<aside> <img src="/icons/flag-swallowtail_gray.svg" alt="/icons/flag-swallowtail_gray.svg" width="40px" /> MESSAGE TOPIC

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Answer the following to help you organize your thoughts and communicate your message efficiently.

• What do they need to know?
• Why do they need to know?
• What do they need to do?
• Why do they need to do it?

<aside> <img src="/icons/book_gray.svg" alt="/icons/book_gray.svg" width="40px" /> KEY VERSE

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For cohesion, it would be good to have a central text with additional supporting verses.

<aside> <img src="/icons/flag-swallowtail_gray.svg" alt="/icons/flag-swallowtail_gray.svg" width="40px" /> EXEGESIS

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Study and understand the original and intended meaning of your chosen scripture first before bedazzling it with stories and jokes. Doing this helps us to ask question to gain new insights and to produce useful interpretations.

Check the following:

• Author
• Audience
• Context

<aside> <img src="/icons/flag-swallowtail_gray.svg" alt="/icons/flag-swallowtail_gray.svg" width="40px" /> REMINDERS & GUIDELINES

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• Prayer —- Approach preparation prayerfully. Avoid the pressure to write a perfect message. Partner with the Holy Spirit, ask what he wants to communicate to the kids through you.
• Relevance —- What’s interesting to us as adults will most often be not interesting to the kids. Include references that are relevant to their age may it be in movies, shows, games, slang. This helps us connect to them better.
• Relatability —- Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable! When we share our imperfections, we are shattering their expectations of a perfect leader and showing them a perfect Savior. “We might impress people with our strengths, but we connect with people through our weaknesses.” (Craig Groeschel)