The Fruit of the Spirit

Love

Galatians 5:22 & 23

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy , peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against this there is no law".

"When a person accepts Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live in their heart. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit produces Christian virtues in the believer's life. These virtues are the fruit of the Spirit and we become more Christ-like. We will exhibit the fruit whether we are aware of it or not, it happens completely through the work of the Holy Spirit. We can't produce fruit by our own effort, it comes from God's presence and interaction in our lives."

Offner, Hazel. Fruit of the Spirit. Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity Press, 1987

Objective: The objective of "The Zoo" Children's Ministry is to reach kids with the Gospel message and to teach them about God's love and how to live as Christians in today's world.

The purpose of this particular series is to present salvation and explain that when they make a decision for Christ the Holy Spirit will live in their hearts. They can have the fruit of the Spirit begin to show in their lives.

Themes: We have chosen to divide the fruit of the Spirit into sets of three. With each set there will be a different theme. All props and stories will teach the lesson but incorporate the theme.

Jungle Theme

Preparation: The theme is "Jungle Days". In order to create this atmosphere props and costumes can be used. The volunteers or teachers are encouraged to wear safari outfits. All of the puppets used are jungle animals or safari characters. The puppet stage can be decorated with vines and palm trees. Use you imagination!

Lesson One - Love

1 Cor 13:8

The lessons always follow the same format. The activities vary but the order of the program remains consistent.

Opening Skit (introduces the topic)

The puppet, a small monkey named "Chatty" is interacting with the "Safari" leader who is in front of the kids.

Chatty - appears making monkey noises quite loudly

Leader - "Oh hi Chatty. Glad to see you"

Chatty - says hi between monkey noises

Leader - "Well, Chatty, I see you brought something with you".

Chatty - "mmm... I love bananas ... mmm"

Leader - "You love bananas?"

Chatty - "I absolutely love bananas."

Leader - "Don't you mean you like bananas?"

Chatty - "No I love bananas."

Leader - "I really think you mean like. Love is different. We use that word when we talk about lots of things... I love trucks, I love basketball or I love ice cream. We should be using the word like. Love is something stronger and it never changes. What if I gave you this banana, Chatty?"

Chatty - "Oh thank you, thank you! (very excited) I love bananas. (starts eating and begins to cough) Oh, blaah... it's rotten oh no I hate bananas. That wasn't very nice."

Leader - "Chatty, I was just trying to show you the difference between love and like. Love is something that never changes. You were quick to change your mind about bananas when you found one you didn't like. I love my family and that doesn't change even when I don't like what they do. That is how God's love is. He loves us all the time and never stops.

Rules

At this point the rules are explained to the children. Rules that will apply to any situation:

(a) Raise your hand before you speak (No talking)
(b) Treat your neighbour with kindness and respect ( No fighting)

Prayer

Dedicate your time together to God's purpose

Singing

Games - All have a Jungle Theme

Coconut Relay

Select team one - four boys and team two - four girls. They will run the race in pairs. Partners line up back to back. Place a coconut ( you may want to use a ball that is painted to look like a coconut. A coconut would hurt if it fell on someone's feet) between their backs. The pair will run from the start line to the opposite end without dropping the coconut. When they arrive they will do the "jungle dance" for twenty seconds and then leap frog back to the starting line where they will tag their team members who will repeat the same process. (the jungle dance - is using a hula hoop with vines on it)

Jungle Bug Squash

Select two boys and two girls. This is a balloon breaking game. The child will be given a balloon with a bug drawn on it and they will take it at the starting line. The child will run to a chair carrying the "bug". The child will sit on the balloon and pop it. When it pops they will run back to their team. The next child will repeat the procedure. Use six balloons.

Memory Verse

In the form of a skit. Provided is an outline of the skit. It will have to be memorized and ad-libbed. Just remember the idea of the conversation so that it can be put together. You can interact with the puppet.

- the verse will be written out on bristol board.

