With relatable lessons and volunteer-friendly options within the curriculum, leaders can be sure to share the truth of the gospel with children, teens, and adults. And while each age level is age-appropriate, each lesson is also connected thematically to all the other age levels so that generations can grow in faith together.

In the articles below, you can discover the importance of celebrating African American faith with children.

From being made in the image of God, to understanding faith from a cultural context, children need to see themselves as God sees them. Help every child discover God’s plan for their lives and know without a doubt that He created them and loves them beyond their wildest imagination.

Why Echoes Children’s Curriculum Is Important to Today’s Church: A Parent’s Point of View

In the African American church, children need to understand their cultural history. Echoes provides this with relatable, relevant content. Read More >>

Black History and Faith: Why and How It Matters to Kids

Black children need to understand that they are part of God’s Story—made in His image. Discover why history and community matters in faith. Read More >>

Echoes​

Celebrating African American Heritage and Faith

With our 4-step lessons, teachers can focus on engaging kids, youth, and adults to discover God’s Word while celebrating African American heritage and faith.

Learn more

How to Celebrate People of Color in Your Sunday Lessons

I want to challenge us to recognize the importance of choosing a curriculum that celebrates our biblical and cultural heritage. Read More >>

How to Make Black History Month Part of Your Children’s Ministry

Celebrate Black History Month in your kids’ ministry as a way to tell the story of God’s redemptive power!
Read More >>

30 Free Coloring Pages to Celebrate Black Faith Leaders

These stories and coloring pages will help you celebrate some amazing heroes of faith! Read More >>

Why Echoes?

• Echoes lessons are Christ-Centered and biblically sound.
• Students will learn everyday life lessons to apply in their daily lives.
• Echoes includes a Quarterly Black History Feature.
• Echoes lessons are age appropriate for ages toddler through adult.
• Lessons include Life Needs, Bible Learning, Bible Application, and Life Response.
• Teachers receive Bible resources to help when preparing and teaching the lessons.
• Lessons are available in print or as downloadable PDF’s.

More Articles About Curriculum from David C Cook

• The Top Children’s Curriculum from David C Cook
• Why Choose Digital Curriculum from David C Cook?
• Why Your Children’s Curriculum Needs the Gospel, Not Morals

You can also download all of the coloring pages here!

Reverend Francis James Grimke

Changing the World through the Gospel

Francis J. Grimke was born in 1850. He was a brilliant orator and an articulate opponent of racism. He set forth the Gospel and the Bible as the way to change people and society.

Ida B. Wells

An Activist

Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a fearless anti-lynching crusader, suffragist, women’s rights advocate, journalist, and speaker. Wherever she saw injustice against African Americans, she worked to set it right.

Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth

Civil Rights Pioneer

Fred Lee Shuttlesworth was born in Montgomery County, Alabama, on March 18, 1922. His family moved to Birmingham when he was a toddler, and he served as a truck driver during World War II. After leaving the service, he experienced what he believed to be a call to the ministry.

George Washington Carver

A Scientist of Faith and Vision

George Washington Carver helped change the course of America’s agricultural and scientific landscape. He lived out his faith as a scientist who saw God’s hand in creation.

Daniel Alexander Payne

Faith, Education, and the Gospel

Daniel Alexander Payne was a theologian, historian, and church bishop. He was also the first African-American college president and a constant voice for the education of African-Americans—especially their church leaders.

Dr. Halle Tanner Dillon Johnson

A Ground-Breaking Woman Doctor

Halle Tanner wanted what seemed an impossible goal for an African-American woman in the late 1800s—she wanted to study medicine and become a doctor. In spite of the tremendous odds against her, she became the first female physician to pass the Alabama state medical ex­amination and the first woman physician at Tuskegee Institute.

Dr. Herbert Smitherman

The Jackie Robinson of P&G

Herbert Smitherman was born March 23, 1937, to Rev. Otis C. Smitherman and his wife Alberta. An only child, Herbert grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, in the tight-knit African-American section of town known as West Princeton. Opposers of the civil rights and voter registration movements burned his father’s church, but it was rebuilt.

Hiram Rhodes Revels

Making History in Congress and in Education

Hiram R. (Rhodes) Revels—an educator, minister, and politician—was the first African American to serve in the United States Senate. It would be almost 90 years before another African American would be elected to the Senate.

Dr. Howard O. Jones

Pioneer Evangelist

A pioneer is one who leads the way, who pushes open the door for others to follow. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and Jackie Robinson made decisions that changed the way society thought and set a better course for future generations. Add to this list of trailblazers Dr. Howard O. Jones.

Jesse LeRoy Brown

A Man of Courage and Commitment

Jesse LeRoy Brown was the first African-American aviator in the U.S. Navy and the first African-American naval of­ficer killed in the Korean War at the young age of 24.

Jarena Lee

Preaching Freedom from Sin and Slavery

At one time in America, it was dangerous for a female to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was also not popular for anyone to condemn slavery. But one African-American woman did both—and more. Jarena Lee was the first official female preacher in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Jo Ann Robinson

A Boycott in the Fight for Justice

Jo Ann Robinson was a leader of the Montgom­ery, Alabama bus boycott that brought national attention to the Civil Rights Movement. Born April 17, 1912, in Culloden, Georgia, Rob­inson earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State College, taught in the Macon public school system, and later earned a master’s degree in English and liter­ature at Atlanta University.

Lacey Kirk Williams

Serving the Lord from Olivet Church

The Rev. Dr. Lacey Kirk Williams was loved, honored, and admired for his devotion to Christ and His Church. He and S. Mattie Fisher had a major impact on thousands of African Americans who migrated north during the early 1900s.

Maggie Lena Walker

A Gift for Serving

God certainly wants us to use the gifts and talents He has given us in our churches, but we are also to use them in our homes, schools, and workplaces. That is what Maggie Lena Walker did—the first woman in the United States to found a bank and be its president.

