The Writing Team's Old Testament Lesson Set Menu
Welcome to our creative & broadly graded lesson plans for traditional and Rotation-style Sunday Schools, with age & class length adaptations.- Access to Team lesson plans requires a Supporting Membership. Join now.
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Ecumenical and broadly graded, these sets replace the original sets posted here in the early 2000s. Want to brainstorm and write with us? Email Neil. Training provided!
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New Testament Writing Team Lesson Sets
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Old Testament Writing Team (WT) Lesson Sets:
The Story of Creation
Genesis 1:1 - 2:3
Six creative lessons that focus on the joyful and creative character of God revealed in the story, and what it means to be made by God in his joyful and creative character (image). Lessons include a creative art project, a cool special effects-assisted song, use of the book "When God Made the World," and games, a glowing "science" lesson, and free Creation story software.
Adam, Eve, ...and God!
- Genesis 2:4 – 3:24
This creative set takes a unique look at this story, "beyond the snake and apple" so to speak, and looks at what it reveals about the character of God when confronted with sinful children. The lessons also remind us that God goes with us into difficult lives, and promises us a new paradise one day with him.
Abraham and Isaac: God Will Provide
Genesis 22:1 – 18
Isaac’s near-sacrifice is, at first, a troubling story, but it reveals Abraham's faith in God, and God's plan to provide the offering for salvation that we cannot provide ourselves. Terrific lessons for the Art Workshop, Computer, Drama, Games, Cooking, and more!
Jacob and Esau
- Genesis - All the episodes in Jacob's story (too numerous to list).
Lessons that teach the entire arc of Jacob's story, from sin to redemption, and several that focus in on Jacob's life-changing encounters with God (stairway and wrestling match).
Exodus: Through Water and Wilderness
This set teaches the four important Exodus "water and wilderness" episodes: Red Sea Crossing, Bitter Water Made Sweet, Manna from Heaven, and Water from the Rock. We fear and doubt --God saves and guides. We complain --God gives. We get angry --God forgives. God leads us through the wilderness --we should trust God and follow in faith. This set was formerly known as "Moses: Sea and Sand."
The Ten Commandments
This special set features "short, doable, creative" lessons that were originally written for both "at-home" and in-church use during the COVID pandemic, but work in any situation or Sunday School! Lots of great activities with a focus on creating a working memory of all ten Commandments and thinking about how EACH commandment applies to our lives.
Judges Then, Judges Now
- An Overview of the Book of Judges
Workshops include the stories of Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, and Samson to varying degrees. This special lesson set steps up to the challenge of "why and how" we should teach Judges, including talking about its violence, to our kids. It includes a special focus on what we know about the true heart of God, ...peace, violence, enemies, mercy --from Jesus Christ.
The Story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz
- The whole story of Ruth
Seven wonderful lessons about a wonderful and important story: A Printing Art Workshop, Ruth's Instagram Drama, A Tasty Cooking Workshop, A Magnetic Retelling of Ruth, A SunScool Bible App lesson, A Guardians of the Galaxy Video Workshop, and a "Geo-Journey" Adventure Workshop that takes you from Moab to Bethlehem.
Many of the lessons in this set use a free storybook version of the Book of Ruth created by the Writing Team. It's based on an abbreviated version of the NIV, made kid-friendly, and illustrated with the artwork of John August Swanson.
Anointing of David
- 1 Samuel 16:1-13 God looks at the heart.
Two Art lessons. Two Games lessons. Two Cooking lessons, Science, Computer, Drama, and Puppets! This set has a number of lessons that are open to the public, and others that are open to Supporting Members only.
Elijah Super Set!
- Six terrific lessons, each covering Elijah's three main stories as one great story: Widow of Zarephath, Still Small Voice, and Chariot of Fire (Elisha and the Mantle).
Esther
- Book of Esther
Faced with a difficult, even risky, decision, Esther chooses to stand up against evil and save her people. Perhaps your time is now too! The winter festival of Purim celebrates this story, and thus, this set has a number of Purim celebration suggestions.
Psalm 8
- Psalm 8 "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them?" This set gets your students to "look up" at God's message to them written in the heavens.
Psalm 23 ~ Good News for Sheep!
This special set features six creative lessons that share Psalm 23's "Good News for Sheep" and helps students memorize the words of the psalm through creative and fun methods in every single lesson. It also includes bonus content, including Worship Celebration resources, printable illustrations and flashcards, children's sermons, video clips, and more!
Isaiah Promised, Jesus Fulfilled
- Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6-7, Matthew 1:20-24
An Advent Lesson set that looks at Isaiah's Old Testament's hope for a Messiah, and the kind of King that was coming to save God's people, --Jesus!
Coming up from the Writing Team! Late Fall 2023: Daniel
All "WT" lessons are broadly-graded and include adaptations for younger and older children, small and large groups, at-home, and those with less time.
Related Links:
New Testament Writing Team Lesson Sets
Become a Supporting Member | About the Writing Team and its Lessons
See the Team's upcoming writing schedule
Help copying or printing these lessons
