About DWELL

DWELL children's ministry and Sunday school curriculum actively engages kids in God’s story using interactive games, reflective wondering, dramatic storytelling, and a whole lot of fun.

Colorful story symbols create visual timelines; songs with kid appeal help memory verses stick; and wonderfully illustrated take-home pieces provide support to families. ​DWELL is grounded in a Reformed perspective and solid pedagogy. Each lesson includes activities based on multiple intelligence theory. Through it all, DWELL invites kids to find their place in God’s story, living into and out of it for the rest of their lives.
​A brand new addition to the curriculum, DWELL Digital gives you access to all leader resources on any device. Anytime.

Take a Tour

Session Overview
Each DWELL session offers kids the opportunity to wonder and interact with God’s story.
Leader Resources
DWELL leader resources are built to simplify your planning process for each week.
​With DWELL, kids do more than hear a story. They experience it. And each level of DWELL has a name that reflects that experience:
  • Play (Preschool)
  • Imagine (Kindergarten-Grade 1)
  • Wonder (Grades 2-3)
  • Marvel (Grades 4-5)
  • Dive (Grades 6-8)

DWELL is a one-year cycle for preschool, two-year for K-5 (elementary), and three-year for 6-8 (middle school).
  • Each year has 36 sessions (divided into six units).
  • Each year builds on the previous year.
  • Materials are undated to offer flexibility.
  • Christmas and Easter sessions are incorporated.​​
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A carefully-crafted scope and sequence covers the entire arc of God's story - creation, fall, redemption, and restoration - at each level. Each year explores both Old and New Testaments in deepening ways as kids grow.
Family Support
DWELL includes resources at every grade level which encourage and equip families to nurture faith at home.
God’s Big Story Cards
DWELL offers a unique resource that families can use to take a closer look at part of God’s story.
DWELL's components are user-friendly and designed to engage kids. Student pieces are colorful, varied, and age-appropriate.
  • Story symbols for each lesson create a visual timeline of the Bible.
  • Leader guides include session plans, song lyrics, and printable pages. Available in print or online through Dwell Digital.
  • Leader training resources help volunteers gain skills and confidence.
  • Optional DWELLSongs (CD or download) engage kids musically.

DWELL provides a number of ways to connect church and home.
  • On the DWELL website, parents can browse overviews of any session.
  • You can even email parents a link to each week's lesson (example).
  • God's Big Story Cards offers a fun way to encourage family devotions.
  • A growing series of DWELL at Home resources help your church connect your children's ministry with everyday family life at home.

​DWELL presents the Bible as a life-transforming story of God's amazing love for his people and world. It invites children to find their place in that story, and join God's mission to transform the world through Jesus Christ.
“We are using the first year of DWELL and really like it a lot. I also find the Dwelling e-newsletters to be very informative and useful!” ​
​—Donnie, Children’s Worship Coordinator & Teacher

DWELL Theology
​​Biblical
First and foremost, DWELL is biblical. Scripture is the foundation of every DWELL session. DWELL is not based on human morals or virtues, but on God’s actions in God’s Big Story. 

Reformed
DWELL is rooted in a Reformed perspective. This perspective interprets the Bible first of all as the story of God. It approaches each story as part of the overarching story of God’s redemption and restoration of our fallen world through Jesus Christ. Each session focuses on what God has done and is doing today as God’s people help to bring in God’s kingdom.

While intentionally not denomination-specific, DWELL affirms the three ecumenical Christian creeds: Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed. While DWELL does not specifically reference any of the doctrinal standards of the Reformed and Presbyterian churches, it is fully consistent with all of them.

A simple, clear presentation of the doctrinal stance of DWELL can be found in Q&A: A Summary of Biblical Teachings, a simplified Q&A-style summary of Reformed/Presbyterian doctrine that forms the basis for the doctrinal teaching offered in the Dive level of DWELL .

DWELL ​is published by Faith Alive Christian Resources, a nonprofit publishing ministry of the Christian Reformed Church in North America and the Reformed Church in America.