252 Groups
September 2013, Week 4
Small Group, 4-5
Men vs. Wild
Bible Story: Men vs. Wild (Joshua and Caleb) • Numbers 13–14
Bottom Line: I can be brave even when others aren’t.
Memory Verse: “When I’m afraid, I will trust in you.” Psalm 56:3, NIrV
Life App: Courage—being brave enough to do what you should do, even when you’re afraid.
Basic Truth: I need to make the wise choice.
GET READY
Prepare ahead of time for 4th–5th grade Small Groups this week:
Plug In: Focus the Energy
Early Arriver
 Sets of pictures from a game, book or magazine where you have to try to spot the difference
between two similar-looking images
 Optional: pictures of Small Group Leaders from when they were in 4th and 5th grade.
Courageous Q&A
 Paper
 Pencils
Catch On: Make the Connection
Everyday Courage (review the Bible story)
 Bibles
 Paper
 Pencils
The Grapes of Wrath (memory verse activity / great for active learners)
 A few grapes for each kid
 Roll of paper towels
 Plastic cup for each kid
 Masking tape
Prayer
 No supplies needed
Additional Resources:
 Make copies on cardstock of this week’s GodTime and Parent CUE cards.
 Tell parents about our additional family resources: Studio252.tv and the Parent CUE App. To
find out more about these great resources, go to http://www.Studio252.tv/leaders.
©2013 The reThink Group, Inc. All rights reserved. • www.WhatIsOrange.org
If you change the content of this document, please add to the copyright: Adapted by (your name/organization name/date).
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252 Groups
September 2013, Week 4
Small Group, 4-5
FOR LEADERS ONLY
GOD VIEW: the connection between COURAGE and
God’s character, as shown through God’s big story
This month, let’s think about how:
(1) God desires a relationship with us. Being courageous demonstrates trust and builds that
relationship.
(2) The Bible challenges us to respond to life with courage even when what we face doesn’t make
sense.
(3) As we trust God and show courage, we become more like Jesus who was brave enough to say
and do what God asked—even when He faced death on the cross.
This week, we’re discovering:
In this week’s Bible story, 12 spies snuck into the land of Canaan (Numbers 13–14). Ten of them
reported that they were afraid to attack the land, but Joshua and Caleb were the only two who spoke up
and said God would provide a way for them to conquer the land.
Our Bottom Line is I can be brave even when others aren’t. Sometimes others will let their fear
overcome them and keep them from doing what needs to be done. In those moments, we can still have
courage because we know God will provide wherever He leads.
The monthly memory verse is: “When I’m afraid, I will trust in You.” Psalm 56:3 NIrV. Everyone is
afraid of something. Sometimes, everyone is afraid of the same thing. In those moments, we can be the
one to have courage because we remember our trust isn’t in our own ideas or strength. Our trust is in
God.
©2013 The reThink Group, Inc. All rights reserved. • www.WhatIsOrange.org
If you change the content of this document, please add to the copyright: Adapted by (your name/organization name/date).
2
252 Groups
September 2013, Week 4
Small Group, 4-5
Men vs. Wild
Bible Story: Men vs. Wild (Joshua and Caleb) • Numbers 13–14
Bottom Line: I can be brave even when others aren’t.
Memory Verse: “When I’m afraid, I will trust in you.” Psalm 56:3, NIrV
Life App: Courage—being brave enough to do what you should do, even when you’re afraid.
Basic Truth: I need to make the wise choice.
Plug In: Focus the Energy (Small Groups, 10-15 minutes)
Focus the energy on today’s Bible story in a Small Group setting with an engaging discussion question
and an interactive opening activity.
Before kids arrive, pray for each regular attendee by name. Pray for those who might visit your group
for the first time. Ask that God will help kids know when they should courageously stand up, even if
others aren’t. Ask God to protect the kids who are courageous on their own. Pray the results will be
favorable.
1. Early Arriver Idea
What You Need: “spot the difference” pictures, SGL pictures (optional)
What You Do:
Welcome kids as they arrive and show them the pictures, seeing if they can spot the difference
between each one. Talk with them about some of the differences they have noticed in their lives or their
friends’ lives over the past couple of years, including different interests, clothing choices, hairstyle, and
music. Ask them what they think is healthy versus unhealthy when it comes to changes like this, without
mentioning specific names.
[Personalize] Share about your own changes and your friends’ changes that you experienced
when you were their age, perhaps by bringing in some old pictures of yourself from that time.
What You Say:
“There are probably some people in your class who seem to never change, and then there maybe be
others who change their hair or look every other day. You’re at a point in life when it’s okay to change
your mind about these things. But [Apply] there are some things that we should always do our
best to be consistent in and encourage others to do the same.”
2. Courageous Q&A
What You Need: Paper and pencils
What You Do:
Tell students to work in pairs to create a survey with “Yes” or “No” questions to determine if someone is
courageous. They will create the criteria themselves and then put it into this format. For example:
__ No __ Yes
I stand up for people who are being picked on.
©2013 The reThink Group, Inc. All rights reserved. • www.WhatIsOrange.org
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252 Groups
__ No __ Yes
__ No __ Yes
__ No __ Yes
September 2013, Week 4
Small Group, 4-5
I stop my friends from gossiping about other people even if they
might give me a hard time about it.
I don’t give into some of the crazy things my friends dare me to do.
I’m not afraid to sing out or move around during worship songs no matter
what others might think.
Next, have each pair share with the rest of the group what they created.
