Creative Youth Ideas: Teaching Illustrations (Mobile Archives)

Would You Consider Abortion?

Synopsis: Is an abortion the best option?
Keywords: Abortion, Right to Life, Sanctity of Life

1 Corinthians 13 for Youth Workers

Synopsis: 1 Corinthians 13 paraphrased for Youth Workers
Keywords: youth, teaching, love, relationships, ministry

10 Little Christians

Synopsis: Are you building up or tearing down the church?
Keywords: Church, fellowship, Body of Christ

24 Things To Always Remember

Synopsis: You are special
Keywords: Encouragement, special

35,000 Feet

Synopsis: God can help us to be calm and cheerful, relaxed and refreshed even in trying circumstances.
Keywords: patience, Galatians 5:22, fruits of the spirit

A Cowboy's Christmas Prayer

Synopsis: Cute expression of a Cowboy's prayer with God about Christmas
Keywords: cowboy, Christmas, prayer

A Father's Hugs

Synopsis: Youth need the love of their fathers. But many times fathers are afraid to show it.
Keywords: Father's Day, love, affection, growing up, children, raising daughters, teens, teenagers, youth

A Father's Influence

Synopsis: The influence of a father in the life of a child cannot be neglected.
Keywords: Father's Day, Father's influence, parenting, raising children, example

A Father's Support

Synopsis: Children need the support of their fathers
Keywords: Father's day, support, children, youth, teens, A father's support

A Father's Words of Wisdom

Synopsis: Traditional wisdom often heard from Fathers
Keywords: Father, Father's Day, dad, wisdom

A Long Time

Synopsis: Spending time with someone special makes the time pass more quickly.
Keywords: Marriage, Time, Relationships

A Matter of Comparison

Synopsis: The size of the obstacles in your life depends on what you are comparing them to.
Keywords: Giant, obstacles, struggles, difficulties,

A Penny

Synopsis: Do we truly trust God for everything?
Keywords: trust, God's provision, God's sovereignty, God's care

A Seussian Christmas

Synopsis: What if Doctor Suess retold the Christmas Story?
Keywords: Christmas Story, Poetry

A Single Color

Synopsis: Variety adds life
Keywords: diversity, gifts

A letter from Jesus

Synopsis: Do we celebrate the true meaning of Christmas?
Keywords: Christmas Traditions, True Meaning of Christmas

A mother's Sacrificial Love

Synopsis: A mother's love is sacrificial.
Keywords: Mother's Day, love, sacrifice, mother

A single-minded Tom Edison

Synopsis: Does your life have focus?
Keywords: focus, commitment, perseverance

ABC's of Thanksgiving

Synopsis: Thanksgiving is many things to many people
Keywords: Thanks, Thanksgiving

Accident Report

Synopsis: God never intended that Christians should do his work alone, but should do it as part of the body of Christ together.
Keywords: teamwork, body of Christ, service, ministry, work

Acting As if

Synopsis: The ability to love is established not so much by fervent promise as often repeated deeds.
Keywords: Love, Valentine's Day, relationships

Agonizing Silence

Synopsis: It takes courage to stand against oppression.
Keywords: fear, courage

Ah, Dearest Jesus

Synopsis: Jesus, holy Child, Make thee a bed, soft, undefiled, Within my heart
Keywords: Christmas, Jesus, Heart

Synopsis: This missionary demonstrates an axample of being overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness of God even in trying situations.
Keywords: pain, suffering, trials, tribulations, circumstances, adversity, struggles, overcoming, hurt, affliction, testing, goodness of God

America's Greatest Source of Strength

Synopsis: What is America's greatest source of strength and inspiration?
Keywords: Mother's Day, Holiday, Importance of Mothers

An Old Question

Synopsis: Can I be a Christian without joining the church?
Keywords: church services, worship, congregation, Sunday School

And God said "No"

Synopsis: God answers our prayers, not according to our wants, but according to his purpose.
Keywords: poetry, pride, happiness, patience, pain, grow, love, prayer

Angel

Synopsis: A mother is an angel of God to a child.
Keywords: Mother, Mother's Day, angel, children

Aquarium Sharks

Synopsis: If we stay in our comfort zone we will never achieve our full potential.
Keywords: growth, stagnant, complacency, fish

Around The Rim

Synopsis: Do we miss out on the blessings and provision of God because we are too focused on religion rather than what he is doing in our lives?
Keywords: tradition, leaders, followers, spiritual food, provision

