Welcome back to Drive Time! This week, we kick off a powerful new series through the Old Testament book of Book of Esther — a story filled with kings, queens, drama, and unexpected bravery.

Set in the Persian city of Susa under the rule of King Ahasuerus, Esther’s story unfolds in a surprising way: God’s name is never mentioned. Not once. And yet, His presence is unmistakable.

This episode introduces our Big Idea: You may not see God, but He is always working.

Through laughs (including a royal Joke of the Day), thoughtful discussion questions, and a deep dive into Book of Proverbs 16:9 — “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” — we explore how God works behind the scenes, even when life feels confusing, unfair, or completely out of control.

Whether you’re driving to school, practice, or just around town, this episode will remind you that while we make plans, God is faithfully establishing every step.

Tune in and discover how even in the quiet, God is still at work.

Brad sits down with a few members of a short-term mission team to hear stories about their trip to Nicaragua and their takeaways.

Often when short-term mission teams are asked in the Lobby, "how was your trip?" The team member has a difficult time finding words to describe what it is they experienced on a week-long international mission trip.

This episode enables us to sit down and tell at length some of our experiences and stories an incredible trip.

If you are interested in short-term missions and joining one of these teams, email me [email protected]

Podcast Description — Drive Time Advent, Episode 4: Love
In the final week of Advent, the Drive Time hosts reflect on the theme of love, the true heart of Christmas. With a cheerful Christmas joke and a look at Psalm 110:4, this episode reminds listeners that God’s love is the foundation of the entire Advent story. Families are invited to pause, listen, and celebrate the deep, faithful love God has shown through Jesus.

Podcast Description — Drive Time Advent, Week 3: Joy
In this joyful third week of Advent, the Drive Time hosts explore the deeper meaning of joy—a steady, lasting gladness that comes from knowing God, not just the temporary feeling of happiness. With a fun Christmas joke and a look at Psalm 22:4–5, this episode helps families reflect on where true joy comes from and how it carries us through every season.

Podcast Description — Drive Time Advent, Episode 2: Peace
In the second week of Advent, the Drive Time hosts dive into the theme of peace—not just quiet or stillness, but the deep sense of calm, safety, and confidence that comes from knowing God. With another festive Christmas joke and meaningful reflection, this episode helps listeners slow down, breathe, and experience the peace Advent invites us to remember.

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