Getting to Know God: Who God Is
Week 2: God Is Our Perfect Father
This includes:
Leader Preparation
Lesson Guide
LEADER PREPARATION
BIBLE BASIS
The entire book of Hosea is a picture of God’s faithfulness even in the face of the
unfaithfulness of his children. This passage illustrates how God cared for Israel as a father
even though they turned their backs on him. On earth, there are no perfect parents—or
perfect children. God, however, is our perfect Father even when we’re not perfect children.
Let’s help kids learn to trust their perfect heavenly Father.
DISCOVERY POINT
God is our perfect Father.
BIBLE FOCUS
Hosea 11:1-9
KEY VERSE
“And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty”
(2 Corinthians 6:18).
TEACHING PREP
The short overview below is designed to help you prepare for your lesson.
Supplies You’ll Need: Getting to Know God: Who God Is (Year 2/Quarter 5) CD, LIVE
Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player, paper, pencils, Bibles, yarn,
3x5-inch cardboard (1 per crew), scissors, ”God’s Children” handout, and “God Is Our
Perfect Father” handout
Before This Lesson
• Print the “God Is Our Perfect Father” handout and cut them in half. Be sure there’s enough
for each child to have one of the half-sheets.
• Print the “God’s Children” handout. You’ll need one copy per team of four kids.
• Assemble Bible Exploration Kits (one per four kids): Bible, “God’s Children” handout, 14
yards of yarn per child, 3x5-inch piece of cardboard, several pairs of scissors, a “God Is Our
Perfect Father” handout for each child, paper, and pencils.
• Review Hosea 11:1-9.
• Cue "Into the Bible" (Track 1) on Getting to Know God: Who God Is (Year 2/Quarter 5) CD
or (Quarter 5/Track 1) on the LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD.
• Huddle briefly with your volunteers beforehand. Answer any questions they have.
Encourage them and pray.
PARENT EMAIL
We’ve provided you with a “Family Devotion” handout to send the Bible learning and faith
discovery home. When kids and parents have faith discussions regularly, kids’ faith
multiplies.
So we’ve given you two options:
 Print the “Family Devotion” handout and make enough copies for each child to take
one home.
 Email the “Family Devotion” to families before or after the actual lesson.
Or why not do both? That way you’ll double the opportunities for parents to actually get the
handout.
Getting to Know God: Who God Is
Week 2: God Is Our Perfect Father
LESSON GUIDE
WELCOME!
Supplies: Getting to Know God: Who God Is (Year 2/Quarter 5) CD, LIVE Children’s
Curriculum (Year 2) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player, paper, pencils
1. Play “Into the Bible” (Track 1) from the Getting to Know God: Who God Is (Year
2/Quarter 5) CD or (Quarter 5/Track 1) from the LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD
as kids arrive.
• “Into the Bible”
Makes me wanna jump!
Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!
Makes me wanna sing! Hallelujah!
It’s the greatest book.
Come and take a look.
Makes me wanna shout!
Shout! Shout! Shout! Shout!
So that everyone will see
I’m getting into the Bible
And the Bible...is getting into me!
We’re discovering a brand-new world
As we dig a little deeper (deeper),
Finding out about who God is.
Open it up and see it (see it)!
There’s nothin’ like
God’s Word, and I get
So excited.
It makes me wanna,
Makes me,
Makes me wanna jump!
Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!
Makes me wanna sing! Hallelujah!
It’s the greatest book.
Come and take a look.
Makes me wanna shout!
Shout! Shout! Shout! Shout!
So that everyone will see
I’m getting into the Bible
And the Bible...is getting into me!
“Into the Bible” by Jay Stocker. © 2006 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized
duplication permitted.
2. As kids arrive, have them form Bible Crews of four. Give each crew a piece of paper and
a pencil. Ask them to write a want ad for a perfect father. Allow crews to share their ads
with other crews.
3. When everyone has finished,
ASK:
• What are some things you listed that describe a perfect father?
