David

David, a human being chosen by God to rise from shepherd to king, is one of the most significant figures in the Hebrew Scriptures, or Old Testament. Beginning with his predecessor Saul (1 Samuel 8), many important events in David’s life are recorded between 1 Samuel 16, when Samuel anoints him king while still a boy, and 2 Samuel 9 when David, now king, keeps a promise to the last of Saul’s family. What happens in the intervening chapters would make an epic film. The stories in this unit are just a sample of David’s life and personality, but they are stories that teach us of God’s great love for us, even though we are less than perfect.

Stories included in this unit:

• Samuel Finds a New King (1 Samuel 8:1–22; 9:1–27; 10:1)
• A Brand-New King (1 Samuel 16:1–13)
• David Meets Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1–58)
• Best Friends (1 Samuel 20:1–42)
• David Keeps a Promise (2 Samuel 9:1–13)

Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible Curriculum invites children and their leaders to wonder, play, and connect with one another as they develop a better relationship with God. By exploring the stories in Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible, children and their leaders learn more about who God is and what their relationship is with God. This curriculum has 35 units filled with 148 stories from the story Bible that dive deep into characters and themes in the Bible. Children and their leader will read the story together from the story Bible, pause to allow the story to resonate, and then engage with the story and wrestle with their place in that story.

Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible Curriculum is written for ages 5–10 and is intentionally multiage, meaning that children are all grouped together. Grouping children this way brings a relational focus to the sessions and fosters a collaborative spirit. The curriculum also includes an intergenerational component with four suggestions for intergenerational and home ideas for each session within a unit. Those ideas include suggestions for things to do in worship, more education-focused ideas, ways to connect with one another, and mission ideas. This adds another dimension to learning and helps the children connect to the congregation, creating a holistic approach to children’s ministry.