Episode Description — Drive Time Advent, Week 1: Hope
In this kickoff to the Advent season, the hosts explore the theme of hope—the trust that God will keep His promises. With a lighthearted Christmas joke and a warm, conversational tone, the episode invites listeners to begin Advent with expectation and encouragement, reflecting on how hope shapes the way we look toward Christ’s coming.

Episode: Living Alive in Jesus

In our final episode before Advent, we wrap up the entire Gospel Plan and talk about what it truly means to live alive in Jesus every single day. This week’s conversation brings together everything we’ve learned—God rules, we sinned, God provided, Jesus gives, and we respond.

The Gospel isn’t the end of the story—it’s the beginning of a brand-new life. When we trust Jesus, He gives us His Spirit to help us live free, love others, and walk with Him daily. As Galatians 4:6 reminds us, God sends the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, drawing us close to Him as our Father.

We put your memory to the test—out of order! Kids show off how well they remember all five Gospel Plan steps:

1. God Rules

2. We Sinned

3. God Provided

4. Jesus Gives

5. We Respond

And you nailed it!

Romans 10:9
“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Responding to Jesus means believing He is who He says He is—and when we do, we’re made alive in Him.

This is the final week for Galatians 5:1:
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”
We remember that Jesus didn’t just save us from something—He saved us for a life of freedom and love.

Use your ride time to talk through these together:

• Which part of the Gospel Plan has meant the most to you?

• How can you respond to Jesus this week?

• What’s one way you can show others the freedom you have in Christ?

That’s a wrap on our Gospel Plan series! We’ve learned who God is, what Jesus has done, and how we can live alive through Him.
Join us next week as we kick off our special Advent Series!

Thanks for listening to Drive Time—see you next week!

Big Idea Game: “Say the Step – Remix!”Scripture Focus, Memory Verse, Drive Time Discussion Questions, Wrapping Up

Episode 13 — Reviewing the Whole Gospel Plan

In this episode of Drive Time, we’re gearing up to wrap up the Alive series by reviewing the entire Gospel Plan from start to finish. Over the past several weeks, we’ve explored how God created us, how we wandered, and how He brought us back through Jesus. Today, we put all the pieces together to see the full story of God’s rescue.

This week, we revisit the five big truths that help us understand God’s story:

1. God Rules

2. We Sinned

3. God Provided

4. Jesus Gives

5. We Respond

These steps remind us that from the very beginning, God’s plan has been to bring us back to Himself—and Jesus is the center of that plan.

In Christ, we become part of God’s family. It doesn’t matter where we come from or who we are—faith in Jesus unites us all. We don’t earn God’s love. Jesus has already done everything needed to bring us in.

A fast-paced review game to help kids lock in the Gospel Plan:

• Call out a step number

• Kids shout the step as loud as they can
  A fun, simple way to remember God’s big rescue story.

This week we revisit our series verse:
“For freedom Christ has set us free.” — Galatians 5:1a

When we follow Jesus, we live in the freedom He gives—freedom to live with joy, purpose, and hope.

Talk through these as you drive:

• Which part of the Gospel Plan is easiest for you to remember?

• Why is it important to know the whole Gospel story?

• How can you “respond” to Jesus this week?

The Gospel isn’t just one story—it’s the whole story of how God rules, we rebel, and Jesus rescues. As we wrap up the Alive series, remember: Jesus gives us new life, and we respond by following Him.

Join us next week for the final regular episode before Advent begins!

The Gospel Plan — All Five Steps Scripture of the Week — Galatians 3:26–29 Game of the Week: “Say the Step!”Memory Verse, Drive Time Discussion Questions, Episode Summary

Episode 12 — Responding to God’s Gift

In this episode of Drive Time, we explore the final step of the Gospel Plan—responding to God’s amazing gift through Jesus. Over the past few weeks, we’ve talked about what the Gospel is and how God invites us into His family. Today, we look at what it means to believe in Jesus, confess Him as Lord, and follow Him every day.

We respond to God’s gift by believing in Jesus and living for Him.
Salvation is a free gift from God—but like any gift, it must be received. When we believe in Jesus and confess Him as Lord, we step into a new life of freedom and purpose.

This passage reminds us that:

• Belief begins in the heart

• Confession expresses that belief out loud

• Salvation isn’t about perfection—it’s about trusting Jesus

“For freedom Christ has set us free.” — Galatians 5:1a
Jesus frees us from sin so we can live the life God created us for.

