12 insightful sessions on the prophets--for youth workers, small group leaders, and Sunday school teachersThese 12 insightful sessions delve into the lives and missions of Old Testament prophets in ways that will pique kids’ interest and imagination. Students will learn about ordinary individuals with evergreen, extraordinary messages about faithfulness, idolatry, self-centeredness, integrity, passionate faith, knowledge of God, a just society, and God’s mighty hand in the history of all humankind.The prophets offer 2 indispensable gifts to teenagers--a window into the heart and mind of God, and a recurring reminder that human beings matter immeasurably to God. The prophets talk to God and to people. But best of all God responds. He speaks to people--and to teenagers--today.

A college-level introduction that invites students into biblical studies through creative, humorous re-telling of the basic biblical narratives. The Bible is foreign territory for students encountering it in introductory classes. Even those who have spent many years in church have rarely read much of it. To most of us it looks like a big collection of rules, lists, and theological arguments. But in reality, most of the Bible is made up of stories. Sometimes they re inspiring, sometimes they re funny, sometimes they re weird, but they re never dull. The best way to get into the Bible, says Robert Darden, is to get to know its stories. In this new approach to introducing the Bible to students, Darden covers the major biblical stories and characters, retelling them in such a way as to bring out their original humor and pathos, and inviting the student to encounter them more fully by moving into the text itself.

The latest installment in Christopher R. Smith's innovative Understanding the Books of the Bible series brings you and your group into a direct encounter with the words of the poets and outcasts who were entrusted with the message of divine reproof for a community falling headlong into a exile.

Okay, so they used mule mail instead of e-mail -- but they were still surprisingly modern men and women. With emotions, decisions, and dilemmas as raw and real as the students sitting in front of you every week. David and Rahab, Daniel and Ruth--even with their rough edges, they passionately loved Jehovah in a way today's adolescents can understand and emulate. Here are 12 Old Testament character studies, including-- Believe it or not -Abraham: Living by faith is not for wimps - Faith overcomes a fast past -Rahab: What you live is what you believe. Everything else is just talk. - The waiting game -Joseph: Trials and temptations can make us strong. - Benchwarmer to first string -Moses : Often God uses the least likely person to do great things. - Right woman, right place, right time -Esther : God has created each one of us for a purpose. - Keeping promises -Ruth: Commitment means more than saying the right words. - Bad days for good people -Job: Suffering may be the condition from which humans benefit the most. - The long way home -Jonah: Sometimes we simply say no to God. -- And to help you teach the lesson are clips from easy-to-get videos . . . games for mixing and games that teach . . . in-depth, ready-to-use questions guaranteed to spark small-group discussion . . . original role plays, scripts, dilemmas faced by these ancient but very human believers in their Yahweh. For youth workers, Sunday school teachers, and CE directors, Creative Bible Lessons from the Old Testament will help your students understand that the God who offered hope and courage to ancient history-makers still does the same for teenagers today.12 lessons.

Most people avoid teaching from Ezekiel. Not only is it a book full of strange and (sometimes) disturbing imagery, but it also presents a vivid depiction of a God that won’t fit neatly into the categories we typically have in mind for him. It’s because of these reasons that Ezekiel is an important book to study. But don’t be afraid. Creative Bible Lessons in Ezekiel makes it a little easier to bring this bizarre and often confusing book to your students. Following the history of the bestselling Creative Bible Lessons series, this book introduces some new elements into your teaching. Because Ezekiel is so unfamiliar to many people, there is extensive background for leaders, including research from several commentaries and other books. There’s enough information there for you to understand the passage enough to be able to teach it confidently. In addition to the background, you’ll find a combination of illustrations, activities, movie clips, and song suggestions to help bring the passage to life. Each section ends with a journaling exercise for your students to make the passage personal. Since many adults steer clear of this imaginative book of the Bible, this resource will not only help you teach your students—you’ll learn something yourself! Help your students uncover this book, and lead them closer to the God of Ezekiel—the God who surprises us frequently and loves us completely.

As a youth worker you have certainly spent much of your time addressing the current issues facing teens, but have you stopped to think about what may be behind students’ behavior? Many of the not-so-wise choices students make are the result of a confused worldview that comes from uncertainty about who God is. It’s easy for students to dismiss the truth when they learn from the world that all truth is relative. Creative Bible Lessons: Essential Theology uses a conversational approach to give students a theological foundation to better understand God and his purpose for how to live their lives. Throughout the twelve sessions of this study students will— • learn how creation provides evidence of God’s existence. • look at how God has chosen to reveal himself through his Word. • learn to live lives that reflect God’s love for them. • understand their need for God’s direction. • commit to following God’s will as they make life decisions. • discover how God’s invitation to enter his kingdom affects the direction of their lives. • examine where they are with God on a personal level. Following in the tradition of the bestselling Creative Bible Lessons series, you’ll find audio, visual, and hands-on activities to engage your students in the pursuit of theology. And because every student learns differently, each lesson includes options to help you reach your particular group of students, whether they learn best from imaginative, analytic, common sense, or dynamic teaching styles. With all these tools at your disposal you are guaranteed to get your students fired-up for seeking God and his plan for them.

Are you ready for fun, flexible, multi-age, budget-friendly bible object lessons that enhance the spiritual growth of children? Discover how to use engaging object lessons and discussion to teach the Old Testament. Bible teacher and author Anne Marie Gosnell has helped thousands of peopleteach engaging Bible lessons with creative resources on her popularwebsite. Whether you have been thrown into a teaching position or you love teaching the Bible to kids, don't miss this excellent resource What God is Doing: Old Testament Object Lessons for Kids includes 26 interactive Bible object lessons that create a fun learning atmosphere while teaching Biblical truth that enhances spiritualgrowth. Lessons focus on systematic Bible stories that are perfect perfect for Sunday School, Awana, small groups, and other Children's Ministry activities. In What God is Doing: Old Testament Object Lessons for Kids, you'll discover: How to present Old Testament truths so kids gain understanding. Twenty-six object lessons for children in grades K-6 to be used at home or church. Engaging dialogue that gets kids thinking critically about life topics. Tips and retrospectives that help you improve your teaching skills. If you like Bible lessons that are easy to understand, grab the attentionof children, and leave a lasting impression, then you will love this book.