Tag Archive for: Children’s Church

What can Jesus do for me when I mess up?

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We continue our investigating and discovery of Jesus. Our key question this week was, “What can Jesus do for me when I mess up?” The amazing answer is that He grants us forgiveness. It is because of Jesus that we can come before God and find forgiveness for our sin. This was the incredible truth about Jesus that we explored.

Our Part
This Sunday we looked at the story of the prodigal son. It is such a beautiful story with so many lessons that we can learn. Using images and even modern day examples, we discussed the story and focused on God’s grace. We looked how God forgives us of our sin – He cleans up our mess even when we don’t deserve it. Just like the loving father in the story, our Father God welcomes us to Him, forgives us and reminds us that we are His children.

Your Part
We think that it is key that you spend some time reflecting on this story with your children. It is so important to focus on how God can forgive us and that He says He will if we confess our sins to Him. Our children need to know that they can come to God with their faults, their worst actions, their sin and know that He is willing to forgive and still love them. We as parents also need to learn to display grace. We need to try to show forgiveness to our children, and not hold their faults against them.

It is a wonderful privilege to share the Gospel with our children. Keep talking about Jesus, the forgiveness we receive in Him and the family we have through Him.

– The Children’s Church team

Jesus Washes us Clean

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This past Sunday we continued with our investigating of who Jesus is. The key question was, “Why do we need Jesus?” We have looked at who he is, but now we need to know why we need him in our lives.

We started by looking at the incredible truth Jesus gives in John 14:6 where he says that he is the way and truth and life, and thus the only way to the Father. He is our salvation. He is the only way.

We then looked at how he washed his disciples’ feet and what we can learn from that humble act. One key point that was made was to see how Jesus washes us clean. He removes the dirt of sin in our lives and makes a clean and right before our Father. Our children were reminded of the beautiful Gospel message and how it applies to them. As always there was some time of fun and games to help emphasise the message.

This was a report given by one of our teachers on how part of the morning went:

“What an amazing morning. God definitely spoke to His kids. As our Grade 2’s were colouring in the craft with their feet they were saying how hard it was, how sore it was, and how frustrating it was. BUT they kept on doing it. On and on they went. What a life lesson to learn: serving others and God can be tough like this but to persevere is the way to follow Jesus. Jesus has called us to serve others and serve Him. He knows at times it’s hard, and we don’t do it perfectly, but he encourages us to keep doing it.”

What a great lesson to experience. We hope our children have learned to persevere for Christ despite the difficulties that may come. May we, the parents and teachers, learn the same.

Your Part
Continue to reflect on the gospel with your children. Think of what it means to love and serve others, and to love and serve God. Help them see what Jesus did for us and how we can respond to him. In the busyness of this term we are seeing such fruit come out in our children. Please play a role in helping water such life.

We continue to investigate next week.

– The Children’s Church team

Jesus is Trustworthy

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One of the greatest desires and needs we have as people is the need to find trust in others. We long to have people in our lives that we can rely on, call on in times of need, and trust with our lives. Sadly we do let each other down – often. But there is someone who calls on us to trust Him with our life, and that is Jesus. We need to learn to trust in Jesus, for He is trustworthy.

Our Part
We looked at Psalm 56:3: “When I am afraid I will trust in you.” We have covered the experience of fear many times with our children. This week we wanted to emphasise that no matter what we are feeling or experiencing, we need to learn to trust in Jesus with our lives. When we learn to have trust in Jesus, we find the ability, the hope and courage to not fear what we experience or what may lie ahead. Our fear is kept afar when we are filled with trust in Jesus. Trusting Jesus means we that we know that he will care for us, protect us and love us throughout what happens.

We looked at how in the Gospels, an official from Capernaum feared that his son would die. He had one last hope and that was to trust in Jesus. When Jesus chose not to follow the official to his house but rather assure him that his son would live, the official again had to trust in Jesus. On his way home he heard the incredible news that his son is well. His trust in Jesus paid off.

