- Participants will discover that work is part of God’s good design and a way to reflect his image.
- Participants will recognise their responsibility to serve others as a way to reflect Christ’s image to the world.
Lesson Preparation
Throughout his Word, God shows that work is part of our identity as his children. When we trust in him, we are called to reflect his character through the way we learn, serve and live each day. Being faithful in school, at home, at work and in our communities is part of the good work God has given us to do. Just as Adam and Eve were called to cultivate Eden, we have been called to steward the blessings God has given us in a way that brings him glory.
Genesis 2:2, 7-9, 15, 18-23; Genesis 1:31a; Ephesians 2:10
- Called: the act of being chosen for a purpose
- Work: the service we are called to in serving God and others
- Thrive: achieving a fulfilled life
- Cultivate: to carefully manage, maintain or care for something
- Workbook
- Pen/Pencil
Need help teaching the session?
Need help teaching the session?
- Lesson Summary: The summary provides an overview of what will be covered in the lesson. It includes the Scripture or biblical truths and how the biblical principles apply to the lives of the participants.
- Lesson Objectives: These goals guide instruction and support the main idea of the lesson. They state what participants should know and be able to do once they have completed the lesson.
- Scripture References: These are passages of Scripture used in each lesson. Plan to read these passages prior to teaching the lesson
- Vocabulary: These are the key words discussed in each lesson that should be taught in context.
- Materials: This is a list of supplies needed to teach the lesson and/or to do the activities.
- Welcome and Review: Begin each class by welcoming the participants and reviewing the material from the previous lesson.
- Icebreaker: In Lesson 1, there is an icebreaker activity to start the lesson. This is a great way to get participants talking and comfortable with one another.
- Scripture Study: Includes different parts. The leader shares the Bible story interactively, asking questions and guiding discussion to engage participants in the Scripture.
- Workbook Activity: During each lesson, students will complete a workbook exercise that will help reinforce learning through hands-on engagement. The workbook activities provide structure for applying the lesson content to the project. Completed examples are provided in this leader’s guide and at the back of the participant’s workbook.
- Facilitation Tips: These support the leader with strategies for guiding the group projects. These reminders help facilitators adapt to challenges and adjust for learners with different abilities and styles.
- Project Milestone: This statement is designed to help define the progress goal for the group project. It outlines the key steps that the leader and student should aim to accomplish by the end of the lesson.
Pray: Participants will reflect on the lesson, and the facilitator will end the lesson with a prayer.
Welcome and Review
Greet participants and welcome them into the programme.
Say:
Let us begin today's lesson by getting to know each other! I am going to give you two career options, and you will decide which of them you would rather commit to for the next 20 years.
Pause here and state the two career options clearly. Allow students a moment to decide. Then, point out two spots in the room—one for each option—and direct students to go to the side that matches their choice.
Say:
When you have made your decision, gather in a group with everyone who chose that career and discuss why your career choice is best. After discussing, appoint a spokesperson who will present your case to the other group, working to convince me that your selection is the best career to pursue. In the end, I will choose a group to join based on the most convincing argument! Keep in mind, this is just for fun! Are you ready?
Allow Responses
Say:
Great. Discuss with your groups; you have five minutes!
Allow participants to make their decisions; then lead them in presenting their conclusions. After hearing from each group, choose which one presented a more compelling argument. Be sure to congratulate both groups when the activity is over.
Ask:
Did you consider the skills and talents you already have and how they could be utilised in each of the career options during our activity? Maybe you thought about your personal goals and interests and then chose the career that would best fulfil them. I am curious to hear from you: Why do we work? Allow multiple responses.
Say:
Meeting the basic needs in our lives like food, shelter and clothing comes at a cost, and work provides us with the income we require to purchase them. However, if we limit the importance of work to the money we receive from it, we are missing out on God’s intended vision for our day-to-day lives.
Work is not a life sentence of labour; it is a part of God’s good design given to us as a way to serve others and reflect his image to the world.
Say:
God's plan and desire for work can be found at the very beginning of the Bible in Genesis, chapters one and two.
Invite students to open to page 3 in their workbook and follow along as you read the Scripture selections.
Say:
After creating Adam, the very first man, God placed him in a beautiful, fruitful garden called Eden. God gave Adam the task of cultivating and protecting Eden, but he did not intend for Adam to complete the work alone. After he followed God's instruction to name all of the wild animals, God gave Adam a companion, the very first woman, Eve. Together, they would work to tend and nurture the home in which God had placed them. God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! It was then that God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.
