The Church Through Time

How Things Changed Over the Years

Ages 5-10

How to Use This Workbook

Learn about what happened to the church using the 4 Rs!

RECEIVE Read and learn
REFLECT Answer questions
RECALL Draw what you learned
RESPOND Do something!

"All Scripture is given by Elohim" - 2 Timothy 3:16

1The First Church

RECEIVE - Learn About It!

When Yahusha went back to heaven, His friends started telling everyone about Him! This was the very first church.

What was the first church like?

"And they continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house."
- Acts 2:46

The first believers didn't have church buildings! They met in each other's houses and shared their food with each other. It was like having a big family dinner every day!

REFLECT - Answer the Questions!

1. Where did the first believers meet?

2. Who is the King of the church?

True or False? Circle one:

3. The first church had only ONE leader who was boss of everyone.

4. The first believers shared meals together.

RECALL - Draw What You Learned!

Draw the first believers meeting in someone's home and eating together:

RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!

2Hard Times for Believers

RECEIVE - Learn About It!

For a long time, it was very hard to follow Yahusha. Some people didn't like believers and were mean to them!

The Roman rulers would:

But the believers were brave! They kept loving Yahusha anyway. They would meet in secret places like underground tunnels!

"Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life."
- Revelation 2:10

Some believers met in underground tunnels called "catacombs." They would draw fish symbols on walls to show they were followers of Yahusha. The Greek word for fish (ICHTHUS) was a secret code!

REFLECT - Answer the Questions!

1. What happened to believers for following Yahusha?

2. What did the believers do when it was hard?

True or False?

3. Some believers met in secret underground places.

4. All the believers gave up when things got hard.

RECALL - Draw What You Learned!

Draw a fish symbol (the secret sign believers used):

RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!

3When Things Changed

RECEIVE - Learn About It!

After about 300 years, a Roman Emperor named Constantine said believers could stop hiding! He made it okay to follow Yahusha.

This sounds good, right? But something strange happened...

Timeline of Changes:

Year 313: Constantine makes it legal to be a believer
Year 321: Sunday becomes the official day of rest (not the Sabbath!)
Later: One leader in Rome starts wanting to be boss of everyone
"My kingdom is NOT of this world."
- John 18:36 (Yahusha speaking)

Yahusha said His kingdom is NOT like kingdoms on earth. But the church started acting more like an earthly kingdom with powerful leaders. That wasn't what Yahusha wanted!

REFLECT - Answer the Questions!

1. Who was Constantine?

2. What started happening after things changed?

True or False?

3. Yahusha said His kingdom is just like earthly kingdoms.

4. Constantine changed the day of rest to Sunday.

RECALL - Draw What You Learned!

Draw the difference: A simple house church (first believers) vs. a big fancy building (after things changed):

RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!

4Only One Leader?

RECEIVE - Learn About It!

Remember how the first church had several leaders working together? Well, over time, one leader in Rome started saying: "I should be the boss of EVERYONE!"

But what did Yahusha say?

"Call no man your father on earth, for one is your Father, who is in heaven."
- Matthew 23:9

The leader in Rome wanted to be called "Papa" (Father) - but Yahusha said we only have ONE Father in heaven - Yahuah!

Another thing to remember:

"There is one Elohim, and one mediator between Elohim and men, the man Messiah Yahusha."
- 1 Timothy 2:5

You can talk to Yahuah directly through Yahusha! You don't need a special human leader. Yahuah hears YOUR prayers!

REFLECT - Answer the Questions!

1. Yahusha said call no man your _______ on earth.

2. Who is our ONE mediator (helper) to get to Yahuah?

True or False?

3. We need a special human to talk to Yahuah for us.

4. Yahuah hears YOUR prayers directly!

RECALL - Draw What You Learned!

Draw yourself praying to Yahuah through Yahusha (no human in between!):

RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!

5Brave People Who Stood Up

RECEIVE - Learn About It!

Even when the church was changing and leaders wanted too much power, there were always brave people who said: "We should follow what the BIBLE says!"

Heroes Who Loved the Bible!

The Waldenses - These brave families hid the Bible and kept the true Sabbath! They lived in the mountains and taught their children the Word of Yahuah.

Martin Luther

He was a man who read the Bible and said: "Wait! This isn't what the Bible says!" He told everyone that we should follow Scripture, not powerful men!

These brave people believed:

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of Elohim, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction."
- 2 Timothy 3:16

The Waldenses would hide pieces of the Bible in their clothes! Children would memorize whole books of the Bible so nobody could take Yahuah's Word away from them!

REFLECT - Answer the Questions!

1. The Waldenses hid the _______ and kept the Sabbath.

2. Martin Luther said we should follow:

True or False?

3. Children memorized whole books of the Bible.

4. Only special leaders can read the Bible.

RECALL - Draw What You Learned!

Draw a child hiding a Bible scroll to keep it safe:

RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!

6Following the Bible Today

RECEIVE - Learn About It!

What did we learn from all this history? Here's what matters!

What Matters Most:

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
- Psalm 119:105

How should we treat others?


You can be a hero for Yahuah today! By reading your Bible, being kind to others, and standing up for truth, you're doing what those brave believers did long ago!

REFLECT - Answer the Questions!

1. What is our guide for life?

2. How should we treat people who believe differently?

True or False?

3. You can be brave for Yahuah today!

4. The Bible is like a lamp to help us see the right path.

RECALL - Draw What You Learned!

Draw the Bible as a lamp lighting up a path for you to walk:

RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!

Review Time - Match It Up!

Draw a line to match each thing:

1. First believers met in

2. Our only mediator

3. Our guide for life

4. Brave Bible keepers

5. Be kind, be brave, be

A. Waldenses

B. Homes

C. Loving

D. The Bible

E. Yahusha

Write your answers:

1 = ____ , 2 = ____ , 3 = ____ , 4 = ____ , 5 = ____

My Promise!

Fill in this promise:

"I, _________________, will follow the BIBLE as my guide and be BRAVE for Yahuah!"

Answer Key (For Parents)

Lesson 1: The First Church

1. B (In homes) | 2. B (Yahusha) | 3. FALSE | 4. TRUE

Lesson 2: Hard Times for Believers

1. B (They were put in jail and hurt) | 2. B (They stayed brave) | 3. TRUE | 4. FALSE

Lesson 3: When Things Changed

1. A (A Roman Emperor) | 2. B (Church leaders started wanting more power) | 3. FALSE | 4. TRUE

Lesson 4: Only One Leader?

1. B (Father) | 2. B (Yahusha) | 3. FALSE | 4. TRUE

Lesson 5: Brave People Who Stood Up

1. B (Bible) | 2. B (Scripture) | 3. TRUE | 4. FALSE

Lesson 6: Following the Bible Today

1. B (The Bible) | 2. B (Be kind and loving) | 3. TRUE | 4. TRUE

Review Matching

1 = B | 2 = E | 3 = D | 4 = A | 5 = C