To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “All My Transgressions” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it in a minute or less before discussing conclusions with a partner.
Next, distribute copies of the “Cause and Effect” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in small groups to complete it as indicated. After calling time, have one member of each group share their group’s responses.
Download “In the World” for October 6, 2024 here.
Researchers in China published an article last month in the journal Nature Communications about their development of a highly effective method of purifying saltwater. One strategy for desalinating water is to use a special membrane to block all salt and other impurities. Such a membrane would have to block contaminants, even liquid water, while allowing pure water vapor to pass through and form condensation on the other side. The scientists developed a membrane inspired by the surface structures of a bug called a springtail. Their surfaces feature unique structures that capture air pockets, which completely block water. This allows springtails to submerge themselves in water for days without getting wet. By replicating this surface in the lab and applying it to a membrane, the researchers created a way to reject 99.9% of salt in saltwater, leaving pure water on the other side.
Our text today shows David’s intense desire for God to purify his heart so that he might return to the joy of his salvation. He longs for the Lord to cleanse him from his sin and wash away his iniquities. By submitting himself to God’s mercy and ability to cleanse him from sin, David asks that his transgressions might be blotted out.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Song of Moses and Miriam” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “My Song of Praise” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete the activity as a take-home. Tell learners that you will give volunteers time at the start of the next class to share their work.
Download “In the World” for September 29, 2024 here.
Last year, former Disney star Joshua Bassett (who played a leading role in High School Musical: The Musical; The Series) had a radical encounter with Jesus and has given his life to the Lord. “I grew up Christian,” he has said. “And I ran the other way as far as I could go, in pursuit of ‘truth,’ and that only ended in addiction, depression, suicidal ideation, eating disorder, etc.” Since his salvation, for which he has faced intense scrutiny, he has attempted to live out his faith. “When you find peace and happiness and you find what you truly believe is the answer to so much, it is hard to keep that to yourself and not want to share that with people. And so, I’m trying to find the balance of sharing my faith in a way that people don’t feel like I’m attacking them.”
After God had delivered the children of Israel from the Egyptian army at the Red Sea, Moses and Miriam led the people in an exuberant song of praise. The Lord was their strength and defense, they sang, and now he had become their salvation. They proclaimed their faith that he would lead them into whatever the future held.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Celebrations Big and Small” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. After learners take no more than one minute to fill in the three blanks, form participants into triads to answer the two questions below their entries.
Transition to the next part of the lesson by saying, “Let’s look at a Passover celebration that took place under King Josiah and think about how to apply lessons from it to life today.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Word Search” exercise from the activity page as a take-home.
Download “In the World” for September 22, 2024 here.
Earlier this month, the Paralympics concluded in Paris, where the Olympics took place the previous month. The ancient Olympics ran for nearly twelve hundred years, from 776 BC to AD 393, before Emperor Theodosius I ended them. But after several centuries, in 1894 Frenchman Baron Pierre de Coubertin organized the first Olympic Congress to revive the Olympic Games. The first of the modern Olympics was held in 1896, in Athens, Greece. After a more than fifteen-hundred-year hiatus, the games were back. And except for major world events like world wars and global pandemics, they have returned at regular intervals ever since.
After the death of the prophet Samuel and the conclusion of the golden age of Israel’s united kingdom under David and Solomon, God’s people descended into idolatry. Over the next four hundred years, the temple fell into disrepair and the Book of the Law was neglected. When King Josiah had been on the throne eighteen years, he began a renovation of the temple, where the Book of the Law was rediscovered. This led Josiah to lead the nation in a great revival, so that the temple might be restored and the Passover might be observed once more.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
For deeper study on how God does and does not respond to prayers, distribute copies of the “Four Outcomes of Prayer” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Form learners into study pairs to complete as indicated. For faster completion, one person in the pair can look up the Old Testament texts while the other looks up the New Testament ones. Reconvene for a whole-class discussion of results.
To encourage personal application:
As learners depart, distribute copies of “Hezekiah’s Prayer Scramble” from the activity page as a take-home.
Download “In the World” for September 15, 2024 here.
When seven-year-old Liam Fisher and his dad were hiking with family in North Dakota and spotted a fossilized bone, they thought it was just a common “chunk-osaurus”—a true dinosaur bone but from something too small to be identifiable. However, they snapped a photo and sent it to family friend Tyler Lyson, the associate curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Lyson was intrigued and organized an excavation, which eventually unearthed several bones, teeth, and most of the skull of a tyrannosaurus rex. That cinched it for Lyson: “It doesn’t get any more diagnostic than that, seeing these giant tyrannosaurus teeth staring back at you.” The story was made public at a press conference last month, which announced the forthcoming exhibit at the Denver museum and an accompanying documentary film about the find.
Today’s text focuses on King Hezekiah’s reaction to a threatening letter from King Sennacherib of Assyria. Sennacherib wrote to Hezekiah, threatening to destroy Judah no matter what god they called upon to save them. Hezekiah read it and immediately went to the temple to spread out the letter before the Lord, whom he called upon to deliver Judah from the might of Assyria. God graciously answered the king with a promise: God would rescue a remnant which would bear fruit.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To encourage personal application:
Dig deeper by distributing copies of the “Dedicating Your Temple” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Allow work in triads to complete as indicated, followed by whole-class interaction.
Next, distribute copies of the “Inspirational Places” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less. This can be a take-home if time is short.
Download “In the World” for September 8, 2024 here.
The two largest railways in Canada—Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City—briefly shut down operations late last month following a dispute with workers. The Canada Industrial Relations Board shut the railways down amidst negotiations between the companies and the Teamsters union. The stoppage furloughed more than nine thousand workers; disrupted freight traffic nationwide; and affected commuter lines in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Then, less than a week later, the board ordered the lines opened again ahead of binding arbitration.
In today’s text, Solomon is praying to the Lord at the dedication of the temple. He wisely foresees that Israel will one day stand in violation of the covenant with God. But Solomon invokes God’s faithfulness and requests that he forgive and restore the covenant blessings, if the people shall later turn back to him with all their heart.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Conflict Resolution” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete the exercise as indicated. After sufficient time to do so, reconvene for whole-class discussion.
After the discussion, say, “Conflict is as old as humanity. Let’s see how one conflict recorded in the Bible was settled unselfishly.”
To encourage personal application:
Form participants into study triads. Then distribute copies of the “Creative Problem-Solving” activity from the activity page, which you can download, to discuss and complete as indicated. (Feel free to delete, add, or modify the questions and options in advance.)
After discussions in triads, reconvene for whole-class sharing. Encourage participants to share examples of issues they are still trying to resolve. Cautions: (1) don’t put anyone on the spot to share information that is too personal, and (2) stress that the sharing is a time for encouragement, not a time for “giving advice.”
Download “In the World” for September 1, 2024 here.
In July of this year, a fire burned down a portion of the 134-year-old sanctuary at the heart of enormous campus of First Baptist Dallas, which occupies six blocks of the city. But last month, some three thousand members gathered around the destroyed area for a photo, vowing not only to rebuild but also to show the community that the church isn’t a building but a people, and their ministry never stopped. Extensive investigation and “selective demolition” work must be done before reconstruction can begin, but the church leadership urged its people to come, to serve, to give, and most of all, to pray.
When Abram and Lot decided to settle in different parts of Canaan, as covered in today’s text, Lot chose the well-watered plain of the Jordan River. Then God showed Abram the four corners of the land and told him to tour it all, because the Lord was giving it to him and his descendants. When Abram decided to put down roots near the oaks of Mamre in Hebron, the first thing he did was build an altar for the worship of God.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute the “What a Mess” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in their groups to complete the activity as indicated before discussing conclusions with the whole class.
Lead into Bible study by saying, “A large mess can sometimes seem daunting to clean. But as we read today’s passage, let us consider how God has cleansed our lives.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Profitable Responses” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete the activity individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions with a partner.
Download “In the World” for August 25, 2024 here.
The Hanford site in Washington state produced nearly two-thirds of the plutonium used in the Manhattan project in World War 2. It was decommissioned in 1960, and clean-up efforts began in the 1980s. And now the Department of Energy is including the site in its Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative. Late last month, plans were announced to build a gigawatt-scale solar farm on the site, converting a facility that once made radioactive plutonium for nuclear bombs to one that creates carbon-free, sustainable energy for local communities.
Our text this week is a passage from Paul’s letter to Titus. The apostle draws a stark contrast between the behaviors anyone demonstrates before and after they are introduced to the love and kindness of the Savior. When Jesus pours the Holy Spirit out on us in salvation, we are washed, renewed, and reborn and given the hope of eternal life.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Waiting Game” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Lead into Bible study by saying, “Our lives are filled with seasons of waiting. Part of the Christian life is one of waiting—eagerly anticipating the glorious return of our Savior, Jesus Christ. In today’s study, consider how we can be good stewards of the time in which we wait.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Personal Timeline” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions with a partner.
Download “In the World” for August 18, 2024 here.
Frank Picozzi, mayor of Warwick, Rhode Island, was speaking with an elderly resident who was confined to a wheelchair and really missing the ability to enjoy the local beaches. “It just kind of struck a chord with me,” Picozzi says, and he set about researching how to make Oakland Beach more accessible for the elderly and people with disabilities. He learned about beach-friendly wheelchairs that can go on sand and into the water. But these chairs are expensive and often require a lifeguard or attendant to operate safely. The city partnered with the Joey Andrade Foundation, which purchased and donated two of the chairs. Those wheelchairs became available for public use last month, and now the beach is accessible to more people.
Today’s text from Paul’s letter to Titus discusses the hope of eternal life that God planned before time began and that was finally revealed through grace in Jesus. God’s design from the beginning was to make salvation open to all, and this teaches us to deny temptation as we wait for the glory of Jesus to be revealed for the world to see.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “The Children of God” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “Resist Sin” exercise from the activity page. Challenge learners to complete the exercise throughout the upcoming week. Invite volunteers to report at the beginning of class next week.
Download “In the World” for August 11, 2024 here.
On July 28, the Park Fire had burned through 360,000 acres in northern California and was only twelve percent contained. In the frantic effort to evacuate, one resident put his six dogs—a mother-and-father pair of Rottweilers and their four puppies—into his truck and tried to flee the fire. But the truck broke down. The man escaped on foot and reached the fire line, where he told police where his truck was and pleaded for them to rescue the dogs. Trevor Skaggs, a member of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office’s Search and Rescue Team, volunteered to go in after them. He was flown by helicopter as close as possible, and then he alone ran the remaining 1.5 miles to the truck. He found five of the six dogs alive (the father had died), “tired and very thirsty.” Skaggs gave them water and a quick snack then led them back to the helicopter, which flew them to a recovery area.
In today’s passage of Scripture, John explores the idea of what we will be like when Christ appears at the end of the age. We know we will be like him, but it’s not clear yet what that will mean. All we know for sure is that we are the children of God, and we will see him as he truly is.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of “The Word at Work” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Divide learners into study pairs to complete as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Ideas for Encouragement” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it within one minute before discussing conclusions with a partner.
Download “In the World” for August 4, 2024 here.
On July 16, as much as nine inches of rain fell in the morning hours in the area around Nashville, IL. This caused the Nashville City Reservoir to overflow. Emergency officials sent out a notice that the dam had failed or was on the verge of failing. This caused a panic among residents as two hundred homes were hurriedly evacuated. However, it turned out to be a poor choice of words, because the dam was holding strong. “There was not a catastrophic failure,” said Washington County spokesperson Alex Haglund. Flooding did occur and those homes did have to be evacuated, but all that had “failed” was a sandbar that had been built for just this situation. If the water hits a certain level, this sandbar is designed to collapse to relieve pressure on the dam itself. Everything worked as it should to prevent a disaster. “It was a terminology issue,” Haglund said, noting that during the crisis, “We realized that ‘failure’ was not the correct term for it.”
When Paul was in Athens, word reached him that the church at Thessalonica had come under intense persecution from the local populace. He was quite concerned that their faith might collapse under the pressure. It finally reached the point where Paul couldn’t stand it any longer, so he dispatched Timothy to travel to the Thessalonians to see how he could strengthen their faith.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “God’s Response” exercise from the activity sheet, which you can download here. Ask pairs to complete as indicated.
After the activity, bring the class together to consider the following questions: 1–Does God make us wait a long time before he answers our petitions? 2–How can Psalm 130 help one continue to hope when our sins seem insurmountable? 3–What should we do as we wait on the Lord’s answer to the longings of our hearts?
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Expectant Watchfulness” exercise. Have learners work individually for one minute as indicated. Encourage learners to refer to the exercise throughout the week as they wait on the Lord.
Finally, lead the class in a closing prayer, including elements of praise, requests for help, confession, and thanks.
Download “In the World” for July 28, 2024 here.
SeaTac, WA, city officials hired Great Lakes Drones Company to put on a Fourth of July light show consisting of small flying drones over Angle Lake. The idea was to reduce the noise pollution—and the trauma to dogs and humans—of a traditional fireworks display. Unfortunately, there was a disruption to the GPS signal that the drones used to find their location in the formation. So, midway through the show, instead of forming an American flag in the sky, fifty of the drones—glowing blue or red or white—lazily dropped out of formation and fell like glowing snowflakes into the lake. The company’s president was devastated by the failure and has promised a full refund to the city and to lead a recovery effort to pull the drones from the bottom of the lake.
With the Lord is full, plenteous, and abundant redemption. Today’s text is Psalm 130, a beautiful hymn to the forgiveness and love found in God. Because of this redemption, we are enabled to serve the Lord, and it is this that makes us watch and yearn for God, as the watchman waits for the morning.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Why Do People Break Traffic Laws?” exercise from the activity sheet, which you can download here. After completing the activity, bring the class together to discuss the prompts at the bottom of the exercise.
After the discussion, lead into Bible study by saying, “Obedience to laws rarely elicits great joy. But the psalmist experienced delight from his quest to learn God’s ways and obey them. Our study today encourages us to do the same.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Delightful Precept” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions in pairs.
Download “In the World” for July 21, 2024 here.
When the NFL season begins this fall, two athletes with similar playing styles will take the field for the Denver Broncos. A few years ago, when defensive end Zach Allen was fairly new in the league and playing for the Arizona Cardinals, he became aware of a fellow defensive end with the New York Jets, one who played with a style much like his own. He reached out to John Franklin-Myers online, and the two became quick friends. “Basically, game recognize game,” Allen said, speaking of their similarities of play style and ethos. Over the years of communication, they talked about how amazing it would be to play for the same team—and this year, they’re getting their chance with the Broncos, who are looking to strengthen their defensive line.
Today’s text from the longest chapter in the Bible says that those who fear the Lord will rejoice when they see how the psalmist has put his hope in God’s Word. People who walk in the fear of the Lord can sometimes recognize each other when they speak or spend time with one another. How good it is to walk beside those who love the Lord in the same way!
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Biggest Sources of Stress” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions in pairs.
Transition into the next part of the lesson by saying, “Today’s Scripture text shows how one poet maintained hope in the face of adversity. Let’s see what that looks like.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Continual Proclamation” exercise for individuals to complete. Optionally, you might offer this as a take-home activity, and remind students that they will have time to share in the next class if they desire.
After the activity, close class by reading Psalm 71:12-21 once more as a prayer to God. Allow time for one minute of silence for learners to add their private supplications before dismissing the class.
Download “In the World” for July 14, 2024 here.
Since the mid-twentieth century, lifestyles in the United States have changed. Geographical separation is a reality for many families. Loneliness is said to be at epidemic levels for young and old. Last year the Surgeon General of the US published an advisory on loneliness and isolation, citing its effects on mental and physical health. A particular organization has been in the news for its creative response. ONEGeneration is an intergenerational daycare in Van Nuys, California—care for the elderly and the young together. “For the seniors,” says one of its leaders, “even those living with dementia, it improves social skills, combats ageism, and gives them a sense of purpose, while the kids are able to learn empathy and patience.” Continuity of generations is just one by-product of collective activities: music, painting, cooking, and gardening. This narrows the gap created when multigenerational families stopped living under one roof.
In Psalm 71, the writer declares the wonders and marvelous deeds of God’s righteousness. He makes a commitment to declare God’s promises, even when he’s “old and gray,” and he will teach the next generation all that God has shown him.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Hope and Despair” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “This I Call to Mind” exercise from the activity page. Give learners a minute or less to complete as indicated before discussing with a partner.
Close class with a prayer, thanking God that we can lament to him and still be confident in his love and promises.
Download “In the World” for July 7, 2024 here.
When Lansing, MI, high school senior Aniyah Malone crossed the stage this month to receive her diploma, it was a come-from-behind victory. By her sophomore year, she’d fallen behind in her classes, and the chances of graduating with her peers were fading fast. “I’d lost all hope,” Malone said. But her mother didn’t waver: “I never doubted she would graduate,” she said. “It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get there but I knew she would.” Malone caught up through a credit recovery program that she could work on during off hours and weekends. “I even told my friends, if they did this, they could get to where I was,” she said. “They just needed to put in the work. . . . I feel like if I could do it, anyone could do it.”
In today’s text, we see the prophet Jeremiah go from an extreme low, in which his hope in God has been all but extinguished, to a place of recovered faith that gives us one of our most enduring expressions of hope in God’s faithfulness. To call to mind God’s compassions, even in the midst of heartbreaking sorrow, is an act of great spiritual maturity.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
If you wish to consider the entirety of Paul’s defense in Acts 26, distribute copies of the “A Defense and a Testimony” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here, to be completed in the same small groups. During or after presentations of conclusions in whole-class discussion, write the following questions on the board:
Jot responses on the board as they are voiced.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “My Key Takeaway” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less. Assure learners in advance that you will not put anyone on the spot to share with the entire class, nor will you collect the completed exercise.
After the minute is up, allow the opportunity for volunteers to share their takeaways.
Download “In the World” for June 30, 2024 here.
In October of last year, a young woman in India lost the race to save her life. This month’s issue of the scientific journal Nature recounts the story of Uditi Saraf of New Delhi, who suffered from a rare genetic mutation that caused the neurons in her brain to die. The disorder began to assert itself in her teens, producing seizures and dementia-like cognitive symptoms. She was diagnosed with FENIB, and the race began to find something that could halt or reverse the disease. The most promising approach involved gene editing with CRISPR technology, and her family had the resources to fund a team to study how to use it for Uditi. Meanwhile, her condition continued to decline, and she ultimately fell into a coma and died. The family, and even the researchers, were crushed by the news, but Uditi’s team made discoveries that will help other patients with rare genetic disorders.
Today’s text recounts Paul’s trial before King Agrippa on various accusations made by the religious leaders of Jerusalem. Paul argues that he’s guilty only of believing in the very thing his accusers claim they long to find: the hope of Israel and the fulfillment of the promises made to their ancestors. Agrippa would not be persuaded to accept Paul’s message, but Paul’s courageous witness carried the gospel message far and wide.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Let’s Make a Deal” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Ask pairs to complete the exercise as indicated.
Lead into the lesson by saying, “People make deals, but God makes promises!” Note that some of his contractual promises include escape clauses (example: Jeremiah 39:18), and some do not (example: Ezekiel 17:18). And God’s covenantal promises are never unconscionable. God will not break his covenant with humanity, nor will he impose impossible conditions to meet.
Make a transition by saying, “Let’s see how the writer of Hebrews draws on these ideas.”
Download “In the World” for June 23, 2024 here.
After more than forty years as the host of television game show Wheel of Fortune, Pat Sajak retired this month. Sajak (77), who began his career as a DJ and served in the army during Vietnam, went on to anchor Wheel of Fortune, taking over from original host Chuck Woolery in 1981. “I’ve always felt that the privilege [of hosting] came with a responsibility to keep this daily half hour a safe place for family fun,” Sajak said during his final episode. “No social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing, I hope. Just a game. But gradually it became more than that: a place where kids learn their letters, where people from other countries hone their English skills, where families came together along with friends and neighbors and entire generations” Sajak will be replaced by Ryan Seacrest—and those letters will still be turned by long-time co-host Vanna White, for at least one more season.
In today’s text, the writer of Hebrews urges his readers to cling to God as the anchor for their souls. He stresses the unchangeable nature of God, the solid rock of their salvation. It is impossible for the Lord to shift or lie, and so the Christian’s hope is secure when it is affixed to these eternal truths.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “I Once Was Weak, but Now I’m Strong” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less as indicated before working with a partner to finalize.
After calling time, challenge learners to choose one way to “bear with the weak” throughout the week. Begin next week’s lesson by allowing learners time to share what happened.
As learners depart, distribute copies of the “Reasons to Serve, Foundations for Unity” crossword puzzle from the activity page. Close with prayer appropriate to today’s topic.
Download “In the World” for June 16, 2024 here.
Earlier this month, Mexico elected its first woman president in its nearly 203-year history. Claudia Sheinbaum, who was also the first female mayor of Mexico City, received 59% of the total vote in a landslide victory. Her nearest rival candidate, also female, received 27% of the vote. This means that Ms. Sheinbaum received widespread support from across party lines. “This is something really historic,” said outgoing Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. “We are living through exceptional, extraordinary, glorious times.”
Today’s text from Romans focuses on Paul’s appeal to the two groups within the church in Rome: Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. These are not groups that had a history of getting along well together, but Paul urges them to accept one another just as freely as Christ accepted each of them. Jesus is the hope of the Gentiles, as prophesied in the Jewish Scriptures. Jesus is also the fulfillment of the law and prophets, the fulfillment of what was promised to the children of Abraham.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Two Paraphrases” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Allow no more than one minute for learners to complete as indicated. Use the second of the two paraphrases to lead into the lesson.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “I’m Changing!” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before sharing with a partner.
Close with a time of silent prayer for transformational change.
Download “In the World” for June 9, 2024 here.
The 2024 Summer Olympics are scheduled to begin next month in Paris. In attendance will be track-and-field great Usain Bolt—but only as an observer. Bolt set two world records in 2009, for the 100-meter and the 200-meter dash, and those records still stand. Five sprinters have run under ten seconds in the 100-meter race, this year alone. But Bolt’s record is 9.58 seconds. “I don’t think the world record will be under threat,” he says. “I think I still have a few more years to go.” So far, his athletic glory remains intact. “I do miss competition, especially when I watch it,” he says.
In today’s text, Paul contrasts the glory of the “ministry of condemnation” (the old covenant) with the ministry of righteousness (the new covenant). The glory of the new greatly surpasses the old, so much that it overwhelms their comparison. When the old covenant was given by God, Moses’ face shone so brightly that he wore a veil. How much more glorious is the eternal covenant of the Spirit that brings freedom? It will never fade.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Paul’s Hope” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Allow learners to work individually for one minute before pairing up to complete the exercise.
In the same pairs, ask learners to use Bible concordances to look up information about mystery in the New Testament. Have them answer how mystery is applied to Jesus, what other concepts are referred to as mysteries, and how these concepts of mystery are similar to or different from mystery as it might be used in pop culture. When pairs are finished, ask them to share what they found most eye-opening or helpful from their research.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “My Hope” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions with a partner. Option. Have learners complete the page at home during the week.
Conclude with prayer that the class will experience joy as they grow in Christ this week.
Download “In the World” for June 2, 2024 here.
For decades the US has been a world leader in exporting helium, supplying the growing demand for the gas. Helium is not only used to fill party balloons but also as a cooling component in MRI machines, nuclear reactors, and rockets. But US supplies—primarily near Amarillo, Texas, and Kansas—have been dwindling. Other exporters like Russia and Qatar have begun to outpace the US. But a discovery of a new deposit of helium in Minnesota may change all that. The size and concentration of the deposit have scientists calling it “a dream” find that is “perfect.” However, further research is required to determine if the helium can be extracted. That determination should come by the end of this year.
