Junior High Quarterly | Teacher Manual Fall Quarter 2021 (Sep-Nov): Fall Quarter 2021 (Sep-Nov)

By Church Of God In Christ Publishing House

The 13-week curriculum guide is designed to provide the teacher with Biblically sound principles that are relevant to the youth they instruct. The Teacher Manual has enhanced teacher tips and a suggested outline to help make lesson preparation seamless. The Manual(s) features:
Biblical applications
Unified themes
Versatile adaptability

• Language: English
• Publisher: Church Of God In Christ Publishing House
• Release date: Aug 1, 2021

Book preview

Junior High Quarterly | Teacher Manual Fall Quarter (Sep-Nov) 2021

Church Of God In Christ Publishing House

FROM THE PRESIDING BISHOP’S DESK

Greetings in the matchless name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

2021-2022 is upon us, and we optimistically, yet cautiously, look forward to this next year. The past year has been the most challenging we have ever experienced. A relentless, microscopic virus catapulted the entire world into a tailspin. Schools, malls, airports, and even our churches were forced to close as we sought alternate ways of functioning. Our day-to-day lives were upended, and many of us were faced with the unbearable losses of friends, family, and co-laborers.

How much longer will we be forced to endure, and when will this end? When will normalcy return? These are questions that have been asked but cannot be answered with any amount of certainty. As believers, it is this time that we faithfully place our uncertain futures in the hands of a loving and faithful God. A God who promised never to leave or forsake us. Now is when we must trust in the Lord with all of our hearts and not lean to our limited and finite understanding.

We must continue to dedicate ourselves to trusting God in all circumstances knowing that even when the road is rough and the journey tumultuous, we maintain unyielding confidence in the God of our salvation.

Regardless of the many hardships, we have endured, let us now focus on this next season with hope and anticipation, trusting that God will sustain us. Jeremiah 17:7-8 declares, Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by the stream and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.

Be encouraged, knowing that no matter what the season may bring, God is with us.

In His Service,

J. Drew Sheard

Presiding Bishop

Eighth in Succession

Church Of God In Christ, Inc.

FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLISHING BOARD

Blessings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

2021 has been a transformative year for the world, the various world governments, the church, and, more importantly, the everyday people of this world. This Pandemic transformed the mindset of people all around the world. We have been reshaped against our will and forced to live life on a survivalist level. Yet, while the unpredictable cares of this world have consumed us, God has been faithful to us. The Apostle Paul, in Philippians 2:5, says, Let this mind be in you as it also was in Christ Jesus. Because we have lost so many leaders and loved ones, taking on the mind of Christ has been the only way we have been able to pick up the broken pieces and continue this journey called life. We are hurt. Our hearts are broken. But with the mind of Christ, we take on the very attributes of Jesus Christ himself. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). With the mindset of Christ, we can display the very wisdom of Christ; as the Bible says that he that winneth souls is wise (from Proverbs 11:30).

Do you not know my brothers and sisters that there is nothing in this world that can defeat the mindset of Christ? With Christ’s mindset and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we become unbeatable when challenged in our thoughts, actions, and our abilities. These challenges test our mindsets to see how we perform under pressure: Will we act Christlike or act sinfully? Will we be forced to retake the test? Yes, sometimes we fall short, but when we do, we gain a better understanding of ourselves and an appreciation for Christ as we retake the test. When we learn how to appreciate ourselves, we can share that appreciation with others and connect, If this Pandemic has taught us anything, it has taught us that we waste away without human interaction.

One of Christ’s ultimate goals for us is the power of unity. When we are unified, we can accomplish amazing feats as humans and even more mind-blowing feats as Christians. Let us not dwell on the losses but seek out the victory that is still to be obtained because even though we have lost those dear to us, they have already received their reward, and they would want us to keep pushing and striving to obtain ours. God bless you, and may the Lord continue to abound in your lives.

Yours for service,

Bishop Uleses C. Henderson, Jr., Esq.

Chairman of the Publishing Board

Church Of God In Christ, Inc.

FOREWORD

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in Jesus’ Name,

May this note find you blessed and prospering in the will of God. Your support is what causes our great Church to thrive in Christian Education, thank you. Where would you and I be without the nurture and tutelage down through the years of the Sunday School Department? The Church Of God In Christ Publishing House is doing an incredible job producing and providing quality Christian education material for all ages.

Allow me to use this forum to congratulate and thank God for our recently elected Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle, Bishop J. Drew Sheard, eighth in succession. Let’s undergird our Bishop in prayer, that God may crown him with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, and that God grant him long life, grace, and favor. I am confident it would mean so much to our Bishop to see the Church Of God in Christ overwhelmingly supporting our own Publishing House.

The Fall quarter lessons are incredibly pertinent for the 21st century! The emphasis of this quarter revolves around the theme of traditions and wisdom. As we make our transition from the beautiful, relaxing, and rejuvenating summer months that I pray have enabled you to retool, and refocus, let us embrace this time with zeal and enthusiasm. In unit 1, we explore the significance of ‘teaching and learning.’ The month of September takes us to the book of Proverbs, enhancing our knowledge and understanding of true righteousness and wisdom. We then move to the notion of ‘generational wisdom,’ with instructions we would do well to pass on to our youth. Finally, we end the month with instructions on discernment.

The month of October augments the instructions of ‘traditions and wisdom.’ First, we discuss an ordered life with a powerful passage in Proverbs. Next, we transition to the book of Ecclesiastes to discuss the subject of the superiority of wisdom and the importance of wisdom as we age. Finally, we conclude this month with a gander into the always exciting Song of Solomon, which enhances our understanding of tradition and love.

