Conversation Starters: Speak Up

Use these discussion starters to help foster a spiritual conversation with your family.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: There are some conflicts we should walk away from. However, there are some issues on which we should not compromise by giving in, walking away, or ignoring. When conflict is caused because of an issue of biblical right and wrong, we need to stand our ground. The apostle Paul was passionate about issues of truth. He was willing to face conflict to defend matters of grace to a culture and people that was very attached to living by the law.

Concept: Speak Up

PRESCHOOL

Acts 10

LIFE POINT: Every person is important.

Who told Cornelius to send for Peter?

How did Peter know he should go to see Cornelius?

What happened after Cornelius and his family listened to Peter?

LIVE IT OUT: Encourage your preschooler to make a new friend this week. Ask him to think of someone who is very different from him. Help him think of ways to be kind and reach out to this person.

KIDS

Acts 10

LIFE POINT: Speaking up for truth shows God’s love for all people.

What visions did Peter and Cornelius have that led to their meeting?

Why did Peter need to be convinced to visit Cornelius?

What was the result of Peter’s visit to Cornelius?

LIVE IT OUT: Ask your child to name some ways he has seen other people be mistreated. Encourage him to speak up for someone he sees being mistreated this week.

STUDENTS

Galatians 2:1-14

THE POINT: Never compromise when the issue is a matter of biblical right and wrong.

When was the last time you stood your ground over something?

How does love factor into how you stand your ground?

Have a conversation around this quote:

“The time is always right to do what’s right.”¹ —Martin Luther King Jr.

LIVE IT OUT: Encourage your student to be honest about his or her faith and the challenges he or she faces.

Write her a note of encouragement about her faith.

Pray that your student will be able to stand his or her ground when it comes faith.

1. Martin Luther King, “A Testament of Hope,” ed. James M. Washington(San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1986), 354.

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Conversation Starters: Walk Away

Use these discussion starters to help foster a spiritual conversation with your family.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: What happens when you disagree with someone? It can break a relationship or maybe even lead to years of anger and bitterness. Disagreements can result in division even if neither person is wrong. Sometimes the best option is to put aside our own interests and let the other person “win.” As a result, both people receive the greater benefit of preserving, and even strengthening, the relationship.

Concept: Walk Away

PRESCHOOL

Genesis 13

LIFE POINT: Let others go first.

Why were Abram’s and Lot’s workers arguing? How did Abram and Lot solve the problem the workers were having?

LIVE IT OUT: Encourage your preschooler to let his friend have first choice when he is sharing snacks or taking turns with toys. Remind your preschooler that it is important to take turns. He will not always get his own way. Remind your preschooler that Abram let Lot choose first.

KIDS

Genesis 13

LIFE POINT: Walk away from things that displease God, and trust His promises.

Why were Abram’s and Lot’s shepherds in conflict? How did Abram and Lot resolve the conflict?

What did God tell Abram?

LIVE IT OUT: Provide your child with a strip of card-stock. Encourage him to write on one side of the strip times when he finds himself in conflict with others. On the other side of the strip, write Ephesians 4:32. Help him attach the strip around his wrist to remind him of Ephesians 4:32 when he finds himself in conflict with another person.

STUDENTS

Genesis 13:1-18

THE POINT: I don’t have to get my way to solve a conflict.

What is a conflict our family seems to have often? How can we help each other work through conflict better as a family?

Have a conversation around this quote about conflict:

“Conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional.”¹  —Max Lucado

LIVE IT OUT:

Talk about a conflict you’ve had recently and how you handled it.

Discuss any conflict you’ve had with your student recently.

Choose a passage of Scripture to memorize with your student this week.

1. Max Lucado, When God Whispers Your Name, (Nashville, TN, 1999), 44.

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Conversation Starters: Fighting Back

Use these discussion starters to help foster a spiritual conversation with your family.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: Most of us would have to admit that we feel the temptation to fight back and the pressure to get revenge. But God hates retaliation. James wrote to first century Christians who knew the pain of mistreatment and the pressure to get revenge. He teaches that the right response when you’ve been wronged is not to give in to the pressure to retaliate, but instead to let it go.

Concept: Fighting Back

PRESCHOOL

Matthew 26:17-30; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

LIFE POINT: God wants people to love one another.

How did Jesus show love to His disciples?

What is one way you can show kindness to another person?

LIVE IT OUT: Talk with your preschooler about situations that are difficult for him, such as a friend hitting him or breaking in front of him in a line. Provide paper and crayons or markers. Ask him to draw a picture of responding kindly in one of the situations.

