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Easter Collection
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Creative Youth Ideas
Camp Bible Study Series
"Who Do You Say that I AM?"
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Great for youth camps or weekly Bible Study
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Icebreakers Ahead:
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52 of the World's Best Icebreakers applied to Spiritual Truths
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Once Lost, Now Found
Creative Scavenger Hunts
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More than 50 Scavenger hunts including lists, rules, riddles, step by step instructions and MORE!
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Camp Curriculum
Whale of a Tale
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Bible Studies based on the book of Jonah
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Camp Curriculum
The Great Adventure
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Western themed Bible Study Series
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Creative Youth Ideas
Christmas Collection
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More than 200 Christmas Ideas (360 pages)
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Skits for Fun and Learning
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CREATIVE YOUTH IDEAS eBOOK OF THE MONTH:

Creative Youth Ideas Easter Collection

Click here to find out how you can immediately download my best Easter ideas for youth, including Easter games, Easter illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook


Effective Youth Bible Study

To be most effective in your Bible study with youth:

Involve rather than inform
Suppose you had climbed a mountain and wanted to convey to your students the exhilaration of reaching the top and the relief at discovering that the grueling work was really worth the effort. Would it be better to tell them about your climb or take them to the top of the mountain with you? Taking them to the top would take more time than saying: “The results are worth the climb.” But which would impact their lives more deeply? It’s the same with Bible study: the more youth do for themselves, the more meaningful their learning becomes.

Listen rather than lecture
The one who talks is the one who learns. When you ask questions and make assignments that guide youth to express Bible understanding, they learn. It’s easy to let lectures go in one ear and out the other, but youth remember what they themselves say. They live what they commit to.

Direct rather than dictate
“Is this television program good for me?” “What is sin?” “How can I know the will of God?” Rather than telling youth what to do, guide them to Bible verses that address their questions. As youth make their own choices, they gain confidence in their ability to read, understand, and live the Bible for themselves. And they grow close to God who authored the Bible.

Be Active rather than passive
Youth tend to be full of energy. When there is an option to make things active, it keeps their attention and helps release their energy.

Make it cooperative rather than individual
Todays youth prefer to work in groups rather than as individuals. It takes off the pressure and allows the more quiet ones to contribute in a small setting that may not speak before the entire group.

Have a single objective rather than multiple truths
Choose one objective. Everything you do should reinforce, explain, support, clarify, apply to that objective.

Focus on changed lives rather than memorized facts
You don’t teach the Bible. You teach youth. It’s not what you have given them that matters, but what they leave with. Its not what you do, but what they do that evaluates an effective lesson.

Be an example in your expectations
Your attitude is contagious. If you like Bible study, your students will tend to like it also. If you present a learning activity with interest and expectation, youth will participate and like it. But if you say, “This was in the book and I know you will think it’s childish and dumb... “ they will think it’s childish and dumb. Expect great insight based on Bible truths. Your students will sense your expectation and fulfill it.

Comments

These are common sense but really great. Thanks!

These point were really helpful. Thanks for the insight.

This makes it sound like teaching the Bible is secondary. Youth need to have a solid understanding of the book that guides our lives. I generally start with a scripture, which I know to be an infallable basis, and build my lesson from there. We can't deem Bible learning as less important than the youth leaving with a good feeling.

"Focus on changed lives rather than memorized facts
You don’t teach the Bible. You teach youth. It’s not what you have given them that matters, but what they leave with. Its not what you do, but what they do that evaluates an effective lesson."

How do you apply this approach to a youth group that will not participate no matter how you present the material? They are indifferent, refuse to answer questions or offer personal ancetdotes. We could bring in a rock star to and I don't know if it would change the attitude they have toward Bible Study. Any suggestions?

Thanks, this helped a lot.

I just would like to say that I have used your studies with teens as well as younger ones and they are a great blessing.

i am dealing with a youth group in Kenya i have passion for youth ministry. and these tips are very true.

I'm running into the same issue as Amy. I've been trying to keep the study as to the point, interactive & relevant as possible. I've even had them suggest topics for study. However, we have a few youth who just don't engage. It's like by the time they've sat through school they have no more energy left to learn anything else!

These are great suggestions you've made, any more that might help?

Thanks :)

The Bible is in no way secondary. Nor is the enlightenment that only comes through His Spirit! Our primary goal to be messengers of his truth by bringing the Word of God to the listener. Even Jesus did not go around simply quoting the scripture but translated it to his listeners through his life and effective ministry with them. God uses us in his delivery of his Word and there is always room to be a better channel of His Word to youth as well as to evaluate our effectiveness and prayerfully seek how to better deliver it and better live it. More will be caught than taught!

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CREATIVE YOUTH IDEAS
RECOMMENDED
eBOOK OF THE MONTH:

Creative Youth Ideas Easter Collection


Click here to find out how you can immediately download my best Easter ideas for youth, including Easter games, Easter illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook


Great for Youth,
Children
and even adults!


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