Jesus Calls Disciples
WFUMC Newsroom Workshop:
Summary of Lesson Activities:
Create, videotape and watch a news broadcast on interviews with the disciples of Bible times. [Note: 4th – 6th graders visited this workshop.]
For scripture and objectives - see above.
Leader Preparation:
- Read the scripture for this lesson.
- Read and reflect on the overview material provided for this lesson.
- Gather the materials.
Supplies List:
- Easel; appropriate marker
- Bibles; a few Purple Adventure Bibles, one with tabs (Law, History, etc.)
- Copies of the assignment sheets (attached) to pass out to the class.
- Props: A fake (or borrow a real) microphone, attach call letters “WFUMC”; a scene clapper; hats or badges with label “PRESS”
- Pencils or pens
- Costumes
- Video camera or cellphone on tripod to record the interviews
- TV with cables to connect to cellphone or video camera.
- Post-it notes™
Before Start of Class:
- Write the following on the easel:
Simon (Peter) & Andrew
James & John
Matthew
Philip & Nathanael (Bartholomew) - Set up the videotaping equipment.
- Book mark a purple Adventure Bible to Matthew 4:18 and to Matthew 9:9.
- Distribute Bibles around the seats in the room.
This lesson will work best if the workshop leader gets in the act as well. Play the part of the newsroom boss as much as possible. You and the shepherd(s) may need to help the children as they do their research, answer the questions on the sheets and develop their interviews. Encourage the children to dress in costumes, and speak slowly and clearly for their “interview”.
Presentation
Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet your students warmly, introducing yourself and any other adults.
Say: This is the newsroom of WFUMC, so we’ll be reporting news as though we lived in the time of Jesus. We plan a news show today that interviews some of Jesus’ disciples. It’s our job to report the news. Like all newscasts, ours will need reporters and people being interviewed. If you really don’t want to be on camera, we have other jobs – everyone is important in our news broadcast. We’ll get it all ready, practice, and videotape it, and hopefully we’ll have time to watch our news show. Let’s first review our story.
Dig- Main Content and Reflection:
- Ask: Where in the Bible would we find stories about Jesus– in the Old or New Testament?
Say: We find stories about Jesus in the New Testament in a section we call the Gospels. The word “Gospel” means “good news.” One of Jesus’ tasks was to teach the good news about God’s love for us. Today we will be reading a story from the Gospel of Matthew.
Have everyone find Matthew 4:18 in the Bible.
Have kids take turns reading Matthew 4:18-22 out loud.
Then have everyone find Matthew 9:9 and follow along as you read it to them.
[Note: After the first week of the Rotation the students will become more familiar with the story. Have them locate the scripture in their Bibles. Then ask them to tell you the story. Fill in any missing details by using their Bibles.]
Say: When we are done reading our Bible story we are going to say what is said in church after the scripture is read. Be ready to say “thanks be to God!”
Say: For the Word of God in scripture, for the Word of God among us, for the Word of God within us,
The class says: Thanks be to God!
Say: We are going to further explore these stories. The way we are going to do this is to break into groups.
Separate into groups – Prepare the News:
Ask the Shepherd to help you break the students into groups of two or three students. Distribute pencils/pens and a post-it note to every student. Ask them to write their name on the post-it. Assign roles:
- Three for Simon (Peter) and Andrew
- Three for James & John
- Two for Matthew
- Two or three for Philip & Nathanael (Bartholomew)
- Could also have a “lead newscaster” who introduces the news.
If you have more than 10 students add to groups that have two students.
If you have less than 10 students eliminate Philip & Nathanael.
Place the post-its next to the character's names on the easel – this way you can keep track of who is playing which parts.
Say: I’m going to hand out your individual assignments now. We will have a live broadcast at 10:12 a.m. with interviews of these people. You’ll need to be ready, with your interview and in costume by then. So, find out all you can about these unusual men. Remember...our church is counting on you to bring us the latest, breaking news – Live from WFUMC!