Your Part
Speak to your children about what it means to trust someone. Tell them Bible stories where men and women had to trust God over and over again, and how God always proved to be trustworthy. Talk to your children about what they may fear. We heard some interesting points from our older children. Assure them of how trusting Jesus helps to combat fear.

We often encourage our children to love Jesus. A place to start that may be simpler for children is for them to first learn to trust Jesus. When they learn to trust Jesus, then it becomes easy to love him.

– The Children’s Church team

The Promised One of God

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Last week we looked who the Promised One of God is. We looked at Old Testament prophecies and the clues God gave on who the Messiah would be. We tried to tick the boxes and we worked out that, sorry to say moms and dads, you are not the Promised One of God, but neither are we, the teachers. So who is? Well we tried Jesus and guess what? He ticked all of the boxes. He is the Promised One of God.

So this week we started to learn more about Jesus.

Children’s church reflection for 30 April 2017

Last week we looked who the Promised One of God is. We looked at Old Testament prophecies and the clues God gave on who the Messiah would be. We tried to tick the boxes and we worked out that, sorry to say moms and dads, you are not the Promised One of God, but neither are we, the teachers. So who is? Well we tried Jesus and guess what? He ticked all of the boxes. He is the promised one of God.

So this week we started to learn more about Jesus. We looked at four eye-witnesses from His birth to when He was twelve: the shepherds, Simeon, Anna and the teachers in Jerusalem. Their confession about Jesus helps confirm that He is the Saviour, the Promised One of God.

Our Part

We spent time looking at how Jesus, even from birth, was acknowledged by many to be the Saviour of the world. We pointed out how amazing the Father is in His revealing the Messiah. The first people to meet the King of kings were lowly shepherds – not kings, not the rich, not the important leaders, but shepherds. This confirms that Jesus is the Saviour for all people.

Your Part

Spend time talking about Jesus and who He is to you and to scripture. Look at His birth and the people who met Him in His young age and what they said about Him. Your job is to introduce your child to Jesus and hope and pray that they would fall in love with this wonderful King.

We will continue with some more investigating next week.

Children’s Church team

Their confession about Jesus helps confirm that He is the Saviour, the Promised One of God.

Our Part
We spent time looking at how Jesus, even from birth, was acknowledged by many to be the Saviour of the world. We pointed out how amazing the Father is in His revealing the Messiah. The first people to meet the King of kings were lowly shepherds – not kings, not the rich, not the important leaders, but shepherds. This confirms that Jesus is the Saviour for all people.

Your Part
Spend time talking about Jesus and who He is to you and to scripture. Look at His birth and the people who met Him in His young age and what they said about Him. Your job is to introduce your child to Jesus and hope and pray that they would fall in love with this wonderful King.

We will continue with some more investigating next week.

– Children’s Church team

Investigating who Jesus is

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It is an incredible privilege for us as God’s created people that we can get to learn about God, who He is and all that He did and does for us. The Bible is a priceless gift that helps us to know more about God. This term for Cornerstone Kids we look forward to joining your children in investigating who Jesus is. We will ask a lot of questions, as any good investigator would do. But we will also find the truth by looking at Jesus and looking at His Word for the true answers.

It is one thing to know about Jesus, but it is another knowing him relationally. Our hope this term is that our teachers and children will be captivated with Jesus and in learning who He is, the hope is that they will learn to trust Him and come to love Him.

We encourage you to use this term’s curriculum in continuing the investigative journey with your children. Our responsibility is to know Jesus and to make Him known. Jesus delights in revealing Himself to us and leading us to tell the world who He is.

So get out your notebooks, get the cameras rolling. We are going live with breaking news that Jesus Christ is alive and He is our King.

