Scripture: Acts 16:16-40, Matthew 5:10, II Corinthians 11:24-28
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn the story of Paul and Silas in jail.
- Students will learn that missionaries and Christians can be persecuted for sharing their faith.
- Students will learn how to trust God no matter what situation they are in.
- Students will learn about the sacrifices made by those who choose to serve as missionaries in countries where they are openly persecuted.
Guiding Question: What are the challenges in sharing your faith?
Materials: Pretend incident cards with different scenarios to encounter during mission
Procedure: Review the story of Paul and Silas in Jail from Acts 16:16-40. Explain how Paul and Silas had to be brave and trust in God even when they were in a bad situation and afraid. Explain to the students that it is important for them to trust in God just as Paul and Silas did because God will always faithful to provide for us and never let us down. Have students share times when God has been faithful to them when they had to do something difficult.
Introduce “Walking in their shoes” activity. Tell students they are going to pretend to be serving as missionaries in (country of your choice) for (mission of your choice). Throughout the simulation, the students are going to encounter several situations in which they will have to make quick decisions to stay safe in their country while helping share God. After the activity, debrief with the students about how they felt encountering tough situations through their mission. Did they ever want to give up? Why would it be important to stay close to God during those through times? Ask the students if they know have a better understanding of what some missionaries go through and why.
Additional Questions:
- How can the students support missionaries who are serving in countries where Christianity is forbidden?
Supplemental Activity: Let interested students research countries where Christianity is forbidden and missionaries teams that serve there. Students and teacher can reach out to these ministries to understand how they can serve them best.