Today’s text shows Paul’s excitement to share with the Colossian believers the full extent of the glorious riches they have received through Christ. He describes the “mystery” of salvation, a mystery that was hidden for millennia but is now revealed to all who believe. Paul wants them to be encouraged and to grow in maturity in their faith.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Zeal Without Knowledge” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. Say, “Paul wrote to the Romans about the importance of understanding what Jesus has done for us—and of sharing that knowledge.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Who Has Believed?” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before sharing their answers with a partner.
After the activity, lead the class in a closing prayer that learners will be attentive to the Spirit’s leading this week as they find opportunities to grow in their belief in and preaching of the gospel in both word and deed.
Download “In the World” for May 26, 2024 here.
Students at the University of Buffalo are being entertained these days by two roommates from the school. The students, strangers until both responded to an ad about a room for rent, quickly became best friends. One is from China and the other is from Algeria. Jorge Zhang, known as “the Chinese roommate” in their videos, and Mohamed Ali Larbi Daho Bachi, known as “the Algerian roommate,” post Snapchat updates about their lives and travels together. “I personally eat it up,” says psychology major Laiba Qader. “You see all this stuff happening [in Israel and Ukraine] and here’s someone from China with their Algerian roommate, taking them to Wendy’s.” Economics major Yugendran T Kannu Sivakumaran agrees. “They make my day. With all the arguments online, they are a pair of friends that show the world ain’t so” messed up.
As Paul continues developing his argument in Romans, he says that the ethnic divide between Jew and Gentile no longer matters, in light of the new covenant. The word of salvation is near to anyone who calls upon the name of Jesus, regardless of race, ethnicity, or any other difference. For everyone in Christ, the word of God is near and available—not remote and unobtainable.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Vocabulary Quiz” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete the exercise as indicated. When pairs have finished discussing, give the class an opportunity to share their responses.
After the activity, say, “Reconciliation between God and us required his action on our behalf. Today’s lesson will explore what our reconciliation required and what it means for us.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Not Only So!” exercise from the activity page to be worked on individually and completed at home. Inform learners that you will allow time for volunteers to share at the beginning of next week’s class.
After the activity, pray for learners to experience the peace of reconciliation with God in the week to come.
Download “In the World” for May 19, 2024 here.
Thanks to a successful experiment last month in a lab in South Korea, science has moved closer to the dream of a stable fusion reaction. “Fusion technology,” explains an article on TheCoolDown.com, “mimics the process that powers stars. It holds the key to unlimited, zero-carbon electricity, making it a vital part of our transition to clean energy.” In the experiment at the KSTAR facility in Daejeon, plasma was heated inside a special chamber to nearly seven times hotter than the surface of the sun, and it maintained that temperature in a stable state for 48 seconds. That doesn’t sound like very long, but it’s an improvement of 160% over the previous record. Their hope is to maintain plasma containment for 300 seconds by 2026. Nearly unlimited “free” energy with no pollution is the ultimate goal for the technology.
In today’s text from Romans, Paul continues his argument. In the previous chapter, he explained that salvation comes through faith, not works of the law, like circumcision. Here, Paul goes on to encourage readers that the reconciliation they have with God—through faith in Christ—not only justifies us in the present, but also in the future. Because of the life of Christ, we will be saved from God’s wrath. Those with faith in Jesus have nothing to fear from God.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Promises” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing responses in small groups. Not all prompts need answers if learners run out of time.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “A 90-Year-Old Bucket List” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing the conclusion in small groups.
Download “In the World” for May 12, 2024 here.
In a visit to Taipei last month, American politicians pledged to continue their firm support of Taiwan against aggression from China. “The United States will not waver in our commitment to defend freedom and uphold the principles of democracy,” U.S. Representative Lisa McClain said at a news conference. The American government demonstrated this commitment tangibly the next day by passing a $95 billion aid package to support Ukraine and Israel, with $8.1 billion earmarked for Taiwan and key allies in the region. “Let no one doubt our support,” U.S. Representative Mark Alford told the press conference, “for your people and our bright future together.”
In today’s passage, Paul praises Abraham’s unwavering commitment to God’s promise. Though the promise that Abraham and Sarah received was a challenge for them to accept (both were thought to be well beyond child-rearing age), Abraham did not waver. He strengthened his belief, and God credited this to him as righteousness. In this way, Abraham was the father of all who believe in the Lord.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute index cards as well as copies of the “Coming Up Short” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Give learners a minute to work individually, then as a group, complete as indicated.
Distribute copies of the “God of All” exercise from the activity page. Give pairs of learners time to complete and discuss the activity as indicated.
Download “In the World” for May 5, 2024 here.
A major study published last month in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that the majority (58%) of female athletes support the idea that participants should be categorized by biological sex, rather than gender identity. The study is the largest of its kind, and it reports the opinions of 175 national, elite, and world-class female athletes from a range of sports and countries, including 22 Olympians. Respondents were largely (81%) in favor of more inclusivity for transgender athletes in general. However, women athletes in contact or strength-based sports tended to believe (77%) that participants should be segregated by gender assigned at birth. Opinions differed when less was at stake or when the athletes were past their peak competitiveness (those athletes tended to be more tolerant of inclusion). This was a large, peer-reviewed, statistical survey of opinions. Governing bodies are expected to refer to it when establishing rules and procedures.
In today’s passage, Paul says that, when it comes to our standing before God, all humans are in the same position of having fallen short of God’s standard. Being Jewish or Gentile makes no difference in this calculation. All people have sinned and need God’s forgiveness, but everyone has also been offered the opportunity to be justified through faith in Christ Jesus.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Consider the Background” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Distribute copies of the “Challenging Her Faith” exercise from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for April 28, 202 here.
Of the nearly eight million cyberattacks committed against UK firms and charities in 2023, less than half were reported to government authorities, according to one study this month. Nicholas Ryder, professor of law at Cardiff University, said that organizations tend to hesitate to report such incidents because there are government fines for having poor cyber security. Such a report also risks the reputation of the business or charity, which might be seen as unsecure. Experts say that failure to report these attacks—or worse yet, not working to adequately shore up their computer defenses after one—makes these organizations vulnerable to more serious attacks in the future.
Today’s discussion is about a Canaanite mother who came to Jesus on behalf of her daughter, who was demon-possessed. This episode can be puzzling: Jesus seems to initially refuse a request from someone in need. That is not what we expect him to do. But Jesus prompts the woman to express profound faith in him. She showed a willingness to endure insults to save her daughter, and her submission to God’s will displayed “great faith” (v. 28), the kind of response Jesus was hoping to find.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “An Encounter with Jesus” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have groups work together to complete as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Scripture Story, Contemporary Attitudes” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions with a partner.
After the activity, call the class together and urge as many as possible to share their reactions and conclusions after comparing the characters in today’s story with their own life experiences.
Download “In the World” for April 21, 2024 here.
Unfortunately, insurance fraud is common to many parts of the world. For instance, the country of South Africa is battling an epidemic of fake life insurance claims. When a person reports a non-existent death, that person might be able to collect lucrative benefits from an insurance company. Extended family members might try to claim a relative’s death ahead of time, hoping to maintain their family’s standard of living. Other times, criminals use sophisticated trickery, acquiring unidentified remains from mortuaries and passing these bodies off as “proof of death” to collect a payout. Insurance companies have to fight these crimes, with so much money on the line.
In first-century Israel, meals were usually taken with diners reclining on pillows with their feet extending away from the table. In today’s passage, a woman with a checkered past approaches Jesus’ feet and begins to weep, either in sorrow over her sin or gratitude for the Lord’s forgiveness. Her tears drop onto his feet, and she wipes them with her hair and pours perfume on them. Her desperation to show her devotion is as extreme as the men who tore through the roof to lower a paralyzed friend to Jesus (see Luke 5:18–27).
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of “The Centurion, the Servant, and the Savior” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in small groups to complete as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Jumbled Words, Clear Messages” activity from the activity page. Have learners work with a partner to complete as indicated. If time allows, have pairs present their findings to the whole group. Conclude class with a time of prayer, thanking God for the truths stated in the unscrambled messages and asking God for the courage to share those truths with someone in the upcoming week.
Download “In the World” for April 14, 2024 here.
The Philadelphia 76ers honored Allen Iverson this week by unveiling a statue of the basketball great outside the team’s arena. Iverson led the Sixers to the NBA finals in 2001 and had a long, stellar career. The Legends Walk features a series of sculptures honoring former Philadelphia players such as Charles Barkley, Wilt Chamberlain, and Moses Malone. “Allen Iverson is one of the greatest 76ers to ever live and one of the most iconic players in the history of the NBA,” said Sixers co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer in a statement. “We’re thrilled to honor his accomplishments with a well-deserved sculpture on Legends Walk.”
The centurion mentioned in today’s passage must have been remarkable, for when he sent word asking for Jesus to heal his servant, the Jewish leaders of Capernaum vouched for the Roman soldier. They even said that he deserved to have Jesus go help him. But the centurion didn’t hold such a high view of himself. He instead sent a message, telling Jesus that he didn’t deserve to have him enter his home. His faith was so great that he knew Jesus could heal his servant from anywhere, with just a spoken command.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “God’s Definition of a Friend” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have the learners work in pairs to complete and discuss the activity page as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Remarkable Friendship” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it as a take-home activity. To encourage completion, tell the class that you will set aside some time at the beginning of the next class to review the activity and its results.
Download “In the World” for April 7, 2024 here.
Last month the Greece Central School District in New York became the latest in the region to install cameras on their buses’ “stop arms.” These cameras record the license plates of any cars that pass a stopped school bus. Fines begin at $250 for first offenses and increase for second and third violations. In other districts in the same county, cameras have recorded well over a thousand violations just since October. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think in just a few months, we’d see more than a thousand times someone’s child was in danger getting on and off the school bus,” said county executive Adam Bello. “I think we can all agree that’s unacceptable.”
Today’s passage tells of the men who lowered their paralyzed friend through the roof of a house to get him to Jesus. Their faith was great, and so was their urgency. In an act of reckless determination, they found a way to bring their friend to the only one who could heal him. We have no record of there being any faith exhibited by the man on the pallet, but Jesus saw the faith of his friends, and rewarded their belief.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Rest of the Story” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated before sharing conclusions with the whole class.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Notes for a Letter” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for March 31, 2024 here.
Since 2021, the Mars rover called Perseverance has been exploring an ancient river delta on the red planet’s surface. At scientifically strategic spots, the rover has been extracting and preserving samples from the rocks it encounters. From the mission’s outset, the plan has been to return those samples to earth, where full-size labs of today and powerful tools not yet invented can examine their composition; and possibly conclude that Mars once had microbial or other forms of life. But the missions to bring the samples back are in jeopardy due to budget cuts to NASA this month. Everything pivots on there being the money—and the international will—to make the sample return missions happen.
All of Christianity pivots on Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:16–17, if Christ has not been raised, then every believer’s faith is worthless, and we all remain in our sins. Today’s passage from Mark gives a reliable eyewitness account of the event that our faith hinges upon and that we celebrate this Easter Sunday.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Worst-Case Scenario” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in groups of three to complete as indicated.
Lead into the lesson by saying, “There may be times when we face a situation that seems unjust or unfair. Our response reveals the nature of our faith in the Lord. Consider Stephen’s response to accusations and how you might have responded.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “Responses and Reactions” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions in small groups.
Download “In the World” for March 24, 2024 here.
Scientists studying bumblebees have discovered that individual bees can solve complex puzzles through social interaction with their peers. In a recent issue of Nature, lead researcher Dr. Alice Bridges reported that a complicated two-step puzzle task, in which the bee had to perform two actions to gain access to a sugar solution, could be taught by “demonstrator” bees who knew how to do it. But bees without training could not figure out how to break the code. “This is an extremely difficult task for bees,” said Bridges, that “opens exciting possibilities” for further study. Lars Chittka, another scientist who reviewed the findings, said that it “challenges the traditional view that only humans can socially learn complex behavior” from peers.
In today’s passage, Stephen, a deacon in the newborn church in Jerusalem, found himself debating with learned Jewish scholars who revered the temple. None of his opponents could refute—or even stand up against—the wisdom given to Stephen by the Holy Spirit. This infuriated them, much as it had done when they had debated Jesus. So they hatched a similar plan to get rid of him.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “To Do and Not to Do” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated before coming together as a whole class to discuss.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “With Gentleness and Respect” exercise from the activity page. Allow learners one minute to complete as indicated before pairing up to give their answers.
Download “In the World” for March 17, 2024 here.
Last month, a wrestling student at Campbellsville University in Kentucky allegedly strangled his teammate, Josiah Kilman. A week later, Kilman’s father spoke to the student body at an emotional chapel service. He urged the students to forgive the accused killer. “Forgiveness is a choice,” he said. “If Josiah was standing here right now, he would talk to you about forgiveness. It’s the center of what Jesus is. Unforgiveness? That’s a curse. It comes with things you don’t want, things you don’t need. From the life of Josiah, I challenge you to choose forgiveness because in that, we become the light of Jesus.”
Today’s passage contains Peter’s plea to his readers not to take revenge or to repay evil with evil. He advocates living in ways that are above reproach, for that is likely to cause them to be on the receiving end of fewer acts of malice. Suffering may still come, Peter says, even if we’re doing good. But suffering will surely find us when we choose to take our own revenge.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Fruit of the Spirit Test” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions in pairs.
Next, distribute copies of the “My Prayer for You” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in one minute or less.
Download “In the World” for March 10, 2024 here.
Last month, for the first time, a privately owned company (as opposed to a government-funded agency) successfully landed a spacecraft on the moon. The unmanned lander, Odysseus, built and operated by Intuitive Machines, made a soft landing on the lunar surface, but it was almost a disaster. The flight operators who were working on a separate issue decided to check the craft’s distance from the moon the night before the scheduled landing. When they tried to fire the laser rangefinders on board, nothing happened. These lasers were critical to help the craft land safely. Normally, the team wouldn’t have discovered this internal failure until they were already committed to landing, but thanks to this unrelated problem, they had an early warning. They delayed the landing long enough for engineers to come up with a brilliant solution, which they programmed and uploaded to the lander. And it worked.
In today’s passage, Paul is warning the Christians in Corinth that he is about to visit them for a third time, and he’s concerned that this will be their third strike. They have worked to correct their previous acceptance of someone’s egregious sin, but he wonders if they’ve really put aside sexual immorality (see 2 Cor. 12:20–21). He asks them to do an internal check to be sure they’re reflecting Christ in their actions.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Dear Friends” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Ask learners to pair up to finish as indicated. After about 10 minutes, bring the class back together to discuss their findings.
Lead into the lesson by saying, “It is good to be able to recognize when a good leader has our best interests at heart. Jude’s words in our lesson today encourage us to remember what we know of God and to remain true to him.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “Build Yourselves Up” exercise from the activity page to facilitate creating a plan for implementing Jude 20-21. Pray for the learners as you wrap up class time.
Download “In the World” for March 3, 2024 here.
In February, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced intentions to speed up new measures designed to remedy serious security breaches. The US discovered the cybersecurity breach in 2020, when it saw that information it had shared with Japan was being leaked to China. Japan was informed of the problem as a matter of highest urgency but has since moved slowly on it, doing—in the words of one US official—“too little, too late.” Making policy changes to communications protocols has wide-ranging legal impacts on Japanese law, creating resistance to change. But Japan risks losing the trust of its allies, as things stand. One Japanese official said that other nations “are not going to be comfortable sharing sensitive data with Japan if they think it is going to be compromised.”
Jude wrote to warn Christians that scoffers would come who would divide the church and cause some to fall away from the faith. But he urged his readers to strengthen their faith, keeping themselves in the love of God and praying to the Holy Spirit to stay the course.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Praying, but Still Suffering” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Next, distribute copies of the “Personal Prayer from One Who Waits” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less. Give them one minute to jot down thoughts under each of the two headings.
Download “In the World” for February 25, 2024 here.
Super Bowl LVIII is ancient history now, but one fan made an epic ’round-the-world trek to get to the game in time for kickoff. Music superstar Taylor Swift is dating Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce, and she wanted to be in her seat to watch her boyfriend play for the Lombardi Trophy. The problem was that she was doing four shows in Tokyo. After her final show, she rushed to the airport to begin the twelve-hour, fifty-seven-hundred-mile journey across nine time zones and the international date line. At some point over the Pacific, the pilots received word that all the private aircraft parking lots at the airport in the destination city (Las Vegas) were full. Swift’s plane landed in Los Angeles, and then she and her friends had to drive the final five-hour stretch to Allegiant Stadium in Vegas. She did make it to the game on time, and her boyfriend’s team did take home the trophy.
Sometimes we notice the discrepancy between the things God has promised to do in the world and the actual condition of the world, and we can begin to wonder if the Lord has forgotten or is slow about keeping his promises. In today’s Scripture passage, the prophet Habakkuk received an assurance from God that, though the promised deliverance for his people seemed to be delayed, it would certainly come in its fullness and at the proper time.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of “My Daily Habits” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have individuals complete it as indicated.
After the activity, lead into the Bible study by saying, “Today we’ll look at a story about a faithful follower of God who would not renege on his convictions or his faithful habits, even though this refusal threatened his very life.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Daniel’s Example and New Testament Teaching” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in groups to discuss.
Download “In the World” for February 18, 2024 here.
At the end of last month, about one hundred and fifty police officers descended upon the church service of a group of Protestant Christians in northeastern China. Some two hundred of the people were arrested and put on buses, and their fate is unknown as of this writing. The church is affiliated with the SOLA Network, which is working to spread the good news of Jesus Christ through both local churches and digital media platforms. The church’s beliefs were not sanctioned by the Chinese state, and it comes at a time of increased persecution, when the government under Xi Jinping has been cracking down on Christians. Locals became suspicious after noticing a strange car parked outside the gathering place the night before. But everyone was surprised at the number of officers who were sent. “Even when they arrest criminals, we have never seen so many police officers,” one witness said.
The prophet Daniel, though a captive and a slave, was known for worshiping the God of the Jews. His enemies sought to use this fact to remove him from his favored position in the court of King Darius. They tricked Darius into passing a law whose aim was to make Daniel’s worship a criminal offense punishable by death. But even knowing this edict, Daniel threw open the windows and openly prayed toward Jerusalem. He didn’t know whether God would save him or not, but his love for God overruled his concern for his own life.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play any media files in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Keys to Context” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs or groups to complete as indicated. Have learners add concepts or notes to the exercise as you discuss the lesson.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Advice for Those Facing Trials” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it in pairs before discussing conclusions with the whole group.
Following the activity, divide the class into pairs. Distribute note cards and pens to each person. Give learners one minute to write down a personal “fiery furnace” they are currently facing. Then, with the help of his or her partner, have each learner write down one way to be a faithful witness to God while dealing with the issue. Encourage the partners to close class by praying for one another that each will be able to act faithfully in the middle of the fiery furnace.
Download “In the World” for February 11, 2024 here.
Thirty years ago, two NYPD detectives in Harlem spotted a car billowing smoke. They flagged down the car, which had a young mother and two young children inside. Just then, the engine burst into flames, and they pulled the three out and got them to safety. Earlier this month, one of the two children in that car—Denise Gomez, who was two at the time—achieved her dream of emulating the heroes who had saved her life, and she became a NYPD officer herself. The two detectives who rescued her are now retired, but they attended the ceremony where Denise received her badge. They were surprised to learn that she would carry the exact badge as Eric Ocasio, one of the officers who had pulled her from the car. Ocasio said, “To know that, thirty years later, Police Officer Gomez became a police officer due to our actions that day is very special and near and dear to my heart.”
After uttering one of the most profound expressions of faith in the Bible, three young men known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown alive into a blazing furnace, which was supposed to execute them. But the God in whom they had placed their unwavering faith, a faith they would hold to whether he rescued them or not, delivered them from the flames. The miracle was a powerful testimony to a pagan tyrant, who gave glory to God.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play media in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of “The Warning and the Comfort” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work together in groups to complete as indicated. After five minutes, ask for volunteers from each group to share what their group discovered.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “This Is My Father’s World” activity from the activity page. Ask learners to complete the activity as a take-home. To encourage completion, allow time at the beginning of the next class for learners to share insights.
Download “In the World” for February 4, 202 here.
During last month’s winter storms, the Portland, Oregon area was hit especially hard, with one hundred twenty-seven thousand people going without power for days. The Portland General Electric (PGE) webpage and mobile app were unreliable, as well, even telling residents that their address didn’t exist. The company worked diligently, mobilizing over fifteen hundred employees and calling in crews from surrounding states. Within two days, nearly a hundred thousand people had their electricity restored. Still, some went five days or more without heat at home, leading Portland resident Jai Sen to say, “I still have no honest answer from PGE as to what to expect, and I don’t know if I could trust anything provided at this point.”
Today’s passage from Isaiah is a testament to the trustworthiness of God. With imagery similar to God’s words in Job 40–41, the Lord is portrayed in glory and power, for the one who created the earth and the cosmos has no equal. Yet this tremendous God employs that power to come to the aid of those who hope in him.
Any videos or web materials are for your personal use. If you play media in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
Download “In the World” for January 28, 2024 here.
The University of Washington played in the championship of the College Football Playoffs this month. (They lost 34–13 to Michigan.) But three members of the UW Huskies’ football team are working with a professor on a study that identifies how the skills needed to thrive in high-level athletic competition are transferrable to a variety of career and academic fields. These players are “developing and analyzing plays, observing human behavior, anticipating their opponents, and adapting a complex strategy based on real-time information that they’re synthesizing from their surroundings,” says Holly Barker, a University of Washington teaching professor. “That hasn’t been widely acknowledged, and does a disservice to players, especially in the academic opportunities they pursue and their future careers.”
In today’s passage, Paul calls the Christians in Rome to assess what spiritual gifts they’ve been given and then use those gifts to serve the body of Christ. The Lord has beautifully designed the church to build up its members, and this happens as every person uses his or her gifts in faithful service to Christ and one another.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Divide participants into groups of three. Distribute copies of the “Common Goal” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have groups work together to complete the activity as indicated before bringing the groups together to talk about their experiences.
Say, “God has given us value and purpose, but he has also designed us to need each other. In today’s lesson, think about how this truth is especially relevant in the church, among the body of believers.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Badge of Gifts” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete the activity as indicated. Allow time after the pages have been completed for partners to pray for each other. Start next week’s lesson with participants sharing about how they are sharing their gifts to help the church.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Allow one minute for learners to complete the “Asaph’s Psalm” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Then ask learners to pair up to discuss their results.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “Your Song” exercise from the activity page to be completed individually. Encourage learners to refer to their song or poem throughout the week to remember God’s deliverance and faithfulness.
Download “In the World” for January 21, 2024 here.
In the online store of the Boeing aircraft company, you can buy a t-shirt that says, “If It’s Not Boeing I’m Not Going.” This reflects the trust the public once held in the company and the safety of its planes. However, recent disasters—including two deadly crashes of its 737 Max aircraft in 2018–19—have tarnished their image. Their Starliner spacecraft program has been plagued with errors and failures, and their design of the two planes slated to replace Air Force One has amassed more than $2 billion in losses. Then on January 5 of this year, a 737 Max 9 suffered the rupture of its fuselage in the main cabin while at 16,000 feet, with 171 passengers aboard. After the crashes five years ago, US consumer advocate Ralph Nader said the Boeing 737 Max must never fly again, and recent events have not stopped the erosion of public confidence.
During the reign of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, an enemy alliance of three armies invaded the land. The people of Judah came to Jerusalem and cried out to the Lord. The king prayed to God, ending with the words sometimes translated, “We don’t know what to do but our eyes are on You!” (2 Chron. 20:12 NIV). Then the Lord gave a message to a prophet among them, who urged them to trust in the Lord’s deliverance, because the battle would be fought by the Lord on their behalf.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Words of Wisdom” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in one minute or less before comparing responses with a partner.
