Category Archives: Creative Teaching Ideas

Ken’s ideas to add a little spark to your youth ministry lessons, improve your teaching, and add lots of fun and excitement to your teaching.

Coin Toss – Dangers of Temptations and How to Deal with Them

INTRODUCTION TO THE OBJECT LESSON ON TEMPTATION

This simple game serves as a Creative Teaching Idea and discussion starter and Object Lesson on the topic of temptation. Youth will learn how to handle the temptations that are a normal part of life.

A. TRIVIA

The is a variation of a game commonly known as “Pitching Pennies.” In the traditional version of the game, players take turns to throw a coin at a wall. The coin which lands closest to the wall is the winner. The winner collects all the losing players’ tossed coins. Ancient Greek children played a similar game using bronze coins. In modern Israel a version of the game is played with Apricot kernels, and called “Gogoim”. This game is also known by other names: Pigeon Toss, Britain Pap, Penny Up, Keeley, Pitch and Toss, Chucks, Tinks or Jingies.

B. WHAT YOU NEED

  • Coins for each youth
  • Prize for the winner.
  • Tape to mark the boundaries.

C. GAME PLAY

  1. Put a line across the floor on each side of the room.
  2. Give each youth a coin and ask them to line them up on one side of the room.
  3. Demonstrate from a specific distance a toss of a coin toward the goal. Do not give them any strategy. Do not tell them how to play. Only demonstrate the game.
  4. Hype up the prize for the person who can toss the coin closest to the line without going over it.
  5. Then let everyone have an opportunity to try. If there is time, you can let them try more than once.
  6. Award the prize to the winner

D. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

If playing with younger children, there is a danger of children swallowing a coin. For safety reasons, you play the game with a golf ball, a tennis ball or another object. Older youth can play with marbles, checkers, washers, buttons or any other objects available.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

DEBRIEF

As you were playing this game,

  1. What was your goal or objective?
  2. What was your strategy?
  3. What are the possible risks with your strategy?
  4. Did you follow your own strategy or learn from others?
  5. What is the best way to guarantee you will not cross over the line (i.e. the boundary)?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

  1. Starting in Genesis 1 and continuing throughout Scripture, God gave us boundaries for what we should and should not do. What are some of those boundaries?
    – Related to our thoughts
    – Related to our feelings
    – Related to our bodies
    – Related to our words
    – Related to our decisions
    – Related to our actions
  2. What is temptation?
  3. What are some things that tempt youth today?
  4. In this game, the objective was to get as close to the line as possible without crossing over? Sometimes, youth, adults, and even children have a similar mindset when dealing with temptations. We want to get as close to the boundary as possible without crossing over. Why is this strategy dangerous?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

How do we manage our boundaries and temptations and avoid crossing the line into sin?

THREE PRINCIPLES (I CORINTHIANS 6)

  1. The Help Principle (6:12a). Some things, even if they are within the boundaries of the law of God, are to be avoided simply because they do not build up the individual toward spiritual maturity or because they do not help others.
  2. The Habit Principle (6:12b). Some things are wrong because they are habit-forming. They take control over a person’s life. [II PETER 2:19 – “a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him”] ROMANS 6:16 – “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey–whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”
  3. The Holiness Principle (6:15-20). – Some things are wrong for the believer simply because they do not honor or please God.

SEVEN QUESTIONS

  1. Would Jesus put his name on this for a stamp of approval? (Colossians 3:17)
  2. Does this fall into the classification of good thinking? (Philippians 4:8)
  3. Will this degrade or defile the temple of the Holy Spirit? (I Corinthians 6:19) Does this have the “smell” of evil on it? (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
  4. Will this sooner or later make a slave out of me? (I Corinthians 9:27)
  5. Is it spiritually beneficial or does it have the potential to control me? (1 Corinthians 6:12)
  6. Does it benefit others? (Romans 15:1-2; Philippians 2:3)
  7. Will my indulgence in this prevent someone from accepting Christ as Savior or tend to weaken someone’s faith? (I Cor. 8:9-13)

Remember what Paul says in Romans 14:22 “Happy is he that condemns not himself in that thing that he allows.”

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  1. Of those temptations of youth we mentioned previously, which are most difficult for you?
  2. What steps can you learn from this lesson to avoid crossing the line from temptation into sin?
  3. Say a prayer for God to show you a) ways to FLEE from your personal temptations, b) show you holy things on which you can FOCUS your thoughts, energy and time in pursuit, and c) to give you good Christian friends who are also seeking purity in their relationship with God.

TOUCH POINTS

  1. We often imitate what we see others do rather than seek guidance from God and God’s Word.
  2. If we don’t set our own goals, someone will set our goals for us. Satan’s goal for us is self-destruction.
  3. In temptation we often want to clearly know the boundaries so that we can get as close to the boundary as possible. God’s goal in setting boundaries is not so that we can get as close to those boundaries as possible, but so that we know where they are and can keep a safe distance.
  4. Sometimes things do not turn out as we planned. When we are trying to get so close to the boundaries the chances of us crossing over are very high. (e.g. In this game sometimes the coin lands on the edge and rolls, sometimes we underestimate distance, strength, or how slippery the floor is.)
  5. To get as close to the boundary as possible is the wrong objective. We should seek to stay as far from temptation as possible to avoid crossing over into sin.
  6. The hype of temptation may be greater than what we actually receive. It may be enjoyable but it is fleeting and the more we get of it, the less satisfying it becomes.
  7. No one said you had to toss the coin. You just followed an example. The way to ensure we do not cross the boundary is to remain in control and set our own boundaries a safe distance away from sin.
  8. We need to recognize that we are drawn toward sin. (James 1:14)
  9. A key to handling temptation is mention by Paul to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:22:
    A) Flee – Flee the evil desires of youth
    B) Focus – pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace and
    C) Fellowship – along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

ILLUSTRATIONS

  1. In the comic strip “Cathy”, Cathy loves candy. In one story line, Cathy is trying to avoid the temptation of eating candy:

Cathy goes for a drive to get her mind off the temptation of eating candy.
She thinks, “I’ll go for a drive, but I won’t stop at the grocery store.
Next frame, “I’ll drive past, but I won’t stop.”
Next frame, “I’ll stop, but I won’t go inside.”
Then, “I’ll go inside, but I won’t go down the candy aisle.”
“I’ll go down the candy aisle, but I’ll just look. I won’t pick up any candy.”
“I’ll pick up the candy, but I won’t buy it.”
“I’ll buy it but I won’t open it.”
“I’ll open it, but I won’t smell it.”
“I’ll smell it but not taste it.”
“I’ll taste it but not eat it.”
Then in the last frame “EAT EAT EAT EAT”
So much for avoiding temptation.

Too often, we deal with temptation in the same way as Cathy… getting closer and closer until we can no longer resist and yield to the temptation.

a. If you were to design a similar comic strip with one of those temptations we mentioned that youth of today face, what might be some of the steps in the process of a youth being lured to indulging in the temptation?
b. In each of these real-life scenarios that youth of today face, what could be done differently? How could we break the cycle at different stages in the temptation?

  1. The boy was standing near an open box of peanut butter cookies.
    “Now then, young man,” said the grocer as he approached the young boy.
    “What are you up to?”
    “Nothing,” replied the boy: “Nothing.”
    “Well it looks to me like you were trying to take a cookie.”
    “Oh you’re so wrong, mister, …. I’m trying not to!”

SCRIPTURE

  • 2 Timothy 2:22 – “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lordd out of a pure heart.”
  • 1 Corinthians 6:12 – “I have the right to do anything,” you say–but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”–but I will not be mastered by anything.”
  • 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 – “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.””
  • 1 Corinthians 9:27 – “No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
  • 1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:22 – “reject every kind of evil.”
  • Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
  • Galatians 5:1 – “Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
  • James 1:13-16 – “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.”
  • James 4:7 – “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
  • James 4:17 – “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”
  • Philippians 2:3 – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
  • Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
  • Proverbs 17:27 – “The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.”
  • Romans 6:12-14, 22 – “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” “But now having been set free from sin, and having become servants to God, you have your fruit of holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”
  • Romans 13:14 – “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
  • Romans 14:22-23 – “So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
  • Romans 15:1-2 – “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”

INTERESTING QUOTES RELATED TO TEMPTATION

  • “If thou wouldst conquer thy weakness, thou must never gratify it. No man is compelled to evil: his consent only makes it his. It is no sin to be tempted, but to be overcome.” – William Penn
  • “Our minds are mental greenhouses where unlawful thoughts, once planted, are nurtured and watered before being transplanted into the real world of unlawful actions… These actions are savored in the mind long before they are enjoyed in reality. The thought life, then, is our first line of defense in the battle of self-control.” – Jerry Bridges
  • “Every time I say ‘no’ to a small temptation, I strengthen my will to say ‘no’ to a greater one.” – Mother Angelica
  • “He who chooses the beginning of the road chooses the place it leads to. It is the means that determines the end.” – Harry Emerson Fosdick
  • “He who chooses the beginning of the road chooses the place it leads to. It is the means that determines the end.” – Harry Emerson Fosdick
  • “In the last analysis it is not the temptations that meet us on the streets that determine our conduct; it is the heart of the man who faces them. Two men may face the same conditions; one falls, the other stands. The difference is not in the temptation but in the heart of the man.” – Martyn Lloyd-Jones
  • “The first degree [of temptation] relates to the mind – it is dragged away from its duties by the deceit of sin. The second aims at the affections – they are enticed and entangled. The third overcomes the will – the consent of the will is the conception of actual sin. The fourth degree disrupts our way of life as sin is born into it. The fifth is the flesh’s goal, a hardened life of sin, which leads to eternal death (James 1:14-15).” – Kris Lundgaard
  • “Temptations, of course, cannot be avoided, but because we cannot prevent the birds from flying over our heads, there is no need that we should let them nest in our hair.” – Martin Luther
  • “It’s easier to avoid temptation then to resist it.” – Bill Shannon
  • “It’s easier to resist temptation at a distance than when it is near.” – Unknown

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

A 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…

A New Year: New Priorities

A New Year - New Priorities
With the New Year we typically evaluate the past year and set new priorities for the upcoming year. Sometimes we call these new priorities or renewed priorities New Year’s Resolutions. New Year’s Resolutions may be focused around family, personal goals, money, jobs, and many other things. While these things are not necessarily wrong, when they take precedence over our relationship with God they become a problem.

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What You Need

  1. Large sheets of paper or newsprint
  2. Whiteboard markers (that will not bleed through the paper)

Preparation

  1. Put a Poster or large sheet of paper in each corner of the room for each of the following labels:
    • Possessions or Provision
    • Power or Position
    • Popularity
    • Others
  2. Place a chair in the exact center of the room as a marker.

What to Do

  1. Explain:
    • Possessions refer to the material things we seek in life.
    • Power refers to positions we want to obtain in life.
    • Popularity refers to social recognition and fame that people seek in life.
    • Explain that the center of the room represents living for God.
  2. Allow youth to brainstorm about the things that people have as priorities in their lives. Examples might be good grades, a good job, a marriage partner, a house, to serve God, to have lots of money, etc.
  3. Then have youth write the priority on the poster that represents that priority. Some items might fit into more than one category (i.e. good grades might be a priority but the reason could be for popularity or for the purpose of getting a job with more money and a higher position – power.)
  4. After the posters have been filled with examples of each priority, have youth stand somewhere in the room that reflects their most important priorities in life. (For example, if someones priority is to make lots of money they might stand in the possessions corner.)

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Read Matthew 4:1-10

  • How does this passage relate to the posters in the corners of the room?
  • Which poster represents each of the temptations?
  • How did Christs understanding of his purpose in life reflect his priorities?

Jesus was tempted with popularity, power, and possessions (material needs). But because Jesus understood his purpose in the world he did not give into temptation. There is nothing wrong with material possessions, power or popularity. But when they replace God as a priority in our lives they become a problem. In fact, later in Jesus ministry we would see him providing for the physical needs of people, he would demonstrate the power of God, and he would be popular. Yet his priority was to do the will of God, to accomplish the purpose for which he had been sent into the world. God has brought each of us into the world for a purpose. The better we understand our purpose, the better we will be able to balance our priorities to fulfill that purpose in the new year.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • What are some things that are part of Gods plan for every persons life?
  • How can a person discover and trust Gods plan for his or her life? (See Proverbs 3:5-6; Philippians 4:6; Romans 8:28)

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • What do you believe is part of Gods purpose for bringing YOU into the world? (You may not know all the details yet, but you might have some ideas.)
  • Each of you has positioned yourself in a specific corner of the room based on your own priorities. How can someone in your position move closer to Gods Purpose for your life and away from the wrong priorities?
  • What are some of the practical steps you can take this year that would move you closer to Gods ideal plan for your life?
  • Commit to one of the steps you can start this week!

————————————————–
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES
————————————————–

Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths.”

Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18
“in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:8
“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”

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Watermelon Seed Christians

Watermelon Seed Christians

Watermelons are almost synonymous with summer – cool, refreshing, and great on a hot summer day. Watermelons can also be used for a variety of fun, and sometimes messy games, though the cost could be a bit prohibitive for some youth groups. Here are a variety of games using watermelons as well as some ideas for spiritual lessons using this popular summer treat.