Verse: "Love never ends" 1 Cor. 13:8

The puppet Einstein, the conceited elephant. The elephant who never forgets or so he says. He obviously is unable to remember or learn it quickly. Skit - Have someone hold the memory verse up and interact with the puppet.

Leader: Ok, everyone it's time for today's memory verse, we are going to teach our friend Einstein the verse, you guys can help. Let's read it once together. Oh, look here comes Einstein the elephant.

Einstein: Hello, allow me to introduce myself, I am Einstein. I am an elephant and as you probably know elephants are the smartest animals in the zoo. That is because elephants absolutely never forget. I can remember anything, just ask me.

Leader: All right Einstein, let's see if you can remember today's verse. Kids let's read it to him once and see if he can remember.

Einstein: hmmmmm, Ok, give me a second now... well let me see, it was... "Glove never ends" 1st Corinthians 13:8. See I told you I could do it. Elephants are extremely intelligent you know.

Leader: Kids was that right....No....let's see if we can tell Einstein without reading it. 1 2 3 (verse) Excellent! Try again Einstein.

Einstein: This time I'll get it... It is ... Oh love never friends. 1st Corinthians 13:8. See I did it.

Leader: Not quite, but that was closer. Tell him again kids. Ok Einstein try again.

Einstein: I finally got it. "love never ends". 1 Cor. 13:8. See I told you elephants never forget. Let's say it again.

Object lesson

Story

We have used a variety of methods to tell stories. This particular story was told by a special guest and pictures drawn on bristol board were used to provide visual effects.

The Mouse and the Lion

Newsbreak: woman enters dressed in press clothes - "Good afternoon, welcome to WZOO News. Today we bring you a special news report. We have flown Safari Jim in from the jungle to tell us his exciting story". (He enters)

Woman: Good afternoon, Safari Jim. We are pleased to have you here today. Tell us about your exciting adventures.

Safari Jim: Well, as you know I am Safari Jim famous jungle explorer. I have been taking pictures of exotic animals deep in the heart of the jungle for the past 15 years. I have been in dangerous situations many times but fortunately I always have my trusty camera to record the events. I had an exciting week last week....

I had travelled for about 2 weeks through dense jungle. The bugs were eating me alive but I didn't care. I was looking for an exotic animal, the Rodentias Christianas mouse. This mouse is very rare but last week as I was crawling through the bushes on my hands and knees I came across this mouse. I brought along a picture to share with you. I watched the mouse and before I knew it, he was caught by a huge hairy lion. The lion looked really mean. He had huge pointy teeth. He growled ferociously. I thought Oh, now the mouse is in trouble. The mouse began to plead with the lion...." Please, please Mr. Lion, let me go, I promise I'll repay you." The lion laughed... He said "what can a little mouse like you do for a big lion like me?" "Well", squeaked the mouse, "I promise I'll help you whenever I can." The lion fell into fits of laughter and let the mouse go. I continued to watch the mouse for about a week. During that time the mouse and the lion became friends. Then one night I was lying in my tent fast asleep when I was awakened by a huge roar. My sleeping bag shook and I sat straight up in bed. The lion was roaring and yelling for help. I grabbed my camera and ran toward the sound. There was the lion high up in a tree caught in a net. He was struggling and roaring. Suddenly, the little mouse appeared, the lion must have woke him up too. "Help", the lion yelled. "Little mouse, run and find some help. Please go get someone who can help me!" The mouse looked at the lion and said. "Don't worry, I can save you." The mouse then chewed a hole in the net and the lion was free. Wow I couldn't believe it. I ran over to the mouse to ask him why he would help a ferocious lion. The mouse explained... "I belong to a very special family of mice. We are Christian mice. Do you know what that means?" , he asked. I said no. He explained that he had asked Jesus to live in his heart and Jesus taught him about real love. That kind of love is committed love it makes me do my best to love everyone even a big scary lion.

Copyright 1996, Bread of Life Ministries