Description
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.”
~Romans 1:20a NIV
“For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.”
~Hebrews 3:4 NIV
“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”
~Job 12:7–10 NIV
These few short verses say so much! God has made everything and we can know Him through what He has made… wow. Isn’t that incredible? That the God who’s responsible for Humpback Whales and oak trees has revealed truths about Himself through them?
That’s the whole goal of this curriculum: to help kiddos and their families to get to KNOW God through His Creation*. To be clear: the goal is to actually know Him better, not just more about Him. This curriculum is based on excitement, engagement, local and accessible nature, and reflection. It is NOT about worksheets, memory verses, or videos.
Here’s how it works: there are 10 “adventure cards” and their accessories, and a template for your weekly lesson. Ownership and engagement from the adult running the program is so important, so instead of a strict order, the lessons can be done in any order using the template. Simply “plug-and-play”… or “plug-and-pray,” in this case.
Each week, kiddos will talk about a characteristic of God. They’ll read a related passage of scripture, then explore outside (their backyard, a local park, church grounds) for local nature that they think shows that characteristic (example: God’s wisdom can be seen in the way bees pollinate flowers, His patience can be seen in slow-growing trees, etc). Then the adult/teacher will facilitate one of the adventure cards. After the game, the group will reflect on how the game related to the characteristic (get creative!) and then spend some time sitting alone (within sight) outdoors to talk with God about that characteristic, their lives, etc. This should be followed by a short period where everyone is still in nature and listens for what God is saying (if He decides to say anything). Finally, kiddos can gather and share what happened (if they want) and leave with a challenge to play the game/look for that characteristic during the week.
Nature isn’t just a “background” or side note; God has always meant for Creation to bring us closer to Him… so let’s get started! Let’s help our churches connect with Him, nature, and each other!
~Jared
*”Creation” here refers to the belief that God is responsible for everything in the universe. How He accomplished this is open to interpretation. Simply put: Evolution and Christianity are not diametrically opposed, and regardless of exactly how He made it, it’s still amazing!
We invite you to listen to our podcast episode with Jared here…
… and watch this video to learn more about this book!
https://youtu.be/NY-I6b5zhk4
