Thursday, January 21, 2010

Missionary Update: Paul & Jeanette Lange in Hungary

Paul & Jeanette Lange & Kids 2009 – Serving in Vajta Hungary at CCBCE

(left to right) Sean, Jake Bear, Paul, Sierra and Jeanette

About our Ministry

Current Involvement:
Paul is the assistant director of the Bible College and a teacher at the College; he oversees the internship program and is the Pastor over CCA (a school for staff kids). Their heart and vision is to disciple the many young people that come here from all over America and Europe each semester. Jeanette serves in the women’s ministry.

Our Roles here at CCBCE (Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe).
I’m involved in the following --
  • Assistant director of the college
  • Pastor/teacher to the students
  • Pastor over CCA (Calvary Christian Academy).
  • Overseer and teacher of the internship program.
  • Jeanette helps with the women’s ministry and oversees a women’s prayer group.

Who we reach: This past year we have ministered to over a 140 students. About half are Americans and the rest are Hungarians and other internationals. Especially with the European nationals we are seeing many return to their home churches and serving in servant leadership positions.

Emphasis in mission works: Over the years we have seen many go out as missionaries and national leaders. We have over 180 former students now serving in short and long term mission works.

Some Examples of where 2009 students are at or are going:

  • Max and Shalene (married). Max is from Serbia and Shalene from America. Max just completed schooling and an internship and went back to the CC of Subotica to serve. Max is serving with the youth and in sports ministry. Shalene in worship.
  • Norbi and Dusty (married). Norbi is from Hungary and Dusty from America. They just left to oversee a new Bible study and outreach to Dunaivaros Hungary.
  • Andrew and Kim (married) from Australia will be serving beginning this year with the CC in Pec Hungary.
  • Janos and Elizabeth (married) from Serbia, just graduated. Janos is going down to take over as pastor of his home church in Serbia.
  • Gustavo Solis from States. Just graduated Gus will be serving the youth at CC Kerney NJ.
  • Garrett Girvan from States and just graduated as an intern is seeking to serve as a missionary in Ireland or Scotland.
  • James Hockney from England is now back in Bradford England serving with the youth at his church Church On The Way.
  • Endalkarchaw Argaw from Ethiopia as recently finished an internship and leads a regular Bible study and prayer meeting for Ethiopians in Budapest and is seeking to be a part of an inner city sport ministry.

Classes I have taught this past year:

  • Life of David
  • Acts
  • Gospel of John
  • Biblical Missions
  • Revelation and overseer for missionary lectures.
  • In addition I’ve co-taught the weekly internship class.

Outreaches. Each semester we send students out on weekend and one ten day missions outreach trip. This past year we have sent students to serve in:

  • Vajta, Hungary
  • Tatabánya, Hungary
  • Eger, Hungary
  • Esztergom, Hungary
  • Oradea, Romania
  • Bucharest, Romania
  • Prague, Czech Republic
  • Split, Croatia
  • Niskic, Montenegro
  • Briceni, Moldova
  • Turku, Finland
  • Nice, France
  • Abuja, Nigeria
  • Edinburgh, Scotland
  • Lagoa, Portugal -- I personally went and served with this team. My wife Jeanette went to Nigeria to teach a women’s conference.
Guest Speaking and Teaching: Besides teaching at the Bible college, I’ll at times I/we are invited to speak at various churches. Some examples:
  • CC Budapest – Sunday morning.
  • CC Baja – Sunday morning
  • CC Vienna – Sunday morning
  • CC Lagoa Portugal – Sunday morning and midweek.
  • Stockholm Sweden – Jeanette and I were especially blessed to teach at the Annual Scandinavian Conference.
  • Abuja Nigeria --- (as said earlier) Jeanette was invited to teach for the women at the CC Abuja Nigeria. It was life changing for her.