KIDS

Matthew 26:17-30; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

LIFE POINT: Living for Christ will be difficult at times.

How did Jesus respond to Judas’ betrayal of Him?

How can you use Jesus’ example to be kind to others, no matter what?

LIVE IT OUT: Talk with your child about a situation in his life that has been difficult. He might not understand why he had to endure this hard situation. Lead him to pray, thanking God for His help through this trial.

STUDENTS

JAMES 5:1-11

THE POINT: God wants me to trust Him rather than seek revenge.

How do you deal with the desire to get someone back?

How can you focus on trusting Jesus rather than seeking revenge?

Have a conversation around this quote: “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”¹ —Winston Churchill

LIVE IT OUT:

Ask your student if there is anything keeping him or her from trusting God in situations in which he or she wants to get revenge. Pray daily for your student to trust God in all situations.

Read the same Scripture passages your student does this week.

1. Richard M. Langworth, Churchill by Himself, (London: Ebury Press, 2008), 572.

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Conversation Starters: Use of Words

Use these discussion starters to help foster a spiritual conversation with your family. 

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Conversation Starters: Overcoming Prejudice

Use these discussion starters to help foster a spiritual conversation with your family.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: Our culture tends to value people based on ethnicity, gender, wealth, or ability. But God wants us to see people as He sees them—created in His image to glorify Him. We should treat others as Jesus did—with impartiality and fairness.

Concept: Overcoming Prejudice

PRESCOOL

JOHN 4:1-30

LIFE POINT: Jesus loves all people, and so should we.

• How did Jesus show love for the woman?
• What is a way you can show love to another person?

LIVE IT OUT: Look around your neighborhood or school. Is there a new person who needs a friend? Help your child think of some ways to make friends with this new person.

KIDS

JOHN 4:1-30

LIFE POINT: Show love and care to all people.

• How did Jesus show love to the woman at the well?
• Why were the disciples surprised to find Jesus talking to the woman?
• How does the Life Verse apply to this story?

LIVE IT OUT: Challenge your child to think about the person who is most like him, maybe his best friend. Next he can think about someone he knows and interacts with who is very different from him. This week challenge him to treat both people the same.

STUDENTS

JAMES 2:1-13

THE POINT: God wants me to see people as He sees them.

• What is a challenge you face regarding how you treat people?
• Is there ever a reason to treat one person better than another?

Have a conversation around this quote: “By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.”¹ —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

LIVE IT OUT:

Have a discussion about your student’s circle of friends.
Encourage your student to treat others fairly regardless of their social or financial background.

If you have had any experience with favoritism, racism, or prejudice in your life, share about it with your student.

1. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (New York, NY: SCM Press Ltd., 1959), 185.

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Conversation Starters: Temptation

Use these discussion starters to help foster a spiritual conversation with your family.

The Bible Meets Life: Temptation is a reality for all of us. Even Jesus was tempted. We can’t avoid it, but we don’t have to give in to it. The Book of James helps us understand that God does not tempt us, but He will provide a way to resist temptation. Because of the work Christ has done on our behalf, we can see temptation for what it is and through Him we can overcome any temptation.

Concept: Temptation

PRESCHOOL

MATTHEW 5:1-3; 6:25-34

LIFE POINT: God provides for us.

• What are some ways God provides for you?
• How can you thank God for providing you the things you need, such as the Bible?
• How does the Bible help you make good choices?

LIVE IT OUT: Look around your house, and help your child name all the things that God provides for her, such as the Bible, food, clothes, and water to drink. Pray, thanking God for giving us the Bible to help us make good choices. Thank God for giving us Jesus, who died for us and who forgives us when we make bad choices.

KIDS

MATTHEW 4:1-11

LIFE POINT: Resist temptation by following Jesus’ example.

• How did Jesus respond when the Devil tempted Him to sin?
• What are some ways that you are tempted?
• Can you think of a verse that will help you when you are tempted?

LIVE IT OUT: Help your child list several temptations she faces regularly. Talk about what her response will be when faced with those challenges this week. Remind her to use James 1:2-3 to remember that temptations can be turned around to produce good. Recognize that Jesus was tempted just as we are, yet He never sinned. Thank Him for His perfect life and for His death in our place.

STUDENTS

JAMES 1:13-18

THE POINT: God won’t tempt me, but He will provide a way to resist temptation.

