Lessons for Home & Gatherings

We’re committed to training up our little ones made in God’s image together, but we don’t want that work to be confined to Sunday mornings or ‘church programs’. Our goal in sharing these lessons is so that parents and other members of our body will know how to partner in shaping our kids as they grow in their identity of a Family of Servant Ambassadors, learning to walk in Christ’s kingdom. We strongly encourage parents to download these tools to use at home with their kids.

ACCOMPANYING TOOLS

KIDS TELLING PARABLES: TREASURE HUNT

LESSON COMPONENTS

Each week’s lesson will have the following components. This is meant to be a resource. Please feel free to adapt as needed.

• Big Idea: The main point of this week’s story, mainly for the teacher to have as they lead

• Question or Starter: This may be an illustration, game, some type of ‘icebreaker’, or a question to help introduce the lesson

• Story: The actual lesson from the Scripture, as well as some points for teachers to explain it

• Prayer: A simple corporate prayer for the whole class

• Activity: Suggested activities or craft ideas for teachers to use following the story

• BLESS Rythm: Challenge the kids to live out one of the BLESS rhythms (Bless, Listen, Eat, Speak, Sabbath) during the week with their family, as it is related to the Story

2024 Kids Lessons

Matthew: The Coming Kingdom

Get Ready For the King (Matt. 3:1-12)
Immersed in Identity (Matt. 3:13-4:11)
Good News Is Here (Matt. 4:12-17; 23-25)

Matthew: Sermon on the Mount

Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1-12)
Salt & Light (Matt. 5:13-16)
It Begins in the Heart (5:21-30)
Oaths & Promises (5:33-37)
Love Your Enemies (5:38-48)
Who’s the Judge? (7:1-6)
Foundation (7:24-29)

Matthew: Follow Me

First Disciples (4:18-22)
Forgiveness of Sins (9:1-13)
Sent (10:1-42)
Authority & Cost (8:18-34)

Matthew: Praying With Jesus

Week One

Psalms In Matthew

Week One

Matthew: Miracles of Jesus

Week One

Matthew: Parables of Jesus

Week One

2023 Kids Lessons

THE CHURCH CONTINUED…

Week One — Tight-Knit Community
Week Two — Life-Forming Discipleship
Week Three — Locally-Rooted Presence
Week Four — Boundary-Crossing Mission

TITUS: TRUTH & GODLINESS

Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three

LENT: A JOURNEY TOWARD JOY

Week One — Delight, Desire, and Death
Week Two — Calling & Purpose
Week Three — Testing in the Wilderness
Week Four — Appointing A King
Week Five — Valley of Dry Bones
Week Six — Palm Sunday

KINGDOM COME

Week One
Week Two

HAGGAI

Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four

SUMMER IN THE PSALMS

Week One - Psalm 92
Week Two - Psalm 100

Hebrews: He is Better

Week One - The Better Message
Week Two - The Better Human
Week Three - The Better Builder
Week Four - The Better Rest
Week Five - The Better Priest
Week Six - The Better Instruction
Week Seven - The Better Anchor
Week Eight - The Better Melchizedek
Week Nine - The Better Covenant
Week Ten - The Better Tabernacle
Week Eleven - The Better Sacrifice
Week Twelve - The Better Way
Week Thirteen - The Better Faith
Week Fourteen - The Better Discipline

2022 Kids Lessons

FORMED BY GOD. TOGETHER. FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS.

Week One - Formed by God.
Week Two - Together.
Week Three - For the Sake of Others.

ACTS - The Continuing Acts of the Christ

Week One - Witnesses
Week Two - Babel Reversed
Week Three - The New Humanity
Week Four - Prophetic Power
Week Five - No Other Name
Week Six - Generosity & Trust
Week Seven - Opposition & Rejoicing
Week Eight - Stephen & the Story
Week Nine - Simon & the Spirit
Week Ten - Philip & the Ethiopian
Week Eleven - Saul & Sight
Week Twelve - Restoration of Life
Week Thirteen - Long Live the King
Week Fourteen - What’s In A Name?
Week Fifteen - To the Ends of the Earth
Week Sixteen - The Work of Witness
Week Seventeen - Worship, Not Works
Week Eighteen - For the Sake of Others
Week Nineteen - One Story, Many Contexts
Week Twenty - Don’t Be Afraid, God Is With You
Week Twenty One - In the Name of Jesus
Week Twenty Two - The Disruptive Gospel
Week Twenty Three - Moving Forward In the Mission
Week Twenty Four - Journey to Jerusalem
Week Twenty Five - Paul In Prison
Week Twenty Six - Trusting Jesus When Life Is Hard
Week Twenty Seven - To Be Continued

