Amazing Wonders Aviation Puppet Scripts - LifeWay

Amazing Wonders Aviation
Children Worship Kid’s Style
Children’s
Sermons
Children’s Sermons follow the themeand
scriptures used in Children’s
Bible Teaching to come for to Kids* claim our prize, isn’t it?
(Note: These scripts can be used with
puppets and/or with live characters
equally well. There are four characters.
Three appear the first three days and
one appears on Day #4. They are written
with older children who may be ready to
become Christians in mind.)
Day #1: People Are Like Volcanoes
Script Summary and Purpose
Two puppets have won a trip around the
world to visit many exotic sites. The pilot
will meet with the excited winners to discuss
the flight plan and show some slides
of the places they will get to visit. The trip
will begin in Mexico where the youngest
volcano in North America, Mt. Paricutin,
was born. The pilot, dressed in Goggles
and an old fashioned fliers cap (if possible),
a scarf and a leather bomber jacket
will explain the amazing story of how
this volcano was born. (I found a costume
minus the leather jacket at halloweencostumes.com.)
This history lesson will lead
to a simple object lesson of how people
tend to “erupt” and do all kinds of damage
to those around them. That “eruption”
is evidence of the sin that dwells in our
hearts (Romans 7:17).
P uppet #1: Can you believe it? We actually
won a trip around the world!
P uppet #2: This is the most exciting thing
that has ever happened to me! To think
that I bought a hamburger and fries
and a soda pop and I got the prize winning
ticket. Wow! I can hardly wait to
get started. What an adventure we have
ahead of us!
P uppet #1: And we have our very own
pilot and our very own plane to take us
to some of the most amazing places that
God ever created on the earth!
Summer 2012
VBS Puppet Scripts
by RICk SHOEMAkER
by JUDI HAYES
Puppet #2: This is where we are supposed
Puppet #1: Yep ... Amazing Wonders
Airlines. Here we are. Wonder where our
pilot is?
(Enter the Pilot: A puppet/person dressed
in old fashioned pilot goggles, a pilot
leather cap, a scarf, and a leather “bomber”
jacket. I suggest that this be a real person so
he can perform the object lessons; but you
may prefer making this character a puppet
and he can ask his assistant to set up the
object lesson demonstrations)
P ilot: Good [evening/morning] boys! So
you’re the grand prize winners of the allexpense-paid
trip around the world! I am
Captain Shepherd. Now before we climb
aboard the plane, I want to discuss my
flight plan with you.
P uppet #1: Sounds great Captain
Shepherd! Where are we going to go
first?
P ilot: Our first stop will be Mexico! Now
Amigos ... that’s Spanish for friends!
Amigos, I will be flying you to the newest
volcano in North America! We will visit
Mt. Paricutin, “the cornfield that became
a raging volcano!”
P uppet#2: A cornfield that became a volcano!
How did that happen?
P ilot: One day, way back in February of
1943, a Mexican farmer by the name of
Dionisio Pulido, was out working in his
field. Suddenly, he heard a roaring sound
coming from under his feet. Then the
ground began to crack and the odor of
sulfur, just like the smell of rotten eggs,
began to fill the air! Boy, that had to
stink! And then hot, molten lava began
to bubble up out of the ground from deep
inside the earth!
P uppet #1: Wow! That must have been
really scary!
P ilot: I’m sure it was! That lava kept spewing
up from the ground and spreading
farther and farther and getting higher
and higher! In one year, that volcanic
mountain had grown over 1,100 feet
into the sky! (Show slides of Paricutin
erupting.)
Puppet #2: That is amazing!
P ilot: And Mt. Paricutin kept erupting for
nine years! By 1952, that volcano stood
1,345 feet tall, the hardened lava covered
10 square miles and the volcanic sand
stretched for 20 square miles beyond
that! (Show slides of Mt. Paricutin today.)
P uppet #1: Was anyone hurt in that
eruption?
P ilot: Thank the Lord, nobody was killed,
but there was great damage done. Two
entire towns, the town of Paricutin and
the town of San Juan Parangaricutiro,
were totally destroyed. And of course,
Senor Pulido lost his land and his home.
P uppet #2: Volcanoes can really be dangerous!
When they erupt, you had better
run!
P uppet #1: And running isn’t easy for us
puppets!
P uppet #2: What caused that terrible
eruption in the first place?
P ilot: Deep down inside the earth, there
are rivers of hot liquid called magma.
Sometimes that heat and the gas pressure
build up so high that it causes an explosion!
The magma shoots up through the
cracks in the ground and into the air and
the magma becomes flowing lava above
ground. (Show magma/lava slides.)
P uppet #1: So it all begins deep down
inside the earth and the pressure builds
up until it explodes!
Pilot: That’s right.

P uppet #1: I know some people that are just
like volcanoes, Captain Shepherd! They
seem to be calm on the surface and then
suddenly, they explode with anger! And it
can be really, really scary!