Say, “Most proverbs help us make good decisions and point us to having positive relationships. Today, as we study the proverbs of Scripture, consider how we can apply their wisdom to our lives of faith and trust in God.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute the “World’s Way vs. God’s Way” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in small groups to complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for January 14, 2023 here.
It may seem odd, but modern parenting of school-age children in Western cultures may be increasing anxiety in children rather than giving them confidence for life. “Unfortunately … what the statistics and the studies show us,” says Jennifer Breheny Wallace, a journalist, parenting researcher, and author, “is that the very life-vest we’re hoping to put on our kids to keep them afloat in an uncertain future is actually … acting more like a lead vest, and drowning too many of the kids we are trying to protect.” Parental anxiety over their children, especially their children’s performance in school and extracurricular activities, may be sending the message that what really matters is their scores, grades, and rankings. This can have a chilling effect on children, causing them to hesitate about taking the risks that will make them stronger and teach them how to handle anxiety in life.
Following God can sometimes seem counterintuitive to a watching world. Today’s passage reminds us that our own understanding—logical though it may be—is far inferior to the Lord’s commands and guidance. Proverbs reminds us that it’s better to trust in the Lord’s ways than in even the most popular or agreed-upon wisdom of the world.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute a blank piece of paper and copies of the “What Is Unseen” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here, to half of the class. Instruct them to find a partner who did not receive the exercise and complete it as indicated. Tell learners who received the exercise to read the instructions carefully without showing the page to their partners.
After the activity, say, “Sometimes it is hard to do things before we have all the information or know how it will end. In today’s lesson, notice how each person’s actions were evidence of faith.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of “The Hall of Faith” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete the first section with a partner before discussing conclusions in small groups. Then complete the exercise in pairs.
Download “In the World” for January 7, 2024 here.
In Europe and America, governments have set goals that significant percentages of energy be obtained through renewable sources such as solar or wind power in the near future. The European Union, for example, has set a legally binding mandate that it will be producing 42.5% of its energy from renewables by 2030, up from its current 32%. However, supply chain interruptions begun during the pandemic have not been resolved, and manufacturing and shipping costs have risen dramatically. It has reached the point where wind power companies can’t afford to build the turbines and infrastructure. Britain recently held an auction for wind farm companies to bid to supply that country’s energy needs, but no bidders showed up. “The ratio between risk and reward is out of line in the offshore wind market,” said Ben Backwell, CEO of the Global Wind Energy Council. If things don’t change, he warned, “climate and economic goals will simply not be met.”
In the famous chapter on faith from the book of Hebrews, the writer features several biblical heroes. What is praised is each person’s belief that God’s faithfulness would be present in the future. Whatever the Lord asked them to do, they did it, counting it as sure that God would work things out to his glory and according to his design.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute the “Baby Gifts” exercise from the activity pages, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions as a whole class.
Say, “As we study today’s lesson, consider how the baby announcement and gifts reveal the child’s importance to the gift-givers and gift-receivers.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Faith in Action” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions in small groups. Challenge them to complete the first step of the activity during class, then complete the rest of the activity throughout the upcoming week. Give individuals the opportunity to share about this experience at the beginning of the next class time.
Download “In the World” for December 31, 2023 here.
This year, a judge in Houston, Texas, made a ruling in a trade dispute between Teligistics, an expense management company, and Liquid Networx, a San Antonio-based cybersecurity company. Teligistics accused Liquid Networx of stealing a trade secret, but a jury found that Teligistics did not own the secret and had brought the lawsuit in bad faith, which means with dishonest or harmful intent. In September, the Houston judge awarded Liquid Networx over a million dollars in attorneys’ fees as damages. Attorneys praised Liquid Networx, which “never wavered in its denial of any wrongdoing and asserted that the lawsuit was brought in bad faith.”
Somewhere in “the east,” possibly Persia, Magi saw a star rise in the sky and understood it to herald the birth of a king of the Jews. In faith that their observations were correct, they set out on a long, overland journey to come worship such a supernaturally announced king. In faith, they asked King Herod about where the baby would be born, in faith they went to Bethlehem as the Jewish teachers advised, and in faith—because of a warning dream—they departed via another way.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Baby Talk Translator” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions with a partner.
After the activity, say, “When Mary visited her relative Elizabeth, the unborn baby of Elizabeth reacted when hearing Mary’s voice. In today’s lesson, we will explore the significance of Elizabeth’s response.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Write Your Own Song” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before sharing their prayers of praise with a partner.
Download “In the World” for December 24, 2023 here.
An expectant woman from Texas had celebrity help in discovering her baby’s gender this fall. Larissa Silva of Weslaco, Texas, attended a Jonas Brothers concert in San Antonio, hoping that the music group would do the honors during the show. The three brothers, all young fathers themselves, have been kindly announcing babies’ genders throughout their current tour, and Silva and her husband were able to arrange for them to do so for their baby. After the band sang “Little Bird,” a song dedicated to their daughters, Joe Jonas opened the envelope that revealed the findings of the ultrasound and announced, “It’s a girl!” The crowd cheered uproariously, and the lights turned pink.
The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and announced that she would be the mother of the Son of God, who would be the Savior. Despite the incredible nature of this news, Mary gladly submitted to the will of the Lord. Gabriel told Mary that her Aunt Elizabeth was also expecting, so Mary journeyed to the hill country to share the news with her aunt. But as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, the baby growing inside Elizabeth—who would be John the Baptist—leapt inside her. In two senses, John would be among the very first to recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Surprising Ancestors” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work individually on the exercise as indicated for a minute or less before discussing conclusions as a whole group.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Genealogy Puzzle” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it as directed in groups of three.
Download “In the World” for December 17, 2023 here.
In September of this year, an ancient earthworks circle joined Stonehenge, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Angkor temple complex in Cambodia as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This ceremonial site isn’t on the plains of Mesopotamia or Africa, however, but in Ohio. Around two thousand years ago, the Indigenous people now referred to as the Hopewell culture built hundreds of ceremonial earthworks. Over the centuries, especially with European migration to the area, most of the sites have been damaged or erased. A quarter of a century of work from organizations across Ohio culminated in the U.S. Department of the Interior applying to UNESCO in March of 2022, and in September 2023 the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthwork site was officially added to the list.
Today’s passage includes Matthew’s genealogical list tracing the lineage of Jesus from Joseph to David, Ruth, and Rahab, and all the way back to Abraham. A careful reading of the list reveals it to be not just a dry sequence of begats but a remarkable tale of God’s grace, faithfulness, and love for people of all nations.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Lions, Tigers, and Bears?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it as indicated.
Next, say, “David, as a shepherd boy, was able to expertly fight animals that threatened his flock. Let’s see how he brought down a giant with just one stone.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “David and Goliath Acrostic” exercise from the activity page. Give groups time to complete as indicated before discussing their conclusions as a whole class.
Download “In the World” for December 10, 2023 here.
This fall, a small real estate holding business, Courtland Company, successfully challenged a much larger corporation in federal court. In what the company hailed as a “David versus Goliath victory,” U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. ruled favorably for Courtland against chemical giant Union Carbide, which is owned by Dow Chemical. Between 1950 and 1980, Copenhaver found, Union Carbide had illegally dumped toxic waste in a nearby property called the Filmont Landfill. Toxins from that practice have and continue to leech into public waterways and groundwater. If the ruling is not overturned, Union Carbide will be forced to pay for the cleanup of soil and water contamination and could face civil penalties under the Clean Water Act.
When a young man from Bethlehem came to King Saul and offered to face a Philistine giant in single combat, Saul was hesitant. How could this David, not much more than a boy, stand a chance against a nine-foot-tall warrior? But seeing no other volunteers, and perhaps being moved by David’s zeal for the God of Israel, he relented. David stood before Goliath in the power of the Lord, and he prevailed.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “How Do You Shop?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete the exercise as indicated before discussing conclusions as a whole group.
After the activity, say, “Today we’re going to look at the life of Ruth and how love motivated her to take a leap of faith.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “What Would You Give Up?” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions with the class.
After the activity, talk through how Ruth’s courage and faithfulness helped both her and Naomi deal with their situation.
Download “In the World” for December 3, 2023 here.
One day in 1981 in Santiago, Chile, a poor woman gave birth to a premature baby boy. She was discharged from the hospital while the baby was put in an incubator, but when she returned, she was told the baby had died and his body had been disposed of. In reality, the baby was sold in a human trafficking scheme that was common at the time. The boy was adopted by an American family and given the name Jimmy Lippert Thyde. The mother, María Angélica González, had more children but never forgot her baby boy. Forty-two years later, through an organization called Nos Buscamos (which means, “We are looking for each other”), mother and son were reunited in Chile. “Mijo,” María told her son, “you have no idea the oceans I’ve cried for you. How many nights I’ve laid awake praying that God let me live long enough to learn what happened to you.”
Naomi had gone to Moab because of a famine in Israel. She had prospered there, marrying and raising two sons, both of whom married Moabite women. But when all three men died and news reached Naomi that Israel had food again, she determined to return home. She urged her two daughters-in-law to go back to their own homes and remarry, but one of the two—Ruth—refused to be parted from her mother-in-law. Her devotion was such that she gave up her homeland and her religion to stay by Naomi’s side.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Just Because You Can” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. After time is called, allow time for group discussion.
Explain that today’s Bible study examines how Paul’s message to the Corinthians roots this message in our faith, including our call to be salt and light to others.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “How Shall We Act?” exercise on the activity page. Have learners work in pairs or groups of three to complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for November 26, 2023 here.
Protestors in several countries recently commemorated the anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who died in police custody in Iran last year. Amini had been arrested by morality police for allegedly violating Iran’s mandatory headscarf law. Her death is believed to have resulted from beatings inflicted by Iranian police. News of the tragedy triggered massive protests across the country that threatened to overthrow the Islamic regime. Though the uprising was violently put down, women in Tehran and elsewhere could be seen openly flaunting the headscarf rule. Amini’s efforts to win freedom were celebrated by anniversary gatherings not only in Iran but also in England, France, Italy, and Germany.
Paul countered the claims of some people connected to the church at Corinth who were saying that freedom in Christ meant they were freed from restrictions of any kind. The apostle argued against such libertinism, saying that the freedom we have in Jesus is not meant to be license to sin—nor should it be used to cause others to stumble. If our flaunting of freedoms harms the faith of others, then we are not walking in love.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Real or Fake?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions with a partner.
After calling time for the activity, lead into Scripture study by saying, “Today’s lesson will examine Paul’s message to the Colossians regarding wrong assumptions that added to the gospel message.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Stay Connected” exercise from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. Welcome the sharing of the word clouds at the end of this class or the beginning of the next one.
Download “In the World” for November 19, 2023 here.
On January 1, 2024, the Walt Disney Company’s copyright protection on Mickey Mouse finally runs out. Technically, it’s just the 1928 animated short film “Steamboat Willie,” Mickey Mouse’s first appearance in film, that will no longer be protected. But at 12:01 a.m. in the new year, the entire film will enter the public domain and be fair game to anyone to do with as they please. Users have already been using Mickey and other Disney characters in their own art before now, but there has always been a risk of legal action from the copyright holder. But come the new year, that risk will disappear. In this day of artificial intelligence-driven graphics, who knows what new forms—delightful or unsettling—people will come up with for that mouse.
Paul urged the Christians in Colossae to leave behind the “elemental principles” of the world, specifically manmade restrictions pertaining to special foods, festivals, and dates. These strict limitations, which were easy to understand even if they were not so easy to obey, belonged to the non-Christian way of living. Paul wanted his readers to abandon such restrictions and stop thinking that such rules had any value to produce a heart of godliness, humility, or wisdom.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Love and Romance” exercise on the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete as indicated.
After calling time, start a discussion by asking, “How is sacrifice a demonstration of love?” Encourage people to talk about a variety of relationships in this discussion. Transition to the Bible study by saying, “Paul writes to both the Romans and the Corinthians about God’s sacrificial love. Let’s discover how love makes a difference in the lives of those who follow Jesus.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of “The Bible on Love” exercise from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. After time is called, lead a discussion and write conclusions on the board.
Download “In the World” for November 12, 2023 here.
Last month during the NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, two fans of the rival teams found a way to bridge their differences. NBC cameras caught the moment when Arty, wearing a 49ers jersey, got down on one knee and presented a ring to his sweetheart, Lexi, who was wearing a Cowboys jersey. The football commentators had fun with the moment, and some observers questioned whether this might be the closest the Cowboys would get to a ring this year. Arty and Lexi, both from El Paso, Texas, walked away from the game engaged, showing the world that if even fans of rival teams can find romance, maybe love really can conquer all.
In today’s two passages from Paul’s letters, we see that the love of God, expressed through Jesus Christ, is the greatest attribute to pursue. Love sums up the whole law of God and gives substance to any act of piety we can do.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Which Is Better?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions with a partner.
After the activity, say, “Believers have engaged in other debates that are more significant and harder to resolve. In today’s lesson, let’s consider the significance of an early debate of the first-century church and the implications of that debate for our faith.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “My Personal Practices” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it as a take-home activity. Remind the class that they will have an opportunity to discuss their responses at the beginning of the next class.
Download “In the World” for November 5, 2023 here.
Following every war fought by the United States up to and including World War II, national wartime debt was quickly reversed by a united leadership and populace. For example, during WWII, publicly held debt was around 105% of the gross domestic product (GDP), but the White House and Congress worked together to quickly shrink it to 23%. But today the political mood is primarily to increase spending and think about reducing debt at some later time (if at all). According to Forbes, the current debt is already at WWII levels, and this is expected to grow to 115% of GDP in the next ten years…and to 180% in the next thirty years. Our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will inherit crushing financial burdens if older generations don’t unify to send a message of drastic change to lawmakers at every level.
When Jewish Christians came to Antioch, where Paul was, and began teaching that believers needed to be circumcised and follow Old Testament law and traditions, the resulting debate culminated in a council in Jerusalem. Paul was unwilling to put Jewish legal, dietary, and sacrificial requirements on Gentile believers, as if Christianity consisted of those things as much or more than faith in Jesus. But Jewish believers wanted to continue following their religious traditions while worshiping Jesus as Lord. After much debate, the council finally sided with Paul, refusing to make Gentile believers inherit a burden that even the Jews could not bear.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “What Is Freedom? Part 1” exercise from the activity pages, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing answers with a partner.
After the activity say, “We experience freedom in different ways, depending on who has authority and our relationship to them. In today’s lesson, notice who has true freedom and how that freedom is defined.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute the “What Is Freedom? Part 2” exercise from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for October 29, 2023 here.
American students have long trailed their international peers in math skills. Disruptions caused by COVID-19 intensified the problem, and educators are scrambling to keep up. One solution being tried is an artificial intelligence tutoring program called Digit, developed by Arizona State University. For middle schoolers doing their math work on a computer, Digit corrects mathematical inaccuracies and provides real-time feedback right as the students are solving the problem. It’s individualized, immediate help for every student, something most teachers simply cannot replicate. With middle schoolers, Digit offers hints and game-like rewards. But for high schoolers and college students, the training wheels come off, and Digit instead provides video lectures of why it’s imperative that they learn higher math.
In his letter to the Galatian church, Paul gives a master class on the purpose of the Jewish law in the context of the New Covenant. It was there as a tutor and guardian for the people of God, holding them in check and preparing their hearts to receive their inheritance, which is not through law but by faith. The law was never God’s final solution. In the fullness of time, the Lord removed the tutor and presented the Savior.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Gospel to Abraham” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Instruct partners to work together to complete as indicated. After a few minutes, ask the partners to present their findings for whole-class discussion.
Ask a volunteer to read aloud Galatians 3:10-14. Then have small groups look up Old Testament references Paul included—Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 21:23, 27:26; Habakkuk 2:4—as well as Matthew 5:17-20. Ask, “How do Jesus’ words connect the Old Testament verses with the verses in Galatians 3?” Allow time for group members to discuss before sharing their insights with the whole group. (Possible response: Jesus fulfills the law, so through him we are made righteous.)
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “One in Christ” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete as indicated.
Give learners one minute to write down one way they continue to be motivated by the flesh instead of by the Spirit. Then ask them to brainstorm with a partner how to be open to the Spirit’s presence and leading in the week ahead as they seek opportunities to serve Christ. Have partners pray for each other in these efforts. Encourage them to come to class next week prepared to tell their partner about their experiences in the Spirit.
Download “In the World” for October 22, 2023 here.
This month in Australia, a woman tragically fell to her death at a lookout spot on a popular walking trail. “At one stage, she was there with the witnesses, just walking along,” said Police Inspector Paul Hoyer, “then all of a sudden she’s gone over the edge.” She fell one hundred fifty feet and did not survive. This lookout had no guard rails, but people have fallen in spots that did have them. “Fences, unfortunately, sometimes don’t preclude people from jumping them to get a better view or to look over the edge of cliffs,” said Hoyer. “There’s an inherent risk at these locations that you’ve got to be mindful of.”
Paul wrote to the church in Galatia because they were danger of falling away from true Christian faith. They had started out well, following Paul’s sure guidance at the beginning of their spiritual journey. But new teachers had come along promoting a false gospel, and news had reached the apostle that some of them had begun to abandon the truth and wander into deadly error. In today’s passage, he urgently calls them back to the truth.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “A Recipe for Winning Arguments” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Connect this activity with today’s lesson by saying, “Sometimes the arrival of someone new can be an unwelcome disruption. Let’s learn how Paul addresses a situation like this in his letter to the Galatians.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Call and Response Prayer” exercise from the activity page. Complete as a whole class. Encourage learners to refer to this exercise throughout the upcoming week.
After the activity, close class with a time of prayer, asking the Father to reveal any hypocrisies so that they can be repented of and discarded.
Download “In the World” for October 15, 2023 here.
Michael Caine is 90, and he says he’s finally retiring from making movies. He announced last month that his new film, The Great Escaper, will be his last. This is the third time Caine has retired, he admits with a laugh in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. Back in the 1990s, when he’d turned 60, he wasn’t getting many offers for roles, so he thought he would retire—until fellow actor Jack Nicholson talked him out of it. Then in 2021, after the release of Best Sellers, he suggested that role would be his last. “There’s not exactly scripts pouring out with a leading man who’s 88,” he wrote at the time. He quickly walked back that claim too. But this time, he says the retirement is real. Instead, he wants to concentrate on writing books. “I’m very happy with that because it’s something I can do without walking. All you need is a chair and a pencil and paper.”
In the early church, especially in churches with both Jewish and Gentile believers, there was much that had to be figured out regarding what, if anything, non-Jewish Christians had to “add to their faith” to be believers, and what, if anything, Jewish believers no longer had to observe from their religious traditions. On at least one occasion, it seems that Peter affirmed the freedoms of Gentile converts … until certain conservative Jewish believers came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. Around these men, Peter walked back his behaviors, putting on a more traditional and “Jewish” manner of living. In today’s passage, Paul tells about how he called Peter out for this hypocrisy, because of the damage it could do to the faith of non-Jewish Christians.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Still on the Books” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have students work in pairs to complete as indicated. Then discuss the activity as a whole class.
Transition to the Bible st udy by introducing Paul’s discussion of the law’s nature and impact on people.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “World-Record Marriages” activity from the activity page. Have learners discuss conclusions in small groups. Be sensitive to those members of the class who may have experienced loss of a spouse or divorce and remarriage.
Download “In the World” for October 8, 2023 here.
Quebec is a mostly French-speaking province of Canada, and Montreal is its chief city. In 2022, Quebec passed a language reform law whose goal is to “limit government communications in languages other than French.” Last month, two bilingual (French and English) Montreal suburbs filed a court challenge to elements of this law, saying that it violates constitutional law allowing local governments to use languages other than French. The challenge also seeks to repeal an element of the new law that says that French is Quebec’s official language.
Today’s passage in Romans contains Paul’s metaphor that a wife whose husband dies is free to marry another without the Jewish law declaring her an adulteress. His intent is to show that Christians are free from the authority of the Old Testament law and are rightfully bound to Jesus as their new Lord.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Right and Wrong Around the World” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Students can work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Following the activity, gather the pairs together. As a whole group discuss what the world might conclude from the fact that people from various religious faiths or no faith at all seem to live generally moral lives. What might society say when those people appear more righteous than Christians?
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Repaired with Gold” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before sharing with a partner. Conclude the lesson with a prayer that learners would have open hearts that lead their actions throughout the week. Encourage them to watch for opportunities to teach in both word and deed and come to class next week prepared to report on their experiences.
Download “In the World” for October 1, 2023 here.
Last month, a Christian family killed in World War II were honored by the Catholic Church for harboring two Jewish families in Poland. The Nazis had invaded Poland and the governor made a law forbidding any citizen from aiding or protecting the Jews. Anyone who so much as gave a piece of bread to a Jewish person would risk the death penalty. Nevertheless, Józef and Wiktoria Ulma, along with their seven children, hid two Jewish families in their backyard for a year and a half, risking their lives every day. Eventually, someone turned them in to the Nazis, and soldiers descended upon the house. They executed the Jewish families on the spot, killed Józef and Wiktoria Ulma right in their yard, then killed all seven children.
Paul wrote Romans to at least two audiences: Gentile and Jewish Christians. In today’s passage, he challenges his Jewish Christian hearers about how Gentiles who have never heard the law of God as recorded in the Old Testament can sometimes obey it better than those who do know the law. Their natural obedience will be judged favorably by the Lord, even being declared righteous in God’s sight if they heed the voice of conscience.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “When Can You Break the Speed Limit?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in small groups to discuss as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Behavior and Motivations” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions with a partner.
Read John 3:16-17. Ask learners to write a prayer of gratitude for escaping condemnation in Christ. Challenge learners to spend time during the week reflecting on their actions.
Download “In the World” for September 24, 2023 here.
This September 11 saw the release of research examining why people commit violence in support of a group. Joanna Lindström, PhD Researcher in Psychology at Stockholm University, and her team found that some people—but not all—who saw their group as “unjustly disadvantaged” felt justified in the use of violence for their cause. Lindström’s team wanted to know why some in this group called for violence and some did not. They found that individuals who felt superior to others and entitled to privileges were most likely to think their group was unfairly disadvantaged. This held true even if their group was not actually “structurally disadvantaged.” It seems that feeling superior may be linked to a tendency to justify violence.
Today’s passage describes two events in Jesus’ life when the Jewish religious leaders took up stones to commit violence to carry out their interpretation of God’s Law. In one, they sought to “purge” Israel of the sin of adultery, and in the other, they sought to punish Jesus over his claim to have existed prior to Abraham. In both cases, they felt righteous and justified in attempting to kill someone else. And in both cases, Jesus prevented their ungodly violence.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Look at the Big Picture” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Ask pairs or small groups to complete the chart as indicated.
Lead to Bible study by saying, “Jesus, the best teacher in the world, was accused of sharing bad information with wrong motives. Let’s see what happened.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Examining the Story” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually in one minute or less before comparing their work with a partner.
Download “In the World” for September 17, 2023 here.
American gymnast Simone Biles is again on top of her sport. Late last month, Biles won her eighth all-around title at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, breaking a record that had held for nearly ninety years. Two years ago, Biles pulled out of the team finals in the Tokyo Olympics after suffering from “the twisties,” a mental phenomenon that affects a gymnast’s perception about their position in the air. Soon afterward, she and other gymnasts testified about being sexually abused by the team doctor. After two years away from competition, it appears the world’s most decorated gymnastics athlete—winner of twenty-five medals at world championships, including eighteen golds—is back.
