{
 "cards": [
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-COVER-01",
   "slot": "COVER",
   "duration": 0,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "God Speaks Through His Church",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Ephesians 4:11-16, 25-29"
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Sunday, October 4, 2026"
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": false,
   "cues": [
    "The teaching clock started when you left ROOM READY. Time on this cover counts as teaching time."
   ],
   "seq": 1,
   "visual": {
    "asset": "img/cover-small-group.webp",
    "alt_text": "A small group of adults sits around a table in warm early-fall light with open Bibles, listening to one another.",
    "accuracy_label": "Contemporary illustrative scene",
    "rights": "OpenAI-generated illustrative visual created for Lucky Lemons"
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-OPEN-01",
   "slot": "OPEN",
   "duration": 90,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Open",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Think about how many ways you can hear from somebody now. Face to face. A phone call. A text. Email. Social media. We have more ways to communicate than any generation before us."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "In the last few weeks, we have talked about God speaking through His Word, His Spirit, and circumstances. Today the lesson gives us another way God works in our lives."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "And Paul is going to show us that God did not design the Christian life to be lived alone."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 2
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-BML-01",
   "slot": "IN FOCUS",
   "duration": 90,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "In Focus",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "Keep this as its own card/slot. Class-facing label follows the printed quarterly."
    },
    {
     "type": "prompt",
     "text": "God communicates to us through other believers."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "That does not mean every sentence another Christian says is automatically a message from God. It means God has designed the church so that we do not grow alone. He teaches, encourages, corrects, and strengthens us through people He has placed around us."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Paul starts with the leaders Christ gives His church. So that is where we start too."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 3
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-READ-01",
   "slot": "READ",
   "duration": 60,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Reader 1 | Ephesians 4:11-14",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "scripture",
     "ref": "Ephesians 4:11-14",
     "version": "ESV",
     "text": "11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.",
     "notice": "ESV footnote 4:11: Or pastors; also Or the shepherd-teachers · ESV footnote 4:13: Greek to a full-grown man · Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible, copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 4
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-TEACH-01",
   "slot": "TEACH",
   "duration": 240,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Christ gives leaders to equip His people",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Look closely at verse 12. This is where a common church misunderstanding gets turned around."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Christ gives leaders to the church, but their job is not to do all the ministry while everybody else watches. Paul says they equip the saints for the work of ministry and for building up the body of Christ."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "The goal of healthy church leadership is not dependence on the leader. The goal is a church full of people who are growing, serving, and becoming mature in Christ."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "The passage gives us some tests for healthy spiritual leadership. Does it move us toward unity in the faith? Does it deepen our knowledge of Christ? Does it help us mature? Does it steady us so we are not blown around by every new teaching?"
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "A leader's words are never a replacement for Scripture. But God can use faithful leaders to teach us, warn us, prepare us, and help us grow."
    },
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "UNDERSTANDING GATE 1. Ask: According to verse 12, who is supposed to do the work of ministry, leaders alone or the saints they equip? Expected answer: The saints, equipped by leaders."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "That matters because church is not something we watch. It is a people Christ is building."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 5,
   "visual": {
    "asset": "img/mentor-conversation.webp",
    "alt_text": "An older believer and a younger believer talk together on a porch, one listening closely while the other speaks.",
    "accuracy_label": "Contemporary illustrative scene",
    "rights": "OpenAI-generated illustrative visual created for Lucky Lemons"
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-MON-01",
   "slot": "MONDAY TEST",
   "duration": 90,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Monday Test 1",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "prompt",
     "text": "When trusted counsel is hard to hear, will I weigh it by Scripture and stay teachable?"
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "That line has two parts on purpose. Stay teachable, but weigh it by Scripture. We are not talking about blindly following people. We are talking about refusing to become so defensive that God cannot use another believer to correct us."
    },
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "TRIM 1 if live timing runs long: remove any extra discussion here before trimming protected ending material."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 6
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-READ-02",
   "slot": "READ",
   "duration": 45,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Reader 2 | Ephesians 4:15-16",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "scripture",
     "ref": "Ephesians 4:15-16",
     "version": "ESV",
     "text": "15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.",
     "notice": "Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible, copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 7
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-POLL-01",
   "slot": "POLL",
   "duration": 105,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Poll",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Verse 15 gives us one of the clearest pictures of mature Christian communication in the New Testament: truth and love together."
