The three archeologists found a piece of charred wood in the dirt. They knew the wood was from an ancient temple in Jerusalem. They began to discuss whether it came from a burnt offering in front of the temple or if it was part of the structure destroyed in a fire. They reasoned together and decided you would gather uncut sticks if you were building a fire for an offering. This finished wood must be from the temple structure. Who were these archeologists?

They were three Sunday school students digging through a shoebox of dirt and "artifacts" from the backyard and garage.

How do we learn about people who lived in ancient times? How do we know what gods they worshiped, what food they ate, or what clothes they wore if they did not write it down? One of the ways is learning through archaeology. An archaeologist might find a pot, a grave, or the remains of a building. Each discovery is like a piece of a puzzle. The archaeologist works to put these pieces together to create a picture of what life was like long ago. Landsat satellites and thermal infrared scanners make it possible to look at possible digging sites from the sky. This can provide clues as to where archeological sites may lie, but do not eliminate the need for people on the ground to verify the information. This process of verification is called ground truthing. Our churches use a lot of technology to reach students and their families, but there is no substitute for

a Holy Ghost-filled teacher doing the ground truthing of establishing relationships. In the real world of archeology, Conservation of finds begins with stabilization to stop deterioration.

In the real world of Sunday school, conservation of students begins

with stabilization to minimize further deterioration and damage from the outside.