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Games Using Watermelons

  • Greased Watermelon – Grease two watermelons down with butter and jelly, then divide the youth into two teams and have them line up across from each other. Ask players to wear disposable gloves to make the game more challenging. The youth must pass the watermelon to each other in the lineup without dropping it. If dropped, it must begin again at the beginning. The team that passes the watermelon all the way to the end of the line first wins.
  • Seed Teams – To split into team, set aside an equal number of watermelon seeds and pumpkin seeds and pass them out, 1 seed per person. Everyone with a pumpkin seed forms team one. Everyone with a watermelon seed forms another team. Add more types of seeds for more teams.
  • Steal the Watermelon – (like Steal the Bacon) Grease a watermelon an place it in the center of a tarp. Each team lines up facing each other while you number them off on each team. When you call a number and that person has to grab the watermelon and get it back to their side of the tarp.
  • Ultimate Watermelon – This is just like Ultimate Frisbee . . . but with a small watermelon. Each team tries to get to the opposite end zone. Instead of a kick-off, just have one team start on their side of the field. When a player catches the Watermelon, they can take only 3 steps. Then they must throw/toss it. Each team works their way down the field, passing to each other until a team scores. If the team’s melon hits the ground, it’s the other teams turn. If one team busts the watermelon, the other team automatically scores. (Have extra watermelons available or seal the watermelon in a heavy duty plastic bag first.) The watermelon goes to the opposite team of the last person to touch it before it hits the ground. Defensive players must give any person already holding a watermelon at least 3 feet clearance.
  • Watermelon Artists – Cut watermelons into slices and give each youth a slice. Slices can be small or large, depending upon the object you plan to carve. If you want many objects carved, you may want to make them all small, such as turtles, suns or birds. Write down the object each youth will carve on separate slips of paper and give each player their slip to read silently. Instruct each youth to begin carving, but not to reveal the object. Non-carvers can guess what each object is to earn prizes for themselves and the carver.
  • Watermelon Carving Contest – Carve funny faces in the watermelons as you would a pumpkin and award prizes for the funniest face, best carving, most creative, met unusual, etc. You might want to have some plastic utensils rather than knives or assign an adult to handle the knives under the directions of the youth.
  • Watermelon Eating Contest – Ask the youth from each team to hold their hands behind their backs, using only their mouths to eat a large piece of watermelon. First to do so wins points for their team.
  • Watermelon Head – Youth must roll a watermelon down a plastic tarp with their heads. First team that has each member complete the task wins. To make it more fun coat it in shaving cream or whipped cream.
  • Watermelon Horseshoes Contest – For this contest you need watermelon rind cut across the width of the watermelon to form rings. These rinds can be made from wounded watermelons, injured in earlier games. All you need are rind rings, not the fruit. The object of the game is to toss watermelon rind rings onto a stationary post. Score the game as you would score horseshoes.
  • Watermelon Jigsaw Puzzle – Cut several watermelons into slices and pieces and mix them up in a bowl. Have one watermelon for each team. The objective of this game is for youth to eat the watermelon (red part), then using toothpicks, be the first team to correctly piece the watermelon back together again into a whole watermelon. To put it back correctly, youth will need to pay attention to the pattern on the outside. Variation: Instead of toothpicks, you can also use duct tape.
  • Watermelon Pass – The first youth in line takes the watermelon and passes it between their legs to the person behind them. The next youth then takes the melon and lifts it backwards, over their head to the next person. It is really a game of over/under, over/under. This is repeated until the watermelon reaches the end. At this point, the watermelon is then passed back up to the front in like fashion (with everyone continuing to face forward). The first team to return the melon to the front with their team sitting down in single file fashion is the winner!
  • Watermelon Race – Set a Start Line and a half way point where each team must roll their watermelon, circle and then turn around and roll the watermelon back to the starting point. Once the youth rolling the watermelon returns to the starting Line, they tag the next youth in line and they take their turn roll the watermelon. The first team to have all players rolls their watermelons around the course is the Winner.
  • Watermelon Rolling Contest – Players must roll small watermelons toward specific soft objects. Once the object is touched by a watermelon, players can roll watermelons toward the next soft object, until the last goal is reached. First one to the end with a watermelon that still rolls, wins. Some youth would rather take out another player, than hit the soft object next in line.
  • Watermelon Seed Flinging Contest – The youth must snap the seeds off the finger, using only one hand. This is done much like you were playing marbles. The nail of the thumb flips the seed off the back of a curled index finger.
  • Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest – In this contest, you draw your line and give game players their slice of watermelon. They will eat their way to the seeds they spit. Spitting needs to happen over an area where you will be able to see where the seeds fall. The player who spits the farthest seed within certain amount of time is the winner.
  • Watermelon Seed Spitting Target Competition – Players focus on hitting a target rather than going for distance. Use a cup, bucket or create a bullseye target, then as the youth find seeds in their watermelon they can step to the start line, aim and try to spit the watermelon seed into or onto the target. They receive 1 point for each time they land on or in the target. Add up the scores and the youth with the most points is the winner. If there is a tie, do a sudden death round until someone hits the target and can be declared the winner.
  • Watermelon Smash (Suikawari) – This is a party game often played on beaches in Japan where someone is blindfolded, given a large stick, spun around to disorient them and then directed to smash/crack a watermelon. While the aim is for the blindfolded participant to find and crack the watermelon on their own, spectators may shout advice or distractions.
  • Watermelon Water Polo – This is played in a swimming pool which is not too deep, but a watermelon is used instead of a ball. It can also be coated in Vaseline to make it more difficult.

WaterMelon Games with a Message

  • Watermelon Puzzle Relay – Cut off the end of some watermelons and remove the seeds and flesh so that they have been cleaned out. (Be sure to set it aside for eating later.) Cut a different face in each watermelon, but save the pieces that you remove and set them aside. Collect all the pieces you removed from the watermelons and mix them up and place them on a trap or trash bag on the ground at one end of a field. At the other end of the field place the watermelon for each team. Youth from each team must run across the field grab one piece that looks like it might fit the holes in that team’s watermelon and return to his team with the piece. If the piece fits in the watermelon, the next person can run to get a new piece. If the piece doesn’t fit, the next person on the team must return it to the table at the end of the room and collect another piece to try. First team to complete it’s watermelon wins the relay! Variation: Play the game with the relay runners blind-folded and the team shouting directions.

Teaching Point: Talk about how we all have holes in our our lives (an emptiness) we are trying to fill. Some people may try to fill it with money, with relationships, with various types of pleasures, etc. But the only thing that can fill the emptiness we have in our lives is a relationship with God. Blaise Pascal says we were all created with a God-shaped vacuum that only he can fill. Just as you had to align the pieces with the various holes in the watermelon, we have to align the various areas of our lives with the will of God. Only those things of God which are aligned with his plan for our individual lives, will fit correctly and make us whole.

  • Watermelon Seed Targets – Cut different size holes in the top of a watermelon and place it on the ground at some distance from the youth. Youth must toss watermelon seeds into the holes in the top of the watermelon for points depending on the hole they get it in. You’ll want to cut the holes deep enough to catch a seed, but not deep enough to expose the inner red flesh of the watermelon so that you can cut it open and eat it later.
    • Why did you choose your target?
    • Some people chose the smaller holes because they were worth more. Others chose the larger holes because they were an easier target.
    • When it comes down to real life, do you choose your targets based on value or upon which is easier?
    • What are your targets in the Christian life? Are they easy? Why do you value these targets?

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

The Bible says in Galatians 6:7-9 that we will reap what we sow. So if we plant good things then that is what we will reap. But if we plant bad things then that is what we will reap. What things are you planting in your life? Those are the things that you will reap. I hope that you all reap many good things in your life because you choose to plant the right things. Inside a single watermelon are hundreds of seeds, each with the potential to grow a watermelon plant which can produce several more watermelons each containing hundreds of seeds.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

Read Matthew 13:3-23

  • What are the four types of soil mentioned and the results of seeds sown?
  • Again list the four types of soil, but this time explain what each represents.
  • Why do some people choose not to listen?
  • Why do some people not want to see?
  • What is the main problem with the rocky soil?
  • What happens when trouble or persecution comes? What are some of the troubles and persecutions that youth may face?
  • Of the troubles and persecutions you listed, which ones do you have the most difficult time dealing with?
  • In what ways can a person sink roots deeper in order to be better able to withstand trouble and persecutions?
  • What are some of the worries of life?
  • How can worries and the pursuit of wealth and materialism choke out the spiritual life?
  • Of the worries listed, which ones cause you to lose focus in your relationship with God?
  • What are the priorities in your life at the moment?
  • Are you prepared to hear what God wants to teach you? What are some things he might want you to hear during these studies?
  • Are you really trying to understand what God’s Word is saying and how it affects your daily life? What are some things God might want you to understand this week?
  • Are you willing to act, to make changes, to live a life of obedience to God’s Word that will be fruitful? In what areas of your life might God be calling you to obedience? In what areas are you not living as a Christian should?
  • What can be done to make the first three soils good soil?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • What soil are you and what do you need to do to become good soil?
  • What heart changes do you need to make to allow God to plant his Word in your life?
  • Are there some areas of your life that have become hardened like the path soil? Ask God to help you break through that hardness and to soften your heart.
  • Are your spiritual roots too shallow to withstand the persecutions and troubles? Make a commitment to sink your roots deeper by spending time with God.
  • Are the worries and daily activities of your life taking away from God as your first priority? Ask God to give you the faith and commitment to keep him first.
  • Ask God to make you good soil. If you’ve never accepted Christ, ask him into your heart. He wants you to have a life that is vibrant and fruitful. If God is already in your heart, ask him to make you more fruitful. Pray for a specific area of your life where you would like to be more fruitful, more obedient.

SCRIPTURE

  • Matthew 13:3-8 – “Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop•a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
  • Matthew 3:18-23 – “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
  • Matthew 9:36-37 – “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.’ “

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Card Sharks – Playing the hand you are dealt in life

Decks of cards are easy to find. And everyone knows a card game or two. With this icebreaker, cards are used to sort people into different groups as well as discover a little about each other! They can also be used to explore integrity, doubts, honesty, and personal character.

Card Sharks

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What You Need

Deck of normal playing cards. Add additional decks for larger groups. I have found boxes of enormously sized cards at novelty shops that add even more fun to the games. I’ve even found them as large as an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of paper.

Using Playing cards to Breaking into Groups

Shuffle cards and let each youth choose one. (You can reduce the size of a deck to your group side by removing some of the numbers of each suit. Once youth have chosen cards, you can force specific combinations of youth by telling them to group themselves in the following ways:

* Red vs Black – Two Teams according to the color of the cards
* Odds & Evens – Two teams according to the value of cards (Face cards have the values Jack-11, Queen – 12, and King – 13)
* Suits – Four teams (Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs)
* Call out any number and they must form groups that add up to that number.
* BlackJack – Add up to 21
* Poker Hands – Groups of 5 cards (Which group has the highest hand?)
– Four of a Kind – All four cards of each number (groups of four)
– Straight Flush – 5 Cards Grouped by Colors and lined up according to number.
– Full House – 3 of one card and two of another
– 3 of a kind – 3 cards of same number, 2 additional cards
– 4 of a kind – 4 cards of same number, 1 additional card
– Straight – 5 cards in order
– Flush – 5 cards of the same color
– Two Pairs – 2 sets of two plus another card

Games using Playing Cards

  • Build a Tower – Give groups of youth a deck or two of playing cards, inside a box, and ask them to build the tallest tower in a given period of time. Do not say it is a competition between groups. Just that in X minutes the tallest tower wins. The tallest tower could actually be built when they put all their resources together. What lessons can we learn from this?
  • Card elimination – When you call out specific groupings of cards (or poker hands), The youth must scramble to form them. If groups do not meet the specified criteria or are the last group to form, they are eliminated from the game. The last remaining group is the winner.
  • Card Identity – Ask students to pick cards from the deck that represent something about themselves. These representations can be as shallow or deep as the students’ imaginations. Have youth mingle and share with one another their names and the cards they have chosen and why. One might choose a two because they have “2 parents” or “two feet” etc. Another student might choose an ace because they strive to “be an ‘ace’ at everything they do… The opportunities are limitless.
  • Card Mixer – Before the activity, write a question on each card to be shared when the youth are mixing together. (e.g. what is your favorite ice cream, most embarrassing moment, favorite musician, favorite scripture, etc.) Match these questions to a future discussion!
  • Go Fish! – 5 cards are dealt to each player. In turn, players ask another player for his/her cards of a specific rank. (Example: “Ken, do you have threes?”) A player may only ask for a card of which he already holds at least 1 card.The person asked must hand over all cards of that rank. If the call was successful, the player has another turn. But if the player asked has no cards of that rank, he says “Go fish”, and the asking player draws the top card from the deck and it’s the next player’s turn. When a player has all 4 cards of a rank they are placed face up on the table. The game ends when all sets are formed, and the player with the most cards wins.
  • Playing Card LIne-up – Instruct the youth to not peek at their cards, then pass out one playing card to each member of the group (you may need a few decks …). On your signal, each youth places the card on their forehead so that others can see the card. Without talking, all youth then group by suit, and then in numerical order (Is Ace high or low? ) Instead of placing them on their forehead where they can fall off, you can also punch a hole in each card and hand them on a strong around the youth’s necks so that it hangs in the back where they cannot see it but others can. What worked or didn’t? Who were the leaders? What are some lessons?
  • Stratego – Play a variation of “stratego” between two teams. Remove cards from the deck so that there is 1-ace, 2-two’s, 3 three’s, etc. Designate jokers as bombs. Leave only one king. The king can be captured by any card. Use the jack with the sword to his head as the spy. Play the game just as you would “stratego”, but have teams send representatives to a person on the opposing team to do battle. Do not reveal the card numbers to teams, but merely who is the victor of the battle. Those who lose battle cannot reveal the victors total to their teams and are removed to a graveyard area. First team to kill the king wins.
  • Team Sit – Give each team a suit of cards, shuffled and one chair. On your signal, players look at their cards and without talking the ace takes the chair. 2 sits on their knees. 3 sits on the next person’s knees. First team to sit in a line wins.
  • Ten – Remove 10s and all face cards. Have students choose a partner whose card added to theirs will result in a sum of 10… the combinations are numerous (1-9, 2-8, 3-7, 4-6, 5-5) Last cuple to pair up is eliminated. Blindly exchange cards with at least 3 people then have then go again , repeating until you have a winner.

A Card Game and a Lesson

Play a game of “I Doubt It” it with the cards.

  1. Divide into 2 to 4 teams.
  2. In this game the objective is to be the first team to discard all of their cards. The team who goes first must discard their aces face down, the second two’s, third, three’s… through King’s. Each time play comes back to the team, a new player must place the cards down, rotating through team members.
  3. As the team places the cards down they must announce the quantity of cards being played (i.e. 2 aces, 1 two, 3 threes, 1 jack, 4 queens, etc.) If a team doesn’t have a card of the value they are supposed to play, then they must bluff.
  4. A team may also bluff at any time by including additional cards of another value in with the cards of the correct value they are playing. For example a person may only have two aces, but includes a six and calls out “three aces.”
  5. At any time another team may shout “I doubt it.” The team that just played cards must turn them over and reveal them. If the revealed cards were a bluff and not 100% what they were claimed to be, the team picks up the entire discard pile. If they were telling the truth, then the team who yelled “I doubt it” must pick up the entire discard pile.
  6. The game continues until one team runs out of cards.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Discussion

  • What is the primary objective of the card game “I doubt it”? What are some of our objectives in life? What does winning mean to you?
  • What type of person is best at this game? Did anyone in this game get a reputation for dishonesty or for integrity? What reputation do you have with others? How did you get that reputation?
  • What elements of this game caused you to lie, misrepresent the truth, or stretch the truth? What things tempt you to be less than honest in real life? What things tempt you to act against your normal character?
  • Are you known for your honesty, for your integrity? What actions in life build / destroy a person’s character / reputation? Why is a good reputation important? How does our reputation affect how others respond to us?
  • Is TRUTH flexible? Why or why not? Is there such a thing as absolute truth? Why or why not?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

INTEGRITY: How often in life do we try to gain – benefit by either stretching the truth or by an outright lie? How many times do we sacrifice honesty and integrity to get ahead of others in the game of life? While in this game we might get away with it do people get away with it in life? Is integrity really important? Honesty?

