CM Curriculum Pilgrims Progress W12

Special Games for this weeks' finale
Here are two ideas. You can choose whichever one you like best!

1. Red Rover, red rover, we call _________ over to the CELESTIAL CITY!!! Explain at the end using the analogy that as Christians God calls us over to His side and we can choose to run to Him or stay on Satan’s side. When we choose God we will always break through and we will be on the winning side! But when we try to gain salvation on our own strength we can’t break through. Which will you choose???

2. Give two people flashlights and tell them that they are the representatives of God and heaven. Dim the lights so that the kids have shadows. Have the kids pretend the shadow is the sin or bad things in their heart. On “go” they should chase one another’s shadows and try to step on them. If someone steps on their shadow they must freeze. They must remain frozen until a representative of God and heaven shines a flashlight on their frozen shadow. When the light has touched the shadow, they are free to move again.

Discussion: Dark places are scary, but when you shine a light into a dark place, the darkness disappears. When Jesus came to earth people’s hearts were dark and full of sin. But the light of Jesus shined in the dark. Jesus forgives us and saves us. It’s like a light making the dark go away. Heaven is filled with the brightness of God and nothing dark will ever live there. The Celestial City is filled with the glory and brightness of God.

Bible Lesson
Procedure: show the visual Bible DVD for Acts 1:1-11 and discuss it with the kids.

Acts 1:9 – 11 This is the story of Jesus going to heaven “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Memory Verse
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.” Rev 21:7 (NIV)

Supplies: (Do what you can and be creative, these are just suggestions) • Scrolls (1/2 piece of paper with rubber band) • Blindfolds (you could cut up an old sheet) • Material used to mark a trail, masking tape, florescent tape… be creative. • Climbing Rope (or other soft easy on the hands rope) • (Optional) Refrigerator Boxes (Get them at appliance stores) • A pool noodle or giant inflatable mircrophone • pick. Make little scrolls by printing the verse on each side of a piece of paper, cut, and roll into a scroll. Use a rubber band or tie the scrolls with string.

Set up a course all around the building and, if it is safe, outside. Clearly mark a path. You can use arrows of tape on the floor, mark the trail with a rope, and use florescent tape. Be creative. Have people (staff) help along the way. This is supposed to be a journey. So the staff could be dressed up in Pilgrims Progress type garb.

At the start, tell the kids that something terrible has happened.

“We just found out that this world is not going to last forever. In fact, we are at the end. Does anybody want to go on an adventure? OK, today we are going to go on a journey. I know that you can all do it. Just like Christian, you are going to follow a path. There is only one way to get where we are going. You are going to meet some interesting people on your journey. Some are good and will help you. Some are bad and will try to fool you and trick you. The first person you will meet will be Evangelist. He will give you something you need for your journey.

You will want to split up the kids into groups so that each group that goes through can have personal interaction and will be a manageable size. If you already have groups and group leaders, use those groups. If not, then make groups based on age so that you can tame the experience for the younger ones. Have the game leader play an active game as “training” for the journey. This will keep them occupied and you can send the groups out in waves.

The Journey should be set up so that it alternates between stations then walking through some obstacle or challenge to the next station.

Challenge Stations
Procedure Evangelist (dressed appropriately, gives scrolls to the kids

Supplies: Scrolls for each kid

Cast: Evangelist (Pastor?)

“Hey kids, you look like you are ready for an adventure! Why are you traveling?” (Group Leader says: “We just found out that we can not stay here, that this place is going to end!”) “That is very true. Do you see that path? It leads to a place called Celestial City. If you follow that path, then you well escape the destruction that is coming. But it is not an easy road. There are many dangers. Here, you will need these. (Start handing out scolls) You will need this for your journey. Do not loose this scroll. And whatever you do, stay on the path. If you loose your way, you may get caught by the tempter who will try to lead you away. You could get lost forever, or have to start your journey all over again. And remember this, as long as you keep to the path and keep moving, despair will never catch you. Challenge 1 – Follow the path

