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• Stonecroft Introduction
• Who we are
• Stonecroft History
• Stonecroft Leadership
• Statement of Faith
• Stonecroft Bible Study

Youth English Trinity Series

• Introduction
• What is God like?
• Who is Jesus?
• Where is the Holy Spirit?

Youth English Holy Spirit Series

• Where is the Holy Spirit?
• Lesson #1
• Lesson #2
• Lesson #3
• Lesson #4
• Lesson #5
• Lesson #6
• Lesson #7
• Lesson #8
• Lesson #9
• Lesson #10
• Lesson #11
• Lesson #12
• Lesson #13
• Lesson #14
• Lesson #15
• Lesson #16
• Lesson #17
• Lesson #18

Adult English Trinity Series

• What is God like?
• Who is Jesus?
• Where is the Holy Spirit

Trinity Series International

• Chichewa
• English
• French
• Swahili

International Team

• Evangelist Jenny Tryhane
• Peggy Tryhane
• Bishop David Akondowe
• Rev Abraham Kisembo
• Bishop Luanda Pinos

UCT Kids Curriculum

• Grow and Go curriculum
• New Life curriculum
• Heal a Hurting Heart
• Sowing Seeds of Success
• Super Fruits curriculum

Child Evangelism

• Evangelism Training
• Child Evangelism
• Sports Evanglism

English YDT Teachings

• Introduction

Fruit of the Spirit

JOY

This English Stonecroft 'Youth Discipleship Teaching' has been adapted from the Adult Stonecroft Trinity Series.

The English Stonecroft Trinity Series - Where is the Holy Spirit? is available online from Stonecroft's corporate website.

AS YOUTH ARRIVE PRIOR TO THE LESSON:

1. JUNIOR YOUTH GAMES: (10 minutes)

2. JUNIOR YOUTH TEAM GAMES: (10 minutes)
HAPPY PLACES: Have the Junior Youth sit on the floor in a circle, put on some music or get someone to sing a happy song. Have them pass around a large cardboard picture of a HAPPY FACE! When the song stops, the student holding the HAPPY FACE will be the one to sit out of the next time around, etc. Tell the children that are out and sitting on the side lines to put on a sad face until the game is over. Ask children if they enjoyed being HAPPY or SAD later today they will learn about Jesus’ LOVE

5. TEACHING

a. Weekly Bible Verse Readings Review- SESSION #6

While at home you would have read the Bible verses and written your comments to share in this session did you memorize one verse per day? Here are a few questions to test if you fully understood the readings.

1. 1 John 4: 1-6

(Is the Spirit in you greater than he who is in the world?)

.................. ( Yes)

2. 1 John 4: 7-11

Knowing God Through Love

(Fill in the blanks)

7 Beloved, let us ---- one ------- for ---- is of ---; and everyone who loves is ---- of God and knows ---.

(Love, another, love ,God; born, God. )

...................

3. 1 John 4: 12-16

Seeing God Through Love

(Has anyone seen God?)

................... (No)

(If we love one another, who abides in us?

................... (God)

4. 1 John 4: 17-19

The Consummation of Love

(What does perfect love casts out?)

.........(Fear)

(Who do  we love God?)

............ (Because He first loved us.)

5. Romans 13: 8-10

Love Your Neighbor

(Consider some ways that you can show love to your neighbours and record them down here)

.................

6. Mark 12: 29-31

(What is the  first of all the commandment?)

....... ( Hear, O Israel, the  Lord  our God, the  Lord  is one.   And you shall   love the  Lord  your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.)

(What is the second commandment?)

............ (You shall love your neighbor as yourself.)

7. John 3:16

Teach the Youth

John 3:16

DOWNLOAD Bible Verse Take Home Track one for each youth in the program

a. Review Lesson:

Last week we learnt that we are to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' this is the first and greatest commandment but to keep it we must first appreciate the immeasurable love God has for us

Last week we learnt:

• God’s immeasurable love. (What do we used to measure length, and height? (Hold up tape measure)
• What measures time? (Clock)
• Love in action. What have you done this week to demonstrate God’s love? (Allow the children to give testimonies)
• Words without love. (Remember the ‘music!’)
• Looking on the inside.(Remember the framed picture of an African family.)

b. Junior Youth Sword Play
Ready…Swords up… Romans 14:17… CHARGE!

c. Teach the Lesson (15 minutes)

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - JOY
Joy/Happy There is a difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is based upon “happenings,” if good things happen, you’re happy, but if bad things happen we are unhappy. Not so with joy, joy is a deep inner experience not determined by circumstance.

1. Fleeting happiness
2. Lasting joy

Junior Youth Teaching:

Object lesson: Start the lesson by blowing bubbles, get the children to try and catch them. As their laughter rises explain to them that they are experiencing happiness.

