1. Welcome everyone to Large Group, and keep them on their feet for WORSHIP time!

2. Tech: When all of the kids have taken a seat in the Large Group area, cue “Battle Squids” intro video. When the video is finished, cue title graphic. Oh yeah—that’s right! It’s time for “Battle Squids!” Are you pumped? Are you excited? Kids respond. Me too!!

3. Who remembers what book I’m talking about? Take answer; throw out points. That’s right—the Book of Proverbs! I’ll give a point to the first team who can open a Bible to the Book of Proverbs. Throw point to the first team to find it. Hold their Bible up for kids to see. Take a look—the Book of Proverbs is almost smack dab in the middle of the Bible. But what exactly is a proverb? Let’s take a look.

4. Read this with me in your best squid voices! Tech: Cue Definition Slide Proverb, (noun): a small saying filled with big wisdom from God. The Book of Proverbs is packed with these wise sayings that help us live a Godly life. During “Battle Squids”, we’ll be looking at one of these proverbs each week.

5. Let’s get those squid tentacles in a drumroll while we reveal this week’s proverb: Tech: Cue Verse Slide “A person with unfaithful friends soon comes to ruin. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 Have the kids read the proverb with you a couple times or repeat it after you. Sounds pretty wise, doesn’t it?

6. For the rest of the day, we’ll be battling to figuring out what exactly that proverb means. Here’s how: Move to boys’ side of room. On one team we have our Squidudes! Move to girls’ side of room. On the other team we have our Squidettes! Throughout the hour, each team will try to earn points in one of three ways: Team Energy, Team Participation, and Team Competitions.

7. Tech: Cue Team Points graphic At the end of the hour, we’ll count up the points to see which team wins. Squidudes—if you’re ready for battle, wave your tentacles in the air and cheer. Toss the Squidudes some points. Squidettes— if you’re ready for battle, wave your tentacles in the air and cheer. Toss the Squidudes some points.

8. Tech: Cue “Battle Squids” title graphic Today’s story is about two of the best friends who ever lived—David and Jonathan. You’ve probably heard of David before— (step onto chair like a giant) he’s the one who fought a giant named Goliath. After David defeated Goliath, (step down) King Saul treated David like a hero and invited him to stay at the palace.

9. That’s when David met the king’s son, Jonathan—his soon-to-be BFF. It’s pretty incredible that David and Jonathan ever became friends. You see—usually when a king dies, his son gets to be king next. Saul was king at that time and Jonathan was his son. So Jonathan should have been the next king. But God had already chosen David to be the next king.

10. How would you feel if you were supposed be the king, but your best friend got it instead? Take answers; toss points.) I’d probably be a little upset, but not Jonathan. He was going to stick by his friend David no matter what! King Saul, on the other hand, wasn’t so happy.

11. After a while, he became jealous of David. Let me show you why. I’ll give a point to the team who can tell me the name of a big-time celebrity. Take answer, toss point. After he killed Goliath, David became a way bigger superstar than _____ (use name given by kid.)

12. All of Israel loved David and this made King Saul crazy jealous. Jonathan might have been okay with David becoming the next king, but his dad, King Saul, was not! In fact, Saul became so jealous that he wanted to kill David.

13. When Jonathan saw his dad’s rage, he warned David that the king might try to kill him. So together, they came up with a plan to find out for sure. David would hide in the wilderness during the coming festival. Tell the Squidudes to act like they’re hiding; toss them a point.

14. If King Saul didn’t get angry that David wasn’t there, they would know David was safe. Tell the Squidettes to look totally mad; toss them a point. But if King Saul did get angry, they would know he was planning on killing David. Right then and there, David and Jonathan made a promise to stay friends no matter what happened.

15. On the second day of the festival, when King Saul realized that David was nowhere to be found, he became furious! Jonathan knew right away that his dad wanted to kill David. So with incredible sadness, Jonathan went to David in the wilderness. They both cried as Jonathan told him the terrible news. They knew that David would have to run for his life and they would probably never see each other again.