Our Vision-- Vision for the students:
  • Foundation for Life: I want to see as many students as possible, whether they are called to full time ministry or not, to have a strong spiritual foundation for whatever God calls them to do. Having graduated from Michigan States Univ. some time ago, I know the challenges and anti God philosophies that await many who will go on to secular college. I want them to be grounded in truth and to remain strong in the faith against these things.
  • Eternal Vision: I was personally led to ministry by a teaching from Chuck Smith that spoke about the value of a life given to serve in the eternal things of God. My heart is now to pass along the same idea to all our students ---to see the importance of seeing and living for the eternal things of God.
  • Spiritual Leaders: We also want to see the Lord raise up missionaries and national leaders to serve in churches all over

Prayer Requests

  • God to bring more students for the next spring semester
  • Friends for our kids (many of their friends have moved away).
  • God to bless our teaching this next semester. I will be teaching Revelation, Philippians and the internship classes.
  • My wife Jeanette will have knee surgery on both her knees this next month and will be disabled for the next six months at least.

OUR KIDS…..

  • SEAN --- is 12 and is our “wild child” He loves to build things with Legos, to climb trees, play American football, shoot his BB gun and hang out with the Bible college guys.
  • SIERRA --- is 14. She is a servant and super responsible. She loves to paint and write poetry and watch movies with friends. She reads more books than the rest of us combined.
  • JAKE BEAR (his real name) --- is 4 and is following in the footsteps of his older brother of being crazy. Jake loves to work all the time and is pretty good with tools. He is currently in love with sledding behind the college where we have a big hill and lots of snow this winter.



Paul and Jeanette Lange
Petofi UT. 562
7041 Vajta
Hungary

Email: paullange@calvarychapel.com

Website: www.CCBCE.com

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

10 great mission stories from 2009

The following stories are about kids and families who bravely continue to serve God in the face of difficulties and danger. Please pray for them and for others around the world who face similar struggles.


  1. Turkey: I Want to Belong to Jesus - Asli is a Christian girl in Turkey. During the summer, she invited her friend Yildiz to go to a Christian camp with her. Like most kids in Turkey, Yildiz grew up in a Muslim family. But happily, her father said she could go to the camp.Yildiz heard the good news of Jesus for the first time at camp. Every evening, she called her father and said, “Dad, I want to belong to the Lord Jesus.” “No way,” her father answered. But Yildiz kept calling, and finally her father reluctantly agreed. Yildiz was very happy. When she went home, she told everyone that following Jesus was the most important thing in her life. Pray that Yildiz will grow in her faith, even if others give her a hard time about it. Muslims in Turkey who become Christians often face persecution from their friends, relatives, teachers, and bosses. Pray that Asli’s parents will come to know Jesus, too.

  2. Vietnam: A Letter from Dad - Rebecca and Samuel live in Vietnam, where the government controls all religious activities. Like dozens of other Christian children in Vietnam, they are separated from their father because he is in prison for his Christian activities. The children rarely see their father because the prison is far away from their home. Rachel and Samuel were thankful for this letter they received from their dad in prison:My dear children, whom I long to see,I write you some words today to open my heart to you. I wish you good health in God’s hands. I miss you very much. Dear daughter, be a good student. Study carefully literature, English, and math, three important subjects. Remember to teach your younger brother. I say goodbye for now,Your fatherRebecca and Samuel pray that their father will be able to come home soon.

  3. Iran: Risky Questions - Marzieh and Maryam, Christian women in Iran, suffered under harsh prison conditions after their arrest for their faith in Jesus. Officials in Iran discussed whether Muslims who become Christians should be executed by the government. Police raided a house church, arrested the Christians, and took their Bibles. That’s the kind of thing Christians in Iran faced in 2009.So why would anyone in Iran want to become a Christian? A Muslim leader gave a speech at a public school in Iran. He said that the kids could write questions on pieces of paper. The students turned in 40 pages of questions. Many students asked questions about Christianity. The students said that their parents believed in the teachings of Jesus more than the teachings of Islam. Muslim kids in Iran want to know the truth, even when the truth is risky. Pray that they will find the truth in Jesus Christ.

