Conversatio Divina

Part 5

Kristi Cain

The following is the final guide in a five-part series designed for creative engagement with Lacy Finn Borgo’s curriculum, Life with God for Children, available for free download at conversatio.org. Each guide offers suggestions for adapting this resource in a unique setting. This article focuses on using the curriculum for special events, such as a children’s retreat or VBS. I hope that by sharing these ideas, anyone involved in the spiritual development of children will gain a vision of the broad and rich opportunities that Life with God for Children offers for discipleship, soul care, and biblical literacy.

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Table of Contents

  1. 01.  Introduction
  2. 02.  Sample Lesson for Grades PreK & K (Lesson 44: Come Follow Jesus)
  3. 03.  Sample Lesson Preparation for Grades 3-4 (Lesson 16: Rahab Takes a Risk)
  4. 04.  Sing / Conclusion

01.  Introduction

Spiritual retreats have become increasingly popular for adults of almost every denomination and religion. It’s telling that though Western people live in a society that craves immediate results, values productivity and consumerism, and indulges in constant noise and virtual communication, they also recognize the damage these habits cause. They look for opportunities to slow down, pause from noise and work, unplug from screens, and be wholly present to God, ourselves, and others. My own experience has given me rich evidence for the value of these opportunities.

One of my most memorable spiritual retreat experiences occurred about ten years ago. My children were young, and I worked full-time in children’s ministry at our local church. My friend Jennifer invited me to join her for the weekend at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, just outside Atlanta.

Jennifer and I arrived at the monastery on a beautiful spring afternoon and were shown to our simple, private bedrooms. Each included a small desk and a single bed made up with crisp, white linens. A big window looked out on the monastery’s gorgeous property. We spent the weekend alternating between time together and time alone as we read, explored the trails, journaled, prayed, ate, and rested. We placed no external expectations or demands on one another; we simply allowed ourselves to prayerfully listen to God and one another. It was a restorative experience, and I returned home with a renewed sense of God’s love for me.

That weekend at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit left me wondering why we usually think of spiritual retreats as things for adults. We know children need the same things we do. They need time with God, away from screens and day-to-day demands. They also need unstructured time outdoors where they can simply be. Thus, I decided to plan a five-hour retreat just for them, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. (Note: We ended the retreat with an optional lock-in for our fourth and fifth graders.)

We knew we wanted the event to be both active yet contemplative, kid-friendly yet quiet(ish), and screen-free yet relevant. We also wanted to give as many opportunities as possible for the children to connect with God and others in a very intentional way. If you have ever led a vacation Bible school (VBS), you would have recognized similarities in the structure. For example, we began and ended the evening with large-group worship. Students then broke into small groups and moved through various stations, accompanied by adult and teen leaders who stayed with them throughout the event. Our stations included: 1) a Bible Story Station, 2) Music Stations, 3) a Craft Station, 4) a Creative Play Station, and 5) a Prayer and Rest Station.

We ran this retreat before Lacy Finn Borgo published Life with God for Children. However, it would be an exceptional choice as a foundation for a children’s retreat or VBS. I could also imagine using it for an evening or weekend family event, where parents and children spend time spiritually connecting.

In the following sections, I’ll provide examples of how to modify Life with God for Children for a children’s retreat. However, with a bit of creativity and flexibility, I think you’ll find that it could also easily adapt to other experiences while retaining the personality of your congregation and event.

As you adapt Life with God for Children to your children’s retreat or special event, consider the following:

  • Lesson Choice: Since you will select only a small number of lessons for a retreat or special event, consider choosing those that fit the time of the church year or that align with what the children are learning on Sundays. The “Jesus Lessons” are always an excellent choice. (See p. 201 in the PreK & K section for an example.)
  • Sacred Spaces: If you divide the children into small groups and have them rotate through the stations, you will need several classrooms. Thoughtfully consider how to make each space unique and set it apart for the activities that will take place there. For example, for the Bible Story space, cultivate reverence for the Word by designating a place for the children to put their shoes when they arrive. You may also want to remove the furniture and create an open space where the leader will join the children on the floor to read God’s story. Additionally, you could set up a Craft Station with tables full of colorful craft supplies and a thoughtful selection of worship music, encouraging children to be prayerfully creative.
  • Retreat Rhythms: If you take the rotation route for your event, the children will encounter the stations in various orders. Unlike the order in which the lessons are written, the children may make the lesson craft before they hear God’s Word. Fortunately, the lesson still works! You may need to introduce their craft time with a thought-provoking question or a prayer to help them focus on what they’re about to do.