16. Let’s take a look at Jonathan’s last words to David. The first team to open a Bible to 1 Samuel 20:42 will get some points. Tech: Cue “1 Samuel 20:42” slide. Toss some points to the team who finds the verse first. Have the kid who found the verse read it aloud, or if they don’t want to, you can.

17. The verse says: “Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace. In the name of the Lord we’ve promised to be friends. We have said, ‘The Lord is a witness between you and me. He’s a witness between your children and my children forever.’ Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.”

18. Tech: Cue Big Bible Story Questions” slide At the end of the Bible story have the kids turn briefly to their small groups and discuss the following questions: What did you find interesting about this story? What do you think makes David and Jonathan’s friendship so special? After a few minutes, draw their attention back to the teaching area.

19. Were you all listening closely to the story? Kids respond. I hope so, because it time for the “Feeding Frenzy!” Here’s how it works. I’m going to ask you some questions. If you think you know the answer, turn to your leader and tell him what it is. Your leader will hold up the sign with the most popular answer.

20. Read the questions one at a time. Once all of the multiple choice options have been read, give the groups about 8- 10 seconds to choose their answer and hold up the right sign before the answer is revealed. Once the answer is revealed, toss out one point to all of the groups with the right answer.

21. Tech: Cue Question Slides one at a time Who was Jonathan’s dad? King Paul King Saul King Samuel King Kong

22. Who did God choose to be king after Saul? Jonathan Samuel David Solomon

23. Why did Saul want to kill David? David was a great warrior. David was more popular than Him. David was going to be the next king. All of the above.

24. What did it mean when King Saul became angry that David was missing? Saul wanted to kill Jonathan Saul did not want to kill David Saul wanted to kill David Saul wanted Jonathan to kill David

25. What did Jonathan do when he realized his dad wanted to kill David? He helped his Dad so that he could be king He warned David and told him to leave He ran away with David He made a plan to kill his dad

26. At the end of the “Feeding Frenzy”, have the kids place all of their points inside their teams bucket or bag and count up their points then announce a winner! Tech: Cue “Battle Squids” slide Wow! Wouldn’t that be amazing to have a friend like Jonathan? What are some of the things that you noticed in the story that made Jonathan a great friend? (Take answers.) Great answers…

27. Jonathan is the kind of friend that Proverbs 18 talks about. Let’s take a look at that proverb one more time. Tech: Cue Verse Slide. Read the proverb aloud with kids. “A person with unfaithful friends soon comes to ruin. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24

28. Tech: Cue Battle Squids Title Slide If Jonathan had been an unfaithful friend, David would have come to ruin. Jonathan would have handed David over to the king and he would have been killed. But is that what Jonathan did? (Kids respond.) No way! Jonathan was a faithful friend. It was like the two of them were glued together. And do you know what the glue was? God! Let me show you what I’m talking about.

29. Invite a volunteer to the stage. Hold up a small inflated balloon with a face drawn on it. Introduce the kids to Bob the balloon. Pretend that these two are best friends. Hold balloon and kid together. They hang out all the time, but when things get tough, (drop the balloon so that it floats away from the kid) they don’t stick by each other’s side. That’s because they don’t have God as a part of their friendship.

30. When you have God as a part of your friendship, you can pray for each other (rub balloon on kid’s head.) You can encourage each other to make godly choices (rub balloon on kid’s head.) You can read the Bible together (rub balloon on kid’s head.) How else could kids include God in their friendship? (Take answers, rub balloon on kid’s head for each answer.)

31. Look what happens when two friends help each other love and follow God. Press the balloon to the kid’s shirt. Static electricity should hold it there. Let go of the balloon to show how it sticks. God was the glue that helped Jonathan and David stick together, and He can help us stick close to our friends too! Close in prayer

32. Introduce GO! DEEP Stations. The instructions are on the signs at each table. Tech: Cue Response Music After a few minutes, dismiss older/younger groups to specific sides of room for GO! FURTHER activities.