  4. Sudan: Meat for the Soul - “What does meat taste like?” asked 10-year-old Peter Diing Wol. Peter is an orphan in Sudan. A Christian from America visited the area where he lived. Peter saw the American eating beef jerky that she brought to Sudan with her. He had never eaten any meat, fruit, or vegetables. Peter and many other south Sudanese children lived on corn, rice, and other grains. Muslim attackers from the north destroyed food supplies, leaving many Christians very poor.VOM and other groups have taken Bibles to the Christians in Sudan. Peter studied the Bible every day, even when he was hungry. The Bible was meat for his soul. “God began to show me in the Bible that Jesus is God’s son, just like I was my mother’s son,” said Peter. “One day, Jesus will come again and take us away from all this evil.” Peter wants to be a preacher someday. He began to teach preschool orphans about Jesus for practice.Now Peter is a teenager. Christians have provided him and his orphan friends with meat to eat and a place to sleep. Peter has earned a scholarship to go to high school in Uganda, where he will study and prepare to become a pastor. (Source: Make Way Partners)

  5. Laos: Girls Stand Up to Police - Ban is a teenager in Laos. One day, a Christian man came to her village. He told everyone about Jesus. Ban wanted to belong to Jesus but did not know how. The man soon left.In 2009, a group of Christians came to Ban’s village. They explained how people can come to Christ and follow him. Ban and five other girls accepted Christ into their hearts! They began to study the Bible and worship together. Ban’s parents were angry. They did not want her to be a Christian. Many people in Laos worship false gods and spirits. Ban’s parents asked the police to stop their daughter from following Jesus. Two policemen and a group of other adults took the six Christian girls to a village hall and scolded them. They threatened to take the girls away from their parents or to put them in jail if they did not stop following Jesus.The girls did not give up their faith. “We are sinners and we need Christ,” they said. “If we die, we die with faith in Christ and in his ways.” Ban is now living with a Christian friend. She does not know what will happen next in her life, but she trusts God.

  6. Indonesia: Muslim Youth Leader Becomes Christian - Arief lives in Indonesia. He went to a Muslim school and learned to be a strong Muslim. Every Thursday, he taught others about the Quran at his mosque. (The Quran is the Muslim holy book, and a mosque is a building where Muslims worship.)Arief’s mother became curious about the Bible after she saw Jesus in a dream. She and Arief began reading the Bible. After Arief finished Matthew, he started visiting a church. He decided to follow Jesus, and so did his mother! Arief’s stepfather was angry. He kicked Arief’s mother out of their home. He gave Arief and his five younger brothers and sisters a choice. They could stay or they could leave. All the children chose to go with their mother. Now Arief reads the Bible every day and plays guitar and keyboard at a house church of 40 believers.

  7. Iraq: An Eternal Home - Mary, Sarah, and Anna live in Iraq. Their parents used to be Muslims. Then one day, their dad, Ali, watched a DVD about Jesus with a Christian friend. Ali didn’t really believe the teachings of Islam, even though he was a Muslim. He was glad to find out the truth about Jesus, and he decided to accept him as his Savior.Since that time, Mary, Sarah, and Anna have had to move around a lot. Their grandfather kicked them out of his house after Ali became a Christian. They were kicked out of their next home after Ali shared Bibles with Muslims. Then the girls and their parents rented a house next to a mosque. When Muslims found out they were Christians, they surrounded the house. Some even stood on the roof. The owner of the house asked the family to leave.The girls and their parents are happy that they will have an eternal home with Jesus in heaven someday, where no one will force them to move anymore.
  8. China: Children “Forbidden to Believe”- Sixteen-year-old Shao Yuji helped plan and organize a summer youth camp for Christian kids in China in 2009. Chinese police raided the camp and arrested 28 kids, including Shao Yuji, and four adults. According to a witness, the police said, “It is forbidden for those under 18 to believe in Christianity.”The police also took the kids’ cell phones, Bibles, and other belongings they brought to camp with them. They drove the Christians to the police station and beat up the youth. Then they let most of them go. But they kept the four adults and Shao Yuji for several days. For two of those days, they gave the Christians no food or water. Pray that the youth will remain strong in their faith and that the police will come to know Jesus

