Posts tagged ‘curriculum’

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16 May, 2012

If you’re dirty, you’re having fun

by cubfann

My boys (4 & 3) and I have a saying, “If you’re dirty, you’re having fun.”  The last several days we have been working in the back yard, including digging up a dead lilac bush.  The boys love digging in the dirt, lifting up rocks to see what creatures they might discover, and trying to find worms.

They have also really taken to a curriculum series Zondervan recently published called, The Nature of God.  Ideally, both of the 9 lesson curriculum DVDs (one based in Hawaii, the other in Michigan) are for children’s church, Sunday school, or even a home school curriculum and for ages 6-9.  However, both my boys not only love watching the lessons, but learn a lot from them as well.

Peter Schriemer hosts each lesson and takes children on a journey through creation that is applicable to their day-to-day, spiritual life.  Kids learn about humpback whales and why it’s important to obey; forest floor creatures and whether God will take care of them or not; and Great lakes dunes and God’s forgiveness.

Children watch the 10-12 minute video and then teachers or parents can print off the activities and lessons from the DVD-ROM.  Each DVD-ROM has unique lessons for grades 2-4 for church or school.  Watch the full first lesson from Great Lakes Discoveries below and the full first lesson from Hawaiian Adventures at this link: http://zndr.vn/L0nL0G

Also be sure also to visit the Small Group Bible Study playlist on YouTube.  Watch full-length small group Bible study sessions free from authors and pastors like Timothy Keller, Andy Stanley, Craig Groeschel, and Mark Batterson.

[image courtesy of Abraham Piper]

Posted in Curriculum | 1 Comment »

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7 March, 2012

Distraction or Destruction

by cubfann

My 4-year-old has a curious word choice as he plays with his toys.  He recently got into batman, and his grandparents gave him some action figures this past Christmas.  So when he is playing, he says that the joker is coming for batman to “distract” him.  He means destroy but he is much more familiar with the word distract.

Over the weekend, I thought that the joker in our story, the devil, does the same thing.  he means to destroy us, but (one way) he does so with distractions.  How often have I done less for the kingdom merely because I was distracted?  Too often, I’m afraid to admit.

As I mentioned yesterday, I have never been very political.  I believe that God calls us to be good citizens, and to take our responsibility seriously as citizens.  That said, many times it seems that politics distracts us from who our allegiance really belongs to.

In Jesus for President, Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw say that “having power at its fingertips, the church often finds ‘guiding the course of history’ a more alluring goal than following the crucified Christ.”  Now, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be political, just that we should remember that our hope does not rest in the governmental systems and people of the world, but in the one, true King.  He places monarchs and dictators and presidents and gives them their position.

I just finished reading through the book of Jeremiah, and in 43.10, God says, “Then say to them, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will set his throne over these stones I have buried here; he will spread his royal canopy above them.” (emphasis mine).  God is sovereign over all and to whom our allegiance ultimately lies.

In this voting year, let’s remember to love one another, to be respectful, and to serve Jesus.  As Shane Claiborne says, “enough donkeys and elephants.  It’s time for the Lamb.”

See below to watch the first portion of the Jesus for President Tour Film, and visit our playlist on YouTube for first sessions of over 75 new and best-selling curriculum for free.

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7 March, 2012

Everyone is a winner

by cubfann

Yesterday was Super Tuesday and we had the super giveaway.  Today is really the super giveaway because for every person who commented, we will send each product involved:

Thanks for all the great responses!

Posted in Curriculum, Giveaways | 1 Comment »

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2 March, 2012

Love is an Orientation blog tour is coming

by cubfann

We’re excited to announce the Love is an Orientation Blog Tour! During the week of March 12 Zondervan will be sharing blog posts of  reviews and thoughts on the new DVD curriculum from Andrew Marin, Love is an Orientation: Practical Ways to Build Bridges with the Gay Community.

Marin aims to equip Christian communities to find peaceful, productive ways to build bridges with the gay community. In the introduction, Marin writes:

 Rooted at or near the center of the constant social unrest and political culture wars that cover our landscape today seems to be the disconnect between the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, evangelicals, and conservatives in general. Each group has become subhuman to the other; a mere voting bloc that is preyed on and pressured by extreme activism tearing the fabric of our churches and government apart. It’s our time, right now, to step up and lead our culture forward by practicing what it means to build bridges among division, letting our surrounding world know that impact and authority are earned through those who know what it means to have love as their orientation.

It’s a topic that generates a lot of strong opinions on both sides. Marin has lived his message in his Chicago neighborhood, and his lessons are demonstrated in the DVD curriculum. The stories of lives that have been transformed by love are significant and the possibilities for further transformation in cities across the country are endless.