P ilot: I think you’re right! The Bible says that
inside every human heart is something
called sin. In the book of Romans chapter
7 and verse 17, it says, “Sin dwells inside
of me” [author paraphrase]. Sin is kind of
like magma or lava under the ground. You
can’t see it but sometimes, when the pressure
builds up, it explodes or erupts and we
kind of lose control. We get angry or jealous
or upset, then watch out! Could I tell you a
story about a boy I once knew who used to
erupt like a volcano? Let me tell you … The
Sad Story of Reggie.
Reggie was edgy most every day. When
Reggie got edgy, most folks would say,
“Reggie is edgy! Stay out of his way!” One
day Reggie rolled out of his bed. He slipped
on a slipper and fell on his head. The word
that he shouted should not have been said.
He expected his breakfast but breakfast
was late. Reggie just hated when he had to
wait. He glared at his mother and slammed
down his plate. He entered his classroom;
plopped down on his seat, Sat on a tack
and jumped to his feet. Quick as a lick he
grew red as a beet! He took a test; thought
each answer he knew, But on one he wrote
“False” when the answer was “True.” Down
in his heart trouble started to brew! His
friend hurt his feelings and Reggie was sad.
But the more that he thought, Reggie got
mad. The thoughts in his head were badder
than bad! The pressure inside him beginning
to rise, The anger expanding he could
not disguise, Smoke was emerging from his
ears and his eyes! And finally it happened!
A volcanic eruption!*
(*At this point, demonstrate the object lesson
so that the vinegar/baking soda or the diet
soda/Mentos erupts behind and through the
face of “Reggie.”)
What followed then, a colossal disruption!
Out of his mouth came words of corruption!
Reggie was yelling and screaming so
loud, Before he knew it, he’d drawn quite
a crowd, Sunshine was covered by a dark,
stormy cloud! The sin that erupted did
damage that day. Mouth washed with soap
from the words he did say. Mom’s plate
that he broke to replace he must pay. Sent
from his classroom to the office would stay.
Scared off his friend; so alone he must play.
It was a good time for Reggie to pray!
P uppet #1: You know, Captain Shepherd, that
story about Reggie kind of reminds me of
(Puppet #2)! I remember that time when he
blew his top and got really mad at me just
because I ate a couple of his cookies. He had
a whole package of cookies and he wouldn’t
even share! So when he wasn’t looking, I
took two. When he saw the crumbs on my
chin, it was pretty bad the way he erupted
just like a volcano at me!
P uppet #2: Oh yeah! Well I was thinking
that story about Reggie reminded me of
you, [Insert name of Puppet #1.] Remember
that time when I accidentally bumped you
and you dropped your ice cream cone in the
sand? You got so mad at me that you said
you were going to call the police and have
me arrested for assault and battery! And I
thought that was so dumb. I didn’t even
have salt or batteries in my hand when I
bumped you.
P ilot: Well, boys, when I heard that story
about Reggie, I thought about me! My name
is Captain Reginald Shepherd and that story
is about me when I was a boy. My bad temper
erupted more than once when I was a kid and
it got me into lots of messes and I hurt a lot
of people. The Bible says it is easy for us to see
sin in other people but it is hard for us to see
the sin in our own lives. But sooner or later,
sin comes to the surface and when it does, it
does lots of damage. Today, I want us to learn
a memory verse, “Sin dwells inside of me”
Romans 7:17 [author paraphrase]. Will you
repeat that verse with me now boys and girls?
P uppets and children: “Sin dwells inside of
me” Romans 7:17
P ilot/Pastor/VBS Director: Boys and girls,
today we have learned a very important
truth. Inside the heart of every person is
something called sin. Sin is kind of like
magma or hot lava that is hidden deep down
in our hearts. And in all of our lives, sooner
or later, it erupts like a volcano and it makes
a terrible mess. Often, it does great damage
and many people get hurt. It is very easy for
us to see sin in others but sin is inside all of
us. This week, we will learn what God has
done to help us overcome our sin problem. It
is very important for you to come every day
of Bible School so you can learn more.
Come back tomorrow and hear more
about the rest of Flight Plan that Captain
Shepherd has for us this week!
___________________________________
Object lesson choices: The thrust of this
lesson is to illustrate to the children that there
is something inside all of us, called sin, that
causes us to erupt with anger or other bad
behavior and when we do that, we do damage
all around us; much like Mt. Paricutin erupted
and destroyed two entire towns and the farm
of Senor Pulido.
Option #1: Glue a hand-drawn or hand
painted face or a mask on a large glass or a
clear plastic pitcher. Have the glass/pitcher
filled with vinegar. After the puppet pilot
shares his story, pour a hidden bag filled with
baking soda into the container and let it overflow,
making a mess on the table. This illustrates
the way some folks get ‘boiling mad”
and it reveals a sin problem.
Option #2: Do the same thing gluing a face
or a mask on a 2 liter bottle of diet soda. Once
again, tell the story and the can create a real
splash by using the diet soda and Mentos
trick. This is best done outdoors, of course!
