WELCOME TO WEEK 1

Have you ever been the leader at school, church or at home? Maybe you have been the leader of the band or the leader of a parade. It is fun to lead others, but we have to pay attention to where we are leading them. When we are following Jesus, we can lead others to follow Him as well. This week we will see examples in the Bible of how others were leaders for God.

Judges 4

BIBLE STORY

Everywhere we look there are leaders all around us. We have leaders at home, school, on our teams and at church. It is fun to be the leader sometimes, but it also comes with great responsibility. We have to be sure we are leading others in the right direction. Right now I am going to be a leader and I want you to be the follower. Listen to the following actions I give and see if you can follow them.

-tiptoe across the room

-hide behind the couch

-army crawl to the front door

-quickly roll across the floor to a wall

-gallop across the room

-hide yourself under a pile of pillows or blankets

Were you able to follow all of my directions? Now its your turn to be the leader! Give several instructions you want us to follow.

We can all be leaders and guide other people in the right direction. This month we are learning about how to be a leader for God. God wants us to share his good news about Jesus with others and to help lead them to God. We can do this by listening to God and then sharing what we know. This week we will read a story about Deborah, who was a judge in Israel. She listened to God, shared His words with others and also helped people settle arguments. She was a good judge because she listened to what God told her and then shared that with others. In this story Deborah hears from God and then tells the leader of the Israel army what he should do.

Read or listen to the Bible verse for this week: Judges 4

Who was oppressing the Israelites for 20 years? (Jabin, king of Canaan)

Who did the Israelites go to for judgment in Israel at that time? (Deborah the prophetess)

Who did Deborah ask to come see her? (Barak)

What message did Deborah give Barak from God? (Take 10,000 men to mount Tabor and defeat Sisera, commander of the army)
What did Barak ask Deborah to do? (Go with him or he would not go)

What did Deborah say would happen since she would go? (The Lord would deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman and she would get the honor)

When the Lord confused Sisera and his army, where did Sisera flee? (To the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber)

When Barak arrived to find Sisera, what happened? (Sisera had already died by the hand of Jael)

BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY

Being a good leader is more than just telling others what to do and being the boss. A leader for God, listens first to what God wants to tell them, and then they share that with others. We can lead others to God by listening to what God has to say first. 

Activity

Let’s have an animal parade. Bring several stuffed animals and line them up. Look at the first animal in line, and march around the room making that animal’s sound or walk. Then move that animal to the end of the parade line and march around the room as the next animal. Continue doing this until all the animals have been the leader.

Materials: stuffed animals, open area for marching parade

Alternate

Watch the following video to practice following the leader. Come up with your own animals to dance like so that you are the leader as well!

Materials: device for watching video

Independent activity:

Complete the following activity sheet

Materials: printed activity sheet, pen/pencil, crayons

ARTS & CAFTS

CRAFT 1

Create a palm tree. Using a toilet paper roll for the trunk and construction paper for leaves. Use green construction paper to cut leaf shapes, then glue them onto the truck of the tree. Decorate the tree and leaves with thin markers to create lines for the leaves and bark. Use this craft tree to retell the story of Deborah.

Materials: green construction paper, toilet paper roll, scissors, glue, markers

Craft 2

Coloring page

Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons

FOLLOW-UP

What does a leader do?

Do you think it is easy or hard to be a leader?

How do you lead at home, school or church?

Can you lead others in a wrong direction?

How can you be sure you are leading others in God’s direction?

What has God called you to lead in?

Practical Application at Home

God has called each of us to be leaders. Deborah was a female judge which was uncommon in her day. God called her to be a judge and others came to her for judgement because they knew she God was leading her. She listened to God and followed His instructions and in doing this she helped others. 

Where has God called you to be a leader? Is there a way you can help lead your fellow classmates at school or at church? Can you be a leader at home with your siblings, being an example of how to obey your parents? Can you be a leader on your team, including everyone and encouraging others?

Complete the following activity sheet. In each blank, write or draw an example of how you can be a leader in that place. 

Materials: printed activity sheet, pencil, crayons

Additional Resources

Outings to Reinforce Lesson

Donate to a local food shelter or toy drive this Christmas season. As a family, volunteer together or pick out toys you think another child your age might enjoy.