Around the Thanksgiving Table

Synopsis: Have we left God out of Thanksgiving?
Keywords: Thanksgiving, Thanks

Augustine's Mother

Synopsis: God hears a mother's prayers
Keywords: Mother's Day, salvation, a mother's prayers

Awesomites

Synopsis: As Christians we need to be interceding for others
Keywords: compassion, cross, laborers, intercede, prayer

Baby Rules

Synopsis: Seven rules that promote good health in babies can be adapted and applied to a Christian's spiritual growth.
Keywords: baby, born again, infant, growth, follow-up

Balloons

Synopsis: Are you hanging on to a handful of balloons that keep you from being close to Jesus?
Keywords: Balloons, sin, captive, bondage, Hindrance

Be Thankful

Synopsis: Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.
Keywords: Thanks, Thanksgiving

Be Thankful

Synopsis: Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.
Keywords: Thanks, Thanksgiving, Grateful, blessing, setbacks

Be Thankful for

Synopsis: Be thankful for those things that seem less than blessings
Keywords: Thanks, Thanksgiving

Beggar King

Synopsis: love God and love others.
Keywords: giving, love, greatest commandment

Bertoldo de Giovanni

Synopsis: We have nothing to do with how much ability we've got, or how little, but with what we do with what we have.
Keywords: Ability, Talent, art, sculpture, Michelangelo

Bible in 50 Words

Synopsis: Outline of the Bible narrative in 50 words
Keywords: Bible story theme

Billboards

Synopsis: If God were to send us a message today, what might it be?
Keywords: billboards, messages

Birdies

Synopsis: This is proported to be a true story about angels that occurred in 1994 and was told by Lloyd Glen.
Keywords: angels, children, life after death

Born on the 4th of July

Synopsis: America was Born out of Faith in God
Keywords: 4th of July, American Independence Day, Founding Fathers, Faith, Freedom, Liberty

Box Full of Kisses

Synopsis: There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more precious than this gift given to us by friends, children, family members and God!
Keywords: Christmas, unconditional love, Christmas gifts

Brave Training

Synopsis: God watches over us/
Keywords: God's protection, parents

Building a House

Synopsis: Your attitudes and the choices you make today build your “house” for tomorrow
Keywords: New Year, planning, future, legacy, growth

Burdens into Bridges

Synopsis: Observing an ant, we are reminded that God wants to turn our burdens into bridges.
Keywords: Ant, bridge, obstacles, roadblocks, trials, overcoming difficulties

Burning Heart

Synopsis: Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us? - Luke 24:13-33
Keywords: devotion, prayer, quiet time, abiding, heart

Call Time Out

Synopsis: Take time for God!
Keywords: busyness, time management, poetry, meditation, contemplation

Calling All Teachers

Synopsis: A parable on the importance of teachers to youth and children
Keywords: teaching youth and children, importance of teachers

Can I Borrow $25?

Synopsis: Do we spend time with those we love?
Keywords: time, family, relationships, children, parenting

Can They Hear?

Synopsis: God's Message is proclaimed through us!
Keywords: Evangelism, Gospel, Great Commission, Witnessing, Good News

Can This Be Christmas?

Synopsis: Where is Christ this Christmas day?
Keywords: Christmas

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Synopsis: How do you measure the worth of others?
Keywords: Forgiveness, Worth, Value

Carrying the Burden

Synopsis: An unforgiving heart is a great burden to carry.
Keywords: Forgiveness, burdens

Cell Phone Christianity

Synopsis: Cell Phone Christianity
Keywords: Scripture, Bible study

Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul

Synopsis: No mountain is too high for a mother to climb for her child!
Keywords: Mother's Day, Mother's strength, mother's determination, Mother's love for a child

Children Learn What They Live

Synopsis: With a child, more is caught from their parents than is formally taught.
Keywords: Raising children, mother, mother's day, family

Christ's Heirs

Synopsis: what does it mean to be an heir?
Keywords: grace, heirs in Christ, chosen

Christian Team

Synopsis: Like a football team, each member of the church has a role and skills that suit them to each role.
Keywords: superbowl, American football, sports, team

Christmas 10 Commandments

Synopsis: Some worthy things to remember for the Christmas season.
Keywords: Christmas

Christmas According to Gabriel

Synopsis: Max Lucado imagines Gabriel's perspective of the incarnation of Christ and his message to Mary.
Keywords: Christmas, Incarnation, Baby Jesus, God's Plan

Christmas Alphabet

Synopsis: Everything about Christmas from A-Z
Keywords: Christmas, advent, holiday, traditions

Christmas Envelope

Synopsis: Gift a gift to someone who really needs it this Christmas.
Keywords: Christmas Gift, Christmas Presents

