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Epic Teachings of the Bible • Quarter 1

Fruit of the Spirit

Use these weekly notes to prepare your heart and mind before serving. Each week includes the Bible passage, teaching focus, a personal reflection, prayer prompt, and practical tip for leading kids well.

Memory Verse • Galatians 5:22–23 “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things.”
November 1 Love Galatians 5:22 • Luke 15:11–32

Dig In to the Bible

Love is a fruit of the Spirit. Jesus tells about a father whose son leaves home to live wildly. When the son returns, the father welcomes him with open arms. In the same way, God loves us deeply, and his love flows out of us to others.

Dig Deeper

It can be tempting to simply teach kids to “try harder” to love others. But the fruit of the Spirit isn’t something we produce through effort. It grows naturally as we get closer to God.

Help kids understand God’s love for them so that love can grow naturally in their own lives.

Think About Describe God’s love for you. What’s your response?
Dig In to Prayer Ask God to inspire your kids with ways to pass his love on.
Quick Tip Some kids can be especially difficult to love. Instead of relying on your own effort, ask God to help you see those kids through his eyes. Pray for them, look for the good in them, and help them begin to see that good in themselves.
November 8 Joy Galatians 5:22 • Nehemiah 8:1–3, 10–12

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After rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall, Nehemiah and his friends read from God’s Word. The people are sad when they realize they haven’t been obeying God, but Nehemiah tells them to celebrate because the joy of the Lord is their strength.

Dig Deeper

Joy doesn’t mean kids will never be sad or go through difficult circumstances. Sadness is a normal human emotion—and it’s exactly what the Israelites experienced in this story.

Help kids understand that joy isn’t rooted in circumstances. Even when sad things happen, the joy of the Lord can be their strength.

Think About What brings you joy?
Dig In to Prayer Ask God to fill your kids with so much joy that it bubbles over into their lives.
Quick Tip Kids won't always act joyful. Instead of simply scolding a bad attitude or forcing participation, look for teachable moments. Help kids discover that the Holy Spirit can give them joy even when things don't go their way.
November 15 Peace Galatians 5:22 • Genesis 26:12–35

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Isaac faces repeated conflicts with people over water rights. Instead of fighting, he leaves each situation and finds new water. Eventually, Isaac is able to find water and make a peace treaty.

Dig Deeper

Most kids would rather be right than make peace. When they feel something is unfair, the natural response is often to fight for what they believe they deserve.

Help kids see how choosing peace can ultimately work out better for everyone.

Think About Think about a relationship where peace is lacking right now. What do you need God’s help to do to make peace?
Dig In to Prayer Ask God to give your kids a stronger desire to make peace than to be right.
Quick Tip Classroom conflict gives you real-time opportunities to teach peace. Rather than immediately solving disagreements for kids, coach them toward their own resolution. Ask questions like, “What would be a good compromise?” or “What can you do to show the other person peace right now?”
November 22 Patience Galatians 5:22 • Genesis 29:1–30

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Jacob falls in love with Rachel and agrees to work seven years for her father so he can marry her. After seven years, Jacob is tricked into marrying Rachel’s sister. He eventually marries Rachel with a promise to work another seven years.

Dig Deeper

Patience can be especially difficult for children. In a world built around instant gratification, waiting doesn't feel very appealing.

Kids won’t always get what they want immediately. Help them see that God can give them patience while they wait.

Think About What’s something you’re waiting for right now? Pray for God to give you patience.
Dig In to Prayer Ask God to give your kids patience that encourages the people around them to be more patient, too.
Quick Tip Your patience sets an example. If kids are chatty or an activity takes longer than expected, resist creating an impatient tone. Stay flexible, adjust the schedule when needed, and model the patience you're asking kids to practice.
November 29 Kindness Galatians 5:22 • Genesis 18:1–15

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Three strangers visit Abraham, and he shows them kindness. He prepares his best food, gives them shade, and washes their feet. It turns out these visitors are angels—and one is God himself.

