Two blocks and a simple beginning
Encountering Jesus includes 11 Story Blocks and one shared Activity Block. Each Story Block uses six pictures to help your family remember a Bible story. The Activity Block offers nine ways to engage with it, beginning with Retell.
Set out the fishermen Story Block and place the Activity Block beside it with the Retell picture facing forward. Look for the open book and speech bubble. Have a Bible or the accompanying story narrative nearby.
The rhythm is simple: Read. Retell. Explore. Hear the story, tell it back using the pictures, and choose one additional activity that fits your family that day.
Read the calling of the fishermen
Begin with Matthew 4:18–22. Jesus walks beside the Sea of Galilee and calls two pairs of brothers: Peter and Andrew, then James and John. They leave their nets and boats to follow him.
Read the passage aloud, or use the short narrative that accompanies the block. Turn the block to the matching picture as you read. Let your child look closely, point, and listen. This block follows Matthew’s account; its pictures move from Jesus’ invitation to the fishermen’s response.
Show your child how to Retell
Before handing over the block, tell the story once in your own words. Keep the block in your hands and turn it as the story moves. Here is one simple example, with a part for each picture:
- Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee.
- He saw Peter and Andrew fishing. Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
- Right away, they left their nets and followed him.
- Then Jesus saw James and John fixing their nets in a boat with their father, Zebedee.
- Jesus called them too. They immediately left their boat and their father.
- They followed Jesus.
The net and footprints help you remember that Peter and Andrew left their work. The empty boat recalls James and John’s response. The pictures offer reminders while the words of Scripture supply the story, including details a picture cannot show.
Give your child a turn
Pass the Story Block to your child and invite them to tell you what happened. Leave room for them to think and find the next picture. If they need help, try a small prompt:
- “What happened first?”
- “What did Jesus say to the fishermen?”
- “What did they leave behind?”
- “What happened next?”
A child who needs more support might name a person, point to the net, or finish a sentence you begin: “Jesus said, ‘Follow…’” You can also choose three pictures and tell the beginning, middle, and end together.
A child who is ready for more can use all six pictures, include Jesus’ words, and describe how each pair of brothers responded. Siblings can take turns telling different parts.
Give them room to use their own words while keeping the story faithful to the passage. If something gets mixed up, return to the Bible together: “Let’s see what happened there.” The block helps your child remember; Scripture remains the source.
Return to Retell each time you gather. Familiar pictures give your family a way back into the story, and you can offer less help as your child becomes more comfortable telling it.
Explore with eight more activities
After Retell, intentionally choose one additional activity. The Activity Block has six faces: Retell, Reflect, Character, Act Out, Connect, and a face with four choices: Music, Wonder, Prayer, and Find. That gives your family nine activities in all, and the same options work with every Story Block.
Reflect
Draw or write about a moment that stands out. For this story, your child might draw the nets left on the shore or write a sentence about what Jesus invited the fishermen to do.
Character
Pay attention to one person in the passage. Ask how Peter might have felt when Jesus called him, or invite your child to tell part of the story as Andrew. Distinguish what Matthew tells us from what you are imagining.
Connect
Find a connection with another Bible story. Once your family knows Jesus Calls Matthew, place the two Story Blocks together. What does Jesus say in both stories, and how do the people respond?
Act Out
Use your bodies to show the story. Make a freeze frame of casting a net or stepping away from a boat. For a longer activity, have one person narrate while the others act out all six scenes.
Music
Choose a song that connects with the story’s theme of following Jesus. Sing together, listen to a familiar recording, or make up a short chorus. Let your children suggest a song they know.
Wonder
Make room for questions. Try, “I wonder what James and John thought when Jesus called them.” Let your child share a question, then look together at what the passage tells you and what it leaves open.
Prayer
Respond to the story by talking to God. Begin with a short prayer your child can repeat: “Jesus, thank you for calling people to follow you. Help us listen to you and follow you today.”
Find
Help your child locate Matthew 4:18–22 in a Bible. Show them the book, chapter, and verse numbers. A child ready for more can find the words Jesus speaks or match a verse to a picture on the block.
Come back to the same story
You can spend several gatherings with one Story Block. Retell and draw one day. Retell and act it out another day. Return again to a question your child asked. Three to five additional activities per story is a helpful starting point, with plenty of freedom to do more, do less, or revisit a favorite.
For your first time, read the fishermen passage, model a short retelling, and let your child try. Choose one activity if their interest and energy allow. A brief time of listening, remembering, and talking together is enough to begin.
Explore Encountering Jesus at bibleblocks.org, and find story narratives and deeper resources at bibleblocks.org/resources. Start with one story and see what your family notices together.