DELIVERANCE CHURCH BLUE VALLEY, EMBU

CHILDREN MINISTRY VBS MANUAL

2024 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

TEACHING AND LEARNING MATERIALS

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COPYRIGHT
© 2024 DELIVERANCE CHURCH BLUE VALLEY EMBU
No part of this VBS Manual may be reproduced in any form by electronic or mechanical
means except for the quotations of short passages for the purpose of criticism, review and
citations. Permission to use this manual in any other way than what is granted above should
be sought from Deliverance Church Blue Valley, Embu.

INTRODUCTION

The DCBV Children Ministry launched the Vacation Bible School program in November
2013. Since its inception, the program has been very impactful to the lives of many children
in the DCBV church and other children from neighbouring churches and estates.

There has been remarkable growth in the program every year particularly in terms of numbers
of participants, preparation of learning materials and organisation of the daily activities.

Over the years, one of the goals of the children ministers has been to develop localised
DCBV learning materials instead of outsourcing from other children-based organisations. In
view of this, during a Children Ministry meeting in April 2024, a team of ten members was
appointed and given the mandate to come up with the 2024 VBS theme, identify related
topics and prepare the learning materials. This culminated in the production of this VBS
manual to the glory of God.

PREFACE
Welcome to the "VBS 2024 Bible Lessons"! This week, we will go on a fun and exciting journey
through the Bible to learn about God’s love and how He helps us every day. Our theme is “The Lord
is My Helper”, based on Psalm 121:2: “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and
earth.” We’ll learn through amazing stories about people who trusted God, like Abraham, Elijah, Paul
and Silas, and even Jesus Himself.

Each lesson will teach us something important about how to have faith, pray, and praise God, even
when things are difficult. We’ll also do crafts, activities, and memory verses to help us remember
these powerful lessons. We hope these stories and activities will show you that God is always with
you, ready to help and guide you in every situation. Let's have fun learning and growing closer to
God together!

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 VACATIONAL BIBLE SCHOOL 2024

DAY ONE- ABRAHAM’S FAITH TESTED

THEME: THE LORD IS MY HELPER
Theme verse: Psalm 121:2 -My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and
earth.
Main text: Genesis 22:1-19
Gen 22:2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the
region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell
you about.”
Memory verse: Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because
anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who
earnestly seek him”
Aim: Children will be able to explain the actions which showed that Abraham had faith and
how God helped him by providing a lamb for sacrifice.
Introduction: Johnson was a young man in Form two. As he attended the Christian Union
Sunday service at their school, the guest speaker preached about showing kindness to others
who are in need. Johnson gave out the only money he had- Ksh 300- to a new student who
was very needy. He did this believing that God would provide for His needs.
That very evening, one of his aunts visited him and gave him Ksh 500 as pocket money. This
encouraged Johnson to trust God and obey Him more.
God tested Abraham’s faith Genesis 22:1-19-
God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his only son Isaac. Abraham is best known
for the depth of his faith in God. He obeyed God unquestioningly and was ready to follow
God’s order to sacrifice Isaac, which was a test of his faith, though in the end God provided a
lamb for the sacrifice.
Difficult words to explain: Altar, Sacrifice, burnt offering,
Key points:
 God told Abraham to go and sacrifice his only son at Mt Moriah
 Abraham OBEYED GOD and set out for the three days journey together with Isaac
and two of his servants
 (Give examples of some ways in which God speaks to us and how we are
supposed to obey Him. For example sharing our faith with others, sharing
what we have with others in the name of the Lord, etc.).

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  On the third day, he saw the mountain at a distance, asked the servants to wait for him
at a certain place. Abraham said that he and the son would go and worship God, then
come back- he said so by FAITH
 (Children should ask God to help them learn to trust Him and have great
faith in Him)
 As they went towards the mountain, Isaac asked the father where the lamb of sacrifice
was. He confidently, by FAITH, said that God would provide.
 (Explain that God is working things out for us even when we can’t see Him
working)
 When they reached the place that God had said, Abraham built an altar there and
arranged the wood on it. By faith he bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on
top of the wood. He was about to sacrifice Isaac when the angel of the Lord stopped
him.
 God told Abraham that he had now known that he feared God because he had not
withheld from Him his only son Isaac.
 God blessed Abraham in a big way. In Gen 22:16-17, God said, “…I will surely bless
you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on
the seashore.”
 Abraham had a close relationship with God: He knew when God was speaking to him,
he knew the power of God to perform miracles e.g. by giving him Isaac in old age and
by providing a lamb for sacrifice, he also knew the promises of God.
 What should we do in order to have a close relationship with God?
 Abraham looked up and saw a lamb in the bush. God miraculously provided a lamb
and Abraham called that place ‘THE LORD WILL PROVIDE”
God HELPED Abraham by providing the lamb for sacrifice.
 (Explain that when we trust and have faith in God, He never disappoints us,
He provides for us in His own special way)
Conclusion
-In John 3:16, God showed His love to the world by giving His one and only Son to die on
the cross as a sacrifice to save the world. (This is the greatest HELP we have received from
God)
- Through having faith in God, we should be ready to receive the salvation given through
Jesus Christ. - Highlight the main points of the memory verse.