One year during Jesus’ ministry, he went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. Some Jewish leaders challenged his teaching, citing the fact that he hadn’t been educated in their formal system. Jesus said his teaching was reliable because he wasn’t seeking his own fame but only God’s glory. Those who are committed to accurately relaying the message of the one who sent them are reliable messengers, he said. This was in contrast to the Jewish leaders, who were perverting the message of Moses for their own gain.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Three Meals, One Pattern” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Next, distribute copies of the “Remember the Sabbath” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for September 10, 2023 here.
Last month in Utah, state lawmakers called officers from the Salt Lake City Police Department to explain why they had suspended one of their own officers for trying to obey a new law at the city’s airport. The law states that travelers should be ticketed if they try to bring a firearm through security—unless the person brought the gun unintentionally or had forgotten it was in a carry-on bag. In that case, the person should not be ticketed (but still be disallowed from bringing the gun through). The SLCPD preferred to ticket everyone who brought a gun to the airport, no matter what, choosing a “letter of the law” reading of the legislation. The suspended officer had been disciplined by his superiors for trying to follow the intent of the law and not writing a ticket for someone who had accidentally brought a firearm to security. The lawmakers wanted to know why the police were violating what they felt was the clear intent of the new law.
In today’s passage, some Pharisees tested whether Jesus would violate the letter of the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy. They brought a man in need of healing before Jesus on the Sabbath to see if he would heal him and thus, in their minds, violate the Sabbath by doing work. Jesus did heal the man, and then he dashed their efforts to trap him by showing God’s original intent for the commandment—and by showing that even they would “work” on the Sabbath to save a child or a cow in a well. So how could he not save this son of Abraham, even on a Sabbath?
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Movie Script” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in small groups to complete as indicated. After 10 minutes, reconvene the groups and ask them to share their results.
Transition to Bible study by saying, “Today’s Scripture describes how Jesus interacted with some religious leaders who were proud of their status as a part of the perceived ‘in’ crowd. As we study, notice Jesus’ reaction to their attitude.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “We Still Have a Problem” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it in pairs before discussing conclusions with the whole class.
Close class with prayer. Begin with a silent time of repentance for hypocritical attitudes. Finish by asking God to reveal to learners how to live in a consistent way that demonstrates God’s love.
Download “In the World” for September 3, 2023 here.
In San Francisco last month, a family that had already been touched by tragedy was struck again. In 2008, in a case of mistaken identity, three members of the Tony Bologna family were killed in gang violence. Tony and two of his sons, Michael and Matthew, were murdered when Edwin Ramos, an MS-13 gang member, thought one of the sons was a member of a rival gang. Left behind were Tony’s third son, Andrew, and Tony’s wife, Danielle, and daughter, Francesca. But last month, Danielle and Francesca were killed when a car veered into their lane on a highway. Now Andrew Bologna has had to bury every member of his family. A GoFundMe page has been set up to allow people to provide assistance to him.
In today’s passage, the Pharisees came under the Lord’s discipline for hypocrisy. They presented a false identity of being pure and righteous, carrying their supposed love for God to the extent of giving him a tenth of everything—even their garden herbs—and yet their hearts were full of sin and greed. Jesus exposed their façade and called them to make their true selves line up with the righteous identity they showed the world.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Define Authority?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs or small groups to complete as indicated. After calling time, have volunteers share their responses with the class.
Lead into Bible study by saying, “Determining a proper response to authority is a problem for some people. Today’s Scripture shows how this problem is resolved for followers of Jesus.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Main Characters” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
After calling time under the activity, ask the following questions for whole-class discussion: 1–What are the roles of Adam, Jesus, and God the Father as described in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28? 2–How is God’s authority demonstrated and explained in this passage?
Download “In the World” for August 27, 2023 here.
The movie Oppenheimer (which we are not endorsing) tells the story of Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, who led the American effort to build an atomic bomb before the Germans could do so. Historians have suggested that the US government needed Oppenheimer and his team to succeed in order for the Allies to win World War II, but in the decade afterward, he was not needed and was cast into suspicion as a Communist, as the World War ended and the Cold War began. For himself, Oppenheimer wished to turn control of all atomic weapons over to some neutral body like the United Nations to attempt to prevent a nuclear arms race.
Jesus Christ is eternal and will reign forever. His mission on earth was to be not only deliverer but also conqueror, with the task of defeating sin and the devil and reconciling humanity with God. In our passage today, Paul explains that Jesus’ role as God’s war commander would continue until the very last enemy, death, was defeated. When his task is complete, he will lay aside that role, bow to his Father, and rejoin him in eternal majesty.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Activity 1: Distribute copies of the “Judging Paul’s Faithfulness” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Activity 2: Distribute copies of the “The Lord, Our Judge” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in small groups to complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for August 20, 2023 here.
When the top-ranking Marine—the commandant of the Marine Corps—retires or needs to be replaced, the successor must be sanctioned by the U.S. Senate. The elevation of someone to the Corps’ top post, along with nearly 270 other military nominations and promotions, is being blocked by a senator who wishes to bring attention to some of the Pentagon’s policies. Despite the obstacle, the officer deemed most likely to step into the commandant’s position—Gen. Eric Smith, assistant commandant—has this month written a letter giving direction for all marines. “Until the Senate confirms our 39th Commandant, this guidance will serve as our reference point,” Smith wrote. “What I require is that when decisions are made, we move out as one to attack our problems together.”
The Christians in Corinth had evidently passed judgment on how Paul was conducting his ministry, perhaps even accusing him of having sinister motives for his actions. Paul responded that he didn’t really mind what they thought of him—or even what he thought of himself—but deferred all judgment to the Lord Jesus. Paul answered to God, not to humans, and the Lord’s judgment would reveal not only Paul’s motives but also their own. He would be exonerated, and he did not shrink back from exercising the authority entrusted to him as a servant of Christ.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Building and Encouraging Love” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have participants work in pairs to complete as indicated.
After calling time on the activity, have the class present their findings for discussion.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Weighing All the Angles” activity from the activity page. Have participants complete it individually (in a minute or less) before discussing conclusions in small groups.
Download “In the World” for August 13, 2023 here.
Late last month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced $85 million in “innovative competitive grants for communities to identify and remove barriers to affordable housing production and preservation.” Government entities at the local and state level can apply for grants ranging from $1 million to $10 million to help them improve zoning restrictions, housing policies, and the availability of affordable new homes and the preservation of existing ones. “HUD recognizes that communities have unique housing challenges,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge in announcing the new grants. “Today, we are acting to increase the supply of affordable housing, which is crucial to lowering housing costs.”
Paul wrote to the believers in Rome that they should be sensitive in their exercise of freedoms so as not to offend or upset other, especially new, Christians. For example, eating food dedicated to idols could cause some brothers and sisters to question their faith. Instead, mature Christians could exercise some of their freedoms in different circumstances to avoid putting obstacles in the way of people coming to faith. Better to temporarily not eat something than to eat it in such a way that it makes someone stumble.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Acts to Avoid” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Yield to the Spirit” activity from the activity page. Have learners work together in pairs to complete it. After 10 minutes, bring the groups together to discuss their conclusions.
Download “In the World” for August 6, 2023 here.
South Carolina peach farmers are in a bad way this year. A combination of an early spring and hard freezes in March have cost them as much as seventy percent of their crop. What they have managed to harvest are mostly small, “button” peaches, which can’t be sold at market, or have pits that are difficult for machinery to remove when processing for fruit cups. “When you lose 70% of a crop,” says Ross Williams, chief operating officer of post-harvest operations at Titan Farms, “it’s difficult to be able to make ends meet at the end of the year.” Farmers are trying to keep relations with major retailers intact by providing as many peaches as they can and hoping for better in the future. “Next year, hopefully when we do have a full crop,” says Williams, “we don’t want to have missed out on a year with that retailer.”
This week’s passage includes Paul’s lists of deeds of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit. While it is tempting to think of the fruit of the Spirit as qualities we can work on and develop in our lives, Paul teaches that these things simply “grow” in us as we walk by the Spirit. We can’t make ourselves have more love, joy, or peace, but we can create conditions in our heart for those things to appear on their own by the working of the Lord.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of “Kingdom Teaching” activity from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually (in a minute or less).
After calling time on the activity, have pairs discuss how easy it can be for people to place value on the wrong things. Transition to the lesson by saying, “Jesus played on people’s inaccurate perceptions of value as he taught them using parables regarding that which has ultimate value.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Inventory of Everything” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually (in a minute or less) before discussing conclusions in small groups, but with no pressure to reveal private information.
Download “In the World” for July 30, 2023 here.
Shohei Ohtani is an extremely talented Major League Baseball player for the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani, originally from Japan, is setting records both as a batter and a pitcher this year. And he is nearing a time of free agency, when the pocketbooks of many MLB team owners are expected to come all the way open. Los Angeles Dodgers’ player Freddie Freeman calls Ohtani a “unicorn” whose new contract may shatter the previous high amount of over $426 million. Several people have suggested the new deal could reach $600 million. When asked what he would pay to sign Ohtani if he were an owner, Baltimore Orioles’ center-fielder Austin Hays said, “As much money as I have. I’m giving him everything that I’ve got.”
Today’s passage includes some striking parables in which Jesus urged believers to value the kingdom of heaven so dearly that they would be willing to give everything away in order to obtain it. Others may not understand it, but he or she is no fool who uses what is temporary to obtain what is eternal and who trades earthly belongings for heavenly treasure.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Survival Recipes” activity from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
After the activity, lead into Bible study by saying, “It can be hard for us to judge what things are good and what things are bad, just from outward appearances. Discerning another person’s character and their heart is even more difficult. Let’s see what Jesus had to say about his timing regarding judgment on the hearts of people.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Whole Wheat Living” activity from the activity page. Have participants work in small groups to complete as indicated. If time allows, ask for representatives from each group to state their group’s responses to the questions.
Close class with a prayer asking God to help the class both to grow and be fruitful as wheat in God’s field.
Download “In the World” for July 23, 2023 here.
A 22-year-old Irishman has taken third place in the Young Inventors Prize contest in Europe for his ingenious method of removing microplastics from water. The UN estimates that there are more than fifty-one trillion microplastic particles in the seas, a crisis that affects our food chain and, ultimately, us. Fionn Ferreira’s method mixes seawater with ferrofluid, a magnetic liquid mixture that binds to microplastic particles. A magnet draws both the ferrofluid and the plastics out of the water, removing eighty-five percent of the particles in a single pass. The plastics can be recycled, the ferrofluid can be reused, and the water is rendered safe. “This prestigious award,” Ferreira says, is “a profound acknowledgment of the urgent need to combat the devastating impact of microplastics on our planet’s water systems.”
In Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares (weeds), a field where good seed was planted gets sabotaged by an enemy, who sows weeds alongside the good seed. The workers soon spot the weeds and ask the owner if they should begin weeding. But the owner instructs them to let both crops grow together, and they’ll sort one from the other in the harvest. Jesus later reveals that this is a metaphor for the people of God’s kingdom and the people of the devil, who share the earth. They will continue to live side by side until they are separated in the judgment.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Matching Soil” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have participants work in pairs to complete as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Paradise Gardening Service” activity from the activity page. Allow one minute for learners to complete it.
Download “In the World” for July 16, 2023 here.
In a global first, the soil in Northern Ireland’s farms is receiving free testing by the government. The massive scheme, developed by Rachel Cassidy, a scientist in the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in Belfast, is designed to level the playing field for all farmers in Northern Ireland. By making the assessment free, all farmers can receive the comprehensive soil sampling and analysis of their fields, plus detailed erosion maps of their land. The goal is to save farmers money and improve their efficiency, especially against a backdrop of soaring costs for feed, fertilizer, and fuel. The larger goal of the scheme is to protect the environment by reducing the risk of excess fertilizer polluting nearby waterways.
Jesus’ parable of the soils continues to resonate across the centuries. Nearly everyone can relate to the different kinds of soils: hard-packed, shallow, weedy, or receptive. Though the farmer casts the seed far and wide, dropping good seed on all sorts of soils and hearts, all it takes is a few spots of good soil, with receptive hearts—and the few spots that have truly receptive hearts will produce a tremendous harvest.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of “Seven Deadly Sins?” activity from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. Allow volunteers to share with the class how they answered.
Make a transition to the lesson by saying, “Today we are going to study a passage of Scripture that can be difficult to understand. In it we will look at a certain deadly stance toward God and his work.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Arguments Against” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in small groups to complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for July 9, 2023 here.
Late last month saw one of the most bizarre episodes of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Putin employs a mercenary army called the Wagner Group, commanded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has an ongoing power struggle with Moscow’s military brass. In late June, Prigozhin accused his rivals of firing rockets at Wagner Group troops. He took his tanks and troops off the war front and turned toward Russia itself, rolling rapidly toward Moscow. Then, through negotiations behind the scenes, Prigozhin abruptly halted his tank columns and diverted to Belarus. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky triumphantly declared, “Everyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself…. Russia’s weakness is obvious…. And the longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on our land, the more chaos, pain, and problems it will have for itself later.”
When Jesus delivered a demon-possessed man who had not been able to speak or see, the people were astonished—and the Pharisees felt jealous and threatened. They claimed that Jesus was only able to command demons because he used Satan’s power to do so. Jesus responded that the devil would never divide his forces and weaken his kingdom by letting Satan fight against Satan.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Attitude of Gratitude” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually (in a minute or less) before revealing the answers.
After calling time on the activity, invite responses to these questions: 1–What does gratitude do for us? 2–How is gratitude connected to worship? Transition by talking about how the group will be studying verses from Zechariah to discover that there is much to rejoice about and be thankful for!
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of “Play by the Rules” exercise from the activity page. Have participants work in groups of three or four to complete as indicated before sharing their rules with the larger group. Allow several minutes for groups to complete this activity.
In the remaining minutes, have participants each write a short prayer rejoicing and thanking God for the many wonderful qualities in Jesus, our king and Messiah.
Download “In the World” for July 2, 2023 here.
Every year, the monarch of the United Kingdom pays a week-long visit to Scotland to celebrate Scottish culture, community, and contributions. This year is special because the UK has a new king and queen. King Charles and Queen Camilla are scheduled to be Edinburgh this week, where amidst much pomp and a twenty-one-gun salute, Charles will be presented with “The Honours of Scotland,” England’s oldest crown jewels. The first monarch to be crowned with it was Mary Queen of Scots in 1543. The crown and accompanying scepter and sword of state are made of gold, silver, and precious gems.
In today’s passage, we study Zechariah’s prophecy of rejoicing for the Jewish exiles returning to Jerusalem. This chapter contains the messianic prophecy about the king coming to Jerusalem mounted on the foal of a donkey. Zechariah also says that God’s people will glitter in Jerusalem like jewels in a crown.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Power and Promises” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have participants work in groups of three or four to complete as indicated. After 15 minutes bring the class together to discuss their findings.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Viral Rejoicing” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs or trios to complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for June 25, 2023 here.
Back in 2003, someone robbed a Walgreens store at gunpoint in Dania Beach, Florida. A witness tentatively identified 33-year-old Leonard Cure as someone who might’ve been the robber. There was evidence that Cure was miles away at the time of the crime, but a jury nevertheless convicted him, and he was given a lifetime sentence plus ten years. This month, however, the state attorney’s office got the entire case thrown out, and Cure was not only released from prison after sixteen years but was also granted record compensation of $817,000 and 120 hours of college tuition and fees. “No amount of money will get those years back for Mr. Cure or give him peace,” said Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor, “but it is a small gesture that recognizes Mr. Cure was wronged.”
After years spent in Babylonian exile because of the rebellion and idolatry of the people of Judea, God promised through Zephaniah to bring them home. The Lord announced his intention to cancel his punishment, cease his rebuke, and deal with any who had oppressed them. God’s discipline of his people was not without end.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “What’s in a Word?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
After the activity, transition to the Bible study. Say, “In this week’s lesson, notice how God brings his people together, gives them a dwelling place, and makes them strong.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “United Forever” activity from the activity page. Have participants work in pairs to complete as indicated. Then bring the class together to discuss how the various puzzle pieces work together. Have learners color in one piece that isn’t an accurate description of his or her experience in God’s kingdom. Ask the partners to pray for one another regarding the growth area(s) they both identified.
Download “In the World” for June 18, 2023 here.
British eleven-year-old Tom White was struck by a police van this month and left in critical condition. The boy spent nearly a week on life support and then began waking from his coma. As his family awaited Tom’s full awakening, when they could find out his long-term prognosis, they launched a Facebook page to collect videos and notes from well-wishers. Among the many contributors was WBC heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury. Fury’s personal video shows the British boxer saying, “Keep fighting, Tom! All the best. Get recovered. See you soon, buddy. God bless.” When Tom comes to his senses, God willing, he will have many such treasures to discover.
The Babylonian exile had taught the Jewish people a costly lesson about turning away from God to idols. The Lord spoke through the prophet Ezekiel, promising to gather the Israelites from all the nations they’d been scattered to and to bring them back to their own land, where they would be united again and ruled by a king from the line of David. All these benefits awaited them if they would come to their senses and put their idolatry behind them forever.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Word Transformation” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. (Option: This exercise can be done as a race. Do as many rounds as time allows.)
After the activity, say, “Transformation often happens in stages, but it can bring about dramatic changes. In today’s lesson, look for the ways God promises to transform his creation.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Reverse the Curse” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually (in one minute or less) before discussing conclusions with a partner. Allow additional time for pairs to share and discuss their responses and thoughts with the whole group.
Download “In the World” for June 11, 2023 here.
A few weeks ago, Terran 1, the world’s first full-sized 3D-printed rocket, blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was a maiden test flight of the rocket prototype, which at the time was the largest 3D-printed object in the world, at 110 feet tall and 7.5 feet wide. The unmanned rocket launched and successfully endured Max-Q, the moment of most intense vibration during ascent, proving that 3D-printed rocketry is robust and viable. The vehicle had an “anomaly” later in the flight, causing it to fail to reach orbit. But as a test flight, it was highly successful, and the manufacturer, Relativity Space, incorporated lessons learned and is already moving to its next-stage prototype, the Terran R rocket, and sees a bright future for 3D-printed space technology.
In our passage today, the Lord paints a picture of a day when God’s people will live in complete peace and joy. Children will not die shortly after childbirth in this future, and lifespans will be such that if someone doesn’t reach 100 years of age, it will seem very strange indeed. They will build houses and live in them, and they will have such a measure of peace that even the wolf and the lamb will dwell together in harmony. Such will the future be for those who belong to the Lord.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Exciting Announcement” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have pairs complete the exercise as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “Good News for Me” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually (in a minute or less) before discussing the sheet in small groups. End with the small groups praying together. Encourage participants to take the handout home to remind them to share the gospel this week.
Download “In the World” for June 4, 2023 here.
Last month, just before his 95th birthday, WWII veteran John Powell got a special ride through his home city. Back in 1945, young John Powell turned 17 and promptly enlisted for the Navy. But on May 15 of this year, he rode through downtown Greenfield, Indiana, in a 1948 MG TC Roadster convertible escorted by police and cheered by all who saw the little parade pass by. Representatives from the Greenfield Veterans Honor Guard presented Powell with an American flag, and the town’s mayor presented him with the city’s Distinguished Citizen Award. “I’m grateful,” said Powell as he shook the mayor’s hand. “There are no words.”
Now that the Babylonian Empire had been overthrown, the Israelites heard that they would soon be able to return to Jerusalem. In today’s passage, the Lord promises to be both their vanguard and their rearguard, allowing them to make the journey without fear of ambush or attack.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Before and After” exercise, which you can download here. Have groups work to complete as indicated.
Another option is to distribute copies of the “Called to Suffering” exercise from the activity page. Have small groups complete as indicated before sharing conclusions with the whole class.
Allow a few minutes for groups to share specific learnings about Saul with the whole class.
Download “In the World” for May 28, 2023 here.
Last month, a years-long legal battle involving actress Gwyneth Paltrow concluded in her favor. On the slopes of a Utah ski resort in 2016, Paltrow and another skier, Terry Sanderson (now 76), collided, resulting in injuries to Mr. Sanderson. He sued her for $3.1 million, and she counter-sued for one dollar plus attorney fees. After a highly publicized court trial last month, the jury sided with Paltrow. On her way out of the courtroom, the actress went to Mr. Sanderson and, rather than gloating, told him, “I wish you well.” Sanderson responded, “Thank you, dear,” and later characterized Paltrow’s gesture as “very kind.”
Saul the Pharisee had been blinded in a divine encounter on the road to Damascus. The Lord had rendered him blind in order to open his eyes. Jesus appeared in a vision to a faithful discipled named Ananias, instructing him to go lay hands on Saul to regain his vision and bestow the Holy Spirit. Ananias, quite naturally perhaps, asked the Lord for clarification. But God sent him to his former enemy to make him a brother.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Other Old Testament Prophecies” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually (in a minute or less) before discussing conclusions in small groups.
Say, “Today we will consider an unexpected visit by a believer in Jesus to someone who did not understand the gospel.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “One of Several Baptisms” activity from the activity page. Have groups work together to complete as indicated before discussing their answer to the question posed there.
Download “In the World” for May 21, 2023 here.
Earlier this month, England held the coronation ceremony for King Charles at Westminster Abbey. It was a spectacle of pomp and history, but what caught the attention of many was all the blue and yellow in the ceremony. Several members of the royal family and distinguished guests, including First Lady Jill Biden, wore blue or yellow, and the interior of the abbey itself was decorated in blue and yellow carpets. With the war in Ukraine in the news, and the first lady of Ukraine in attendance, the prominent display of the colors of the Ukrainian flag was a welcome sight to many. “I saw Ukraine there,” said Dame Melinda Simmons, Britain’s Ambassador to Ukraine, about the carpets, “and lost my composure for a minute.” A Palace spokesman described it all as “a happy coincidence.”
In the early days of the Church, one of its leaders—Philip—was led by the Holy Spirit to leave Jerusalem and approach a certain chariot that was traveling slowly along the dusty road. Philip approached the chariot and, in a beautiful example of God’s coordination and timing, overheard the passenger, an official from the Ethiopian royal court, reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. It happened to be Isaiah 53, which is a clear Messianic prophecy. Philip engaged the Ethiopian, and it led to the man becoming a baptized follower of the Lord.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Look Me in the Eye!” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work together in pairs to complete as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Signs of the Times” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete the activity in small groups before discussing conclusions with the whole class.
After the activity, distribute an index card and a pen to each learner. Have them write a prayer for the following needs: 1–Clarity for how to best meet the perceived needs of people in the community. 2–The desire to share the gospel with the people of your community. 3– Discernment to know how to do both.
Encourage learners to place these prayers in a visible location where they will be seen throughout the upcoming week.
Download “In the World” for May 14, 2023 here.
In Kansas City last month, the NFL draft took place. In the third round, the Carolina Panthers traded the Pittsburgh Steelers a late fourth-round draft in exchange for the eightieth overall pick. The Panthers wanted University of Oregon outside linebacker DJ Johnson, and they were concerned he wouldn’t still be available when their next pick—at ninety-three overall—came around. Johnson fits well with the new defensive scheme the Panthers are adopting, which benefits from multiple edge rushers who can get to the quarterback. “This was one of the teams that I liked and wanted to go to,” Johnson said of the Panthers. “I am super excited. Super juiced. This is one of my dream spots, for sure.”
One day not long after the Day of Pentecost, Peter and John were hailed by a paralyzed man begging for money at one of the gates to the temple. The man was hoping for silver or gold to help him get by one more day, just as he’d done most of the days of his life, having been paralyzed since birth. But Peter offered him the chance to trade up for something much better than coins. He offered him the chance, in the name of Jesus Christ, to gain the use of his legs. He accepted, and his legs and ankles were miraculously healed. He leapt and cavorted and shouted praise to God, and a crowd ran up to see this miracle.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Baptism in Scripture” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in small groups to complete as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Power, Power!” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete the activity in pairs before discussing answers in whole-class discussion.
