Overflow: 5-11s resource from Jubilee+ 

It was predicted that Generation Alpha (anyone born in or after 2010) will number two billion by 2025, making it the largest generation in history!* Our prayer is that through Overflow, God will meet with children and thereby impact a whole generation and their families – the church now and in the future. 

Why Overflow? 

God is first and foremost concerned with our hearts. In the Bible, Christlikeness begins with the transformation of our hearts to be more like Him. Overflow unpacks 10 topics that are in the very heart of God: favour, friendship, healing, mercy, compassion, generosity, kindness, anger, justice and welcome. 

God’s heart is full of these things – full to overflowing. Overflow is an opportunity for God’s heart to overflow to some of the youngest in our churches. If we begin with our actions, we will soon run dry. But when God begins with the transformation of our hearts, what flows out will never run out. We want God’s heart to overflow into the hearts of young people, and then overflow to the people and communities around them. 

Generation Alpha 

Research shows this generation wants to talk about social issues. They have access to more information than any previous generation, and are not content to passively consume – they want to personally interact and co-create.* 

Overflow has been shaped by kids, for kids. To ensure the content was relevant and had the right starting point, we ran focus groups to explore children’s views and opinions. We listened to young people from a range of different backgrounds to try to capture their perspectives and gain an understanding into their ideas, thoughts, and feelings. What we learnt formed the basis of Overflow. 

How does Overflow work? 

The Overflow resource contains 10 sessions for 5-11s unpacking God’s heart for the vulnerable. Each session covers one topic, with one key point. 

Sessions are broken into 10 sections, including a Bible story, games, interviews and the ‘overflow experiment’ that gets bigger each week!  

Everyday Objects 

Jesus was an expert at explaining God and His kingdom through stories about everyday items, people, and events. Imitating his example, Overflow uses a different everyday object in the games and teaching for each session. This might be a shoe, toilet roll, ice cube or bag of crisps! The idea is that as children encounter these objects during the week, they will be reminded of God’s heart. 

Key Values 

There are three key values underpinning this content…

1. Fun: Most kids love humour and mess; both are found throughout the Bible and in Overflow.

2. The Gospel: The life, death and resurrection of Jesus are at the core of every session. Alongside this is an acknowledgment that we can do nothing without the Holy Spirit’s help.

3. Non-Church Kids: We all want our churches to be welcoming and accessiblefor everyone, especially those with little or no church background. This includes our children’s ministries. Overflow is written with children from non-church backgrounds in mind, as well as those familiar with church. 

What do kids workers say? 

“I was recently running the 'generosity' session, and the children really seemed to grasp that giving up their crisps for friends was nothing compared to Jesus giving up his life on the cross for us.” 

“There was an excellent shift from being inward (enjoying God as a church) to being outward looking and thinking about how to carry God's love and characteristics to our communities/schools/clubs etc.” 

“One girl invited a boy from her class to her birthday party who was being unkind to a number of other children. When her mum questioned this, she reminded her that loving people who others didn't love was something Jesus had taught them to do.” 

Where can I find Overflow? 

Take a look at the dedicated Overflow page where you can view the first session free of charge online:  Jubilee+ Overflow | Unpacking God’s heart for the vulnerable. 10 sessions for 5-11 year olds 

Overflow is FREE to Jubilee+ partner churches and available to purchase for a one off cost of £100.  

*Generation Alpha by Mark McCrindle (Headline Home, 2021)