REVELATION - Letters to the Church

Week One - To Ephesus
Week Two - To Smyrna
Week Three - To Pergamum
Week Four - To Thyatira
Week Five - To Sardis
Week Six - To Philadelphia
Week Seven - To Laodicea

PSALMS

Week One - Psalm 30
Week Two - Psalm 82
Week Three - Psalm 67

ADVENT

Week One - Jesus: Our Peace
Week Two - Jesus: Our Hope
Week Three - Jesus: Our Joy

Stories Within the True Story

Throughout 2021 we will be looking deeper into the True Story of the entirety of Scripture by zooming into the smaller stories within the Bible, and examining what the Lord is desiring to say to us through it.

GENESIS

Week One - Creation
Week Two - Humans
Week Three - Rebellion
Week Four - The Flood
Week Five - Abraham
Week Six - Jacob & Esau
Week Seven - Joseph in Egypt

Exodus

Week Eight - Stuck In Egypt
Week Nine - God Is With Us
Week Ten - The Passover
Week Eleven - The People At Sinai

Early Israel

Week Twelve - Crossing the Jordan
Week Thirteen - Days of the Judges
Week Fourteen - Appointing A King

Prophets of Israel

Week Fifteen - Elijah VS the Prophets of Baal
Week Sixteen - Isaiah
Week Seventeen - Zephaniah
Week Eighteen - Jeremiah
Week Nineteen - Ezra/Nehemiah (part one)
Week Twenty - Ezra/Nehemiah (part two)

Psalms

Psalm 16
Psalm 148
Psalm 19

Gospel Accounts

Week Twenty One - Jesus is Born
Week Twenty Two - Jesus is Baptized
Week Twenty Three - Water & Wine
Week Twenty Four - Beatitudes
Week Twenty Five - Lord’s Prayer
Week Twenty Six - Feeds the Five Thousand
Week Twenty Seven - The Good Samaritan
Week Twenty Eight - The Lost Sons
Week Twenty Nine - Triumphal Entry
Week Thirty - Dirty Feet
Week Thirty One - Last Supper
Week Thirty Two - Death & Resurrection
Week Thirty Three - Great Commission

Early Church

Week Thirty Four - The Spirit Comes
Week Thirty Five - A New Community

Advent & Restoration

Week Thirty Six - Hope of Glory
Week Thirty Seven - Love Never Fails
Week Thirty Eight - Peace That Surpasses
Week Thirty Nine - Joy to the World

Kids Lesson Archives

Previous kids lessons we’ve used in our different congregations.

MD: BASICS FOR KIDS

This is a 4 week curriculum helping our kids become shaped in their identities in Christ and how to live that out through the BLESS rhythms. It follows the four questions (covering one each week): Who is God? What has He done (in Christ)? Who are we (in light of this)? How can we now live?

MD: SHAPED BY THE STORY

Taking our kids through the True Story, from Creation to Restoration.

PEOPLE OF ADVENT - 2020

Missio PHX Advent series for 2020.

THE BURDEN OF THE MESSENGER

An overview of the book of Malachi. Sermon series for Missio PHX in November of 2020.

GOD’S RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF JONAH

Sermon series for Missio PHX in October of 2020.

REDEMPTION IN THE BOOK OF RUTH

Sermon series for Missio PHX in September of 2020.

1 & 2 THESSALONIANS

Sermon series for Missio PHX in early 2020.

THE BOOK OF DANIEL

The children and adults of Missio PHX studied the book of Daniel together in the Fall of 2019.

THE BOOK OF LUKE

Every Missio Dei congregation went through the book of Luke together and our children learned the same text the adults learned each week.

ADVENT FAMILY GUIDE

Advent season for 2019.

Shaped by the True Story

In January of 2020, Missio Dei: Phoenix is reminding ourselves of the True Story, from creation to restoration, and how that shapes who we are. Week one is a reading of the True Story. This is the foundation of everything we believe. From there, we will look at how this True Story shapes us in Gospel Formation, Community, and Mission.

