Monthly Archives: October 2011

Object Lessons

Take It Away

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Description
This Object Lesson for children and youth uses static electricity as a metaphor for Christ’s work of Salvation in the lives of Believers. Christ not only takes our sins upon himself, but also wants us to cast all our burdens upon him.

Resources
Salt, Pepper, and a nail + cloth. (See note below for variations)

NOTE: This object lesson uses static electricity and can be greatly affected by the humidity and temperature. Depending on how dry the air is, you may be able to rub a key or spoon on your clothing, rub a glass rod with silk, use a comb on your hair, or rub a piece of rubber like an inflated balloon on your hair. Each of these creates a static charge under the right conditions. HINT: Don’t use clothing or cloths that have been treated with a fabric softener as these help prevent the buildup of static electricity.

What to do

  1. Pour a small mound of pure white salt representing a pure life into the center of a dark colored plate.
  2. Sprinkle a dash of salt on top of the salt, representing sin.
  3. Get a large iron nail and rub it with a piece of cloth to create static electricity.
  4. When you place the statically charged object near the pepper. When you do this the pepper will be attracted to it and can be lifted away.
  5. Practice this a couple of times. If you put too much pepper there may not be enough static charge to attract all the pepper.

Take It to the Next Level

  • The significance of using a nail is obvious. Christ’s nail scarred sacrifice lifted away our sin and attached it to himself (1 Peter 2:24). Christ is also the key to eternal life. Our sin was taken off us and placed on Him that we might become pure and blameless before God.
  • Another option is to have the pepper represent hurts, bad habits, hurtful words or other things in our lives that we want God to remove. I Peter 5:7 
…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Cast your burden on the Lord Psalms 55:22.

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

Bible Riddles: What am I?

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WHO AM I?

God made Adam out of dust,
But thought it best to make me first;
So I was made before the man
According to the Lord’s Holy Plan.

My whole body God made complete,
Without arms or hands or feet.
My ways and acts did the Lord control,
But in my body He placed no soul.

A living being I became,
And Adam gave to me a name.
Then from his presence I withdrew,
For this man Adam I never knew.

All my Maker’s laws I do obey,
And from these laws I never stray.
Thousand’s of me go in fear,
But seldom on the earth appear.

Later, for a purpose the Lord did see,
He placed a living soul in me.
But that soul of mine the Lord had to claim,
And from me took it back again.

And when this soul from me had fled,
I was the same as when first made;
Without arms, legs, feet, or soul,
I travel on from pole to pole.

My labors are from day to night,
And to men I once furnished light.
Thousands of people, both young and old,
Did by my death bright lights behold.

No right nor wrong can I conceive,
The Bible and it’s teachings I can’t believe.
The fear of death does not trouble me,
Pure happiness I will never see.

Up in Heaven I can never go,
Nor in the grave or Hell below.
So get your Bible and read with care,
You’ll find my name recorded there.

What am I?

Answer: A Whale

 


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

An Illustration of Eternity

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Here’s an interesting Object Lesson for children, youth, and adults from Francis Chan illustrating the difference between living for the things of this world and living for eternity. The few short years you have on earth determine how you will live for eternity. What are you living for?

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…

Youth Ministry

THINK Before You Speak to Youth

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think-before-you-speak.jpg

Our words are very powerful, especially when speaking to youth who are forming their sense of identity and self-worth. They have the power to build up, and to tear down, the power to inspire and to dishearten, the power to encourage or discourage. Whether you are a parent, a teacher, a youth minister, or just a friend of youth here are 5 simple things to consider.

The next time you want to say something to a youth, T.H.I.N.K. first.

Before you say something you might regret, ask yourself these 5 simple questions. If the answer is “No” to any one of these questions, then you might not want to say it to a youth. Teens are very sensitive to the words we say. The following scriptures have had general references to people replaced with the word “youth” or a variation to bring more focus to our conversations with those who are youths.

1. TRUE? – Is it true?

  • Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, in reference to youth, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)
  • Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. (Proverbs 12:19)

2. HELPFUL? – Is it helpful?

  • Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building youth up according to their needs, that it may benefit the teens who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)

3. INSPIRING? – Is it inspiring?

  • But encourage teenagers daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness (Hebrews 3:13)
  • Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur youth on toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:23-24)

4. NECESSARY? – Is it necessary?

  • Walk in wisdom toward youth, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each teenager. (Ephesians 4:5-6)
  • But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken to youth. (Matthew 12:36)

5. KIND? – Is it Kind?

  • Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice toward youth. (Ephesians 4:31)
  • He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend. (Proverbs 22:11)
  • Instead, speaking the truth to teens in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. (Ephesians 4:15)

Another way to look at this is to consider how to reword what you have to say to teenagers so that it fits these 5 guidelines. So the next time, before you say something to a youth, THINK first!


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Creative Teaching Ideas

Prayer circle

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Objective
This activity is a variation of the normal group prayer that provides youth both an element of personal attention while at the same time keeping the entire group actively engaged.