Christmas Invitation

Synopsis: Christmas is the Birthday party for the Savior of the world.
Keywords: Christmas, Christ's Birthday

Christmas Old, Christmas New

Synopsis: Christ embodies Christmas today just as he did when he was born.
Keywords: Christmas, Christ, traditions, true meaning of Christmas is in Christ

Christmas Oranges

Synopsis: This Christmas story reminds us all of the unselfish love of the Savior, as 9 orphan boys share their oranges.
Keywords: Christmas, oranges, Christmas traditions, giving, sharing, holidays

Church Bells

Synopsis: Leave your troubles in God's hands.
Keywords: circumstances, faith, fear, doubt, anxiety, worry, confidence, Easter, trust

Church Garden

Synopsis: How does your garden grow?
Keywords: garden, church, plant

Church Hypocrites

Synopsis: Heard: "Pastor, I want you to know why I do not come to your church--There are hypocrites in it." Reply: "There's room for one more!" Even the church that Jesus pastored on earth had imperfections: 1. The Church Council went...
Keywords: Church, Hypocrisy

Claimed for God

Synopsis: Hudson Taylor makes a decision to be used by God.
Keywords: Missions, China, Evangelism, Witnessing, God's Call, Purpose

Class Reunion

Synopsis: Love me enough to challenge me to keep growing.
Keywords: growth, change, stagnant, High School Reunion

Cleaning House

Synopsis: Make room for your life in Christ
Keywords: Change, Spiritual Growth, Decisions, Living for Christ

Cleaning House

Synopsis: Do you need to do a little house cleaning in your life?
Keywords: house cleaning, new beginning, new year, perspectives, direction

Commitment through Difficulties

Synopsis: Commitment to God often comes in difficult circumstances
Keywords: commitment, difficulties, war, evangelism

Committed to Jesus

Synopsis: How committed are you to Jesus?
Keywords: Christian, Church, Russia, Commitment

Cowdog

Synopsis: As we grow in Christ we realize who we are and begin to act like it.
Keywords: cow, dog, association, identification, growth

Cracked Pots

Synopsis: An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered...
Keywords:

Crutches

Synopsis: It's all attitude, and we can choose.
Keywords: handicapped, attitude, choices

Cutting Corners

Synopsis: How are you building your life?
Keywords: Integrity, Foundation, Living Your Life

Dad's Blessings

Synopsis: How many times do we miss Spirit's blessings and answers to our prayers because they do not arrive exactly as we have expected?
Keywords: blessing, expectations

Dart Test

Synopsis: The results of casting your bitterness at others.
Keywords: Bitterness, Hatred, Hurt, Forgiveness

Dart Test

Synopsis: Do we love others as Christ loves them?
Keywords: church, fellowship, community, loving the unlovable, forgiveness

Dealing with Setbacks

Synopsis: William Carey sets an example for us in dealing with a setback.
Keywords: missions, setbacks, evangelism, difficulties, hardship, circumstances

Dear Mommy

Synopsis: The writing of a 16 year old girl on the horror of abortion from the baby's point of view.
Keywords: abortion

Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly

Synopsis: While the use of holly is rooted in pagan lore, many Christian legends have developed over the centuries to the point that it is now linked with Christmas.
Keywords: Christmas Legends, Holly, Christmas Traditions, Symbols of Christmas

Defeated

Synopsis: Was Christ defeated at the Cross?
Keywords: Easter, Good Friday, cross, crucifixion, resurrection

Did Jesus Use a Modem at the Sermon on the Mount?

Synopsis: Have the wonders of this modern age made you question what is true?
Keywords: Christ, technology, Internet, computers

Difficulties and Discouragements

Synopsis: Where you stand on the ladder of life is not as important as how many rungs you have persistently climbed and the character you have developed in the journey!
Keywords: trials, difficulties, discouragements, purpose, achievement, life journey

Disciple's Personality Evaluation

Synopsis: Sometimes our Human evaluation of a person's suitability to ministry and God's evaluation are quite different
Keywords: evaluation, judging others, appearances, perspective, ministry

Dog Tales - Lessons in Love

Synopsis: The best way to approach all the abused and fearful people we meet is to start with love.
Keywords: abuse, love, care, concern, peace, fear

Don't Join That Church

Synopsis: If you find the perfect church...
Keywords: church, hypocricy, hypocrite, Body of Christ

Dream Car

Synopsis: How many times did we miss God's blessings because we can't see past our own desires?
Keywords: father, son, expectations, paid in full, car, Bible, key, gifts, blessings, desires

