Lesson 1
Go to imb.org/childrensleader to look for lessons and lesson resources under “Explore
all children’s resources for this year’s Lottie Moon Christmas Offering” link.
basecamp (Starting Activity: 15 mins.)
Items Needed:
People group cards (imb.org/childrensleader)
Scissors
Double-sided tape
Continent shapes (imb.org/childrensleader)
Glue
Construction paper/poster board
5 helium-filled balloons with ribbon attached
Large leaf bag
Leader Prep:
· Print out the people group cards. Cut the cards apart. Put the tape on
each card.
· Print out the continent shapes. Cut apart the shapes. Glue each shape to
construction paper/poster board. Display the construction paper/poster
board throughout the room.
· Secure the helium-filled balloons in the large leaf bag.
· Ensure the ribbon on each balloon is short enough that it’s not accessible
after it’s released.
Welcome the children as they arrive:
· Give each child a people group card. Explain that each card shows a different
group of people from different places in the world. Tell the children to take
their card to the poster with the matching shape. Help as needed.
· When each card has been matched and placed on the construction paper/
poster board, gather the children at each continent. Help them recognize
that just because a person lives in a certain country, like China, does not
mean they are ethnic Chinese. They could be Hani, Bai or Central Tibetans,
to name a few of the hundreds of people groups in China. Repeat in this
manner for each continent, helping the children understand the magnitude
of people groups on each continent.
· After the people groups for each continent have been reviewed, tell the
children there are 5 cards that are specially marked. Invite the children to
look for the marked cards on the construction paper/poster board. Suggest
that each child find one card to allow the other children an opportunity to
each locate one. (NOTE: If your group is smaller, assign the number of cards
each child can find according to your group size.)
· When all 5 cards have been found, ask the children to place the card on a
balloon and release it. Suggest that the children jump up and attempt to
touch a people group card on a balloon. Encourage the children to jump as
high as possible. After they have tried to no avail to reach a balloon, explain
just as they are unable to reach the people groups on the balloons, there
are thousands of people groups that have not been reached by Christians
to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Explain that although there are
thousands of people groups in the world, many of these people groups are
not being reached for Christ. However, now, for the first time, Christians are
able to find many people groups they never knew existed.
ascending (Video or Story: 5 mins.; Video and Story: 10 mins.)
Leader Prep:
· If able, show The first step video (go to imb.org/childrensleader), then
supplement by reading the story below starting at the asterisks (**).
· If not able to show the video, read the story below to the children:
The Sayang People
There are places in the world where being a Christian is not safe. That is
the case for this story. To keep Christians safe, we have changed the name
of the missionary and the people group.
“Michael Martin” is a Christian worker living on a faraway island in the
Pacific Ocean.
**(Start story here, if The first step video was shown:)**
One of Michael Martin’s jobs is to teach English. One day, he asked his students
to share a little bit about themselves. One student in his class told about her
people, the Sayang (sigh-yang) from a small village in the Pacific Ocean. She had
a hard time explaining her people and suggested Michael come to her village
and meet with the leaders. Michael asked others about the Sayang people.
Nobody he talked to had heard of the village or the Sayang people.
Lesson 1
plateau (Activity/Coloring Sheet: 5 mins.)
Items Needed:
Activity/coloring sheet
Pencils or crayons
No Christians or researchers even knew this people group existed. Michael
decided to go to the village. He spent three rough hours driving there. In
the village he realized the Sayang people were farmers. However, they grew
their crops on rocky soil. The soil was not at all good for farming. The people
did not have electricity, phone service, fresh water, wells or even a doctor.
He wondered why these people lived in such a hard place in the middle of
nowhere. (Show picture 1.)
When he met with the elders of the village, Michael asked why they lived in
such a tough place. They told him they could never move. Their village had
a story that had been passed down through generations. The story is about
a foreigner with white skin who would come to their village and tell them
something precious. They showed Michael a tattered notebook. The first page
showed a German tourist with his signature. But he did not tell them anything
precious. The next page was a Japanese woman with her signature. She did not
tell them anything precious either. Michael knew he had something precious
to tell them. (Show picture 2.)
Over time, Michael became friends with a young Sayang man. Little by little
Michael taught his friend about Jesus Christ. Eventually his young friend
understood Jesus died for his sins.
He is the only known Christian in the Sayang village. There are cassettes with
stories from the Bible in their language. The Sayang can now hear about Jesus
Christ for the first time.
There are many people like the Sayang who have not been reached. They have
never heard about Jesus. It takes a team to reach people like the Sayang. Like
Michael Martin, you can help. What can you do to help reach people like the
Sayang who have never heard about Jesus?
Leader Prep:
· Download activity sheet for older children (imb.org/childrensleader).
· Download coloring sheet for younger children (imb.org/childrensleader).
· Distribute sheets and pencils or crayons to the children.
· Read the directions together if necessary.
high elevation (Review Activity: 10-15 mins.)
Leader Prep:
· Have an activity/coloring sheet available to review ways they can help.
· If able, show MK shout-out: Thanks from East Asia! video (imb.org/
childrensleader), then supplement by reading the story below starting
at the asterisks (**).
· If not able, continue as instructed below.
· If able, show Power verse: Giving (1 John 3:16-19) video
(imb.org/childrensleader).
· Ask: “What are the three ways you can help reach people groups who have
never heard about Jesus?”(See activity/coloring sheet.)
I can tell my friends and others about Jesus.
· Say: “You never know who other people know. By telling friends and others
about Jesus, they in turn could tell others who have never heard about Jesus.”
**(Start here, if MK shout-out: Thanks from East Asia! video was shown:)**
· Continue: “The MKs on MK shout-out video tell their friends about Jesus.
There are many unreached people groups in their area. By telling their
friends, their friends in turn may tell others in a people group who never
heard the name of Jesus.” (Go to next asterisks. **)
I can give so more missionaries can go.
· Say: “It takes a whole team to ‘reach the peak’ of a mountain. No one can
reach the peak alone. Michael Martin needed money to buy gas, supplies and
other resources to reach the Sayang village. He could not have gone without
people giving to their church’s international missions offering. When you
give, you are an important part of the team.”
Lesson 1
· Ask: “What is the third way to help reach unreached people groups?”
I can pray for an unreached people group.
· Present a plan to the children to pray for an unreached people group.
Emphasize the fact that there is not a strategy for reaching these people.
The ONLY strategy to reach them is praying for them.
**If video was shown**
· “The MKs and their families on the MK shout-out video cannot reach the
many unreached people groups in their area alone. It costs money to live
overseas. They are able to live overseas because people give to their church’s
international missions offering (Lottie Moon Christmas Offering).”
· Continue: “Missionaries and their children are thankful for the teamwork
because they do not have to worry about paying for their basic needs.
Instead, they can spend their time telling others about Jesus.”
· Ask: “Why should we give?” Allow time for the children to respond.
· Say: “Let’s see what the Bible says about giving.”
· Show Power verse: Giving (1 John 3:16-19) video (imb.org/childrensleader) or
read 1 John 3:16-19:
“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought
to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to
live well … and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how
can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love
each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”
peak (Project: 10-15 mins.)
Leader Prep:
· Familiarize yourself with PRAYERthreads Kids (kompray.imb.org). Decide
how to undertake this project. There are many different ways. Customize a
plan unique to your children’s group. Focus on ways to help the children be
consistent in praying for a specific unreached people group.
· Say: “The two ways we just discussed to help reach unreached people groups
are very important. The third way to help may be the ONLY way to reach
some unreached people groups right now.”