  9. Pakistan: Chased Away for Reading a StoryNathan is a tenth-grader at a school in Pakistan. He helps lead a Sunday school class and youth group at his church. One day, Nathan was reading a Christian pamphlet at school. The pamphlet told the story of Abraham and his son Isaac. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. But God spared Isaac and blessed Abraham for his obedience. A Muslim student saw the pamphlet. Muslims believe that Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son Ishmael instead of his son Isaac. The student and his Muslim friends were angry. They said that Nathan was insulting Islam by reading the pamphlet. (Islam is the religion of Muslims.)The Muslims were so angry that Nathan and his family had to leave their home for their own safety and stay with Christian friends in another town. Other Christians in Pakistan have been treated the same way by radical Muslims.
  10. Nigeria: Precious and Miracle - Nigeria has one of the highest rates of twins in the world. Precious and Miracle are two of those twins.The twins have three brothers and a sister. In northern Nigeria, where their family lives, most of the people are Muslims. Christians suffer during attacks by Muslim rioters. The girls’ father died after an attack in 2006. Their mother could not care for all of her children after their father died.Now the twins live at the Stephen Centre, a boarding school built by VOM in Nigeria. The school provides an education and a place to live for children whose families were left poor after Muslim attacks killed members of their family. “I have learned how to forgive and love others because God loves that,” said Precious, who is now 12. “His will for my life is for good and to give me a future and a hope.”

(To protect their identities, the names of some of the people on this site and some identifying details have been changed. Some of the quotes and stories have been edited and paraphrased from the original sources for clarity.)

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Seven Reasons Not to Share Christ (and why we should go ahead and do it anyway)

Seven Reasons Not to Share Christ
(and why we should go ahead and do it anyway)
by Chris Lutes

1) "I'm not smart enough"
Fact: Jesus' disciples weren't known for their brains or theology degrees. They were pretty ordinary guys, really. Take the time Peter and John were telling a hostile crowd of religious leaders about Jesus. Here's how Acts 4:13 puts it: "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus" (ESV). Look at that last part again: And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Maybe you've heard this saying: "It's not what you know that counts. It's who you know." Knowing Jesus is what matters. You are smart enough to tell others about Jesus because you have a friendship with him. And the closer you get to him, and the better you know him, the more you'll have to say about him.

2) "I don't want to make anybody mad"
Maybe you've been around Christians who are annoying. The way they act—all smug and self-righteous—can make non-Christians angry. We don't want that. So we keep quiet. Understandable. But now look at Jesus: People crowded around him. People wanted to know him. People wanted to follow him. Why? He cared about hurting and lost people (Matthew 9:36). He listened carefully and responded to their deepest needs (John 4:1-26). Now, he did occasionally make people mad. He was really good at ticking off religious know-it-alls. He found self-righteous people annoying, too. But it was the message that ticked off people, not the messenger. Sometimes the truth hurts. So, it's OK if people get a little mad sometimes—as long as it's the true message of Jesus that upsets them, and not the obnoxious messenger.

3) "My friends will make fun of me"
Here's something to think about: We often turn this fear into a bigger problem than it really is. You'd be surprised at how often people will respect you for your beliefs. They might not understand why you don't drink at parties, or avoid dirty jokes, or why you like youth group. And you might hear an occasional "fanatic" or "religious nut." But people often find genuine faith pretty interesting—confusing, but interesting. Many people will even respect you for your strong convictions. In fact, when we try our best to live and act like Jesus, we "shine like stars" in a world that's pretty dark (Philippians 2:15). So let your life shine, knowing others can't help but be attracted to the light.

4) "None of my christian friends do it"
Ever talk to your friends about why they don't witness? There could be a ton of reasons—like those in this article. Maybe they're just not sure how to witness. Why not use this article to get the conversation going? You could also do a book study together. Suggestion: Witnessing 101 by Tim Baker. Of course, you may need to take the lead and be the first in your group to witness. Your friends just might follow.

