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SpanishBIBLE CLUBS
Bible Clubs are gatherings of children for Bible study which are taking place in any public place except church. The main objective of a Bible Club is to become friends with children from the world. Children whose parents will never take them to church and will never teach them Bible truths because they do not know how great it is to be with God.
Jesus said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them” (Mark 10:14-16).
Children are the future of any church and any country. They are easy to reach. In many countries with conservative “Christians”, such as the Orthodox, Catholics, the older part of the population may oppose resistance to receiving Christ, keeping to the old religion. But kids who love to listen to stories and color pictures are easily attracted by CSI materials which are meant to be taught by the INTERACTIVE METHOD. They contain a picture of the story for coloring which can become the attracting point.
In church, it is the women and youth, who seem to be the Christians who are directly connected with children.
We all are in touch with children in some setting. The modern world keeps their parents busy coping with life itself, while their children are left to challenge their needs alone.
In many countries (former USSR) children are hanging around outside all day long. Or spend the day before the computer, not learning how to address their problems by learning what Christ came here to teach us all.
We can help. How?
By inviting them to Bible Clubs, where we teach Bible Stories for All Ages and encourage children to love Christ and God’s Word. Invite them better to a children’s party, to some coolers and cookies or to a coloring party. They will like the idea! Make them feel at home and ask them questions about their parents, brothers and sisters, liking and disliking. Make them feel important! When you became a really good friend of theirs and they feel like at home, you can suggest to them to color a picture, using Bible stories for all ages.
RUNNING a Bible club
Bible Clubs meet once a week in a home or in a park or in any other public place. Once they have rented a classroom in a school for the Bible Club meetings. Each Bible Club meeting takes place once a week and lasts 1-2 hours. It can start with games, children’s songs, treats or one can just invite them to color pictures. CSI has wonderful children’s materials which will help.
Using STORIES FOR ALL AGES in Bible Clubs
CSI has presented 39 lessons on the Old Testament and 39 lessons on the New Testament. They are good for teaching both children and grown ups.
The Bible stories are introduced gradually, when the leader feels that kids are ready for something more serious. There are two stages in teaching the CSI materials to kids.
Stage 1 will last for 6 weeks during which the children will be gathered once a week in a home (teacher’s home, some child’s home) for fellowship, for coloring a picture, games, songs, having a simple treat after which one can introduce the Bible story. At this stage the teacher can present OT-1 series, teaching lessons 1-6 (See Table 1).
Table 1
| # of week | Book | Lesson |
| 1 | Old Testament 1 | 1. How the World Began |
| 2 | Old Testament 1 | 2. The Beautiful Garden of Eden |
| 3 | Old Testament 1 | 3. Disobeying Spoils it all |
| 4 | Old Testament 1 | 4. Murder in the first family |
| 5 | Old Testament 1 | 5. God Decides to destroy the earth |
| 6 | Old Testament 1 | 6. The Flood Destroys everything |
Stage 2
After the first 6 weeks the teacher can pass on to NT -1 series which are devoted to Jesus Christ. After the OT 1 lessons (6), children are prepared understand God’s plan of Salvation – NT -1, lessons 1-6 (see table 2)
Table 2
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Stage 3
At this level the teacher can balance teaching one lessons from OT -1 the first week and one from NT -1 the following week.
At this stage the meetings of the Bible Club can be shifted to church. WHY?
In church they will find out about the Sunday schools. It will be perfect if kids show interest in attending the Sunday school. In case they like the Bible Club group better, the teacher should be patient and go on teaching them Bible Stories for All Ages in the Bible Club. When they show interest in the Sunday school they can join the age group they belong to.
The final goal of CSI is to bring children and their parents to Christ and into church!
It will happen when they know Christ and understand that this is what God is calling them to do!