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DAY TWO- ELIJAH’S CONTEST AT MT CARMEL

THEME: THE LORD IS MY HELPER

Theme verse: Psalm 121:2 -My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and
earth.
Main text: 1st Kings 18:16-39
Memory verse: Daniel 11: 32b- But the people that do know their God shall be strong and do
exploits.

Aim: Children will be able to explain the actions that showed Elijah knew God and how God
helped him to defeat the prophets of Baal.

Introduction: The lion is very brave in the jungle. Elijah was as brave as a lion and therefore
faced his opponents without fear.

Elijah prayed to the TRUE GOD

The Bible shows that Elijah was a man of prayer. He prayed to God whom he knew. During the
contest at Mt Carmel, God accepted the sacrifice he made through prayer. In James 5:16-17
Elijah prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain for three and a half
years….Again he prayed and it rained.
Key points:
 Elijah met with Ahab the king.
 Boldly, he told him that the people of Israel had abandoned the true God and his
commands not to worship Baal
 Elijah asked King Ahab to summon the Israelites at Mt. Carmel with 450 prophets of
Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah
 Elijah challenged the people not to waver between two options. ‘If the Lord is God
follow him, if Baal is God follow him’. The people said nothing
 As the children of God, we are supposed to be faithful to God. We can’t serve
Him and at the same time serve other gods (give examples of things that
people worship instead of the True God)
 Elijah directed them to set up the altar so that they could offer a sacrifice. The god who
answers by fire- he is God ( sacrifice activities) verse 35-38

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 They called on their god from morning till evening no answers. They were desperate,
disappointed and ashamed.
 All other gods are the works of men but the Lord, Jehovah is the True God.

 Elijah repaired the altar and set it up properly to make a sacrifice to God. He prayed to
God, trusting that He would answer him. God sent His fire down to the altar and it
burned up the sacrifice.
 God’s presence was with Elijah to help him as he faced the false prophets.
God heard Elijah’s prayers and gave him great victory.
 When the Israelites saw God answering Elijah by fire, they fell down and cried out:
“The Lord, He is God.”
 God helped Elijah (let children know that only God should be worshipped,
he hears and answers prayers)

 The Israelites acknowledged the true God of Elijah as Lord God. Elijah knew God and
had a close fellowship with Him.
 What should we do to have a close fellowship with God?
 God helped Elijah by answering his prayers in a powerful way. He believed his
God would not shame him. Hebrews 13: 15b – “Never will I leave you, never
will I forsake you.”

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DAY THREE –POWER OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP-Paul and Silas in
prison

THEME: THE LORD IS MY HELPER

Theme verse: Psalm 121:2 -My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and
earth.

Main text: Acts 16:25-34

Acts 16:25- About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the
other prisoners were listening to them.

Memory verse: Psalm 34:1 “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be
in my mouth.

Aim: Children will be able to explain how Paul and Silas praised and worshipped God in
prison and how this led to the salvation of the Jailer and his household.

Introduction: A story is told of a Christian family who were traveling upcountry for a
holiday. Along the way on the deserted road, their vehicle experienced a mechanical problem.
Feeling stranded and anxious, they decided to wait upon God and turned to praising and
worshipping Him while waiting. While they were praising and worshiping God a stranger’s
vehicle came and stopped where they were and they were given the much required assistance.
The family was able to proceed with their journey. This shows that in spite of facing
challenges in life we can praise and worship God.

Paul and Silas in Prison Acts 16:25-34

Paul and Silas ended up in prison because they were being followed by a female slave
possessed by a spirit. She earned money for her owners by fortune-telling. Even though she
was stating truth regarding Paul and Silas, and others with them, Paul was put out with her
and cast the spirit from her in the name of Jesus Christ. Her owners were angry because they
lost their ability to make money using the female slave to predict the future. They seized Paul
and Silas and brought them before the authorities claiming they were Jews and advocating

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customs unlawful for Romans. Even though Paul and Silas were both Roman citizens, they
didn’t argue and try to use a ‘get out of jail free’ card.

Key points:
 Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten, and thrown into prison.