Mary Eliza Mahoney

Called to Be a Nurse

Mary Eliza Mahoney was the first black professional nurse in America. She was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, around May 7, 1845, the oldest of three children. Her parents, freed slaves, relocated from North Carolina prior to the Civil War.

Nannie Helen Burroughs

‘The Bible, the Bath, and the Broom’

Nannie Helen Burroughs is best known for starting the Women’s Auxiliary of the National Baptist Convention and the National Training School of Women and Girls in Washington, D.C. She was a religious leader, educator, civil rights activist, and businesswoman. Burroughs also helped establish the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), a philanthropic organization.

Octavia Albert

Exposing the Evils of Slavery

As a Christian author and researcher, Octavia Victoria Rogers Albert desired to bring to light the atrocities of slavery. Albert put her pen to paper in the 1800s, when black women authors were rarities in this arena. It was a time in history when those responsible for slavery attempted to make something inhuman human.

Roberta Evelyn Martin

‘I Have Hope‘

Thomas A. Dorsey takes center stage as “the father of gospel music,” and many people call Mahalia Jackson “the greatest gospel singer ever.” As gospel music historian Clayton Hannah writes, “Although Dorsey is credited as the originator of gospel music, and Jackson received the highest acclaim, Roberta Martin unequivocally made the greatest contribution. She created and left a dynasty of gospel singers and a portfolio of unduplicated gospel music.”

Rosa Young

A Persistent Christian Educator

Rosa J. Young was born on May 14, 1890, in rural Rosebud, Alabama. She was the fourth of ten children born to Grant Young, an African Methodist Episcopal minister and his wife Nancy. President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves but left many African-American families, like those in the Alabama Black Belt, in extreme poverty.

Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander

‘Make Yourself the Best of What You Are’

Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander’s accomplishments opened doors for black women in the legal profession. She was the first black woman to receive a doctorate in economics and to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. And she fought for equality for all African-Americans.

Wilma Glodean Rudolph

Champion and Role Model

Wilma Rudolph raced into the history books in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. She became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field during a single Olympic Games. Wilma Glodean Rudolph was the 20th of 22 children in a very large and very poor family.

Dovey May Johnson Roundtree

One Child Can Change the World

James Johnson, a printer and Sunday school teacher, and his wife Lela, a seamstress and domestic worker, welcomed their second daughter into the world on April 14, 1917, in North Carolina. A family of strong faith surrounded Dovey Mae, as her folks affectionately called her. At two months old she was baptized at East Stonewall A.M.E. Zion Church, a church her grandfather pastored.

Dr. Benjamin E. Mays

Man of Faith and Passion

Dr. Benjamin E. Mays was an outstanding leader, teacher, preacher, and scholar. He saw his life as one of obedience to God. He often quoted Micah 6:8—“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” He believed one’s character and beliefs should be embodied in actions. Dr. Mays integrated his faith and passion in his life.

Thomas A. Dorsey

Serving His Precious Lord

Thomas Andrew Dorsey, the father of black gospel music, developed a sacred music based on the secular blues. Blues music carries a theme of defiance in the face of despair, but Dorsey’s music combined that feeling and rhythm with lyrics of hope. Dorsey authored hundreds of songs, including the gospel classics “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” and “Peace in the Valley.”

Dr. Dorothy Height

‘Open Wide the Freedom Gates’

Dorothy Irene Height lived her life serving those who had little to no hope and no voice. She wanted to “open wide the freedom gates” for other African Americans, women, and the poor as she matched her faith to real-world problems. In so doing she achieved national recognition for her work, includ­ing the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994 and the Con­gressional Gold Medal in 2004.

Theophilus Gould Steward

Military Chaplain

Theophilus G. Steward (25th Infantry, 1884–1901) was the only chaplain from the North born a free man. Steward, racially mixed, could have easily passed as a white man but choose to identify himself as black. He joined the A.M.E. church and quickly was called into the ministry. He wrote several books and articles which caused controversy within the denomination.

Dr. Charles Clinton Spaulding

A Businessman Doing the Lord’s Work

Charles Clinton Spaulding was one of the most successful Af­rican-American businessmen of the 20th century. He helped establish and was later president of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance, the largest African-American business of its time. But more than being a successful businessman, Spaulding was a devoted Christian who brought the principles of his faith to work with him.

Harry Thacker Burleigh

The Singer of Spirituals

Henry (Harry) Thacker Burleigh is not well known, but he significantly contributed to the development of American art songs. He was the first African American to compose over two hundred of those songs, many of which incorporated plantation melodies including “By an’ By,” “Go Down Moses,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” and especially “Deep River.”

Katherine G. Johnson

Math, Faith, and the Race to Space

Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson was born August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs of Greenbrier County, West Virginia. She was the youngest of Joshua and Joylette Coleman’s four children. Her father was a lumberman, farmer, and handyman, while her mother taught school.

Florence Spearing Randolph

‘Christ Is All in All’

Florence Spearing Randolph stood tall as a suffragist, civic reformer, temperance leader, and pastor. Her constant speaking out and organizing against discrimination, poverty, and inequality helped set the stage for the Civil Rights movement.

30 Free Coloring Pages to Celebrate Black Faith Leaders

Download these awesome coloring pages and biographies to celebrate these black heroes of faith. Read their individual stories as kids color—great for at home, in classrooms, and within activity packets for families!

Download your coloring pages

30 Free Coloring Pages to Celebrate Black Faith Leaders

Download these awesome coloring pages and biographies to celebrate these black heroes of faith. Read their individual stories as kids color—great for at home, in classrooms, and within activity packets for families!

Download your coloring pages

30 Free Coloring Pages to Celebrate Black Faith Leaders

Download these awesome coloring pages and biographies to celebrate these black heroes of faith. Read their individual stories as kids color—great for at home, in classrooms, and within activity packets for families!

Download your coloring pages

Ministry has never changed at a faster pace than it is changing right now. But what hasn’t changed—and will never change—is our goal to bring God’s Word to the people in our churches.

