1. Do you have to be “in the mood” to pray? If so, describe the “mood” you have to be in. 2. Is the word “friend” one of the first things you think of when you think of God? If not, who then are you talking to when you bow down to pray? 3. How would it change the frequency and the way you pray if you really believed God saw your illness, your children, your work situation etc. as his responsibility? 4. What should we do when we pray and pray and nothing happens? 5. What should our ...

Your Children Will Learn: Jesus got angry. Jesus loves God's house. Memory verse for unit 5- John said, "I know this is God's Son." John 1:34b Just for Parents - The people in Jesus’ time were taught to approach God’s house with respect and reverence. Have you ever stopped to consider that your church building is also God’s house? It doesn’t matter if it is large or small, a rented storefront or a school gym. It is as much God’s glorious dwelling place as the grandest cathedral in Europe. How can we show respect for God’s house? ...

Passage: Luke 17:11-19 What we talked about: • The story of the ten lepers who were healed by Jesus. • That only one leper came back to thank Jesus for healing him. • That God wants us to be thankful. Experiment: Things needed: different types of fruits and vegetables, paper bags We have all seen moldy food at some point, and this is an experiment where moldy food is ok! Gather a few different types of fruits and vegetables and some paper bags. Put each item in a paper bag and label the bags, then put them on ...

1. If you’ve given your life to Jesus Christ, describe your experience of God immediately after you were saved? 2. How long did it last? What brought that initial feeling to an end? 3. Why should we pray for new believers? 4. Apart from simple obedience to God, why pray for the defenseless? 5. Consider the three roles people often take to express love in this world (Doers, Pray-ers, Supporters), which do you assume most often? The least often? Why?

Your Children Will Learn: Jesus changed the water. Jesus did a miracle. Memory verse for unit 5- John said, "I know this is God's Son." John 1:34b Just for Parents - Weddings have always been a wonderful time of celebration. This was true at this particular wedding in Cana, which would have been a village celebration. Refreshments were provided for guests, and wine would have been expected. Not to provide adequately for the guests was a social disgrace. It would haunt the newly married couple all their life. So Mary, seeing the ...

Parental stress goes up a notch as soon as kids enter the dating scene. How can you encourage your kids to have healthy relationships with members of the opposite sex yet stay safe and morally pure? Youth leader Josh Pease offers these suggestions that just might surprise you: Don’t demonize sex, but don’t overglorify it either. As you encourage kids to save intimacy for marriage, also emphasize that sex shouldn’t be just about self-satisfaction. Model healthy relationships. Let kids see what a sacrificial relationship looks like—on good ...

If recent news reports are true, cheating is rampant among today’s teenagers. Some people say technology is to blame because it makes academic dishonestly easier to pull off. Others attribute the problem to our competitive society and its message that you should do anything possible to get ahead. People of all ages are tempted to cut corners to achieve success, wealth, and popularity. Why put in extra effort when other people take unethical shortcuts? Why pay for media when you can (illegally) download it? Why put relationships in ...

Passage: Luke 10:1-20 What we talked about: • The story of Jesus sending out the 72. • That Jesus sent the 72 out in pairs to preach that the kingdom of God is near. • That we are also being sent out to tell people about Jesus. Experiment: Things needed: clear drinking glass, food coloring, and water. Fill the glass with water. This glass of water represents one of the towns that two men entered from our Bible account. Drop two drops of food coloring into the glass of water. These two drops represent two of the ...

1. Do you believe that prayer makes a difference? Why or why not? 2. How would your life change if you believed in your heart that prayer actually made a difference? 3. Why would God disclose his plans to us? 4. When should we pray, “Thy will be done”? 5. How should we approach God in prayer? How do you approach God in prayer? 6. What does it mean to pray in the name of Jesus?

Your Children Will Learn: John baptized Jesus. Jesus is God's Son. Memory verse for unit 5- John said, "I know this is God's Son." John 1:34b Just for Parents - John spent many long, hot days in the desert telling people to get ready because the special One would be coming soon. Many people asked him, “When, John? When is the special One coming?” John kept on watching and waiting. But in the meantime, he just kept doing the things God had put in front of him: preaching, teaching people about God and the special One, and baptizing ...

You can attend any one of the following meetings: Saturday, January 14 @ 6:45pm in room 212 Sunday, January 15 @ 10:30am in room 212 Sunday, January 15 @ 12:30pm in room 212 New York is home to many things — Broadway, Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Empire State Building, Central Park, Wall Street, the Statue of Liberty, and 8 million of people of hundreds of nationalities. At the heart of the “City that Never Sleeps” are pastors, mission workers, and Christians who desire to see Jesus come alive in the lives of all 8 ...

At the University of Richmond, students froze while walking, tying shoes and checking cell phones in an effort to spread awareness about worldwide human trafficking. Students Stopping the Trafficking of People (SSTOP) sponsored the demonstration in honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, January 11; President Obama’s proclamation of this month as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. “I thought it was kind of fitting that we would just stop in order to symbolize stopping the traffic in the way that people’s ...

Later last year we presented the opportunity for people here at Vineyard to join in on an outreach to fix up bikes for children for Christmas. The children this outreach touches would not be able to have bicycles if it weren't for the people who donated bikes and the folks who put their expertise behind fixing the bikes up in time for Christmas. Thanks to Dan Patch for leading the Vineyard OP part of this effort, and thanks to everyone who donated bikes or donated your time and skills to fixing those bikes up. Here are some p ...

Passage: John 4:45-55 What we talked about: • The story of Jesus healing the official’s son. • That distance has no barrier with the power of God. • That our prayers for people who are far away have great Activity: Together as a family, watch the following YouTube clip about Jesus healing the official’s son: www.youtube.com/watch?v=z52R5Y-SN-M. After viewing the video, discuss the following questions: •What emotions do you think the noble official felt when he was going to Jesus? • The ...

Hungry for God January 7-8, 2011 Psalm 63 Getting Started 1. How’s your prayer life? 2. How do you feel when someone asks you that question? Going Deeper 3. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being severely dehydrated and 10 being completely satisfied, how thirsty are you for God? 4. What are some of the cheap substitutes we turn to to try to satisfy the hunger in our souls? 5. Do you have room in your life for God or are you overloaded? Review Swenson’s list of common areas of ...

Your Children Will Learn: Jesus went on a trip. Jesus went to the worship house. Memory verse for unit 5- John said, "I know this is God's Son." John 1:34b Just for Parents - “Jesus became wiser and stronger. He also became more and more pleasing to God and to people.” (Luke 2:52) At 12 years of age, Jesus was on the verge of what the Jewish culture considered adulthood. He would soon celebrate his Bar Mitzvah, or official entrance into the adult community. Time flies by so fast! Children grow up right before our eyes, and the ...