See this experiment by checking out youtube.
com/watch?v=YNgl6z5Z7k4.
If you are really ambitious, you might get a
Styrofoam head and bore a hole through the
top so that it fits over the 2 liter bottle of diet
soda. Paint a face on the head. Bore a hole
through the ears of the head and place a stick
across the opening. Have the Mentos inside
the head and when you pull the stick away,
the Mentos eruption will not only send soda
up through the top but out through the ears
as well!
Memory Maker: Give each child a copy of
“The Sad Story of Reggie” poem on card stock
and print Romans 7:17: “Sin dwells inside of
me.”
Note: Pictures to illustrate are easily found
by doing an Internet search. Downloading
each picture and then pasting them into a
power point presentation is very easy. If you
are not adept, you can ask help from a tech
savvy church member to help you!
___________________________________
Day #2: “Tragedy on a Mountain”
Script Summary and Purpose
The Matterhorn is an amazing mountain that
many men have tried to climb. But tragedy
took place on that mountain the first time
climbers tried to get to the top. Four men died
when they tried to descend. This experience
reminds the pilot of another mountain where
a greater tragedy took place. It was called Mt.
Calvary in the city of Jerusalem. There a man
named Jesus would die a painful death; but
from that death, God would offer the forgiveness
of sin for all who would believe.
P uppet #1: Where else will we be flying
Captain Shepherd?
P uppet #2: Yes. Where else? I want to travel
around the world! I want to see everything
there is to see! God has created so many
amazing places!

P ilot: Indeed He has! God has created so
many wonders that nobody could possibly
visit all of them in a single lifetime.
P uppet #1: Did I read in the brochure about
visiting Switzerland? What will we see there?
P ilot: That’s right! We will fly to Europe to
the country of Switzerland to see one of the
most beautiful snow covered peaks in the
world, the Matterhorn! (Project a picture of
the Matterhorn.)
P uppet #2: It really is beautiful! How tall is it?
P ilot: The Matterhorn is located on the border
of Switzerland and Italy in the Swiss Alps
mountain range. The summit ... the highest
point ... is 14,690 feet tall or two and three
quarter miles high! That means it is almost
11 times taller than Mt. Paricutin in Mexico!
P uppet #1: Has anybody ever climbed all the
way to the top?
P ilot: Oh, yes. The first time anyone reached
the top of the Matterhorn was in 1865. An
Alpine explorer by the name of Edward
Whymper (show a picture of Edward
Whymper), along with six other men, set out
to conquer the mountain. On July 14, 1865,
after about a 10-hour climb, they made it! It
was a time for great celebration. But sadly,
on the way back down, one of the men by the
name of Douglas Hadow, lost his footing and
fell down on another of the climbers. The
men were all connected by a rope. As the
first two men fell, two others were dragged
along with them. Four of the seven climbers
died. It was a terrible tragedy! (Show picture/
drawing of the Matterhorn tragedy.)
P uppet #2: What a sad story, Captain
Shepherd!
P uppet #1: I climbed a rock wall once. That
was scary enough for me! And I had a safety
harness so if I lost my grip, I wouldn’t fall
and get hurt! But I think I will leave the
Matterhorn to experts! (Show a picture of a
rock wall.)
P ilot: Yes. It was a very sad tragedy indeed.
You know, since that first tragic climb in
1865, there have been over 500 climbers who
have lost their lives on the Matterhorn. It is
very beautiful but also very dangerous. You
know boys, that story reminds me of about
another tragedy that happened on a mountain
top.
P uppet #2: What mountain was that, Captain
Shepherd?
P ilot: It happened at a place that some folks
call Mt. Calvary. It was really more like
a large hill on the outskirts of the city of
Jerusalem. (Show picture of Calvary.) Two
thousand years ago a man named Jesus
climbed that hill carrying a large wooden
cross. Some cruel and vicious men falsely
accused Him of committing crimes. Jesus
was an innocent man but He was still condemned
to die on that hill by being crucified.
In these days, criminals are sometimes
executed or put to death in an electric chair
or by injecting poison. But 2,000 years ago,
crucifixion; hanging a person on a wooden
cross and letting him die a slow and painful
death, was how they did it. (Show a picture of
Jesus hanging on a cross.)
P uppet #1: You mean, Jesus wasn’t guilty of
doing anything wrong and they still killed
Him?
P ilot: That’s right! Jesus never did anything
wrong but He was sent to Mt. Calvary and
was nailed to that cross.
P uppet #2: You mean they hammered nails
into His hands and feet?
P ilot: Yes. And He would hang there in terrible
pain for six long hours.
Puppet #1: Oh, my! That is just terrible!
P ilot: Yes. It was the saddest day in history
because Jesus was not only an innocent man
who did not deserve to die, He was and is the
Son of God.