This guide is designed to help you use Bible-in-Life and Echoes curriculum as your ministry adjusts to another new normal. We’ve provided tips and ideas to help you adapt the lessons for teaching and engaging with students and families—whether you’re meeting online, meeting in person, sending lessons home, or taking a hybrid approach.

Teaching—A Hybrid Approach

When we use the term “hybrid teaching,” we’re referring to combining virtual tools—tools that enable you to communicate and interact online with students and families—with physical options.

Check out this article on teaching virtually. You’ll find technical suggestions as well as tips to keep your attendees engaged online!

Even when your ministry is ready to return to your church building, some of your attendees won’t feel comfortable coming back right away. Consider offering—or continuing to offer—an at-home Sunday school option.

Providing lessons and resources for your church at home is a great way to invest in and connect with the families you serve!

We’re also creating bonus curriculum content (coming soon) that is free for David C Cook curriculum customers. It will be full of resources to help you engage all those you serve. You’ll want to check it out!

Prepare to Teach

Bible-in-Life and Echoes are available in print and in digital bundles. We encourage you to explore all the files—including Real Life Downloaded—and see what works best for your ministry in this time.

General Best Practices

Time

Keep your time shorter than you normally would in a physical space. While you might be able to engage for an hour, or even an hour and a half in a classroom, it’s much harder to do so on a video call.

Instead, use a shorter time to connect with students and spend more time on the Bible portion of the lesson.

Text

Highlight the main points of the lesson without trying to read all of the text. A lot of information is provided in each lesson, but students won’t be as focused during video calls. Just focus on and highlight the main points in the time you have.

Group Size

Although most video call apps can accommodate a large number of participants, consider doing some lessons with several smaller groups. Doing this will give all students a chance to share their thoughts, interact with their peers, and feel heard.

Connect

Connect with your kids, teens, and adults throughout the week—whether by a phone call, e-mail, or a text message. People will feel seen and known when you reach out to them.

For Each Quarter

Decide which portions of a lesson will work best for teaching in your current reality. It will vary depending on the technology you have access to, your class size, and the age group you are teaching!

• Set a time limit for each lesson and be sure to allow time to socialize before and after the lesson. Organize all of the digital files you will be using.

• For kids and families, you’ll want to decide how you will get activity packs to them (physical pickup/drop-off, download links, or both). Also be sure to let them know how to access the lessons and activity packs.

• For some children’s age levels, you’ll want to download the Lesson Videos and guides and the Scripture Video available.

For Each Lesson

Prepare your heart and organize your materials and digital files so you can access them easily while you teach.

• Consider creating a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation for the lesson.

• Practice your presentation, along with any songs, crafts, and activities ahead of time so you are comfortable presenting them on-screen.

• Let parents know ahead of time if there are any materials their children may need for the lesson.

The David C Cook Church Support Program

Imagine feeling confident that families are equipped with true discipleship materials. That's what you’ll get with the Church Support Program. Check it out and get access to discipleship resources for leading families, children, youth, and adults—digitally or in person.

Learn More

The David C Cook Church Support Program

This program is designed to help church leaders, teachers, and volunteers continue ministry—whether virtually, in person, or a hybrid of the two.

Learn more

The David C Cook Church Support Program

This program is designed to help church leaders, teachers, and volunteers continue ministry—whether virtually, in person, or a hybrid of the two.

learn more

Teach the Lesson

Before the Lesson Starts

Start your stream 5 to 10 minutes before your scheduled start time. This gives people time to sign in. If you know who is online, be sure to greet them.

• Use PowerPoint or Google Slides to display a welcome message or show a countdown video.

• Show a list of items that your group will need for the lesson. Remember that less might be more during this time.

• Adapt options from the teacher’s guide for students to do as they arrive. Give students time to share what they discovered about God since the last lesson.

During the Lesson

Give your students time to share about themselves and their lives while building relationships.

Spend a few minutes sharing with about the previous week.

• Check to see how adaptable the opening activity or discussion is to an online session. If the activity isn’t adaptable for kids specifically, you might try to open with an icebreaker video. We’ve pulled together dozens of icebreaker videos in our bonus curriculum content (coming soon)!

• For Upper Elementary – Adult, you can use Real Life Downloaded for your Bible-in-Life and Echoes curriculum. This free downloadable resource brings trending topics into Sunday school each week.

• Take time to go through the discussion questions. Begin with your own examples; then ask others to share. To help facilitate discussions, make sure each child, teen, or adult has had an opportunity to share his or her thoughts. If your lesson is prerecorded, pause for a few seconds after each question to give students time to reflect on the topic and then discuss the answer.

• Share your screen or make slides for things like Bible passages, memory verses, activities, crafts, discussion questions, etc. You can follow the directions in your teacher’s guide to work through the pages. Adapt some children’s activities by having families be the small groups for the activity. Get creative!

• Give participants time to share how they are going to take the lesson into their week. Challenge them to look for how God is working in their lives. Encourage families to talk about the lesson during the week, including reading through the take-home papers.

Help Families Prepare for Virtual Ministry

If you’re teaching virtually using Zoom, Facebook Live, prerecorded videos, etc., be sure to let students and parents know what to expect and what you need from them.

• Where and when can they access the lessons?
• Do they need to be with their children during the lesson?
• How can they keep their child engaged spiritually even if they miss a week?

Create Activity Packs

Activity packs are bundles of resources for students and families that encourage them to interact with the lesson. You could send these packs home or provide them to kids attending a family worship service.

Here are some resources you might include in the packs:

• A personal note
• Ministry announcements
• Student books
• Craft books and activities
• Take-home papers
• Song MP3s
• Elementary coloring pages
• Family Devotion Guide

Decide when and how you will provide the activity packs to families. Once per quarter? Once a month? Every week? Will they be physical or a digital download? Will families need to pick them up from the church? Can volunteers deliver them in person? Are you able to mail them to families? Will they be picked up for use during a family worship service?

