Let's use this fun Bible study tool on Philippians 2

Today we are going to use a fun Bible study tool. It is very easy and it will certainly help the children in your Sunday school lesson, Bible lesson or youth ministry to reflect on this passage in Philippians.

In Philippians 2: 1 – 11 Paul writes that we should take Jesus as our example and look to him. He became a servant and was even willing to die on a cross. Paul encourages us to look at Jesus and then try to become like Him.

This Bible study tool on Philippians 2 is all about discovering who Jesus is. It will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this powerful Bible passage.

What do you do:

Tell:
Today we are going to make a list together of what we know about Jesus. We are going to write down as many things as possible.

Ask:
- What do we know about Jesus?
- How many things can we write down about Jesus?

Do:
Make a list together with the children and write this down on the A3 paper.

Tell:
Now we are going to make another list of how Paul looks at Jesus in this part of Philippians 2.

Do:
Let the children read this passage first for themselves.
Let one of more of the children read this passage aloud. 
You can repeat this one or two times.

Ask:
- What does Paul say about Jesus in this passage?
- How many things about Jesus can we discover in these eleven verses of Philippians?

Do:
Make a new list together with the children and write this down on a new A3 paper.

Tell:
Shall we look at the differences and similarities in our two lists?

Ask:
- Before we begin, are there any words of things you don't understand in Paul's list of Jesus?
- What similarities do the children notice in the two lists?
- What differences do the children notice in the two lists?
- What new thing have you learned about Jesus today?

A fun game to help the children think about being one, but also being different

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Philippians 1: 1 - 11.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:2 that we have fellowship with and through the Spirit and urges us to be one in mind and spirit. What does it mean to be one? Does it mean that we should all be the same? Or is it actually a good thing that we’re different?

This is fun game on Philippians 2: 1 - 11 about being an unity together while still being all different. It will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this powerful Bible passage.

What do you need:

- a large play parachute

What do you do:

Tell:
In a few minutes we are going to play a fun game together. This game is all about being one and at the same time being completely different.

Ask:
- How can we be one and at the same time be completely different?
- Can you give an example? (like a sports team)
- Why is it important to be one in a sport team? (same goal / same objective / working together / using each other's different strengths)

Tell:
Paul tells the church in Philippi that they are one. They belong together. 

Ask:
- If the church in Philippi would be like a sports team - what would be their goal and their objective?
- If we are like a sports team - what would be our goal and our objective?
- How can we work together to reach that goal?
- Which unique strengths and gifts do we need?

Do:
Put the children in a large circle and get them to all hold on to a large parachute. Practise raising and lowering the parachute together.

Raise the parachute and call out a word, for example ‘boys’. Now all the boys have to run underneath the parachute to the other side.

Try to think of some things that only apply to one or two children, and others that apply to the whole group. Try to think of different gifts, strengths and talents.

Tell:
We can be very different to each other in some things and alike in others, but whether we’re alike or different, we can form one body, just as we are all holding the parachute. 

Make a large painting that consists out of lots of small paintings

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Philippians 1: 1 - 11.

It is a fun crafts activity on Philippians 2: 1 - 11 about looking at what it means to be one in Christ.. It will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this powerful Bible passage.

What do you need:

- for each participant you need a small canvas of 10 x 10 cm, paint and brushes, or wax crayons.

What do you do:

Tell:
We are going to make a big painting together, consisting of lots of different small paintings. Paul tells the church in Philippi that they are one. They belong together.

Do:
Read the text again carefully.

Ask:
- What is it that binds the people in Philippi?
- Is that easy, do you think?

Tell:
We’re going to make a painting of a meadow of flowers together. Everyone is going to paint their own flower, but the edges of your painting must blend seamlessly with the painting next to it.

Tip:
Write the name of each child lightly in pencil on the canvases, then put them all on the floor to make one big canvas. Then write on the four edges of the canvases the names of the children whose canvas borders on the other canvases. In this way the children will know who they have to work with to make sure that their paintings blend together.

Do:
Depending on the age of the children you could draw the shapes of the flowers that overlap two canvases. Then at the end you can put them back together, like a puzzle.

Small act of kindness go a long way...

In Philippians 2: 4 Paul writes about the importance of looking out for one another's interests, not just our own. Paul says that we shouldn’t think only of ourselves but also of others. Let’s make this practical straight away. 

This is a fun creative activity on Philippians 2 about taking care of others. It will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this powerful Bible passage.

What do you do:

Ask:
Ask the children what they can do to look out for one another's interests, not just our own.

Do:
If you all eat or drink together after your programme or service, ask the children to think about small things they could do for someone else.

Tell:
For example, asking someone what they would like to drink, and fetching it for them. Or clearing up someone’s plate.

Ask:
Get them to think about all the things they could do to care for someone else in that situation.

Do:
Think together if there is anyone in your church who would appreciate some extra care and attention. Perhaps someone who is in hospital, or who is ill.

You could make a cheerful video message for them, sing a song for them and record it, or make a huge card together. 

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