There is just one problem with the happiness that comes from blowing bubbles -- it doesn't last! The minute you reach out and touch one of the bubbles, it will burst. Many times we chase the bubble, but it is always just out of reach and as soon as it touches the ground, the bubble bursts.

I think this is the way it is in the lives of many people today. A lot of people are chasing after happiness, but like the bubbles, happiness is always just out of reach. Or, just when we think we have it, our bubble may burst.

Youth Teaching:

What are some of the things that people are chasing in their search for happiness?

Money -- Many people think that money will bring them happiness, but it doesn't. Once you spend it, it is gone, and you still don't have happiness.

Entertainment -- Many people think that laughing and having a good time is the same thing as having joy but it isn't. Many people who are laughing on the outside are crying on the inside.

Popularity -- Some people think that being popular will bring them happiness. They will do anything or say anything to make other people like them, but popularity doesn't last. It is here today and gone tomorrow. There is no lasting joy in popularity.

Jesus knew that people often look for happiness in the wrong places. He even suggested that we might be happier if we were poor, hungry, crying, and disliked by others.

Why would Jesus suggest such a thing?

• When we are poor, it may be easier for us to trust in God to supply everything we need instead of depending on our own wealth.
• When we are hungry for God and his righteousness, we realize that only He can satisfy our hunger.
• When we are crying, we can trust in God to comfort us and ease our pain.
• When we think we have no friends, we have a friend in Jesus. Jesus is a friend who will never leave us.

If the Holy Spirit is within us, we can experience joy even in times of sorrow as we abide in Christ.

Do you want to find joy? Don't spend your time chasing bubbles. Look to your Heavenly Father. He is the source of true joy and happiness. The Bible tells us to be joyful in the God of our salvation!

In our lives here on earth, we will always have hardships, sorrow and tears. Because of sin, we will never be able to experience a life without some sadness. But when we repent from our sin and turn to Christ for our salvation, we receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit allows us to produce the fruit of joy. We know that God is our joy and that we experience joy through His Word. James tells believers to consider it joy when they go through difficult times in their lives. How is it possible to have joy, to praise God, in difficult times?

(Allow them time to think and offer explanations.)

Joy is very different from happiness. Happiness cannot be present when someone is sad. But joy can always be present, even in time as sadness, loss, persecution and difficulties we can praise God

In Proverbs 10:28a we read “The hope of the righteous brings joy.”
As Christians, we have something the rest of the world does not: the hope of eternal life with God. After we die, we know we will live forever with God. He will wipe away every tear from our eyes and there will be no more sorrow. This gives us joy! We know that the hard times we experience on earth will not last forever because of Christ. He is never far when we suffer, but right by our sides. Knowing this truth allows us to have joy even in the midst of sadness.

6. APPLICATION / ENCOUNTERING GOD
Get the Youth to write down ways they can show love to particular people throughout the week. Spend time in prayer together, asking God to help each of you produce the fruit of love each day, particularly this week In the Gospel of John Jesus promised that His joy would remain in us, and our joy would be full. Let us pray and ask Him to give us His joy.

CLOSING PRAYER

Our Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me constant access to Your presence. Because You are always with me, I can experience true joy at all times. Although the joy You give isn't based on my circumstances, I don't always live a life marked by joy. Too often, instead of trusting You, I let my problems dictate my reactions. Please forgive me! 

Fill me with Your joy and peace, so that by the power of Your Holy Spirit, I may abound in hope at all times. Help me to live a life marked by undefeatable joy. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Prayers to Help You Cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit

JUNIOR YOUTH TAKE HOME PAGE/ACTIVITY:

YOUTH TAKE HOME BIBLE MEMORY VERSES/ACTIVITIES:

Weekly Bible Verse Readings - LESSON #7

Print 'Weekly Bible Verse Readings', one for each youth to take home.

Read the Bible verses given below and write your comments to share in the next session.

1. John 15:9-17

9  "As the Father   loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  10  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

11  "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and   that your joy may be full.  12  This is My   commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  13  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  14  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  15  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends,   for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.  16  You did not choose Me, but I chose you and   appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father   in My name He may give you.  17  These things I command you, that you love one another.

...................

2. Romans 15:13

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

......................

3. 1 John 1:1-4

1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life- 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us- 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

..............

4. Psalm 16:9-11

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

.................

5. 1 Peter 1:6-9

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith-the salvation of your souls.

.....................

6. Colossians 1:9-14

9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

.....................

7. 3 John 1: 2-4

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

................

DOWNLOAD 'Weekly Bible Verse Readings' - SESSION #7

Bring back your 'Weekly Bible Verse Readings' so you can discuss your answers at the next session.

DOWNLOAD Lesson #7 Teaching Manual

NEXT WEEK: FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - PEACE

Next session we will learn that Peace is a gift from God made possible through the death of Jesus Christ. It involves peace with God, peace with others, and peace with one’s self. This tranquility floods the heart and spirit that are in harmony with God.