Easter Auction

Synopsis: A touching story of the love of a Father-a Father whose greatest joy came from His Son, who went away and gave his life rescuing others.
Keywords: Easter, story, love, father, son

Easter Bunny

Synopsis: Easter is not about the Easter Bunny but a resurrected Savior
Keywords: Easter, Resurrection, Restoration

Easter Eggs

Synopsis: The customs and traditions of using eggs have been associated with Easter for centuries.
Keywords: Easter, Egg, history

Easter Holiday

Synopsis: Easter Poem on Easter traditions and the true meaning of Easter - the sacrifice and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Keywords: Easter, Poem, Resurrection, Sacrifice, Easter Traditions

Easter Symbols

Synopsis: The significance of various symbols of Easter are explained.
Keywords: Easter, Resurrection

Egg or Potato?

Synopsis: Do your afflictions cause you to harden your heart or make you more pliable?
Keywords: pain, suffering, trials, tribulations, circumstances, adversity, struggles, overcoming, hurt, affliction, testing, responding, respond, adaptable, egg

Elephant Memory

Synopsis: You are far more capable than you were even twelve months ago, and next year you will be able to do things you can't imagine doing today
Keywords: growth, elephant, maturity, progress

Empty Chair, The

Synopsis: Jesus is always with us.
Keywords: Death, rest, Christ's comfort, Christ's Presence

Every Drop's a Dream

Synopsis: We all make a difference when we work together
Keywords: Contribution, giving, helping, working together, making a difference

Every Moment is Precious

Synopsis: Can you find the value in every moment of life?
Keywords: value, time, time management

Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark...

Synopsis: Lessons from Noah's Ark
Keywords: Noah's Ark, Storms, Life Lessons

Family Treasure

Synopsis: What is your family treasure.
Keywords: Family, Treasure, relationships

Father's Are Wonderful People

Synopsis: A poem for fathers on Father's day.
Keywords: father's day, dad, parents

Father's Day: A Tribute

Synopsis: Max Lucado reflects of Father's Day
Keywords: Father's Day, fatherhood, father, dad

Father's Influence

Synopsis: A father's influence makes a difference!
Keywords: father, Billy Graham, Father's day, raising children, ministry

Football Trivia

Synopsis: American Football Trivia
Keywords: Football, Superbowl, sports, trivia

Footprints with a Twist

Synopsis: Dancing Footprints
Keywords: Discipleship, Following Christ, Christian walk

Four Wives

Synopsis: Are you taking care of the things that are important?
Keywords: wife, health, soul, success, relationships

Frogs

Synopsis: Words can be life or death to others. Speak words of life!
Keywords: Encouragement, discouragement, motivation, challenge, life, the power of words, power of the tongue

Fun Christmas Facts: Christmas Lights

Synopsis: When was the first string of lights placed on a Christmas Tree?
Keywords: Christmas Tree, Christmas, advent, holiday, Christmas traditions

Generic

Synopsis: There is only one name by which men can be saved
Keywords: salvation, evangelism, witnessing, pluralism, other faiths, other religions

George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Synopsis: George Washington acknowledges the gratitude and thanks due to God for his care.
Keywords: Thanksgiving

George Washington's Mother

Synopsis: All that I am I owe to my mother - George Washington
Keywords: Mother's Day, Mother, Founding Fathers

Girl with the Rose

Synopsis: The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive.
Keywords: Love, Valentine's Day, appearance, heart

Giving Blood

Synopsis: A boys example of sacrificial love
Keywords: sacrificial love, sacrifice, giving, saving oithers

God and the Spider

Synopsis: Whatever is happening in your life, in God, a mere spider's web becomes a brick wall of protection.
Keywords: God's Protection

God's Boxes of Love

Synopsis: God wants to magnify our joys and help carry our sorrows.
Keywords: Blessings, Joys, Sorrows

God's Embroidery

Synopsis: Many times through the years I have looked up to my Heavenly Father and said, "Father, what are You doing?" He has answered, "I am embroidering your life."
Keywords: Lessons from Mothers, Mother's Day, God's sovereignty, God's Will, God's plan, Purpose, meaning

Golden Gift

Synopsis: Each of us as parents has been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children.
Keywords: father, child, box, Christmas, empty, box, love, kisses, gold, gift, parenting

Good Friday?