Keep an eye out for the blog tour coming in just a couple weeks. In the meantime, you can view a trailer for the curriculum here and watch the first session from the DVD below:

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1 March, 2012

Thursday Giveaway – Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum

by cubfann

The Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum is 50 weeks of curriculum for 6-9 year old children, based on the award-winning Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones.  She has teamed with Sam Shammas of Redeemer Presbyterian Church to make this curriculum featuring activities, notes for teachers based on material from Timothy Keller, memory verses, printable student handouts, and more.

The curriculum invites children to join the greatest of all adventures, to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God’s great story of salvation – and at the center of their story too.  Building off the 44 stories within the Jesus Storybook Bible the curriculum has 44 individual story lessons and adds 6 review lessons (available online here) for a full year’s worth of curriculum (see the scope and sequence here).  Each lesson provides 45-60 minutes worth of material for the class.  It can be customized to work with younger children, but many of the activities are geared toward children that can read and write.

We are giving away The Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum Kit to 3 random commentors below.  Simply answer this question in the comments below to enter and come back Friday to see if you have won.

What is a favorite Old Testament story that points you to Jesus?

I’ll go first…the story of Boaz as the kinsman-redeemer for Ruth is a beautiful picture of Jesus redeeming us.

Posted in Curriculum, Giveaways | 84 Comments »

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29 February, 2012

Don’t forget Jesus in your small group

by cubfann

There is only one thing that I don’t like about the Jesus Storybook Bible…there are only 44 stories in it.  I’ve read it and re-read it and re-re-read it, and, well you get the picture, to my boys since before they could hold their own heads up straight. That is one reason I am so excited about working on the Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum that just released.  This amazing resource takes children (and adults) through a transformational journey.  The Bible is not about us, Jesus is the hero.  This past week my pastor spoke about reading the story of David and Goliath.  Too often we project ourselves in that story and see ourselves as David and our problems as Goliath when we should read it as Jesus is the hero and sin, death, and Satan are Goliath.

In our small groups we sometimes forget that the Bible is all about Jesus, not all about us.  I was recently in a men’s group talking about the end of Sermon on the Mount.  Most of the guys were talking about how we need to make sure that we always stay on the straight path and keep to following the rules so we produce good fruit.  I’m not arguing that we need to be antinomian, just that we never forget the Gospel is one of grace and is all about Jesus, and what he has done.

We cannot keep everything in the Sermon on the Mount, and we don’t have to (not that we don’t try) because Jesus did.

The curriculum around the Jesus Storybook Bible is a full year’s worth of material for 6-9 year old children and helps them frame the Bible correctly – that it is a grand story about Jesus.  As the tagline for the Storybook Bible says, “every story whispers his name.”  In the curriculum, there are activities, notes for teachers based on material from Dr Timothy Keller, animated videos for each story, and handouts for children that reinforce how that week’s story pointed to Jesus.  Here is one of the videos included on the curriculum, God’s Wonderful Surprise:

Tomorrow, we will be holding a giveaway for 3 people to win a copy of the Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum.  Be sure to come back for that.  Until then, what is a section or story from Scripture that you have heard applied to us that should be applied to Jesus?

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24 February, 2012

Announcing the Made to Crave Ministry Kit Winners

by cubfann

I have picked the five winners of the ministry kit and will post their names a below.  However, I feel that if each person follows through for the next 40 days with what they wrote, every one will be a winner.  Cheesy, very much so…but true.  The majority of comments fell into 3 categories:

  1. Listening to God via his Word or his Spirit
  2. Talking to God on a daily basis
  3. Carving out time to spend with God as a family

Honestly, what would the next 40 days look like if we each did this?  Many of you commented about being stay-at-home moms, having crazy schedules with kids, and wanting more time with God as a family or couple.  What would you, your marriage, your family, and our churches look like if we all did these three things the next 40 days?  I’ve never done this, but after reading the comments, I really would like to pray for you all:

Jesus, you see the hearts of each of these people, and know their desire for you.  We long for you but like children are easily distracted and lose focus.  Please focus out minds, our hearts, and our time on and for you, not only for the next 40 days, but for all our lives.  Thank you for meeting us and desiring relationship more than we do, and thank you for forgiving us for getting distracted.  We love you Jesus.  Amen.

Thank you all for your comments.  Here are the randomly chosen winners:

  • Erin

I am working to have an extended time of Bible study and prayer time each and every day, and also I just started volunteering at a local women’s shelter every few weeks.