This week’s game helps families memorize Scripture together:

1. Say the verse loud

2. Say it medium

3. Say it whisper quiet

4. Say it only in your heart—reflect on what it means
   A fun way to hide God’s Word both in our minds and our hearts.

Talk about these as you drive:

1. What does it mean to believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord?

2. Why does God want us to say it out loud too?

3. How can we live differently when we believe in Jesus?

Responding to Jesus isn’t a one-time moment—it’s an everyday decision to trust Him, follow Him, and live in the freedom He gives. Thanks for joining us on Drive Time as we continue growing together and learning what it means to be Alive in Christ!

Big IdeaScripture of the Week — Romans 10:9–13Memory VerseCar Game: Echo VerseDrive Time Discussion QuestionsEpisode Summary

Mars Kids Drive Time Podcast – Episode 11

Theme: We Respond
Scripture Focus: John 3:1–21 (Nicodemus)
Memory Verse: “For freedom Christ has set us free.” — Galatians 5:1 (ESV)

In this episode of Drive Time, we wrap up the Gospel Plan by talking about how we respond to the good news of Jesus! We’ve learned:

1. God Rules

2. We Sinned

3. God Provided

4. Jesus Gives

5. We Respond

Jesus has given us the greatest gift—salvation—but each of us must decide how we respond. This week, we look at the story of Nicodemus, a man who came to Jesus full of questions. Jesus told him that to truly know and follow God, he needed to be born again—not on the outside, but on the inside! When we believe in Jesus, He gives us new life and freedom.

We also practice remembering all five steps of the Gospel Plan with a fun car game, and we encourage families to talk together while riding along.

Use this time in the car to grow together:

• What do you think it means to be “born again”?

• Why do you think Nicodemus had so many questions for Jesus?

• How can you respond to Jesus in your own life?

Thanks for listening and riding along with us!
Join us next time as we continue learning what it looks like to respond to Jesus every day.

Mars Kids — Find Clarity. Follow Jesus.

Drive Time Discussion Questions

Podcast Title: Jesus Gives – Freedom in Christ
Series: The Gospel Plan – Step 4: Jesus Gives
Scripture: Galatians 1:4 & Galatians 5:1
Memory Verse: Galatians 4:6

In this week’s episode of Drive Time, we’re continuing Step Four of the Gospel Plan—Jesus Gives! We’ve learned that Jesus gave His life to rescue us from sin, and now we’re exploring what it means that He also sets us free. Through Galatians 1:4 and 5:1, we discover that Jesus didn’t just forgive us—He rescued us and gave us the freedom to live new lives filled with peace, joy, and hope.

Jesus gave His life to rescue us and set us free.
When we believe in Him, we’re no longer trapped by sin. We can live free because of His love!

Paul reminds us in Galatians that Jesus “gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age” (Galatians 1:4) and that “for freedom Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). Jesus came to pull us out of the trouble that sin causes and to lead us into a life of true freedom with God.

Practice Galatians 4:6 together in the car:

“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’”

Take turns saying the verse—pause at random spots, and see who can fill in the missing words first!

Talk about these questions as a family:

• What does it mean that Jesus “rescued” us?

• What does freedom in Jesus look like?

• What’s one way you can live in that freedom this week?

Jesus didn’t just forgive us; He rescued us and set us free. Because of His love, we can live every day in His freedom and joy.

Episode Summary: Big Idea, Story SpotlightMemory Verse Game: “Fill in the Blank Freeze”Drive Time Discussion, Takeaway

Episode Summary

This week on Drive Time, we’re learning about the greatest act of love in all of history—when Jesus gave His life for us. In Alive Week 10, our theme is Jesus Gives, step four of the Gospel Plan. Kids will discover that Jesus willingly took the punishment for our sin, showing mercy and love beyond measure.

Jesus carried His cross to Golgotha, where He was nailed to it and mocked by onlookers. Though He never sinned, He gave His life willingly to save us. But the story doesn’t end there—three days later, He rose from the dead! Jesus defeated death so we could have eternal life with Him.

Jesus gave His life to save us from our sin.
This act of love reminds us that God’s mercy means we don’t get what we deserve—because Jesus took our place.

“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” — Galatians 4:6 (ESV)

Take turns saying one word of this month’s verse around the car. If someone forgets a word, start over—this time, faster! See how many rounds your family can complete.

Talk about these questions as a family:

• Why did Jesus die on the cross?

• What happened three days later?

• How does Jesus giving His life show us God’s love?

Jesus gave His life so we could live forever with God. His love is the reason we can truly be Alive in Christ!

