Sabbath Schools in Seventh-day Adventist churches around the world will see a big change as the Alive in Jesus curriculum launches in January 2025, with the roll out of materials for babies (birth through 12 months) and beginners (1-3 years). The rollout will continue for the next three years for age groups kindergarten and primary (2026), followed by junior and teen (projected for 2027), and youth (projected for 2028). 

Adventist Book Center encourages ordering now in preparation for January 2025. The Alive in Jesus parent book, Baby Steps: Growing in Jesus, can be viewed here. AdventSource, the official leadership resource center for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, offers additional resources such as memory verse cards and wall murals available here.[1]

Developed by the General Conference Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department in collaboration with the church’s world divisions, including the North American Division (NAD), the new curriculum replaces GraceLink, Junior PowerPoints, Real-Time Faith, and Cornerstone Connections.

“Alive in Jesus is fresh, engaging, and relevant,” says Sherri Uhrig, Children’s Ministries director for the NAD. “One of the beautiful focuses is the engagement of parents leading their children to know, love, and serve Jesus!” 

“I believe it’s time to be even more purposeful with the next generation — to build a love for Jesus and a strong knowledge of the timeless truths in His Word,” said Nina Atcheson, the Alive in Jesus curriculum manager and senior editor at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department, in an Adventist World magazine article titled “It’s Time.” “Now is the time for us to focus on this. It’s time to model what a life-changing friendship with Jesus is like and show our children how to spend meaningful time with God in His Word and in prayer.”

Atcheson adds, “By incorporating the best teaching methods, together with what we know about growing faith, Alive in Jesus shares the stories of the Bible and the 28 Fundamental beliefs with meaning, depth, clarity, and appeal. Our prayer is that children and youth, as well as parents and teachers, will know, love, and serve Jesus and live in a lifelong, abiding relationship with Him.”

Our Little Friend, Primary Treasure, and Guide magazine will continue as supplements for kindergarten, primary, and junior age groups, respectively. 

New for Families

Atcheson explains that much attention has been placed on how to better serve and give support to the various needs of children, parents, and teachers. With other previously published Adventist Church curriculums, for example, babies had always been grouped together with the beginner class, although there are huge developmental difference between a newborn and a 3 year old. 

Another helpful addition is the Baby Steps parent book, which offers spiritual encouragement and advice for milestones, along with four simple programs that revolve primarily around song. These same four programs are included in the teacher guide. 

Recognizing the reality that babies’ Sabbath School time is also a time for parents, a special new resource is provided: weekly parenting small group handouts that nurture faith, for both church-attending and community parents, are provided. “The Babies resource is focused first on the parent’s spiritual growth to help them impart a clear picture of God to their new baby. A strong focus on the parent’s spiritual growth, in addition to the child’s, continues through all lower levels in the new curriculum,” shared Atcheson.

Other new features of the Alive in Jesus student guides in other age groups include a weekly Bible story for Beginners to be read each day instead of a story each month; all Kindergarten lessons have daily readings, and the same stories are shared in Kindergarten and Primary to make it easier for parents who have children in both groups, or small churches who want to combine these classes.

Atcheson explains, “Every day an appealing narrative is shared, as children are prompted to open their Bibles, followed by rich discussion questions for families to share together, along with prayer prompts and activities that encourage personal application of the Bible message. At the end of every week, children can look forward to a special Sabbath feature, such as a nature lesson, Adventist history story, a family activity, or a contemporary mission story.”

Other special features include Beginners podcasts; an audio recording of the lessons that can be accessed on the Alive in Jesus website and app. Families can listen to a quarterly playlist of Scripture songs to help children remember their memory verses. New, original artwork on every page brings the Bible stories and messages to life in the minds of the children in fresh ways, as children from around the world see themselves in the diversity of the pictures.

“Ultimately, we want to make it easy for parents to bring their children to the feet of Jesus every day through a variety of appealing approaches,” Atcheson shares.

New for Teachers

Sabbath School teachers can expect an easy-to-follow program that first speaks to the teacher’s spiritual growth before they prepare to teach. “Teachers will find both a simple program and a detailed program, along with storytelling strategies, crafts, new and familiar program music (available for download on our website and app), and the philosophy of the new lessons embedded in every program,” explained Atcheson.

From Kindergarten on, teachers will have access to nature lessons, mission stories that are aligned with the weekly “Big Ideas,” collector cards, and strategies to share — which deepen the Bible story that has been explored during the week.

Training videos are also available on the Alive in Jesus website.[2]

Kid Tested, Family Approved

Alive in Jesus was piloted globally in the first quarter of 2023. The NAD pilot consisted of the new curriculum being used in 15 churches across the division in both English and Spanish. From Alberta to Albuquerque and Texas to Toronto — and places in between — children’s divisions engaged in the new curriculum, exploring the new elements with eagerness. The teachers spent time learning the new format and implementing the lessons with a renewed passion, shares Uhrig.

Once the pilot was finished and all feedback was analyzed, the curriculum was further streamlined to become what is, according to Uhrig, Atcheson, and others, “vibrant and relevant.” Training started immediately in the unions and conferences. 

For example, in the North Pacific Union Conference alone, 45 conference-level children’s ministry leaders and presenters from six conferences explored the training almost a year ago. In the Mid-America Union Conference, the Dakota Conference also participated in the pilot program. This is just a small glimpse into the many training events held in North America.

Union Children’s Ministries directors helped equip and empower conference directors and leaders as they were introduced to the curriculum, explained Uhrig. The eight-hour training was accomplished in all nine unions. 

“We spent months at trainings across the division, and as part of the training we included the ‘how’ and ‘why’ through modeling Babies and Beginners,” said Uhrig. “Our union training included the conference teams as we trained in several foundational areas: the Alive in Jesus foundation, the faith development of children, multi-intelligences, and special needs through ‘A Place of Belonging.’ The Alive in Jesus curriculum is not difficult to use, but with such a big change from the former Sabbath School materials we wanted all our leaders to be ready. I am confident that they have the tools needed to be successful. Our children will learn how much Jesus loves them, and how much their church loves them too.”

Let’s Pray Together

Atcheson shared that Alive in Jesus is a distinctly Seventh-day Adventist curriculum. It shows that the Bible is the source of truth and peace in an ever-changing world. Its wholistic approach on grace, character, and mission build a love for Jesus and His message. 

“But Alive in Jesus is also for you, parents, grandparents, caregivers, and leaders, as we believe it will also strengthen your walk with God. Please pray for God to lead the continued development of this new curriculum and pray for the children in your churches and spheres of influence,” appeals Atcheson.

Uhrig added, “As a children’s Sabbath School teacher, parent, or grandparent, you have a big job! We recognize this fact and see the work you are putting into leading children and families to Jesus! You are important to the children God is sending to your Sabbath School as you love, teach, guide, and nurture children into a life-long relationship with Jesus! And as you show your children how to #SayYEStoJesus!”