VBS Curriculum: JOSEPH, The Dreamer

This summer camp theme and VBS curriculum is based on the Old Testament story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50). This theme teaches children how to grow a faith that is resilient in hardship, overcoming in times of difficulty, and enduring in the face of adversity. Forgiveness and reconciliation is the work of great leaders! We see this in the life of Joseph. It was designed as a camp curriculum for children 8-12 years of age. Can also serve as a 5-week Sunday morning children’s ministry teaching series or Backyard Bible club.

Day 1: When The Dream Becomes a Nightmare
Day 2: When Things Go From Bad To Worse
Day 3: When It Seems God Has Forgotten
Day 4: When God’s Purposes Are Revealed
Day 5: When It’s Time To Forgive

Kit includes:

• 5-Daily Lessons with Leader Guides
• Group Activities, Games, Object Lessons
• Craft Ideas and Talk Sheets
• Logo and Graphic Files
• PowerPoint Backgrounds and Template
• 5-Minute HD Countdown Video
• Music Playlist
• Links to External Video Resources

Download

From Amazon, order the book “Joseph The Dreamer: I Will Rise From These Ashes” as a leader devotional or supplemental study. (download the first chapter for FREE!)

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen, They Rise
Chapter 2: When The Dream Becomes a Nightmare
Chapter 3: It Might Get Worse Before It Gets Better
Chapter 4: Are You Facing a Setback or a Setup?
Chapter 5: From The Pit to The Palace
Chapter 6: Everything Is Made Beautiful In It’s Time
Chapter 7: Waves of Mercy, Grace, and Forgiveness
Chapter 8: They Intended Harm, God Had Other Plans
Chapter 9: Your Story Is Bigger Than You Think

Summary: When the problems of life seem overwhelming, we need someone to come alongside and help us to see our difficulties through the eyes of our sovereign God. Joseph is just such a person. Although he lived thousands of years ago, his story still speaks to us with great insight into the Lord’s purposes.

Joseph experienced a wide variety of trials—hatred, rejection, and betrayal by his brothers; loss of home, family, and freedom; false accusation and imprisonment; and the loneliness and disappointment of being forgotten. His life was a series of difficult and unfair situations, yet Scripture never records any bitterness or revenge in Joseph’s responses to all these circumstances. Though outwardly it may have seemed as if God had abandoned the young man, nothing could be further from the truth. The Lord had some pretty big plans for Joseph and all of his trials prepared him and shaped him for those plans (Psalm 105:17-22).

As Joseph responded to each situation with faith in God and diligence in every task assigned to him, one fact is obvious throughout this story: The Lord was with Joseph (Genesis 39:2, 21, 23).

We need to remember this when we are going through hard times: The Lord is with us even when our circumstances seem to shout that He has deserted us. We may have little control over the difficulties we face, but we each have a choice of how to respond. Joseph calls to us from out of the past, urging us to trust God. His life is an example of how God mysteriously uses the most adverse situations in life to bring about something good and noble (Romans 8:28). God even uses the most harmful intentions of others to bring about something redemptive and glorious in our lives (Genesis 50:20). He delights to show himself faithful when things appear to have taken a turn for the worse. Whether in pain, suffering, or hardship, God can always be trusted to have a plan—even when it looks like our dream has turned into a nightmare.