Why is integrity important to God? (1 Kings 9:4, 1 Chronicles 29:17, Job 2:2-4, Titus 2:7, Proverbs 10:9)
Instances of integrity in the Bible:

  • Jacob, in the care of Laban’s property (Genesis 31:39)
  • Joseph, in resisting Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:8-12, 40:15)
  • Moses, took nothing from the Israelites for his services (Numbers 16:15)
  • Samuel, in took nothing from the people for his services (1 Samuel 12:4)
  • David, in self-reproach for the cutting of Saul’s robe (1 Samuel 24:5)
  • Daniel, in staying pure and upright (Daniel 1:8-20; Daniel 6:4)
  • Nathanael, in whom was no guile (John 1:47)
  • Peter, when offered money by Simon Magus (Acts 8:18-23)

DOUBTS: All of us have doubts at one time or another, but that doesn’t mean we give up. We make choices the best we can not knowing what the next card in life holds for us.

What are some of your doubts related to the Bible and your faith?
Divided the youth into groups to write a short monologues of doubts that the following Biblical characters might have had:

  • The disciples when caught on the sea in storm (Mark 4:26-40)
  • Noah when he was asked to build the ark (Genesis 6,7)
  • Abraham when asked to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22:1-10)
  • Moses when God asked him to go to Pharoah (Ex. 4:1-13)
  • David when he faced Goliath (I Samuel 17,18)
  • Daniel when he was thrown to the lion’s den (Daniel 6)
  1. What options did the above people have in responding to their doubts? Why do you think they acted as they did?
  2. How could you rewrite the above passages as modern situations which might create similar doubts.
  3. What was the time of greatest doubt in your life, and why? Was it similar to any of the characters above?
  4. How are your doubts different or similar? Explain.

MAKE IT PERSONAL

Make a commitment to live a life of integrity, to face your doubts and keep playing the game regardless of the cards you have been dealt in life!

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Bubbly Christians

Everyone loves soap bubbles – Preschoolers, Children, Youth and Adults. They gleam and sparkle in all the colors of the rainbow. They float along and drift in delightful and unexpected ways. They come in all sizes and shapes, and can be caught or set free, alone or connected. But one thing is true of all bubbles. There will come a time when each bursts and is forever lost. Bubbles do not last forever. They remind us to focus on this things that last forever.

Bubbly Christians

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What You Need

1. Soap Bubbles

You can buy ready-made soap bubble solutions with wands inside, but it is so much cheaper to make your own by simply mixing together the following ingredients in a container:

  • 1/4 cup glycerin – You can find it at drugstores
  • 1/2 cup dish soap – Various dish washing detergents will have different characteristics so experiment a little to get the best solution.
  • 2 cups warm water – Distilled water is recommended by some.

2. Bubble Wands

For bubble wands you can use pipe cleaners, plastic lids with a hole cut in the center, a can or round plastic container with the bottom cut out, fly swatters, a slotted spoon, a wire whisk, cookie cutters, strainers, cheese graters, or a clothes hanger wrapped tightly with cotton string.

Games using Soap Bubbles

  • Biggest Bubble – Using a bubble wand, see which team can blow the biggest bubble without popping it.
  • Biggest Bubble using only your hands – Put your fingers together so they form an opening, dip your hands in a bowl of bubble solution to get a bubble film, and if you blow gently, you can make bubbles up to two feet in diameter.
  • Bubble Archery – Place a bullseye target at the end of the room. Youth must blow a bubble from behind the line and then use their breath to blow it into the target to get points.
  • Bubble Baseball – Divide the youth into teams and have them stand in line one behind the other. Set up a turn around point at some distance from the starting line. One at a time the someone from each team will blow a bubble and catch it on their wand. They must then run to the turn around point and back to their team with out losing or popping their bubble. When they return to the start then the next person in line goes. If a bubble pops or they lose their bubble from their wand they must run back to the start and begin again. The team with all their players to finish first wins.
  • Bubble Blast – With just one breath, see who can blow the most bubbles. If you get a good deep breath, you’ll be amazed just how many bubbles you can blow!
  • Bubble Catch – Blow a limited number of bubbles then youth run after them and try to catch them on their wand. If they pop the bubble or don’t manage to catch one they are out.
  • Bubble Count – One youth blows bubbles while you call out a number. The first person to pop that many bubbles wins.
  • Bubble Dodgeball – Youth each get a bubble wand and bubbles and staying in a designated area they try to blow bubbles at each other. If a bubble pops on you, you are out. Players must be stationary in one spot and can only pivot on one foot, but can duck and twist to avoid the bubbles. They can even blow them away.
  • Bubble Float – Who can float one bubble in the air the longest before it pops. Youth can keep their bubble floating in the air the longest by blowing gently underneath it. Variation, give the team 30 seconds to blow the bubbles. After the 30 seconds is finished, time them until the last bubble pops.
  • Bubble Freeze – Youth blow bubbles on a paper plate and then, before the bubbles pop, put them in the freezer. Biggest frozen bubble wins.
  • Bubble Pop – Form pairs or teams. One person (or more) blows the bubbles while another person pops them. The pair / team who pops the most bubbles in 1 minute wins. Make it more difficult by not allowing them to use their hands. Change it up by requiring the bubbles to be popped with different body parts – nose, ear, elbows, foot, etc.
  • Bubble Race – Divide the youth into teams. Teams line up in single file lines. Mark off a finish line at least ten feet away. The person at the front of the line must blow a bubble and he or she must then guide that bubble across the finish line. He or she then runs back to the team and sends the next person to do the same thing. If anyone’s bubble pops or floats away, they must go back and start all over. This continues until every member of one team gets a bubble over the line and makes it back to her team.
  • Bubble Race – Youth must blow their bubble along the race track and across the finish line!
  • Bubble Stack – One person blows a bubble while another catches it on the bubble wand. Another team member blows another bubble, which also must be caught and placed on top of the first bubble. The team with the highest stack at the end of sixty seconds wins.
  • Highest Bubble – Who can blow a bubble the highest into the air?
  • Mega Bubble – This game from Minute to Win iIt requires the youth to first blow a bubble from behind a starting line, then use their own hot air to move it across the play area and through a waiting hoop that is hung from the ceiling. The smaller the hoop, the more difficult the challenge. You can also increase the distance to the hoop to increase the challenge. Rules: You cannot touch the bubbles. If a bubble bursts while traveling through the hoop it does not count – it must actually go through the hoop and be seen on the other side. You may not touch the hoop itself. If a player must return to the beginning and start again, he or she must be standing behind the foul line to blow the next set of bubbles.
  • Nested Bubbles – Blow bubbles inside of bubbles. Using straws, who can get the most bubbles inside of a bubble without it popping.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Use the games as a discussion starter about the things in life that are temporary vs. eternal.

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

  • What do all bubbles have in common? – Eventually they all burst!
  • What are some things that last forever?
  • What are some things that we strive for in life that are only temporary?
  • Why is it so much easier to focus on the temporary things?

Some bubble last longer than others, but in the end the bubble bursts. The same is often true of life’s attractions.

  • What are some things in life that may at first seem long lasting but in reality are only temporary?

Explain that each bubble is filled with air. While you cannot see the air you know its there because it gives the bubble its shape. In life sometimes we must believe in what we cannot see and this is called faith.

  • How is faith related to the desire to live for things that are eternal rather than temporary?

Bubbles grab our attention. So do the things of the world. In fact the bubble is like a small little world.

  • What are some of the things in life that grab our attention?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • What are the characteristics of a person that is living for eternal things?
  • What things do they live for? Focus on? Strive for?
  • How can a reminder that so many things are temporary change the way a person thinks and lives life?
  • How can having an eternal perspective on things affect a person’s focus? Dreams? Aspirations? Actions? Priorities?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • What are some of the priorities in your life right now?
  • Are these things more beneficial for the here and now or for the eternal?
  • Are you focused on things that will last?
  • What would change if you had a more eternal perspective on life?

SCRIPTURE VERSES

  • James 4:13-14 – “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
  • Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
  • Luke 12:15-21 – “Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”‘ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
  • Colossians 3:1 – “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”
  • 1 John 2:15-17 – “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
  • Mark 8:34-36 – “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”
  • Matthew 6:31-33 – “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

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MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

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Spoon Fed Christians

We often use the term “spoon fed” to refer to babies. It is also used for people who have been given so much by others that they never learn how to think for themselves or take care of themselves. Scripture uses a similar term to describe some Christians. Like a spoon fed baby, some Christians have never grown up in their faith.

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Games using Spoons

  • Cotton Ball Spooner – Each youth is blindfolded, given a metal spoon, and placed in front of a large bowl of cotton balls. They must also hold a bowl or cup on top of their head. In the time given they youth compete by using the spoon to scoop the cotton balls into the cups on their heads while everyone else watches. Many times, they will deliver empty spoons to their heads and many times they will miss the cup. When time is up, the youth with the most cotton balls in the cup wins.
  • Fastest Spoon – Get two volunteer victims from each team. Both youths will need to put on a big garbage bag with arm / head holes so they don’t get messy! The first youth sits on a chair. The second person is given a bowl of chocolate pudding with a spoon and stands behind them whilst blindfolded. The idea is that the person who is blindfolded has to feed the other person by following their verbal instructions. Alternatively you could get other members of the team to hold to bowl or give instructions. First team to finish wins.
  • Hang it on your beak – The first youth to hang a spoon on his or her nose for mmore than 30 seconds wins. Variation: how many spoons can they hang from their face? Variation: See who can get the spoon off the nose and into his or her mouth using only his or her tongue. BTW, there is a world record for the most spoons hanging on a person’s face. It is 31 and was achieved by Dalibor Jablanovic (Serbia), in Stubica, Serbia, on 28 September 2013. Can you break it?
  • Musical Spoons – While the music is playing, a spoon is passed from person to person. When the music stops, the person holding the spoon must eat something gross like babyfood and is eliminated from the game play.
  • Potato Fencing – Players hold a spoon with a potato on it in one hand. In the other hand the players hold an empty spoon. Then they try to knock the opponents potato off the spoon without losing their own potato.
  • Pudding Slurp – A new pair of stockings per contestant, a small bowl of pudding, some newspaper to play on and some damp towels for cleaning up. Contestants pull the stocking over their face and must race to eat all their pudding through the stocking.
  • Spoon clumps – Clang two metal spoons together. If they clang 5 times then the youth must clump together in groups of 5 persons. If anyone is not in a group of five they are eliminated from play. Continue with different numbers of clangs until there is one small group of winners.
  • Spoon Delivery – Choose a collection of objects of increasing size to be passed from the front of the line to the back of the line for each team. To avoid chipping teeth it might be best to use plastic or wooden spoons. First team to pass all the objects to the end of the line wins. Here are some ideas for objects: Cotton Balls, Ping Pong Balls, an egg (raw or hard boiled), marbles, lemon, apple, inflated balloon, ice cube.
  • Spoon Feeding – Divide into pairs. For each pair, tape a spoon to the end of a broomstick and place a bowl of food on the table. One person stands on one side of the table and attempts to feed his or her partner the food using the spoon. The pair that eats the most food in a minute wins. Chocolate pudding works great for this.
  • Spoon frog – Teams must launch teaspoons into plastic cups, using another spoon as a catapult. When the timer starts, the person must place a spoon in front of the cup with the spoon end facing him/her. Place the second spoon, facing the same way, so that the rounded end of the spoon is resting on the end of the first spoon. Then give the rounded end of the first spoon a good whack to send the second spoom flying. Keep sending spoons into the air and try to get one to land in a the cups. First to get one in, or the person who gets the most in the cup in one minute wins.
  • Spoon fulls – Using spoons in the mouth for each team member, each individual team member will scoop up dried beans or popcorn kernels from a bowl and then drop them into a 1 liter soda bottle. At the end of one minute, the team with the highest filled bottle wins.
  • Spoon Launch – One team member uses a spoon to launch food to the other. The youth that catches the most launched peanuts, M&Ms, or kernels of popcorn in their mouth wins.
  • Spoon Tunes – Place ten tall drinking glasses that are filled with different amounts of water in order so that, when you tap them in a row with a spoon, they play a simple but familiar tune like Mary Had a Little Lamb. There should be one set for each team. Set them up and then scramble them so they have to figure out the order. Get the song right in under a minute to win the game.
  • Spoons – Depending on the number of players, you need at least one deck of cards, and one spoon less than the number of players. Players sit in a circle with the spoons in the middle of the circle with their ends touching. To begin, each player is dealt 4 cards. The first player picks up a card from the top of the pile, and can choose to keep it, or pass it to the person on his or her left. Players can only hold a maximum of four cards. When someone gets four of a kind, he grabs a spoon. Once one person grabs a spoon, everyone else also grabs one until all the spoons are gone and 1 person is left without a spoon. Play resumes with one less player and one less spoon. Play continues until there is only one player left, the winner.
  • Thread the Spoon – Cut some yarn into long segments, allowing about 4 feet of yarn per team member. If in doubt, always make your yarn longer than necessary. Tie one end of one piece of yarn to the end of one metal spoon to create a needle and thread for each team. Put the spoons (with the yarn attached) in the FREEZER to chill for at least an hour. If you want to make it even more fun, feed the string through an ice-cube tray so that when the ice is removed it forms cubes spaced along the string. In teams, the first youth must put the spoon down their shirt, through pants legs (or skirts) and out by their feet and repeat it down the line until everyone on the team is connected. First to finish wins.
  • Wooden Spoons – Blindfolded, a youth must guess someone’s identity by feeling them with wooden spoons. Each person in the youth group in turn is guessed. Of course, any outburst of laughter when the spoons are going over a face would disclose the identity, so participants must keep perfect silence. When anyone’s identity is guessed, he/she has to be blindfolded and must take the spoons. Be careful when using the spoons to touch another person with them quite lightly, so as not to hurt anyone.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Some of these games required us to feed others with a spoon. We often use the term spoon fed to refer to babies. It is also used for people who have been given so much by others that they never learn how to think for themselves or take care of themselves. Scripture uses a similar term to describe some Christians. Like a spoon fed baby, they have never grown up in their faith. What is normal for a baby is NOT normal behaviour for an adult.

  • What are some things that babies do, that adults normally do not do?
  • What are some immature, childlike habits and actions that might be ok for children, but are not acceptable for adults?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

Read Hebrews 5:12-14 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-3.

