Children's Discipleship Material - for Small Groups

Session Guides for ages 7-12

Light Guides for younger children

Explore It is designed for children’s ministry leaders working with groups of children.

Each session includes:

• Content for a 30-40 minute group meeting under the headings Start it, Sing it, Tell it, Action it, Pray it
• Explore It ideas,  an additional resource to send home to families, to explore the theme further 
• Light Guides to support younger children

Fruit of the Spirit 

Explore it is a popular resource equipping leaders of young people to facilitate response to a wide variety of Bible stories and teaching. Although subjects may not follow chronologically, the three-year curriculum exists to promote a lived experience of day-to-day discipleship, expressing the Fruit of the Spirit. 

Galatians 5:22-3 (ICB) says, 

‘But the Spirit gives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong.’

Our discipleship of children is about experiencing the ‘who’, more than learning the ‘how’. Therefore one of these nine qualities features each week as children grow in their experience of who Jesus is.

February - There's lots to see for disciples

Session 1: To know what happened when Bartimaeus met Jesus

(Jesus heals a blind man Mark 10:46-52) 

Session 2: To discover that Jesus expects us to use our resources well

(A story about three servants Luke 19:11-27) 

Session 3: To listen to the challenging words of Jesus

(The Son of Man must suffer many things Mark 8:31-38)

Session 4: To know that Peter, James and John saw Jesus in a new way

(Jesus with Moses and Elijah Mark 9:2-10)

January - Waiting for Jesus

Session 1: To learn, just like the wise men did, that worship is an essential part of following God

Wise men come to visit Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12; James 1:17)

Session 2: To understand that God keeps his promises and is faithful

Jesus is presented in the Temple (Luke 2:22-40)

**Includes Covenant Sunday.**

Session 3: To learn about John the Baptist’s self-control and obedience

Jesus is baptised by John (Luke 1:5-17; Matthew 3:13-17)

Session 4: To understand how Jesus calls each one of us to share his love with others

Jesus chooses some followers (Matthew 4:1-11,18-22)

Advent 2024

Session 1: To discover the message of hope found in the birth of Jesus

A new day is coming (Isaiah 9:2-7)

Session 2: To discover the message of faith found in the birth of Jesus

The Virgin Mary Luke (1:26-38)

Session 3: To discover the message of peace found in the birth of Jesus

Some shepherds hear about Jesus (Luke 2:8-20; John 14:27)

Session 4: To discover how the wise men experienced the joy of Jesus’ birth

Wise men come to visit Jesus (Luke 2:15-20; Matthew 2:1-2,9-11)

Session 5: To explore how God shows his love for us

A child will be born to us (Isaiah 9:6)

November 2024 – What can Jesus do?

Session 1: To learn how God forgives 

The son who left home (Luke 15:11-32) 

Session 2: To find that being right with God comes through humility

Being right with God (Luke 18:9-14) 

Session 3: To see how Jesus used children as an example

Jesus welcomes children (Matthew 18:1-5; 19:13-14) 

Session 4: To learn that Jesus was prepared to give up his life

The shepherd and his sheep (John 10:1-21)

Please note: Nov 30 / Dec 1 will be part of the Advent content.

October 2024 – Mixed emotions

Session 1: To learn how Elizabeth and Mary experienced joy

Mary praises God (Luke 1:31-33,35-38,46-56) 

Session 2: To know the mercy of God through how we treat others

Love your enemies (Luke 6:27-36) 

Session 3: To learn that Jesus shared human emotions

The death of Lazarus (John 11:1-16,33-44)

Session 4: To explore a claim that Jesus made about himself

Jesus is the Light of the World (John 8:12-20)  

Please note: Sessions three and four have recently been swapped. This is so the theme of Jesus being the light of the world can be explored with light parties/events being held at the end of October.