P uppet #2: But if Jesus is God’s Son, why
didn’t He fight back? Couldn’t He could have
saved Himself if He is God’s Son
P ilot: Yes, He could have saved Himself. He
had the power to come down from that cross
but He chose to remain there and die on that
cross for one very important reason.
P uppet #2: What reason was that?
P ilot: The Bible tells us in the book of Romans
chapter 5 and verse 8; “God proves His own
love for us in that while we were still sinners
Christ died for us!” Would you say that verse
with me? “God proves His own love for us in
that while we were still sinners Christ died
for us” (Romans 5:8). (Project on screen.) Let’s
make that verse more personal. “God proved
His own love for me, in that while I was still a
sinner, Christ died for me!” Will you say that
with me now, everyone? (Project on screen.)
P uppet #2: So Jesus died on the cross because
God loves us?
P uppet #1: And Jesus died on the cross on
that Mt. Calvary because of the sin that
dwells inside of people that we learned about
yesterday?
P ilot: That’s right. When people sin, that
means that they break the laws of God.
When a person breaks the law, he deserves
to be punished and the punishment for sin
is death.
P uppet #2: But you said that Jesus never did
anything wrong. He was innocent.
P ilot: That’s right. And because He never
sinned, He could die in our place. And
because Jesus loves us, that is exactly what
He did!
P uppet #1: Jesus must love people a lot to suffer
so much pain for them.
P ilot: He really does. You know, when I
learned how much Jesus loves me, I made a
decision way back when I was in grade school
that I wanted to ask Jesus to forgive my sins
so I could live my life for Him. I knew that I
had done some bad things in my life and that
I needed God’s forgiveness.
P uppet #2: What kind of bad things did you
do, Captain?
P ilot: I was sometimes disobedient to my
parents and didn’t do what they told me to
do. I got angry at times and really blew my
top. Do you remember “The Sad Story of
Reggie” I told you yesterday? I am ashamed
to say that was a story about me! When I
would get angry, I sometimes broke things
and yelled and threw fits and I hurt people’s
feelings all the time. And sometimes, I told
lies. I remember once when took my sister’s
candy bar. Actually, I guess I stole her candy
bar. When you take something that belongs
to someone else, that is stealing. Well, I
ate it and then I put the wrapper under my
brother’s pillow. When my mother found
that wrapper, she punished my brother and
I never told her that I was really the candy
bar thief!
P uppet #2: Hmm. I did that once myself…
but don’t tell my brother! He would be really
mad! He got grounded for a week for stealing
and for lying about it but I was the one
who was guilty! I never told anybody that
until now!
P ilot: Well, after I heard about how Jesus died
for my sins, I invited Him to come into my
life to forgive all the bad things I had done
and to help me live the right way. And after
I did that and became a Christian, I knew in
my heart that I needed to apologize to my
sister for stealing her candy bar and to my

other for making him take the blame. I
really felt bad because of what I had done. Do
you know what happened? They forgave me
because they are Christians, too. They said,
“Because Jesus has forgiven us, we will forgive
you.” And later, I bought two candy bars,
one for my sister and one for my brother to
let them know how sorry I really was.
P uppet #1: Wow! That is so cool, Captain
Shepherd! Forgiveness is awesome!
P uppet #2: And Jesus is more awesome
because if He hadn’t died on the cross,
nobody could ever be forgiven of their sins!
P ilot: That is absolutely right! You know, I
hope that the boys and girls here today have
learned something about the Matterhorn
and how awesome it is. But more importantly,
I hope they have learned about Mt.
Calvary and how awesome Jesus is; that He
would die on a cross there so we all could be
forgiven of our sins! I think we should pray
now and ask God to help the boys and girls
understand!
P ilot/Pastor/VBS Director: Dear Lord, You
are truly an awesome God! We are amazed
by Your creation. The Matterhorn is beautiful
to behold and we thank you for it. But we
thank You even more for Mt. Calvary where
Jesus died on the cross so we could be forgiven
of our sins. That proves just how much
You love us. God, help us to love You back!
Help us to come to Jesus in prayer and ask
Him to forgive all our sins this week so that
one day, we can see Your most awesome creation
that is called Heaven! In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
___________________________________
Memory Maker: Give each child a small
wooden cross with Romans 5:8 or “Christ
died for us” in indelible ink. Oriental Trade
sells inexpensive ones at orientaltrading.com/
mini-crosses
Memory Maker 2: Give each child a miniature
candy bar taped to a 3x5 card that has
the Romans 5:8 verse “Christ died for us.” Or
“Christ died for me!”
___________________________________
Day #3: The Missionary Who
Named Victoria Falls
Script Summary and Purpose
Missionary David Livingstone was the one
who named Victoria Falls. The pilot will
explain why Livingstone went to Africa in
the first place, to tell the story of Jesus to the
many villages of people in Central Africa
who had never heard the gospel! Today, we
will explain God’s plan of salvation using the
ABC’s of salvation. We want each child to
hear this and to take home a copy so that he/
she will better understand before the decision
service on Day #4.)