Synopsis: Out of that seeming tragedy of the crucifixion, God planned good as Christ paid the eternal price demanded by God for our sins.
Keywords: Easter, Good Friday, tragedy, circumstances, difficulties, goodness of God, God's kindness, crucifixion, cross

He Knows My Name

Synopsis: God is interested in the tiniest things in the world.
Keywords: Christmas Gift, God's care and concern

Heaven and Hell

Synopsis: As Christians, have we learned to feed each other?
Keywords: church, care, body of Christ, giving

Height of a Building

Synopsis: We need to bring our problems to God.
Keywords: prayer, prayer requests, seeking God, Asking God

Helping Others Win

Synopsis: Are you helping others to win?
Keywords: race, Olympics, winning, running the race

His Name At The Top

Synopsis: Is your Christmas list complete?
Keywords: Christmas, gifts, Jesus

Holy Alphabet

Synopsis: Interesting poem where each line begins with the letter of the alphabet.
Keywords: poetry

How to Stay Young

Synopsis: Every youth leader has to stay young or at least young in heart to keep up with youth. Here are 10 simple tips to stay young.
Keywords: youth, young, age

I Can't

Synopsis: How diligently we sieze the opportunities that God sends our way inlarge amount will determine what we accomplish while on this earth and what praise we will recieve from His lips in heaven.
Keywords: commitment, daughter, fish, taking action, solutions

I Took a Piece of Plastic Clay

Synopsis: We mold the heart of children as they grow.
Keywords: Parenting, family, raising kids, hearts

I am the Christmas Spirit

Synopsis: Look up into the face of God and, for a few moments, forget everything that is small and wretched.
Keywords: Christmas

I want to be possible

Synopsis: Children need to be encouraged
Keywords: Parenting, family, children, rainsing kids

I'll Always be There for You!

Synopsis: Like this earthly Father, our heavenly father will also always be there for us!
Keywords: Father, Fatherhood, God the Father, dad, parenting

Icebergs

Synopsis: Are we moved by circumstances or by God's wise and sovereign purposes?
Keywords: pain, suffering, trials, tribulations, circumstances, adversity, struggles, overcoming, hurt, affliction, testing, sovereignty of God

If You Think

Synopsis: Success begins with a person's will
Keywords: Atitude, poetry, success

Images of Mother

Synopsis: Funny how our perceptions of mom change over time!
Keywords: Mother's Day. a mother's wisdom, images of mother

In God All the Time

Synopsis: Abiding: Hudson Taylor was in God all the time, and God was in him.
Keywords: abiding, presence of God, peace of God

Irish Blessing

Synopsis: An Irish Blessing for those you love!
Keywords: Irish Blessing, road, journey

Is it enough?

Synopsis: Is the cross enough?
Keywords: Easter, crucifixion, Easter, Good Friday, Paralytic, sins are forgiven, forgiveness

Jesus Sees Us with the Eye of a Carpenter

Synopsis: Jesus,as a carpenter's son
Keywords: Jesus, incarnation, carpenter, God's work in us

John 3:16

Synopsis: Understanding John 3:16
Keywords: Salvation, Gospel, Evangelism, God's Love, Belief, Faith, Life

John 3:16

Synopsis: John 3:16 -- don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.
Keywords: John 3:16, salvation

Jonathan Edwards

Synopsis: God often uses us in spite of our weaknesses.
Keywords: used by God, preacher, obstacles, handicaps, weakness, eyesight

Joseph's Lullaby

Synopsis: Joseph talks to the Christ Child.
Keywords: Christmas, Joseph, Carpenter

Joseph's Tomb

Synopsis: Joseph probably didn't realize that his act to bury Christ in his own tomb fulfilled prophecy.
Keywords: pain, suffering, trials, tribulations, circumstances, adversity, struggles, overcoming, hurt, affliction, testing, questions, burial, death, prophecy, resurrection, Easter

Keep Your Fork

Synopsis: Easter reminds us that the best is yet to come.
Keywords: Easter, resurrection, Life after death, Victory over the grave

Leftovers

Synopsis: Does God only get your leftovers?
Keywords: Thanks, Thanksgiving, Prayer

Letter From a Friend

Synopsis: Jesus wants a relationship with each of us.
Keywords: devotion, quiet time, devotional, relationship with God

Letting Go

Synopsis: The best way to keep love is to give it -- WINGS.
Keywords: Love, freedom, relationships

Life's but a Flash

Synopsis: what is our purpose in this world?
Keywords: life, purpose, death, time

Lincoln's Barrel

Synopsis: God has something for each of us to do!
Keywords: providence of God, plan of God, will of God, provision of God, call of God

Locked up?

