Especially for Older Students: The Perfect Plan

Draw attention to the board. Follow these directions for creating a picture for students to use:

1. Draw two parallel lines down the middle of the board to create a river.
2. Lead students to suggest things that could be found on the river’s edge and either draw these or write the names along one edge of the river.

Say: What you see in front of you is a challenge. Your challenge is to come up with a plan to get across the river. The only rule is that you can’t swim across because the river is infested with alligators. You have all the available objects that we’ve placed along the river at your disposal to use. Divide students into teams of three or four, and give each group paper and a pen. Explain that each team will have three minutes to come up with a plan for getting all the members of their group across safely. At the end of three minutes, call on each group share how they plan to get across the river.

When the groups have finished, ask: Is there a way to cross the river without coming up with a plan? Why? Say: A good plan is necessary to achieve any challenging task. Whether it’s winning a football game or governing a country, proper planning is essential. Scripture teaches about God’s plan for Jesus.