These answers will be specific to the needs of your ministry and are likely to change as the needs of your ministry change.

Creating a Plan for Your Ministry Post-COVID-19

This guide can be used as a post-COVID-19 re-entry planning tool for your entire church or for a ministry within your church body.

Download your guide

Creating a Plan for Your Ministry Post-COVID-19

This guide can be used as a post-COVID-19 re-entry planning tool for your entire church or for a ministry within your church body.

Download your guide

Creating a Plan for Your Ministry Post-COVID-19

This guide can be used as a post-COVID-19 re-entry planning tool for your entire church or for a ministry within your church body.

Download your guide

As a child, I moved around a lot, but Sunday School was always a big part of my community.

Every church I attended growing up taught the Word of God. But very rarely did I see pictures or hear stories that showed people of color—even in predominantly African American churches.

Now here we are at the start of a new decade, and while the times have changed many things remain the same. I believe it is still important for our children to know and celebrate their biblical and cultural heritage.

But is it enough simply to celebrate Black History Month? I don’t think so.

Biblical and Cultural Heritage

As a ministry leader myself, I want to have access to resources that will help me teach our kids about their heritage and encourage them to pursue a relationship with God. When I browse online, it’s easy enough to find coloring pages and books that include or feature children of color, but they fall short when it comes to conveying biblical and cultural heritage.

It is extremely important to me that the children in my church are taught from a young age that they are part of God’s story.

If it is important for children to know who God is and that He desires to have a relationship with people who look like them, then we need a curriculum that is strong in the Word and offers opportunities for us to celebrate and teach their heritage.

As an African American ministry leader, I want to challenge us to recognize the importance of choosing a curriculum that celebrates our biblical and cultural heritage.

Where Do We Start

Today, I have the privilege of traveling all across the US and meeting with pastors, Christian educators, Sunday school superintendents, Sunday school teachers, and volunteers. 

We talk about what we can do together to celebrate our African American heritage in Sunday school. We also explore what curriculum and resources are available to teach children in their churches. 

Some churches have children’s ministers and youth pastors on staff, while others are all or mostly volunteers. Either way, the goal is for children to connect to God’s Word and to develop a life-long relationship with Him.

Put Together a Team

As a ministry leader, take a serious look at who you have working in your ministry.  Things to consider when recruiting teachers and volunteers include:

Keep in mind that there is a difference between being called to ministry and doing something just to be doing something.  So if God has called a person to teach, He will equip them for the work to be done.

It’s important work. And we should remember that when recruiting a team. Proverbs 22:6 says to start children off on the way they should go and even when they are old, they will not turn from it. 

As a children’s ministry leader, you hold part of this responsibility.  Develop a great team. Pray over your volunteers and utilize the gifts that God has given them.

Strive after God’s heart and He will guide you to the team your ministry needs. In addition, remember what a blessing it is to lead children and help them find a personal relationship with God.

Analyze Curriculum and Lessons

Now that we have established who you want to be involved in this ministry. What about the lessons they will help teach? You see, choosing a curriculum is one of the most important decisions you will make as a children’s ministry leader.

Therefore, ask yourself and your team these questions:

Children want to see others who look like them in their classroom—whether in church or in school.

Teachers and volunteers need a curriculum that will allow children to celebrate the Word and enable them to reflect on their cultural heritage.

Help Children and Families

We are competing with so many things these days—especially when it comes to Sunday school in the church. Leaders say children are not attending Sunday services as consistently as they used to. 

Between parents’ jobs and children’s activities, they simply don’t have time.

Families may not make it out every week. That’s the reality. So, as a leader, you’ve encouraged them to use the take-home papers to further study the lesson as a family. This gets a little difficult though when the children are different ages.

But how great would it be if the themes of their lessons were all the same?

Bring Your Vision to Life

Think back to what you visualize for a curriculum. When considering your options, if you’re like me, you want it to be strong in the Word, share African American heritage, and support families where they are. If that’s the case, there is a curriculum that I believe in—Echoes.

Sunday school superintendents and teachers consistently share how using Echoes has made that vision a reality.

The lessons are Biblically sound, relevant to African American culture, and create excitement in children’s classrooms.

Ministry leaders are happy with their decision to use Echoes for many reasons.  So often I hear teachers and volunteers say that they feel empowered and knowledgeable when teaching their children. That in itself is a BIG WIN for churches.

What Makes This Curriculum Stand Out

Step into A Lesson

Let’s walk through what the teacher and children will experience in class.

You will have prepared your lesson and prayed before the children arrive.

Be sure to greet the children as they enter the room. You want them to feel welcome. 

In Conclusion

I encourage you to check out Echoes curriculum for yourself. As children’s ministry leaders and Christians, we are called in Matthew 28, the Great Commission, to go out and make disciples of all nations . . . and to teach them to observe all things as I have commanded you.

This curriculum is strong in the teaching of the Word and cultural emphasis for children of color that we mentioned before. Teachers and volunteers appreciate how, in addition to a great lesson, they receive a special section in the teacher guide that includes black history highlights. 

This is an excellent curriculum choice for your church.  If you would like to check out Echoes, download a free lesson for each age level here.

It is often said that children are the church of tomorrow. But I disagree with that statement. They are the church of today. They are the reason we do what we do in ministry.

May God continue to bless you and guide you with His Holy Spirit as you work with children, teach them the Word, encourage them in their relationship with God, and help them identify themselves within their culture and as part of God’s plan.

God’s resounding word for a multi-cultural world.

Echoes Sunday School Curricula (Literature) is one of the most widely used resources in the African-American Church today and has been for nearly 30 years. A relevant, biblically sound, and Christ-centered curriculum, Echoes curriculum enables families to grow in their relationship with Christ with lessons applicable to everyday living situations. Echoes contains culturally relevant topics and African-American imagery for today’s generation, Toddler through Adult.