P uppet #1: Captain Shepherd, will we get to
travel to Africa? I have always wanted to see
Africa!
P uppet #2: I hope we can go to Africa, too!
What an exciting place to visit! Wouldn’t it
be great to go on a safari to see all of the wild
animals! Lions and tigers and elephants and
zebras!
P uppet #1: Yes! Please tell us we are going to
visit Africa, Captain!
P ilot: As a matter of fact, we will! We will be
flying to see Victoria Falls, the largest water
fall in the entire world located on the border
of Zambia and Zimbabwe in the middle of
the southern portion of Africa. It is magnificent!
(Show slide of the falls.) The natives call
it “mosi-oa-tunya” which means “smoke that
thunders!” But in 1855, one of the greatest
men in history, Dr. David Livingstone, discovered
the falls on his missionary journeys
and named the thundering waters, Victoria
Falls!
P uppet #2: Why did he call them Victoria
Falls? Thunder Falls sounds much cooler
to me!
P ilot: Well, David Livingstone was from the
country of Scotland. Queen Victoria ruled
over Great Britain for over 63 years. The
people of Scotland, England, Ireland and
Wales loved her very much. I suppose this
was one way that Dr. Livingstone felt he
could honor his queen. (Show picture of Dr.
David Livingstone.)
P uppet #1: What was a man from Scotland
doing in the middle of Africa anyway?
P ilot: Great question! When David
Livingstone was a boy, he went to church
every Sunday. When he was just 9 years old,
he memorized the longest chapter in the
Bible, Psalm 119. It has 176 verses!
P uppet #2: I memorized a verse in the Bible
once. It is John 11:35.
P uppet #1: John 11:35. And what does that say?
P uppet #2: It says, “Jesus wept!”
P ilot: Yes ... That is the shortest verse in the
Bible. But that is a good verse to remember.
It reminds us that Jesus cares about us very
deeply.
P uppet #1: Pretty easy verse to memorize
though! I don’t think I would brag about
that! Now, memorizing 176 verses; that is
impressive!
P ilot: David Livingstone was an extraordinary
boy. He got a job when he was just 10
years old! He was on the job and went to
class from 6 in the morning until 8 at night!
He worked and went to school in a cotton
mill in Scotland.
P uppet #1: Can you imagine that! From 6 in
the morning until 8 at night!
P uppet #2: That makes me tired just thinking
about it!
P ilot: When David was 20, he made a decision
to become a Christian and to serve Jesus the
rest of his life! One day, he heard a man by
the name of Robert Moffat speaking at his
church. Pastor Moffat was a missionary in
Africa and he spoke about seeing “the smoke
of thousands of villages where no missionary
has ever been.” From that day, David knew
that God wanted him be a missionary and to
travel to those villages and tell the people of
Africa the good news of Jesus Christ so they
could go to heaven one day.
P uppet #1: Wow! That sounds like quite an
adventure!
P ilot: Yes, it was quite an adventure, but it
would take lots of hard work! He spent the
next seven years studying both the Bible and
medicine so he could become a medical missionary.
And then he made the long journey
to the Continent of Africa. He would spend
over 30 years of his life traveling from one
village to the next helping people who were
sick and sharing the gospel story of Jesus
Christ. These people had never before heard
how God sent His Son to die on the cross
so they might be forgiven of their sins and
how Jesus rose from the dead so they could
go to heaven one day. But after they heard
Dr. Livingstone, many of the African natives
believed and invited Jesus to become their
Savior and Lord!
P uppet #2: The story of Jesus is the best news
ever!
P ilot: Dr. Livingstone was determined to tell
as many of the African people that story
as he could so they might be forgiven and
receive God’s gift of eternal life! One of the
tribal chiefs that Dr. Livingstone met said, “I
wish you would give me medicine to change
my heart. It is proud and angry always.” Dr.
Livingstone told him that when a person
invites Jesus into his heart, the Lord will help
to conquer that pride and anger.

P uppet #1: That’s right! Jesus helps people to
control their anger and pride so they don’t
erupt like a volcano!
P ilot: Exactly! I’m glad you remember that
important lesson! David Livingstone kept
doing his missionary work. He refused
to give up even though one time, he was
attacked by a lion and he nearly lost his arm!
Many other times, he came down with serious
fevers and he almost died more than
once. He fought against the cruel slave trade
in Africa and had to send his wife and children
back to Scotland to protect them from
slave traders who might do them harm.
Dr. Livingstone was an amazing man! I
wish there were a lot more men like David
Livingstone in the world!
P uppet #2: After hearing the story of David
Livingstone, I think the name Victoria Falls
sounds way more cool than Thundering
Falls! Whenever I see Victoria Falls, I will be
reminded of Dr. David Livingstone and his
brave missionary work to the people of Africa!
P ilot: You know, you don’t have to travel to
Africa to be a missionary. God might call
you to do that one day, but wherever you are,
you can be a missionary by telling the story
of Jesus!