  • What were some of the characteristics of the Christians referred to in the scriptures?
  • What are some of the signs of Christian immaturity?
  • What is it that spiritual babies need to know and do in order to mature?
  • What are some characteristics of spiritual maturity? What attitudes and actions would you expect to find in a mature Christian?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • How would you describe your current level of spiritual maturity? Why?
  • In what ways have you grown as a Christian?
  • What do you need to do to continue to grow and mature as a Christian?

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE VERSES

  • 1 Peter 2:2-3 “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
  • 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
  • Ephesians 4:11-15 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:3 “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters,[a] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.”
  • Philippians 3:12-14 “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

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Ping Pong Christians

This lesson uses ping pong balls to remind us that as Christians we can be easily tossed around, unstable, blown off course if we lack faith. But through prayer and belief we can be strong enough to face and stand strong in any difficulties and circumstances we might face as Christians.

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Games using Ping Pong Balls

  • Balance – Who can balance a ping pong ball on a book (through an obstacle course?) without the ball falling off?
  • Bounce off – From a designated distance, bounce a ping pong ball at another ping pong ball to knock it off an open soda bottle. First to do so wins.
  • Bridge Run – Be the first to roll three ping pong balls into three different glasses set at varying distances, using a tape measure as a bridge. When the game begins, grab the tape measure and extend it towards the nearest glass. Pick up a ping pong ball and try to roll it across the tape measure and into the glass. Once you’ve found success with the first glass, move on to the next one. In order to win this game, all three glasses must contain ping ping balls and the tape measure must be retracted. The trick is getting the right angle – if the angle is too steep the ball will roll too quickly and right across the glass.
  • Double shot – Using 1 hand, toss 2 Ping balls at the same time so that they land in 2 separate glasses.
  • Fan Propulsion – Using a paper plate, be the first to fan a ping pong ball across a goal line.
  • Ping Pong Ball Catch – Holding a cup on top of your head, you try to be the first to catch a ping pong ball in the cup on top of your head as the ball is bounced off the floor and into the air. Harder than it seems.
  • Ping Pong in a cup – players stand at 10 – 20 feet apart in a room with a tile or concrete floor. One player bounces the ball toward the other who must catch the ball in a cup before it stops bouncing. The ball can only be touched with the cup.
  • Ping Pong Knock Out – everyone holds a plastic spoon in their mouth with a ping pong ball balanced on it. Using only blasts of air, each youth must blow the ping pong balls off the spoons of other youth. Last one with left with his or her ping pong ball on the spoon is the winner. (The difficult is sudden movements can drop the ball as quickly as a gust of air. And those gusts of air just might blow your own ping pong ball off the spoon) No physical contact is allowed.
  • Ping-Pong Ball Flick – Place a ping pong ball on top of an open soda bottle. Youth must quickly walk past with their arm straight out and try to flick the ball off without touching the bottle. Its more difficult than it seems.
  • Ropeway – Two team members hold a long loop of string taught with their hands and try to be the first to roll a ping pong ball to one end and back without dropping it.
  • Shake a box – Place 6 to 10 ping pong balls in an empty tissue box. (If needed, enlarge the hole in the top of the tissue box so it is big enough but not too big for a ping pong ball to fit through. Fill the box with 6 to 10 ping pong balls and attach it to the back of a youth using a piece of string or duct tape so that the bottom of the box is against the person’s waist / backside. Youth must dance around to shake the balls out of the box. First to do so wins.
  • Spoon & Ping Pong Ball Relay – A youth holds a spoon in his mouth and carries the ball through an obstacle course. Fast team to do so wins. (Variation – do it blindfolded with verbal instructions from your team)
  • Spoon Transport – A ping pong ball is passed player to player on a spoon. If the ball falls, the team must start over again at the beginning. (Variation – spoons are held in the mouth)
  • Straw Propulsion – Use a straw to blow a ping pong ball through an obstacle course on a table or the floor to a goal.
  • String Transport – Be the first to transport a ping pong ball sitting on top of an open soda bottle to another soda bottle that is several feet away using only a loop of string. (Use 36 inches / 1 meter of string with the ends tied together to create a loop. With your fingers inside of each end of the loop of string you can stretch it out to a long oval that can hold the ping pong ball in balance.) You cannot touch it with your hands. You drop it then you must start over.
  • Table Tennis Ball Goal Shoot – Set up goal markers on opposite sides of a table with team members alternating around it. Using only gusts of air, which team can shoot the ping pong ball into the most goals in a designated time limit.
  • Tic Tac Toe – Arrange 9 paper cups in a 3×3 grid for each team. The first team to bounce ping pong balls into the cups to get 3 in a row wins.
  • Wasted – Who can be the first to toss a ping pong ball against the wall so that it then bounces into a waste paper basket?
  • William Tell – From a designated distance, use a rubber band to shoot the ping pong ball off of an open soda bottle. First to do so wins.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

  • What were some of the difficulties that you faced in these games?
  • What were some of the strategies used to overcome the difficulties?
  • What are some of the characteristics of a ping pong ball that had an effect on these games?

The difficulty with Ping Pong Balls is that they bounce back and forth easily – Ping – Pong – Ping – Pong and they are easily blown off course.

The Bible describes a man who has these same qualities in James 1:5-8

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

When you don’t have faith in God, you’ll be double minded. That means, like a ping-pong ball, you’ll bounce back and forth. You won’t be strong in your faith. You’ll be tossed about by doubts and difficulties.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • What are some of the difficulties we face as Christians? In school? In our homes? In life? In general?
  • What are some ways we can overcome the various difficulties?
  • How is faith and prayer an answer to facing life’s difficulties?
  • What are some of the doubts we face concerning God and prayer?
  • How do doubts affect a person’s prayer life? Our actions?
  • Are you easily influenced by circumstances and thing around you? Why or why not?
  • Are you able to stand strong in life’s difficulties? Why or why Not?
  • What solutions does this scripture give us?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • In what areas do you need God’s wisdom this week?
  • In what areas do you need to be more consistent, more stable?
  • How can faith and prayer help you in these things?

SCRIPTURE VERSES on Doubts / Lack of Faith

  • Matthew 14:31 – Peter walks on water and doubts
  • Mark 4:40 – Jesus calms the storm

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Easter – The Empty Tomb and Empty Eggs

This object lesson for youth uses eggs to make the Easter message of the empty tomb memorable and fun while re-creating, the emotions felt by Christ’s disciples upon finding the empty tomb on Easter morning.

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Games using Easter Eggs

  • Armenian Egg Crush – Each youth must knock their hard boiled egg against another person’s hard boiled egg. The egg that doesn’t crack wins. Have the winners face off with other winners until only one person is left.
  • Broken Eggs – Raw Eggs are placed on the floor while all the youth look on. Ask them to carefully memorize the locations of the eggs. Then ask for a volunteer who will be blindfolded to walk through the eggs without stepping on any of them. Once blindfolded, the eggs are quickly swapped with peanuts or corn chips. The blindfolded person will think they are eggs when stepped upon. (Be sure to have a vacuum or broom to sweep up the mess)
  • Capture the Egg – Play a game of capture the flag with eggs. Divide into two teams and give each team 4 eggs. You’ll need a large open area with lots of obstacles and obstructions. Divide it into into three areas, one for each of the two teams separated by a neutral area. Each team must hide their 4 eggs somewhere in their area, making sure that nobody from the opposing team can see where it is. In order to win the game, you must capture the other team’s eggs and bring them back to your own territory. But if an enemy team member grabs you while you’re standing in their territory, they are allowed to take you straight to jail (which is a small area somewhere inside their territory). You can be freed from jail if one of your team members tags you, and join back in the game. When time is up whoever has captured the most eggs wins.
  • Don’t Drop The Egg – Two youth pair up and stand back to back. Place an egg between them. They objective is for the youth to lower the egg to the floor without breaking it. Best done with a hard boiled egg, but if you are feeling particularly playful you could use raw eggs.
  • Egg Blow – (Messy Game) Get a clear flexible tube from the hardware store, preferably of large enough diameter to hold a cracked egg inside. Youth compete against each other by placing their mouths on each side of the tube and blowing. The loser get’s a face full of egg. (Cautions: Let them place a garbage bag over clothes. You can also use an egg substitute (like Eggbeater’s) to avoid bacteria or chance of salmonella. Have moist washcloths and towels handy.)
  • Egg Drop – Give each team of youth 6ft of masking tape, 1 balloon, a handful of straws, and 1 raw egg. They have to build a protection “capsule” out of those materials that will protect the egg when dropped from various heights off a tall ladder until only one egg survives.
  • Egg Fan – Create a start and a finish line on a hard floor using masking tape. Each youth must use an empty medium sized 14″ pizza box to fan the egg to the finish line. They are not allowed to touch the egg and can only move the egg with gusts of air from waving their pizza box. This can be a team relay race or an individual race.
  • Egg Pass – Each youth has a spoon in his mouth. Teams must pass an egg to the end of the line as quickly as possible using only the spoons. First to finish wins. Do you dare use raw eggs?
  • Egg Roll – Create a start and a finish line on a hard floor using masking tape. Each youth must push the egg to the finish line using only his/her nose. This can be a team relay race or an individual race.
  • Egg Roulette – Choose 4-5 volunteers from among the youth. Place 4-5 eggs on a table. The volunteers are told that one of the eggs is raw, but the others are hardboiled. (In fact, all are hardboiled) Each player takes a turn, taking an egg from the table and tapping it on the other players foreheads until it breaks. The players are told whoever gets the raw egg is the bravest. Because all of the eggs are hardboiled, the last player gets the prize before an egg is tried on his forehead.
  • Egg Run – A youth is given a spoon to hold in his mouth while an egg is placed on the ground (hard boiled) in front of him. He must stoop down, get the egg onto his spoon without using his hands, stand up, travel to the other side of the arena, return to the starting place and return the egg to its starting position. This can be played as a relay or as individuals.
  • Egg Toss – Pairs form two lines facing off and toss an egg back and forth. Every time a catch is successful those who survived back up a little further and try again. The pair that catches the longest toss wins. Use hard boiled or raw eggs.
  • Egg Tower – Using 4 Easter eggs and 4 paper towel rolls be the first to build a tower using all the objects to create a single pillar. Be careful not to get the tower out of alignment or it will come crashing down! Play with raw or boiled eggs.
  • Hot Eggs – As music plays, youth must pass the “hot egg” around the circle from person to person. No one is skipped. The youth caught holding the egg when the music stops is out, and the game begins again.
  • Raw Egg Drop – (Messy Game) Choose 4-5 volunteers from among the youth. The volunteers lay down on their backs on the floor with a cup on their forehead. One teammate stands over them and cracks the egg with their hands attempting to drop the content of the egg into the cup as it spills out. Most of the egg will wind up on the participants face. It’s rather tricky. The team with the most egg in their cup wins. (Cautions: You might want to cover the floor with some newspaper or plastics bags first, and make sure the youth on the floor keeps eyes and mouth closed. Has some wet towels for cleanup)

An Object Lesson

A lot of the games using Easter Eggs have an element of surprise. The Eggs might not be as expected. They also tend to create a variety of other emotions as well – fear, excitement, hesitation, anger, disappointment, relief, doubt, disbelief. Many of the those same emotions are found in the resurrection accounts in the gospels. The following demonstration or object lesson helps to draw out more feelings as an empty egg reminds us of the empty tomb.

Preparation

  • Remove the contents of a raw egg. Some people create a hole in each end using a needle, then use a pipe cleaner or piece of wire to scramble the contents inside the egg. You can then carefully blow into the smaller hole so that the egg comes out a bigger hole on the other side. Some people use a syringe to suck the contents out. Once you have emptied the egg, and likely broken a couple trying, rinse it with a little water and then set it aside to dry. Later you can hold the egg with your thumb and finger to cover the holes on the top and bottom so they are not visible.
  • You also want to have a real raw egg. You can have a dozen raw eggs in a carton to add a little more credibility to the object lesson.

What to do

Holding up the real egg, ask youth what is inside an egg. After the games they should already have a good idea. Explain that unlike some of those used in the game, this one is a raw one. Inside you would find a raw yellow yolk and the clear runny white part of the egg. Break it into a glass so they can see.

Then ask for a brave volunteer to come in front of the group with you. Ask them to stand still and take out the emptied egg and proceed to crack it over the volunteer’s head. You’ll hear exclamations of surprise from both the volunteer and those watching then there will be sighs of relief or complaints from the more mischievous ones.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

  • Ask youth how they felt when they first broke an egg during one of the games or when you broke it during your demonstration? What feelings did they have?

Read the Resurrection story from the various accounts.

  • What were some of the reactions people had to the empty tomb in the Easter story? Mary? John? Peter? Roman Guards? High Priests? How do you think each person felt?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • If you had been one of them at the empty tomb on that first easter morning, how do you think you might have reacted? What do you think you might have been feeling?
  • How did those who heard the story react? How do you typically react when you hear something unexpected?
  • Have you ever experienced anything in life that at first reaction shocked you, surprised you, or maybe even frightened you, but later turned out to be something good?
  • Was it a good thing or bad thing that the egg was empty? Was it a good thing or a bad thing that the tomb was empty? How do you think the people in the story might have answered this question?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

When Jesus’ followers found out the tomb was empty, they weren’t sure right away what to think, just like you didn’t know what to think about the empty egg. But the empty tomb was the best news of all: Jesus was alive! And because Jesus rose from the dead, we can be saved from sin and death and live with him forever in Heaven.

  • Who do you need to tell about the empty tomb of Christ this week? How do you think they might react? How does the easter story give you confidence to tell others about the Risen Saviour?
  • What personal lessons can you apply from the Easter story when you face unexpected surprises in life?

SCRIPTURE VERSES FOR THE EASTER STORY

  • Matthew 28:1-11
  • Mark 16:1-8
  • Luke 24:1-12
  • John 20:1-18

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All Wrapped up? – Sin Easily Entangles

This idea centers around toilet paper. All you need to do is show a few rolls to youth and the giggles will start. But sin is no laughing matter. While at first it seems innocent and not a threat, it quickly binds us and hinders us, preventing us from doing and being all that God has planned for us.