Story Spotlight: Matthew 27 Big Idea Memory Verse Family Game: Verse Race Drive Time Discussion Key Takeaway

✍️ Episode Summary:

This week on Drive Time, we’re exploring one of the most powerful moments in the Bible—Jesus and the woman at the well (John 4:1–42).

The woman came thirsty for water, but Jesus offered her something far better—living water that would never run out. Even though she had made mistakes, Jesus loved her completely and offered forgiveness, hope, and new life.

That’s what we mean when we say God provided! God didn’t leave us stuck in sin—He gave us what we needed most: a Savior, Jesus Christ.

Together, we’ll laugh through our Joke of the Day, play Fill It or Forget It!, and discover that nothing fills our hearts forever except Jesus.

John 4:1–42

God provided the solution to our sin problem through Jesus.

“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’”
— Galatians 4:6 (ESV)

Play along at home or in the car! Decide whether each thing “fills you up for a little while” or “fills you forever”:

• A glass of water — Forget it!

• Your favorite snack — Forget it!

• Jesus’ love — Fill it!

• A nap — Forget it!

• Living water from Jesus — Fill it!

• Winning a game — Forget it!

• God’s forgiveness — Fill it!

Only Jesus can fill our hearts forever!

Use these to spark meaningful conversations with your kids this week:

1. What’s something you really love that doesn’t last forever?

2. Why do you think Jesus called Himself the “living water”?

3. How has God provided what you really need through Jesus?

The woman at the well came for water, but Jesus offered her living water that would last forever.
God provided Jesus—the perfect solution to our sin problem—because He loves us that much.

That’s the Good News: God didn’t leave us empty. He filled us with His love through Jesus!

Drive Time Podcast, Mars Kids, The Woman at the Well, John 4, God Provided, Jesus Living Water, Family Devotional Podcast, Kids Bible Podcast, Gospel for Kids, Christian Parenting Resources

📖 Scripture:💡 Big Idea:🧠 Memory Verse:🎮 Game: Fill It or Forget It!🚗 Drive Time Discussion Questions:❤️ Key Takeaway:🔖 

Episode Summary:
Welcome back to Drive Time! In this week’s episode, we continue our journey through the book of Galatians and explore one of the greatest truths of all time — God provided the solution to our sin problem through Jesus. Through faith in Christ alone, we are made alive and can call God our Father.

Join us for a fun ride filled with laughter (don’t miss the Joke of the Day!), Scripture memory practice, and meaningful questions to help your family talk about God’s love and grace on the go.

God provided the solution to our sin problem through faith in Christ alone.
We don’t have to fix ourselves—God loved us so much that He gave us the greatest gift of all: Jesus.

📖 John 3:16 (NIV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

📖 Memory Verse for October – Galatians 4:6 (ESV)

“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’”

Practice this week’s memory verse together by finishing each phrase in the car:

• “And because you are…” → sons

• “God has sent the Spirit of his…” → Son

• “Into our…” → hearts

• “Crying…” → ‘Abba! Father!’

Try saying it faster each round!

Use these conversation starters as you drive:

1. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

2. Why is Jesus the best gift we could ever have?

3. How does it feel to know that God calls you His child?

Remember this truth: God provided the solution to our sin problem through Jesus.
Because of Him, we can joyfully call God our Father.

🎧 Thanks for joining us on Drive Time! See you next week as we continue learning how God’s Good News makes us alive in Jesus.

Big Idea Scripture Focus Game Time: Finish the Phrase! Discussion Questions (for the Drive)Wrap Up

Drive Time Podcast – Sin, Forgiveness, and God’s Family

This week on Drive Time, we’re starting a brand new month together—which means a new memory verse and some fresh encouragement for your ride.

🎉 Joke of the Day kicks things off with a laugh, then we jump right into the Big Idea:

Sin is anything we think, say, or do that displeases God.

Last week we learned about the very first sin with Adam and Eve, but this week we see that sin is something every single person does. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The bad news is that sin separates us from God. But the good news? Through Jesus, when we confess our sins, God forgives us and brings us into His family.

📖 October Memory Verse:
“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” — Galatians 4:6

👨‍👩‍👧 Family Game – True or False: Sin Edition
Play along as we figure out what’s true about sin and what’s not—and see how knowing the truth helps us spot the lies.

🚗 Talk About It on the Drive:

• Why is it important to admit that we all sin?

• How does it make you feel to know God forgives when we confess?

• What does it mean to you that we can call God “Father”?

This episode reminds us that even though all of us sin, God’s love never runs out. Through Jesus, He forgives us, welcomes us, and gives us His Spirit so we can walk with Him every day.

That’s the best news ever!