After calling time for the activity, distribute index cards and pens to each learner. Ask learners to write a prayer based on the following prompt:
Lord, help me be attentive to the influence of the Holy Spirit. Empower me through the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus boldly this week as I . . .
Encourage learners to place the cards in a location where they will notice the prayers throughout the week.
Download “In the World” for May 7, 2023 here.
Late last month, video footage was released from body cameras of first responders who rushed to save the life of actor Jeremy Renner on New Year’s Day. Renner, who played Hawkeye in the Avengers movies of superheroes, was run over by his own snowcat while attempting to rescue his nephew, Alex Fries. The 13,500 lb. vehicle ran him over, breaking more than thirty bones and crushing him nearly to death. In the footage, Fries explains what happened, and first responders are amazed to find Renner still alive. Desperate to find help, Fries spotted the legs of neighbor Rich Kovach through a partially opened garage door. Fries yelled and even grabbed Kovach’s ankle to get his attention, so someone could call 911. Renner has had several surgeries and has a long road ahead, but he is determined to fully recover.
On the day of Pentecost, God poured out the Holy Spirit onto the believers gathered in Jerusalem. They began speaking in foreign languages they had never learned, astonishing the crowd that had come to the city for the feast. Peter addressed the entire throng, telling them that in this miracle the Lord was fulfilling his promise concerning Jesus Christ, the Messiah—whom they had killed—and was offering pardon and salvation to anyone who would repent and call upon the name of Jesus in faith.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “In the Cloud” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. Have pairs share with the whole class their answers to the last two questions.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Circles of Influence” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in small groups to complete as indicated.
End class by placing learners in pairs and having them pray for guidance for how they might rededicate themselves to the work that Jesus has given them to accomplish the gospel mandate.
Download “In the World” for April 30, 2023 here.
This month, rain and high winds knocked out power to twenty thousand Michigan residents, just as a cold front moved in. DTE Energy deployed more than 160 crews on the day of the storm, and by 2:00 p.m. the next day, power had been restored to 99.9% of their customers. We expect that sort of responsiveness from utility companies, as a CEO of another power company makes plain: “As an electric utility, our responsibility is to provide reliable power to our customers,” said Kevin Thornton, CEO of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. “That’s the promise we make, and we take it very seriously.”
Today’s passage describes a time after the Resurrection but before the Ascension, when Jesus ate a meal with his followers. They pressed him for information about what was going to happen next, but Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem until the promised Holy Spirit came upon them in power. Then they would know what to do, and it would be to take the good news outward from there until it reached the ends of the earth. But they could not accomplish that task without power from above.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Divide the class into small groups. Distribute copies of the “Sheep, Sheep, Shepherd” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in one minute or less before discussing questions with small groups. Bring the groups back together before transitioning to the Bible study by saying, “In today’s lesson we’ll discover what Peter learned about being a shepherd.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Revised Hollywood Ending” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for April 23, 2023 here.
The city manager of Brookings, the southernmost city on the Oregon coast, was reinstated last month after pleading no contest to a charge of theft after allegedly shoplifting from an area grocery store. Janell Howard repaid the store for the items she is accused of taking and paid a $500 fine. But Brookings locals report feeling “betrayed” that she was given her old job back. “What message does that send to our at-risk youth that are trying to negotiate the system?” wondered Brookings resident Jan Miller. “That it’s okay to be a thief?” Concerned citizens vowed to hold a recall on all elected city council members who supported the reinstatement. That includes the mayor, said Miller. “We’re going to recall them all.”
After denying three times that he was Jesus’ disciple, and after watching his Lord crucified and buried, Peter’s remorse weighed heavily upon him. Even the reports of Jesus’ resurrection had not brought relief from his sorrow. So when the risen Christ appeared to several disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and asked if Peter loved him, Peter saw his chance to seek forgiveness. His three denials were canceled by three new protestations of his devotion to Jesus, and Peter was reinstated as leader of the newborn church.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Word for Word” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in one minute or less before discussing in small groups. Transition to the Bible study by saying, “Today’s lesson will show us how the concepts of trust, belief, faith, and obedience are interrelated.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “I See Jesus” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it as directed.
After the activity, invite learners to write a prayer for eyes to recognize Jesus at work. Encourage participants to refer to their prayer throughout the week.
Download “In the World” for April 16, 2023 here.
Five years ago, Michigan native Chris Roxburgh was paddleboarding on Lake Michigan when he saw in the waters beneath him a ghostly sunken ship. It turned out he’d discovered the wreck of the George Rogers, a tugboat that sank in 1914. The wreck had never been found because researchers had looked in deeper waters. A week later, and without any training but full of excitement, Roxburgh went back to the spot with a wetsuit and a GoPro camera. His photos and video of the wreck were instantly hailed by local, and then national, media. The thrill of the discovery and his sudden fame convinced Roxburgh that he’d just found his new passion. Five years later, he is a certified scuba diver and a leading expert on photographing deep shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, featured in national publications and on The History Channel.
After Jesus’ resurrection, Simon Peter and half a dozen other disciples spent the night fishing on the Sea of Galilee. As the morning dawned and the boat neared land, they spotted a man on the shore beside a cookfire. When Peter understood that it was Jesus, the one he’d so badly failed only a few days before, he threw himself into the water and swam a hundred yards to reach his Lord.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Did It Happen?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
After completing the activity, lead into Bible study by saying, “Last week’s lesson was the first of two parts. This week we’ll continue the story and consider how some of Jesus’ followers were provided with an unexpected corrective.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Extra! Extra!” exercise from the active page, which you can download. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. After 10 minutes, have pairs present their articles to the whole class.
Download “In the World” for April 9, 2023 here.
Last month, the men’s basketball team from San Diego State University (SDSU) won their quarterfinals game against Creighton University to move into the Final Four for the first time in the school’s history. With the game tied and the final period ticking down to overtime, Creighton committed a foul, sending SDSU star Darrion Trammell to the free-throw line with only 1.2 seconds left. Trammell missed the first shot and then took a deep breath. After the game, he was asked what went through his mind right then. “That the moment wasn’t too big for me,” he said. “Through everything I’ve been through, I feel like the opportunity was just set there for me. It was God’s timing. I just had to believe in that.” He sank the second shot, and SDSU won by one point.
On the first Easter Sunday, Jesus’ disciples heard from Mary and the other women who had seen the angels that Jesus was alive. They themselves found the tomb empty. But evidently, two of Christ’s disciples did not believe this meant Jesus had defeated death. Though Jesus’ resurrection changed everything, opening the way for his followers to rise to life as he had, still his closest disciples did not believe that the empty tomb meant Jesus had overcome death and become the firstborn among many more to follow.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Multiple Lenses” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in groups of four to complete as indicated.
After the activity, transition to Bible study by saying, “Today’s Scripture will examine the nature of human expectations and the reality of when those expectations are not met—for the better!”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “What’s the Story?” exercise from the activity page. Have learners work in groups to complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for April 2, 2023 here.
In Hong Kong, forty thousand small housing units sit empty. Some were occupied briefly for COVID-19 quarantine stays during the pandemic. But nearly two-thirds of them were never occupied, having been finished after the need diminished, and one was just officially shut in March. This in a city of seven million residents where 1.4 million live below the poverty line and many need subsidized housing. While the average new home sells for over a million dollars, and hundreds of thousands of people wait five years or more for housing, all these quarantine units remain empty. Some critics theorize that the government obtains so much income from house prices being high that it is intentionally slow to ease the housing problem and thus drive down home prices. A government spokesperson said that future plans for the empty units “will be announced after a decision is made.”
When the women got to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus, they found the stone rolled away and no sign of Jesus. They saw angels, heard about the resurrection, and ran to tell the disciples. Not knowing what to think, Peter ran to the tomb and he too found it empty. Even when we believe, we can still be astonished when God moves in power.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “The Ultimate Spiritual Makeover” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete as directed in one minute or less before discussing with their small groups.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “Before and After” activity page to each participant. Encourage them to take it home to complete this week. Ask volunteers to be prepared to share their testimonies at the beginning of the next lesson.
Divide the class into small groups. Encourage learners to discuss a plan for sharing their “before and after” testimonies with at least one person this week.
Conclude class time by praying for opportunities, courage, and wisdom to share these testimonies. Be sure to allow time next week for learners to share their experience.
Download “In the World” for March 26, 2023 here.
Jesus Revolution is a current movie about the Jesus Movement of the 1970s, especially as it involved Pastor Chuck Smith’s church in California. The real-life instigator of the movement at Smith’s church was Lonnie Frisbee, a hippie played in the movie by Jonathan Roumie (who also portrays Jesus in The Chosen). Frisbee’s early life had been marked by brutal beatings by his father and molestation by a babysitter. The young man turned to drugs and homosexuality before becoming radically saved by the Lord. Later, Frisbee fell away from the faith. But near the end of his life, he repented and found deliverance from the Lord he’d inspired so many to follow. His final release came in 1993 when he died from AIDS at age 43.
Today’s passage depicts the demon-possessed man who lived in the country of the Gerasenes. The legion of demons gave him tremendous strength, allowing him to break free from shackles and chains. But it wasn’t until Jesus set foot on the shore that he could truly be delivered from his torment. When Jesus delivered him from possession, all the man wanted to do was follow the Lord. But Jesus sent him home to testify about what God had done for him.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Divide learners into small groups. Distribute the “Satisfaction Guaranteed” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. After allowing a couple of minutes for groups to complete as directed, reveal the correct answers.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Evangelistic Elements” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in small groups to complete as indicated. Not all answers need to be filled out. Encourage participants to finish the sheet at home during the week, to be discussed at the beginning of class next week.
Conclude by reading aloud John 4:42 and having small groups pray that their witness would have this effect on others.
Download “In the World” for March 19, 2023 here.
Science fiction authors have long predicted the moment when artificial intelligence (AI) becomes as capable and intelligent as humans. We have not reached that point yet, but a new AI program called ChatGPT has made a huge leap in that direction. ChatGPT lets you enter questions or commands in a way similar to how you might do a Google search, and then you watch as it instantly researches, synthesizes, and types out a well-written response. Whether you want it to summarize the book of Galatians, list the top five themes of the works of Shakespeare, or write a letter to your congressman, ChatGPT can do it almost as quickly as you can type the command. College professors now have to try to determine if term papers were written by their students or by this program. Though we are more capable than AI in many respects, the time when we can easily define the boundary between something written by humans and robots is past.
Because of a long history of hatred, invasion, intermarriage, and religious disagreement, Jewish people in the first century did not willingly interact with Samaritans. The boundary between Israel and Samaria was well known by both parties, and each stayed away from the other. But Jesus not only crossed the border and went into a Samaritan town, he also broke the barrier between Jewish rabbi and unaccompanied Samaritan woman—so that he could reach a woman who was desperately lost.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Divide participants into three groups. Distribute copies of the “What to Remove” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have groups work to complete as indicated.
After the activity, lead into the Bible study by saying, “Being ‘like a child’ can mean different things. In today’s text from Matthew, we consider which of these ideas Jesus meant when he was teaching his followers.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Humble Behavior” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually (in a minute or less) before dividing into pairs. Give pairs time to pray for each other’s plan to show humility throughout the week.
At the beginning of the next lesson, ask volunteers to share what happened when they practiced humble behavior during the week.
Download “In the World” for March 12, 2023 here.
Changes may be coming to equestrian events after the tragic death of Irish rider Tiggy Hancock (15) in 2001. An inquiry last month found that the trained showjumping horse the young girl was riding could not see a jump bar. This led to a tumble in which horse and rider flipped. Tiggy landed on the ground first and the horse fell on top of her, crushing her chest and one lung, leading to her death. Her mother, who witnessed the fall, said the obstacle was “brown water with a brown jump and brown sand.” Tiggy is remembered as an accomplished rider and rising star in Irish equestrian sport. The family welcomes the call to use contrasting colors so both horse and rider can see obstacles, hopefully avoiding future tragedy.
In today’s passage, Jesus drives home the importance of not stumbling and not causing others to stumble. To follow Jesus in humility and devotion is the way to enter the kingdom of heaven, and nothing must be allowed to be an obstacle to this. The stakes can be eternal. He urges us to prefer entry into the kingdom over anything on earth—and to be sure not to block others as they seek to get in.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Would You Rather?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less before discussing conclusions in whole-class discussion.
After the activity, lead into the Bible study by saying, “All decisions have consequences. As we read the parable in today’s Scripture, consider how your decisions would be similar to or different from the decisions made by each character.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Option 1: Distribute copies of the “If You Ask Me” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete prompts 1 and 2. After one minute, discuss responses in whole-class discussion.
Have the groups read Luke 15:14-19 and write a second diary entry based on their character’s perspective in these specific verses. Encourage groups to creatively consider the consequences of their character’s decisions. After several minutes, ask a volunteer from each group to read their group’s diary entry to the whole class.
Option 2: Have learners complete prompts 3 and 4 on the “If You Ask Me” activity page. After one minute, invite volunteers to share their responses and explain how the responses are similar to or different from the parable’s narrative.
Have the groups read Luke 15:20-24 and write a third diary entry based on their character’s perspective in these specific verses. Encourage groups to consider their character’s treatment of the other character, given what feelings and beliefs might have been behind the actions. After several minutes, ask a volunteer from each group to read their group’s diary entry to the whole class.
Option 3: Have participants complete prompts 5 and 6 on the “If You Ask Me” activity page. After one minute, invite volunteers to share their responses and how the responses best connect with the characters or events of the parable.
Download “In the World” for March 5, 2023 here.
In 2021, partially due to the disruptions of COVID-19, 47 million Americans quit their jobs, and the trend has not entirely ended. This unprecedented shift in the workforce was dubbed The Great Resignation. But a recent survey found that for most of those who quit, it has become The Great Regret. The survey, performed by HR company Paychex, found that eighty percent of employees who left their jobs during this period feel that they made a mistake, and sixty-eight percent have tried to get their old jobs back. Workers who resigned reported missing co-workers, having lower pay, and finding less work satisfaction in a new job as compared to the previous one. Only twenty-seven percent of those trying to get rehired at their old places of employment have succeeded.
Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son follows a similar trajectory. Thinking the grass was greener out in a faraway country where he could be master of his own time and finances, the young protagonist strikes out and lives the high life. Until the money runs out. But at his lowest point, he comes to his senses and determines to go home, humbly and with newfound gratitude over what his father had provided all along.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Which Category?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have students complete it as directed.
After the activity, say, “Our identity is composed out of many facets of personality and experience. In today’s text, Peter gives us metaphors for categories that help us better understand our identity as Christians.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Set Apart” activity from the activity page. Encourage students to finish the activity as a take-home.
Download “In the World” for February 26, 2023 here.
Earlier this month, the United States military shot down several objects thought to be unmanned Chinese spy balloons in the airspace of the US and Canada. The first incident was the downing of a very large balloon at high altitude (over 60,000′). Shortly after the Air Force F-22 destroyed the balloon with a Sidewinder missile, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin used a special phone line to reach out to his Chinese counterpart, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe, to try to manage the crisis. But the minister refused to get on the line, later saying that the U.S. had “not created the proper atmosphere” for dialogue. A call to prevent a possible escalation was rejected, and matters became worse.
Peter appealed to all people to heed the call of Jesus to be saved. He said that some—including the Christians he was writing to—had indeed believed in Jesus as God’s chosen and precious cornerstone. By this, they had become spiritual stones themselves, and God had constructed them into a spiritual building. But others continued to reject the Lord’s offer, and Jesus had become for them a stumbling stone. A call to prevent eternal doom was rejected, and if they did not change their minds, matters for them would become much worse.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of “The Dangers of Favoritism” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
After the activity, give the group time to talk about favoritism. Lead into the Bible study by saying, “Favoritism can be dangerous to society and in our own lives. In today’s text, James gives us a warning against allowing favoritism within the church.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Welcoming Newcomers” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually (in a minute or less) before discussing conclusions in small groups.
After calling time, have small groups talk about how you, as a church, might improve in not showing favoritism in your congregation. Close with a prayer.
Download “In the World” for February 19, 2023 here.
Humanitarian agencies working around the world sometimes struggle to ensure that the aid they deliver makes it into all the right hands. For example, in Afghanistan the Taliban has recently placed restrictions on food aid agencies that make it nearly impossible to assess whether or not the food is reaching the most vulnerable—women and children—with any degree of impartiality. Some agencies have halted their aid to the country because of the restrictions. The issue highlights the difficulty of balancing women’s rights with delivering aid.
This week’s passage records James’ observation that people in churches were giving precedence to rich congregants and treating poor congregants disrespectfully. Though some among the rich were exploiting other Christians and dragging them into court, these were the ones being honored. He called believers to treat all people equally and to remember that God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “A Marvelous Mentor” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in small groups to complete as indicated.
After calling time, have groups present their findings in whole-class discussion. Use the commentary to correct misconceptions.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Hold Fast” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
After the activity, hand out index cards and pens. Invite learners to write out how they can be encouraged throughout the next week to hold fast to the faith and love that is in Christ Jesus. Then close with prayer.
Download “In the World” for February 12, 2023 here.
People have been trying to defy death for millennia before Ponce de León searched for the Fountain of Youth. In more recent years, scientists have explored “cell death” in the bodies of mammals, and last month, researchers discovered how to accelerate, decelerate, and even reverse aging in mouse cells. They learned how to tell the epigenome (the part of the DNA system that gives cells their instructions) to erase the corrupted instructions that had been causing cell death. The researchers have hopes that further work will show potential in healing a host of diseases—including chronic heart disease and even neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s. “It’s no longer a question of if rejuvenation is possible,” says David Sinclair, professor of genetics in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, “but a question of when.”
In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul urged Timothy, his protégé, to fan into flame the spiritual gift that was in him. Timothy had the responsibility and the honor of proclaiming the message that Jesus Christ had abolished death and brought immortality to light. Timothy needed to leave his natural timidity behind and guard the good thing that Christ had deposited into him and given him the grace to use in his service.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Word Web” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete the activity as indicated.
After calling time for the activity, have groups present their findings in whole-class discussion. Conclude the activity by asking, “Why do the implications of the cross seem foolish to some people?”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Praying for Wisdom” activity from the activity page. Have students complete the activity as indicated (in a minute or less) before sharing with a partner.
Download “In the World” for February 5, 2023 here.
Oklahoma City motorists were seeing red late last month as they made their way across frozen bridges and overpasses. The city’s public works department was experimenting with a mixture of rock salt brine and beet juice to increase the effectiveness of their ice-melting efforts. The brine alone needs a temperature of at least fifteen degrees to melt ice, but adding a percentage of beet juice to the mixture drops its operating temperature to negative twenty degrees. If the experiment is successful, the program may expand—and if it gives drivers better traction, perhaps they won’t mind the red tint on the roads.
In Paul’s first letter to the Christians in Corinth, he developed one of his favorite themes: that the weakness of humans is the perfect stage for the demonstration of the power of God. Though the Corinthian church did not have many impressive people in it—few government officials, notables, or celebrities of any sort—nevertheless, they were the ones whom God had chosen to use to show the foolishness of the world’s wisdom.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Hope Quotes” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
After calling time for the activity, have students present their findings to the class. Then ask the following questions as part of whole-class discussion: 1–How do you define hope? 2–Why is hope important? 3–When is having hope difficult? 4–What happens when people give up hope?
Lead into the lesson by saying, “Today’s Scripture text was written to people who needed hope that God’s presence would be evident. We’ll examine the prophet’s message and consider how helpful his message was to them and to us.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Hope’s Foundation” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. (This exercise will be more time-consuming than it appears at first glance.) After 10 minutes, ask pairs to share their paraphrases with the whole class.
Download “In the World” for January 29, 2023 here.
On January 2, during a Monday Night Football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills, Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin made a routine tackle on Bengals’ receiver Tee Higgins. Both players got up, but Hamlin suddenly collapsed. Medical staff rushed to the field, where they determined that his heart was not beating. First responders administered CPR, and Hamlin was rushed to a local hospital, where he remained in a coma in intensive care. Over the next three days, not just the world of pro football but most of the nation hung on scraps of updates. Finally, to the relief of all, Hamlin emerged from the coma and showed no sign of lasting injury to his mental or physical capacities. “We’re not promised anything,” said NFL great Tom Brady, reflecting on Hamlin’s injury and recovery, “none of us are…. Let’s not take anything for granted,” he said. “Nothing’s forever.”
The land of Judah had been devastated by a plague of locusts because of the disobedience of God’s people. But even though the Lord had sent his army to devastate their fields as in the Day of the Lord, he nevertheless promised to be with them and to bless them in the future. His discipline was not forever, and his mercy remained for those who worshipped him. God promised that Judah would emerge from that disaster and once again praise him.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Option 1. Distribute copies of the “Compare the Passages” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have groups work to complete as indicated.
Option 2. Distribute copies of the “Passage Prompts” activity from the activity page. Have groups complete as indicated.
Download “In the World” for January 22, 2023 here.
January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and already many communities across America have celebrated the 160th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. On January 1, 1863, a document signed by President Abraham Lincoln went into effect declaring the freedom of enslaved people living in Confederate states that were not yet in Union hands. This freedom was not realized by most slaves in the South until the conclusion of the Civil War, in 1865. Today, slavery remains a scourge in America through forced labor and sex trafficking. “I call upon businesses, civil society organizations, communities of faith, families, and all Americans,” said President Biden in a December 30, 2022, proclamation, “to recognize the vital role we play in combating human trafficking.”
Through Isaiah, the Lord reminded the Jewish people that his will has always been to loose the chains of injustice, feed the hungry, and remove the yoke of oppression. In today’s passage, Isaiah declares God’s promise that those who heed his call to bring emancipation to all who are in forced labor will receive blessing and power from heaven.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of “The Googles Know” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. Discuss conclusions as a group. Say: “While technologies may seem to ‘know’ us, today’s passage illustrates how nothing is hidden from God and that only he controls and reveals the future—at his pleasure.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Win or Learn” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it individually (in one minute) before discussing conclusions in small groups.
Download “In the World” for January 15, 2023 here.
In the last week of December, a small sinkhole opened on the shoulder of SR-261 just south of Washtucna, Washington. Department of Transportation crews closed the rural road in one direction, reducing traffic to a single lane. Then over the course of the next few hours, the sinkhole began to collapse the asphalt, widening to dangerous proportions. Officials finally closed the road in both directions and set up a detour. Sinkholes in Washington are usually caused by extreme weather changes or flooding beneath the surface. The water can hollow out an area beneath land, a road, or even a structure, and eventually the roof of the cavern can’t support itself. “If you see a sinkhole,” said TV station Fox 28 in Spokane, “even a small one, quickly leave the area and report it. Though they can look harmless at first, the opening can spread rapidly.”
In today’s passage, God reminds the Jewish people that he had announced his plans for them in generations past. They had no room to claim that they had thought them up or brought them to pass through their pagan idols. Then he says he’s doing new things that they couldn’t predict, so they can’t claim they’d already known of them. God is the one who directs them, either in the past or the future, and teaches them what’s best for them. But will they heed his directions?
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Fear-o-Phobia” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. As time allows, ask learners to talk about how faith can help people overcome their fears.
After the activity, say, “In today’s text, Isaiah shares promises God gave to Israel, and us, to help calm fears.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “God’s Protection” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete as indicated.
After the activity, read Isaiah 43:1, replacing the words “O Jacob” and “O Israel” with a pause. Ask learners to silently say their own names in place of the pause.
Download “In the World” for January 8, 2023 here.
A 66-year-old woman in Benton Harbor, MI, died in October in a house fire. When firefighters arrived at 1:49 p.m., fire was coming from the eaves of the home. The incident commander circled the house and found the woman’s husband struggling to open the back door to rescue his wife, but he was overcome by smoke and could not proceed. The firefighters entered the home and rescued the woman. On the way to the hospital, she regained a pulse, but she later died from her injuries. It was her birthday the next day.