Dig Deeper

Kids hear a lot about being kind at home and at school. But biblical kindness isn't simply about trying harder to behave kindly.

Help kids understand that real kindness grows from a heart rooted in love for God and appreciation for the kindness he has already shown us.

Think About What’s the kindest thing someone has done for you? How did you feel when that happened?
Dig In to Prayer Ask God to help your kids understand and appreciate his kindness so their natural response is to pass it on.
Quick Tip Evaluate how you model kindness. Do you greet kids warmly? Do you handle discipline with kindness rather than embarrassment? Do you follow up when a child needs help? Your kindness gives kids a picture of God's kindness.
December 6 Goodness Galatians 5:22 • Luke 10:30–37

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Jesus tells the story of the good Samaritan—a man who shows goodness by stopping to help someone who has been injured even after religious leaders pass by without helping.

Dig Deeper

We often use “good” to mean something average or merely okay. But God's goodness is much greater. Goodness is part of God's character—he is always good.

Help kids see that God gives us the gift of overflowing his goodness into the lives of others.

Think About Who would you describe as good? Why?
Dig In to Prayer Ask God to help your kids grasp the power of his goodness and to fill them with more and more of it.
Quick Tip Pay attention to phrases such as “Be good!” or “If you're good, you get to…” Those phrases can make goodness sound like something kids earn through effort. Help kids pursue God instead. As they grow closer to him, goodness naturally follows.
December 13 Faithfulness Galatians 5:22 • 1 Samuel 20

Dig In to the Bible

David and Jonathan are best friends. Jonathan's father, Saul, wants David dead, yet Jonathan remains a faithful friend. He risks his own safety to discover whether David is in danger and helps him escape.

Dig Deeper

Faithfulness applies both to our relationship with God and our relationships with other people. Faithful friendships can be difficult for kids, where even a small disagreement can quickly end a friendship.

Help kids understand that God gives them the ability to be faithful friends to him and to others.

Think About Who has been faithful to you? What can you learn from that person?
Dig In to Prayer Ask God to show himself faithful to your kids so they can reflect his faithfulness to others.
Quick Tip Consider your own faithfulness to the kids in your ministry. Are you serving consistently? Are you praying for them? Are you preparing before Sunday? Your faithfulness matters.
December 20 Gentleness Galatians 5:23 • John 8:1–11

Dig In to the Bible

Religious leaders bring Jesus a woman caught in sin in an attempt to trap him. Jesus handles the situation with gentleness. He does not condone her sin, but he sends away her accusers and treats her with care and compassion.

Dig Deeper

Gentleness can sometimes look like weakness, especially in a culture that prizes strength and courage. But Jesus' gentleness was anything but weak.

It took courage and strength for Jesus to handle a difficult situation with such compassion.

Think About Think of someone you know who’s gentle. What do you like about that person?
Dig In to Prayer Ask God to help you demonstrate gentleness—even when your kids are driving you crazy!
Quick Tip Follow Jesus' example when discipline issues arise. Avoid calling kids out or embarrassing them in front of everyone. Whenever possible, talk with them privately, without judgment, and clearly communicate what you hope to see in them.
December 27 Self-Control Galatians 5:23 • Matthew 26:47–56; 27:32–44

Dig In to the Bible

Jesus is hung on a cross. Although he has the power to come down, and people taunt him to prove he is God, Jesus shows self-control and stays on the cross because he knows what he has come to do.

Dig Deeper

Self-control may be one of the hardest fruits of the Spirit for kids. Preschoolers through preteens can feel frustrated when they're trying hard to meet expectations but still struggle.

Self-control is a God-given fruit, but developmentally it also takes time to mature. Give kids grace while this fruit is still growing, and make the lesson empowering rather than shaming.

Think About Think back on your childhood. When was self-control hardest for you?
Dig In to Prayer Ask God to give you grace when your kids seem out of control and to give your kids self-control when you're running short on grace.
Quick Tip Different kids need different tools for self-control. Some concentrate better with something in their hands, while others are distracted by it. Without shaming kids, help each child discover the environment and tools that help them succeed.

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