Get free samples here!

Other Articles Adapted from Echoes Curriculum:

Moses and the Burning Bush (Elementary Lesson)

Cain and Abel (Elementary Lesson)

STEP 1

Life Need

Today’s lesson from Exodus 3 and 4 describes the tough assignment God gave to Moses at the start of Moses’ leadership within the nation of Israel.

Young people your age are asked to do different kinds of jobs. Some of the work might seem easy to you, but other times it can be harder or just plain tough.

We’re usually more willing to attempt to do things we feel comfortable doing, aren’t we? But what about those tasks where we might fail?

Moses had tried to help God’s people and failed miserably. Now God had a new and difficult task for him. Do you think Moses will try again?

STEP 2

Bible Learning

Objective: That your students will discuss how God answered Moses’ excuses after calling him to complete a difficult task.

Materials:

Review with your students. Moses had been born around the time that Pharaoh ordered the deaths of all male babies.

Moses’ mother and sister Miriam hid Moses; then they placed him in the Nile, where he was rescued by the daughter of Pharaoh. This daughter of Pharaoh raised Moses as her own son.

When Moses was about 40 years old, he tried to help the Hebrew people by killing an Egyptian. He had to run away from Egypt, because Pharaoh wanted to kill him.

After Moses’ failure, he fled from Egypt. But God hadn’t forgotten about the Hebrews or Moses. This was all part of God’s master plan in which Moses was to play an important part.

Bible Study

Have students find Exodus 3 in their Bibles.

Ask a student to read Exodus 3:2-3.

Ask for a volunteer to read the Exod. 3:7, 10-12.

Ask for another volunteer to read Exod. 4:10-15.

Bible Review

We can see that God was ready to provide for Moses’ needs by sending Aaron along with Moses, and by showing Moses how powerful He is. That knocked down every excuse that Moses had. Now, let’s take a look at some other ways that God prepared Moses for the assignment

The places where Moses was before this week’s Bible story (Exodus 1-2) were Goshen, the Nile River, and Midian. Point out how the Lord used the years Moses lived in Midian to prepare him to carry out God’s plan of salvation.

Lead a discussion on the progression of Moses’ thinking.

STEP 3

Bible Application

Objective: That your students will describe ways the Lord strengthens His followers so they can tackle difficult tasks.

When we are faced with hard tasks, it isn’t always easy to accept the challenge, is it? The Bible study today was about someone who had a really tough assignment.

We saw how reluctant Moses was to do what God told him to do. But God didn’t just cross His arms and wait for Moses to muddle through the job alone.

He gave Moses the help He promised, and Moses was able to complete the work.

In our own lives, each of us has to face hard jobs. But we aren’t on our own—we have God’s help, even when we think we can’t do the work. In what tough assignment can you really use some help from God?

Let some students share their thoughts on specific tasks they know they have to face. Accept the ideas the students offer, as long as they are real-life situations that they will deal with in the next short while.

Some ideas you might hear: doing a hard school assignment or taking a test, finishing a project, playing in an athletic event, making friends in a new environment, doing some assigned task at home.

As your young people share their thoughts, show that you care about what they’re saying by listening carefully and giving each student your full attention. Set a good, caring atmosphere for others to listen: discourage whispering, creating distractions, or goofing off.

Memory Work

Have the class read this week’s Key Verse (Exodus 4:12) together. Then discuss these questions:

STEP 4

Life Response

Objective: That your students will agree to tackle a difficult task for God.

Materials:

It means we have a choice to do something willingly—without being forced to do it.

In what ways will you accept the challenge to serve God?

Suggest that students select one of the following: Clean your room or do some other chore for a whole week without being asked and without grumbling. Cheerfully help a younger brother or sister with homework or a chore. Make up your mind not to talk back to your parents. Share the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection with a person you don’t know very well. Make friends with an enemy. Break a bad habit or help a friend do so.

Allow time for students to choose a specific task and write it down. Remember, God will provide you with the help you need to complete the task, just as He promised to help Moses!

Reach Every Student, Every Age and Every Day

Echoes Elementary consists of age-appropriate lessons that match the growing independence and responsibility of elementary students—especially their capacity to apply Bible truths and more deeply grasp the love of God.

Learn more today!

Other articles inspired by Echoes Curriculum:

Cain and Abel

David and Goliath Story for Kids

30+ Free Sunday School Lessons for Kids

Editor’s Note: This lesson was adapted from Echoes, elementary.

Bible Basis

Cain refuses to face his wrongdoing in the death of Abel (Genesis 4:1-16).

Memory Verse:

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke. Proverbs 3:11

Bible Background

After leaving the Garden of Eden, Eve gave birth to two boys—Cain and Abel. As adults, both men brought sacrifices to the Lord.

When God accepted Abel’s sacrifice but rejected Cain’s, Cain became so angry and jealous that he killed his brother. Because of Cain’s sin, God condemned Cain to a life of restless wandering.

Adam and Eve followed God’s instructions to multiply and fill the earth when first Cain and then Abel were born. Cain became a farmer and Abel became a shepherd.

We don’t know if God instructed Adam’s family to bring Him specific animal sacrifices, even though later (in Leviticus) certain types of sacrifices were specified.

Both boys brought sacrifices to the Lord from the fruits of their labor, but Abel brought the best from his flock and the Lord was pleased. It was “a more excellent sacrifice” (Heb. 11:4, KJV).

The Genesis account isn’t clear as to why Cain’s offering wasn’t accepted, but Hebrews 11:4 tells us Abel’s sacrifice was pleasing to God because he approached in faith.

It might be assumed Cain’s faith and attitude displeased God.

Genesis 4:7 indicates that God gave Cain a second chance to obey. But instead of taking God’s advice, Cain became angry and murdered his brother. Cain was now openly rebellious.

When God asked Cain where Abel was, even though He knew the answer, God may have been giving Cain the opportunity to confess and repent. But Cain’s rebellion continued as he denied knowing where Abel was.