• Explain why you would or wouldn’t want a father like the one you
described.
• Explain why you do or don’t think there is such a thing as perfect father.
SAY: There is only one perfect father, and he wants each of you to be his
child. God is our perfect Father. Help me do our countdown so we can find out
what a perfect father is like!
4. Play the “Rocket Countdown” (Quarter 5/Countdown Track 1) on the LIVE Children’s
Curriculum (Year 2) DVD, having kids call out the numbers as they appear.
LET’S EXPLORE!
Supplies: assembled Bible Exploration Kit
1. Give each Bible Crew a Bible Exploration Kit.
SAY: Today we’re looking at a Scripture from Hosea, a small book in the Old
Testament. This Scripture records God’s words to the Israelites. Find Hosea 11:1-9
in your Bibles, and read the verses together in your crews, making a list of things
that God does as Israel’s Father. Then write a “found” ad for the Father God says
he is. When crews have finished, let volunteers read their ads for the whole group.
ASK:
• What fatherly things did God do for Israel?
• How is this like or unlike your first want ad for a perfect father?
• How would you feel about having a Father as described in Hosea?
2. Have kids stand in their Bible Crews. Have crews pair off and face each other. Then have
crews each pick someone from the other crew to join their crew. Have crews take turns
picking three or four times.
ASK:
• What was it like to wait to be picked by the other crew?
• What was it like to be picked by the other crew?
• How was this like or unlike the way God picks you?
SAY: God picked you to be his child before you were even born. You don’t
have to wait, and you don’t have to worry about being picked. God wants to be
your perfect Father. God wants you to be his child.
3. SAY: We all have different ideas of what a perfect father should be like. But God
knows what’s best for us. If God is our perfect Father, then we’re God’s children.
Some other biblical names for God are King of kings, Lord of lords, and Almighty
Father.
ASK:
• If God is a king and a lord, then what does that make you, as a child of
God’s? Take the “God’s Children” handout from your Bible Exploration Kit. Follow
all the instructions, and use the supplies in your Bible Exploration Kit. Give kids
several minutes to complete the activity, then have them answer these questions in their
Bible Crews.
ASK:
• How is the doll you made like and unlike you?
• In what ways are you glad that God is your perfect father?
• How can this doll remind you that God is your perfect father?
LET’S PRAISE!
Supplies: Getting to Know God: Who God Is (Year 2/Quarter 5) CD or LIVE Children’s
Curriculum (Year 2) DVD, CD player or TV/DVD player
1. SAY: Because God is our perfect Father, we know he will always love us and help us. God
wants us to be his children. That’s something worth praising God for! If you’d like, include
your doll in your praises.
2. Set up the Getting to Know God: Who God Is (Year 2/Quarter 5) CD or the LIVE
Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD. PLAY:
• “You Know Everything About Me” (Psalm 139:1-3) (CD Track 4) (DVD
Quarter 5/Track 4)
O Lord, you have examined my heart;
You know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up;
You know everything about me.
You know everything,
Every little thing about me, about me.
You know everything,
Every little thing about me, about me.
O Lord, you know my thoughts and my ways;
You know everything about me.
You chart the path that I take;
You know everything about me.
You know everything,
Every little thing about me, about me.
You know everything;
Every little thing about me, about me.
You know everything,
Every little thing about me, about me.
You know everything,
Every little thing about me, about me.
O Lord, you have examined my heart;
You know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up;
You know everything about me.
You know everything,
Every little thing about me, about me.
You know everything,
Every little thing about me, about me.
You know everything,
Every little thing about me, about me.
You know everything,
Every little thing about me, about me.
You know everything,
Every little thing about me, about me.
“You Know Everything About Me” (Psalm 139:1-3) by Ben Glover and Jay Stocker. ©
2004 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for
local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
• “We Can Trust Him” (Psalm 33:4) (CD Track 5) (DVD Quarter 5/Track 5)
We can trust him. Yeah!