What You Need

  • Lots of toilet paper

Games using Toilet Paper

  • Diaper Derby – Divide the youth into guys vs girls and give each group 1-2 rolls of toilet paper. Each group must then use all the toilet paper to create a mock diaper on someone on their team. First team to finish wins.
  • Marble Run – Using the left over toilet paper tubes, teams must connect them together and let a marble roll through the entire length without dropping it. (You can add rolls from wrapping paper, paper towels, etc to make it even longer.
  • Mummy Wrap – Create groups with three youth each in each group. Give each group two rolls of toilet paper. Two people wrap up (like a mummy) the third person in the group. The object of the game is to see who can wrap up their “mummy” the quickest with the entire rolls of toilet paper.
  • Over and Under – Relay teams must pass the end of a toilet roll between the first person’s legs and then over the next person’s shoulder. When they get to the end of the line they reverse direction to the opposite end of the line again until the toilet paper gets to the front. If the toilet paper breaks they must start over again from the beginning.
  • Roll drop – Be the first to hold an empty toilet paper tube six inches above a table and drop it so it lands upright and remains standing on one end. The secret: Hold the tube horizontally before you drop it.
  • Stuffed – Each team receives the same number of rolls of toilet paper. At your signal, the teams must completely unroll the toilet paper and stuff it into the shirt of someone on their team. First team to completely unroll and stuff the toilet paper wins.
  • Take What You Need – As youth arrive, offer a roll of toilet paper and ask each to take as much as they think they will need. If they ask, just say you are running a bit low on toilet paper and want to make sure everyone has what they need. Once everyone has arrive, sit everyone in a circle and ask them to share one fun fact about themselves for each sheet of toilet paper. Variation: Each youth must says one positive thing about themselves for each sheet of paper.
  • Toilet Paper Blow – Teams of youth compete to see how long they can keep one square of toilet paper in the air by blowing it.
  • Toilet Paper Dodge Ball – Take the core out of several rolls of toilet paper and then use them to play a game of dodgeball. If you get hit you must sit down and are out of the game. But if a roll of toilet paper happens to roll within reach, you can pick it up and join the game again.
  • Toilet Paper Fight – The objective of this game is to have the least toilet paper on your side at the end of the game. Give each team several rolls of toilet paper, count down, and then let the toilet paper fly for 30-60 seconds. Part Two: First team to have their side entirely cleaned up wins.
  • Toilet Paper Rollers – You need two broom sticks and 4-6 rolls of toilet paper. You will need 3-4 people to hold the poles. Pick two teams of 2-3 kids, usually boys against girls. Place rolls of toilet paper (ready to unroll) on broomsticks, (one per player) and on the command “go” they begin to unroll the toilet paper. First team to have all rolls completely empty wins.
  • Toilet Paper Tag – Each youth sticks a length of toilet paper in a back pocket or the waste of their pants. It should hang down at least to the person’s knee. On go, players try to yank the toilet paper from each other’s waste. Last person to lose the toilet paper wins.
  • Toilet Paper wrapper – Each team of youth (4-8 persons) is given two rolls of toilet paper and must stand in a circle next to each other and facing outwards (i.e. their backs are to each other). The person with the paper has to wrap the first roll around his or her waist a couple of times so that it stays in place. Then, without breaking the paper it must be passed to the next person on the right in the circle who does the same thing. If the toilet paper breaks, the youth must hold the broken ends against themselves and wrap the paper around his or her waste so that it covers this break and holds the wrapping in place, and then continue. There’s a good chance that at least one player will accidentally drop the roll of paper. It’s up to them how they decide to recover it, but they have to ensure that the wrapping of the whole team doesn’t break. The winning team is the first to hold up the two empty rolls with the paper wrapped around themselves.
  • Toilet Tissue Measurements – Measure various items in the youth room using sheets of toilet paper (i.e. 6 1/2 squares). Make a list of items along with their measurements. Later, give the youth a list of the measurements along with a roll of toilet paper. The youth must then, in a given time, identify as many objects as possible by their measurements in sheets of toilet paper.
  • Unrolled – Each player needs two assistants and a pole or broom. Place two rolls of toilet paper on each poll. Have the assistants hold each end of of the limbo pole. Using just their hands the players must unroll both rolls of toilet paper. The first player that is finished with both rolls wins!
  • Unroll and Re-roll Race – Teams compete to unroll a roll of toilet paper and then re-roll it again. They must not break the roll of paper. If a roll does break, they must use masking tape to reattach it. Variation: They must use their nose to unroll and roll the toilet paper.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Take a roll of toilet paper and roll it around a person’s two outstretched fingers of one hand. Use the whole roll of toilet paper. Then ask them to separate their fingers and break the toilet paper roll. For most youth, if you have wrapped them good and tight, they will not be able to do so.

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Explain that this is similar to what happens when we get tempted and sin. At first it seems very light and easy to break free from so we don’t think we’re in danger. But as we get wrapped up in it deeper over time it becomes increasingly more difficult to break free and becomes more and more of a hindrance. Other sins, like a piece of rope can bind us and hinder us almost immediately which prevents us from doing what God wants us to do. In either case, we are soon caught and can’t free ourselves.

Read Hebrews 12:1 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • What are some of the sins that easily entangle us?
  • How can we break free from the various sins and temptations mentioned?

1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Romans 10:9 – “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.””

1 Thessalonians 5:23 – “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • What are the temptations and sins that easily entangle you?
  • How can you break free from them?
  • How could God use you more effectively this week if you were less hindered by sin and temptation?

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE VERSES

James 1: 13-15 – “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

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Grasping at Straws or Doing the Impossible?

This week’s idea of the week centers around the drinking straw. The main lesson reminds youth that what sometimes what we see as impossible is not always as impossible as it seems.

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What You Need

  • Lots of soda straws for games
  • Depending on the games chosen, various games may require additional resources
  • Apples or potatoes for the final object lesson

Games using Straws

  • Candy Pass – This game can be played with drinking straws and any candy that has a hole in it that is big enough to slide onto a straw. (Lifesavers or Polo mints usually work fine.) Each team stand in a line and with straws in their mouths they must thread the candy onto the straw then successfully pass it from straw to straw until it reaches the end of the line. First team to do so wins. To make the game last longer, give them a whole roll of candies to pass. (You can also use washers, paperclips or rubber bands to pass) (Make it more interesting by blindfolding one person in the middle of each team) If the diameter of the straws is a problem, use coffee straws for this game.
  • Jello Slurp – Give each team a bowl of Jello and using straws, the first team to slurp up the jello wins
  • Peas and Straws – Give each team a cup containing twenty peas and an empty cup as well. Each team selects a champion to compete on their behalf. At a signal, all the players must compete to be the first to transfer the peas from one cup to the other using only the straw. They may not touch the cup or peas with anything except the straw. (Note: there is nothing in the rules to stop players from bending the straw in half and using it like a pair of tweezers.) (Note: You can also use skittles or M&Ms)
  • Pick up Sticks – Using straws, play a classic game of pickup sticks. Divide the youth into two teams. Hold a fist full of straws upright and then remove your hand and let them drop into one big messy pile. Players from each team will take turns to carefully pull a straw from the pile without moving any other straws. If he or she is successful, the player keeps the straw and can go again. However, if any of the other straws move in the process of removing one the turn ends for that team. The team with the most straws at the end wins. You can find detailed directions here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pick-up_sticks
  • Pingpong ball Soccer – Clear a table (a ping pong table works great) and place pencils at either end as the goals. Give everyone a drinking straw and then divide the youth into two teams. Players must position themselves around the table so that no two teammates are standing next to each other. Place the ping pong ball in the center of the table and then the teams try to blow jets of air through the straws to move the ball so that it hits one of the pencil goals to score. If the ball flies off the table, simply replace it back on the table at the place where it went out. No shoving, pushing, or use of hands is allowed. First team to make it to a designated number of points wins.
  • Pipeline – Give all the youth straws and then divide them into teams of 8 to 20 persons. Each team designates a sipper at the far end. At signal they must join the straws together to create a pipeline and the sipper must drink all the coke from a cup. (It’s not as easy as it seems because air leaks from the connections between the straws)
  • Plastic straw Javelin – Youth stand behind a line and flip or throw the straw as far as possible. Farthest toss wins. (Note: Straws may not be torn, folded, bent or changes in anyway not can anything be placed inside the straw.)
  • Puzzler – Using a small jigsaw puzzle for each team (You can usually find some with less than 50 pieces), youth must put the puzzle together using only straws in their mouths. They may not touch the pieces with their hands. First to complete the puzzle wins. (Alternatively you can cut a photograph, postcard, or greeting card into pieces)
  • Q-Tip War – Divide the room in half for two teams or if you want four teams divide it into quarters. A piece of strong or masking tape on the floor can be a simple divider. Give everyone a straw and each team a package of q-tips. Youth will use the straw to wildly shoot the q-tips like poisoned darts across the room until time is up. When the time is up, the team who has the least number of q-tips in their area wins. Q-tips may not be thrown and players cannot leave their area.
  • Straw & Paper – Divide the youth into teams, with team members lines up single file, one behind the other, and give everyone on the team a plastic straw. The first player must place the straw in his or her mouth and use the straw to carry a piece of tissue to a finish line and then back to his or her team. No hands are allowed. If the tissue drops, they must get it back on the straw, by sucking in through the straw, before moving on. The first team to have everyone on the team complete the relay wins.
  • Straw Chomp – Each team chooses a champion to represent them who will be given a straw. The first person to get the entire straw in his or her mouth without using hands wins. It’s harder than you think.
  • Straws and Rubberband mixer – All the youth are given straws to hold in their mouth and half of them are given rubber bands to hang on the straws. The youth go around the room challenging each other to pass the rubber band using the straws. But if the rubber band is dropped, the straw has 1 cm (1/2 inch) cut off the end of the person who was supposed to pass the rubberband. The last person with the longest straw wins.
  • Swapping ends – Each youth puts one end of a straw in their mouth then using only their tongue and lips (no hands) they must turn it around so that the opposite end of the straw is in their mouth. First person to do it wins. (Have a camera ready for this as there will be a lot of funny faces)
  • Tallest Tower – Teams must create the tallest tower in a set time period using only the materials provided. You’ll want to have a lot of straws. For connectors use marshmallows.
  • Two straws, one cup – Each team chooses a champion to drink from a cup through a straw. The first one to finish the drink wins, but there is a catch. They each receive two straws, one which is in the cup and one which is not. Both straws must be in their mouth when drinking.
  • William Tell – Each team chooses one player to be the ‘King’ who will wear a paper cup on his head as a crown. Using the q-tips as poison darts, on your signal, other teams must shoot the crown off the opponent King’s head to win. (The king needs to keep still or he may just lose the crown himself.) Players cannot cross the divider lines, nor can they use their hands to protect the crown.

Final Challenge and Object Lesson

You’ll need a ripe potato or (ripe apple) for each team. You’ll want to try this yourself on a sample to make sure it is ok with the straws you have. If they are too flimsy it may not work. Also you don’t want one of the straws that bends. You want a straight plastic straw. Note: When you place your thumb over the end, the trapped air inside causes the straw to be more rigid.

Each group chooses a champion to represent them. Give each a straw and a potato. On your signal they must put the straw through the potato.

Let them try for a minute or two then ask the teams if they think this is an impossible challenge?

Then tell the teams how it can be done.

  1. Hold the potato in one hand at waist level so that your hands are on the sides of the potato and not the top or bottom.
  2. Hold the straw in your other hand so that your thumb is over the top end of the straw so and no air can escape.
  3. Looking directly at the potato (not your hand), jab the straw into it and it will go completely through.

“We just made the ‘impossible’ possible.” A weak straw suddenly became strong enough to do something powerful.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

The same thing happens when we place our lives in God’s hands. Like the straw we may be weak, but when we are in God’s hands, he can use us to do impossible things.

Quote Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

This does really mean all things. I can’t swim across the Atlantic Ocean or swallow a car. Those are absurd. What it means is that God can use me to do anything he wants me to do. I can do all things that God wants me to do. If God wants me to do it, He will give me strength to do it.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • What are some of the things God wants us to do?
  • What are some of the things that prevent us from doing what God wants?
  • How can we overcome our doubts and fears when God wants us to do something that is difficult or even seems impossible?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

You might want to allow each youth to put the straw through the potato as a demonstration and reminder that God can do impossible things through everyone.

  • What is something that God wants you to do? Something he has laid on his your heart?

Whenever you are having a hard time with something God has asked you to do, I want you to remember putting a straw through a potato, and I want you to think about Philippians 4:13. ‘You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

SCRIPTURE VERSES

  • Matthew 19:26 – But Jesus beheld [them], and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
  • Mark 9:23 – Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things [are] possible to him that believeth.
  • Mark 10:27 – And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men [it is] impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
  • Luke 1:37 – For with God nothing shall be impossible.
  • Luke 18:27 – And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
  • Matthew 17:20 – And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
  • Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
  • Romans 8:31 – What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
  • Job 42:2 – I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
  • Jeremiah 32:17 – Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

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Newspaper Madness – United in Christ

There are lots of games that can be played using only newspapers, but a few have been selected to illustrate the idea of unity and working together. In most of these games the players are designated as penguins and the newspaper is an iceberg.

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What You Need

  • Lots of newspapers

A Few Newspaper Games

  • Penguin Wacko – All the youth sit in a circle on chairs with one less chair than people in the group. Give a rolled up newspaper to one person in the middle of the circle who must call out a name. The person whose name is called must quickly call out another name before the person in the middle hits him or her with the rolled up newspaper. If someone gets hit with the newspaper they must take the place of the person in the center. Variation: no names are allowed to be repeated so that every name is called.
  • Penguin Iceberg Race – Each youth is a penguin. Each team has two icebergs (sheets of newspaper) Each group of penguins must race to a destination by stepping on one sheet of newspaper, placing the next one down in front and hopping onto the next sheet of paper. The person then picks up the previous sheet of paper and places it in front. Once a player reaches the finish line, he picks up both sheets of paper and races back to the team and the next penguin repeats the process.
  • Penguin Dance – 2 youth (Penguins) do a penguin dance with music on a sheet of newspaper (icebergs). When the music stops, the iceberg melts (The newspaper is folded in half). The music begins again and they dance again until the music stops. Each time the music stops, the the iceberg melts again (Is folded in half). The pair that dances on the iceberg the longest, without touching the floor wins.
  • Iceberg Melt – Which team can fold a newspaper the smallest?
  • Penguin Colony – How many penguins can stand on one iceberg (page of newspaper).
  • Penguin Shuffle – Divide the youth into pairs, give each pair one sheet of newspaper, and get them to stand in two circles, one circle inside the other. While you play music, the inner circle walks like a penguin counter-clockwise and the outer one walks clockwise. When the music stops, each pair must find their partner, place the sheet of newspaper on the floor and stand on it. The last pair to stand on their iceberg is removed from the game. The process is repeated but now every time the music stops the newspaper must be first be folded in half so it gets smaller and smaller each round. The last pair of penguins in the game is the winner.