Lessons we can learn from Paul and Silas in prison

 They praised God while in prison. Even though they had been beaten and thrown in
prison with their feet shackled, they sang hymns and prayed. Their praise in such a
bad situation caused those around them to take notice and listen to them.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other
prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25

 Their praise not only helped them but also those who listened. An earthquake shook
the prison, and the doors flew open. Everyone’s chains came loose.

Suddenly, there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were
shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. Acts 16:26

 What they didn’t do was important. Roman law required jailers to take personal
responsibility for prisoners.

If Paul and Silas (and other prisoners) had escaped when their chains came loose, the jailer
would have possibly been put to death. This is why he placed them into the inner prison and
fastened their feet in stocks. By not escaping, they saved the life of the jailer.

The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was
about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t
harm yourself! We are all here!” Acts 16:27-28

 Their example changed lives eternally. Paul and Silas chose to stay in the difficult
circumstance they were in (prison) when they could have easily escaped suffering.
That example drew the jailer to realize there was something different about them and
he wanted whatever they had.

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The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then
brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:29

 In an incredible act of discernment, Paul knew they must not run when the chains
came loose, and the prison doors swung open. He knew God was working and using
the bad situation for something good.
 The jailer was saved along with his family.

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.”
Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of
the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his
household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them;
he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God – he and his whole household.
Acts 16:31-34

How to Apply These Lessons to our Lives

There are many lessons to learn from Paul and Silas in prison and they’re applicable to our
Christian lives today.

1. It’s all for our good.

When we are faced with bad situation, it is easier to escape than to stay on. We don’t want to
experience pain if we can get out of it.

Our praise to God in times of trouble should be genuine because we know He’s allowing the
suffering for our good or the good of others.

It is easiest to praise God when we are healthy, have all provisions or have passed our exams.
promise. It is hard to praise when we are suffering. For example when we are in a situation
where we don’t see a good ending, when we have lost someone we love or we are letting go
of something we want to keep.

We should raise genuine praise when trouble comes into your lives because it is all for our
good..

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

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2. Genuine worship is powerful.

Like a supernatural earthquake at just the right time, God moves powerfully in our lives when
our worship is authentic. (No truer can it be than when we are in pain.) We trust Him with
every part of our lives. The good and the bad.

When we surrender our suffering to Him – knowing its part of His plan – we will find rest in
His work.

God sets us free from our own prisons. He loosens our feet from shackles even when we’re
unaware we’re bound. He heals what can only be healed by Him.

I trusted in the LORD when I said, “I am greatly afflicted.” Psalm 116:10

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DAY FOUR: KNOWING THE WORD OF GOD IN OUR HEARTS

THEME: THE LORD IS MY HELPER

Theme verse: Psalm 121:2 -My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and
earth.
Main Text: Mathew 4:1-11
Jesus Overcomes Satan's Temptations
Memory Verse: Psalm 119:11 “Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I may not sin
against you.”
Aim: By the end of the lesson, children will be able to give examples of how they are
tempted and how they can overcome by applying the word of God.
Introduction: Joy had a birthday party. She was turning ten years old. She looked forward to
a fun- filled day with friends, relatives and neighbours who had been invited. Her mother
bought a very beautiful cake a week before the day of the birthday. Every moment she had an
opportunity, Joy would go to the cupboard where the mother kept the cake, open the box and
admire the cake for a few minutes. The desire to taste the cake was so strong in her. The
colours of the cream were ever welcoming her to cut a little piece....even just a little cream to
taste. But cutting any corner of the cake would ruin her birthday party. Imagining how her
friends would react if they discovered her birthday cake had already been cut before the 'big
day ' kept her from cutting it. Joy overcame the temptation. She never cut the cake before the
birthday date. She made up her mind to wait and cut it when it had not been tampered with.

Overcoming temptation through the word of God:

As Christians, we will be faced with various temptations. Jesus prepared his disciples in
advance. He told them, "Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come "(Lk17:1)
Jesus Himself was tempted by Satan but He overcame by quoting the Word of God. He
would tell Satan, "It is written...." (Mth4:4, 6)

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The bible is the word of God. We are expected to read it every day so that it guides us on how
to go about our daily activities. The more we read the Word of God, meditate upon it and
memorize it, the more our walk with God gets better.
Activity: Let the children share verses of the bible they know off head and state
circumstances in which they can quote them.