CLICK ON THE WEEK YOU ARE TEACHING TO DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE

Here’s an optional worksheet kids can use each week to follow along

Week One - The True Story

Week Two - Gospel Formation

Week Three - Gospel Community

Week Four - Gospel Mission

MD: Beginnings for Kids

As we strive to be the Church Jesus has called us to be, we recognize we have a huge responsibility in teaching our kids. In an effort to unite as one Family training our kids to live in their identity as God’s children, we offer this four-week curriculum.

This curriculum follows four questions, one each week:

1. Who is God?

2. What has He done (particularly through Jesus)?

3. Who are we (in light of what Jesus has done)?

4. How can we now live?

The order of these questions is everything! We want our kids to know that their identity is baed in who their Creator is and what the King has accomplished, not in what they do in their own strength.

CLICK ON THE WEEK YOU ARE TEACHING TO DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE

Here’s an optional worksheet kids can use each week to follow along

Week One - Who God Is

Week Two - What God Has Done

Week Three - Who We Are Now

Week Four - How We Can Live

(some of the content from these lessons have been adapted from Saturate’s Gospel Basics for Kids)

People of Advent 2020

As we explore a few of the people throughout the Biblical narrative, we see that from the very beginning God’s people have been a people of advent. That is, they have been waiting, longing, and hoping for the promised Rescuer to finally come and save us. We, too, are a people of advent. Though Jesus has come and ushered in the Kingdom of God, it is not in its fullness yet, and we are waiting, longing, and hoping for his return to make it full and final. May we find hope, peace, joy, and love as we enter into the story of Advent along with those who have come before us.

CLICK ON THE WEEK YOU ARE TEACHING TO DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE

Here’s an optional worksheet kids can use each week to follow along

Week One - Adam, Eve, and the Seed
Week Two - Zechariah, Elizabeth, and the Prophet
Week Three - Joseph, Mary, and the Savior
Week Four - Simeon, Anna, and the Commission

Malachi: The Burden of the Messenger

Malachi, which means ‘my messenger’, is the final prophecy and last book of the Old Testament. It’s followed by a 400 year period of silence (God was still at work in His world, but did not speak through prophets during that time), until John comes to prepare the way for Jesus, the Messiah. In God’s final message to Israel before that period, He had some very important words for them. He wanted them to know He loved them, but He also called them out for their lack of love and honor for Him.

CLICK ON THE WEEK YOU ARE TEACHING TO DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE

Here’s an optional worksheet kids can use each week to follow along

Week One - God’s Unmet Love
Week Two - Care for the Community
Week Three - Full Trust in the LORD
Week Four - The Sun of Righteousness

Relentless Pursuit of Jonah

More than a ‘whale of a tale’ about a big fish swallowing up a wayward prophet, the story of Jonah has so much to teach us about the mission of God, His relentless pursuit of all people and creation, and the ways in which we fail to partner with Him. Jonah is not merely a kids story. It is meant to be a mirror held up to the reader, showing us how we run from God’s work and how our pride and prejudices cause us to run to our own understanding. But God has other plans. Plans for salvation - and they are meant for our enemies as much as they are meant for us.

CLICK ON THE WEEK YOU ARE TEACHING TO DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE

Here’s an optional worksheet kids can use each week to follow along

Week One - A Boat to Tarshish
Week Two - The Belly of the Beast
Week Three - On to Nineveh
Week Four - The Worm and the Plant

Redemption in Ruth

Ruth is often told as a side story of friendship or finding love… but it is so much more! It is an essential part of the biblical narrative of God rescuing and redeeming His people. Ruth, an ancestor of King David and of Jesus himself, was also a poor, widowed, barren, immigrant to Bethlehem. Yet, her faithful commitment to God and His people allowed her to partner with God in His rescuing work for not only her and her family, but for generations of nations to come.