    },
    {
     "type": "prompt",
     "text": "Which is harder for you?"
    },
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "Give the class time to vote. Read the result without preaching at the tallest bar or identifying participants."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": false,
   "cues": [],
   "poll": {
    "id": "LL-EPH4-POLL-01",
    "labels": {
     "A": "Speaking the truth",
     "B": "Speaking in love",
     "C": "Both about the same",
     "D": "It depends on the person"
    }
   },
   "seq": 8
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-TEACH-02",
   "slot": "TEACH",
   "duration": 150,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Truth and love belong together",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "The source commentary makes an important point here. Truth without love can become a weapon. Love without truth can leave somebody stuck."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Christian maturity is not choosing one side. It is learning to hold both together."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Some of us are naturally blunt. We tell ourselves, 'Well, I just tell the truth.' But Paul does not give us permission to use truth as an excuse to be harsh."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Others of us hate conflict. We call it love when we avoid saying anything difficult. But sometimes refusing to tell somebody the truth is not loving at all."
    },
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "UNDERSTANDING GATE 2. Ask: Does 'speak the truth in love' mean the loving thing is always the comfortable thing? Expected answer: No."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Sometimes loving words comfort. Sometimes loving words correct. The question is whether I am trying to help that person grow in Christ, or whether I am just trying to win, vent, embarrass, or prove that I am right."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 9,
   "visual": {
    "asset": "img/truth-in-love.webp",
    "alt_text": "Two friends sit outdoors in warm fall light having a serious but caring conversation, one listening closely while the other speaks.",
    "accuracy_label": "Contemporary illustrative scene",
    "rights": "OpenAI-generated illustrative visual created for Lucky Lemons"
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-MON-02",
   "slot": "MONDAY TEST",
   "duration": 75,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Monday Test 2",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "prompt",
     "text": "Before I say the hard thing, is it true, is it loving, and is it for their good?"
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 10
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-DISC-01",
   "slot": "DISCUSSION",
   "duration": 105,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Discussion",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "DISC. Ask: How have you experienced spiritual growth because another believer spoke the truth in love to you? Take two or three brief responses."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Paul says this is how the church grows. Christ is the head, and His people grow as they faithfully do their part."
    },
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "Do not expand into a body-parts illustration. The August 23 collision is intentionally avoided."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 11
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-READ-03",
   "slot": "READ",
   "duration": 60,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Reader 3 | Ephesians 4:25-29",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "scripture",
     "ref": "Ephesians 4:25-29",
     "version": "ESV",
     "text": "25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.",
     "notice": "Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible, copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 12
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-TEACH-03",
   "slot": "TEACH",
   "duration": 90,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Our ordinary words can build up or tear down",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Now Paul gets very practical. He moves from the big picture of a growing church to the words coming out of our mouths."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Notice the contrasts. Put away falsehood, speak truth. Do not let anger turn into sin. Do not take from other people. Work honestly and have something to share. Do not let corrupt talk come out of your mouth. Use words that fit the occasion and give grace to the person who hears them."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 13
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-RAGS-01",
   "slot": "ACTIVITY",
   "duration": 150,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Rags for Robes",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "The Leader Guide calls this Rags for Robes. We are going to do it quickly."
    },
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "INTERACTIVE REVEAL. Show the RAGS column first. Ask the class to call out the matching ROBES answer before it appears. Reveal each ROBES answer on tap, one row at a time. Do not show the full ROBES column in advance."
    },
    {
     "type": "reveal",
     "left": "RAGS",
     "right": "ROBES",
     "rows": [
      [
       "Words of untruth",
       "Words of truth"
      ],
      [
       "Angry, uncontrolled words",
       "Self-controlled words"
      ],
      [
       "Words that take from somebody's dignity, peace, or reputation",
       "Words that show compassion and honor"
      ],
      [
       "Rotten words that tear down",
       "Words of grace that build up"
      ]
     ]
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 14
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-TEACH-04",
   "slot": "TEACH",
   "duration": 90,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Our ordinary words can build up or tear down",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "This is where I want to put one sentence in your head."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "But hear this first. Building somebody up does not mean only saying nice things. Paul has already told us to speak the truth in love. A loving correction may sting for a minute and still make somebody stronger. The goal is not pleasantness. The goal is their good."