FINAL GAME AND DEBRIEF

Ice Melt – Place sheets of newsprint on the floor with space between them. Explain that penguins love to go fishing in the ocean, but once in a while, when orca whales come near, they must hop on icebergs for safety. When the music is playing, the penguins need to swim in the ocean and look for fish to eat. But when the music stops it means an orca is near and the penguins have to hop on an iceberg for safety. But the icebergs are melting and every round one melts away. The goal is to work together to keep all the penguins alive. Repeat this process until only one sheet of newspaper remains for all the penguins to share.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

DEBRIEF

  • Ask the youth what they did in order to save everyone.
  • What were the strategies they used to make sure everyone survived?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

In this game, everyone started out on their own, and over time they all joined together into one colony. In some ways this is like the journey we take as believers. We are all separated, both from God, and in some ways from others. But Christ’s sacrifice on the cross removed the distance between us and God. God brings us together into one family, one church, one body of Christ.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

What do the following verse say about us coming together as one, about the unity God desires from us as Christians?

  • Ephesians 4:1-6
  • Romans 15:5-7
  • Romans 12:4-5
  • I Corinthians 8:6
  • Ephesians 4:11-16
  • Hebrews 2:6-11;17
  • 1 Timothy 2:5
  • I Corinthians 12:4-10
  • Philippians 1:27
  • Ephesians 4:2-6
  1. What are some ways we need to grow together?
  2. What are the benefits of unity?
  3. What are the things that separate us and how can we overcome them?
  4. How can we grow closer?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • How can you contribute to unity in the church? In the youth group?
  • In what are do you find unity most difficult? Why?
  • What is something you can personally do this week to being greater unity?

KEY SCRIPTURE VERSES

  • 1 Timothy 2:5 – “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,”
  • Ephesians 4:1-6 – “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

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Valentine’s Day – Candy Hearts

Candy Conversation Hearts, commonly available near to Valentine’s Day, have been around for close to 150 years. In this youth idea, you’ll get several games to play using the candy hearts as well as ideas to use the messages written on the hearts to tell about God’s Love.

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What You Need

  • A lot of candy hearts

A Brief History

An american named Oliver Chase invented a candy machine that cut candy lozenges in 1847 and 3 years later a machine to pulverise sugar to make the candy. Then in 1866 his brother, Daniel Chase invented a machine to press food dye letters onto the hearts and other shapes to create short messages. They were first shared at weddings, birthday parties, and other celebrations, but over the years became synonymous with Valentine’s Day.

Games using Candy Conversation Hearts

  • Valentine’s Candy Hearts Toss: Place some saucers on top of cups to elevate them at different heights. You may also designate different saucers as having higher point values than others. The youth are given 5 heart candies, and from a designated distance, must toss the candy hearts onto the saucer. Highest score wins.
  • Candy Hearts Pick Up: The youth or who transfers the most hearts from the saucer to a bowl in one minute, using only chopsticks wins the game. Variation: Instead of chopsticks youth must create suction through a straw to transfer the hearts.
  • Conversational Hearts Story Game: Youth are given 10-12 candy hearts with various messages and must use them to create a story of God’s love for us. Variation: allow any story and award prizes for the most serious, the most mushy, the grossest, the funniest and the silliest stories.
  • Candy Hearts Icebreaker: Fill a bowl with Candy hearts and pass it around the group. Each youth takes as much or as little candy as they want. Make sure that no one eats their candy right away. For each candy heart they take, they have to share one fact about themselves. To make it a little more interesting, assign something specific for each color: favorite hobby, food, song, place to visit, most embarrassing moment, greatest fear, etc.
  • Heart Match: Separate several boxes of conversation hearts into pairs of identical words / colors. Give each youth one as he/she arrives. They must mingle and pair up with the person who has the same phrase, but cannot speak any of the words on the heart in the search to find their partner.
  • Candy Heart Charades: Play a game of charades using candy conversation hearts as the messages.
  • Valentine Heart Tower: Have a competition to see who can make the tallest tower of candy hearts, by stacking them one on top of the other. When the time runs out, the team with the tallest standing tower is awarded a prize.

Candy Heart Messages
Over the years, the hearts have contained a variety of creative and touching ways to say “I love you.” They rotate the saying from year to year as well as add new ones.

Some of the more well known ones are:
I Love You, Be Mine, Call Me, Cupid, Dream, Flirt, Friend 4Ever, Heart Throb, I Do, Love Me, Miss You, Soul Mate, Too Cool

They’ve also used:
All Mine, Amore, Angel, Ask Me, Awesome, Be Good, Be My Hero, Be My Icon, Be True, Cool, Cutie Pie, Dear, Dear One, Dig Me, Dream On, Email Me, Fax Me, First Kiss, For You, Get Real, Girl Power, Go Girl, Go Home, Got Love, Heart Of Gold, Hello, Love, Home Sick, Honey Bun, How Sweet, Hug Me, I Heart You, I Hope, I Will, I Wish, I’m Sure, I’m Yours, It’s Love, It’s True, Kiss Me, Let’s Kiss, LOL, Love, Love Ya, Love You, Lover Boy, Marry Me, Miss Me, Moon Beam, My Baby, My Girl, My Hero, My Love, My Man, My Pal, Neat, New Love, Nice Girl, Oh Boy, One I Love, Only You, Page Me, Real Love, Rising Star, Sexy Baby, Smile, So Fine, Sure Dear, Sure Love, Sweet Talk, Thank You, TLC, Too Hot, Too Sweet, True Love, Ura Star, Ura10, Venus, What Ever, Why Not, Yes Dear, You + Me?, You Bet, You Rule, You’re Tops

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Discussion

  • What 1 to 3 word message would you put on candy hearts if you had a chance?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” – Jeremiah 31:33

  • BE MINE – God wants us to accept His love; God calls us to be His. James 1:18; Isaiah 43:1; John 3:16; John 10:27-30; Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:6; Romans 8:38-39; Romans 8:28
  • TRUE LOVE – God loves us with true love – unconditional love. Jeremiah 31:3; 1 John 3:1; 1 John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Lamentations 3:22-25
  • LOVE ME – God wants us to love Him. Luke 10:27; 1 John 4:7-12
  • SWEET TALK – God’s Word is His love letter to us. Psalm 119:103
  • CALL ME – God wants us to communicate with Him. Jeremiah 33:3

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • What words are written on people’s hearts? How do words get written on our hearts?
  • What 1 to 3 word messages do you believe God would want to write on a person’s heart?
  • If a person had the words of God written on their hearts, how would it change them? How would it change their thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • If you were to describe your own heart in 1 to 3 words what words would characterise your heart?
  • What will the keywords will you choose to be on your heart this week as you reveal your heart to God? to others? In your family? In school?

OTHER SCRIPTURE VERSES

  • James 1:18 (NLT)  – “He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.”
  • 2 Chronicles 17:4 (NIV) – “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
  • Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV) – “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
  • Jeremiah 31:33 (NIV) – “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
  • Proverbs 3:3 – “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”

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Thanksgiving: Count Your Blessings

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Not once a year, but every day, we need to count the blessings God has sent us.
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What You Need

  • A blank sheet of paper and something to write with for each person
  • A timer

What to do – Game

  1. On your signal to begin, everyone should write down everything they are thankful for that can be described in two words or less.
  2. Set a timer, for two minutes (or less) and tell them to begin.
  3. When the timer goes off each youth must count how many items they have.
  4. The person with the most items should read their list and if anyone else has those items on their list also, then everyone who has the items must cross them off the list. Only unique items remain.
  5. The next person continues in the same way, calling out the items that remain on his/ her list. If the item is unique it remains. If someone else has the same item, then all who have it cross the item off their lists.
  6. Continue until everyone has gone, then each person must count up the unique items he or she has on the list.
  7. Award a prize for the person with the highest number of unique answers.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Make it Spiritual

* What was the most surprising thing that someone was thankful for?
* How did creating your list affect you?
* Did you have more or less items than you thought you would have?
* How did it make you feel when you discovered that others felt blessed for the same things as you?
* Of all the things on your list, which is most significant for you? Why?

Make it Personal

CREATE A BLESSINGS JAR

  1. Give each youth a blessings jar. While a small jar is nice, any container with a lid will work. Place a label on it “Blessings Jar.” And maybe tie a ribbon on it. You can just as easily decorate a Pringles can or another container. Or even better, have materials for the youth to decorate their own jar.
  2. Give each youth 30-40 small slips of paper. You can also buy a small notepad.
  3. Encourage the youth to start today and for each day from now until the end of the year, at the beginning of each day, to write something down they are thankful for, or that was a blessing for them on the previous day. Place it in the jar each day. Then at the end of the year, encourage them to open the jar and recall the blessings of God for the last few weeks of the year.

SCRIPTURES

Ephesians 5:19-21
“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Colossians 3:17
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

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Fright Night

How do we deal with fear? If you think about it, the Bible has quite a few scary stories suitable for any fright night. In this one, God takes Ezekiel to a valley filled with hundreds, maybe even thousands of dry human bones, they grow flesh and skin and then come back to life as a vast army. Zombie Apocalypse or an all powerful God who has power over life and death?

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What You Need

No supplies are needed for this lesson, but if you want to decorate the meeting room with a lot of skeletons which are easy to find during the Halloween Season. Scatter them about the room and also bone shaped pieces of paper covering the floor.

Discussion Starters

  • Divide the groups into teams and ask them to make a list of everything that comes to mind when you think about Halloween?
  • Most of the things on the list are probably things that are scary or that are related to death.
  • What are some things you are afraid of?
  • What are some of the things that frighten you?

What to do

Turn off the lights and read this scary Bible story.

Read Ezekiel 37:1-10

If you think about it, the Bible has quite a few scary stories suitable for any fright night. In this one, God takes Ezekiel to a valley filled with hundreds, maybe even thousands of dry human bones. God tells Ezekiel to command the bones and the and suddenly the bones begin to move. The legs, arms, ribs, come together. They form skeletons. They grow new tendons and skin. And army of dead men rises up. Then God tells him to speak again and those bones, now covered in flesh, come back to life. Imagine how you would feel to simple stand in a valley filled with dry bones. How would you feel? Then to see them begin to grow flesh back on the bones, yet still be dead. Then come to life?

If we admit it, most of us would be pretty afraid.

COMMON FEARS

  • What are some other things that people are afraid of all year long?

There are hundreds of things that people are afraid of and there are even names for many of these fears. They are called phobias.

GAME #1

One fun idea is to have teams of youth write what they think the definition is. Then each team votes on the definitions. The team whose definition gets the most votes wins 1 point. Any team with the correct definition wins 2 points. Any team that votes on the correct definition gets 1 point.

Top 10 Fears

  1. Arachnophobia – The fear of spiders.
  2. Ophidiophobia – The fear of snakes.
  3. Acrophobia – The fear of heights.
  4. Agoraphobia – The fear of public places
  5. Cynophobia – The fear of dogs.
  6. Astraphobia – The fear of thunder and lightening.
  7. Trypanophobia – The fear of injections.
  8. Social Phobias – The fear of social situations.
  9. Pteromerhanophobia – The fear of flying.
  10. Mysophobia – The fear of germs or dirt.

Here’s some others from the hundreds of fears

  • Demophobia – The fear of crowds.
  • Musophobia – The Fear of mice.
  • Arachibutyrobphobia – The fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth.
  • Gephyrophobia – The fear of crossing a bridge.
  • Belonephobia – The fear of needles.
  • Claustrophobia – The fear of confinement in closed places.
  • Lyssophobia – The fear of insanity.
  • Hydrophobia – The fear of water.
  • Climacophobia – The fear of stairs, elevators, or escalators.
  • Ailurophobia – The fear of cats.
  • Hypengyophobia – The fear of responsibility.
  • Thalassophobia – The fear of the sea or ocean.
  • Panphobia – The fear of everything.

Game #2

Point to one side of the room as you call out each situation. Youth must go to the side which is MORE frightening to them.

  • A room full of spiders – or full of snakes
  • Stand on the edge of a cliff – or crawl through a dark narrow cave
  • Flying in a plane – or Crossing a bridge
  • Dogs – or Cats
  • Swimming in the Ocean – or taking the Elevator / escalator
  • Getting an injection – or going to the dentist
  • A white mouse – or blue cheese
  • Speaking in Public – or People speaking behind your back
  • Thunder and Lightning – or a completely dark night
  • Germs – or hospitals
  • Brussel Sprouts – Liver and onions
  • In a room with a wasp buzzing around – or eat a chocolate-covered ant.
  • Roller skate – or ice skate
  • Walk through a cemetery in the middle of the night – or ask someone for a date for the first time.
  • Take a difficult test – Witness to someone at school

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

  • Tell us about a time when you were the most afraid you have ever been?
  • What happened? What was the end of the story?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

But what does the Bible Say about Fear?

I’ve been told there are 365 “Fear Nots” in the Bible – one for each day of the year. Regardless of how many there are, it is obviously something that is common to all of us. That’s why God mentions it so often.

Here are some Bible verses about fear. What lessons can we learn from them?

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10

“For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”
Isaiah 41:13

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.'”
Romans 8:15

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Psalm 23:4

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?'”
Hebrews 13:5-6

“The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalm 27:1

“The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Psalm 118:6

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?”
Psalm 56:3-4

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”
Psalm 34:4

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28

What do you do when your fears seem to be stronger than your faith?
Have you ever allowed fear to stop you from doing something?
Are there any areas in your life that are being limited because of fear?

“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears”
Psalm 34:4

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

“Be still and know that I am God”
Psalm 46:10

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
Psalms 56:3

“Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes’
Psalm 112:1, 7-8

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • What understandings about fear do you get from these verses?
  • How can you deal with fear based on what you have learned?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • Have you ever been afraid to do something that God would want you do? Explain.
  • How can you live life more courageously for God, know what you have learned about fear?
  • How can you put these verses into practice?

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The Fear of Failure

One of the key issues that everyone faces in life is the “fear of failure”. We all face this fear when we are forced to step out from what is familiar to us and try something new. This creative Bible Study lesson for youth begins with a taste test and then looks at the very real example of Moses when God called him to serve him in Egypt.

What you need

  • Blindfolds for each youth
  • Various unusual foods cut into small pieces and placed in separate bowls (You’ll want unusual textures and flavors)

Here are some you might consider:

90% chocolate, anchovies, any herb or spice, avocado, beef jerky, black liquorice, bitter gourd, black olive, brussel sprouts, candied ginger, candy sprinkles, carrot, celery, century egg, dried fruits, graham cracker, green olive, green olives, green pepper, herring, jelly, jelly beans, jicama, kiwi, kohlrabi, lima beans, m&m’s, mango, maraschino cherries, marshmallows, melba toast, pear, peeled grapes, peppercorns, pickles, pig skin, pineapple, pomegranate, popcorn, raw potato, prawn crackers, prunes, radish, raisins, raw onion, reese’s peanut butter cup, rhubarb, rice cakes, skittles, sliced ginger, sauerkraut, sweet potato, tomato, vanilla wafers, vegemite, wasabe snacks, water chestnut

What to do

  1. Seat the youth, blindfolded, in a circle of chairs.
  2. Explain that you are going to pass around various bowls of food and youth are to take a small piece of food from the bowl, eat it and then pass the bowl on to the next person.
  3. The youth are not allowed to say anything that might reveal the contents to others.
  4. After everyone has had a chance to taste all the foods, display and identify the various foods that were in the bowls.

