Jesus Without Language

Here are the images you need for the hero’s attributes linked to ‘The Body (1 Corinthians 12)’
Each hero set contains a high quality graphic of the character, a take home bible card and a colouring page.

The images are displayed small here, click on the image you wish to have, then save the image that loads.
(These images are not copyright free, they are for personal/classroom use only.)

Large image for illustrating the story or putting on a large screen.

Grab the Phone background here.

It’s easy to get lost in feeling you aren’t an important part of a congregation, that’s even more true for kids who often don’t have numerous hands-on skills they can offer. Paul’s passage on the body of believers is a great way of reminding everyone that not all jobs are glamorous and that each part, whether it’s a leading or supporting or a needing support role, is an essential part.

This retold version of the Bible passage is supplied for inspiration, feel free to omit or embellish to give it your personal voice.

Main Passage :1 Corinthians 12

This is part of a single lesson pack, all ready to print and go.

Paul stared at the passage of writing. The letter to the Corinthians was getting long, but it was all important stuff they needed to hear. He had just finished the bit about how God gives us different gifts, and now he had to find a way of explaining how those gifts worked together.

Paul looked around for something he could use as a symbol. The curtains needed the window. The lamp needed the oil. The plants needed the rain and sun and soil… nothing was quite working. He tried again. His pen needed ink and a hand to hold it and an arm to move it and eyes to see… wait this could work! He put the pen down and looked at his reflection in the basin. Then, he rushed to the table to start writing…

The body has many parts, but it’s still one body, just like the Church has many members but is still one church.

Imagine if a foot said it didn’t belong to the body because it wasn’t a hand! Doesn’t that sound silly? How would we walk without feet?

Imagine if an ear said it wasn’t part of the body because it wasn’t an eye! How would we hear?
If the whole body was nothing but ears, how would we smell? If the whole body was eyes, how would we hear? The body needs many different parts.

God has arranged the body so that we can all work together. The eyes can’t say they don’t need the ears. The hands can’t say to the feet that they don’t need them. Our churches are not places for being exclusive and only gathering people who are the same, but inclusive where we love the differences that others bring. We need each other to be the whole body.

When we work together, it changes how we treat each other too. If one person suffers, we all suffer. It’s the same when we get hurt. If you cut your foot, then the body is hurt even if your arm is fine. If you win an award for your drawing, your whole body is honoured and rejoices, not just your hands.

God has put the body together so that there would be no division in the body and that the members would all value each other. We all have different roles to play. Some roles are more important than others, but that doesn’t mean that the smaller roles aren’t important too. Without them, the body, as God designed it to be, would be incomplete.

The body of believers is a great lesson in including all, valuing all, accepting all and working together to build a community that reflects God’s heart. These lessons all tie into the passage found in 1 Corinthians 12 in slightly different ways, allowing kids to move and experience the power of Pauls words.

Hindered movement – Get the youngsters to complete a task while hindered. Tie their leg to a partner’s then walk across the room. Tie their arms together then get them to open a packet, Have them tie a shoe blindfolded. Write their name in flour using their nose.
Link: When one part of our body is hindered, it has an effect on the rest.
 

Building a church – Give the children a few wooden shapes used for building patterns. Ask them to make a person from just the shapes they have. Talk about how limiting it is to work with so few shapes. Now ask the children to put all their shapes together and repeat, talk about how much easier it was with more shapes.
Link: The church grows with diversity.
 
…continue reading

 
There is a teachers version of this Body of Believers sheet with this explanation of how to use the ‘I wonder’ statements, as well as a student version for use in small groups or alone.

I wonder statements are part of the ‘Godly play’ method of teaching. If you’ve not used it before, don’t panic, it’s just a way of having conversation. The statements are usually presented immediately after the story, or at a quiet point. You do not have to think about all the “I wonder” statements but it’s good to use some.

Remember that silence is an appropriate response to an “I wonder” statement and to allow time for children to wonder with you before answering. If you want to use this as a worksheet then use page 2 of this document – Asking the children to answer the questions they feel they can, or discuss it quietly with a partner. …continue reading

 
If you want the teacher sheet then click HERE

Today we are not looking at just one hero, but the Body of Believers and how individual heroes are part of a bigger picture.

Essential Teachers notes:
Teaching bible truths is always harder than a straightforward story. The time for reflection is more important, as children grapple with how this affects their faith. If you want to separate the time for reflection then use the worksheet.

This story is heavily inspired by an original Godly play lesson written by Tanja Rouintree for Faith Village at First Presbyterian Church, the original version can be found HERE.

For this story you will need a picture of a body and the overlay sheets of body parts. You’ll also need a bible. The story is told by making pictures on the floor, so make sure you have a flat space before you start and that all the children can see well. Encourage the children not to touch the story pieces until the story is over. Directions are in brackets, images are attached to the teachers sheet PDF. (I have made the images, the lesson symbol in the top left corner can be used to line up positions, remember to split sheet 2 across the middle).

Main Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26
  Please note this will not cover the spiritual gifts verses at the end of this chapter. …continue reading