    },
    {
     "type": "prompt",
     "text": "What comes out of my mouth should leave somebody stronger, not smaller."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Are my words helping somebody become stronger in what is true, what is good, and what is Christlike? Or am I just making them feel small?"
    },
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "UNDERSTANDING GATE 3. Ask: Does building somebody up mean we never say hard things? Expected answer: No. Follow with: What has to travel with the hard truth? Expected answer: Love."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 15
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-MON-03",
   "slot": "MONDAY TEST",
   "duration": 90,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Monday Test 3",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "prompt",
     "text": "Before I hit send, will these words give grace to the person who hears them?"
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "That test works in a conversation. It works in a text message. It works in a Facebook comment. It works in the car on the way home. It works when you are angry."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Paul is telling us that our words are not small. God can use a believer's words to tell truth, give courage, correct a wrong direction, and build somebody up."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 16,
   "visual": {
    "asset": "img/before-send.webp",
    "alt_text": "A person pauses with a phone in hand before sending a text message.",
    "accuracy_label": "Contemporary illustrative scene",
    "rights": "OpenAI-generated illustrative visual created for Lucky Lemons"
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-TEACH-05",
   "slot": "TEACH",
   "duration": 90,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "Christ Landing",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Before we finish, notice who stands at both ends of this passage."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Verse 11 begins with Christ giving. He gives leaders to equip His people."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Then verses 15 and 16 bring us back to Christ as the Head. The church grows from Him. He is not asking us to manufacture unity by being nicer people. He is the Head who gives His people what they need and holds His body together as each part does its work in love."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "So when another believer teaches you, encourages you, corrects you, or gives you a word of grace, do not miss the deeper gift. Christ is caring for His church through His people."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 17
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-QUIET-01",
   "slot": "QUIET",
   "duration": 45,
   "protected": true,
   "title": "Quiet",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "PROTECTED. Teacher taps Start. Run the full 30-second countdown. Student notes are off."
    },
    {
     "type": "prompt",
     "text": "Who has God used to help you grow, and who might need a truthful, loving word from you this week?"
    },
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "After the timer, do not add a second teaching paragraph. Advance deliberately to OBEY."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": false,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 18
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-OBEY-01",
   "slot": "OBEY",
   "duration": 60,
   "protected": true,
   "title": "Obey",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "PROTECTED. One concrete act only."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Think about the person who came to mind during the quiet."
    },
    {
     "type": "prompt",
     "text": "Before next Sunday, speak one specific truthful, loving, grace-giving word to one person who needs to be built up."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Prayer matters. Do not stop at a vague 'praying for you.' Add something specific, true, and loving that helps them stand a little taller in Christ."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 19
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-PRAY-01",
   "slot": "PRAY",
   "duration": 60,
   "protected": true,
   "title": "Pray",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "PROTECTED. Student notes are off."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "Father, thank You for the people You have placed around us. Thank You for faithful leaders, trusted friends, and brothers and sisters who help us grow. Make us teachable when we need to hear truth. Give us courage to speak truth, and give us love so we speak it the right way. Guard our mouths when we are angry. Use our words to give grace, encouragement, correction, and strength. Build Your church through us, under Christ our Head. Amen."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": false,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 20
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-CLOSE-01",
   "slot": "CLOSE",
   "duration": 75,
   "protected": true,
   "title": "Learn. Love. Live.",
   "body": [
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "PROTECTED CLOSE. Brief. No extra sermon after these three lines."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "LEARN: God communicates to us through other believers."
    },
    {
     "type": "text",
     "text": "LOVE: Christ Himself gives His people to one another, and He is the Head who holds us together in love."
    },
    {
     "type": "prompt",
     "text": "LIVE: Speak one truthful, loving, grace-giving word this week."
    },
    {
     "type": "cue",
     "text": "Advance directly to teacher-only AAR. Teaching clock freezes on AAR entry."
    }
   ],
   "notes_enabled": true,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 21
  },
  {
   "id": "LL-EPH4-AAR-01",
   "slot": "AAR",
   "duration": 0,
   "protected": false,
   "title": "After Action Review",
   "body": [],
   "notes_enabled": false,
   "cues": [],
   "seq": 22
  }
 ]
}