BY VBS Fox meadows day 1

· GATHER · THE TEAM · Hold up a pair of soccer cleats.

· Ask the children why they think soccer players · wear these kinds of shoes when they play? · (Answers may include: they help the player stop quickly when he or she is running in the grass, theyprotect the feet while the player kicks the ball, they keep the players' feet warm and dry, etc.) · Ask the students to look at their shoes anddescribe some ways that their shoes help them. · (Answers may include: keep feet warm and dry, keep socks clean, protect feet from sharp objects on the ground, etc.) · Explain that today we are going to learn about a special kind of spiritual shoe. · A shoe that can help us spread the Gospel of Peace! · Gather the children together and have them · . Acts 8:26-39 · Spend a few minutes talking about the soccer game and the skills the athletes need for soccer.off · Ask them to identify what it takes to become all-star soccer players? (They may respond with ideas such as these: lots of practice, disciplined training, following the rules, and so forth) · Help them understand that all these are important, but all-star champions always use the right gear for the game. · Having the right equipment is an important part of being a champion at any sport. · The same is true for God's champions. · To be a champion on God's team also requires the right · equipment. · Explain that the Bible tells us that God provides the right gear needed to be His champions-to successfully live the Christian life. · See if the Athletes can tell you what God's "gear" is called. (The Armor of God) · After having talked about how important footwork is to soccer and how important good shoes are for running and kicking, turn the discussion to God's gear. · See if anyone remembers the piece of God's equipment that · today's lesson is about. · (The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace). · Then ask if anyone can figure out what they would do with these shoes. · Be sure that they understand that the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace are to help them carry the good news about Jesus everywhere they go! · That's something God's champions do--they tell others about Jesus and what it means to be on His team. · "As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of · them that preach the gospel of peace, and · bring glad tidings of good things!" · -Romans 10:15 · Display a copy of today's Key Verse and ask everyone to read it together. - Can you think of a time when someone brought you good news that made you very happy? · What was the news? · How did you feel about the person who brought the news? - How does this fit with the Story of Philip? - What do you think this verse means? · share the meaning of this verse with the Athletes. · Conclude with the idea that the Apostle Paul, who · wrote this verse, believed the greatest good news anyone could give to another is that a person can know Jesus personally and can · ask Him to be part of his or her life. · Explain that as Athletes wanting to become God's all-star champions, the same is true for us today. · God still wants us to take the Good News everywhere we go-the news that Jesus loves us and wants to be part of our lives. · And God gives us help to do what He wants! · He gives us "Shoes" of the Gospel of Peace as part of our gear when we join His team.