It’s the third day of launch week for KidMin Mama. I’ve enjoyed putting each day’s post together. At the end of each week, I will update the resource file with all the new material that’s been posted. Today I’m excited to focus on my grade school crew! Currently, our kid’s ministry is focusing on the Armor of God with a different piece of armor each week. So for the next several Wednesdays I’ll be posting the lesson and small group activities we’ve been doing.

Our kids have really loved the Armor of God series and since I’m writing the lessons each week I can tailor it to the needs of our group. You’ll find five parts to each lesson:

1. Welcome question: This is a question asked before large group begins. It can be written and answered on butcher paper or a whiteboard.
2. Large Group Lesson: A 15-20 minute lesson using visuals and situational examples.
3. Small Group Discussion: A list of questions and conversation starters to recap and review the lesson.
4. Bible Challenge Activity: A hands-on approach to learning the weekly memory verse.
5. Memory Verse Cards: Printable cards to be passed out at the end of the hour.

When I wrote this lesson I borrowed a couple of ideas from http://ministry-to-children.com/win-against-sin/ and their Belt of Truth lesson. This is a great website for getting lesson ideas and it’s all free! I hope you enjoy this lesson. All printable files will be at the bottom of this post. (this post contains affiliate links) 

Armor of God Introduction & Belt of Truth

Ephesians 6:10-18

Welcome Question

The welcome question can be written on butcher paper or a white board and children can answer prior to the Bible lesson starting. 

“What are true things you know about God?”

Introduction

Good Morning! For the next several weeks we are going to be talking about the Armor of God. Back in New Testament times, soldiers wore specific pieces of armor to protect and help them in battle. We need the Armor of God to protect us and help us everyday in this battle versus sin. Let’s read Ephesians 6:10-18 and hear all about this armor.

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication

Whoa! That’s a lot of armor. Now are these real pieces of armor? Can I buy a helmet of salvation at Target? No! Just like the FRUIT of the spirit aren’t real fruit, neither is the armor of God. When Paul wrote this, he wanted us to go out everyday like we were going into a battle, so that we would be 100% ready! Just like we put on clothes each day, God wants us to put on these Biblical truths. Why? It says it in verses 10 & 11:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

Large Group Lesson

Let’s look back at that first piece of armor, “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth” Our armor focus this week is the belt of truth! So what is the belt of truth? I know what a regular belt is…it holds up my pants. But the belt of truth in the Armor of God is like a tool belt, it’s where we store all our knowledge of God.

Video Option: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz0sUsareG0

Illustration idea: use an actual tool belt armed with truths about God.

Welcome Question Review:

Today our welcome question is, “What are true things you know about God?”. Review the answers the kids gave and ask for other answers if need be.

• Jesus Christ is God.  
• God loves us so much that he sent his Son to die for us.  
• We are all sinners and we all need salvation, which only comes from Jesus.  
• All we have to do to be forgiven of our sins is say sorry to God, love him, and try to do what he tells us to do in the Bible.
• Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

The armor of God, and especially the belt of truth, is important because we are battling against sin everyday. What is sin? Sin is all the bad stuff we do that separates us from God. Who wants to be separated from God? Not  me! Even when we follow Jesus, satan still wants us to sin and mess up. It can be hard to make the right choices. It can be something kind of like this…

Emperor’s New Groove clip: https://youtu.be/Fv-sKP17xTw

When we put on the belt of truth, that means we learn about the truth of God and we keep it close to us, like we wear a belt close to our bodies. If we wear a belt loose, what happens? It falls down or our pants fall down. How many of you have seen construction workers wear a tool belt?  Everything that worker needs is on that belt. If he’s climbing up a tall ladder to work, he doesn’t have to keep going up and down because all his tools are on his belt.  Everything we ever need to know to fight against sin is the Truth, and we wear the Truth tight around us, ready with whatever we need just like a construction worker.

We also want to learn all about God’s word, just like we do in Kid’s Church so that we can be sure to make the right choices. Psalm 119:10-11 says “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  We have to store these truths with us and we learn these truths by learning about God’s word. It is through the biggest truth of the Bible that we can win against sin and that is through Jesus Christ. He is the only way we can defeat sin. John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Closing

It is important each day to be wearing our belt of truth. We will be tempted to sin, but we always want to choose to follow God and live our lives in truth. It is important that we store God’s word in our hearts, so we will live for Him each day.

Pray & Dismiss to Small Groups.

Small Group Questions: Belt of Truth

Please take to introduce yourself to your small group and ask the children’s names.

True or False Game (you might need to explain what “False” means to our little friends)

1. Penguins live in the Amazon. (False)
2. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. (True)
3. Birds live underwater. (False)
4. Genesis is the first book in the Bible. (True)
5. Moses built the ark. (False)
6. It took God a month to create the Universe. (False)
7. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world.  (True)
8. It always snows in the summer. (False)
9. Halloween is when we celebrate the birth of Christ. (False)
10. Grass is green. (True)
11. Jesus isn’t the only way to get to Heaven. (False)
12. True or false: Libraries are where you buy groceries. (False)
13. True or false: Disney characters Pluto and Goofy are both dogs. (True)

Discussion Questions:

• What was the piece of armor we learned about today? The belt of truth
• How do we use the belt of truth? We keep the truths of God close to us.
• What if we don’t keep the belt of truth one us? What could happen? We could mess up and sin.
• What should we do if we sin? Ask God for forgiveness.
• God is the only one that can forgive sins and Jesus is the ONLY way we can get to God because of our sins.
• How did Jesus make a way for our sins to be forgiven? He is God’s son, He lived a perfect life and died on a cross, was buried and rose again for us.
• What is one way you can use the belt of truth at school? Choose the right choices that God would want you to/obey God. (ask for specific examples)
• When is the hardest time to make the right choices and act in truth?

Close Small Group discussion in prayer and enter into Bible Challenge time.

Bible Challenge

Today our verse is “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Each child will create a “belt of truth” during Bible Challenge time. Have children decorate or write the verse on the sentence strips (depending on age) and then staple the strip around their waist connecting another strip if needed and using the “belt of truth” graphic as the buckle. Supplies needed: stapler & staples, sentence strips, belt of truth buckle, scissors, markers and crayons.

K-1 Go over the verse with the children several times, then help each child decorate their “Belt of truth”.

2-4  Go over the new verse. Then help children write the verse on their “belt of truth” and decorate it. If time remains, have the children practice the verse with one another.

Please return to large group and choose one child for small group recap.

Dismissal & Verse Cards

Pass out verse cards as children are released.

(parts of this lesson were borrowed and/or adapted from http://ministry-to-children.com/win-against-sin/ Belt of Truth lesson. A great resource website for children’s ministry)

Printable lesson & cards

Belt of Truth Printable

Belt of Truth Buckle

Belt of Truth Verse Cards

Thanks for letting me share,