Use masking tape to lay down a path on the floor. Have it zigzag all over the place so that the kids must take great care to stay on the path. Be creative. Think line at the bank, back and forth. Have the path end at station 2

Challenge 2 Hallway between the bathrooms – Gold digger

Cast: A gold digger with pick

“Hey kids, you look tired from your journey. I was a traveler just like you. But I got tired of going back and forth and up and down and then. (start to whisper and look both ways like you are going to tell them a secret) I found it. I actually found it! I went up those hills to rest because I was tired of walking and when I woke up, I found gold! There is gold in them there hills. We are all going to be rich! Rich I TELL YOU, RICH!! Let’s go dig up that gold, Wada you say! You don’t need a path when you have GOLD!!

Challenge 3 Classroom #2 – Bog of Discouragement Cast: Help

a station where you use paper plates as steps to get across the Bog of Discouragement. Help will be there to show the steps, but only after some kids walk in and have to start over for not stepping on the stones.

Challenge 5 – Giant of despair

Cast: Giant of Despair (biggest guy you have)

The path should lead to a hallway or a small room. If you use a hallway, tape arrows on the floor of the hallway so that it is obvious you must pas through it. If you use a room, make two arrows, one leading in and one going out. Then use the tape to make a loop around the room and back out. Have the “giant” stand in the middle of the room and slowly try to catch the kids and hit them with his foam club (a pool noodle cut the length of a club)

(In a slow deep voice) “Fee Fie Foe -Í am the Giant of despair and I will catch you and crush your bones” (repeat) Chase after the kids but do not catch them. Go very slow. Take a slow swipe at them with your club but use discretion not to scare the little kids to much.

Challenge 6 – The False Ones’ Net

Have somebody caught in a net not to far from the path. He/she can tell the kids what happened. “I strayed from the path and got caught in the false one’s net! Stay on the path kids. Don’t end up like me.” Have a large net that the kids must crawl through to get to the Pearly gate.

Challenge7 – The Pearly gate

A narrow gate could be made of a refrigerator box set in the doorway that the kids must crawl through. Cast: Gatekeeper, and Cheater

Gatekeeper: (to the cheater) I am the gate keeper of the narrow gate. Anyone who wishes to enter must come from the path of life and have a summons from the king.

Cheater: My name is cheater and I am coming from the shortcut path called easy road. I want to go through the gate so let me through.

Gatekeeper: Well do you have a scroll from the king? And have you walked the path of life?

Cheater: Well no, but I am really good at stuff. See, I can touch my toes and everything. I always brushed my teeth! Doesn’t that count? I never read any scroll but I watch TV!

Gatekeeper: I am very sorry but unless you know the king I can not let you in. And you don’t know the king. You have not walked the path of life and you do not have a summons.

Cheater: (Starts to cry) But I took the shortcut! I even put on nice cloths and fancy shoes and everything. (Walks of mumbling to himself)

Gatekeeper: (To kids) Welcome friends. I can see that you have come by the path. Do you have a summons, a scroll from the king? Well then, enter friends. Well done.

This is the last stage before the kids enter the banquet calibration/continued story.

Suggestions:

Have some of the staff try to be “tempters” that discourage the kids from staying on the path. They will say things like: “Did they tell you to stay on the path? It is a long journey, but I can show you a shortcut! Follow me away from the path I you will be glad you did. Oh, common! You will beet all the slow people who stay on the path…..”

“Would you like a cookie? Come over here away from the path and you can have as many cookies as you want!”

Have music playing to fill out the adventure. There are a lot of good soundtracks out with great adventure music. A recording of Nature sounds or a rainstorm would add a lot to making it feel real for the kids.

Be creative with what you have. You could set up. Be creative and have fun.

http://ministry.wikia.com/wiki/CM_Curriculum_Pilgrims_Progress_Story_Outlines#Day_12 Week 12 continued story]

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