P uppet #1: I learned the ABC’s of the gospel
of Jesus in Sunday School.
P ilot: Would you like to share that with the
Boys and Girls?
P uppet #1: Sure! Boys and girls, if you want
to have your sins forgiven and have a home
in heaven someday, this is what you need to
understand. A — You must Admit you are
a sinner. That means that you must tell God
that you are really sorry for the bad things you
have done in your life. (Project on the screen.)
P uppet #2: Yeah. Like when you steal somebody’s
cookies.
P uppet #1: Or when you yell and scream and
lose your temper and won’t share.
P ilot: Or when you say bad words or break
your mother’s plate. We all have done bad
things that the Bible calls sin. Remember,
Romans 7:17: “Sin dwells in me.”
P uppet #1: Then there is the letter “B.”
B — Believe that Jesus is God’s Son; that
He died to forgive your sins and rose again
from the grave so you could have a home in
heaven some day! (Project on the screen.)
P ilot: Very well done. And what is the C of
salvation?
P uppet #1: C — Confess your faith in Jesus as
your Savior and Lord. (Show on the screen.)
P ilot: What does it mean to confess Jesus as
your Savior and Lord?
P uppet #1: That means that you need to ask
Jesus to come into your life and forgive your
sins. It means that you really, really believe
that Jesus is God’s only Son and you want to
live your life for Him so He can take you to
heaven some day.
P ilot: Very good! Today, you were a missionary
puppet because you just explained
to all the boys and girls how to become a
Christian!
P uppet #2: That is way cool! I hope that the
boys and girls understand and that they will
decide to become Christians!
P ilot: Tomorrow, we will be inviting the boys
and girls who understand what it means to
become a Christian to ask Jesus into their
life so they can be forgiven and have a home
in heaven some day.
P uppet #1: And who knows! Maybe God will
call some of them to travel around the world
as missionaries just like David Livingstone!
P uppet #2: That would be awesome!
P ilot: It sure would be awesome. But, for that
to happen, the children would need to study
the Bible and go to church like David did
when he was a boy. That is important for
anyone who wants to follow Jesus! Let’s say a
prayer that tomorrow, many of the boys and
girls will decide to become Christians.
P uppet #1: Dear God, what an exciting story
we heard tonight about Victoria Falls and
David Livingstone. How wonderful to be a
missionary and to tell others about Jesus. I
pray that the boys and girls listened tonight
and that tomorrow, many of them will ask
Jesus to forgive their sins and that they will
follow Him. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
P astor/VBS Director/Pilot: Boys and girls,
be sure to come back tomorrow. We are
going to learn about some more places we
will visit on our around-the-world grand
prize vacation trip. But more important, we
will learn about the greatest trip ever and
how we can be sure we will get to heaven
some day! Don’t miss it!
___________________________________
Memory Maker: Give each child a copy
of the ABC’s of Becoming a Christian tract
(available through LifeWay) or print the ABC’s
of Becoming a Christian on 5 x 7 cardstock.
Encourage the kids to read this before they
come the next night/day.
Memory Maker 2: There is an excellent
short story by Julia H. Johnston written in
1913 that can be found at wholesomewords.
org/children/heroes/hlivingston.html. Print
this on cardstock and give a copy to each child
to learn more about this great man of God.
___________________________________
Day #4: Are You Sure This Plane
Is Safe?
Script Summary and Purpose
This session will show pictures of the remaining
wondrous places they can visit. In order
for the boys to get to these wondrous places,
they must exercise faith and get on board
the plane. One of the boys will be somewhat
reluctant to get on board. As amazing as all of
these earthly places are that God has created,
we can only imagine how glorious Heaven
must be! But the only way we can hope to see
the wonders of Heaven is by exercising faith
and trusting in Jesus to take us there. Jesus
is the way, the truth, and the life and no one
comes unto the Father but by Him!
This will lead to the VBS decision service
for the week.
P uppet #1: What a great trip this is going to
be! We will see a real volcano in Mexico.
P uppet #2: And in Switzerland, we will
visit the Matterhorn! What a breathtaking
mountain; all covered with snow!
P uppet #1: And we get to go to Africa and see
the largest water fall in the world, Victoria
Falls!
P uppet #2: And see some of the places that
Dr. Livingstone saw when he went on his
missionary journeys telling people about the
good news of Jesus Christ!
P ilot: Those will be exciting places to see, but
that isn’t all! One of my favorite spots to visit
is located in the United States of America.
The Grand Canyon is breathtaking! (At this
point you may want to show this three-minute
video of a flight over the Grand Canyon
youtube.com/watch?v=h3jY4wzQPGs or
you may prefer showing still slides.)
P uppet #1: As good as that looks on the
screen, I’ll bet it is even more amazing seeing
it in person!
P ilot: Oh, yes! Trust me! I have seen the
Grand Canyon many times and I still marvel
at God’s handiwork!