God pronounced a curse on Cain and his labors that caused Cain to express great anguish—but not repentance.

Even then, God showed His continuing love by placing a protective mark on Cain before he went out from the presence of the Lord and lived in a land called Nod (the land of wandering).

Life Need

Your students will identify some ways people can show love by correcting someone.

Sometimes people have a funny way of saying “I love you!” They may yell, “Don’t do it!” when they mean, “I love you!” Let’s play a little game to understand what I’m talking about.

Ask a couple of students to act out each of the following scenarios.

Scenario 1:

A man is walking up a sidewalk carrying a bag of groceries. He can’t really see where he is going. He doesn’t see a skateboard that someone left in the middle of the sidewalk. A woman yells, “Don’t do it! Don’t take another step!”

• What could happen if the woman didn’t say anything? (The man could slip on the skateboard and get hurt.)

Scenario 2:

A little girl sees a ladder leaning up against a house. She decides to climb it. Being on the ladder causes the ladder to start wobbling in the air. Her brother yells, “Don’t do it! Don’t take another step!”

• What could happen if the brother didn’t say anything? (The ladder could fall and the little girl could get hurt.)

Help students understand that one way to show love for people is by trying to keep them from getting hurt.

• When have you ever had to tell someone “Don’t do it!”? (Encourage students to tell about times when they have corrected their little brothers or sisters or pets.)

There really are times when we can help people and show our love for them by saying “Don’t do it!” Since God loves us and wants to help us, there are times when He may tell us “Don’t do it!”

Our Bible story tells us about one of those times.

Bible Learning

Your students will understand why God disciplined Cain and how Cain responded to God’s discipline.

Pass out the My Bible Words Activity Sheet to each student.

Let’s find out who these two men are.

Let volunteers read the paragraphs about Cain and Abel and point to each one in the picture.

Adam and Eve had not needed to grow grain or raise animals for food when they lived in the garden. After they disobeyed God and left the garden, things changed.

Away from the garden, they worked hard to get things they needed.

Even though God punished Adam and Eve, He still loved them, and they wanted to love Him.

Draw your students’ attention to the word “offering.”

This word tells us about one way Bible people showed their love for God. Read the definition

Our Bible story takes place after Adam and Eve left the garden. But it still takes place in the first book of the Bible, Genesis.

In today’s Bible story we’ll hear about the offerings Cain and Abel gave to God. Listen carefully to find out which offering pleased God and what happened to Cain.

Read the story and pause where indicated for the children to read the marked Bible verses.

Bible Story

God told Adam and Eve they could eat from any tree except the one in the middle of the garden. But they disobeyed God and ate from the forbidden tree.

Because of their sin, God punished them and made them leave their beautiful home. For the rest of their lives, they would have to work to have food and a place to live.

They couldn’t walk with God in the garden anymore, but they didn’t forget God. He didn’t forget them, either. God still loved them and took care of them.

After a while, Adam and Eve had two sons. The oldest boy’s name was Cain. When Cain grew up, he became a farmer.

• What do farmers do? (They dig in the fields, plant seeds, and grow plants for food.)

The other boy’s name was Abel. He became a shepherd.

• What do shepherds do? (They take care of sheep by making sure the sheep have plenty of grass to eat and water to drink.)

As Cain and Abel grew up, they worked very hard at their jobs, but with God’s help the plants and the sheep grew well.

One day Cain decided to give an offering to God. He gathered some grain and plants from his fields and gave them to God as an offering.

Abel also brought an offering for God. Abel carefully chose the very best lamb in his flock. Then Abel gave that lamb to God as an offering.

God was pleased with Abel’s offering.

Ask the children to read Genesis 4:5 aloud together.

God was not pleased with Cain’s offering. Cain did not show he was truly thankful for all God’s help and did not sincerely believe God.

When God accepted Abel’s offering but not Cain’s, Cain grew angry and jealous.

God spoke to Cain: “Why are you so angry, Cain? If you do what is right, I will be pleased with you. But if you keep on doing wrong, I must punish you.”

Cain did not listen to God’s warning. Cain was jealous of his brother because Abel pleased God and he didn’t.

Each time Cain thought about what happened, he grew angrier. After a while, Cain asked Abel to come with him to his field. When they were alone in the field, Cain killed his brother, Abel.

Cain didn’t think anyone saw what he did. He thought no one would know he killed Abel.

A little while later God called to Cain. “Where is Abel, your brother?” God asked him.

“I don’t know,” Cain lied. “Am I supposed to take care of my brother all the time?”

“What are you saying!” God cried. “I know you killed Abel, so you must be punished.”

Have the children read Genesis 4:12 to learn Cain’s punishment.

God told Cain, “You must leave your home and your fields. From now on nothing you plant will grow, and you will be forced to move from place to place.”

Cain was very upset when he heard this. He didn’t want to leave his home, and he was afraid people would try to kill him if they found out what he had done to Abel.

Even though Cain had done a terrible thing, God still loved him. God told Cain no one would kill him; then God put a special mark on Cain so everyone who saw him would know they should not kill him.

Cain was sad about leaving home. God was sad too, but Cain chose not to obey God.

Bible Review

Write each sentence from the maze on Cain’s Choice Activity Sheet on a slip of paper before class.

As a class, read through the strips. Decide which strips are true and which are false. Put the true strips in the correct order on the board. Students can work through the activity sheet on their own.

Cain didn’t feel happy when he disobeyed God. And Cain got angry when God tried to correct him. He didn’t want to do what was right.

In the end, Cain was even unhappier than when he first did wrong. But we don’t have to be that way. We can learn from our mistakes and we can choose to obey God.

For extra emphasis on this story, use the Optional Activity below.

Optional Activity

Let students take turns telling something about one of the brothers in the Bible story. The rest of the class should try to identify the brother and tell whether or not he obeyed God.