If there’s one thing we can count on,
It’s that God will never let us down, and
We can trust everything he does.
He keeps his promises.
We know because
Yeah, the Word of the Lord holds true.
We can trust him.
We can trust him.
Yeah, the Word of the Lord holds true.
We can trust him.
We can trust him .
Yeah, the Word of the Lord holds true.
We can trust him.
We can trust him.
Yeah, the Word of the Lord holds true.
We can trust him.
We can trust him.
We can trust him.
We can trust him.
“We Can Trust Him” (Psalm 33:4) by Jay Stocker. © 2007, 2009 Group Publishing,
Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No
unauthorized duplication permitted.
• “Give Thanks to the Lord” (Psalm 107:1) (CD Track 7) (DVD Quarter 5/Track
7)
Every day he watches over us,
And every night God is there.
When I sleep and when I rise,
He is always by my side.
O give thanks to the Lord
For he is good, he is good.
His faithful love endures forever.
O give thanks to the Lord
For he is good, he is good.
His faithful love endures forever.
Every day he watches over us,
And every night God is there.
When I sleep and when I rise,
He is always by my side.
O give thanks to the Lord
For he is good, he is good.
His faithful love endures forever.
O give thanks to the Lord
For he is good, he is good.
His faithful love endures forever.
His faithful love endures forever.
“Give Thanks to the Lord” (Psalm 107:1) by Maggie Hold You Music. © 2007 Group
Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church
use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
LET’S PRAY!
Supplies: assembled Bible Exploration Kits, Getting to Know God: Who God Is (Year
2/Quarter 5) CD, CD player
1. Have kids each take a “God Is Our Perfect Father” handout and a pencil. SAY: Let’s take
some time to pray. Read your paper and fill in your name. Read it several times,
including your name. Then talk with God about what you’re thinking. When the
music stops, you’ll know it’s time to stop praying.
(Pair a nonreader with a reader for this prayer time. Or take the nonreaders to one
area of the room and help them with their handouts.)
2. Play the instrumental version of “Give Thanks to the Lord” (Psalm 107:1) (Track 15) from
the Getting to Know God: Who God Is (Year 2/Quarter 5) CD while kids work.
HIGH FIVES
Supplies: dolls from Let’s Explore!
Have the kids give each other high fives using their dolls. Every time they give a high five,
they should tell their partner, God is your perfect Father!
FOR-EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITIES
Pick me! Pick me!
Supplies: none
Play a game where kids are chosen, such as Red Rover or Duck, Duck, Goose. Then talk
about what it’s like when you’re chosen. Talk about why God has chosen each of them to be
his child.
Picture This
Supplies: paper, pencils
Have kids talk in their Bible Crews about what a perfect father looks like. Does he have a
beard? What about his muscles and his eyes? Have kids draw pictures of what a perfect
father looks like. Let them share their pictures with the rest of the class.
Hiding It in Your Heart
Supplies: none
Have crews read 2 Corinthians 6:18 and divide it into four sections. Have them say the
sections together, using a different voice for each. (For example, a booming voice for the
father, a deep voice for the sons, a high voice for the daughters, then back to the booming
voice.) Then have pairs repeat the verse to each other with the different voices. Have crews
talk about specific ways that God is a perfect Father when they’re at school, at home, with
friends, and so on.
Create a Bible Dictionary
Supplies: paper, markers, dictionary, CD player, Getting to Know God: Who God Is (Year
2/Quarter 5) CD
Ask kids to create one or more pages, each with a new word, for a Bible dictionary. Have
kids suggest words from today’s lesson—father and perfect are two suggestions. Have them
write each word on a sheet of paper in fun letters, add a definition, list Scripture references,
and make illustrations. Play “The Books of the Bible Song” (Track 8), from the Getting to
Know God: Who God Is (Year 2/Quarter 5) CD while kids work. Add each page to a threering binder, and watch the dictionary grow!