We finish the Fall quarter with unit 2 in November and the theme Jesus Teaches Wisdom. In the first lesson, Jesus teaches us to ‘live as God’s people’ by instructing us in the Beatitudes. Next, Jesus calls our attention to the ever-present human challenge of forgiving each other as God’s people. Let us take this lesson to heart, always willing to forgive. Then our Lord instructs us to ‘love as God’s people.’ Love is the common denominator for every born-again believer. In chapter five, Jesus teaches on the significance of ‘prayer as God’s people.’ My brothers and sisters, as never before, prayer is mandatory if the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is to thrive. May the Lord bless you and keep you!

For the Kingdom,

Bishop Reggie C. Witherspoon

Marketing Chairman

Church Of God In Christ Publishing House

QUARTERLY FOCUS

Dear Students,

Once more, I want to thank you for your commitment to the literature produced by your own Publishing house. It has been my job to create a team to review all Sunday school literature for the past twelve years to ensure nothing is published that violates the Doctrine of our Church. Do not take the need for this kind of oversight for granted. I have printed the almost fifteen hundred corrections my team has had to make in our Sunday School before they were published.

The Fall quarter is directing all our readers to the importance of letting your desire to learn and know to be the most important part of your spiritual experience. Your faithful Church attendance is of little effect if your most primary purpose is not to listen and learn. This in no way lessens the importance of wholesome fellowship. But avoid sitting by someone who chooses to visit when it’s time to listen.

The first two months place a high importance of wisdom in your Christian walk. You will be studying out of what is called the wisdom books. Wisdom has equal importance to knowledge. Knowledge is of little help if you do not know when, where, and how to apply it.

In November, you will focus on the four most essential teachings of Jesus when exhibiting true Christian character. In the eyes of the New Testament, especially the four Gospels, how you love and forgive is vital evidence of your conversion. Jesus goes as far as to say if you don’t know how to love and forgive your enemy, God will not forgive you.

Bishop J. L. Whitehead, Jr.

COGIC LIAISON

JUNIOR HIGH

TEACHING PLANS

WORDS OF WISDOM

Dear Teacher,

The philosopher Plato is given credit for saying, Wise men talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something. Interesting, isn’t it? Are we wise or are we foolish? What about the young people we are teaching?

If we are teaching them about the message of the Gospel, they will always have something to say, for indeed it is full of wisdom. Hopefully, our teaching is such that they will grasp the wisdom and apply it. This quarter is dedicated to teaching our youth about Words of Wisdom. Much of this quarter is a journey of Old Testament wisdom literature.

If I had to give the first seven lessons a title, I would call it Teaching and Learning. As is characteristic of wisdom literature, these lessons make little reference to covenant or religious life. They are focused instead on human wisdom and transmit lessons learned from experience and tradition. They are the words of a teacher to a student, a parent to a child, and are words of wisdom passed on from one generation to another. The first five lessons draw on the wisdom collected by the writers of Proverbs. The next two lessons consider the wisdom of Ecclesiastes. The final lesson comes from the Song of Solomon.

The last five lessons, I would call ‘Jesus Teaches Wisdom." These lessons examine Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and it’s relationship to the traditional teaching of Mosaic Law. The first four lessons taken from Matthew 5 and 6, give attention to what Jesus says to disciples about living, forgiving, loving, and praying. The final lesson invites the participants to hear anew Jesus’ words about worry-free living.

I hope our Junior High mers enjoy this quarter. I also hope they grow as a result of reading these Words of Wisdom over the next 13 weeks. Encourage them to stay involved with Junior High throughout the week. We are looking for youth writers, especially poets for our Junior High Poets feature. If any of your youth are interested in writing, we have opportunities where they can be published and paid. Just send me an email ([e-mail])!

Let me know what you think about the lessons and activities in Junior High . I welcome any suggestions you may have. I love feedback from laborers who use Junior High every week!

Sincerely,

COGIC Publishing Board

Curriculum Committee

TOOL TIME

WISDOM FOR ALL PEOPLE!

By Kyle Waalen and Evangeline Carey

God is in the self-help business, but unlike most self-help gurus, God is not trying to sell you something. There are no gimmicks or profit-driven agendas. Instead, He offers everyone a gift that comes with an everlasting-life guarantee. There is no need to redeem any coupons or rebates; God offers us all the redemption we need. This is a limited time offer and may expire at any time. That’s why it’s important to act now!

Being the original self-help guru, God also wrote the biggest selling self-help book of all time, the Bible. In His Book, He reveals His wisdom through tips, guidance, and instructions on how to live according to His will. He uses real-life stories with real-life people in order to teach us. God even dedicates an entire section of the Bible, called Proverbs, to providing nuggets of wisdom for us to follow. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength (1 Corinthians 1:25, NIV).

As we survey some of the wisdom literature found in the Old Testament, which includes the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. There is much we can learn to positively impact our everyday living for our just God. As we focus on human wisdom—transmitted lessons from generation to generation through parents and teachers—let us, too, learn from experience and tradition and become doers of God’s inerrant Word. Even as we end our study with the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament, and explore where Jesus teaches wisdom in His Sermon on the Mount and its relationship to the traditional teaching of the Mosaic Law, let us also see what principles we can draw from the discussion to enhance our daily walk with God. From this study, we will learn about living, forgiving, loving, and praying for each other. These lessons can help us in our daily living and our daily interaction with others. They can help us live an ordered life, even to face life without worry.

A QUICK LOOK

JUNIOR HIGH QUARTERLY

FALL 2021

SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER • NOVEMBER

TRADITIONS AND WISDOM