Pause and invite students to respond to question 1 and 2 in the workbook.
Question 1:
Genesis says God looked over all he had made and called it “very good”.What do you think made the work “good” in his eyes?
Question 2:
What does it show us about God’s plan that work was part of life in Eden, even before sin entered the world?
Say:
When God looked over his creation and called it “very good”, he was delighting in the harmony and wholeness of everything working just as he designed. Work was part of that goodness, given to Adam and Eve before sin ever entered the world. That means work is not a curse but a gift, a way we reflect God’s image as we create, care and cultivate. Far from being meaningless or just about survival, work is meant to carry joy and purpose, drawing us into God’s ongoing story of renewal. In the same way, we are reminded in Ephesians that God created us with intention.
Invite a participant to read Ephesians 2:10 in their workbook.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Question 3:
What does it mean that we are God’s masterpiece?
Question 4:
If God created us anew in Christ so we can do good things, what does that tell us about our calling to serve others?
Say:
This verse reminds us that who we are comes before what we do. Our value is not based on grades, talents or what people think. We are already God’s masterpiece because of Jesus. It shows us that serving others is not just an extra thing—it is the reason God made us new in Christ. Our new life has a real purpose: to do the good works God already planned. Serving others is part of God’s design, and when we do it, we reflect his love and help our whole community thrive.
Say:
Over the next several weeks, each group will design and carry out a project that allows you to use your unique gifts to serve the community around you. This is one way we can practise living out our purpose. You will go through a process of choosing, planning, implementing and reflecting, and by the end, you'll be able to see how God can use you and your group to participate in his work to make the world whole again.
For today, we are just at the beginning. The focus is on exploring options. That means observing the ways we can serve our community, thinking about the skills and passions each of you bring, and starting to imagine the kinds of projects that could connect the two.
Invite students to turn to page 4 in their workbook. Give them some time to complete the project activity. Then, invite students to share their thoughts aloud with the group.
Service and Care
Using your gifts, skills and time to meet the real needs of others whilst showing concern for their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. For example, helping an elderly neighbour with house chores or making care packages for people in need
Family and Relationships
Creating safe spaces where people feel valued, accepted, loved, heard and can be part of something bigger in their community that will build an environment of trust, warmth, generosity and honesty. For example, hosting a game night or movie night for youth in the community.
Learning and Innovation
Guiding someone or people to gain knowledge and skills that shape how they live and standing with them on their journey offering strength, prayer, encouragement and help when needed. For example, offer a tutoring day for learners.
Leadership and Stewardship
Managing and using God's resources wisely and taking steps to heal, rebuild and care for what has been broken or harmed in our community. For example, organise a trash clean-up, or offer to help a neighbour with a garden project.
Project
Milestone:
Milestone:
Idea Generation.
By the end of the lesson, students will identify the real needs within their community and develop ideas for how to meet those needs.
If you sense your students need additional support, consider these teaching strategies.
-
Keep it local.
Encourage students to think of needs they can actually see around them. Guide them towards ideas that are realistic for their time, resources and age.
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Break it down.
Instead of giving students a large amount of time to complete each category, walk through each quadrant of the worksheet together
Say:
I know that not all of you may believe in the God that has been mentioned throughout this lesson, but if you would like to take that step of faith today, if you would like to partner with God and begin walking in the calling he has placed on your life, pray this prayer with me:
Pray:
Allow time for participants to repeat each section after you.
Dear God, thank you for creating me just the way I am. Thank you for placing me in this world, so I may be a blessing to others. I want to use my life to show the world how great you are. Lead me and guide me as I do my best to honour you with everything I say and do. Amen
Say:
For all of you who just made the decision to live for God, welcome to the family! It fills God's heart with joy when anyone chooses to devote themselves to him! Know that this is just the beginning; there is so much more for you to learn about how much God has already done for you in his Word. Before you leave today, please be sure you speak with me; I would love to lead you in the next steps of your new life!
Lessons 1-12
- Lesson 1 Being Who I Am Called To Be
- Lesson 2 Called To a Kingdom
- Lesson 3 Called To Image
- Lesson 4 Called To Serve
- Lesson 5 Called To Responsibility
- Lesson 6 Called To Overcome
- Lesson 7 Called To Collaborate
- Lesson 8 Called To Confidence
- Lesson 9 Called To Refine
- Lesson 10 Called To Implement
- Lesson 11 Called To Evaluate
- Lesson 12 Called To Continue