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Children’s Ministry
Jelly Beans & Salvation

Tina had a great time at camp. She really liked all the activities, including the chapels and speaker. When an invitation was given, she responded to receive Jesus as her Saviour.

After she was back home, her mom asked her how camp was, of course. Tina told her everything, including her step of faith to receive Jesus. When she asked Tina what that meant, she seemed uncertain.

In Sunday School that fall, the superintendent talked at an opening session. She asked kids to raise their hands if they had made any decisions about Jesus during the summer. Several responded, including Tina.

The superintendent then invited the children to a special small group. It would last four weeks. They would talk about what it meant to receive Jesus as Saviour. They would have fun activities and learn more about what it means to be a Christian. Only up to eight children could attend at once. If more signed up they would run another small group after this one.

After the session Tina ran to the sign-up sheet. She saw that there were already four children ahead of her, but she still had a chance. She was so happy to be able to go on the first group.

The next Sunday, she went to her class area. The superintendent showed her where the small group met. The leader welcomed her and gave her a booklet. It was called “First Steps for Kids.” As she paged through it Tina saw there were places to write, draw, fill in blanks, do word searches, even write out prayers to God! This looked like fun!

And it was. The leader started out by telling how she became a Christian. Then every child had a turn telling their story. Tina learned just by listening! Then the leader explained how salvation works using jelly beans and a stone. The colours of the jelly beans showed that God loves us (red), but that sin (the stone) not only keeps us away from God, it doesn’t belong in our lives (just like a stone doesn’t belong with jelly beans – you can’t eat a stone!). However, if we receive Jesus as our Saviour we are cleansed like snow (white). We can grow in our knowledge and faith (green) and eventually reach our home in heaven (yellow – like streets of gold). She made notes in her student guide booklet.

The next lessons, Tina learned a bit more about God, about the importance of Bible reading and prayer, and why belonging at church was important. In four weeks Tina discovered new things about being a Christian in ways she could understand. And she saw her friends in a new way – they were part of Jesus’ family together!

First Steps for Kids is a wonderful discipleship tool for children Grades 1-6. Kids from any background will benefit going through it with a loving leader. There are several ways to use it:

Pull out kids from the whole children’s ministry like the story Have every class teacher lead the children through it some time during the fall Use it in clubs as a weekly study activity for four weeks

First Steps for Kids is available as a Teacher’s Guide and Student Guide. Each child should get their own copy to get them started in journaling. First Steps is a great resource to enhance the diet items Salvation and Expressing Devotion (from the Life Steps Plan).

Jelly Beans and Salvation is a great tool that doesn’t use a specific colour to designate sin (eg. black, which has been attached to people of African roots). Kids learn it as easily as the “Wordless Book.”

You can order First Steps for Kids booklets and the Jelly Beans and Salvation kit from Glennis at (204) 669-6575 or by email.

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Last modified October 31, 2000.

Ideabank is a quarterly newsletter published by the Board of Christian Education Ministries, a board of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.

© 2000 Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.
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