• He was a farmer. (Cain, no.)
• He was a shepherd. (Abel, yes.)
• He gave God the best gift he could. (Abel, yes.)
• He did not listen to God’s warning. (Cain, no.)
• God accepted his offering (Abel, yes.)
• God did not accept his offering. (Cain, no.)
• He killed his brother. (Cain, no.)
• He had to go away from home. (Cain, no.)

Memory Work

Hand out the Two Children Are Disciplined Activity Sheet to each student.

This page will help them understand Proverbs 3:11 more clearly.

Read the title with your students. Explain that two of the children in this picture have done something wrong, and now they are being disciplined.

Read the speech balloons and ask students what the two children may have done wrong. (The boy may have hit or thrown a ball through the window; the girl may have ridden her bike in the street after her parents told her not to.)

Then read Proverbs 3:11 with your class.

Explain the meaning of unfamiliar words such as “despise” (to hate), “discipline” (to teach to do what is right, sometimes through a punishment), “resent” (to be unhappy and angry at someone or something because you feel he or it is unfair), and “correction” (to tell someone not to do something that is wrong).

Finally, discuss the questions below the memory verse:

• Which child is following Proverbs 3:11? Which child will probably do better next time? (The girl who is sorry. She realizes she needs to do better, and probably will next time.)

Read Proverbs 3:11 together. Then let volunteers try to say the verse from memory.

When God disciplines us, it’s one way He says “I love you.”

Bible Application

Your students will discuss some ways that God’s corrections are helpful to them.

Our Bible verse says “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke.”

God can discipline us in many ways. One is through adults in our lives who care for us even when we do wrong. Let’s read about a girl named Kayla and what happened to her one day.

Hand out the Kayla & the Candy Activity Sheet to each student.

Read the story on this page with your class. Then have your students complete the sentences by circling the correct word or phrase.

You can discuss the correct answers with your class by using questions like these:

• How do we know Kayla’s mother cared about her? (Her mother showed that she loved Kayla by wanting to know that she was safe.)
• Why should Kayla obey her mother? (God wants children to obey their parents; parents know what’s best; Kayla could have been hurt; she might have gotten lost.)
• Who are other adults that God may put in our lives? (Children should name adults that may correct them such as teachers, coaches, school administrators, extended family members, and church family members.)

Remind students that their parents and other adults care for their well-being even when they have done something wrong.

It is best to obey, but they should not be scared to tell their parents if they make a mistake or have an accident.

Also, remind them that their well-being is more important than any broken promise or lie. Listen carefully if your students disagree. They may have a home situation that deserves special attention.

Life Response

Your students will plan to ask for forgiveness when they do wrong.

• How do you feel when you do something bad? (Let students briefly share how they felt the last time they did something bad. Did God send someone to correct them, or did He help them feel sorry about what they did?)
• When we do something wrong, who is the first One we need to ask for forgiveness? (God.)
• If we did something to hurt someone else, who else do we need to ask for forgiveness? (The person you have wronged.)
• What are some good things we can do when we’re sorry for doing wrong? (Tell God—and the person you wronged—you are sorry; try to make things right again; ask God for help to obey Him the next time.)

All of us do bad things; but no matter what we do, God never stops loving us.

He loves us so much that He reminds parents and teachers and friends to show us when we do things that are wrong. And if we’re sorry, God forgives us and helps us do the right thing the next time.

Distribute the Slip-Up Slips to your students. Then show students a sample project you assembled before class.

Have students assemble the Slip-Up Slips according to the directions on the back of the project.

Encourage the students to begin thinking about who they might need to give a Slip-up Slip to this week.

If there is someone in the class that they need to give the slips to, perhaps a teacher or another student, encourage them to fill out a slip now and humbly present it to the person they wronged.

What a wonderful way to practice love and humility.

Encourage the children to use the rest of the Slip-Up Slips during the week as needed.

Closing Activity

Close your class time with a short prayer. You can ask a student volunteer to pray or use the following sample prayer.

Dear God, we’re sorry we sometimes do wrong. But we’re happy You will always love us, correct us, and forgive us when we ask You to. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Looking for more lessons? Try these!

Noah’s Ark

Joseph

Jonah and the Whale

Reach Every Student, Every Age and Every Day

Echoes Elementary consists of age-appropriate lessons that match the growing independence and responsibility of elementary students—especially their capacity to apply Bible truths and more deeply grasp the love of God.

Learn more today!

Editor’s Note: This lesson was adapted from Echoes, Elementary.

BIBLE BASIS: 1 Samuel 17

LESSON AIM: That your students will choose to seek God’s help in overwhelming situations.

MATERIALS:

• Paper and crayons
• David and Goliath Teaching Aid
• Who Can Help? Teaching Aid
• God Can Help! Teaching Aid

David and Goliath Story for Kids: Bible Background

In this Bible story, several years had passed since David was anointed by Samuel. King Saul and his army were once again fighting the Philistines. When David arrived at the Israelite camp, things began to change.

The Philistines were a warlike people who lived along the Mediterranean coast just west of Israel. The Philistines continually raided Israelite territory and tried to expand their national borders to include the western hill country of Israel.

The Philistines had a tremendous advantage over Israel because they controlled the “iron industry.” Most of the iron that was mined, smelted, and used for weapons was controlled by the Philistines. This meant that swords and other iron weapons were often in short supply in Israel.

During this particular encounter, the Philistines appeared to have another advantage over Israel. They had a giant. Goliath was over nine feet tall. Not only was he huge, but the armor Goliath wore protected him from most harm.

This is truly a story of contrasts. Goliath was an experienced warrior; David was a shepherd. Goliath was huge; David was small. The giant wore armor; the boy refused to wear armor. The warrior carried a sword, a spear, and a shield; the shepherd carried a staff, a sling, and five smooth stones. Goliath scoffed at the God of Israel; David trusted the God of his fathers.

When the dust of the battle settled, it was apparent to all that the superhuman strength of the giant Goliath was not an advantage over the almighty power of the God of Israel.