P uppet #2: I think I read something about
visiting the Arctic Circle. What will we see
when we get there? Just lots of ice and snow?
P uppet #1: I was wondering about that
myself? What is there for us to see way up
north?
P ilot: One of the most magnificent sights
will be the Great Northern Lights! The sky
explodes with some of the most dazzling
colors your eye will ever behold! It is like
the Lord paints the horizon with dancing
rainbows!
(At this point show a short video or use
this short slide presentation: huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/25/northern-lightsaurora-borealis-pictures_n_1030854.
html#s433304&title=Aurora_Borealis_
October.)
P ilot: Whenever I see the Northern Lights, I
am reminded of Psalm 19:1, “The heavens
declare the glory of God!”
P uppet #2: Those pictures are awesome!
P uppet #1: I have seen laser light shows
before. I kind of understand how that works.
But how does God make the Northern
Lights happen?
P ilot: The Northern Lights are also called the
Aurora Borealis.. When there is a solar storm
on the Sun, energy particles make their way
to the outer atmosphere of the earth. When
those particles of energy mix with the gasses
in our atmosphere, they glow in a kaleidoscope
of colors that blanket the sky!
P uppet #1: I can hardly wait to see the Oreo
Boreos!
P ilot: That was close. That is the Aurora
Borealis. The farther north we fly, the
brighter the lights in the northern sky!
P uppet #2: It said in the travel brochure that
we would see something called the Great
Barrier Reef.
P ilot: That’s right Mate! That is what they call
a friend in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef
is one of the most incredible places on the
planet! (Show several slides or a video of the
reef at this point. This is about a 1 minute
and 20 second clip that would work very well:
youtube.com/watch?v=4HhyHswjlJ8.)
P uppet #1: So when do we leave, Captain
Shepherd?
P uppet #2: Yes, when do we get to take our
trip around the world?
P ilot: Well, we can start as soon as the third
Grand Prize winner arrives.
P uppet #1: The third grand prize winner?
P ilot: Yes. I am a bit surprised that she isn’t
here yet. We are scheduled to take off soon. I
wonder where she might be.
P uppet #2: Too bad she missed the flight
plan presentation. This trip is going to be so
awesome!
(Enter Puppet #3.)
P uppet #3: Hello. I am here because I won a
Grand Prize and they told me that I could
take a trip all the way around the world.
P ilot: Pleased to meet you. I am Captain
Shepherd. I will be your pilot for the flight. I
would like you to meet Puppet #1 and Puppet
#2. They will be your traveling companions.
Now we need to be getting on board in the
next few minutes.
P uppet #3: Wait just a minute ... Captain
Shepherd do you have a license to fly this
plane?
P ilot: Yes. I have a pilot’s license.
P uppet #3: But, have you ever actually flown
a plane before?
P ilot: Yes. I have logged thousands of hours
of flight time. I am a very experienced pilot.
P uppet #3: Well, I don’t mean to question
your skill but have you ever crashed a plane
before?
P ilot: No. My flight record is clear. Never had
an accident in all my years of flying.
P uppet #3: Could I see the plane? Is it safe?
P ilot: The plane is right outside. (Show a picture
of a small passenger propeller type plane
that appears safe and sound.)
P uppet #3: You know. I really, really want to
visit all the places I read about in the travel
brochure. I have always wanted to visit
Mexico and the Grand Canyon. And I am
sure that the Matterhorn is amazing. And
Victoria Falls in Africa! How great would
that be? The Northern Lights would be
gorgeous. In would love to see them. And
the Great Barrier Reef sounds wonderful.
But, I don’t know about getting on board
that plane.
P ilot: Let me assure you that this plane is
in excellent condition. It has been well
maintained by some of the finest mechanics
in the business.
P uppet #3: Well, just how do I know that what
you are telling me is true? How do I know
that you really know how to fly that plane.
P ilot: Miss, I guess you will just have to trust
me. If you want to see all those places that
you say you want to see, you will need to
have a little faith and get on board. If you
don’t get on board, you’ll never get to see the
amazing places that God has created for you
to see. The choice is yours.
P uppet #2: I don’t know about you, miss, but
I trust Captain Shepherd and his plane. I am
getting on board right now. I wouldn’t miss
this trip for anything!
P uppet #1: You can count me in! We won this
Grand Prize and somebody else has paid for
everything! An all-expenses-paid trip to see
and experience some of the most incredible
sights in the whole world. I hope you decide
not to forfeit this great prize! You will regret
it for the rest of your life if you don’t get on
that plane!
P uppet #3: Well, maybe you’re right ... But
I don’t think so! I would like to go to those
places someday, but not today. That plane
just doesn’t look very safe to me. And I’m
just not so sure about Captain Shepherd’s
credentials. How do I know if he is really a
good pilot? What if he loses his way up in the
clouds? What if he runs out of fuel? What if
he flies into a flock of geese? What if I get
airsick? What if you lose my luggage? No
thanks! I’m not going to go. (Leaves)
P uppet #1: Oh, man! How could she do that?
