Children’s Teacher: 3rd Quarter 2015

By Lauryn Sullivan

Children’s Teacher is a teacher’s quarterly. In addition to the exposition of the printed text, each of the thirteen lessons includes the purpose of the lesson, extensive teaching plans, lesson introduction, background of the lesson, meaningful insights, and related activities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Mar 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781681670126

Book preview

CHILDREN’S TEACHER

Teaching Companion to Growing with Jesus, Young Learners, and Adventurers with Jesus

www.rhboydpublishing.com

R. H. BOYD, D.D., LL.D.

Founder (1896–1922)

H. A. BOYD, D.D.

(1922–1959)

T. B. BOYD, JR., D.D.

(1959–1979)

Dr. T. B. Boyd III

President/CEO

David Groves, D.Min., Ph.D.

Director of Publications

LaDonna Boyd, MBA

Chief Operating Officer

Cloyd Allen

Director of Operations

Tanya Henderson, Ph.D.

Director of Marketing

EDITORIAL STAFF:

Tia Ferrell, B.A.

(Coordinator)

Kimberly Peeler-Ringer, M.A., M.Div.

(Associate Editor)

Jared Austin, B.A., M.A.

Christopher R. Cotten, M.A., M.Div.

Jane Ann Kenney, B.A.

Joshua McArthur, B.S., M.Div.

Karissa Taylor, B.A.

Vanessa Lewis, B.A.

Lauren Oldham, B.A.

Shanaya Whitaker, B.A.

Freida Crawley, B.S.

Carla Davis, B.A.

Frank DiLella

Lesson material is based on the International Uniform Sunday School Lesson Outlines, copyrighted by the Division of Christian Education, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and is used by permission.

Scriptures taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Children’s Teacher (USPS 709-650) (ISSN 0746-7613) copyright © 2015 by R.H. Boyd Company, 6717 Centennial Blvd., Nashville, Tennessee 37209-1017. Children’s Teacher is published quarterly by R.H. Boyd Company. Periodicals postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Children’s Teacher, R.H. Boyd Company, 6717 Centennial Blvd., Nashville, Tennessee 37209-1017. For Customer Service, call [phone] Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Central, or fax [phone].

The publisher, R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation, bears no responsibility or liability for any claim, demand, action, or proceeding related to its content, including but not limited to claims of plagiarism, copyright infringement, defamation, obscenity, or the violation of the rights of privacy, publicity, or any other right of any person or party, and makes no warranties regarding the content.

Children’s Teacher is a teacher’s quarterly. In addition to the exposition of the printed text, all lessons include the purpose of the lesson, extensive teaching plans, lesson introduction, background of the lesson, meaningful insights, and related activities.

KNOW YOUR WRITER

Lauryn Sullivan, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, studied philosophy and violin performance, with a minor in women’s studies, at Boston College. After some time spent backpacking through Europe, she returned home to pursue an M.A. in history and philosophy at the University of Virginia. From there, she returned to Europe, eventually gaining a Ph.D. in Reformation history from the University of Heidelberg in Germany. Presently, she lives in the south of France with her two dogs, Barth and Ernie. She spends her time doing volunteer work for her local church and designing curriculum for Christian education programs.

A Message from the President/CEO . . .

Greetings,

As we welcome a new quarter, the R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation would like to take the opportunity to present a preview of the lessons in the quality literature that has upheld this company for 119 years. This quarter promises to be both powerful and inspiring, addressing the importance of social justice as preached by Old Testament prophets as well as the genesis of the early Church.

For the first month in this quarter, the lesson focus will be on the importance of social justice as revealed in the book of Micah. The nation of Israel was overrun by those who were treating the disenfranchised of society unjustly, and God’s patience had been exhausted. This study offers a candid view of how God protects the least in society.

Then in August, the theme of justice continues with a look at five biblical prophets and their messages regarding social justice. Passages from the prophets of the Old Testament will provide the background for these studies.

Closing out the third quarter is a study of the first chapters from the book of Acts. This study will focus on the unification of the early Church in its mission of building God’s Kingdom.

Through the years, a driving force behind our work has been a commitment to uplift the Church and the African-American community through Christian literature and resources. We believe this quarter will be a radiant example of that commitment and are confident you will receive greater insight into God’s power and love for His people. Because of His saving grace, He is worthy to be continually praised.

In His Service,

Dr. T. B. Boyd III

President/CEO

QUARTERLY OVERVIEW

The first two units of this quarter focus on social justice and injustice. These lessons from the books of Old Testament prophets reveal the perpetrators of injustice, the nature of injustice, and the victims of injustice. The lessons steadily move toward repentance, redemption, and restoration. The third unit of this quarter is a study from the book of Acts. Each lesson takes a different look at how the Christian community was birthed.

Unit 1—July Justice for the Unjust

Unit I, Justice for the Unjust, is a four-lesson study. Lesson one focuses on social and moral injustice and about God’s judgment for injustice. Lesson two looks at the injustice of corrupt leaders. The last two lessons discuss what God requires for justice and then how God dispenses mercy to restore justice.

Unit 2—August Fairness for All

Unit II, Fairness for All, has five lessons from Old Testament books. In lesson five, a Psalm that celebrates God’s redemptive nature is featured. In lesson six, the words from Ezra focus on fairness. Lesson seven is about justice as revealed in the book of Proverbs. For lesson eight, a chapter of Isaiah provides an understanding for obedience. In lesson nine, Malachi informed the people that God requires justice and faithfulness.

Unit 3—September Seeds of New Growth

Unit III, Seeds of New Growth, is a four-session study of some of the ways people in the early Church community lived out and shared their faith in Jesus, thus paving the way for the future growth of the Church movement. In lesson ten, the apostles prayed with boldness. In lesson eleven, the early Christians willingly shared their possessions. In lesson twelve, the apostles bravely taught about the Messiah, and in lesson thirteen, Stephen stood before the Jewish council and reminded the Jews of God’s faithfulness.

CONTENTS

JULY

Justice for the Unjust

AUGUST

Fairness for All

SEPTEMBER

Seeds of New Growth

SEEKING GOD’S GUIDANCE

SUGGESTED OPENING EXERCISES

1. Usual Signal for Beginning

2. Prayer (Closing with the Lord’s Prayer)

3. Singing (Songs to Be Selected)

4. Scripture Reading: Psalm 104:1–9 (KJV)

Director: Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

School: Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

Director: Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

School: Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

Director: Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

School: At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

Director: They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

All: Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

Recitation in Concert:

Colossians 1:15–18 (KJV)

15 [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18 And he is the head of the