Let's Talk About Heroes This is a basic outline of Day one of the "Lets talk about Hereo's" VBS  The children learn about....What makes a hero,  A heroes tools,  A heroes handbook, and the Laws of real heroes. They will make crafts and see examples of scriptures put to life in a way that children understand using STS a  teaching method written by Dan Wheeler. There is original music, and learning of respect for hero's.  How we must pray to put on the Armor of God which is a tool of all real heroe's.  This is only an example not the lesson plan.    First Ask the children who there favorite hero or heroes are? (Teachers Write them down) Then ask them why. Pass out the Shield Cards and have the children write down the Qualities of a Hero on each card.  Explain what each Quality is. (you can find them on the main page) Cut the cards out in this shape before the program starts. Sacrifice Determination  Loyalty Courage /Valor Conviction/Foused  David should be the first story. The king and (David)his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here." Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David." (2 Samuel 5:6-7 The Jebusites were the inhabitants of what is known today as Jerusalem. The Jebusites were a Canaanite people, descended  ( Sons Of Noah) the man of God who built the Ark during the great flood. Then one day  Lead by Joshua On the journey to the Land that God had promised them The Israelites encountered these people known as the Jebusites when they crossed the The Jordan River into the Promised Land. The Promised land was land that God had told the Isralites that He would give them. So after their long trip for many years  The Israelites settled and lived in this city (Jerusalem) for many years where God had promised them they would live, but the Jebusites controlled the city and ruled it. David a shepherd who played the harp and flute and carried the armor of the king was chosen by God to be a King one day.   Well David grew into a young man and then became the King and God had promised this city to His people so King David captured this City and it no longer was under the rule of the Jebusites. Although the Jebusites lost the city in battle, David was a good man and respected their property rights - he legally purchased the threshing floor of Araunauh (also known as Ornan) the Jebusite which became one of the most famous places in the world, Mount Moriah, the site where Solomon built the first Temple of God  and on which today stands the Muslim Dome of the Rock.  David had the qualities of a hero.   Then comes the first craft. Making of a shofar. This allows the craft of the shofar to be made and the children sit around the rocking chair with their shofars they crafted. A song is used and the children play their shofar during it. Down Down the Walls came Down. Next: The Activity of the Day with the parable of the house built upon sand. Parable of building a house on solid rock, with a on hands example of such a builder. This will allow the children to visualize the sand,rock,water and what the outcome is when water is poured over the sand. The rock will stand.  Read the parable and then ask questions before the activity.         Have a bucket of sand for the kids to put their hand in. Then you use it for th activity with the rocks. You can collect the rocks the week before make sure they are flat ones and wash them and let them dry in the sun. You will also need people to save Plastic milk jugs and you cut them half way down and wash them out before. Idea is to use the container (Milk Jug) for the rock and sand, and water. you will also need cups paper ones for water and plastic spoons for the children to scoop out the sand from a large container on the table.  The idea is to allow the children to relate to the parable that Jesus taught about building the house on solid rock. Activity: Milk jug place the flat rock in it, the have the children scoop severl ones of sand placed on the top of the flat rock. Then each of them with a cup of water will poor the water into the jug and watch the sand wash away while the stone is left firm.   The children do this activity. ( Hebrews 11 about Faith and the solid foundation. Jesus Christ is our substance. Any spiritual hope, or foundation of faith, must be built on a solid rock of truth. The heroes in todays lesson could not have overcome the fear factor without the Faith built upon the solid foundation of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ is our substance. Any spiritual hope, or foundation of faith, must be built on a solid rock of truth. Faith in any other salvation than what the One true God has provided is a faith built on sinking sand. Next: Talk about the first two Qualities of a Hero (See Qualities)  Have them mark them on the index cards that are formed like a shield. Next: Is the craft of the Heroes Tool box to place the cards into. Craft :Heroes Tool Box: You will need to have shoe boxes donated before the VBS starts. The children will make a Heroe's tool box to put their tools of use into it. This is represented by the cards that you pre cut from index cards in the shape of sheilds that the children write down the tool on, then each day they place these tools into their Heroes Tool box.  Be creative and let the children paint, put stickers, glitter,  and even ribbons on it. Next: Second Story Around the Rocking Chair  Joshua (USE Shofar Craft and the song Down Down The walls came Down.) Today we are going to talk about a Hereo that lived a long time ago in a far away place. Our first story begins in a place called Jericho, a city with very tall walls to protect it, and a Hereo named Joshua.   Rocking Chair Story:   (They camped around the outside of the walls) Joshua called the army together and told them what the Lord had said. Every day at dawn, for six days, the army left the camp. They walked around the city followed by the priests walking ahead of the Ark. On the seventh day, at dawn they left the camp as usual. On this day, instead of walking around the city one time, they walked around seven times. The army first, followed by the priests with their trumpets, walking ahead of the Ark. After they had walked around the seventh time, the priest gave a loud blast on their trumpets. Everyone shouted as loudly as they could, " The Lord has given us this city." With that the walls began shaking, crumbling and tumbling down. The people inside were so alarmed! They didn't know what to do. They began running. They scattered everywhere. The Israelites just walked into the city. God was with them. ( Song used Down Down The Walls came Down, the children use their shofars that they crafted. You should also explain about the shofar and have a picture or perhaps even a real one to show the children. This instrument is still used today. Joshua - As the Israelites left Egypt on their exodus, (Explain what the word exodus means) Joshua was one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to reconnoiter the land of Canaan.   Joshua and Caleb were the only two who had confidence that God would give Israel the land of Canaan despite its formidable inhabitants. Because of their faith God allowed Joshua and Caleb to enter the promised land, but he vowed that the others of Joshua's generation would die in the wilderness. God instructed Moses to designate Joshua as his successor.  Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land. Took the army to Jericho and the Horns brought down the walls. You should tell the story Joshua and Jericho.    Now ask the children what Qualities each of these two Heroes today had. Then have them place all the cards into their Heroes tool box. Next: Craft of the Shield of Faith another tool of a Hero  (This craft they will use in Day Two for an activity so make sure that the children put their names on their shield craft) This is part of the Armor of God and is used for protection so it is also important that you stress this during this craft. The children are also given one ribbon to tie on the buttom of their shield. They will recieve a different color each day. The first one should be a Blue one. The last ribbon will represent the Laws of a Hero the Ten Commandments. So there will be 5 ribbons tied to the bottom of each childs shield. Explain the color Blue(Royal Blue) from the Bible and why Blue is an important color. What this color represents.  The blue in the veil is suggestive of the heavens, and therefore of Heaven in general. We could even go so far as to see in it Christ's heavenly kingdom where your own mansion is waiting for you. As a man walks through the veil, the blue is meant to remind him of the serenity he will achieve when he dies to be with God. Next: Visit from a current day Hero ( Military) Next:  Hold hands in a circle and pray Next: Refreshments         This is a rough outline of the program. A teachers manual is being put together at the present time.

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