Synopsis: We are freed in Christ
Keywords: 4th of July, American Independence, Freedom

Love Passed By

Synopsis: Don't allow love to pass by.
Keywords: parents, love, children growing up

Love and Time

Synopsis: Take time to treasure those you love!
Keywords: Valentine's Day, inspiration, love, commitment, dedication

Love in the Home

Synopsis: A paraphrased version of 1 Corinthians 13 for mothers
Keywords: Mother's Day, Mother, Love, parenting

Love: A Paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13

Synopsis: What is love?
Keywords: Valentine's Day, Love, Corinthians

Managing Priorities

Synopsis: A powerful illustration, that could also be used as an object lesson on time management.
Keywords: time management, priorities

Memo from God

Synopsis: God wants to handle all our problems.
Keywords: God's Soveriegnty, God's care

More Important than basketball

Synopsis: what things are most important to you?
Keywords: priorities, perspective

Morning Paper

Synopsis: Adversity is temporary
Keywords: adversity, trial, difficulties, circumstances, hope, God's work

Most Famous Easter Egg

Synopsis: Fabergé eggs are perhaps the most famous Easter Eggs!
Keywords: Easter Eggs, Easter

Mother's Influence

Synopsis: A mother's life and love remind us of God's love!
Keywords: Mother, Mother's Day, love, testimony, parenting, children

Mother's Translation

Synopsis: A godly mother changes lives!
Keywords: Mother's day, Bible translation, living by God's Word, authenticity, Mother

My Father

Synopsis: Food for Thought for Father's Day
Keywords: Father's Day, Dad

Need Washing?

Synopsis: God can get us through anything
Keywords: rain, life, getting through, hope, protection, cleansing, washing

New Gorilla

Synopsis: Does our life match our heart?
Keywords: hypocrisy, image, integrity, religion

Not Always What It Seems

Synopsis: Things aren't always what they seem
Keywords: Perceptions, Circumstances, Difficulties

Not Yet

Synopsis: God molds us according to his plan for us.
Keywords: vessel, service, molded by God, shaped by God, trials, circumstances

On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ

Synopsis: A medically and historically accurate account of the physical death of Jesus Christ.
Keywords: Easter, Crucifixion, death, Christ, Good Friday

One

Synopsis: One can Make a difference!
Keywords: impact, Making a difference, contribution, giving

Open Arms (by Max Lucado)

Synopsis: If you ever wonder how God can use you to make a difference in your world, just look at those he has already used and take heart.
Keywords: forgiveness, restoration, hope, ministry, mistakes, failure, redemption

Other Side

Synopsis: What will we find when we get to heaven?
Keywords: afterlife, heaven, life after death, resurrection, Easter

Outstretched Arms

Synopsis: With outstretched arms on the cross Jesus gives his gracious invitation to the world. Indicating we are to come to him for eternal safety.
Keywords: Mother's love, Mother's day, safety, salvation, evangelism

Palm Monday

Synopsis: Without Christ we are nothing!
Keywords: Easter, Palm Sunday, Donkey, Palm branches, pride, Jesus on the Donkey

Parable of the Pencil

Synopsis: Do you know the purpose for which you were created?
Keywords: Purpose, Place in this World, God's Plan, Life

Please Come In

Synopsis: God will not turn us away.
Keywords: Christmas, Innkeeper, Nativity

Points of Light

Synopsis: The glory of God sleeps everywhere, ready to blaze out unexpectedly in created things.
Keywords: Easter, light, evangelism, darkness, glory, peace

Poison

Synopsis: how you treat others is exactly how they will treat you.
Keywords: love, relationships

Positive Answers

Synopsis: Scriptures to Encourage
Keywords: Encouragement from Scripture, Motivation, Answers, Promises

Praise God for Christmas

Synopsis: The infinite God became a finite child and the Savior of the world.
Keywords: Christmas, Incarnation, Birth of Christ

Prayer for Nation

Synopsis: Prayer for the nation
Keywords: prayer, government

Praying Hands

Synopsis: There is considerable debate about the truthfulness of this story, but the idea is touching nonetheless. It is a fictional account about the origins of the famous painting by Albrecht Durer entitled "The praying hands"
Keywords: sacrifice, help, together, support, prayer

Price of Freedom

Synopsis: Freedom comes with a price.
Keywords: freedom, liberty, American Independence Day, 4th of July

Puppies for Sale

Synopsis: The world is full of people who need someone who understands. Will you be that someone?
Keywords: puppy, dog, understanding, empathy, compassion, care

Rabbit on the Swim Team

Synopsis: Each individual has his/her own set of capabilities in which he/she will naturally excel.
Keywords: gifts, body of Christ, expectations, abilities