5) "I'm not a very good Christian"
You're a believer, but you mess up. You don't pray or read your Bible as much as you should. And you sin. Every day. So why should you tell other people about Christ if you can't even get it right? Fortunately, being a believer isn't about getting it right. It's about God's love and God's forgiveness. It's about his saving grace. (See Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:16 and Colossians 2:13.) So, does this mean you can act however you want? No. God wants us to become more like him each and every day. But he can also use us even when we mess up or aren't as good as we should be. You don't have to be "perfect" to share Christ. Not at all. Instead, make it clear to your friends: "You know, I'm sure not perfect. That's why I need God's love and forgiveness." Chances are, your friends will appreciate your honesty. They might also be kind of amazed to discover you believe in a loving and forgiving God. And isn't that what the Good News is all about?

6) "All of my friends are Christians"
It's great to have good Christian friends. God uses our Christian friendships to help us grow in our faith. And it's just fun to be around people who love God. But we also need to, as Jesus put it, "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). We can't do that if we don't have any non-Christian friends.

7) "I don't even know where to start"
Why not start by inviting a non-Christian friend to your youth group? Maybe your group has special events that are fun outreach nights with no heavy Bible studies. At least invite a non-Christian to take in a movie with you and your Christian friends. Then what? Well, when the subject of faith comes up, start with the story of how you became a Christ-follower. Or talk about why you're a Christian and how God helps you live life. Just be honest, just be real, just be you—and you might be surprised at how much God can use to reach out to others.

Copyright © 2007 by the author or Christianity Today International/Ignite Your Faith magazine.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Check out this amazing book

SUGGESTED READING:

mmc

David Livingstone once said, “This generation can only reach this generation.” But will we raise our children to effectively impact their generation for Jesus Christ?

In The Mission-Minded Child, Ann Dunagan equips and motivates parents and teachers to raise a new generation for God’s mission, whatever that may be!

The Mission-Minded Child
Raising a New Generation to Fulfill God’s Purpose

By Ann Dunagan (Authentic, 2007)

Download a FREE SAMPLE! :)
BUY NOW (including discounts for BOXES of 12 or CASES of 44!!!) :)

Raising a New Generation to Fulfill God’s Purpose

The Mission-Minded Child is a practical book to encourage Christian parents and teachers placed in the strategic position of impacting the next generation. As a guide to world missions, The Mission-Minded Child is filled with facts, information, and tools for teaching. It focuses on the “why” of missions—including our Biblical basis, historical heritage and the world’s need—and contains over 25 mini-missionary biographies, motivational mission stories, classic poems, hymns, and hundreds of easy-to-use ideas.

The Mission-Minded Child will inspire teachers and parents to look for God’s potential in their child, “release” their little one to God for His purposes, and “raise” their child to fulill God’s specific mission. As a resource tool, this book will be referred to again and again.

childrensministry.com: Valentine's Day Lessons

childrensministry.com: Valentine's Day Lessons

Use these 15-minute lessons to help kids love their families...

PRE-K

1. Warm Fuzzies-(Supplies: A teddy bear.) Form a circle and put the teddy bear in the center. *Ask: Do you have a favorite stuffed animal? Why do you like it?
Give the bear to a child. Ask that child to tell one thing their parent does that shows them they're loved. For example, a child might say, "My dad hugs me." Have the child pass the bear to the next child in the circle for the same purpose.

After children have shared, *say: God loves you. God loves you more than we love our teddy bears. God's love is warm and fuzzy and makes us feel good.

2. God's Love-(Supplies: Bible.) Sit in a chair several feet from the children. Hug and talk to the teddy bear. Tell the children they have to watch; they can't come near you. Tell the teddy bear how much you love it.

One at a time, have children sit on your lap. The other children must stay back until their names are called. As a child sits on your lap, give him or her a hug with the teddy bear. Then ask that child to sit at your feet. When all the children are sitting by you, read aloud Mark 10:13-16.

*Ask: What was I doing when you had to stay away from me? Did you like having to stay away? How did you feel when you got to sit on my lap with the teddy bear?

*Say: One day, some children wanted to see Jesus. But Jesus' disciples wanted the children to stay away. Jesus told the children to sit on his lap so he could hug them. Jesus loves children.

3. Hug Book-(Supplies: Crayons, 3X5 cards, and a stapler.)

*Say: Valentine's Day is a great time to tell people how much you love them. We're going to make Hug Books for our parents.