Though God’s people had disobeyed Him, He still promised to not forsake them. He was their God and He had summoned them by name. Though waters might rise up against them, they would not drown, and though they passed through fire, they would not be overcome. They were witnesses to the fact that the Lord is the only God.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “A Holy Place” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually (in one minute) before sharing their creations with a partner. As a whole group, discuss what is required for a place to be considered holy. Continue the discussion by asking, “Why do we seek sacred spaces?”
After the activity, say, “With God’s approval and guidance, Solomon built the temple, and with God’s presence it became a holy place to worship and pray to God. But consequences would follow if the people forsook their faithfulness to him.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Read through today’s passage aloud once. Distribute copies of the “If/Then Covenant” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. (This exercise may be more time-consuming than it appears at first glance.) Then reconvene the whole class to discuss their work.
Download “In the World” for January 1, 2023 here.
The federal Student Loan Forgiveness program is understandably popular for the many millions of college students carrying debt from their educational loans. Some analysts, however, point out that such forgiveness may encourage financial irresponsibility and that it would tend to discourage those who worked to repay their debt after graduation. But with university costs skyrocketing and the pandemic putting some people out of work, many have fallen behind and feel they can never recover. No matter what may be said about the policy or the program, when a person needs help with any debt, forgiveness is always welcome.
Today’s passage includes one of the most well-known verses in the Old Testament. The “If my people…” passage is a common rallying cry to call a nation back to God. The benefits of turning the hearts of a people back to God are many, not least of which being forgiveness of sin. The dangers of turning away from the Lord are manifold, as well, and include invasion, conquest, and exile to another land—all of which did happen for God’s people.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Awards Show” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually in a minute or less. Ask volunteers to share their responses to the final question.
After the activity, transition to the lesson by saying, “Although Mary was shown favor by God, she did not brag about herself at all. Instead, she praised God for the work that he had done.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Song of Praise Template” exercise from the activity page. Assign this as a take-home activity. To encourage completion, ask learners to consider sharing their completed songs at the beginning of the next class.
Download “In the World” for December 25, 2022 here.
When students are learning a language other than their mother tongue, some use reader books in which the original words have been simplified by the books’ writers. However, as artificial intelligence (AI) tools become more powerful, simplification software is emerging that can simplify any written material automatically. This fall, in a test of an English-language AI text simplification tool in Busan, South Korea, students who were learning English were able to grasp the core message of an article simplified from the magazine Scientific American. The automated tools need more work to help readers of all levels, however. “Software developers will continue to develop AI-enhanced tools,” says the study’s leader, Professor Dennis Murphy Odo, “that will make challenging texts more and more comprehensible to foreign language learners with different reading proficiencies.”
When Mary was pregnant with Jesus, she was filled with the Holy Spirit and uttered beautiful words that expressed the heart of God and what would be Jesus’ core message on earth. Those who fear the Lord will be exalted. Those who oppress the poor will be cast down. The hungry will be filled, and the proud will be scattered and sent away empty.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Always Be Prepared” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in groups to complete as indicated.
Transition into the Scripture text by saying, “In today’s Scripture, notice how John the Baptist introduced people to the Lord and how he answered their questions regarding the Lord’s identity.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Relating to Jesus” exercise from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. After calling time, invite pairs to share their responses to the last question. Encourage everyone to share their metaphors with a neighbor during the upcoming week and be prepared to report on the experience at the beginning of the next class.
Download “In the World” for December 18, 2022 here.
In a commencement address at Coal City University Enugu in Nigeria this fall, Senator Anthony Agbo called on Africa’s universities to lead the way in turning to Scripture for how to live. He urged his countrymen to turn from pagan gods and lay aside internal conflicts, basing their lives on the Bible in order to avoid the obstacles caused by those ancient prophecies. He urged them to turn to the Word of God, “whose power, authority and impeccable truth have defied the coordinated onslaught of misguided men of all ages, including those of elevated but sinister institutions; to produce the greatest nations on earth and most insightful men of all time.”
John the Baptist was raised up by God to go in the spirit of the Old Testament prophets to make the people’s hearts ready to welcome their King. His ministry would be to remove all obstacles from the path of the Lord’s coming. Every valley would be raised, every mountain flattened, and every crooked way straightened to hasten the arrival of the Son of God.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “What’s in a Name?” activity from activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in small groups to complete as indicated.
After calling time on the activity, say, “Sometimes a name’s significance is in its meaning. Other times its significance is related to our experiences with people who have that name—no matter how fair or accurate those perceptions are. In today’s lesson, consider how the name John was significant for Elizabeth and Zechariah.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Prophecies” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
After calling time, ask how Zechariah’s prophecy showed God’s faithfulness and prepared the hearts of the people to receive the Lord.
Download “In the World” for December 11, 2022 here.
The wastewater treatment plant in the city of Driggs, ID, has for years failed to come into compliance with federal pollution statutes. The city has been working to eliminate the problem and build a new plant, but the federal government filed a lawsuit in October to pressure the city to come into compliance. However, some in the media have misrepresented the seriousness of the problem, painting the city as negligent and irresponsible. “It is challenging to know the facts surrounding our [plant],” said Mayor August Christensen, “and see how some media outlets spun the story. I am hearing how much it is affecting our community.” Despite the large amount of negative media attention, Christensen hopes people will support the city’s efforts to correct the problem.
After failing to believe the angel’s words about a son, Zechariah was rendered mute until the boy was born. At John’s birth, however, news began to go out that God had been merciful to Elizabeth by giving her a son, even in her old age. But when Zechariah indicated, by writing a message on a tablet, that the boy’s name was to be what the angel had proclaimed, his muteness vanished, and he began praising God and prophesying. Then everyone in the whole region turned their attention to the great things God was doing for Israel.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “An Astonishing Story” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete the exercise as indicated.
After the activity, say, “Communicating without speaking words is a challenge. In today’s lesson, we will consider how Zechariah’s inability to speak was both a punishment and an expression of mercy.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Baby Announcement” exercise from the activity page. Have students work in pairs to complete the activity as indicated.
Download “In the World” for December 4, 2022 here.
For more than two decades, Dolores Santucci (now 96) manned her hot dog cart in Hillsdale, New Jersey. “She was there six days a week, rain or shine,” says Esther Davidowitz writing in NorthJersey.com. “Everyone in town and beyond, it seems, knew her, if not by name, then by her nickname: The Hot Dog Lady.” After a liver infection sidelined her from working the cart, the city decided to honor the woman many called “Mom.” The mayor proclaimed October 28 “Dolores Santucci Day,” and more than 200 people turned out for the celebration. “It was a complete surprise,” said Dolores of the party, which took place at the cart. “I couldn’t believe it. The people are very nice. They always were nice.”
For many decades, the priest Zechariah prayed that his wife, Elizabeth, would bear him a son. Sadly, she remained barren, and by the time they were both well advanced in years, one wonders if his prayers slowed or finally stopped. So, when the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in the Temple and told him that his prayers for a son had been heard, Zechariah didn’t buy it. He still got the son he’d prayed so long for, but there were consequences for his unbelief: he was rendered mute until his son, John the Baptist, was born.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Seeking Security” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. Allow time for group discussion.
Lead into Bible study by saying, “The apostle Paul uses the imagery of a suit of armor to show how God protects believers from evil.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Dress Me in Armor” activity from the activity page. Allow one minute for participants to complete the exercise.
Download “In the World” for November 27, 2022 here.
The invasion of Ukraine is the first time that both sides in a conflict have had reconnaissance drones—and the ability to shoot down the enemy’s drones. Throughout the war, Ukraine’s hordes of locally produced drones, which are cheap enough to lose during a mission without causing much hardship, have been a better option to Russia’s small number of very expensive drones, which Moscow doesn’t want to lose. As a result, the Ukrainian military has had much better knowledge of Russian positions and movements than the Russian military has enjoyed.
When the devil’s schemes come on the day of evil, Christians can stand firm in the power of the Lord. Paul’s famous passage on the full armor of God—based on the armor worn by Roman soldiers all around him in prison—encourages believers to take up and strap on the various pieces of armor. The enemy may be spiritual and invisible, but Jesus does not leave His children without powerful defenses.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Rich in Mercy” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. Allow time for group discussion before continuing with the next part of the lesson.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Pass It On” exercise on the activity page. Allow one minute for the quick brainstorming exercise. Have individuals share their commitments with a partner for accountability.
After calling time for the activity, end the lesson with a prayer time, praising God for the love and grace experienced in being God’s workmanship.
Download “In the World” for November 20, 2022 here.
During spring and summer in the northern hemisphere, tree leaves bud and sprout, becoming a luxurious green in the warmth of the middle of the year. But as autumn begins, leaves turn color, becoming the glorious shades of gold, yellow, red, and orange we often see at Thanksgiving. What many people don’t know is that the leaves were always secretly gold, yellow, red, and orange. During the long-daylight months of spring and summer, the trees were producing chlorophyl and lots of green pigment, which masked the other colors. When the sun is up fewer hours, the chlorophyl breaks down and there is no longer enough green pigment to hide the leaves’ true colors.
Paul tells the Christians in Ephesus that they are creations hand-crafted by God for specific purposes. Like the handiwork of a master craftsman, believers are beautiful in their own right. But God hasn’t created, called, and justified us simply to be admired but rather to be useful to him in the good works that he has prepared for us to do. We find our meaning when we are used by God to do his will on earth.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Mission Accomplished?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. After several minutes of work time, invite volunteers to share what they’ve discovered.
After calling time for the activity, say, “Today we’ll look at how Paul encourages Christians to do God’s work.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Show Me the Love” activity from the activity page. Have students work in pairs to complete the chart and action plan. It is important to follow up on this activity next week. Make a plan to discuss (at that time) ways they saw God at work through their initiatives. Remind students to be prepared for this discussion. Then remember to praise and thank God together for the blessings—and to commit to God’s care anything that did not turn out as expected.
Download “In the World” for November 13, 2022 here.
Late last month, the Frost and Sullivan Institute released its second annual Enlightened Growth Leadership Awards. The prize goes to companies that “have demonstrated commitment to [environmental] sustainability by leveraging technology and innovation-driven solutions to make strides in innovating some of the major global challenges we face.” One of this year’s winners is Ubisoft Entertainment, makers of video games such as Assassin’s Creed and Ghost Recon. Their efforts to support the environment include targeting 100% renewable energy in their facilities, limiting employees’ international travel, and eliminating single-use plastics in their offices. “The recipients of the Enlightened Growth Leadership Recognition,” said Aroop Zutshi, Director, Frost & Sullivan Institute, “have demonstrated success in merging business acumen with a moral imperative.”
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians includes his prayer that the eyes of their hearts would be enlightened with wisdom so they could fully grasp the hope that Christ had given them. He prayed that their understanding would be stretched so they would know the inheritance of power, riches, and security that was theirs through the Lord.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Winning Qualities” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Allow three minutes for pairs to complete the activity.
After the activity, discuss how our criteria for choosing a winner or determining success affects how we see ourselves and how we interact with others. Consider pressures as well as possible positive outcomes of a culture focused on winning awards. Wrap up by saying, “Today’s lesson allows us to expand beyond a popular worldview and think about who we are in Christ.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Adopted in Christ” exercise from the activity page. Allow a minute for students to work individually; then let them work together to complete the puzzle. Discuss ideas for how to implement this message into their lives this week when they are faced with challenges.
Plan time during next week’s lesson to see how learners are dealing with their challenges from the perspective of being God’s children. Close with a prayer of praise for adoption into Christ’s family.
Download “In the World” for November 6, 2022 here.
Last month, China’s President Xi Jinping secured a third term in office. In addition, he handpicked his top cabinet members, the Politburo Standing Committee, promoting and demoting so that only those personally loyal to him remain. One surprise was the promotion to the top spot among Xi’s advisors of Li Qiang, who had fallen out of public favor by his poorly planned and deeply unpopular COVID lockdown in Shanghai, where Li held top party leadership. “If Li Qiang does become premier, which looks now certain,” said Tony Saich, an expert on Chinese politics at Harvard University, “it clearly means that loyalty is more important than performance.”
Before the creation of the world, God chose us in Him to be adopted as His sons and daughters. He redeemed us through Christ, made us to the praise of His glory through our hope in Him, and marked us with a seal of the Holy Spirit when we believed. The Spirit is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance from God until the day when we receive it in His presence.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Samuel’s Tough Assignment” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs or small groups to complete as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Leaders You Know” exercise from the activity page. Have learners work independently for one minute before working with others in groups of three to complete the activity.
After the activity, end with sentence prayers from class members asking God to help them develop a clean heart and eyes of faith, as well as the specific qualities they wrote down. You may ask students to jot down their prayers on their sheets. Plan time next week to talk about how God is working to develop godly leadership qualities in your learners.
Download “In the World” for October 30, 2022 here.
Halloween is Monday and depending on where you live and whether or not you leave your porch light on, you may get some trick-or-treaters at your door. This year, you can expect to see more than the usual number of cute little dinosaurs, Spider-Man imitators, fairies, and characters from the Netflix show Stranger Things. Those are the most popular Halloween costume searches this month, according to Google. It can be humorous when children dressed in costumes expect us to recognize them under the mask. But sometimes, the outward appearance doesn’t give us any clues as to who is actually standing before us.
After God let Israel have their way in choosing a regal-looking first king—and the disasters that followed—He decided to replace Saul with a king who would be a man after His own heart. He sent Samuel to Bethlehem, to the house of Jesse, to anoint God’s selection. But none of Jesse’s handsome, impressive, full-grown, regal-looking sons were God’s choice. They had to go bring in the kid brother, who smelled of sheep, before God revealed His plan. Sometimes, the outward appearance of a king doesn’t show how well he will rule. What God examines is the heart.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Diary of an Old Man” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work together to complete as indicated. After a few minutes, invite volunteers to read what they’ve written.
After completing the activity, have the class draw conclusions about how Israel’s choices reflected their relationship with God and his standards.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “What Do You Say?” exercise from the activity page. Have learners complete it in pairs before discussing conclusions as a whole class.
Download “In the World” for October 23, 2022 here.
Last month, King Charles III took the throne of England after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. While his mother’s coronation ceremony had lasted three hours and boasted 8,000 dignitaries as guests—and cost a fortune, Charles wishes to streamline things. With an eye toward the financial crisis in the UK, Charles didn’t want to create a huge, expensive spectacle of his coronation. So the event (next year) will be one hour long, and the guest list will drop to 2,000. Still big and befitting a kingdom, but sensitive to the cultural moment. “The King is very aware of the struggles felt by modern Britons,” said a royal source. “It should also be representative of a monarchy in a modern world.”
After Samuel had ruled Israel as the last judge and first prophet for a lifetime, he grew old and his sons did not follow the Lord. The people, perhaps looking with envy at surrounding nations who were led by monarchs, came to Samuel and demanded that he select someone to rule over them as king. Samuel consulted the Lord, certain that God would refuse their demand. But the Lord told him to grant their request, assuring him that it wasn’t Samuel they were rejecting, but God. However, when it came time to crown Saul, they couldn’t find him. They finally located him hiding with the luggage.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To encourage personal application:
Close the class by distributing copies of the “Help!” exercise on the activity page, which you can download here. Allow one minute for participants to complete as indicated individually before voluntary sharing. Or use this activity as a take-home prayer prompt for the week ahead.
Also, distribute copies of the “Called to Rescue” crossword puzzle on the activity page as a take-home.
Download “In the World” for October 16, 2022 here.
The global economy continues to struggle. This month, an Australian economic writer named Taylor Dart wrote an article featuring an Australian mining company called Evolution Mining, which has been hit hard by market conditions. Though it had a down fiscal year in 2022, running at seventy-five percent below its highs, Dart sees evidence to predict that the company’s stock will experience a sharp turnaround in the new fiscal year. His personal opinion is that his readers should watch for Evolution Mining’s stock prices to drop even further first though, and he sees this as a good chance to seize the moment. “I would view any pullbacks below US$1.15,” he says, “as buying opportunities.”
Israel’s disobedience of the Lord had left them hiding in winepresses to conceal their meager harvests from the occupying Midianites. A young man named Gideon felt quite sharply his weakness as the youngest child of the least important family in a conquered clan. And yet this is the champion the Lord chose to deliver His people. Gideon’s story is a magnificent illustration of how God delights to exert His power through the weakness of willing humans.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Goodness and Rebellion” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have groups work together to complete the activity as indicated before discussing their findings with the whole class.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Images of Praise” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete the activity as indicated. After five minutes, have volunteers give their answer to the third prompt on the activity.
Download “In the World” for October 9, 2022 here.
On September 26, NASA intentionally crashed one of its spacecraft into an asteroid. The DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission released an impactor probe that slammed into Dimorphos, a tiny “moon” that orbits the asteroid known as Didymos, while the other portion of the probe observed the impact as it sailed past. Also watching were the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble telescope. The mission was the first “live” test of a proposed method of saving the earth from any asteroids that might someday be found to be on a collision course with our world. The goal of the collision was to see if the impact could adjust the little moon’s orbit around the asteroid, and to what degree. It provided crucial data for scientists and engineers to develop plans for planetary defense.
At the end of Moses’ life, he gave a speech we often refer to as the Song of Moses. His farewell speech was at times harsh as he called the children of Israel to obey God. Moses knew, after leading them for forty years, that the people were obstinate and tended toward disobedience. But he urged them remember the glorious faithfulness of God after he was gone and to not forget the rock of their salvation.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “An Unforgettable Day” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
After calling time for the exercise, have groups present their findings for whole-class discussion.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Decisions, Decisions” activity from the activity page. Because of the personal nature of the activity, students may wish to complete this as a take-home.
Download “In the World” for October 2, 2022 here.
The Chinese government has taken a zero-COVID policy throughout the pandemic. Citizens are ordered to stay in their homes during local outbreaks. Reports have emerged of police welding apartment doors shut to keep people inside, and people were ordered to stay in their homes even during and after an earthquake. In September, a bus carrying 45 residents who had been exposed to infected people left after midnight to take them to quarantine housing. Around 2:40 a.m., the bus rolled into a ditch, killing 27 of those aboard. The incident, a forced move made when visibility was low and the driver bleary-eyed, highlighted the glaring safety risks the Beijing government has been willing to accept to keep COVID under control. “For such a large-scale, long-distance transport,” said Hu Xijin, the former editor in chief of China’s state-run Global Times, “did it really have to be done so late at night, and was there really no alternative?”
The Egyptian government that assumed power after Joseph’s death adopted a zero-new-Hebrew-boys policy to limit the growth of their slave population. But after months of hiding her newborn son, one Levite mother finally had to obey the letter of the Egyptian edict, so she put her son into the Nile (but in a little boat). Would the boat even float? Would the current overturn it? Would the crocodiles attack? Such dangers are a small thing in God’s eyes; He ensured that the risks were averted and the child would be found by a daughter of Pharaoh, and later named Moses.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Jacob’s Family” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated.
Next, distribute copies of the “Family Tree” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it as indicated, in small groups. After no more than five minutes, ask for volunteers to share their group’s insights from the discussion questions.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for September 25, 2022 here.
The citizens of Russia have been told the invasion of Ukraine is a “special military operation” to liberate the people from fascist forces. But some Russians, including the grown daughters of a returning Russian paratrooper surnamed Grigoryev, know that the truth is much different. Their father returned from six months of fighting “a broken man,” which exacerbated an already sore subject of whether or not the war is justified. “He says he didn’t kill anyone” in the fighting, says one daughter, Elizaveta. “But war is a crime in and of itself,” says Anastasia, the other daughter. The conflict within the family became so intense last month that the daughters fled the home. It’s an example of how the invasion is tearing some Russian families apart.
Through a sad series of events, two sons of Judah died before having children. Both in turn had been married to a woman named Tamar, and Judah promised to give his third son to her as a husband when he came of age. But the time came, and Judah did not keep his promise. Tamar felt she had to resort to deception to achieve justice—and children—from Judah. Nevertheless, God promised to bring about the Messiah through the line of Judah.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “What’s in a Name?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. After 10 minutes, provide the correct answers for the class and ask volunteers to share their answers to the final three questions.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Count Your Blessings” exercise from the activity page as a take-home. To encourage completion, promise to discuss the results at the beginning of the next class.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for September 18, 2022 here.
In Germany this month, a family won their legal battle to change their six-year-old daughter’s name from Alexa to something else (undisclosed). Alexa is the name and activation word used by Amazon’s Echo device. Children and even adults would “tease” the little girl by saying her name and commanding her to do things. One man accosted her on the street and said, “Alexa, dance for me.” Lauren Johnson, founder of the I Am Alexa Alliance, says, “The whole thing is a step beyond ‘normal’ teasing and bullying. It’s identity erasure…. The word Alexa has become synonymous with servant or slave,” she says. “It gives people a license to treat people with the name Alexa in a subservient manner.”
When Jacob had sent his family and servants across the Jabbok River, he remained alone on the near bank. A mysterious figure appeared and wrestled with him all night, and when he saw he could not overpower Jacob, he said he had fought with God and prevailed. He who could perform such a feat deserved a new name, so the man changed Jacob’s name to Israel, which means one who wrestles with God.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Get What You Want” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in small groups to complete all four rows.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of “The Situation” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete it with a partner.
Close class with a prayer based on Psalm 75, a psalm composed to provide reassurance of God’s victory. Begin the prayer by reading verse 1 aloud. Allow students to pray silently regarding the conflicts they may face, asking God for his wisdom. End the prayer by reading verse 9 aloud.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for September 11, 2022 here.
A report released last month by the Defence Safety Authority, an investigative arm of the British military, claims that a tragic death happened because someone was not wearing his contact lenses. Last year, during a live-fire training exercise at the Castlemartin range in Pembrokeshire, Wales, Sergeant Gavin Hillier, 35, of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, was fatally shot. The report found that the shooter was not wearing his lenses and mistook his fellow soldier for a shooting target. Without his contacts, the shooter would’ve had to be six times closer to the target to be able to distinguish what he was shooting at. Sergeant Hillier had served in several countries, including Afghanistan, where he’d fought the global war on terror, which we especially remember this weekend.
Jacob and Esau were twin brothers in the book of Genesis. Esau loved his wide-open spaces and wild game, while Jacob was a homebody who sometimes enjoyed vegetarian dishes. One day, Esau returned from the hunt in a state of great hunger. In order to get a bowl of the savory bean soup Jacob was cooking, Esau was willing to give away his birthright as Isaac’s firstborn son. His shortsighted decision changed the course of the two nations that would rise from their lines: Edom and Israel.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “God’s Promises Fulfilled” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have students work in pairs to complete the activity as indicated. After 10 minutes, ask volunteers to share their conclusions.
After the activity, make the transition to Into Life by saying, “The narrative of Abram can inform us greatly regarding obedience and emboldened faith. The next practice will demonstrate how today’s Scripture passage is more than a good story for us to read.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Emboldened and Obedient” activity from the activity page. Have learners complete the activity individually in a minute.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for September 4, 2022 here.
Several major corporations in North America have designated this Monday—Labor Day—as the day when most of their workforce must cease working exclusively from home. It is RTO (return-to-office) day. However, “Workers have grown accustomed to being able to work where and when they wish,” says Bloomberg writer Matthew Boyle, “freeing them up to care for kids, aging parents or to simply escape … and take a stroll in the backyard after lunch.” Labor Day may be when companies draw a line in the sand for their workers to come back to their desks. “In the battle of the boardroom versus the bedroom,” Boyle says, “something has to give come September.”