• What leads to temptation?
• Do you have any questions for me about how I face temptation?
• What can I do to help you with the things that tempt you?

Have a conversation around this quote: “Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is.”¹ —C. S. Lewis

Ask your student to recite memorize a verse and recite it to you during the week.
Memorize the verse with your student.
Encourage your student to find an accountability partner.
If you have had a positive accountability partner experience, share it with your student.

1. C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1980), 142.

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Conversation Starter: Good Attitudes

Use these discussion starters to help foster a spiritual conversation with your family.

Life is filled with struggles. Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “When life gives you a lemon, just make lemonade,” but that’s a lot easier said than done. When you’re going through a trial in your life, the last thing you want to hear is a cheesy saying. You need real help and a real understanding of God’s purpose for your struggle. In the Book of James, we discover how, through Christ, we can overcome our trials and turn them into joy.

Concept: Good Attitudes

PRESCHOOL
Matthew 5:1-12

Life Point: We can trust God.

• What are some ways that Jesus showed kindness to people?
• Who is kind to you?
• How can you show kindness to other people?

Live it out: Think of different reactions to scenarios your child has faced. Tell those reactions to your preschooler, and ask him to say whether each action shows a good attitude or a bad attitude. Help your child think about how Jesus was kind. Talk together about one person he can show kindness to. Help him think of a way to show kindness to someone and to carry it out.

KIDS
Matthew 5:1-12

Life Point: Keep a good attitude at all times.

• Why did Jesus say you should be blessed when people persecute you?
• Are you ever teased because of your Christian beliefs?

Live it out: Sit down with your child, and make a list of attitudes, both good and bad. Ask your child to draw a facial expression that a person with each of those attitudes might have. Remind your child this week that when he faces a problem to ask himself what he thinks Jesus’ attitude would be when dealing with that problem.

STUDENTS
James 1:1-4

The Point: Joyful trust in God will get you through any trial.

• What’s a struggle we’ve faced together as a family?
• Are you struggling with anything right now I can help you with?

Discuss the following quote: “You can’t always control circumstances. However, you can always control your attitude, approach, and response.”¹ —Tony Dungy

Live it out:

Remind your student that God uses trials for our good.
Help your student think of the best way to respond to specific trials he or she may face.

Tell your student about how God has strengthened you through trials.

1. Tony Dungy, Whitaker, Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, & Priorities of a Winning Life (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 2007), 16.

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Conversation Starters: Resurrection Faith

“And if Chris has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.  Therefore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished.  If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.”  1 Corinthians 15:17-19

How can you keep this conversation going at home?  Try bouncing some of these questions around at the dinner table, as you’re driving your kids to school or an activity, or even while you’re shopping together:

For Preschoolers
Why did Jesus die?

What do you want to say to Him because He chose to die for us?

For Children
What does Jesus’ death say about His commitment to obeying God?

What is one way you can do something that you don’t want to do but will show people who God is?

For Students
Why were the women serving Jesus after they thought He was dead?

Who do you know that honors Christ in ways that other people find foolish?  What does that say about his or her faith?

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Conversation Starters: Called to be Fishers of Men

“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”  Matthew 4:18-20

How can you keep this conversation going at home?  Try bouncing some of these questions around at the dinner table, as you’re driving your kids to school or an activity, or even while you’re shopping together:

For Preschoolers
What makes you one-of-a-kind?

What makes me one-of-a-kind?

What makes our dog one-of-a-kind?

What makes Jesus one-of-a-kind?

For Children
How was Jesus different from other people?

How were Jesus’ followers one-of-a-kind?

How can you show people that Jesus wants you to be different in how you live?

For Students
In what areas should Christians be different from un-believers in what they don’t do? (speech immorality, etc.)

In what areas should Christians be different from unbelievers in what they do?  (love, honesty, etc.)

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Conversation Starters: Seeking Him

“You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13

How can you keep this conversation going at home?  Try bouncing some of these questions around at the dinner table, as you’re driving your kids to school or an activity, or even while you’re shopping together.

For Preschoolers
Have you ever seen Mom or Dad fix a broken toy you didn’t think could be fixed?  How did you feel?

For Children
What’s the worst thing about having to wait for something?

When you know what you are waiting for is going to be really, really good, does that make it easier or harder to wait?

For Students
Do you think it is easier to build something from scratch or to repair something after years of neglect?

Do you think it is easier for someone to begin following Jesus, or to start following Jesus again after falling away from Him?

How can you pray for friends who have fallen away from God?

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