In the following section, I will use two lessons–one for younger children and one for older ones–as examples of how to use this curriculum in a children’s retreat or similar event. As previously mentioned, the children may not move through the lesson in the order in which it is written for retreats and other special events. However, in the following examples, I will discuss each section as Borgo writes it.

In addition to the curriculum, you need The Life with God Bible (Zondervan) and, if you teach children ages pre-K to 2nd grade, a copy of The Beginner’s Bible (Zonderkidz). I also find having a dedicated journal for notes, thoughts, and prayers helpful. Finally, read Borgo’s complete Introduction at the beginning of your curriculum download. She lists commonly used materials there.

As you plan to facilitate the event, prepare yourself. Be ready to see these little ones as co-pilgrims and friends. It will help tremendously to go through these lessons as a learner before assuming the role of a teacher. To do that, I recommend reviewing the first article in this series. Ask God to show you what He has for you, recognizing that we cannot share with others what we have not received for ourselves.

02.  Sample Lesson for Grades PreK & K (Lesson 44: Come Follow Jesus)

Background Notes for Teachers: If this is your first time teaching this resource, read Lacy Finn Borgo’s curriculum Introduction. It will provide an overview of its unique characteristics.

  • Read Lesson 44 on p. 205-208.
  • Spend personal time with the recommended reading in The Background Notes for Teacher, including Scripture readings and additional content in Streams of Living Water by Richard Foster.
  • Read through the lesson and create a list of the supplies needed.

Center Down 

  • By “centering down,” you will help the children mark the Bible story time as holy, or set apart. While all time is sacred, having the children remove their shoes, playing quiet instrumental music, and sitting on a special rug are all ways to help them prepare their hearts and minds for hearing God’s Word.
  • It may take a few minutes for the children to quiet themselves. Since they may arrive as a group, stand at the door and welcome each child individually. Beginning with the group leader, smile, look each one in the eyes, and invite each person to enter, take their shoes off, and come into the worship space. (The Leaders enter first so they are sitting when the first child arrives.)

 

Prayer Time

  • Gather the children into a circle and begin your prayer time.
  • As you pray, simply talk with your heavenly Father together. Let the children see you relax, enjoy a conversation with God, and offer them the opportunity to do the same.
  • Things will go more smoothly with some groups and ages than with others. If the kids are wiggly or especially talkative, remind yourself that you are giving them a gift by allowing them to take a break and spend time with Jesus. You are helping them grow as whole people by teaching them to love God with their hearts, minds, souls, and spirits.
  • Even if the children are more rambunctious than you’d like, offering at least 30 seconds of silence is meaningful. You are teaching them the importance of talking and listening to God.

Connect and Focus Verse

  • If you use Life with God for Children as a regular part of your church’s Christian education, you may still be able to include the timeline portion of the lesson. If not, you may need to skip this section.
  • Introduce the lesson’s Focus Verse.

Listen and Learn 

  • These sections will likely work just as they are. You will read this week’s story together from The Beginner’s Bible. If you have a classroom set, have the children follow along with you in the Bible storybook.

 

Snack

  • Snack time is intentional and a way to model feasting and celebrating together as the Body of Christ. As the children eat, ask the small group leaders to keep the conversation going – the natural activity of eating may help the boys and girls relax and more willingly share what they’re thinking about God’s Word.
  • Be sure to prepare your snack leaders for the mood of the retreat. Consider how you can create a wonder-filled and sacred environment as you eat together. This will include how you set up and decorate the space, what you offer the children to eat and drink, and how they are seated.
  • Always notify parents when you plan to serve food. This will give them an opportunity to alert you to any food allergies their children may have.

 

Do

  • In each lesson, Borgo includes descriptions of Response Centers. She often suggests play and reading stations for the younger children instead of games or crafts. However, a craft collage and an arts center are almost always options. For this age, an easy way to add an extra station is to set up the arts centers in one room and the play centers in another.
  • Borgo encourages you to play and create with the children. Relax and enjoy your time with the kids. Look for where you see God and work, and model joyful engagement.