Real Evangelism

Synopsis: If you want to make a difference, you have to get your feet wet.
Keywords: Evangelism, witnessing, sharing the gospel

Room with a View

Synopsis: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Keywords: hospital window, perspective, encouragement

Rose Within

Synopsis: Do you see the rose or the thorns in others?
Keywords: Valentine's Day, love, inspiration, nurture, potential

Roses

Synopsis: A story of love
Keywords: Love, Valentine's Day

Rudy Tomjanovich

Synopsis: Letting Anger and bitterness go
Keywords: Frogiveness, Bitterness, Hurt, Anger

Rules of the Game

Synopsis: God's Rules of the game for life
Keywords: football, superbowl, rules of the game, humor, football illustration

Samuel Adams - Thanksgiving Proclamation

Synopsis: Thanksgiving to God is rooted in the lives of the founding fathers of the United States
Keywords: Thanksgiving, thanks, blessing, founding fathers, United States

Sand & Stone

Synopsis: A story of true friendship
Keywords: Hurts, Forgiveness, Blessing, Friendship

Sand & Stone

Synopsis: What things should be remembered? What things forgotten?
Keywords: forgiveness, remembrance

Saved By The Cross

Synopsis: What would your life be without the cross?
Keywords: cross, forgiveness, Christ's atonement

Scars of Love

Synopsis: Never judge another person's scars, because you don't know how they were made.
Keywords: Scars, love

Sermon from a Salmon

Synopsis: A lesson from Salmon on the guidance of God.
Keywords: guidance, direction, destiny, decision making

Seven Wonders

Synopsis: Identifying the Seven Wonders of the World
Keywords: Life, Precious, Treasure, Wealth

Seventy times seven

Synopsis: A story of forgiveness
Keywords: forgiveness

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Synopsis: Thoughts on life by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Keywords: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Quotes, wisdom

Slow Starters

Synopsis: Inside each of us God has placed an incredible amount of potential!
Keywords: perseverance, potential, failure

Small Expectations

Synopsis: are your expectations of God too small?
Keywords: expectations, vision, God's provision, faith

Stable Light

Synopsis: A quiet night, in stable light, Christ came into the world.
Keywords: Christmas, Bethlehem, Birth of Christ, Christmas Poem

Stained Glass Windows

Synopsis: Stained glass windows are a fitting metaphor for our lives within the church.
Keywords: brokenness, church, community, body of christ

Story of Valentine's Day

Synopsis: Unsubstantiated story about St. Valentine
Keywords: Love, Valentine's Day, Relationships

Sunday's A Comin'

Synopsis: "But it's only Friday. Sunday is a comin'."
Keywords: Easter, Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday

Take Off the Grave Clothes

Synopsis: Christ Shares his Resurrection with us.
Keywords: Easter, Resurrection, New Life, new start, another chance

Tale of Three Trees

Synopsis: A traditional American folktale of three trees that bore Christ.
Keywords: Cross, Easter, Christmas, crucifixion, Good Friday

Tempered

Synopsis: The Church of our Lord, when perfectly united and tempered together with love, can resist the heaviest of blows from the outside. But just a small force on the inside can destroy this unity and harmony.
Keywords: unity, love, harmony, disharmony, united, church

Thanksgiving Dinner

Synopsis: Reaching out to others who are less well of is one way of giving Thanks to God for his blessings
Keywords: Thanksgiving, giving, blessings, community

Thanksgiving Illustrations

Synopsis: Whether you are giving a Thanksgiving Sermon, a Thanksgiving youth talk, or just discussing things around the dinner table over Thanksgiving dinner, these stories and thoughts from the "Creative Youth Ideas" archives will provide food for thought and meaningful discussion on being thankful to God for his blessings in our lives.
Keywords: Thanksgiving illustrations, thanksgiving stories, thanksgiving quotes, thanksgiving poems

Thanksgiving Proclamation (Abraham Lincoln)

Synopsis: It was Abraham Lincoln who, in the midst of the Civil War, in 1863, established the annual celebration of Thanksgiving.
Keywords: Thanks, Thanksgiving

The Ballad of the Oyster

Synopsis: What an oyster can do with a small grain of sand?
Keywords: oyster, trials, difficulties

The Bible in a Word

Synopsis: The meaning of the Bible can be summed up in "Jesus"
Keywords: salvation, evangelism, Bible

The Bird Cage

Synopsis: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, paid for your release, your freedom from Satan's trap, with His own life, on the cross at Calvary. The door is open, and anyone, whom Satan has deceived and caged, can be SET FREE.
Keywords: sin, Satan, captive, sacrifice, Easter, atonement, cross, crucifixion

