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Reply to "John Wesley ~ Lessons, Resources and Ideas"

John Wesley

Storytelling

Older Elementary

Summary: John tells his story - followed by discussion.

Memory Verse:
Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.
Mark 16:15

Objectives:

  • John Wesley was the founder of Methodism.
  • John Wesley was called by God.
  • John Wesley spread the good news of Jesus to all people.
  • John Wesley’s heart was “strangely warmed” after a Bible study in London.
  • Christianity involves a personal relationship between each person and God.
  • God loves each of us individually.

Supplies:

  • Coloring Page
  • Markers or crayons
  • Bibles
  • Blank paper
  • Pencils
  • J.W. & Company by Daphna Flegal published by Cokesbury. ISBN 0-687-81814-3
  • Robe for John Wesley

Lesson Plan

Outline:

  • Arrival Activity
  • Opening
  • Memory Verse
  • The Story
  • Reflection
  • Closing

Arrival Activity
As people enter the room, welcome them. Pass out the coloring page for them to color.

Opening:

Begin by saying the Lord's Prayer together.
Ask the kids to introduce themselves. Introduce yourself to them!

(1st week) Tell the students that we are studying the life of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. He was born more than 300 years ago, in 1703.

(other weeks) Ask the students who are we studying? What do you know about him?

Memory Verse
Review the memory verse.
Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.
Mark 16:15

Dig:

The Story
Have a man dressed as John Wesley (a black ministerial robe will do) tell this story:

(Story clipped because it's basically the John Wesley story by Pam Buchholtz on page 35 of J.W. & Company)

Reflection:

Have the students say, “Thank you” and “Good-bye” to John Wesley

What did you learn from that story?

John had grown up knowing about God and studying the Bible. He spent years trying to be as good as he could. It wasn’t until the meeting at Aldersgate, though, that he felt like he knew God personally. He discovered the meaning of being saved by grace. What is grace? [“Grace” is God’s gift of love and salvation to us; we can’t earn it. God gives it to us because he loves us and we are his children.]

Have you ever heard the phrase "grace moment"? It's a time when you feel God’s presence or that God is acting in our lives. Can you think of a grace moment in your life?

When do you most feel God’s presence?

John Wesley was a good person who did good things before the experience at Aldersgate. How do you think that the experience changed him?

Before Aldersgate, John Wesley had head knowledge about God. After Aldersgate, he also had heart knowledge. Do you think you have more head knowledge or more heart knowledge? Why do we need head knowledge about God? Why do we need heart knowledge about God?

John Wesley was listening to writings about the book of Romans during the Aldersgate experience. Romans was written by Paul, who was a lawyer in his day. Much of his writing involves complex words and thoughts and might even be considered “legalese”. Today we’re going to look at Romans and put some of Paul’s thoughts into our own words.

Pass out Bibles, paper, & pencils. Have the students find Romans 3:21-28. Together come up with a modern language “translation” of what this passage says. (One example: Jesus has shown us a path to God that doesn’t involve following endless nit-picky rules. All Jesus’s path requires is faith in God. Now, all of us have messed up, but God’s grace makes us right again. No one can brag about the good things they do because good things do not earn us a place in heaven. We are all saved by God’s grace.)

Discuss what the passage means. John Wesley did good things both before Aldersgate and after. Our church helps people today through Mobile Meals, Cooperative Urban Parish, Child SHARE, World Neighbors, etc. Why?

Divide the students into groups and have each group do one of the following passages (multiple groups can do the same passages):
Romans 12:1-2
Romans 12:9-21

After they’re done, have them share the original verses and their translation. Discuss the following questions.

Romans 12:1-2
How can we present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God? What does that mean about how we treat our families and friends?
How do we renew our minds to remind ourselves of God’s way? How can we tell that we need renewing?

Romans 12:9-21
What’s the hardest thing in this list for you to do?
Which one do you see others not doing most often?
What would things be like if people really lived like this?

Closing
Have the kids sit in a circle and go around the circle asking each kid if they have a Joy (happy thing) they'd like to share. Go around again, asking if they have a Concern (sad thing) they'd like to share.

Someone needs to offer a closing prayer. If that is you, then you can pray something like this:

Dear God, thank you for this chance to learn about you. Help us share your good news with others by our words and our actions. Let us grow in both heart knowledge and head knowledge of you in this upcoming week. Amen.

Extra While waiting for parents to arrive
Have them sit in a circle. Practice saying the memory verse several times as a group. Then, go around the circle, each person saying just one word of the memory verse.

Cleanup
Put up Bibles, paper, pencils, markers, and extra coloring pages.

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

Last edited by Luanne Payne
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