Key Points:
Jesus, being God and also the Son of God read the Word and knew it by heart. One time
before He began His ministry here on earth, Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. He
ate nothing in those days. When the days ended, He was very hungry. At this point, Satan
tempted Him three times.
Temptation 1 Mth 4:3-4
The Devil said to Jesus, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread
“Jesus replied, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the
mouth of the Lord. "
Temptation 2 Mth 4: 5-7
The Devil brought Jesus to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him,
"If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written: He shall give
His angels charge of you to keep you, 'and 'in their hands they shall bear you up lest you dash
your foot against a stone. ‘And Jesus answered and said, "You shall not tempt the Lord your
God.”
Temptation 3 Mth 4: 8-10
The Devil took Jesus up on a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world
in a moment of time. The Devil said, “All this authority I will give you, and their glory; for
this has been delivered to me and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if you will worship
before me, all will be yours. “Jesus answered and said to Him, “Get behind me Satan! For it
is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve."
Application
The Devil tempts us by creating doubt in our minds/hearts about God. We have higher power
because we have JesusWe can use the word of God, written in the Bible to defeat him. Tell
him, “The Bible says....."When he tells you, "You are sick" tell him "It is written, by the
stripes of Jesus I was healed "(Isa53:5)

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When he tells you, "You can't make it." Tel him,” I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me"(Phil4:13)
Conclusion
Let us make every effort to read, meditate upon and memorise the Word of God. One day we
will need it when Satan comes to tempt us.
Josh1:18, Ezra7:10

DAY FIVE- GROWING IN OUR WALK WITH GOD

THEME: THE LORD IS MY HELPER

Theme verse: Psalm 121:2 -My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and
earth.

Memory verse: 2 Peter 3:18

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be
glory both now and forever! Amen."
Aim: The children will be able to explain the main points they have learned from the
lessons taught in the last four VBS days through which they will grow in their daily walk
with God.

Introduction: In the past four days of Vacational Bible School, we have learnt how some of
God’s servants experienced some challenges in their lives. Since these people had a close
relationship with God, He helped them through the challenges and gave them victory. In all
these examples we have learnt that our help comes from the Lord. We are grateful to God
who has continued to speak to our hearts powerfully and this will make us grow in our
relationship with Him in different ways.

Lessons learnt from knowing that our help comes from the Lord.

 We receive Faith by hearing and by obeying the word of God

It is through faith that we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and receive the gift of salvation.
Growing in our walk with God involves talking to Him in prayer by faith without which we
cannot please Him. (Hebrews 11:6).

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Faith will help us overcome difficult situations just as our Father Abraham did (Romans 4:3).
Jesus explained to His disciples the importance of exercising faith in their ministry every day.

Matthew 17:20
“…… I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this
mountain, ‘move from here to there’ ….and it will move…”

 Praying is a very important practice for believers

This is the simplest way of communicating with our Maker. Just as walking with a friend
requires us to have a conversation, our God desires our communication with Him through
prayer by faith daily. Through prayer, we become close to God and get strengthened in faith.
When we pray, we receive victory wherever the enemy comes our way.

 Standing strong in faith against false gods brings us close to God

Elijah knew his God and this alone gave him the authority to defeat the false prophets of
Baal through a contest about the true God at Mount Carmel.
When we have a close walk with God, He gives us victory and helps us to be His true
witnesses in this evil world.
 We grow in our walk with God through Praise and Worship.

This brings honour to God. It also focuses our spirit on God making us have a closer
relationship with God. Praise and worship gives us strength and encouragement. We also
experience God's protection through praise and worship.

Paul and Silas had built a strong relationship with God. Their close walk with God gave
them boldness even in difficult moments.

Praise and Worship became their weapons of war against the enemy
 Knowing and keeping the Word of God in our hearts helps us to overcome
temptations from Satan.
Jesus overcame Satan's temptations in the wilderness through the Word of God.

For every temptation that Satan brought to Jesus, He responded by quoting the Word of God.

As children of God, we must take care of

our hearts at all times.
When we hide God's word in our hearts, we will not be lured to sin.
Help the learners understand that through the help of the Holy Spirit believers get to know
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the Word of God which becomes their help in times of need.
John 1:1, Psalm 119:11
NB: Take time and pray with the children that God will help them to grow in their daily walk
with Him through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Encourage children to share what they learned with their parents/ guardians or
caretakers.

CONCLUSION
We have had a wonderful time learning about God and His love during our "VBS 2024 Bible
Lessons." Our theme, “The Lord is My Helper”, taught us how God helped Abraham, Elijah,
Paul and Silas, and even Jesus. We discovered that God wants us to trust Him, pray to Him,
and praise Him every day.

Remember, God is always ready to help you. When you feel scared, confused, or tempted to
do something wrong, you can pray, read the Bible, and know that God is with you. We also
learned how praising God can bring His power into our lives and how keeping His Word in
our hearts can help us make the right choices.

As we go back to our homes, let’s continue to trust God and share His love with our families
and friends. God has great plans for you, and He will always be there to guide you.
Remember, you can talk to Him anytime because He loves you so much!

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