Give each child 10 3X5 cards. Have kids color pictures on their cards. Help kids pile the 10 cards on top of each other and staple them together like a book.

*Say: You listened to the story about Jesus hugging the children. Jesus likes it when we show our parents how much we love them. Hugs are a great way to do that. Give your mom and dad their Hug Book on Valentine's Day.

Tell kids to tear off a page and give it to you. Then give them each a big hug. Send home instruction sheets to explain that parents need to give a hug in exchange for each page.

Close in a prayer of thanks for kids' parents.

GRADES 1-3

1. Loved/Unloved-(Supplies: A chair.) *Say: One at a time, sit in the chair and say something you once did for someone that made that person feel loved. For example, you might say, "I helped my dad wash our car."

Afterward, ask a small child to sit in the chair. Have four children stand beside the chair. Show the children how to grab hold of the legs of the chair and slowly lift it up. Stand with them so the child in the chair feels safe. When the children put the chair down, ask for other children to sit in the chair and be lifted up.

Then *ask: How did you feel getting lifted up in the chair? How does it feel when people are loving to you?

*Say: God loves us, and God wants us to love others. When we feel loved or share love, it's like sitting in the chair and being lifted up. God's love always lifts us up.

2. Family Love-(Supplies: Bible.)

*Say: God loves us and wants us to love our families. God's Word tells us what real love is like.

Read aloud 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Have children tell what the words in the passage mean.

Have children form pairs and sit face to face. Tell partners they need to follow these directions. Pause between directions.

*Say: Tell your partner why it's important to be patient with family members; a way you've been kind to your family; a time you forgave a family member; a time you told your parent the truth; something your family does that shows they love you.

Now have partners turn around and sit back to back.

*Say: Say something rude to your partner. Brag about yourself to your partner.

Form a big circle. *Ask: How did you feel when you were telling your partner the good things? when you were sitting back to back and saying mean things? Which experience shows us the way God wants families to love each other?

*Say: God has shown us how to love our families. It's important to make our home a place where everyone feels loved.

3. Family Hearts-(Supplies: Poster board, red construction paper, markers, scissors, and glue sticks.)

Give each child a sheet of poster board, and have kids each draw a big heart on their sheet. Have each child cut out eight construction paper hearts. Then have kids write a different word from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 on each heart. Have them glue the small hearts inside the big hearts. Tell them to print the names of their family members around the big hearts.

*Say: This is a special valentine heart for your family. Ask your parents to hang up your valentine heart as a reminder of how to share God's love with each other.

Pray and ask God to help children love their families.

GRADES 4-6

1. Do What I Say-Form two groups. Have each group create an imaginary dangerous mission for the other group to go on. Then have groups tell their mission to the other group. Have groups accept their missions and create guidelines to protect the people they'll send on those missions, such as "Don't feed the alligators." After five minutes, have groups report their guidelines.

*Ask: How important would these guidelines be if you were actually going on this mission? How is the world sometimes a dangerous place for us? Did you know that God has given us protective guidelines in his Word for our mission on Earth?

*Say: God loves us so much that he gave us loving guidelines that are usually called the Ten Commandments. Let's look at how God wants to protect us.

2. Love Rules-(Supplies: Bibles, newsprint, and markers.) Form pairs and have them read Exodus 20:1-17. Give each pair a sheet of newsprint and a marker. Have them number their newsprint sheet from 1 to 10. Have pairs re-word each commandment to explain why that commandment is a loving guideline from a loving God. For example, kids may write, "Because I want you to be protected from religions that would mislead you, don't have any other gods except me."

When pairs are finished, have them take turns reading their commandments. Then *say: This is a new way for you to understand why the Ten Commandments are important for us. They're commandments from God that show us how to love God and others. They're love in action. When you obey these rules for loving, you share God's love in wonderful ways.

3. Love for Mom and Dad-(Supplies: Stationery, envelopes, and stamps.)

*Say: One of God's loving guidelines tells us to honor our parents. We're going to write letters to our parents to help them know how much we appreciate and respect them. Thank your parents for all the things they do and the many ways they love you. I'll send the letters so they arrive on Valentine's Day.