Thanks for the opportunity to win this awesome study! I am the head of a women’s ministry at a large church, and we would LOVE to have this to share with our ladies!

  • Shannon

Our family is stepping out in faith and I am struggling with a bunch of different emotions and fears. I want to be on my knees and in His word to put to death all off the fears and anxiety.

  • Becky

I am seeking guidance. I know that God has a plan for my next step. I am determined to overcome my addiction to food. I take it one day at a time, one bite at a time and turn it over to God. God has given me the courage to share my past with others. I was always afraid to share for fear of being judged, but I know that what God has helped me to overcome can help someone.

  • Andrea

I’m making more time to read my Bible but also keeping track of my prayers…remembering to thank Him for my many blessings.

  • Amanda

I want to make time for scripture reading and prayer, but I want to GET UP and GET OUT. I want to be a DO-ER of the word and NOT a forgetful listener. I want to serve the widow, the fatherless, and the stranger. I want to serve Jesus!!

Many of you are in women’s ministry, so you may be interested in viewing our new women’s ministry catalog online.  Click here to view.  Thanks again!

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23 February, 2012

Thursday Giveaway: Made to Crave Ministry Kit

by cubfann

Yesterday we talked about Made to Crave and how Lent is not just giving up something, but making space for something that draws us closer to God.  Lysa has a follow-up study to Made to Crave called Made to Crave Action Plan, and says this in the introduction of the Participant’s Guide:

“I love that the Bible says the truth shall set you free (John 8.32). That’s a spiritual truth, but it can also be a physical truth.  The goal of the Made to Crave Action Plan is not to squeeze you into a rigid food plan or beat you up about what you are not doing right.  Our goal is to encourage and equip you with truth – spiritual and physical – so you can learn to make better choices…my dear friend, are you ready to take your first step on this amazing journey?  I promise God will meet you there – and I will be cheering you on every step of the way.”

As I mentioned yesterday, we will be giving away the Made to Crave Ministry Kit.  However, we will not be just giving away 1, but 5 of them.  The Made to Crave Ministry Kit includes Made to Crave, Made to Crave 6 week DVD and Participant’s Guide, Made to Crave Action Plan 6 week DVD and Participant’s Guide, and Made to Crave Devotional, plus all the tools you need to run a 12 week Made to Crave study in your women’s Bible study.

To enter to win 1 of the 5 Made to Crave Ministry Kits, answer this question below in the comments: What do you want to make more time for in the next 6 weeks to draw you closer to God (prayer, Scripture reading, serving the poor, etc)?

We will randomly choose a winner on Friday afternoon, so be sure to come back and see if you have won.  In the meantime, you can watch the first full session of the Made to Crave Action Plan on YouTube here:

Posted in Curriculum, Giveaways | 535 Comments »

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15 February, 2012

Small Group Bible Study Sessions on Marriage

by cubfann

We have some great small group Bible studies on the topic of love and marriage from some of the best communicators – Gary Thomas, Andy Stanley, Les and Leslie Parrot, and John and Stasi Eldredge.  We’ve put many of our small group Bible study sessions up on YouTube.  Now, we’ve separated out the ones on love and marriage on their own playlist – group bible studies on marriage.  Watch the first session of Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts, Staying in Love, Sacred Marriage, Your Time-Starved Marriage, and more.

My wife and I have gone through each of these together at some point in our 9 years together and really appreciated each one.  Most recently, we went through Sacred Marriage together.  In this small group Bible study, Gary Thomas helps you discover a deeper intimacy with God through your marriage.  He asks the question, “What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?”  Here is session 1:

How do you react to the idea that God may have designed marriage to make us holy even more than to make us happy?

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15 February, 2012

The Winner of the Valentine’s Giveaway is…

by cubfann

Thanks to all who posted comments!  These are all very important things to remember.  These are things that are key whether you have been married 5 minutes or 50 years.  I plan on putting this list inside my Bible and every day pray that I am able to live these to my wife and model them to my two boys.

Most all the comments fell into 10 things to remember so you stay in love (in order of number of comments):

  1. Sacrificial love
  2. Put Jesus first
  3. Maintain a friendship
  4. Communicate
  5. Develop a forgiving spirit
  6. Make a lasting commitment
  7. Regard one another with mutual respect
  8. Be open and honest with one another
  9. Maintain a sense of individuality
  10. Get naked
The random winner is Allen Jerkins!
Grace. I wish I had something more lengthy to say, but that is it- the ability to remember how much Christ has forgiven you, then to extend that over and over to your spouse.

 

Thank you all for reading.  Here is the first full session of Staying in Love by Andy Stanley:

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