 

Sing/Conclusion

  • Borgo does a fantastic job of selecting classic children’s songs you can enjoy together. If you aren’t familiar with the recommended lesson song, you may find it on YouTube or streaming services like Spotify. However, it’s okay to keep things simple and sing acapella.
  • In a retreat or special event setting, you may want to incorporate several instances of singing. Highlight a theme song you sing several times and supplement it with other songs the children know from church. Look specifically for truth-filled songs with spiritual depth that are age-appropriate and participatory. Keith and Kristyn Getty have several kids’ hymnal albums with examples of this type of music.

03.  Sample Lesson Preparation for Grades 3-4 (Lesson 16: Rahab Takes a Risk)

Background Notes for Teachers: If this is your first time teaching this resource, read Lacy Finn Borgo’s curriculum Introduction. It will provide an overview of its unique characteristics.

  • Read Lesson 16 on p. 89-91.
  • Spend time on the suggested reading in the Background Notes for Teachers, which includes an excerpt about Rahab from The Life with God Bible.
  • Read Rahab’s story in Joshua 2. Answer the questions yourself.
  • Read through the lesson and create a list of the supplies needed.

 

Center Down

  • By “centering down,” you will help the children mark the Bible story time as holy or set apart. Having the children remove their shoes, playing quiet instrumental music, and sitting on a special rug are all ways to help children prepare their hearts and minds for hearing God’s Word.
  • It may take a few minutes for the children to quiet themselves. Since they may arrive as a group, stand at the door and welcome each child individually. Beginning with the group leader, look each person in the eyes, smile, and invite them to enter, take their shoes off, and come into the worship space. (The leader enters first, so they are sitting when the first child arrives.)

 

Prayer Time

  • Gather the children into a circle and begin your prayer time.
  • As you pray, simply talk with your heavenly Father together. Let the children see you relax and enjoy a conversation with God, and offer them the opportunity to do the same.
  • Things will go more smoothly with some groups and ages than with others. If the kids are wiggly or especially talkative, remind yourself that you are giving them a gift by allowing them to take a break and spend time with Jesus. You are helping them grow as whole people by teaching them to love God with their hearts, minds, souls, and spirits.
  • Even if the children are more rambunctious than you’d like, offering at least 30 seconds of silence is still meaningful. You are teaching them the importance of talking to and listening to God.

 

Connect and Focus Verse

  • If you use Life with God for Children as a regular part of your church’s Christian education, you may still be able to include the timeline portion of the lesson. If not, you may need to skip this section.
  • Introduce the lesson’s Focus Verse.

 

Listen and Learn

  • Follow the provided instructions.
  • Each child will need their own Bible, so ensure that there are enough in the classroom for all the boys and girls in your largest group.

 

Do and Extension

  • Note: If your event includes a rotation of small groups utilizing the various stations at different times, this portion of the lesson will likely occur in a different classroom from the Bible story.
  • For the children who participate in the “Jericho is Destroyed” activity before they visit the Bible story room, you will need to adapt the questions and tell the story as they build the “walls.” For example, you could adjust the text this way:
    • Explain that together, you will build an ancient city wall with blocks. Then, help the children build a city of Jericho. Be sure to include the walls and Rahab’s house. Tell them that a woman named Rahab lived in the house as you construct that portion of the wall.
    • Have the children hang the red rope outside her window. Summarize the story from Joshua 2. Don’t worry about whether they’ll be bored when they get to the Bible Story station. Repetition is good! Then read Joshua 6:1-20. Encourage the children to act out the words of the Scriptures as they are hearing them, pretending that they are Israel. (To contain the chaos, assign a few “actors” and invite everyone else to be the audience.)
    • Gather the children together and finish the story. Read Joshua 6: 21-25. Ask: What happened to Rahab? Did God’s people keep their promise? What does that tell us about God? God is good, and Rahab trusted him.
  • The Extension can be used in various ways. I think it makes a fantastic final conversation that could be included in a corporate worship gathering at the end of the event.

04.  Sing / Conclusion

In this lesson, the children are invited to create movements to accompany the lyrics. One way to do this is to make one of the event stations a creative space where the small groups collaborate and come up with these movements. Then, each group can share their version with everyone in the final session. Then, just as Borgo suggests, video the children’s musical creations for their parents or the entire congregation to see.