Gospel Changes Lives!
A successful Jesus-centered ministry starts with a comprehensive plan—a plan that builds year upon year from birth through adulthood with a proven scope & sequence and age-appropriate lessons. Couple that with our deep rooted passion to bring God’s Word to kids in fun, easy-to-learn ways, based on a strong foundation in the Bible that gives kids godly values they can carry with them throughout their lives. That’s the Gospel Light difference!
Here Are Just a Few Reasons Why
Churches Love Gospel Light
Gospel Light curriculum guides children to a deeper understanding of Jesus through mentoring relationships with teachers and parents with a strong emphasis on discipleship and evangelism.
Simple lesson plans at each age level make preparation easy for teachers.
In-depth teacher training resources are available for each age level.
Every teacher guide, preschool through preteen, includes an article with clear steps on how to lead a child to Christ.
For elementary ages, additional resources to print and email home to parents can be found on the CD-ROM included inside each teacher guide.
The Gospel Light scope and sequence is designed to take children through Bible 5 times by 6th grade.
Worship song CD’s for all age levels are reproducible to share with families.
Originally founded in 1933 by Dr. Henrietta Mears, Gospel Light has
been a leader in the publishing of Sunday School Curriculum and Church
Ministry Resources that help church leaders fulfill the mission of the
church to know Christ and to make Him known. As part of the David C Cook
family, Gospel Light is committed to “equipping the church with
Christ-centered resources for making and teaching disciples who
obediently transform today’s generations.”
That’s why we can be counted on to provide resources that lead kids
to Jesus, providing fun Bible lessons and activities that help children
apply Biblical truths to their daily lives. Gospel Light Sunday School
Curriculum is easy for teachers to plan and implement, giving them more
time for what matters most – building relationships and instilling God’s
truth in tomorrow’s Church.
Gospel Light’s curriculum has become a part of the David C Cook
family of Sunday school resources! We are thrilled to be a partner in
ministry with you.
Gospel Light has a long and rich spiritual heritage. One of the 20th
century’s greatest Christian educators, Dr. Henrietta Mears, began the
organization out of her garage in 1933. Her teaching and the Sunday
school curriculum she developed influenced leaders such as Bill Bright,
Richard Halverson, and Billy Graham.
Videos
Statement of Faith Gospel Light curriculum continues on the foundation established by Dr. Henrietta Mears and the mission to which God called her.
The mission of Gospel Light is to know Christ and make Him known; to
provide His Church with effective Bible teaching and learning resources
for use in making disciples, empowering them for godly living, equipping
them for ministry and the evangelization of the world. To accomplish this mission, the strategic vision of Gospel Light is
to equip church leaders with evangelism, discipleship and Christian
education resources which will help them reach others for Christ and
make disciples of their church’s families, singles, children and youth,
and which will help them equip their church to reach their communities,
cities and regions for Christ.
We Believe
in one God, creator and sustainer of the universe, who eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
in the Lord Jesus Christ, who being fully God became fully man, was
born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, was raised
bodily, is exalted to God’s right hand, and will personally come again.
that all have sinned and are guilty before God, and, as a result, we
all, both individually and corporately, suffer the consequences of the
fall and are under condemnation.
that because of His love, God sent His Son Jesus Christ, who
inaugurated His kingdom, provided an atonement for sin, conquered the
principalities and powers, is reconciling the world to Himself, and will
consummate His kingdom in righteousness, power and glory.
that all those who repent and believe in Christ are delivered from
the judgment of God, born again into eternal life, and are called to be
instruments of God’s righteousness and reconciliation in human society.
in the Holy Spirit who glorifies Jesus Christ, works in all people to
bring them to faith and obedience, and dwells in believers, equipping
and empowering them for lives of holiness and fruitful service.
that the Church, the Body of Christ, consists of all believers and
exists to fulfill Christ’s mission, making disciples of all nations and
bringing healing and justice to human society, all to the glory of God.
in the resurrection of the body, the everlasting punishment of
unbelievers and the everlasting blessedness of believers in the presence
of Christ.
HENRIETTA MEARS
Throughout history, people have been set apart by God for the
furtherance of the gospel. Henrietta C. Mears was such a person. Those
who knew her best called her “Teacher.” And she was always the
teacher—the educator.