What You Say:
“There are a lot of different opinions on what courage is and isn’t. Some people think it’s courageous to
be yourself, but it’s actually even more courageous to transform into the person God created you to be.
[Apply] We need to make a wise choice and not just a safe one. That means there will be times
when we make incredibly different choices from even our closest friends. Today we’re going to
learn through two people who stood against the masses and showed that God is worth trusting even
when everyone says we shouldn’t. [Transition] Let’s go to Large Group together, and today—try
sitting next to people that you may not normally sit with.”
Lead your group to the Large Group area.
©2013 The reThink Group, Inc. All rights reserved. • www.WhatIsOrange.org
If you change the content of this document, please add to the copyright: Adapted by (your name/organization name/date).
4
252 Groups
September 2013, Week 4
Small Group, 4-5
Catch On: Make the Connection (Small Groups, 25-30 minutes)
Make the connection of how today’s Bible story applies to real-life experiences through interactive
activities and discussion questions.
* 1. Everyday Courage (review the Bible story)
What You Need: Bibles (one for every two kids), paper and pencils
What You Do:
Group students into pairs, and pass out Bibles to each group. Show them where to find Numbers 13–14
using the Table of Contents so they can review today’s Bible passage.
Next, ask them to find a conversation in the passage that they understand. They will then reword it into
a more modern-day context through a 60-second skit. The students can invent their own or use one
you provide for them. For example:
 Numbers 13:1-25: McDonald’s employees are sent to spy on a Taco Bell restaurant.
 Numbers 13:26-33: Football players watch another team play and are afraid to play them, but
one person speaks up and gives a motivational speech.
 Numbers 14:1-25: A dad takes his kids to the mall and they all complain that every store sells
clothes that are too ugly, so they throw themselves on the ground and complain.
 Numbers 14:26-45: A group of 20-year olds stands before a judge for breaking the law. He
decides they will be tried as adults and will go to jail for 40 years.
Once they have practiced, they will take turns acting out their skit in front of the other groups. Talk
beforehand about how to be a good audience and to think about how they hope others will act while
they are sharing their skit. If you have extra time, the audience could also try and figure out which
chapter and verses in Numbers 13 and 14 that these skits are based on.
What You Say:
“Out of the 12 spies who went to scope out the land of Canaan, Joshua and Caleb were the only two
who spoke up and said they believed God would provide a way for them to conquer the land. What
happened in the Bible isn’t just ancient history, because what we read also applies to things that take
place every day, right here and now. [Apply] We all face situations where we may be one of the
only voices who will speak up for God and what’s true. If we don’t speak up, others might miss
the chance to even hear that perspective and get to know who God is and what He stands for. If
you remember, [Impress] ‘I can be brave even when others aren’t’ you may just help someone else
become brave for Jesus or even get to know Him for the first time.”
2. The Grapes of Wrath (memory verse activity / great for active learners)
What You Need: Grapes, paper towels, plastic cups, masking tape
What You Do:
Begin to share the verse of the month, but mess it up on purpose. Continue talking and see if anyone
corrects you. Some ideas:
 “When I’m afraid, I will cry like a baby.” Psalm 56:3
 “When I’m afraid, I will not speak about Jesus.” Psalm 56:3
©2013 The reThink Group, Inc. All rights reserved. • www.WhatIsOrange.org
If you change the content of this document, please add to the copyright: Adapted by (your name/organization name/date).
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252 Groups

September 2013, Week 4
Small Group, 4-5
“When I’m afraid, I will trust in You.” Psalm 26:3 (Note that the verse reference has changed.)
Make sure you clarify the correct verse and reference before moving on. Refer to the Bible if needed.
Next, lay down a line of paper towels and ask students to lie down on one side of the line, facing the
paper towel. Spread out an even supply of grapes among your group members, and then put a plastic
cup on the other side of the paper towels so it’s about a foot away from the grapes. (Put out enough
cups that each kid has pretty much an equal shot at a cup. Tape the cups to the floor with masking tape
Tell the students that they need to stay mostly flat on their belly with their hands behind their back as
they suck up a grape with their mouth and try to shoot it into the cup. Every time they miss, they have to
say the memory verse before trying to get a new grape.
What You Say:
(After all the grapes have been shot or kids are starting to tire of the activity.) “When we do something
fun like that, it’s easy to become so focused on the activity of shooting the grapes in the cups that we
get a little lazy or hurry saying the memory verse. [Apply] We do that in life, too, when we become
so concerned about achieving a goal or about how we appear to others that we forget to focus
on God and what He says. It’s one thing to know [Impress] ‘I can be brave even when others
aren’t and another thing to ask for help.”
Pray and Dismiss
What You Need: No supplies needed
What You Do:
Sit in a circle and ask students to close their eyes as you begin to pray. You’ll prompt them to pray
silently or say the names of different people out loud who come to mind as you pray.
What You Say:
“Dear God, we want to pray right now for some of the different people in our lives and in our world who
need courage to trust in Someone bigger than them—You, God.
 We pray for people we know who may have it tough at school or at home.
 We pray for our church leaders or volunteers who may need courage too.
 We pray for celebrities who are under constant pressure to do the wrong thing.
 We pray for world leaders whose actions affect others.
 We pray for ourselves in an area where we need to be courageous.
We ask for all of these things in Jesus’ name, amen!”
Give each child a GodTime card. Pass out Parent CUE cards as adults arrive to pick up.
©2013 The reThink Group, Inc. All rights reserved. • www.WhatIsOrange.org
If you change the content of this document, please add to the copyright: Adapted by (your name/organization name/date).
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