As we admire David’s heroic courage, we need to remember that it was the God of Israel who enabled him to overcome Goliath. This is the same God who is with us today. When we trust in Him, God can enable us to overcome our giants too.

Bible Learning

Your students will learn from the story of David and Goliath that God can help with even the biggest problems.

Materials:

• Paper and crayons
• David and Goliath Teaching Aid
• Who Can Help? Teaching Aid

Activity

Distribute paper and crayons to each student.

Ask students to draw faces showing children with different feelings. They may draw people who are angry, afraid, happy, shy, sad, and worried.

SAY: Have you ever had any of these feelings? God is with you during all these times.

My Bible Words

Distribute the David and Goliath Teaching Aid and have children look at the picture of Goliath. Have a student read the description of Goliath. Ask another student to read the definition of an “enemy army.”

ASK: How would you feel if an enemy army with a big giant wanted to fight you? (Afraid!)

Point out the picture of David and the sling in his hand. Let a volunteer read the definition of “sling.”

SAY: A person tied one end of the sling to his wrist. The middle part of the sling was a leather pouch where a stone was placed. The person held on to the loose end of the sling and swung it around in a circle. At the right moment, he would let go of the loose end. The stone would fly out of the sling to the target. In today’s Bible story, David faced a scary time when an enemy army tried to fight God’s people.

Open your Bible to 1 Samuel 17. Help the children locate the passage in their Bibles. Have your students follow along as you read or ask volunteers to take turns reading each section.

Tell the David and Goliath Story for Kids

God’s people, the Israelites, were getting ready to fight an enemy army. David’s brothers were soldiers in Israel’s army. They were camped with King Saul and the other soldiers on a hill. The enemy army was on another hill across the valley.

The enemy army had a soldier named Goliath. Goliath was very big, very strong, and very tall. He was a giant! Every day Goliath would shout mean things at King Saul and the Israelites. Then he would say, “Choose someone to come and fight me. If he wins, we will serve you. If I win, you must serve us.”

King Saul and his men were afraid. They were used to fighting together. And Goliath was so big that no one wanted to fight Goliath by himself.

One day, David came to the camp to bring his brothers some food. David heard the giant yelling. David was very angry because of all the mean things Goliath was saying about God and the Israelites. David couldn’t understand why no one would fight Goliath. David knew that God was stronger than the giant. And David knew God would help the Israelites win.

One of the soldiers told King Saul what David was saying. So King Saul sent for David. When David arrived, he told King Saul, “I will fight Goliath.”

King Saul said, “You can’t do that. You’re just a boy.”

But David answered, “When I was taking care of my father’s sheep, I had to kill a lion and a bear. I know that the Lord who helped me protect my sheep from lions and bears will help me fight the giant.”

Saul wanted David to wear the king’s armor and use his sword. But when David tried to walk around with all those things on, he said, “I can’t fight in these!” And he took them off.

So King Saul said, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” Then David went and found five smooth stones to use with his sling. Now he was ready to fight the giant!

When Goliath saw David, Goliath got angry! He thought the strongest and biggest soldier in King Saul’s army would come out to fight him. But this person was just a young man. He didn’t have a sword. He didn’t have a spear. He didn’t have a shield. He didn’t have anything—except a sling! So Goliath yelled, “Come here, and I will kill you!”

Read David’s answer together as a class from 1 Samuel 17:45.

As the giant came closer, David ran toward him. David put a stone in his sling and shot it at the giant. The stone struck Goliath in the forehead. Goliath fell down and died.

When the enemy army saw what happened, they were afraid and started to run away. King Saul and his army chased after the enemy army and killed them.

David trusted God to help him, and God used David to help save the Israelites from the enemy army.

Bible Review

Pass out the Who Can Help? Teaching Aid to students. One picture at a time, talk about how David may have felt in each situation. For each picture ask:

• Why do you think David might have been scared? (He was caught outside with his sheep during a bad storm, meeting King Saul for the first time, being anointed by the prophet Samuel, going out to fight the giant Goliath)
• Who could help David be brave? (God can help David be brave.)

Memory Work

Have students complete the memory verse at the bottom of the Who Can Help? Teaching Aid by looking up Hebrews 13:6 in their Bibles. Students will write the correct word in the blank. Encourage students to try saying the verse without looking at the page.

SAY: When we face situations where we might be afraid, remembering this week’s Bible verse can help us.

Life Response

Your students will ask God to help them face scary situations.

Materials:

• God Can Help! Teaching Aid

Pass out God Can Help! Teaching Aid to students.

SAY: Just like David, we sometimes get into some problem situations. Not everyone is scared of the same things, but all people face problems. Think of times when you feel like a David facing a giant problem. Choose one of them and write them on the first set of lines.

After students have had time to write down a time they are scared, divide the children into pairs. Have the children take turns telling their problems to each other. Encourage the children to be open about the sharing and to show compassion for each other.

Gather the children back together.

SAY: God helped David face Goliath. And He promises in our memory verse to help us too.

Have the children read Hebrews 13:6 at the bottom of the page on the God Can Help! Teaching Aid together. Invite the children to finish the page by writing in a prayer asking God to help them when they are facing scary, or David situations.

Closing Activity

SAY: Remember that the Lord is your helper, and you do not need to be afraid. Just like David, you can trust in God.

For the class prayer time, let students share prayer requests. Encourage them to ask for prayer about things that are bothering them or scary situations. Have them read the prayer they wrote on the God Can Help! Teaching Aid.

Reach Every Student, Every Age and Every Day

Echoes Elementary consists of age-appropriate lessons that match the growing independence and responsibility of elementary students—especially their capacity to apply Bible truths and more deeply grasp the love of God.

Learn more today!

Other Articles Adapted from Echoes Curriculum:

How to Celebrate People of Color in Your Sunday Lessons

Cain and Abel (Elementary Lesson)

Moses and the Burning Bush (Elementary Lesson)