-side up in this crazy, mixed-up world. Let’s stand up and worship God and thank Him for always pointing us in the right direction. 

This segment uses a Power Point interactive game of matching. If you don't have that option consider printing the cards and using for the game. Alternatively any kind of memory game prepped ahead would work as long as OPPOSITES are available for matches, such as Tall/Short, Boy/Girl, Happy/Sad, Open/Shut, Empty/Full, etc.

You guys did a great job worshiping God! It’s now time to break up into your small groups. Go ahead and turn to your small group leaders now. (Split into groups)  



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. Tonight’s battle will take place in your small groups. We will play a matching game, but not your normal matching game. Instead of matching things that are the same, we are going to match things that are opposite! When it’s your small group’s turn, pick a tile and try to match that tile’s opposite. If you get a “opposite pair” you get to pick again! Ready? Let’s start with 1st grade girls! 





Congratulations to the winning team! You guys were pros at finding opposites! Tonight our lesson has a lot to do with opposites. As crazy as it sounds, some people actually love and celebrate things that are opposite of what God loves. Does that seem right? I don’t think so either. But before we get to our Big Point, let’s check in with our friends at the Lab to see what they are up to this week. 





Lab Wars

Do you think that Rusty’s idea to become a mime is a wise way to handle that situation? It seems like he’s trying to avoid having to speak up about something he knows is wrong. It’s tough when it seems like everyone around you is liking wrong things. Let’s see what our Big Point says. I need a small group to help me count down to reveal what it is! 

Pick a small group to help count down from three.

**I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!** Part of living right side up in an upside down world is choosing to live by God’s truth, even if it goes against what a lot of people say or do. Let’s turn to our small groups and play a game that will help us practice not going along with the crowd. 

Choose a kid to go first. You, as the leader, will lead the rest of the group in following different motions. Whoever is “it,” will do any motion except what the group does. If the “it” person accidently does the same motion, he/she is out, and someone else is “it”. If you have a tough time thinking of motions, refer to the list below.



Motion Suggestions: 

Pat your legs

Clap your hands

Roll your fists

Wave your arms

“Pump it Up” motion





When there is 1-2 minutes left, stop the game and ask the following question: 









Have you ever had someone around you try to convince you that something bad was actually good?







It was hard not to do what everyone else did! When lots of people around you do the wrong thing or say bad things are good, it is possible for you to disagree! You don’t have to go along with what everyone else says or does. When you know the truth, you can be brave enough to stick to it, even when it’s not popular. God wants to help you follow our Big Point,



**I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!** Let’s see if Rusty can do that.

If Rusty drops by the party and doesn’t say anything, that basically tells everyone that he thinks what they are doing is ok! It can be hard to speak up and share the truth, but when you do, you follow our Big Point, 

**I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!** Let’s turn to the Bible and learn how to do that by checking out the Big Verse. I need a small group to help me count down to reveal our Big Verse. 

Choose a small group to count it down. 



Amos 5:15 (NIrV) says, “Hate evil and love good.” When it says “hate,” think of it as rejecting, or saying “No,” to the kinds of things God doesn’t like. If a person does something that God doesn’t like, should we join in and do it too or reject it? We don’t hate the person, but we can’t join in and do wrong things. Let’s do an activity in our small groups to practice rejecting wrong things and loving what is right. 

Choose a kid to go first and give that child the bucket. Read one of the Activity Cards. Each one has a scenario that we should either celebrate and take part in, or reject and refuse to take part in. If it is something we should love, wad it up in a ball and have them catch it in the bucket. If it’s something we should hate, wad it up in a ball and toss it to them, allowing them to smack it out of the group with their hand. (You may want to share this: There is only one rule in this game, no chasing the wadded paper!) When there is about 1 minute left, collect the supplies and ask the following question:







What is something you’ve seen kids at school do that you should reject?









That was fun smacking those paper wads out of our groups! Whenever we know something is wrong, then it’s up to us to reject it. We can find out what to reject by looking in the Bible. If God said He doesn’t like, then He expects us to show others that we don’t like it either. There’s a guy in the Bible who did a great job living this out. His name was Daniel. Let’s see what he did when he found himself surrounded by people who celebrated bad things.

Play optional soft instrumental music.  Leader enters.

Maybe you’ve been tempted to go along with the crowd and celebrate things that don’t match what God likes. It’s hard to take a stand when of a lot of people do the opposite. The good news is that you aren’t alone. Each of you are surrounded by a small group who loves you and wants to follow God, just like you do. Let’s turn to our small groups and talk about how we can live out our Big Point. 

 



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 be used as a tool to signify whose turn it is to respond.







 - Why is it sometimes difficult to speak up and disagree, even when you know it’s the right thing to do? **We’re afraid what others will think or say, we are afraid that we will lose our friends, we’re afraid people won’t like us, etc.**

 - In the past, when people around you did what was wrong, did you ever stay quiet or follow along and do what they were doing? Tell me about it.

 - What are some things that you could do differently this week to show that you won’t celebrate bad things? 





Let’s pray and ask God to help us stay strong and celebrate the right things. (Pray for your group)







We have all messed up before. It can be tempting to either stay quiet or go along with the crowd. The important thing is that you make a choice tonight to stand up for the right things. It’s ok to disagree with your friends if they do something that God says is wrong. I hope we all decide to live out our Big Point, 

**I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!** Let’s see how the situation with Rusty’s cousin turned out. 



Rusty definitely made the right decision to stay far away from his cousin’s party. He could have gotten in some big trouble. The same is true for Daniel. If he had joined in Belshazzar’s disrespectful party, he might have ended up on the wrong side of that enemy army. Instead, God helped him become a leader in the new kingdom. Remember our Big Point, 



**I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!** To practice our Big Point this week, make sure you do the Big Do. 

Have a party at the end of the week to celebrate all the ways that your family obeyed God. 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 even a group cheer.



Upside Down Week 3

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Large Group Full Program Instructions

Large Group Full Program Instructions