Debrief

  • How did you feel doing this taste test?
  • What were some of the thoughts that went through your head?
  • What fears and worries did you have? What were some of the risks?
  • How many of you tasted something good? How many of you tried something that tasted bad to you?
  • How do you feel when someone forces you to try something new?

Take it to the Next Level

Make it Spiritual

  • Read Exodus 3:7-4:6
  • Why did moses make so many excuses?
  • What were the fears that Moses had?
  • At the root of these things was the “Fear of failure.” How did God help Moses over come each of his fears?
  • Do we still have these same fears today when asked to try something new?

Make it Practical

  • What excuses do you make when asked to try something that is new to you?
  • What are some of your fears today?
  • What are some of the things you are afraid of trying? Doing?
  • Someone has said that “courage is the absence of fear, but doing the very thing you fear.” What does that mean for you?
  • How can God’s responses to Moses help us in facing our own fears?

Make it Personal
Someone said it this way, I would rather attempt to do something great for God and fail, than to plan to do nothing and succeed.

  • What is God asking you to do today that you are afraid of doing?
  • Stepping out in faith, what are some God honoring risks you can take this week?
  • What is something you need to trust God for in your life this week?
  • What is something you have been putting off in fear that God has called you to do?
  • Pray for God to replace the fear with faith and help you to take action this week? “God, I’m going to trust You in this area!”

SUMMARY
We face a lot of different fears in life. One of the most common fears is this fear of failure. No one wants to fail. We don’t want to fail our family, our friends, ourselves, and God. God almost always ask us to do things that are beyond our comfort zone, that force us to trust Him. Like Moses, one of the first things people do when they fear failure is to make excuses to why they can not do something. But God is with us. He will teach us. He has made us who we are. He is our strength. And he will take us through to the end. You can’t play it safe and please God. If you are controlled by your fears, you will miss many of God’s blessings in your life.

Additional Scripture

Psalm 27:1, 3, 5 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident. For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.”

Psalm 91:2-4 “I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust!’ For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.”

Galatians 1:10 “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Psalm 119:103-104 “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.”

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True Greatness

We are obsessed with competition.  We want to be the best, the fastest, the richest, the strongest, the greatest.  But what does it really mean to be the greatest?  As Christians aren’t we supposed to strive for perfection?  How does God define greatness?

Icebreaker Activity – Who Am I?

  • Make some Identity cards for famous Biblical or historical characters on them.
  • Put the person’s name and one or more characteristics that made them great or famous.
  • Place these cards on the back of people as they arrive and let them go around asking yes or no questions of each other until they learn the identity of the person on the card.

Additional Game Activity (Option #1) – Towels

Have a couple sample size bars of soap and a bucket of water for each team and a towel. Have a relay where each person goes down, washes his/her hands with the bar of soap, dries their hands on the towel and returns. First group to wear down the bar of soap until it is gone wins (if time is an issue, at a specific time, the group with the smallest bar of soap wins. Ask if anyone knows the ancient Latin name for “towel”. Jesus took a towel and wiped the disciples feet to show that it was not the greatest that was important but service to others. Jesus took a “stola” (towel) and wiped the disciples feet to teach them to serve. From this “stola” we get the word “stole”, the cloth that many ministers and choir members wear over their shoulders.

Additional Game Activity ( Option #2) – Opposite

Opposites: In today’s lesson Christ teaches us the opposite of greatness is humility. Play a game or have activity where all the rules are opposite of what they normally are.

Additional Game Activity ( Option #3) – Waiter Relay

Using paper cups and plates etc have them stack cups on a paper plate as on a tray and have relays. If they drop the cups they return to start. Ties in to the lesson by saying that intodays lesson we will learn that we are not to seek greatness but to be servants.

Additional Game Activity ( Option #4) – Shoe Relay

Shoe relay with a twist. Divide into teams. All members take their shoes off and place them in a large pile at the other end of the room. The first in each team runs down, and finds the shoes that belong to the NEXT person in line,
brings them back and puts them on the next person. Shoe laces, etc must all be tied. They then repeat until the entire team is wearing their correct shoes. Award the team that loses. Talk about how it may be a bit degrading to put shoes on for another person, but in today’s lesson we will discover that Christ said the “greatest must be the servant of all!”

Looking at the Scriptures

Mark 9:33-37 Mark 10:35-45

  • As we begin, I would like each of you to share your name and the name of one person you admire. Why? Whom do you consider to be a great person?
  • As we read these two passages, look for what they teach us about ourselves.
  • Can anyone explain everyone’s preoccupation with greatness? Why are people so hung up on who is greatest?
  • What are some examples that show the obsession people have with greatness?
  • Do you think men or women are more concerned with greatness? Or, is there a difference?
  • Is this concept of striving to be the best really all that bad? Explain?
  • Is there any good that comes out of striving to be the greatest?
  • What is wrong with our obsession with greatness? What harm does it do?
  • How have you seen people harmed by someone’s obsession with greatness? Be specific.
  • As Christians, we are immune from this tendency, true or false? Explain.
  • How have you seen the obsession to be the greatest in the church?
  • How has the tendency to strive for greatness demonstrated itself in your life? In what way have you been preoccupied with greatness?
  • When Jesus said, “the first shall be last,” what was he saying? What does it mean to be the servant of all?
  • What would it take to be great in God’s eyes? How does a person become great in God’s eyes?
  • How can you become a servant of all in your daily actions, words, and attitudes?
  • What is one practical way you can serve others you meet this week?

Look at the Mark 10 passage. How does this relate to the first passage?

  • What did Jesus mean by, “Can you drink the cup I drink. . .”?
  • Why did the ten become indignant?
  • Look at vers 42. What was the sin of the “those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles”?
  • What are some examples of the way people try to control or “Lord it over” others?
  • What are some respectable ways that “good” people try to control or “Lord it over” others?
  • Do we have the power to break this tendency to control? Do we have the power to abandon our preoccupation with greatness?
  • What can we do to break the preoccupation with greatness?
  • What is in it for us? How does the preoccupation with greatness hurt us? How would we be benefited by breaking the preoccupation with greatness? Be specific? Would it help you be a student, child, better what? How would it help you?
  • Who would join me in admitting, at least to God, if not yet to another person that you still have a tendency toward preoccupation with greatness?
  • Is admitting to God enough? Someone look up James 5:16 What can you do?

Take it to the Next Level

Step 1: Buy a couple of packs of baseball cards or another type of sports related cards. These cards are collected by many and have pictures of the athlete on the front and stats on the back. Certain cards such as those of Michael Jordan are VERY valuable because of the rarity and because many feel he was the best basketball players. Give youth a few minutes to trade cards then give them an opportunity to explain why they have the best player.

Step 2: Paste white paper over photo’s on the cards or just give youth blank white cards. Have youth make cards for the disciples.. What stats would be important for each? Would their acts of greatness such as miracles or their acts of servanthood be most important?

Step 3: Have youth make a baseball card on themselves. On the back they should write stats for themselves related to humility and service. Also have them list as accomplishments “acts of service” they have performed. They might also create a “heavenly team” name and logo for their team.

Step 4: Have youth Create a Future Baseball Card. What things do they want to be known for as a Christian? What would they Like God / Christ to say about them? What can they do to start living that life today?

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Jesus, My Rock

You’ve heard the hymn:

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

It’s a familiar Hymn, but what does it mean for Christ to be My Rock?

 

Introduction Activity

Materials: Stones of assorted sizes and shapes..

Preparation
Collect a variety of stones of different shapes and sizes. For the first activity you can place all the stones in a common pile, or split them into two separate piles with an equal number of stones.

STAGE 1: Divide into two teams and see which can build the highest tower. The key to doing this will be to make the bottom stable and continue to build the tower as stable as possible.

STAGE 2: In this activity everyone competes again everyone else. Each person in turn places one of the stones on the tower. The first person to place a stone is the only one allowed to place a stone touching the ground. The objective of this stage is for each youth to choose one of the remaining stones and place it on top the already existing stones to build the tower a tower without it falling down. Subsequent stones can rest on any already existing stone, but cannot touch the ground. Any player who knocks the tower down or causes a stone to fall off while placing his/ her stone on the tower is out of the game. Continue until only one player is left. The key to this stage is to try to make it difficult for the next person to place a stone without knocking the tower over.

Debrief
Discuss the strategies of the two games, noting that if you want something to last, you must build on a solid foundation.

Digging into the Word

Read Luke 6:46-49 in your Bible

Jesus asks,
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

In other words, “Why do you say I am Lord of your life and yet you do not listen to me and obey me.” He then gives us a parable of two houses that teaches us four things.

1. The houses looked the same.

Both men in the story built a house. They looked the same, but there was a major difference not noticed by those who passed by. One house had a solid foundation and the other did not. A solid foundation in Biblical times consisted of two things – the actual foundation and a cornerstone.

1A. The Foundation (Reference verses: 2 Tim. 2:19; I Tim. 6:19)

A foundation was a whole substructure of a building. It was something put down to stabilize a building before construction started.

  • What are some of the things people have as the foundation for life?
  • What things do people base their lives upon?

(You may wish to give the stones back to the group members and have each write an answer to the above question on it. Another option may be to play a game of “Jenga” or “Uno Stacko” and have each youth name something people base their lives upon before pulling out a block and replacing it on top. Continue until the stack is toppled. You may wish to destabilise the stack from the onset to speed up the game)

Some of the common answers are:
Wealth, success, fame, acceptance, pleasure, logic, principles, fairness, justice, pleasing others, family, relationships, treasures, accomplishments, and specific goals are all possible answers. Your goal in life, your reason for living, is the foundation of your life.

In I Corinthians 3:10-11 (verses 12-15 are talked about later) Paul talks of building on the foundation of Christ. Christ is the only foundation. To build on anything less than Christ is to build on no foundation at all.

In Ephesians 2:20 Paul tells us that we are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets and even Christ Himself. We have a heritage (a foundation), portrayed for us in the biblical examples by the godly men and women who lived before us. But in order to know the Bible and it•s characters I must spend time in the Word. The stories and testimonies of the people in that great Book give us a first hand example of how to encounter life as Christians.

  • What does your life reveal about your personal foundation?
  • Is Christ your foundation?
  • Do you spend time in the Word studying the character examples of His people? Why or why not?

1B. The CORNERSTONE (Reference verses: I Peter 2:6; Acts 4:11, 12; Matthew 21:42; Isaiah 28:16, Matthew 7:24;1Corinthians 3:11; I Tim. 6:19; 2 Tim. 2:19; Eph. 2:20)

The cornerstone was the basis of a building in the days of Christ. The cornerstone kept the building’s walls lined up correctly. It kept things straight. If the cornerstone was no good, the building crumbled. It’s the same with our lives today. We choose what we want to base our lives on or build them around. When we choose Christ we have chosen what God’s Word says is the most precious cornerstone of all. We can use Christ and his example to line up our lives, to keep things straight. When Peter wrote about Jesus as the corner stone he had a good literal definition from life in Bible times of a corner stone. It was a huge rock large enough to mill wheat or grain that became the huge stone that whole large buildings were built upon. Yet even more importantly he saw first hand, the life of Christ, and could build his life in line with the example and teachings he saw.

In I Peter 2:6, Peter writes that when we believe in, trust in, adhere to and rely on Jesus we will never be disappointed or put to shame, disgraced, made to blush or be dis-honored. Our lives will not crumble as long as we build them according to His blueprints. Peter really believed that life with Jesus Christ was never disappointing.

  • What do you think Peter means that we won’t be dishonored or disappointed if we trust in and rely on Christ?
  • Have you ever been really put to shame or disgraced because of your belief in Christ?

In Acts 4:11, Luke tells us that this cornerstone is the basis of our faith and that it is only through relationship with Jesus Christ that we can have eternal life. Matthew 21:42 says that this was God’s plan and He finds it marvelous! (also refer to Psalms 118:22, 23) God planned for me to base my life on His Son Jesus!

  • What or Who is my cornerstone?
  • Have I rejected Christ in some areas of my life?
  • If I am rejecting Christ, is my ENTIRE building founded on Christ?
  • Is my building, my life, crumbling from poor construction?

Many people in the church are like these two houses. They may profess to be Christians and look like Christians in all their actions, but they are not Christians. Their life in not really built upon Christ. Actions and works do not determine if a person is a Christian. Ephesians 2:8-10 says that we are not saved by good works, but we are reborn or recreated in Christ Jesus for the purpose of doing good works. In John 14:6, John 17:3, and John 5:24 Jesus tells us he is the only way one can go to heaven. In I John 5:11-12 we are told that he who has Christ has eternal life. He who does not, does not have life. There is only one way to be a Christian and that is through Christ as the foundation of your life. A non-Christian can go through the actions of a Christian, and yet still not be a Christian. The house is there for all to see, but there is no foundation.

There are also those who are Christians, and have Christ as a foundation, but choose not to build on that foundation. Having Christ as the foundation is the initial step, but building on that foundation is something done daily, in the everyday decisions of life. How silly it would be if we saw a construction company lay a large solid foundation and then build on the ground instead of the foundation. They could even build with good materials and good works, but without building on the foundation everything built will be swept away. In Luke 14:25-30, 33 Christ speaks of the cost of being a disciple. He uses the parable of a man who wished to build a great tower, but the cost is too great for him to finish it. He is ridiculed because of his folly. To follow Christ is to give up everything for Christ, to surrender all to Him. We too, like the man in the parable, will be ridiculed and seen as a fool if we claim to be a Christian yet build our life upon other things. We need to clear away the rubble and build on the foundation!

1C. Clearing away the rubble.
As you read the focal passage you see that one man dug down deep, to the rock. He cleared away the rubble, removing that which would make his house unstable and building on the rock.

  • What rubble in your life do you need to clear away in order for Christ to be your foundation?

2. The time it took to build the house does not matter.

The time it took to build the house is not mentioned. It doesn’t matter. One may have been going to church and doing good things all his life, but unless Christ is the foundation, the house still will fall. It is never too late to begin building your life with Christ as the foundation.

3. The storms are the same.

A life without storms is not promised to Christians. The storm that hit the house with the solid foundation was no different than the one that hit the house without a foundation. The end result was different, but the storms were not. What is promised Christians is a foundation to weather the storms.

Why does God allow storms in our lives?
a. to teach us.
b. to test us, reveal our character
c. to toughen us up so we are stronger

I Corinthians 3:10-13 talks about the foundation of our lives being revealed IN our lives. God’s Word says there that the trials of life will reveal just what our foundations are made of! It continues on to say that those same experiences will reveal our character and the worth of the work each person has done.