On Easter Sunday morning in 1895, five-year-old Henrietta explained
to her mother as they were getting dressed for church that she was ready
to become a Christian and join the church. Her mother was only too
pleased to pray with her daughter and lead her to the Lord, but she
tried to reason with her that everyone would think her too young to
understand what it meant to join the church at age five. However, after
further conversation which indicated Henrietta knew exactly what she was
saying and doing, her mother promised to talk with the pastor about the
matter.
A few weeks later, young Henrietta stood before the congregation,
responding to questions put to her about her faith. She spoke with
unusual clarity and frankness and was accepted into the congregation of
the First Baptist Church of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Henrietta Mears was destined by God for teaching and for Sunday
School work. Her religious and secular training all pointed her in that
direction. At the age of twelve she taught her first Sunday School class
and from that moment on her abilities and ambitions stretched out to
encompass the lives of tens of thousands of boys and girls, men and
women, for Christ. As a college freshman, Henrietta was superintendent
of the junior department in the Sunday School in her church. Upon
graduation from the University of Minnesota she entered the teaching
profession and became the principal of a high school in a small town in
Minnesota. She moved to several towns and taught everything from
chemistry to dramatics—but whatever she taught she loved her work and
her students, and gave sacrificially of her time and energy both to her
profession and to the local Sunday School.
She enthusiastically entered into the various school activities of
her students: coaching plays, organizing choirs, raising money for
special projects—she even found a coach and organized a football team in
the high school where she taught. She never missed a game and could be
seen rooting for the team from her spot on their bench. Not so
remarkably, those same football players eagerly occupied the first rows
of her bible class and looked to their teacher for spiritual coaching.
In 1928, Miss Mears accepted a position to become the director of
Christian Education at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood,
California. That same position was filled with enthusiasm and amazing
ability until the day of her death 35 years later.
In Minnesota she had been a successful teacher but as Director of
Christian Education she had a different challenge. She would organize
and train others to teach the Bible, God’s Word. Organizing the teacher
training came easy for Henrietta but the attendance growth that resulted
created problems. There was never enough room; facilities were never
adequate. Two and a half years after her arrival at the Hollywood
church, Sunday School enrollment increased from 450 to 4,200 and would
eventually top of 6,500.
Soon the Christian education facilities at the church became a major
focus of the church leadership. Three education buildings were built and
literally thousands of students—young and old—were reached with the
gospel and encouraged in their faith due primarily to the vision of this
woman called and empowered by God.
“Dreams do come true. The first thing I did in Hollywood was to write
down what I wanted for my Sunday School. I set down my objectives for
the first five years. They included improvements in organization,
teaching staff, curriculums and spirit. I wanted a closely-graded
program, teaching materials that would present Christ and His claims, a
trained teaching staff, a new education building, choirs, clubs, a camp
program, missionary vision, youth trained for the hour.”
Henrietta Mears was a unique blend of abstract dreamer and
down-to-earth doer. God quickly transformed her vision into plans and
reality.
“Our Sunday Schools must become vastly more efficient institutions.
Their sessions must be carried over into daily life, for no child or
adult can receive all the Christian instruction and training her or she
needs in one hour on Sunday morning. And to meet this challenge we must
have educational plans that are adequate, materials that are
educationally and biblically sound, and teachers who are skilled
communicators.
Sunday School is in fact the only teaching a person will undertake
without training. The church must change her standards. Everything
offered must be excellent. A person’s association with the gospel must
be of the finest quality.”
It was to this vision that Henrietta Mears dedicated her life—a compulsion that became a global ministry.
Hundreds of children and scores of young men and women launching out
into careers in the 1930s had a common need that challenged Henrietta
Mears to action—their need was to know Christ and to make Him known.
God’s challenge to her did not go unmet. We will never know the amount
of fruit that resulted from her years of ministry, but there is no
shortage of testimonials to her influence in the lives of Christian
leaders the world around.
There is no magic in small plans. When I consider my ministry, I
think of the world. Anything less than that would not be worthy of
Christ nor of His will for my life.
—HENRIETTA C. MEARS
Listen to audio recordings and discover more about this amazing servant of God by visiting
HenriettaMears.com