Give each group their corresponding “Interview Sheet.”
You and the Shepherd may need to help the students as they do their research and develop their interviews. Encourage them to look at the story in their Bibles to determine the questions to ask.
Watch the clock; give a five-minute and a two-minute warning. [Start taping by 10:12]
Hint: If kids are having trouble getting started with preparing their interview have them follow this format: Introduce themselves, and introduce their disciple. Perhaps ask the question: what do you do for a living? Then ask, what happened when you met this Jesus? Then what happened? Other appropriate questions: why are you following Jesus?
If anyone finishes early: have them practice their interview. Give everyone a five-minute warning before the broadcast will begin. Start broadcasting by 10:12.
Tape the News:
Gather everyone together and tape the news. Start off with the lead newscaster saying the following…
Say: This is WFUMC with a breaking news story. A poor Galilean preacher has been creating quite a disturbance near the Sea of Galilee. Evidently he is talking to people and asking them to follow him! We have reporters on the scene now…
Then have the children give their interviews. If necessary, you can prompt them with some questions of your own to get them to delve deeper. Keep track of time so you get to everyone’s broadcast! (Allow 4 minutes per broadcast.)
End the broadcast with the entire cast of children all grouped together in a crowd. Have the lead newscaster say…
Say: Jesus has chosen his special group of twelve disciples, but there are many, many other men and women who are following Jesus. That’s all from WFUMC.
Show the News/Discussion:
Watch your recording! You might consider stopping to ask discussion questions…
- After the scene of Simon (Peter) and Andrew: Did Peter and Andrew likely know Jesus before he asked them to follow him?
- After James & John: Do you suppose that you could leave behind your fishing boat to follow Jesus?
- After Matthew: Are you ever unsure about following Jesus? What is it about Jesus that makes you want to follow him?
- After Philip & Nathanael: How are you like the disciple Nathanael? (Are you struggling to move from disbelief?)
Closing:
Have everyone make a tight circle.
Ask for any prayer requests. Ask if anyone would like to lead the group in prayer.
Ask everyone to extend left hand into center of circle with hand in a fist with thumb extended. Each person holds the thumb of the person on his/her left.
[It means they have to get really close together!]
Say: When we are drawn closer to the center to Jesus, he pulls us closer to each other.
Pray, using the Lord’s Prayer as the ending. A suggestion: “Holy One who is greater than all of us, it is encouraging to know that you have asked each of us to be your disciples. Help us to hear your call and to live as true disciples. (End with the Lord’s Prayer) Amen.”
Resources:
- G.R.E.A.T. Adventure Dream Team at State Street United Methodist Church, Bristol, VA. “Fishing and Following - Calling the Disciples: Drama Workshop.” 2000.
- Wood, Lynn C. Bream Memorial Prebyterian, Charleston WV “The Call of the Disciples: Science Lesson.” 2003. (closing prayer idea)
Drama Worksheets
Disciples: Simon Peter and Andrew Bible Passages: Matthew 4:18-22
Directions: Together with your partner(s), read the Bible passage above. As you are reading, look for the answers to the following questions. Write down the answers.
- What did Simon (Peter) and Andrew do for a living?
- What did Jesus say to Simon and his brother Andrew?
- These two brothers were in business with two other brothers named
(blank) and (blank), sons of (blank). - What surprising thing did Simon Peter and Andrew do?
- What do you think was the hardest thing for Simon Peter and Andrew to leave behind?
- What must they have felt or believed about Jesus to follow him?
Now using the answers to these questions, write an interview together.
One of you will be the interviewer for WFUMC News, who will ask questions. Two others will be Simon Peter and Andrew, the disciples of Jesus, who will answer the interviewer’s questions. (Extra people in your group can be interviewers.)
Try to tell all the important information you’ve learned. Be descriptive and show the kind of emotion you think Simon Peter would be feeling; Put yourself in his shoes. How would you feel if this were happening to you?