Our Part
This Sunday we looked at some of the prophecies made in the Old Testament concerning the promised one, the Messiah. We tried to see if these prophecies, these guides or clues to who the Messiah would be, could fit with anyone. Well they didn’t except for one person – Jesus of Nazareth. We revealed how He miraculously fulfilled all of the prophecies, a feat that is statistically impossible. Jesus is the Promised One, He is the Messiah, He is our King and Lord. He did it! Our hope in the coming weeks is to keep learning how He is our promised Saviour.

Your Part
Firstly, download the curriculum for yourself and continue the lesson throughout the week with your children. Go over the prophecies with your children. Explore how Jesus lived and fulfilled the prophecies. Lead your children in pursuing a relationship with Jesus. You cannot have a relationship with Jesus for your child. It has to be personal for them. But you are able to introduce your child to Jesus and see the relationship ignite.

We are so excited to see what life comes from this term. Please join us.

– The Children’s Church team

Our Children are the Church of Today

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An important truth for people to understand, young and old, is that our children are the church of today, not just of the future. As our children engage in their relationship with Jesus, as they worship Him, learn about Him and tell others about Him, they are living out the call of the church. They meet together as believers and encourage each other. So they too are the church, the church of today, and their role in this beautiful body is so important.

Our Part

Our desire this past Sunday was to help the children understand that they are part of the church. As scripture teaches that the church can be compared to a body, and we are the many parts, so our children make up parts of the body. They have a role to play for God’s Kingdom advancing. They too are anointed by the Holy Spirit, they too receive gifts to serve and they too are called for mission.

We looked at Jesus’ teaching on the giving of talents: how some used them while others buried theirs. Our children are given talents by God and they are encouraged to grow in them and be led by God to display them for His glory. We taught how the smallest of parts to the biggest are all equally important and needed in the church and loved by God.

Your Part

It is exciting to believe that among the many children that we meet at Children’s church there are church planters, evangelists, worship leaders, teachers, healers and more. We look forward to seeing all that God has for them as they grow in Him. But it begins today. Their call has begun. Pray with your children. Pray for the church together. Encourage them to be involved in church in many ways. Help them find their value in being part of the body. We love having them part of the body.

This coming Sunday is the last of the term. The children will have a recap of the term’s message. Remember that you can still download the curriculum to look at yourself.

We look forward to the new term.

– The Children’s Church team

Children’s Church: Encouragement

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“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Over the course of this term, our children have learned what it means to build God’s Kingdom and what His Kingdom looks like and represents. We looked at how the church is not a building but rather the gathering of God’s people to live for their King and His Kingdom. Understanding this, our focus this week was how we need to help build each other up, and as 1 Thessalonians 5 teaches, we can build each other up by encouraging one another. Simple efforts encouraging each other can lead to God’s Kingdom becoming more as He desires it to be.

Our Part

We had a look on Sunday at the importance of cement. Without cement, bricks cannot be joined together. Cement is a little like the love and encouragement we are called to show one another. It is easy for people to ‘stick’ together when there is a relationship of love and encouragement. We taught the children how the Holy Spirit helps us to give such incredible gifts to people. Just like cement helps a wall become solid and stable to withstand difficulty, so love and encouragement can help people in the church stand strong together.

We looked at Barnabas (known as the Son of Encouragement from the book of Acts) as an example of someone who tried to encourage others.

Some classes may have received encouragement cards to share with others to encourage them. The fact that our children want to encourage others is encouraging in itself.

Your Part


Be an example of encouragement. It is easy to find fault and criticise accordingly, but to encourage can require some effort before it becomes a wonderful habit. Try to make the effort to encourage your children and your spouse and see the life it gives. Help your children to try to encourage from the smallest of gestures to grand efforts.

Mom and dad, you are doing an incredible job in raising your children and helping them know Jesus more. Well done! We love the chance to support you in this wonderful journey. Keep it up.

