Monthly Archives: November 2005

Creative Teaching Ideas

Touch It

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Materials
None

Activity
Call out the name of an object in the room. Youth / Children must rush to touch it. After they understand the mechanics of the game, eliminate the last person to touch the object.

Applications
The world often pursues after objects and material things. As soon we get the latest fad, the world calls out something new as the object of our pursuits.
1. What are some of the things the world considers important pursuits today?
2. What are the top pursuits in your life?
3. Matthew 6:33 – The things of God must be our primary pursuits in life.
4. Deuteronomy 4:29 – Seek God himself
5. Psalm 27:4 – Seek to be in the presence of God
6. Psalm 34:10 – We will not lack anything when we seek God.
7. Matthew 6:19-21 – Store up your treasures in heaven
8. Luke 12:15-21 – Parable of Jesus regarding earthly pursuits.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Teaching Illustrations

Memo from God

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To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: THE BOSS
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE

I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.

If you find yourself stuck in traffic; don’t despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what it’s like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn’t live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!

– Author Unknown


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Devotional

Autumn Season of Life

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leaves-red-yellow.jpgAt the root of God’s agenda is this promise. Think of it as a guarantee. The One who started ‘the good work within you’ won’t leave the task unfinished. At the end of the course, God won’t get an ‘incomplete.’ For sure, He won’t fail! Remember, it takes four seasons to make a year.

The autumn season of your life may be uncomfortable. Unemployment might be your lot. Or a broken romance. Perhaps you are grieving over a recent loss. Maybe you’re lonely. Or hungry. Or cold. You feel anxious about those ugly clouds on the horizon that indicate an ominous tomorrow. The winds of adversity are picking up and you feel afraid…

‘The roots grow deep when the winds are strong.’ If autumn, the season of reflection, has come, expect your roots to deepen. Count on it. Yet, be assured of this, the Lord God specializes in roots. He plans to deepen you and strengthen you. But He won’t overdo it. He is sovereignly and compassionately at work. We are more impressed with fruit. Not God–He’s watching over the roots. We like the product, He emphasizes the process. And painful though it may be, ‘He who… began…will keep right on…until His work…is finished.’

So we can boldly declare, ‘Come wind, come weather, welcome autumn!’

Source: Charles R. Swindoll
“Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life”


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Object Lessons

Briefcases

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briefcase.jpg
Materials
1. As many smart-looking black executive brief-cases as you can borrow; inside each one place a clear plastic bag with something unsavoury in it, such as a squashed tomato, an old sandwich or a broken biscuit; molded bread, curdled milk.
2. A well-worn, old-fashioned brief-case; inside this case put a wallet or some cash. Alternatively you can use a wallets or purses.

Object Lesson
1. Talk about executive brief cases and the image that they convey, pretending that you have always wanted one. Compare the smartness of the cases you have borrowed and take a walk with each one, looking very important and pleased with yourself. Make fun of the old briefcase.

2. Open each nice executive briefcase and express horror as you reveal the contents.

3. Pick up the old-fashioned brief-case and discuss how this old thing could not possibly contain anything interesting or worthwhile. Open it and take out the money with complete amazement. Who would have thought? Something valuable inside an old case like this?

Applications
1. I sam 16 – God does not judge by appearances, what is on the outside, but by the heart – what is on the inside.

2. 2 Kings – In the Northern Kingdom, God was concerned with the internal disobedience of the Isrealites. He was concerned with the fact that they did not put away their idols. For Isreal, their new golden calves were like the executive briefcase- Looks great, but they led to the decay of Israel. They left corruption and disobedience in their hearts. Their faith had become old, seemingly forgotten and they did not believe they could find anything worthwhile in it.

3. Many of todays youth view Christianity in the same way as the old briefcase. They are raised in a high tech, ever changing world. Whatever is new, sleek, and attractive is in. Whatever is old is out. For many of them, their faith has become like the old ragged briefcase. They do not believe that anything worthwhile can be found in it. Yet if they were willing to really look into it they would discover that inside it lies the greatest treasures. Just because something is old doesn’t mean it isn’t of great worth. Like Israel many of today’s youth run after every new fad and exciting new discovery only to realize later that they were hollow if not destructive.

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.
Learn More…

Food for Thought

In the hands of other people

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“All of us at times find ourselves and our futures seemingly in the hands of other people. Their decisions or their actions determine whether we get a good grade or a poor one, whether we are promoted or fired, whether our careers blossom or fold. I am not overlooking our own responsibility in these situations, but all of us know that even when we have, so to speak, done our best, we are still dependent upon the favor or frown of that teacher or boss or commanding officer. We are, from a human point of view, often at the mercy of other people and their decisions or actions…

Can we trust God that He can and will work in the heart of that individual to bring about His plan for us? Or consider the instance when someone is out to harm us, to ruin our reputation, or jeopardize our career: Can we trust God to intervene in the heart of that person so that he does not carry out his evil intent? According to the Bible, the answer in both instances is yes. We can trust God.”

Source: Jerry Bridges – “Trusting God”

Creative Teaching Ideas

Built On the Rock

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Materials
Collection of Bricks, blocks, dominoes, Jenga blocks, cards, straws, paper rolls/tubes, and various other objects. Provide an identical set of objects for each group.