She could have had an all-expenses-paid
grand-prize trip to travel around the world
and she said, “No!”
P uppet #2: That is just crazy! Why would
anyone forfeit such a wonderful opportunity
to go on such a great trip? That is just crazy!
P ilot: I think it very sad that she didn’t have
enough faith to get on board to make the trip
with us. Very sad indeed. You know boys,
what she just did reminds me of a young man
who came to Jesus about 2,000 years ago. He
wanted to know how he could have eternal
life and life forever in heaven. Jesus told him
that he needed to follow Him, but the man
went away because in order to follow Jesus he
would have had to leave all his riches behind.
And that young man missed out on going
to heaven when he died. He missed out on
heaven because he didn’t trust Jesus.
P uppet #2: Just like that girl missed out this

great trip because she didn’t trust you or
your plane?
P ilot: That’s right. In the Bible, Jesus gives us
a glimpse of a place called heaven. The Bible
says that heaven is so amazing that “Eye has
not seen and ear has not heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man the things that
God has prepared for those who love Him”
(1 Corinthians 2:9). It is sad that Puppet 3
will miss out on this trip because of her lack
of faith, but it is more sad when people miss
out on an all-expenses-paid trip to heaven
because they lack faith in Jesus!
P uppet #1: I sure hope that the boys and girls
in Bible School this week have learned that
they can trust Jesus.
P ilot: So do I! When Jesus died on that cross
on Mt. Calvary, He paid for our sins and
offers us an all-expenses-paid trip to heaven
if we turn from our sins and trust in Him.
That is the grandest of grand prizes!
P uppet #2: Before we get on board our plane,
do you think we might ask the boys and girls
if they would like to trust Jesus to forgive
their sins and to give them the gift of a trip
to Heaven some day?
P ilot: Let’s ask the Pastor/VBS Director to
ask the children if they would like to do that
right now. I have a feeling that some of the
boys and girls understand just how important
it is to put their trust in Jesus and that
they are ready to do that today.
P astor/VBS Director: Boys and girls, when
we visited Mexico this week, we saw how
that volcano erupted. That reminded us that
deep down inside each of us there is something
the Bible calls sin. Sin is what makes
us do bad and hurtful things. When we visited
the Matterhorn, we learned about four
men who died climbing the mountain. That
was a great tragedy. But we also learned of
a tragic day on another mountain called Mt
Calvary. There Jesus, an innocent man, was
nailed to a cross and He hung there for six
long hours until He died. But we also learned
that His death was the way that God chose
to pay the price for our sins so one day, we
could spend our lives in Heaven with Him!
When we saw Victoria falls, we learned
about a great missionary named Dr. David
Livingstone. He made a decision to follow
Jesus and become a Christian when he
was a young man. He decided that everyone
needed to hear about how Jesus died
on the cross and rose again from the grave.
We went over the ABC’s of Becoming
a Christian and learned about what Dr.
Livingstone told the people of Africa.
Today, if you will ...
“A” Admit you are a sinner; that you have
done bad things in your life and are truly
sorry for your sins.
“B” Believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that
He died on the cross to forgive your sins and
rose again from the dead.
“C” Confess your faith in Jesus as your
Savior and Lord, then you can be saved and
know that one day you will go to Heaven!
Like Puppet #3 had the chance to take an
all-expenses-paid trip around the world,
God offers you an “all-expenses-paid” trip to
Heaven. But each of us must decide to trust
Jesus or not to trust Jesus.
Puppet #3 chose not to get on board that
plane and she missed out. Today, you can
choose to get on board and follow Jesus so
that one day, you will travel to the most awesome
place in God’s entire universe! The
place called Heaven where God Himself
lives!
___________________________________
Invitation Suggestion:
At this time, an invitation may be given. A
good way to do this is to ask all the children
to bow their heads and close their eyes and
to raise their hands if they want to accept
the invitation of Jesus to be forgiven and
accept the all-expenses-paid trip to heaven
that Jesus died on Mt. Calvary to purchase.
Those who respond should be asked to
move to a counseling area for further discussion.
Provide a trained counselor for each
child if possible. No more than two children
per counselor is suggested. Each counselor
should discern the level of understanding he
thinks the child possesses and rate on the
decision card from 1-10 (1 being little understanding
and 10 being clear understanding).
Each child should then be visited in the
next week or two in the presence of parents.
Then baptism and church involvement can
be better addressed. Do all you can to help
each child deepen his or her understanding
of what it means to follow Jesus in the
weeks that follow. Follow-up is crucial for
each child.
___________________________________
RICK SHOEMAKER has been the senior pastor
of the First Baptist Church of New Carlisle,
Ohio, since 1979. He and his wife, Elizabeth,
have been married since 1974 and have two
daughters and three grandchildren.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®,
copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used
by permission.
© Copyright 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the
Southern Baptist Convention.