Jesus taught us that we must all become like children to receive the Kingdom of Heaven and that He places great value on the salvation of children/youth. (Matthew 18:1-14).

We believe God is raising up a Gideon’s army of young people for the end time harvest.

We believe according to Scripture, (Judges 16:26, Matthew 2:2-7,) that young people will play a major role in ushering in the last great revival and our soon coming King Jesus.

With this in mind we feel that it is essential to develop not only the gifts of the Spirit but the fruit of the Spirit and that has resulted in the development of this series to develop character.

Most of our African teachers will have been trained in Kids In Ministry International (KIMI) and so this curriculum has been designed to follow the KIMI core values and pattern of ministry. Which although initially created for little children has been adapted to be used with youth, 11 to 13 year olds. There is also an amended version for the 14 plus.

The three core values of KIMI are:

1. To give children/youth the meat of the word (same as the adults but at their level)

2. To train children/youth with the intention to see them ministering to others

3. To bring children/youth into the presence of the Lord in each meeting where they learn to recognize His voice and obey it by using the spiritual gifts He has given to them.

THE TABERNACLE PRINCIPAL:
God gave Moses, as he was leading the Israelites in the wilderness, a principal for approaching Him.

A. Beginning in the Outer Court for all to meet God at their own level using different social fun activities.

B. Continuing to the Inner Court to come in corporate fellowship, praise, worship, prayer and teaching the Word of God.

C. Ending in the Holy of Holies where God would meet one-on-one with a person at that time the High Priest. Now through the Blood of Jesus we each have access to the Throne room of God.

Download 'How to use this Curriculum' Download this Teacher Training PowerPoint to assist you in introducing this series to your teachers. The PowerPoint covers the principles of ministry and a short introduction to each session.

MINISTRY PATTERN DETAILS:

Step 1: An Opening or Greeting Game
This brings the teenager’s attention from outside of the meeting to inside. Late arrivals will not miss anything important only a bit of fun.

We want to bring the teenagers into the Presence of God to be Kingdom citizens we want them filled with JOY. The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17)

Step 2: Active Competitive ‘Team’ Games
Team games unite teenagers at their maturity level. They develop deep friendships and trust amounts the team and give a sense of belonging to a group, a Church, a club etc.
Hearts get filled with joy, laughter and cheer as youth establish relationships, built through interaction. Teens enjoy friendly competition, everywhere around the world even big children love to play games! With laughter and shouting hearts become opened and receptive for His Word.

Step 3: Active Praise Choruses
Use fast, rhythmic praise songs and action chorus with words that the teens can follow.
Use hand and foot and body motions if applicable
Songs can include scripture verses. Praise bring the youth into the first stage of God’s presence
We open a way for youth to disengage their hearts from this world and begin to engage with God’s Spirit. By singing and dancing their kind of songs we enter into the culture of the youth of our day.
Letting them know they are valuable and we accept them and they have an active part to play in church life. Active Praise gives them an outlet to release tension, forget for a time the stresses that they may find themselves in at home, school, on the streets, from their peers. It blocks out distracting thoughts that might hinder the delivery of the Word.

Different Levels of Worship

A. Praise
1. To bless, to declare, and to express approval
2. To stretch out your hand when somebody do something well
3. To praise God for what He has done.

B. Worship
1. Is more intimate.
2. Is pouring out love to God for who He is. Words to describe worship are “respect”, “honor” “adore”.

Step 4: Intimate Worship Songs

Begin to slow things down so their spirits will begin to connect with God’s Spirit – it is transitioning from praise to worship in preparation for receiving the word of God.
(Allow no gap in time between sections of the meeting.)
As each step concludes, move the youth quickly into the next step, allow no time for distractions

Step 5: Teaching the Lesson

1. Review: The beginning of the lesson will be a Review. Have specific questions written down from last lesson. It is more to see how well you taught. (If you taught well, they will remember well.)

2. Learn the Memory Verse: The next step of the lesson is teaching the Bible verse. Teach them in a fun memorable way, use Visual Aids.

3. Teach the lesson: Your lesson should be simple, but convey a Spiritual truth.
Use many object lessons. Don’t stand for any length of time without something in your hand to help their minds grasp what you are telling them. Teaching is showing for young children and many visual teens. Many visual aids have been provided with this curriculum. Do not talk down to the youth. Target your teaching style to the oldest ones in the group, the younger ones will come up to it!

This curriculum includes an audio Faithbuilders Teaching by Pastor Jerry Dirmann, (Founder of Operation Solid Lives) with Teachers Notes/Handout. Each audio session comes with a PowerPoint to assist the teacher to keep the attention of the class.

These audios have been split into two sessions for the younger youth 11 - 14 years, resulting in two half hour teachings with PowerPoints to catch their attention.

All Bible verses are written out in case any of the youth do not have a Bible, Memory Verse cards are photocopied and issued to each child on departure to take home as well as their SOAP printouts.

CLICK to download the SOAP's (Seven per week) to be used in this Level 1 series

Step 6: Activation / Encountering God

At the end of your teaching, it gives you an opportunity to lead your youth into the “Encounter Time”

It is the time for God to seal His Word in them through the Holy Spirit
Experiencing and responding to God is the end goal of each meeting. It is on purpose and deliberate and MUST be in each meeting
It is not enough for them to receive information.
Truth becomes a part of us as we yield to God.
Let the Lord confirm the type of alter time encounter that will meet the needs of these particular young people.
Before coming to your meeting you will have prayed over this important ministry time and have a general idea of the results that you want to see
Considerations: What do these youth need to experience to help the through today’s problems?

Prayer: Always ensure that your team has had a corporate time of prayer prior to the teaching.

End all sessions with a time of prayer. Encourage the youth to pray for one another.

ACTIVITIES:
Time can be allocated for activities such as crafts, crosswords, word-searches and quizzes.

Take Home: Each youth will be given their Memory Bible Verse in the form or a small tack. Encourage them to stick it somewhere at home/schoool where they will see it regularly to assist them with memorizing the Bible verse.