Close with a prayer of thanks for God's loving guidelines.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

You'll need: Message heart candies.

Directions: Have kids each find at least five candies that give them ideas of ways to show love to their families. Then have them eat the candies.


Mike Gillespie is a Christian educator in Kentucky.

Valentines Day is Coming

A Heart for Jesus
The Holy Spirit can reach our heart no matter how much we may have sinned.
Materials:
Tootsie Roll Pops® one for each child and teacher
Instruction slip



Duration:

Approximately 10 minutes
Boy with a heart
Topics:
Hardened Heart, Holy Spirit, Salvation, Sin



Target Age:
Grades 3 4 5 6
Preparation:
Before class, print out the instruction slip, cut and attach a copy to each Tootsie Roll Pop, one for each child.

What you will do:

The children will take home their candy and follow the instructions on the paper slip. If
Tootsie Roll Pops are unavailable, you can easily modify this object talk to use individually wrapped sandwich cookies.

What you will say:

What I have here is a yummy Tootsie Roll Pop! Everyone loves Tootsie Roll Pops! There is delicious candy on the outside, and even more delicious chewy Tootsie Roll in the center. You know this candy reminds me about how a person can have a relationship with Jesus.

First, the center of this candy is soft, like a person’s heart. The Bible talks about having a hard heart. How does a heart become hard? Well, it is sin. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The hard candy reminds me of sin that covers the heart. Each time someone sins, another layer of hard stuff surrounds the heart. Then, to make it worse, people refuse to admit they are sinners. Instead, they cover their sin with pride, denial, even doing things that make them look good. That is like the wrapper covering this candy.

When a person removes the wrapper of denial and pride (remove wrapper), the Holy Spirit can complete His work. He can lick past all the hard stuff covering your heart (take a few licks) and give you the gift of life that comes from knowing Jesus as Savior. Your heart then belongs to Jesus, and that is a wonderful ending. Now we will get ready for the homework! (Pass out one candy with instruction slip attached to each child.) I want each of you to take your Tootsie Roll Pop home. Yes, your homework is to eat the Tootsie Roll Pop. Not so bad is it! However, as you do I want you to following the instructions on the small slip of paper that is attached. That part is very important.

Verses on instruction slip:

Jeremiah 23:24 “Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

A project for your classes

Sent from LYSA:

hey all,

i realize the CCA kids are on Christmas break, but I've a got an opportunity for your students to do something special for our visiting missionaries who are here... and we've got until Jan 7th (in the morning) to do it!!
we're having a special dinner for all our visiting missionaries and i would love if your kids would consider making and/or writing a special note of encouragement and blessing to each one?
it has been a tough year for many of our people and sometimes, a little encouragement can lift a servant up and keep them running their race!!
i would like to be able to have a nice "bundle" of love and encouragement to package up and have at each place setting where our missionaries will be seated at this dinner.
BUT SSHHHHH... this is a surprise!!! :)
if you're willing and/or know of others who would like to participate... please let me know and the letters would need to be IN MY OFFICE no later than 11am on Thurs, January 7th.
the missionaries to be written to are:
1) Jim and Dot Goldie - Hungary.
2) Lisa Collins - Hungary.
3) Ken Dinnen - Hungary.
4) Sue Volpe - Romania.
5) Kostia Kretov - Russia.
6) Meredith Cravens - Bahamas.
7) Frank Rohr - Middle East.
8) Debbie Bird - Bahamas.
9) Jeff Stone - Mexico.
10) Phil Pechonis - England.
thanks so much for your consideration on this... and again, please let me know if you are going to participate! thanks so much and Merry Christmas to you all :)
Lysa.

PS - We are looking for all classes to participate. Some of these missionaries yet to have volunteer Mission parents to sign up in their classes, we'd love each of them to receive letters of encouragement. Please email me at V_Tonif@CalvaryFtl.org and Lysa@Calvaryftl.org to let us know if you plan to participate. Letters may be dropped off to Lysa in the Outreach department (next to Mrs. Bryan's room). Thank you.