During his life in Haran, Abram had grown wealthy and was probably anticipating enjoying his sunset years enjoying the fruit of his labors. However, the Lord God spoke to Abram and called him to leave the country of his father and journey into a land that God would show him. Once he and his family, along with his servants and flocks, had arrived in Canaan, God promised to bless Abram—and the whole earth through him. He believed the word of the Lord, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
For deeper study on the titles of Jesus, distribute copies of the “Who Was/Is Jesus?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Digging into the distinction between “meaning” and “significance” (as in lesson 11) will result in a much deeper study.
To encourage personal application:
As class wraps up, distribute copies of the “Come, Lord Jesus” exercise from the activity page as a take-home.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for August 28, 2022 here.
Turning six is a big deal. So this month when one girl in England started making out the guest list for her party, she decided to send an invitation to Prince George, the nine-year-old son of Prince William and Duchess Kate. George’s parents received the invitation and ultimately decided he wouldn’t be able to attend. However, they dictated a kind note to the birthday girl. “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were immensely touched that you should take the trouble to write,” said the response. “It really was most thoughtful of you and Their Royal Highnesses have asked me to send you their warmest thanks and best wishes.” While she didn’t get the prince at her party, the little girl did get a personalized message from the royal family, which her mother says will always be “something amazing she can keep.”
The Spirit and the bride invite everyone who hears to receive the free gift of the water of life. When the business of the fall has been tended to and the damage undone, the party that got delayed in Eden can begin, and we’re all invited.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
For cross-passage comparison, distribute copies of the “The Source of Life” exercise on the activity page, which you can download here. Have groups work to complete as indicated. After groups finish, discuss conclusions as a class.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the exercise “The Promise of Hope” from the activity page for participants to complete in pairs as indicated.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for August 21, 2022 here.
Washington, D.C., contains many pockets of financial wealth and many pockets of poverty. Two such neighborhoods are split by the Anacostia River, which is quite wide at the point where it separates the affluent Navy Yard homes from the downtrodden Ward 8 region. A highway bridge linking the neighborhoods was torn down a decade ago, but the piers and pilings were left in place. And now plans are finalizing to rebuild the bridge as an elevated park, garden, art space, and performance venue. “These communities are separated by 900 feet of water,” said Scott Kratz, one of the planners. “They have been divided for generations.” He hopes the park will bring residents from both sides together. Harriet Tregoning, former D.C.-area director of planning, agrees, calling the new bridge “a space where people who wouldn’t otherwise be in the same place would be able to mingle and do things together.”
Our passage today depicts the New Jerusalem of God, through which runs a wide street with a river flowing down the middle. Straddling this river of crystal-clear water stands the tree of life, which yields twelve crops of fruit and bears fruit every month. It’s a picture of plenty and luxurious life, and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Place in chairs (or distribute via e-mail) before learners arrive the “Gems” word-search puzzle from the activity page, which you can download here. Your early arrivers can work on this before class begins.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
For extra study on meaning and significance (and the difference between those two terms), distribute copies of the “Meaning and Significance” exercise from the activity page to your triads, to be completed as indicated. After several minutes, reconvene for whole-class discussion.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for August 14, 2022 here.
Since 1989 with Sim City, fans of computer games have been able to play civic engineer and build their own dream cities. City-building games form a genre that remains popular today. Late last month, a game called Urbek City Builder became the newest entry into the category. In the game, you pick your location and biome (seaside, desert, forest, etc.) and start building your infrastructure, power grid, transportation system, housing districts, and more. You’re limited only by terrain, money, resources, and your own imagination. Urbek brings a focus on how your city will develop on its own, so long as you provide the conditions necessary. For example, if you place several homes around a park, eventually it will become condominiums. If you’ve ever wanted to build a city the “right” way, these games will let you do so.
In today’s passage, we see the new Jerusalem descending from heaven in the glittering glory of God. The city has been designed and constructed by God, and it is both functional and gorgeous. In fact, the emphasis in John’s account of the city is all on how beautiful it is and how richly adorned it is with precious jewels of all kinds. It is from this passage that we learn that heaven has pearly gates. When we finally see the city whose architect and builder is God, we will be astonished.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
To focus on the “symbol” aspect of the first set of tasks, distribute copies of the “Words as Depictions” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Learners can work on this in study pairs, or they can use it as a note-taker as you work through the text. It should not be used for individual in-class study.
Another option for exploring symbolic language further is to distribute copies of the “Here Comes the Bride” exercise from the activity page, to be completed as above.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for August 7, 2022 here.
Steve and Andrea Ward of Mariposa County, California, were married last month under a wooden arch in the yard of what was to be their home. Shortly after their wedding, a wildfire broke out, quickly expanding to more than 15,000 acres and forcing over 6,000 residents to evacuate—including the Wards. The fire did take their home, burning it to the ground in a matter of minutes. The newlyweds were allowed to return to the site late last month, where almost everything was gone. The wooden arch had burned away, except for part of its base. “If I gotta prioritize keeping her safe versus keeping the house safe,” said Steve Ward of his new bride, “I’m gonna take her…. What was more important that was built in that … was strong bonds and a stronger love.”
The Bible concludes with an account of heaven and the glorious eternity that believers will share with the Lord. In today’s passage, the new Jerusalem descends from heaven adorned as a bride arriving at her wedding. The home the Lord will share with His beloved will never burn or fade, and every tear will be wiped away, replaced by joy.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the two exercises on the activity page, which you can download here. Do both parts of the Inductive study activity in groups.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for July 31, 2022 here.
The Russian invasion continues, and nowhere in Ukraine seems safe—not even 167 miles away from the fighting. Earlier this month, Liza Dmytriyeva, a little four-year-old girl with Down syndrome, played big-girl in a park in the city of Vinnytsia, pushing her own stroller and smiling up at her mommy in a video posted to social media. Photos from hours later show the stroller on its side, mangled and bloody, marking the spot where Liza was killed by a Russian cruise missile that destroyed the medical center nearby. The peace the world gives—assuring families that being far away from the battlefield will keep them safe—is not real peace.
On the night Jesus was to be betrayed, he promised that though he himself was going away from his disciples for a while, they would see him again. Better yet, he would come to them in the form of a helper or advocate, the Spirit of truth, so he could be in them—and they in Him—forever. The Holy Spirit brings the peace that Jesus carried inside him, and no act of war, disease, or death can ever separate those who believe in him from the peace he gives.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “(Mis) conceptions About Death” exercise on the activity page, which you can download here. Have participants work in pairs to complete as indicated. After five minutes, reconvene for whole-class sharing of insights regarding the stages of life. Do not discuss the compare/contrast with 1 Corinthians 15 at this point; save that for Into the Word.
After the above, lead into Bible study by saying, “Even though we may not want to think about it, death is a regular part of life. But that won’t always be the case. Let’s see why.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Return to the “(Mis)conceptions About Death” activity to compare and contrast the stages-of-life views of death with what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for July 24, 2022 here.
Two weeks ago, tennis star Elena Rybakina won the women’s singles final at Wimbledon. Though she was born in Russia, she moved to Kazakhstan and has been playing for them for four years. “I’m really happy representing Kazakhstan,” she said before the finals. “They believed in me.” In the final match, Rybakina, then ranked #17 in the world, gained glory by defeating #3-ranked Ons Jabeur in three sets. She again hailed Kazakhstan’s belief in her, noting that the president of their tennis federation had come to some of her matches. “It’s really a big thing,” Rybakina said. “It’s unbelievable support, which I just appreciate.”
Four days after Lazarus had been laid in his tomb, Jesus arrived at the home where Martha and Mary grieved the death of their brother. Jesus assured Martha that her brother would rise again. And while her great faith allowed her to believe in Jesus’ power to resurrect, Martha’s still believed they would find a rotting corpse if they opened Lazarus’ tomb. Jesus gently reminded her that if she believed in Him, she would see the glory of God—and after Jesus prayed, Lazarus emerged from the tomb alive.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Light and Dark” activity from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete the activity as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Light Meter” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete the activity as indicated. After no more than five minutes, have volunteers give their answers to the third question on the handout.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for July 17, 2022 here.
After a 21-year dry spell, the Colorado Avalanche NHL hockey team won the Stanley Cup last month, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. After the victory celebration on the ice, with the Avs team posing for the camera beside the big metal statue, the Stanley Cup was taken away so it could later be delivered to the home of the Avs team captain, Gabriel Landeskog. Unfortunately, the delivery team couldn’t read the street address in front of the houses and accidentally delivered it to the wrong home. “I couldn’t believe it!” said Kit Karbler, the temporary holder of the Stanley Cup. “I knew that we had Avalanche players that lived in the neighborhood, but I didn’t know how close!” After much friendly laughter and a rare photo op, the delivery team took the trophy to its rightful resting place next door.
Jesus came into the world as its light—and as the perfect representation of His Father. He brought into the family of God all those who believed Jesus had been sent by Him. He also believed that every word His Father gave Him to say led to eternal life, so He carefully delivered each one to His hearers exactly as He’d received them from God.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of “Significant Miracles” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. After 10 minutes, ask volunteers to share their findings.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Seeking God’s Power” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete the activity as indicated.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for July 10, 2022 here.
In just a few days (July 12), the very first full-color images from the new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) are scheduled to be released to the public. The telescope itself is an engineering miracle, having been folded up origami-style to fit inside its launch vehicle and then unfolded in space. But the infrared images it is set to deliver could revolutionize our understanding of the physical universe. With a clarity and magnification greater than any previous telescope, including Hubble, and with infrared’s ability to peer through stellar dust, JWST is poised to wow us with miraculous images and take its place as the greatest space telescope ever built.
A royal official from Capernaum traveled to Jesus and begged Him to come heal his son, who was dying. After challenging His listeners to believe in God without first seeing miracles, Jesus promised the father that his son would live. The man took Jesus at His word—believing in Him with no miracle already witnessed—and returned to Capernaum, where he found that his son had been healed at the hour Jesus had promised the miracle.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Word/Creator/Light” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete it individually before discussing conclusions in small groups.
Divide the class into pairs and distribute copies of the “A Witness to the Light” activity from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete as indicated. After calling time under either activity, have groups or pairs present their findings in whole class discussion.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for July 3, 2022 here.
This Fourth of July, if you go out to watch fireworks, don’t forget that this is a celebration of freedom and unity. Don’t miss the point, as some did last month in Disney World. A couple had staked out the perfect spot to watch fireworks at Cinderella Castle, but shortly before the program began, a family tried to get right in front of them. A physical altercation broke out, first between the wives and then between the husbands. With the result that the police were called and one of the women went to the hospital with a brain bleed. These couples missed the point of ending a fun day at the Happiest Place on Earth by fighting over watching fireworks.
The Son of God made the entire universe, yet when He walked among His creation, people did not honor Him. Most did not even recognize Him, and fewer still believed in Him. The Light that gives light to the world walked through the darkness, and yet He was not recognized. But some people listened to what John the Baptist said, and some observed the words and works of Jesus, and they did not let Him pass them by. Those who believed in Him received the greatest freedom imaginable.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute the “What Are You Searching For?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Allow learners one minute to individually find as many words related to today’s lesson as they can before allowing them to work in pairs for a few minutes longer. Allow time briefly to discuss the final answer together.
After the activity, say, “In today’s lesson, we will see how God turns his people’s focus in different directions to help them become oriented to who he is and who he has called them to be.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Divide the class into four small groups. Distribute to each group the “Look Around!” exercise from the activity page. Ask the groups to study and discuss the verses together, completing as directed. Then bring the class back together to discuss further.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for June 26, 2022 here.
Soccer (globally known as football) is a high-speed, sometimes violent game in which head injuries are common. There is pressure from teams, owners, and fans for injured players to continue playing. This can result in extremely serious injuries, including permanent brain damage. This month, the sport’s global governing body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), received an open letter from the Professional Footballers’ Association, prominent ex-players, and a top consultant neuropathologist urging changes. But the letter’s recommendations were rejected. “It’s disappointing to hear,” said Penny Watson, wife of former England captain Dave Watson, who now lives with dementia due to multiple concussions suffered in football, “that IFAB do not seem to listen to the suggestions and advice from those eminent people involved in the head injury debate.”
Many messages delivered through God’s prophets were calling the people back to obedience. But occasionally, a portion of the people received praise from the Lord. This week’s passage contains a message Isaiah delivered to those in Judah who pursued righteousness and heeded God’s instructions. The Lord promised to destroy those who threatened them and to turn Judah’s deserts into gardens. God knows the ones whose hearts are truly His.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Bedtime Story” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here, to be completed as directed alone or in pairs. Bring the class together and allow volunteers to read their completed stories before discussing the questions together as a class.
After the activity say, “In today’s lesson we’ll explore the promises God made to his people and how they responded.”
To encourage personal application:
Bring the original pairs from the first activity back together. Ask them to discuss what evidence of the Lord’s faithfulness and redemption they saw in the reunion they described. If none, ask them to imagine how the experience would have been different if God’s work had been more evident in that gathering. Allow volunteers to share with the class.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for June 19, 2022 here.
This month, a molecular biologist at Harvard Medical School announced success at resetting certain cells to an earlier age. Dr. David Sinclair’s lab has used special proteins to turn aging cells in mice back into stem cells, essentially reversing the ravages of time. This was done first in old mice with damaged retinas, returning their vision to levels they had in youth. Sinclair has had success with mouse muscles and brains, as well, and is working to reverse aging on a mouse’s entire body. While it will take years of further testing and analysis before any such treatment would be approved for humans, that is the future Sinclair envisions. “We’ve done it in a mouse,” he says. “There’s no reason I can think of why it shouldn’t work in a person, too.”
Though God had disciplined the children of Israel for their disobedience and idolatry, He always had their restoration in mind. Through Isaiah, the Lord declared images of reversal, such as the ruined land once again thriving and the depleted population coming to exceed the space available inside their borders. God would bring other nations to give tribute to His people, too, once more lifting up all those who put their hope in Him.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute the “Acceptance Speech” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Ask pairs to complete only the “Servant’s Speech” column for now.
After the activity, ask groups to briefly summarize their responses for the whole group. Allow time for discussion.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute one “Servant Leader” exercise from the activity page to all the learners. Give them one minute to consider the activity before pairing up. Tell them their new partner is their accountability partner for the week to encourage them to do what they have brainstormed.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for June 12, 2022 here.
On the night of May 15–16, most of the Western hemisphere and beyond were united in witnessing a total lunar eclipse. Because this happened when the moon was near its closest distance to earth (lunar perigee), the moon seemed especially large in the sky. Sunlight refracted through the earth’s atmosphere, tinging its shadow red, giving the eclipsed moon that color, and earning it the status of a “super blood moon.” People from Canada to Argentina and from California to Italy—from dozens of languages, races, and religions—stood together and watched the light of the moon go dim.
Though the children of Israel were convinced that God was theirs alone and that salvation was for the Jewish people only, that had never been God’s design. The prophet Isaiah was frustrated with the hardness of heart among the people, feeling that he had served the Lord in vain. But God’s plan was well under way to make redemption shine forth as a light to all, uniting people from every land, language, and race in Christ.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Advice in the Stars?” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Encourage class members to work in pairs to complete as indicated. Invite volunteers to share their responses with the group.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Am I Safe?” exercise on the activity page and allow the pairs to use Part 1 to help them keep track of their answers. Gather the class together to discuss their answers.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for June 5, 2022 here.
Ransomware is a crime in which hackers gain access to a victim’s computer network and demand payment to return control to the owners. Victims range from individuals all the way up to huge companies and even entire cities. Part of the agreed-upon arrangement in ransomware, says cybersecurity expert Charles Carmakal, is that hacker gangs promise to abide by the deal and not simply seize control again tomorrow or release embarrassing data even if the victim pays. But as this crime becomes more mainstream, unscrupulous hackers join in, many with no intention of honoring a deal. Carmakal says victims could pay the ransom and yet still see their data leaked. Such unreliable criminals could give hackers a bad name.
The people of Judah in Isaiah’s day had turned to magic spells and astrology to bring them good fortune and protect them from calamity. But the prophet sought to turn them back to the Lord. He delivered God’s warning that soon a disaster would come upon them that they could not dispel with their magic nor ward off with any ransom. All such protections would prove futile and unreliable in the end.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “What Kind of Fruit?” activity from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work in pairs to complete the activity as indicated.
After calling time for the activity, have each group present their findings for whole-class discussion. Use the lesson commentary to correct misconceptions regarding the Spirit’s fruit.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Read All About It!” exercise from the activity page. Have learners work in small groups to complete the activity as indicated. After 10 minutes, have each group share their findings.
End class with a prayer asking God to help each class member demonstrate the Spirit’s fruit in the coming week.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for May 29, 2022 here.
When she was 9, Melissa Gilbert played Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie. Now, at age 58, she has finally put Hollywood behind and given herself permission to age. Growing up in Tinseltown led Gilbert to pursue superficial standards of youth and beauty. Before long, she was obsessed with her weight and was going down the path of Botox and cosmetic surgery. As she says in her new book, Back to the Prairie, “I finally woke up and went, ‘What am I doing?’” She and her husband moved to the Catskills to restore an old hunting cabin and live in the country. “I’m excited about this,” she says about aging and rediscovering herself. “I love all these changes and watching what’s happening and getting to know this new person.”
Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians to remind the believers there that life in Christ meant freedom from and freedom to. Jesus had set them free from all the old behaviors they had come out of—envying, fighting, carousing, sensuality, and the rest. And He had set them free to walk in the Spirit and to enjoy the new person this allowed each one of them to become.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Love Your Neighbor” activity from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners divide into pairs and complete the activity as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Who’s My Neighbor?” exercise from the activity page. Encourage everyone to complete the activity at home, as directed, and be prepared to share their experiences with the class at the start of next week’s time.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for May 22, 2022 here.
“Just look at this,” said octogenarian Joaquin Diaz as he led the Cinco de Mayo parade in Saginaw, MI. “We needed this.” Diaz and his late wife, Cruz, founded the city’s parade in 1979. After running annually for fifty years, health concerns over COVID-19 caused the event to be cancelled for the previous two years. This year, with pandemic restrictions lightened, Diaz rode in his pickup ahead of hundreds of vehicles in the parade, delighting the thousands of people who turned out to watch. “It’s so wonderful to be out here again,” he said. “This reminds me of the good old days.”
The Apostle Paul had founded the church in Galatia on the solid rock of freedom in Jesus Christ. However, not long after he left, someone tricked the believers into surrendering their freedom and returning to the bad old days of slavery to sin and law. When the news reached Paul, he was baffled. What—short of sorcery or a smooth-talking salesman with something to gain—could convince people walking in freedom to voluntarily downgrade their lives and submit to bondage again? He urged them to resist the lie and fight for their freedom in Christ.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Divide the class into three groups. To each group distribute copies of the “What About Baptism?” exercise on the activity page, which you can download here. Have groups complete the activity as indicated. Ask a volunteer from each group to share their final definition.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Adopted to a New Life” exercise on the activity page as a take-home. As a motive to complete it, state that you will begin the next class session by reviewing volunteers’ results.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for May 15, 2022 here.
In a time when American politics is seemingly more factional than ever, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has united Americans to a refreshing degree. Early this month, results were released from an ABC/Washington Post poll about the war. A whopping seventy-six percent of Americans polled were in favor of providing even more support to Ukraine in the form of humanitarian aid. There are many factors involved here, experts say, but one reason for this show of support is Americans’ love of a heroic figure. “The image of a young and charismatic leader courageously leading his country in a time of war has also galvanized support,” said George Washington University assistant professor Michelle Kelso. She said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “is, for us, an underdog. We love the underdog in this country.”
When Judaizers from Jerusalem came to the church in Galatia, Paul was concerned that the new believers there would fall away from the grace of the free gift of salvation in Christ. He wrote to them, stressing that there are no superior/inferior divisions within humanity when it comes to Christ. Before salvation, all people are united under the condemnation of sin because of the Law. And after salvation, all those who believe in Christ are united in their freedom from bondage. Against those who want to put them again into slavery, believers must stand firm in Christ.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute the “Prayer Requests” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here, to be completed as directed. After one minute, ask volunteers to share their responses, especially to the final question.
After the activity, lead into Bible study by saying, “Life can be difficult. But Jesus offers hope in all situations. Today we’ll examine one passage that explores this idea.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute the “Patterns in God’s Will” exercise from the activity page, to be completed in pairs (or small groups) as directed. Bring the class back together after 15 minutes to discuss what they found. Supplement their answers with information from the lesson commentary as needed.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for May 8, 2022 here.
Sometime in early 2022, a bear cub in the Appalachian region of Tennessee was hit by a vehicle but survived its injuries. However, late last month, officers with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Association found the cub greatly underweight and struggling with months-old injuries. They contacted Appalachian Bear Rescue (ABR) personnel, who rushed the yearling to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinarian Medicine. However, the wounds were too severe, and the vets made the painful decision to end the cub’s suffering. “This bear was one of ours,” said an ABR spokesperson, who also commented that they’d named the cub Caledon Bear, which means tough.
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the consequences reached beyond humankind and extended to Creation itself. We still groan under sin and illness and broken relationships. The world of nature groans too, suffering under decay and fear. But because of Jesus’ incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension, all of this suffering will one day come to a positive end—not only for those who follow Christ but also for the universe He created.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute the “Romans Vocabulary Puzzle” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here, to be completed in pairs as directed. After 10 minutes, reconvene the class to discuss the concepts raised in the puzzle.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “His Resurrection and Our New Life” exercise from the activity page. Have the students complete this exercise in pairs according to the instructions. Reconvene the class to discuss.
Close in prayer, thanking God for freedom in Christ.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for May 1, 2022 here.
NBA stars CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard spent nearly nine seasons playing together with the Portland Trail Blazers. Then for this season, McCollum was traded to New Orleans, where he helped lead the Pelicans to the 2022 playoffs. For over eight years, McCollum and Lillard became close friends and adapted their play styles to enhance the strengths of the other. This year, Lillard had to watch his friend play in a different jersey. “It’s weird, man,” Lillard said. “It’s weird to see him enjoying playing with somebody else. It’s almost like a little bit of jealousy, like…man, he’s having fun playing with them.” But when the trade happened, it did make sense to Lillard. “Look at their team: They got the talent; they got the youth mixed with a little bit of experience—and you throw [CJ] into the mix, and you really got something.”
Before salvation, every person serves sin. Paul says we’re all slaves to sin outside of the Lord. But when we come to Christ, we switch teams. We switch alliances and masters, and we become available to serve Jesus instead. Paul speaks of it as a death and resurrection. New Christians are set free to offer themselves as slaves not to sin but to the risen Lord.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Divide the whole class into four groups. Distribute to each group a copy of the “Roles and Expectations” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have groups complete the activity as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute to each learner a copy of the “Word Web” activity page. Encourage everyone to complete the activity at home, as directed, and be prepared to share with the class at the start of next week’s time together.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for April 24, 2022 here.
Earlier this month, a Utah man slammed his car into a man sitting on a parked motorcycle. Surveillance video shows the car approaching and then accelerating toward the man and motorcycle. The car hits, sending the bike crashing away and the rider upside-down in the air and off the hood. Miraculously, the rider hops to his feet, mostly uninjured. But the driver leaps from the car and attacks the man. The driver fled but was soon arrested. He insisted that he believed the unarmed motorcyclist was a hitman who had been hired to assassinate him. He said he’d had a hit out on him since 2009 and decided that it was time to kill or be killed. His bondage to a fear of death caused him to try to kill an innocent man.
Jesus told some Jews who had believed in Him that they needed to be set free from their bondage, and He said He was the one who could grant their freedom. This offended them, and they made the outrageous claim that they were free and had never been slaves of anyone. Jesus primarily meant that they were slaves to sin, and yet this offended them even more. Nevertheless, He promised that they could be set free—free indeed—by the Son of God.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute the “Declaration and Command” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here, to be completed in pairs as directed.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “He Arose!” exercise from the activity page. Play a recording of the song “Up from the Grave He Arose” (available on the internet) and encourage participants to sing along with the chorus. Ask learners to jot down any words or phrases in the song lyrics that are most meaningful to them. Allow time for volunteers to share how the words are meaningful in their testimony.