Resources
None needed

Preparation
Divide the youth into two groups of equal size. In case of an odd number the person without a partner will be given a special task. Leaders are encouraged to be part of the groups.

What to do

  1. Assign one group (if the groups are uneven use the larger group) to form a circle with everyone in the circle face to the outside of the circle. (i.e. Standing in a circle facing away (not looking at each other) from the other members of the circle.
  2. Next assign the second group of youth to each line up facing one of the youth that have formed a circle. So there will be an outer circle of youth facing inward, with each youth facing another one in the inner circle.
  3. If the circles are uneven, there will be one youth in the inner circle without a partner.
  4. Then give the youth the following instructions. Not now, but when I say “begin” you will pray for the person you are facing. If you do not have a partner you will be praying for the youth group as a whole. You need to keep praying until I say “change”. When I say “change” all those in e outer circle -Outer circle members raise you right hand- all of you with your hands raised will move to your right. So that you are facing the next person in the inner circle. Inner circle, do not move, stay where you are. Does everyone understand? (Depending on the comfort level of the youth, you can suggest the prayers be out loud or silent)
  5. Ok. Let’s “begin”.
  6. Give the youth some time to prayer for the person they are facing. After a set amount of time, call out change. Youth are to silently move to the next person. Ask them to “begin” again, but this time for the new person they are facing. Once again, if there is a teenager without a partner that youth is to pray for the youth group as a whole. Continue until the circles rotate until they are facing their original partner again.

 

Guidelines for Prayer
Here are some of the things that the Bible teaches about prayer:

  • God Answers Prayer – Matthew 21:21-22
  • Pray regularly – Psalm 55:17
  • Pray at all times – 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
  • Pray together – Matthew 18:19-20
  • Pray secretly and honestly – Matthew 6:5-7
  • Prayer is asking – John 16:23-26
  • Pray for enemies – Matthew 5:44
  • Pray for the sick and those in need – James 5:13-14
  • Pray for everything – Philippians 4:6-7
  • Pray about anything – John 14:12-14
  • Pray with Thanks – Philippians 4:6-7
  • Pray with confidence – John 15:7-8,16
  • Pray in Jesus’ Name – John 16:23-26
  • Confess sin as part of prayer – 1 John 1: 9
  • Prayer keeps us from sin – Matthew 26:41
  • Prayer gives courage – Luke 18:1

 


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

Scarred Arms

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Every night, the young mother rocked her young 3 year old daughter to sleep and each night the same conversation took place between mother and daughter.

The young mother would first tell a story, then say a prayer for her daughter, and finally hum a lulaby.

The daughter would then respond by touching her mother’s soft hair and saying, “Mommy, your hair is so pretty. I love your hair.”

She would stroke her mother’s cheek and say, “Mommy, your face is so pretty. I love your face”

Finally, the little girl would point at her mother’s arms and say, “But Mommy, your arms are ugly. I don’t love your arms.”

This bedtime ritual went on night after night. Then one evening, after the little girl had once again told her mother that she did not love her arms, the mother decided it was time to tell her daughter the story of her scarred arms.

The mother gently explained, “When you were a baby, there was a fire in the nursery. You were trapped in your crib and would have surely burned to death. But I heard you crying, ran into the room, and had to reach through the flames in order to save you from the fire. The fire burned mommy’s arms very badly and that is why my arms are so ugly.”

The child thoughtfully nodded. A couple minutes passed. The mother assumed that her daughter was probably too young to understand.

Then the little girl began her nightly ritual and began by touching her mother’s soft hair.
“Mommy, your hair is so pretty. I love your hair.”

As usual, she stroked her mother’s cheek and said, “Mommy, your face is so pretty. I love your face”

Then, for the first time in the little girl’s life, she reached down and began to gently caress her mother’s arms and said, “Mommy, your arms are prettiest of all. I really love your arms.”

Jesus is just like that mother with disfigured arms.

He has reached through the fires of hell to rescue you from the crib of death.

His scarred arms are beautiful because they reveal how much he loves you and what it cost him to save you from the flames.


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

Unfinished

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david.jpgMichelangelo is famous for his work as a sculptor and painter. Although he started 44 statues, he finished only 14. He is best remembered for his sculptures of David and also of Moses. But 30 of his sculptures are left unfinished.

As creative as Michelangelo was, he is surpassed by a more awe-inspiring sculptor. This creator has more works than you can count. You are one of them. Scripture says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” (Ephesians 2:10)

With the Creator claiming us as His workmanship, why do so many of us feel unfinished? Why do so many people feel like chunks of stone waiting for the right person to recognize the potential inside of us?

Paul prayed for the saints at Philippi, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

Are you confident that God is sculpting you, molding your character, shaping you to be like His Son? Are you as confident as Paul that God is a faithful, persistent Creator that will not stop until His work in you is complete? Or do you listen to that internal voice of condemnation that thrives on doubt, fear and discouragement?

Spend some time yielding your life to the Master to shape and mold you, to renew your mind, to complete the good work for which He has created you.


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…