CLICK ON THE WEEK YOU ARE TEACHING TO DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE

Here’s an optional worksheet kids can use each week to follow along

Week One - Pleasant & Bitter
Week Two - Gleaning
Week Three - God Means For Good
Week Four - The True Redeemer

1 & 2 Thessalonians

I Thessalonians

Week One - Chapter 1
Week Two - 2:1-12
Week Three - 2:13-16
Week Four
Week Five - 3:1-5
Week Six - 3:6-10
Week Seven - 3:11-13
Week Eight - 4:1-8
Week Nine - 4:9-12
Week Ten
Week Eleven - 5:1-11
Week Twelve - 5:12-28

II Thessalonians

Week One - Chapter 1
Week Two - 2:1-12
Week Three - 2:13-3:5
Week Four - 3:6-18

The Gospel According to Luke

The book of Luke is hugely important in shaping the True Story of the world that we all live in. Just as Luke wrote these words for his friend Theophilus so he could “know the certainty of the things [he has] been taught” (v4), we can now hand this story down to our kids so that they can grow to live in God’s kingdom.

The story of Jesus found in Luke’s account of the Gospel is one of salvation. It is a salvation that addresses every area of life: physical, social, political, economical, spiritual, etc. Jesus came to bring God’s kingdom on earth, to live the way Israel and all God’s people were intended, and to re-create us into that true humanity through his death and resurrection. Jesus’ birth is good news to a broken world, and his resurrection is a preview of life in the renewed world to come!

Pray with us that this will be a helpful resource in teaching our children and helping the parents of our congregation to better disciple their families as we all journey through the book of Luke together.

CLICK ON THE WEEK YOU ARE TEACHING TO DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE

Here’s an optional worksheet kids can use each week to follow along

ADVENT

Week One - Intro to Advent and Luke (1:1-4) | Preschool version

Week Two - Angel Visits (1:5-38) | Preschool version

Week Three - Singing as a Good News Response (1:39-80) | Preschool version

Week Four - Birth of Jesus (2:1-20) | Preschool version

LUKE PART 1

Week Five - Jesus’ Baptism (3:21-22) | Preschool version

Week Six - Nazareth Sermon (4:14-21 or 30) | Preschool version

Week Seven - Paralyzed Man (5:17-26) | Preschool Version

Week Eight - Love Your Enemies (6:27-36) | Preschool Version

Week Nine - Anointed By Prostitute (7:36-50) | Preschool Version

Week Ten - Dead Girl & Sick Woman (8:40-56) | Preschool Version

Week Eleven - Cost of Discipleship (9:57-62) | Preschool Version

Week Twelve - Good Samaritan (10:25-37) | Preschool Version

Week Thirteen - Prayer (11:1-13) | Preschool Version

Week Fourteen - Worry (12:22-34) | Preschool Version

4/14 Palm Sunday (Flex - each congregation does their own thing) - Optional Curriculum

4/21 Easter Sunday Flex (No Luke - each congregation does their own thing)

LUKE PART 2

Week Fifteen - (13:18-30) | Preschool Version

Week Sixteen - (14:1-14)

Week Seventeen - (15:11-32) | Preschool Version

Week Eighteen - (16:19-31) | Preschool Version

Week Nineteen - (17:20-37) | Preschool Version

Week Twenty - (18:9-14) | Preschool Version

Week Twenty-One - (19:1-10) | Preschool Version

Week Twenty-Two - (20:20-40) | Preschool Version

Week Twenty-Three - (21:5-36) | Preschool Version

Week Twenty-Four - (22:7-38) | Preschool Version

Week Twenty-Five - (23:26-49) | Preschool Version

Week Twenty-Six - (24:13-45) | Preschool Version

Book of Daniel

The book of Daniel is primarily about how God’s people can live in His kingdom in the midst of a culture trying to rule with human kingdoms. Pray that we as a church, our kids included, will learn to love our culture while remaining faithful to our true King.

CLICK ON THE WEEK YOU ARE TEACHING TO DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE

Here’s an optional worksheet kids can use each week to follow along

Chapter One - The King’s Food

Chapter Two - Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

Chapter Three - Four Men In A Fire

Chapter Four - Humility & Majesty

Chapter Five - Writing On the Wall

Chapter Six - Daniel in the Den

Chapter Seven - Daniel’s First Dream

Chapter Eight - A Kingdom of Destruction

Chapter Nine - Daniel’s Prayer

Chapter Ten - The Strength of the Lord

Chapter Eleven - Kingdom Against Kingdom

Chapter Twelve - Go On Your Way to the End