Basic Bible Studies for Children

This a six–week course will help school–age children discover what happened when they committed their lives to Christ. It also teaches them how to live out their Christian commitment. These lessons strongly emphasize God's grace to enable children to live in relationship to Him. The lessons cover these topics:

1. What Happened to Me? - helps children develop assurance of salvation by faith.
2. The Good News of God's Grace - focuses on the many gifts of God's grace.
3. Growing as God's Friends - teaches children how to cultivate their relationship with God through prayer, Bible reading, and other spiritual disciplines.
4. Win Against Sin - gives children tools for overcoming temptation and sin.
5. The New Life in Action - describes ways Christians live out their commitment to Christ in daily life.
6. My Christian Family - tells how children benefit from and contribute to the church.

A companion piece, Basic Bible Studies for Children Packet, tells local church workers how to organize and carry out a spiritual follow-up program with school-age new Christians. This booklet also contains teaching/learning helps for each of the six lessons

Discovering My Faith:
Questions and Answers About the Christian Faith

The catechism teaches older elementary children the doctrinal concepts found in the Articles of Faith of the Church of the Nazarene. The primary goal of the catechism is to create in children a love for the beliefs of the Church of the Nazarene, so their lives will be shaped by these beliefs. The course also seeks to:

• Help preteens recognize the importance of thinking about theological issues and provide a framework for doing so.
• Create a climate where preteens can openly discuss theological issues.
• Teach preteens how to deal with questions or doubts about beliefs without fear or guilt and without throwing out their faith because of their uncertainties.
• Provide sixth graders a unique "rite of passage" as they move from the children's department to the youth department.
• Encourage preteens to join the Church of the Nazarene as an expression of their commitment to Christ and to our interpretation of the teachings of Scripture.

This program is colorful, child appealing, and easy to teach. The kit contains 27 reproducible activity sheets, 12 transparencies, many teaching resources, and a leader's guide. The keepsake student activity book may be purchased separately.

"My Best Friend, Jesus"

Children's Ministries of the Church of the Nazarene has just released a new Children's tract. This tract was created in partnership with JESUS Film Harvest Partners, Campus Crusade for Christ International, and the Nazarene Publishing House.

This new tract is a vibrant, full-color booklet that uses the powerful imagery of the JESUS Film to help lead children to the Savior. It includes the ABC's of Salvation, a suggested prayer of commitment, and steps for follow-up.

This tract was written by Children's Ministries to be a companion piece for "The Story of JESUS for Children" (JESUS Film Children's version) and the "Following Jesus, My Friend" discipleship curriculum also written by Children's Ministries. Campus Crusade granted permission for pictures from the actual film to be used in this tract.

* The "My Best Friend, Jesus" tract, pictured here, is available for order from the Nazarene Publishing House (www.nph.com). The Leader's Guide and a PowerPoint are available as a free download at www.wordaction.com/mbfj.

* The "Following Jesus, My Friend" discipleship curriculum is available as a free download at www.jfhp.org/resources/jesusmyfriend.

* You can order "The Story of JESUS for Children" video by going to www.thejesusvideo.com.