Mission Briefing
A Bible hero mission for kids about turning back when you went the wrong way.
Hero: Jonah
Virtue: Repentance
Best for: Ages 6-12
Time: 10-15 minutes
You need: Paper and a pencil or colouring pens.
Meet Jonah
God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and speak His message, but Jonah travelled in the opposite direction.
After a violent storm, Jonah was thrown into the sea, and God provided a great fish to swallow him. Inside the fish, Jonah prayed to God. God heard him and commanded the fish to release him onto dry land.
Then God told Jonah to go to Nineveh a second time. This time, Jonah obeyed.
The people of Nineveh believed God and turned from their evil ways. God saw what they did and showed them mercy.
Jonah changed direction and obeyed, but his heart still needed correction. He became angry when God showed compassion to Nineveh, and God continued teaching him about mercy.
Jonah’s story shows that repentance involves turning back and obeying God – but it also allows God to keep changing our attitudes and desires.
Repentance means honestly admitting that we were wrong, turning away from the wrong choice and returning to God. Where possible, it also means apologising, repairing the harm and choosing a different action.
Hero Skill: Turn Around
Everyone makes wrong choices.
Repentance is not hiding, blaming, or pretending.
It means stopping, telling the truth, and turning back toward what is right.
Your Mission Today: The Turnaround Arrows
You will draw two arrows and practise the words of repentance.
What You Need
- Paper
- Pencil or colouring pens
Step 1: Draw The Wrong Way
Draw one arrow pointing away. Write one wrong-way choice people sometimes make.
- Lying
- Being mean
- Ignoring help
- Running away from responsibility
Step 2: Draw The Right Way
Draw a second arrow pointing back. Write one right-way action.
- Admit what was wrong
- Tell the truth
- Ask God for forgiveness
- Apologise to the person affected
- Repair what you can
- Choose a different action
Step 3: Practise The Turnaround
Walk one step in the wrong direction. Stop, turn around and walk back. Say:
“God, I was wrong. Please forgive me and help me choose what is right.”
Talk About It
Ages 6-8: What did Jonah do when God told him to go to Nineveh again?
Ages 9-10: How did the people of Nineveh show through their actions that they were turning away from wrongdoing?
Ages 11-12: What does Jonah’s anger about God’s mercy show us about the difference between changing our actions and changing our hearts?
Repentance Practice For This Week
When you make a wrong choice:
- Stop and admit what happened.
- Ask God for forgiveness.
- Apologise and repair what you can.
- Choose a different action.
Repentance is not only feeling sorry – it changes the direction we take.
Parent Note
Jonah helps make repentance physical and understandable. Use this mission to encourage honesty and restoration, not shame.
Separate the child’s wrong choice from their identity: “You made a wrong choice” is different from “You are bad.”
Do not pressure children to accept blame for being hurt, frightened, manipulated or mistreated. Repentance applies to our own wrongdoing – not to harm someone else has done to us.
Mission Prayer
God, thank You for hearing me and showing mercy. Help me admit when I am wrong, ask for forgiveness and turn away from the wrong choice. Change both my actions and my heart, and help me make things right where I can. Amen.
Free Jonah Colouring Page
Keep the mission going with Jonah’s colouring page.