The Blood of Jesus

Synopsis: If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse another person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely.
Keywords: Forgiveness, Cleansing, New Life in Christ, The Blood of Christ

The Boat in the Window

Synopsis: God both created us and paid a great price for us.
Keywords: redemption, creator, redeemer, bought with a price, salvation

The Call of the Barnyard

Synopsis: It's not always easy to be obedient to God and to discipline ourselves to hang in there for the long haul.
Keywords: Ducks, Barnyard, Self-image, Fly, Sin, Discipline, Temptation

The Christmas Tree

Synopsis: Christmas was when Christ tooks something ugly and pathetic (sinful man) and made us beautiful.
Keywords: Christmas, tree, change, transform

The Color Yellow

Synopsis: For famous painter Van Gogh, yellow was a reminder that we can start over. Would you like to start over in some area of your life? With God you can!
Keywords: second chances, starting over, forgiveness, a new start

The Crayon Box that Talked

Synopsis: We are unique, but together God can use us to create a beautiful picture.
Keywords: community, unity, relationships, getting along, gifts, body of Christ, congregation, church, racism

The Cross Room

Synopsis: Is your cross too heavy to bear?
Keywords: cross, burden

The Donkey and the Lapdog

Synopsis: Happiness is found in being who you are
Keywords: Donkey, Dog, Farmer, identity

The Emperor Moth

Synopsis: Sometimes the struggle is exactly what we need for growth and life.
Keywords: pain, suffering, trials, tribulations, circumstances, adversity, struggles, overcoming, hurt, affliction, testing

The Empty Egg

Synopsis: The story of the empty egg.
Keywords: Easter, empty tomb, resurrection, life after death, Easter egg ideas

The Farmer's Mule

Synopsis: Forgiveness -- faith -- prayer -- praise and hope all are excellent ways to "shake it off and step up" out of the wells in which we find ourselves!
Keywords: Adversity, trials, opportunities, farmer, mule, well, dirt, distress, problems

The Father's Eyes

Synopsis: Life is meaningful if lived for the Father!
Keywords: God, sight, omniscient, blind, football, athlete

The Father's Eyes

Synopsis: God is always watching us and wants is to be all that he created us to be.
Keywords: God's care, provision, God as Father, God's care

The Father's Eyes

Synopsis: God is watching the game of life
Keywords: superbowl, American Football, the game of life

The First Requisite for Success

Synopsis: Thomas Edison on the first requisite for success.
Keywords: Thomas Edison, success, focus

The Fish Bowl

Synopsis: Acts of kindness for others
Keywords: Kindness, Helping Others

The Frog and the Ox

Synopsis: Pride will end in destruction, but when we are humble God himself will lift us up.
Keywords: pride, conceit, ego, frog, ox

The Glory of the Manger

Synopsis: Your Savior has at long last come
Keywords: manger, Christmas poem, poetry

The Greatest

Synopsis: How do you respond to failure?
Keywords: Dealing with Failure, Self-esteem, Self image

The Greatest Preacher

Synopsis: Who's the greatest preacher in your family?
Keywords: Mother, Mother's day, preaching

The King Bearing Us in His Arms

Synopsis: A vivid picture of Christ's sacrifice for sin in Mark Twain's novel, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.
Keywords: sacrifice, cross, atonement, incarnation

The Legend of the First Christmas Tree

Synopsis: The legend of the first Christmas Tree says that an angel decorated a small little fir tree and that baby Jesus was delighted with it!
Keywords: Christmas, advent, holiday, Christmas traditions, Christmas legends, Christmas stories

The Legend of the Sand Dollar (poem)

Synopsis: The legend of the sand dollar as a poem
Keywords: Easter, Sand Dollar, Evangelism, Christ

The Lonely Ember

Synopsis: The warmth of the church is found in meeting together as believers.
Keywords: church attendance, worship services, fellowship, meeting together, congregation

The Lord's Baseball Game

Synopsis: Some spiritual lessons from a baseball parable
Keywords: baseball, love, faith, wisdom, grace

The Mask I Wear

Synopsis: This Halloween mask related study encourages youth to take a look at the masks we wear everyday, not just on Halloween and to expose what is underneath to God so that he can transform us so that we reveal his glory! Makes a great study for a Halloween or fall festival event.
Keywords: Halloween masks, hypocrisy, identity, fears, weaknesses, being Christ-like, revealing Christ, Bible study for October 31st