📖

The Church at Antioch

Acts: The Gospel Spreads

Day 90of 180
Week 18of 36
30Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Understand how the early church spread beyond Jerusalem

2

Identify the unique characteristics of the Antioch church

3

Appreciate God's plan for including people from different backgrounds

📖 Scripture Connection

Acts 11:26

“The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”

— Acts 11:26 (WEB)

Highlights the significance of the Antioch church in early Christian history

📦 Materials Needed

  • Bible (World English Bible)
  • Colored markers
  • Large poster paper
  • BibleMouse Resource Guide: Grade 4 Bible
  • World map
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (3 min)

BibleMouse Adventure Map: Trace the early church's journey on a world map

💭 Review Question: What did we learn about how the gospel spread in our last lesson?
2Teaching (10 min)

Exploring the Diverse Church at Antioch

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Antioch was a multicultural city where the gospel reached beyond Jewish communities
  • The church included people from different backgrounds
  • Barnabas and Saul (Paul) were key leaders in this church
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • Why do you think God wanted the gospel to spread to all people?
  • How can we show God's love to people different from us?
3Activity: Missionary Mosaic (12 min)
mission study

Create a collaborative poster showing the diversity of the early church

📝 Instructions:
  1. Draw different people representing various backgrounds
  2. Write ways the church showed God's love
  3. Include a map showing how the gospel spread
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Use pre-drawn figures to color and place

Challenge: Research and include specific historical details about Antioch

4Closing (3 min)

Review key lessons about the Antioch church

📝 Review Questions:
  • Where was the first place believers were called 'Christians'?
  • What made the Antioch church special?
🙏 Prayer:

Pray for unity and love in God's church today

Coming up: Tomorrow we'll explore how the church sent out its first missionaries

💎 Memory Verse

Acts 2:42

“They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

— Acts 2:42 (WEB)

🎯 Activity: Missionary Verse Relay: Children act out different parts of the verse while memorizing

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

Antioch was a major city in Syria, known for its diversity and cultural mixing

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Use the BibleMouse Resource Guide for additional context
  • Encourage children to see beyond cultural differences
🤔 Common Struggles:

Understanding the historical context of the early church

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Child's ability to recognize God's love crosses cultural boundaries

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • Create a timeline of the early church's expansion
  • Write a journal entry from the perspective of a new believer in Antioch

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

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