Close the class by playing “Because He Lives” or another resurrection song and encouraging the class to sing along. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving to Jesus for his sacrifice and for all the reasons he has given us to overcome our fears. Ask for his help in faithfully calling others to him.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for April 17, 2022 here.
In many nations, there is a serious shortage of young women entering fields of science and engineering. An effort in Irish classrooms is seeking to help correct that through clever technology. A new phone app called Volu uses 3D holograms of female pioneers from Ireland’s scientific history to engage the interest of girls at the high school level. The scientists are depicted by actresses in full animation and sound, and their moving images can be placed into real-world scenes via the Volu app on a smart phone. It’s a versatile and innovative use of augmented reality that brings famous Irish female scientists back to life and into our modern lives. “Lots of women aren’t really into science and things,” said one female high school student. “So seeing women actually achieving that…it really helps. Because it they can do it, you can do it too.”
Early in the morning on the day of Jesus’ resurrection, two women who loved Him experienced an earthquake at the tomb and encountered a powerful angel. The angel reminded them that Jesus had predicted His death and resurrection, and he announced that it had happened as He had promised. They turned to obey the angel’s command to inform the disciples of the resurrection. As they ran, they met the risen Lord and worshipped Him. Their faith and love had been rewarded with the first revelation that Jesus had conquered death for us all.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute to pairs “The Passover Lamb” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have them complete as directed before allowing groups to share their responses.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “Remember!” exercise from the activity page. Encourage learners to complete the activity at home, as directed, and be prepared to share with the class at the start of next week’s time.
Close the class with a prayer of thanksgiving for Jesus’ sacrifice and for the meal that we still eat in his memory.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for April 10, 2022 here.
Most fast-food chains in the United States have customer loyalty programs. It’s reached the point where restaurants that don’t offer such programs “run the risk of falling behind,” according to an article by PYMNTS.com. The article, entitled “Restaurant Loyalty Holdouts Get on Board as Consumers Expect to Be Rewarded,” explains how, in March, two notable restaurant chains—Carl’s Jr. and IHOP—launched their own programs to reward frequent customers. “In today’s digital-first age,” said Chad Crawford, chief brand officer of the company that owns Carl’s Jr., “we want to reward our loyal customers in a fun and engaging way.” Only twenty percent of restaurants that allow mobile ordering do not have loyalty programs, so the holdouts may find they had better reward their frequent customers or risk losing them.
While eating His last Passover meal with His disciples, Jesus revealed that one of them would betray Him. One after another, they protested their loyalty to Jesus, saying, “Is it me, Lord? Surely it can’t be me, can it?” They were desperate to prove themselves loyal, and they longed for Jesus’ assurance that their hearts were true. We don’t know what, if anything, Jesus replied to each one. But when Judas Iscariot said, “Jesus, is it me?” Jesus responded, “You have said it yourself.” Jesus lays bare the thoughts of every person.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute the “Monarch for a Day” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Allow learners one minute to work individually before pairing up to complete the activity and discuss.
After the activity, say, “Important people often are given special treatment. Today we will look closely at a story about how Jesus chose to present himself and the way others received him.”
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “Who Is This?” exercise from the activity page to be completed according to the instructions. Encourage participants to take the exercise home this week, pray over it, and write down their responses. Also ask them to bring it back to share with the whole group next week.
Close the class by playing “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” (available on the internet) or another appropriate song. Give thanks in prayer for Jesus’ saving work on the cross.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for April 3, 2022 here.
In March, Indian legislator Bhagwant Mann won an election to become the next chief minister of the Aam Aadami Party. In a speech to his fellow victorious party members, he urged them to reject the typical behavior of other politicians in their shoes and instead remain humble. “We should not be arrogant,” he said. “You are also the [representatives] of those who did not vote for you.” Instead of moving to the regional capital and staying there, as many do, Mann encouraged them to go out to the people. “Stay in Chandigarh for the least possible time. We have to go and do work at those places where we went and asked for votes,” he said. “Go sit in villages and meet people. Have tea, speak to people about their problems, take officials with you.”
Though many in Jesus’ day longed for a Jewish military leader like David who could rally the people and drive out the Romans, this had never been God’s plan. Jesus indicated what sort of kingdom He was instituting by arriving in Jerusalem not astride a massive warhorse but on the back of the foal of a donkey. Everyone watching would be reminded of Zechariah’s prophecy that said the king who came to bring salvation would ride humbly upon the back of a donkey’s colt. Jesus had come to eliminate war and bring peace.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute the “Looking Backward/Looking Forward” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here, to pairs of participants.
When they have completed both Part A and Part B of the exercise, ask them to discuss the results as a whole class and summarize what they notice about God’s character—in both the past and the future. (Possible conclusions may be: God always provides what is needed; God’s provision is abundant and gracious; God cares about the physical well-being and prosperity of his people.)
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “Remember” activity page to each participant as a take-home to be completed as indicated.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for March 27, 2022 here.
A nighttime tornado ripped through Florida this month, tearing away a roof and wall of some apartments in Ocala. One woman was awakened by her cat acting oddly and crying from the kitchen. She got up to see what the cat’s problem was, and just when she got to the kitchen, the tornado tore away the walls and roof of her bedroom. “She moved at just the right time,” said the woman’s neighbor. “If she didn’t move, she would’ve been right there” when the tornado hit.
At the end of the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the children of Israel were instructed by God to remember how He had taken care of them. Their shoes hadn’t worn out and the feet hadn’t swelled. He had disciplined them as a loving father disciplines a child, but His intent was always to bless them. The Lord wanted them to remember His kindness when they got into the plentiful land He was about to bring them into.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Holiday Matching” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete the activity as indicated.
Lead into the Bible study by saying, “Significant moments are worth remembering and celebrating. Today we will look at a long-awaited moment in the history of God’s people, and how they responded in celebration.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Divide the whole class into small groups of two or three people. Distribute copies of the “Compare and Contrast” exercise from the activity page. Ask groups to complete the activity as indicated. After a few minutes, invite groups to share what they found.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for March 20, 2022 here.
In the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, business owner Vladislav Guristrimba awoke to explosions and missile strikes near his home. Russian missiles were bombarding Kiev’s airport, not far from the Guristrimba residence. Vladislav and his wife, Dariya, made hasty plans, and three days later they and their five children fled the fighting to meet up with Dariya’s parents. In the city of Sokryany, on the border with Moldova, Vladislav got the family to safety. But instead of joining them in the rescue, Vladislav remained in Ukraine to help other families find their way to safety. Using his resources and contacts, he arranged for the escape of others to Moldova and Poland. “I’m not going to fight,” Vladislav said, “because I’m not military. My value is as a manager. I can be a manager in a military system or a volunteer system.”
After the Jewish captives had lived so long in Babylonian exile, the new ruler—Darius of Persia—allowed them to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Under Ezra’s leadership, the Temple was rebuilt, and in the sixth year of Darius’s reign, the people dedicated the house of the Lord by celebrating Passover. Their relief and joy over how God had rescued them overflowed in seven days of celebration.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Rebuild and Redeem” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners complete the activity as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “God’s Resources” exercise from the activity page. Have learners work in pairs to complete Part 1 but work independently on Part 2. Ask learners to consider sharing their responses to Part 3 at the beginning of the next lesson. Conclude class by praying for opportunities to grow in trust of God’s faithfulness and promises.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for March 13, 2022 here.
During his six-year enslavement in Ireland, the young Briton who became known as St. Patrick was not free to worship Jesus. He served pagan masters and could not openly pray to the Lord. Though he was the son and grandson of Christian ministers in England, the young man named Maewyn Succat had not shown much interest in the things of Christ before the Irish raiders had appeared on the horizon. But over his years of hard labor in Ireland, he came to call upon Jesus with his whole heart. When he escaped and returned to England, he was finally free to worship the Lord who had saved him. It wouldn’t be long before that Lord would call young Patrick back to bring the light of life to his former captors.
After seventy years in captivity, the Jewish people were allowed to leave Babylon and return to Israel. The conqueror, King Cyrus of Persia, was perhaps keen to get all the people (and gods) of Nebuchadnezzar’s conquests to look favorably upon him and his new empire. So he was generous with freedom, supplies, and edicts to help the departing peoples go home and reinvigorate their religions. The letter he wrote to protect the returning Jewish exiles ensured they would be able to worship freely in Jerusalem and throughout Israel.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of the “Famous Projects” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have learners work individually or in pairs to complete as indicated in less than one minute.
After the activity, lead into Bible study by saying, “Today’s lesson from the Old Testament repeats itself in the New Testament in certain ways. See if you can remember passages as we go.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of Parts A and B of the “Construction Proposal” exercise from the activity page. Depending on the size and nature of your group, the questions can be discussed in small groups or as a whole class.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for March 6, 2022 here.
Four adult African lions—named Angela, Bellone, Säida, and Louga—have been returned to Africa after being part of a French traveling circus. The big cats, all born in captivity, were removed from the circus in 2018 and looked after by experts. They were set to be transported in 2019 to a sanctuary in South Africa by Born Free, an international wildlife charity. Then COVID-19 hit, and the plans were put on hold. But last month, the lions finally stepped onto African soil. “Lions in lockdown have had a long arduous journey,” said Catherine Gilson, Manager of Shamwari Private Game Reserve, “but [these lions] are settling in so well [with their other lions]. We have just seen them all under a tree together in the shade sheltering from heat here, which is a great relief for us.”
After the Babylonian Captivity, any Jewish captives who wished to return to Israel were allowed to do so by the new king, Cyrus of Persia. He issued a decree that his own citizens should provide the returning exiles with silver, gold, and livestock. Moreover, Cyrus returned to the exiles thousands of gold and silver items that had been pillaged from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. Cyrus instructed the exiles to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and more than 40,000 Jewish people accepted the offer and went back to their homeland.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To begin the session:
Distribute copies of Image 1 of the “New Perspective” exercise on the activity page, which you can download here. Have participants guess what it depicts (answer: grain of sand). Then distribute copies of Image 2 and let participants know that the subject matter is the same thing. Finally, distribute copies of Image 3 and pose the following two questions to the whole group. (Do not state both questions together; allow responses to the first question before posing the second.)
Invite participants to give other examples of things (or experiences) that become clearer as one “zooms out” or see the bigger picture.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute the “A Sincere Prayer” exercise from the activity page for learners to complete in study pairs.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for February 27, 2022 here.
During the recently concluded Winter Olympics in Beijing, five female Japanese ski jumpers were disqualified because of their uniforms. The thigh portions of the team’s suits were found to fit 2cm too loosely, which could give an aerodynamic advantage. “I am very sorry that the chance of winning a medal has been taken away from the Japanese team,” said ski jumper Sara Takanashi. “It is an undeniable fact that my disqualification changed everyone’s lives. Even if I apologize, the [chance for a] medal will not be returned.”
While Job was challenged by his friends and wife to accept their sometimes-false views of God, he stood firm and maintained his innocence. However, he did finally complain to God that he had been treated unfairly. The Lord reminded Job that God is the Almighty One and Job is a mere human. Thus returned to his proper reverence and fear of the Lord, Job humbled himself and repented in dust and ashes, and God again blessed him bountifully.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Form learners into study pairs and announce a closed-Bible pop quiz. Distribute copies of the “Fact-Check the Speech” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Allow a few minutes for the pairs to complete as directed. When pairs are finished, have them score their own work.
For a deeper study of defective beliefs that Christians sometimes embrace, distribute copies of the “Say What?” exercise from the activity page. Form learners into study pairs or triads to complete it as indicated. After subsequent whole-class discussion, ask if participants have more entries for the list.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for February 20, 2022 here.
“In deeply patriarchal conservative societies, women have been the victims of inequality since time immemorial.” So said a female writer named Kabir in The Kashmir Observer. She wrote in response to an acid attack this month. In Hawal, a city near the northern tip of India, a man asked a 24-year-old woman to marry him. She declined his offer, so he and two others tracked her down and splashed acid on her face. According to a hospital official, “Nine percent of her face has been completely burned.” Kabir criticized the patriarchal tendency of blaming the victim for angering or humiliating the man. Such attacks by males in her culture can be explained, she says, “by how men see any attack on their power as an opportunity to resist through inflicting punishment on the opposite gender.”
As Job lay on the ashes mourning the tragic death of his children, his friend Bildad informed him that the children were obviously killed because of their sins against God. He seems to be chiding Job for his sadness, and possibly rebuking him as a father…because if he and his children had done the right thing, none of this would’ve happened.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Have someone read Ezra 7:23-26 aloud. Use the “Job Description” handout from the activity page of lesson 8, which you can download here. Ask what challenges and rewards Ezra might have experienced.
To encourage personal application:
Read aloud Nehemiah 8:1-6 to show the response to Ezra’s teaching. Distribute copies of “The Effects of God’s Word” and/or “Looking Forward” exercises from the activity page as take-homes.
Download “In the World” for February 13, 2022 here.
Diabetics and others wanting to cut down on sugar may look on Valentine’s Day with dread. But confectioners have made great strides in recent years to provide delicious treats that have low or zero impact on glucose levels. This Valentine’s Day, you can choose sugar-free gummy bears, zero sugar Reese’s peanut butter cups, sugar-free Jolly Ranchers, and more. But you can still get sick to your stomach eating too much candy, even if it’s sugar-free. Viola Holmes, associate director of nutrition science and health care for the American Diabetes Association, says this is because of the sugar alcohols sometimes used to sweeten these treats. “You should still practice some form of portion control,” Holmes says, “because some sugar alcohols, like sorbitol, for instance, can cause abdominal discomfort.”
At the end of the Babylonian Exile, Ezra led a group of priests, Levites, and other religious workers back to Jerusalem to revive the Temple. The Bible indicates that Ezra had devoted his life to the study and observance of the guidelines included in God’s Law, a factor that may have led directly to the Lord’s hand being on him so firmly. God grants favor to those who serve Him wholeheartedly.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute to study pairs copies of the “Saul vis-á-vis David” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Instruct learners to compare and contrast the two accounts as they complete the exercise as indicated.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Psalm 51” exercise from the activity page, which you can download, to be completed as a take-home.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for February 6, 2022 here.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a challenge to his leadership after reports of a series of parties he or his staff hosted during strict COVID-19 lockdown rules. While Britons abode by rules to not gather with more than one person outside their household—voluntarily being cut off from family and friends—Johnson and his guests were drinking, dancing, and partying until all hours. The night before Queen Elizabeth’s husband’s funeral, a party at the prime minister’s residence went until midnight. The next day, the queen sat alone at the funeral, obeying the social distancing rules. Many reported Johnson’s string of rule-breaking gatherings, and calls for Johnson’s firing increased rapidly.
Though God had given King David the throne and great wealth and power, David nevertheless sinned with Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, killed. Though his sin remained a secret from most in his kingdom, it was not hidden from the eyes of the Lord. God sent the prophet Nathan to David with a brilliant parable that showed David the horrible evil of his crime … and cut him to the quick. David repented, and God relented in some of His punishment, but both Uriah and Bathsheba’s son died as a result of David’s actions. Nathan’s courage in obeying God to call out a king saved David and the kingdom from greater consequences.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Color Coding” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here, as a take-home activity. To encourage completion, promise to discuss results and insights gained at the beginning of next week’s class.
Distribute copies of the “Examples to Follow” exercise as a take-home activity. To encourage completion, say that you will ask for volunteers next week to share how this exercise challenged or inspired them. Promise also to discuss how the class as a whole can respond in a practical way.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for January 30, 2022 here.
The state government of Rajasthan, India, has provided benefits for its poorest citizens during the pandemic. They have paid benefits to more than 14,000 orphans and widows of COVID-19. The expenditures, which began in June of last year, have exceeded one billion rupees (nearly $14 million USD). The government has provided both one-time and monthly payments to these orphans, promising to continue until they reach the age of 18. Free education through grade 12 has been provided to these children, along with a monthly pension for the widows. Help is also available to the homeless of the state, as well, including those out in the villages. “As [many] such people are unaware about the facilities including free stay, free food and medical aid,” said judge Dinesh Kumar Gupta, “we will create awareness about the program and its benefits.”
Landowners and farmers in Old Testament Israel were instructed to provide for the poorest among them, as well. Their fields weren’t to be scrupulously reaped, nor were their orchards to be utterly harvested. The extras were to be left for the poor, including widows, orphans, and those not even from among God’s people. Generosity was built right in to their daily rhythms.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Job Description” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Allow groups of three to four to work through the activity as directed. After 10 minutes or so, have groups compare and contrast their documents in the ensuing whole-class discussion.
To encourage personal application:
If you used the “Job Description” exercise above, distribute copies of the “Personal Statement” exercise from the activity page as a take-home. To encourage its completion, state that you will call for results at the beginning of the next class session.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for January 23, 2022 here.
Neighborhoods in Scottsdale, Arizona, just got a little quieter, thanks to a new ordinance. It used to be that neighbors could do very little about loud parties outside homes occupied by short-term renters. The new ordinance requires that the property owners furnish police with an emergency contact number. If the police serve a notice and no one has corrected the problem within an hour, the owners receive a fine of $750. And on each subsequent offense, the fine goes up, reaching nearly $2,500 for a fourth offense. “We just want them [renters] to have a good time and enjoy themselves,” says Scottsdale police sergeant Kevin Quon, “while still respecting the neighborly type of feel that we grow to expect in Scottsdale.”
As God’s people wandered in the wilderness under Moses, they too had people who tended to disregard laws and legal decisions handed down by judges chosen by the Lord. The judges were under strict instructions to pursue justice faithfully, rejecting bribes and other perversions of justice. But if anyone showed contempt for the judge God had chosen, he was to be put to death to send a message to the rest of Israel not to be contemptuous again.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Divide the whole group into small groups of two or three. Distribute copies of the “To Do or Not to Do” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have all groups complete the entire activity and then compare results. (Alternative. Assign each group a section of the activity to complete.) Share results in the ensuing whole-class discussion.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Who Is My Neighbor?” exercise from the activity page. Spend a few minutes in group discussion clarifying the categories. Challenge participants to take the page home to reflect on and respond to during the week. State that participants should be prepared to discuss the results of this activity during the next class session.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for January 16, 2022 here.
Today, peer pressure among young people often takes the form of “challenges” issued on Tik-Tok and other social media platforms. There have been challenges to eat laundry detergent pods, steal large items from school bathrooms, style one’s hair using gorilla glue, and strangle oneself within an inch of death. A recent example is the “dry scoop challenge,” which involves eating energy drink powder without first adding water. This has been linked to at least one heart attack, and doctors are adamant against it. Still, children and teens try it in hopes of gaining affirmation from peers. “Kids are biologically built to become much more susceptible to peers in adolescence,” said Mitchell Prinstein, of the American Psychological Association. “And social media has magnified those peer influence processes to be much, much more dangerous than they were before…. These kids are being influenced at a level that’s beyond their conscious awareness.”
Today’s passage involves matters of justice among the Israelites during Moses’ leadership. When the majority favored one side over the other, others were inclined to side with that group regardless of guilt or innocence. God commanded them not to pervert justice for any reason, and certainly not to fit in with peers.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
www.standardlesson.com/category/in-the-world
Copyright © 2022 by Standard Publishing, part of the David C Cook family.
All rights reserved. Each download is for the use of one church only.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Have participants choose a partner as you distribute copies of the “Relationship Dynamics” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. After pairs complete the exercise, reconvene for whole-class discussion.
For deeper study and possible input for the exercise above, distribute copies of the “Hagar and God” exercise from the activity page to complete together. Allow time for whole-group discussion and insights.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for January 9, 2022 here.
This past fall, Danielle Obisie-Orlu was named Youth Poet Laureate of Allegheny County (Pennsylvania). The University of Pittsburgh junior was born in Washington, D.C., to Nigerian parents, and she was raised mainly in South Africa. She has always felt like something of an outcast, and this comes through in her poetry, including “Poem for the Expat,” which won her the title of Youth Poet Laureate. “My personal experiences of growing up as a dark-skinned Black woman in South Africa and the U.S. have really shaped how I hold myself.” Her passion to build bridges across cultural and racial divides is summed up in the African concept of ubuntu. “Ubuntu … [is] an approach to life that’s about valuing human dignity in one another,” she explains. It is the quest to “get to a place where I can say, ‘I recognize my humanity within you.’”
When Sarah had her son, Isaac, by Abraham, she wanted to be rid of Hagar and Ishmael. She urged Abraham to get rid of them, but Abraham was distressed by the idea. God assured him that He would not only protect the child but raise him up into a great nation. When the baby cried from thirst in the desert, the angel of God called out to Hagar, guided her to a well, and saved the lives of the outcasts.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
www.standardlesson.com/category/in-the-world
Copyright © 2022 by Standard Publishing, part of the David C Cook family.
All rights reserved. Each download is for the use of one church only.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Distribute copies of the “Crossroads” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have students work in groups of two or three to complete as directed. After a few minutes, reconvene for whole-class discussion of conclusions.
To encourage personal application:
Distribute copies of the “Anger Two Ways” exercise from the activity page as a take-home. Suggest that some volunteers come to the next class prepared to share what they learned through this activity.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for January 2, 2022 here.
“That must’ve been so hard on your parents.” That’s a phrase often heard by the siblings of someone who has died, especially if the person died young. The grief of the brothers or sisters is sometimes considered less important or painful, explained UK therapist Jennifer Park. The grieving siblings can even take “on the role of helping out, making sure other people are okay, so their own grief gets lost.” Three sisters who lost their fourth sister in adulthood found little help for sibling grief, so they decided to do something about it. “We wanted to change the landscape of sibling loss,” said Maeveen Brown. “We launched Sibling Grief Club to provide an online resource and community that adult siblings could utilize, so they never have to feel alone in their grief again.” Brown said they have found that the amount of grief isn’t determined by the age of the person who died but by the love the sibling had for that person. “If you love hard, you will grieve hard.”
Today’s passage concerns the first murder in the history of humanity. Cain killed his brother, Abel, because he could not master the anger that was roused when God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and not Cain’s. Not only did Cain kill his brother, he lied—and expressed defiance about it—to God. God’s judgment on Cain was severe, but even then, the Lord was merciful to the sinner.
These videos and materials are for your personal use. If you show videos in class, be sure to have the necessary rights to do so.
www.standardlesson.com/category/in-the-world
Copyright © 2022 by Standard Publishing, part of the David C Cook family.
All rights reserved. Each download is for the use of one church only.
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
distribute instead copies of the “Our Just God” exercise from the activity page, which you can download here. Have students complete the exercise in their groups. Discuss results. The “Good News” exercise from the activity page can be used after either alternative for expanded consideration.
To encourage personal application:
Ask students to use the blank side of one of the handouts to write a commitment prayer about living for God in the new year. Direct them to consider words, phrases, and ideas from today’s text. State that you will offer opportunities for sharing results with the class as a whole, but you will not put any on the spot to do so. Offer that opportunity after no more than one minute to jot down thoughts for their individual prayers.
Close the class with sentence prayers, led by volunteers (possibly recruited in advance) to voice specific individuals (named or unnamed) who need to hear the message of justice (wrath to come) alongside the message of restoration offered through Christ (forgiveness). You as teacher can offer the last of the prayers to wrap up.
Note: Whenever you distribute copies of anything, use hard-copy (paper) handouts for those physically present and e-copies for those joining online via Zoom, etc.
Tip: For a tutorial on how to use Zoom breakouts, go here. For many other Zoom tutorials, see here. A key to using Zoom effectively without fumbling is to practice ahead of time!
Download “In the World” for December 26, 2021 here.