– The Children’s Church team

Children’s Church: A Building Starts with One Brick

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To build a building you need bricks. One brick is placed against another, on top of another and as each brick is placed so you build a wall. Walls link to walls and soon you have a building. But the building began with one brick, and then another, and then another. Each brick plays a vital part in the greater building. And so it is with the Church. God’s church is made of people. As people come together and support each other so the church gets stronger and becomes the picture God desires it to be. Each person is important in the church.

Our Part

This was our focus this Sunday at Children’s Church. We told the children how a building needs more bricks and so the church needs people, and they play a role in getting more people. We explained to them how they, in every area of their lives, can tell people about Jesus and help them come to know Jesus and become part of the church. In doing so, they build. Our children can reach people we never can so they play an important part in seeking the lost.

We also looked at how Solomon built a temple for God, one in which the people could meet with God. But how incredible is it now, because of Jesus, that we don’t need a temple any more. We can meet Jesus anywhere and He says that He (Jesus), God the Father, and the Holy Spirit want to live inside of us. So we become a temple. God lives in our children and so our children can show Him to the world.

Your Part

Explain to your children how God is always with them. Tell them how they can play an important part in telling others about Jesus and seeing the church grow. Pray with them for their friends, family, teachers etc. Let them see you telling people about Jesus. God uses us to reach the lost. God uses our children to tell the world about Jesus. Help them build.

– Greg, Nicole & the Children’s Church team

Rise Up and Build!

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“The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will rise up and build!”

– Nehemiah 2:20

This was our memory verse for this past Sunday. Linked to our theme this term, this verse tells how the Israelites were determined to rebuild their city wall, and they knew that God would give them success. We might not be building a literal wall, but God is calling each of us to build for His kingdom. Every one of us plays a role in building, be it a relationship, telling people about Jesus, being involved in a local church, outreaching to other churches, or allowing God to lead your life. And the verse thankfully confirms that God will give us success. With this in mind, we told our children to build.

Our Part

This Sunday we spent some time looking at the story of Nehemiah. We looked at his passion to honour God in building a broken city wall. We looked at how he got all of the people to build where they stayed, to do their bit. We emphasised how God gives each of us a call, a call that He will lead us in. We also encouraged our children to persevere when times get tough. God says He will give us success in building and so when times do get hard, we can persevere because of Him.

Your Part

Spend time looking at the story of Nehemiah again with your children. Perhaps try to build something with them and encourage them in the building process to not give up. Ask them where they think they can build in their life: family, friends, church, with God. Give them some ideas. Pray with them asking God to reveal His plans and call for our children and encourage them to walk into that call as God leads. Their call has already started. The key now is to know God’s will and obey, like Nehemiah did.

For those who took home biscuit walls, it is okay to eat those. Some walls do need to fall.

– The Children’s Church team

Children’s Church: How to Build

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This week at Children’s Church, in keeping with the theme of Building God’s Kingdom, we started to look at how to build. Any builder will confirm that the foundation of the building is absolutely important. The same applies to our lives and the church. What are we building our lives on? What is our foundation? This week we looked at building our lives on God’s Word, the Bible.

Our Part

Our focus this week was to explore the Bible and to remind our children, and ourselves, how important the Bible is to us. We looked at the story of the two houses, one built on the sand and the other built on the rock. Jesus teaches us that to build our house on the rock and be secure when difficulties come means that we need to build our lives on His teachings, His Word, the Bible. We also did a little Bible quiz with the children (don’t worry, there were no failures and no one will be kept back a year!).

Your Part

There are a few great things you can do. Let your children see you reading your Bible. If they see you read your Bible and sense that it is important to you, then they will believe its importance when you tell them. Read Bible stories to them. Read from their Children’s Bible so they know the stories are in their Bible. Try to get your children to act out Bible stories as you tell it to them. It is a fun way for them to remember the story and see it in a different way. Through any means, we need to teach our children that the Bible speaks perfect truth, it is our means of hearing God and knowing Him more. Help your children see the valuable treasure the Bible truly is.

– The Children’s Church team