Stephen Sunday School Lesson for Kids

This free Stephen Sunday school lesson teaches kids to stand strong for Jesus. Stephen was "full of faith and power" and "did great wonders and miracles among the people" (Acts 6:8). When men told lies about him, the council saw his face "as it had been the face of an angel" (6:15). Full of the Holy Ghost, he said, "I see the heavens opened" (7:56), and he prayed for the people who hurt him: "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (7:60). It comes in four age levels, each a separate printable teacher lesson, plus one take-home sheet for families. Everything is in the order you teach it.

Choose your age level

• Preschool (ages 3–5), 20–30 minutes, 2 pages: a Strong Feet game, a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines that ends on Stephen's prayer, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("Stephen, full of faith and power") with motions, and a drawing of the heavens opened.
• Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: a Stand Strong game, the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Six Strips memory verse game, and a Forgive and Pray circle.
• 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 4 pages: a Would You Stand? game, kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (the seven chosen to serve, the false witnesses, the face of an angel, the heavens opened, Saul), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
• Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: students read Acts 6 and Acts 7:54–8:2 out loud themselves, then discuss standing strong, lies and peace, forgiving like Jesus, and Saul. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Acts 6:8 and Acts 7:60).

Lesson at a glance

• Bible passage: Acts 6:8–15 and 7:54–60 (with Acts 6:1–7 and 8:1–2 around them)
• Main point: Stand strong for Jesus, and forgive like Stephen did.
• Memory verse: Acts 6:8 (KJV), with Acts 7:60 added for preteens
• Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

1. Opening game: a short game about standing strong, or about how hard it is to forgive.
2. Bible story: Stephen chosen to serve (Acts 6:3–5), full of faith and power (6:8), the false witnesses (6:11–13), the face of an angel (6:15), "I see the heavens opened" (7:56), and his prayer, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (7:60). Every fact has its verse reference so you can check it.
3. Questions to ask: with answers, at the right level for each age.
4. Memory verse: a game or motion to help kids learn Acts 6:8.
5. What this means for us: stand strong for Jesus, forgive, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
6. Activity: the word search, crossword, maze, worksheet, the Stephen craft, a Forgive and Pray circle, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
7. Prayer.

Tips for teaching Stephen

• Read Acts 7:60 straight from the Bible. Stephen's prayer for the people who hurt him is the heart of the lesson.
• Tell Stephen's death once, gently, in the Bible's words, and keep the focus on what he saw and how he forgave. The preschool version leaves it out, with a short answer ready if a child asks.
• Stephen's long speech to the council (Acts 7:2–53) is summed up in a sentence or two, so the story stays kid-sized.
• Saul, who later became Paul, was there (Acts 7:58). If you teach Saul to Paul next, start there.
• Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.