If you have time, practice the interview to see how it goes.
When you are ready, find costumes and get ready to do your interview “live” for our broadcast! Talk clearly and loudly so the audience will be able to understand.
Drama Worksheets
Disciples: James and John Bible Passages: Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 3:13-19
Directions: Together with your partner(s), read the Bible passages above. As you are reading, look for the answers to the following questions. Write down the answers.
- What do these two brothers do for a living?
- Who is their father?
- What did Jesus ask these men to do?
- Did they do what Jesus suggested?
What do you suppose their father thought about them leaving? - What happened on the mountainside?
- How many apostles did Jesus appoint? ___________________
- How do you think James and John felt when they were chosen?
Now using the answers to these questions, write an interview together.
One of you will be the interviewer for WFUMC News, who will ask questions. The others will be John and/or James, the disciples of Jesus, who will answer the interviewer’s questions. (Extra people in your group can be interviewers.)
Try to tell all the important information you’ve learned. Be descriptive and show the kind of emotion you think John and James are feeling. Try to put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if this were happening to you?
If you have time, practice the interview to see how it goes.
When you are ready, find costumes and get ready to do your interview “live” for our broadcast! Talk clearly and loudly so the audience will be able to understand.
Drama Worksheets
Disciple: Matthew Bible Passage: Matthew 9:9-13
Directions: Together with your partner(s), read the Bible passage above. Also, read the notes in the orange and blue boxes on pages 1062 & 1063.
As you are reading, look for the answers to the questions and write them down.
- What did Matthew do for a living?
- How did people in Jesus’ time feel about people with Matthew’s job? (hint: read the “People in Bible Times” note on page 1062)
- What did Jesus say to Matthew when he saw him?
- Where did Matthew and Jesus go and what did they do?
- What do you suppose Matthew thought about being asked to eat with Jesus?
- What did the Pharisees ask the disciples?
- What do you suppose Jesus meant by his answer to the Pharisees?
Now using the answers to these questions, write an interview together.
One of you will be the interviewer for WFUMC News, who will ask questions. The other will be Matthew, the disciple of Jesus, who will answer the interviewer’s questions. (Extra people in your group can be interviewers.)
Try to tell all the important information you’ve learned. Be descriptive and show the kind of emotion you think Levi is feeling. Try to put yourself in his shoes. How would you feel if this were happening to you?
If you have time, practice the interview to see how it goes.
When you are ready, find costumes and get ready to do your interview “live” for our broadcast! Talk clearly and loudly so the audience will be able to understand.
Drama Worksheets
Disciples: Philip and Nathanael (Bartholomew)* Bible Passage: John 1:43-50
Directions: Together with your partner(s), read the Bible passage above. As you are reading, look for the answers to the following questions. Write down the answers
- What did Jesus say to Philip?
- Who did Philip go to find?
- What did Philip say to Nathanael?
- How did Nathanael answer Philip? Do you think he believed that Jesus was special at first?
- What happened when Nathanael met Jesus for himself? How do you think he felt?
- What do you think Nathanael was thinking when Jesus told him he would see even greater things?
* Note: In the other gospels, this disciple Nathanael is referred to as Bartholomew.
Now using the answers to these questions, write an interview together.
One of you will be the interviewer for WFUMC News, who will ask questions. The others will be Philip and/or Nathanael, the disciples of Jesus, who will answer the interviewer’s questions. (Extra people in your group can be interviewers.)
Try to tell all the important information you’ve learned. Be descriptive and show the kind of emotion you think Philip and Nathanael are feeling. Try to put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if this were happening to you?
If you have time, practice the interview to see how it goes.
When you are ready, find costumes and get ready to do your interview “live” for our broadcast! Talk clearly and loudly so the audience will be able to understand.
A lesson written by Carol Hulbert for First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI.
Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material.
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