September 2024 – If you love a good story

Session 1: To learn the story of David and Goliath

David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4-16,32,38-40,48-50)

Session 2: To know why Jesus told parables 

A story about planting seed (Matthew 13:1-10,13,18-23

Session 3: To explore a moment where Jesus raised the dead

Jesus gives life to a dead girl (Mark 5:21-24,28-43)

Session 4: To learn how Jesus annoyed the religious leaders

Jesus heals a man at a pool (John 5:1-18)

August 2024 – God doing things differently

Session 1: To discover how God is with us even in the most difficult times

Joseph sold into slavery (Genesis 37, 39, 41) 

Session 2: To know the story of Joseph’s reunion with his brothers

Joseph sets a trap (Genesis 41:17-40,44; 45:1-5) 

Session 3: To explore how God works in some difficult situations

Baby Moses (Genesis 47:5-6; Exodus 1:8-10,22; 2:3-10) 

Session 4: To reflect upon how God might equip us

Moses helps his people (Exodus 2:11-12; 3:7-14)

Session 5: To explore the many events leading to Passover

The plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7:1-5,8-13,20-21; 8:5-8,16-19,24; 9:1-9,15-19; 12:12-13) 

July 2024 – Experiencing Jesus

Session 1: To see how Jesus got his message across

Be careful about judging others (Matthew 7:1-5) 

Session 2: To know that children matter to God

Who is the greatest? (Matthew 18:1-4,10-14) 

Session 3: To discover how Jesus answered a tricky question

The most important command (Mark 12:28-34) 

Session 4: To consider the worship we can bring to God

A woman with perfume for Jesus (Mark 14:3-9) 

June 2024 – So what is The Big Story?

Session 1: To understand the role of a prophet

God calls Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:4-19) 

Session 2: To know the impact Daniel had on King Darius

Daniel and the lions (Daniel 6:5-28) 

Session 3: To think about what faith means to you

Faith (Hebrews 11:1-4,7-10,13-16) 

Session 4: To realise that David shared his honest feelings in songs and poems

A song of trust in God (Psalm 27:1-14) 

Session 5: To know the importance of Israel entering The Promised Land

God’s command to Joshua (Joshua 1:5-11,16-18) 

May 2024 – Supernatural life lessons

Session 1: To explore how a boy helped Jesus

More than 5,000 people fed (John 6:1-15)

Session 2: To see how Peter reacted to Jesus’ supernatural power

Jesus walks on water (Matthew 14:22-34)

Session 3: To be challenged by Jesus’ story of kindness

The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

Session 4: To see different reactions to Jesus

Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) 

April 2024 – Decision times

Session 1: To discover the first Passover

Moses’ faithfulness (Exodus 12:1-14,21-28,31)

Session 2: To learn that God sees within a person

David’s goodness (1 Samuel 16:1-23)

Session 3: To see the danger of jealousy

David’s self-control (1 Samuel 19:1-18)

Session 4: To reflect upon the power of gentleness

David’s gentleness (1 Samuel 24:1-22) 

March 2024 – Looking at Saul, looking at Jesus

Session 1: To learn how Samuel showed kindness to Saul.

Saul meets Samuel (1 Samuel 9:6-10,14-27)

Session 2: To think about being faithful to God.

Samuel appoints Saul (1 Samuel 10:1-7,9-11,14-19,24-27)

Session 3: To reflect upon our own self-control.

Saul rejected as king (1 Samuel 15:1-3,8-12,17-19,22-23

Session 4: To find peace about the future.

Jesus says that he must die (Matthew 16:21-28)

Session 5: To discover the source of Christian joy.

Jesus rises from death (Luke 9:28-36; 24:1-8)

February 2024 – Hopeful creation care

Session 1: To learn the sequence of creation.

The beginning of the world (Genesis 1:1-23) 

Session 2: To reflect on how we ‘rule’ the earth. 

Days five and six were good too (Genesis 1:24-31, 2:7-9, 15-17, 20-22)

Session 3: To discover that ‘rest’ isn’t just physical recovery; ‘rest’ trusts God. 

The seventh day – rest (Genesis 2:1-3)

Session 4:  To see nature as a help to praying in private.

A song for going up to worship (Psalm 121)

January 2024 – Inclusion in the Kingdom of God

Session 1: To see migration in Jesus’ own story. 

Wise men come to visit Jesus (Luke 2:1-7; Matthew 2:1-15)

Session 2: To explore our feelings towards refugees. 

Jesus’ parents take him to Egypt (Matthew 2:9-15)

Session 3: To see how Jesus accepts a Samaritan woman.

Jesus and a Samaritan woman (John 4:5-11, 13-15, 25-26, 39-42)

Session 4: To know that inclusion is part of God’s Kingdom.

Jesus teaches about prayer (Matthew 6:5-13)