Activity
1. Ask youth / children to build a tall tower using the object provided. The key will to be to put the heavier objects on bottom. Have a competition to see which group can build the tallest tower.
2. Repeat the competition using a pillow or other unstable object as a foundation.

Debrief
1. Compare the two activities. Which foundation was more effective?
2. Why is a strong foundation important?
3. Is your life built on the solid or or shifting sand? Explain.

Application
1. The tower build on solid ground is like building our lives upon Christ.
2. Matthew 7:24 – Christ as foundation
3. Matthew 16:18 – Peter’s confession of faith is a rock

A little bit more…
While some may object to using Children’s Fairy tales in church, the story of the Big bad wolf and the three little pigs which built houses of straw, hay, and brick are a perfect illustration of this spiritual truth. The pig who built his house of brick is like the person who puts his faith in Christ. Satan is like the big bad wolf!


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Humor

Thanksgiving: Frozen Turkeys

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turkey_frozen.jpgA lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn’t find one big enough for her family. She asked a stock boy, “Do these turkeys get any bigger?” The stock boy replied, “No ma’am, they’re dead.”


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Food for Thought

Been Thumped Lately?

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jug.jpgWhen a potter bakes a pot, he checks its solidity by pulling it out of the oven and thumping it. If it ‘sings,’ it’s ready. If it ‘thuds,’ it’s placed back in the oven. The character of a person is also checked by thumping.

Been thumped lately?
“Late-night phone calls. Grouchy teacher. Grumpy moms. Burnt meals. Flat tires. ‘You’ve got to be kidding’ deadlines. Those are thumps. Thumps are those irritating inconveniences that trigger the worst in us. They catch us off guard. Flat footed. They aren’t big enough to be crises, but if you get enough of them, watch out! Traffic jams. Long lines. Empty mailboxes. Dirty clothes on the floor…Thump. Thump. Thump.

How do I respond? Do I sing? Or do I thud?
Jesus said that out of the nature of the heart a man speaks (Luke 6:56). There’s nothing like a good thump to reveal the nature of a heart. The true character of a person is seen not in momentary heroics, but in the thump-packed humdrum of day-to-day living.

Source: Max Lucado – “On the Anvil”
Tyndale House Publishers

Creative Teaching Ideas

Balance Relays

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Materials
plastic Spoons, Ping Pong Balls

Setup
Create an obstacle course for a relay race around chairs, under a rope, etc

Activity
Relay 1: Youth must travel the relay course balancing a ping- pong ball on a spoon. If they drop the ball they must return to the start line. First group to all go through the course wins.
Relay 2: Blind Pyramids: Members, blindfolded, must go to a designated area and stack six Styrofoam cups pyramid fashion then return and pass the blindfold to the next team mate. Leaders should knock the cups down between people.
Relay 3: Coin, Book, Ball relay: Each team is given a 50 cent piece, a tennis ball, and paperback book. The idea is to balance the book on your head, hold coin in your eye, and keep the ball between your knees while going to the end of the room and back. First team to have all members complete the relay wins.
Relay 4: Each person on team pairs with a partner. Each pair races to a goal with an apple or a balloon balanced between their foreheads. If it is dropped they must start over.
Relay 5: Handsfull relay: collect a variety of interesting identical pairs of objects. 2 brooms, 2 balls, 2 skillets, 2 rolls of bathroom tissue, 2 chairs, 2 table tennis paddles, 2 ping pong balls, etc. Be crazy! Get at least 12 items. Place the items at the opposite end of the room in 2 piles. The first player runs to the end of the room picks up an item of choice and brings it back to his team. His team member then carries the object back to the other end and adds a second item. Each succeeding player carries the items collected by his teammates, picks up one new item, and carries them all back to the next player. This game will begin rapidly but will become slower as each successive player decides which item to add and then must pass all the items to the next player. Once picked up an item cannot touch the floor or be set down. Any item dropped in transit is returned to the table by the youth workers. No one may assist the players in the exchange of items except through verbal coaching. First team to empty their pile wins…

Applications
1. Daniel 5:27 “He was weighed in the balance and found wanting”
2. Opening for a lesson of priorities, balance, time management, etc.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Devotional

Tested by Fire

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“Our concept of God in crisis situations will determine our committment…If we can begin to see God as one who expects us to do right regardless of the consequences, we won’t waver; God many times *will* bring healing and deliverance and power and anointing to our lives, but that’s just the icing on the cake. Our concept of God makes a great difference.

“What resulted from the commitment of Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego?

‘Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath…He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. And he commanded some valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. But these three men, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell into midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up. (Dan. 3:19-23)’

“The first result of our commitment is that we will be tried.
Bank on it: when we stand up for God, we will be tested.

“The second result of our commitment is that God will be glorified.

“Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fiery furnace and asked, ‘Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?’ For he saw in the furnace four men ‘loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!’…Their hair wasn’t singed, their trousers weren’t damaged, and they didn’t even smell like fire…Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent his angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him…”

Source: John C. Maxwell-“Be All You Can Be!”


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…