Often it is the response to storms that really differentiates people. Through storms our foundations are shaken. Through storms we discover what areas in our lives have leaks and cracks and need repair. Through storms we may even discover that we never had a foundation. What storms have shaken your foundation?

4. Ultimately, the house without the foundation will fall.

The house will completely collapse that does not have Christ as a foundation. There is no option of a house half standing. What ever is built on the foundation will survive. What is not built on the foundation will be swept away. All things built will one day be judged. It is possible to be a Christian and do the right things, but for the wrong reasons. I Corinthians 3:10-15 says that our works will be judged and us rewarded accordingly. It is possible for us to get to heaven, having only the foundation with everything we have done being burnt up. As a friend once said, we would make it to heaven, but only in our underwear and those likely would be scorched. There would be no rewards. In Matthew 6: 1-8 we are told that God judges not only our actions, but our motives.

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Take It To The Next Level
————————————————————

“Building Plans” Activity

Materials: Stones, paper

Have youth build something with the stones to represent what they want their life to be like. Encourage them to share the commitments they are making for building their life upon Christ.

My building plans…

1. Is my life the same on the outside as everyone else’s, but without a foundation? The foundation, my reason for living, right now is:

I need to make Christ the foundation of my life by:

2. What areas of my life am I not building on the foundation of Christ?

I can surrender these areas to Christ by:

3. Will the faith I profess stand the storms of life? Is Christ a temporary thought, a momentary decision, or a continuing commitment in my life? Explain.

4. Christ isn’t looking for an emotional experience, but commitment and total surrender to Him. I am committed to making my decision more than a mountain top experience, an emotional high. I am surrendering my life to Christ in all areas and truly committed to making Christ the foundation of all I do.

(Signature) __________________________________

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Scripture
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Luke 6:46-49

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

“Who Do You Say that I Am?” Youth Bible Study Series

Looking for a Bible Study Series for the summer that is both evangelistic and also faith building for your Christian youth at almost any level of maturity?

There are 7 Primary Bible study Sessions in the series:

who-do-you-say_sm

  1. Jesus the Life Saver – Matthew 14:22-33
  2. Jesus, My Friend – John 15:9-15
  3. Jesus, Fear Slayer – Luke 8:22-25 or Mark 4:35-41 or Matthew 8:23-27
  4. Jesus, the Healer – Mark 5:22-34 or Luke 8:40-48 or Matthew 9:18-26
  5. Jesus, The Obedient – Luke 7:1-10 or Matthew 8:5-13
  6. Jesus, The Spirit-Powered Man – Luke 4:14-30 (Luke 4:18)
  7. Jesus, The Cleanser – Romans 8:29; Selected Passages

Find out more here:
“Who Do You Say that I Am?” Youth Bible Study Series

Lessons from “Father May I?”

Father May I?

This is a paternal variation of the classic children’s game: Mother, May I?  Use it for Father’s Day or simply to talk about our relationship with the Heavenly Father.

What to do

If you have played the classic game you know that everyone starts out across the room, at an equal distance from mother.  Whoever is mother calls out a person’s name and asks them to take X number of steps forward. If the person steps forward without saying “Mother May I?” he or she is penalised or sent back to the start. However if he or she remembers to say the magic words, mother will reply with directions to take X number of baby steps, ballerina steps, giant steps, scissor steps, spinning steps, crab steps, etc. The first youth to reach mother wins.

Play a variation of the game, where the children or youth don’t ask mother, but instead ask “Father May I?”

Discussion

  • Who make the decisions in your house? Father or mother?
  • On what basis do parents make their decisions?
  • What are the possible consequences of making decisions on our own with guidance from parents?

Take it to the Next Level

Make it Spiritual

How is this game similar to walking with God? In the Bible, the word “walk” is often used to describe our relationship with the Heavenly Father. We don’t stand still nor does God intend for us to go backwards. Sometimes God may ask us to take baby steps, and other times we may need to take a leap of faith. Just like the game, the outcome is a result of our paying attention to God’s instructions and seeking permission before we move.

Make it Practical
In our relationship with the Heavenly Father, if we move without asking first, we may misstep, go in the wrong directions, or experience other unwanted consequences which take us away from the Father. Instead of moving nearer we end up farther away. We draw closer to God when we learn to listen to Him and seek his permission before we move.  Then the actions we take will bring us closer to Him!

Make it Personal

  • What step is God asking you to take today?
  • Does it feel like a baby or giant step?
  • Are you seeking God’s voice, in the direction you are taking in life?
  • How can you become more attentive to his voice and his guidance?
  • What is an area of your life you need to seek God’s permission and guidance in?

Scripture
My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. – John 10:27 (NIV)

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God’s Word – A Mirror for Reflection

James tells us God’s Word is like a mirror (James 1:22-25). Mirrors allow us to see ourselves and to make changes based upon what we see. Unfortunately, many youth not only have a hard time seeing themselves in Scripture, but they also see themselves in a lot of other mirrors which may distort the image they see when they are already struggling to discover who they really are.

 

What to do

Discussion

  1. Ask: What are the characteristics of a mirror?
  2. You can divide the youth into groups and have a competition between teams to make the biggest list of charateristics and uses of mirrors, or simply ask the question and write all the answers on a whiteboard or newsprint/ flipcharts.
  3. Then read James 1:22-25 and ask the youth to highlight ways the Bible is like a mirror using the list they have already created.

Take it to the Next Level

 

Make it Spiritual

Here are some thoughts of characteristics and uses of a mirror applied….

  • We look into the mirror to see how we look and make changes – No one looks into a mirror, sees something he needs to change and then just forgets about it.
  • The better the mirror, the better the reflection. A poor quality mirror often introduces distortions. We must be aware of looking at ourselves through the eyes of others, what we have, or titles and positions, but must instead see ourselves as God sees us. Look into the perfect Word instead of the polluted world.
  • Reflective – God’s Word reflects his personality, reflects his attributes, attitudes, and desires. It also shows us how God sees us.
  • Introspective – Through reading God’s Word, we see Him and we see ourselves and the areas of our lives where we don’t measure up to God’s standards
  • The mirror isn’t the light, but only reflects it – We are not to worship God’s word, but the God that it reveals to us. God’s Word reveals the Light to us: a. Christ the light of the world; b. personal enlightenment
  • Shows the outside, not the inside – In contrast, God’s Word and commandments are not for the purpose of making external changes, but internal changes – heart changes.
  • Reflects the sun (son) or light – God’s Word reflects Christ the Son
  • Able to see yourself as others do – Through God’s Word, we discover what God sees in us and what others also see in us
  • If we focus too much we often lose sight of the overall picture – We need to look at the Bible as a whole, not pulling scriptures out of context, and not getting caught up in petty issues, but keeping a balanced Christian life
  • Can get dirty/ collect dust if not used – Many of our Bibles collect dust throughout the week and our knowledge of God’s Word is forgotten
  • A magnifying mirror is clear in the center and fuzzy and distorted on the edges. – We must have our lives centered upon God’s word. When we are away from it others won’t see us as clear reflections of Christ, but they will get a fuzzy image of Christianity.
  • Looking in carnival mirrors give you a distorted image of yourself. – Unless we are looking into the true mirror, God’s Word, we will get a distorted image of ourselves. Also beware of preachers who make you laugh, but never really give you God’s Word or have application to their sermons. They may just be carnival mirror preachers!
  • A mirror can break – Although a mirror can break, God’s word will stand forever.
  • The only thing you usually get from a shattered mirror is a cut hand! – Often, when we have shattered families, or other aspects of our lives are shattered, we get wounded because we use these things as our mirrors instead of God’s Word.
  • You can’t see much in a small mirror – In the same way, you can’t see yourself or God very much in a few Bible verses, but the more of God’s Word you look into, the better you see yourself and God
  • Usually when we look in the mirror, we only see the obvious things – Often when we read God’s word the things that are most obvious are what we realise. Later when we read these again, other things will be made evident to us by the Holy Spirit.
  • There are different types of mirrors for different purposes (Periscopes, Rearview mirrors, etc.) – Different verses in God’s word reveal mistakes that are already behind us, and those that are possible in the future
  • Obstacles in the way of a mirror block out parts of the picture – Obstacles in our lives prevent us from see the whole picture as God sees it.
  • The further you get from a mirror the less detail you see, the closer you get, the more detail you see. – This is the same effect as getting close or farther from God’s Word.
  • Quick glances into the mirror don’t help much. – To really see what needs work, you must spend time in God’s word, focusing and concentrating. A quick reading through the word rarely does us much good.
  • Sometimes it is necessary to look from a different angle to get a better perspective. It is the same with God’s Word. Try approaching scripture from a variety of vantage points.
  • No one ever looks in a mirror just to see the glass – We look into the Bible not to see the Bible, but to see God and ourselves

Have more ideas to share, please email me as I’d love to hear what your groups come up with!  Share in the comments.

Make it Practical
What are some of the things we learn about ourselves from the Bible?

Make it Personal
How should we respond based on the reflection we see?

Scripture

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” – James 1:22-25

Appreciate Mothers (Mother’s day Idea)

We must never underestimate the role that our mothers play in teaching us about God, about His Word, and about salvation. From a very early age, a mother is preparing us for life. Teaching us about our Creator and Redeemer is part of God’s purpose for mothers, and we must appreciate the godly mothers and honor them for taking up the challenge of preparing us for life.

Resources

You’ll need one set of these for every three youth:

  • Pair of clean (not smelly) socks
  • Hard boiled egg
  • Plastic cup

OR

  • A set of puzzle pieces from a small puzzle or cut out from a postcard or magazine and
  • a blindfold for each group.

What to do (Option 1)

  1. Divide the youth into groups of three.
  2. Give each group a pair of socks, one hard boiled egg, and a small cup.
  3. One person in each group must wear the pair of socks, one over each hand.
  4. Place the hard boiled egg in the cup and then place the cup is in thecsock-covered hands.
  5. Give the following instructions:

“The person with the socks is a friend who has come to you with a problem. He or she needs to peel the hard boiled egg so that no shell remains on it and place all the shells in the cup. Your friend may not remove the socks from his or her hands. Discuss the problem briefly then take action and help your friend. When your group finishes, remain where you are and quietly observe the other groups still working a their task. No other instructions will be given. Go!”

What to do (Option 2)

  1. Divide the youth into groups of three.
  2. Blindfold one member of each group. This blindfolded youth can talk and use his or her hands.
  3. Assign another youth in each group who can ONLY talk.
  4. The third youth in each group can use hands, but he or she CANNOT talk, and CANNOT touch the puzzle pieces.
  5. Give the following instructions:

“The objective is to be the first group to put the puzzle together. Your friend may not remove the blindfold. Discuss the problem briefly then take action and to help your friend complete the puzzle. When your group finishes, remain where you are and quietly observe the other groups still working a their task.”

Take It to the Next Level

Discussion

  • What were the instructions given?
  • What were the rules of the game?
  • What resources did you have?
  • What limitations did you experience?
  • What strategy did you team use to accomplish the task?

Make it Spiritual

In most cases you will find the unhandicapped persons peeling the egg and doing all the work or the blindfolded person being taken through a complicated process to complete the puzzle. The less obvious solution and the point of the task is to enable the individual to become free to help himself or herself. This is best accomplished if the two helpers remove the socks from their friend’s hands, or the person able to use his hands, but not touch the pieces to remove the blindfold thus freeing their friend to complete the task. (The directions only stated that the person with the socks or blindfold could not remove them.)

There were three ways around the problems:

  1. Do it for the person
  2. Instruct the person on how to accomplish the activity or
  3. Enable the person to do it him or herself.

This the role God has given parents. When we are born, we are very dependent on them to do everything for us. But very soon, they will start releasing some of that role and teaching us, then enabling us to do things for ourselves, to overcome our limitations. We gain strength, knowledge, skills, and wisdom to be the person God created us to be. It would be a sad state to never grow and mature and never be able to care for ourselves and someday care for others. But the role of parents is not simply to equip us for life with knowledge, skills and wisdom. We were created as spiritual beings so that role also extends to preparing us for our relationship with our Creator and Redeemer.

Make it Practical

  1. Make a list of things you have learned from your parents – skills and knowledge.
  2. What have you learned from your parents, by example and by their teachings about God?
  3. What is our responsibility related to learning from our parents?

Make it Personal

  1. Thank your mother for sharing with you lessons and skills to prepare you for the purpose God created you for.

Scriptures

“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother•s teaching.”
– Proverbs 1:8

“My son, observe the commandment of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.”
– Proverbs 6:20

King Lemuel in Proverbs 31:1 said that it was his mother who taught him about how to recognize a godly woman who would be a godly mother for his children.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
– Proverbs 22:6 ESV

“The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.”
– Proverbs 29:15 ESV

“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
– Deuteronomy 6:7 ESV

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
– 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV

“A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.”
– Proverbs 15:5 ESV

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:14-17 ESV (Timothy’s godly heritage was a result of his mother and her mother before her (2 Timothy 1:5).

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”
– Luke 2:52

“He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.”
– Psalm 78:5-6 (See also Deuteronomy 4:10)


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Bible Times Interview

Reporters often get to meet the most amazing people in their line of work, interacting with celebrities, political leaders, inspirational figures, people facing tragic circumstances, heroes, athletes, the wealthy and the poorest of the poor. We get to read about their experiences and hopefully, learn something and grow. Our Bibles are full of newsworthy stories and this activity will help your youth appreciate its depth by looking at it from a different point of view.

 

Icebreaker to this idea
Out of all the people in the Bible, who would you visit, and why? And if you had the opportunity to ask them any question, what would you ask?

 

Resources

  • Bibles, of course!
What to Do
Imagine that you are a newspaper reporter sent back in time to interview one of the people mentioned in the Bible. You want to ask about all aspects and events in that person’s life. The characters in the Bible were much like you an me, not perfect, but still used by God. Here’s a list of interview questions you might ask.  Find the answers in the Bible when possible, and when not available, based upon what you do know about the person, how might they answer?

 

Name
  • What is the meaning of your name?
Birth
  • When were you born, and where?
  • Was there anything special about your birth?
Parents / relatives
  • Tell me about your family.
  • What is the your family background?
  • Tell me about your parents and relatives.
  • What were your parents views on spiritual things?
Society
  • Tell me about where you lived? Your nation? Your city? Your culture?
  • What was daily life like?
  • To what places did you travel? Why? What did you do there?
Your Status
  • Tell me about your job history?
  • How did your job history prepare you for your role in the scriptures?
  • Did you change roles or start doing something different? Why?
  • Did you have any special titles or honors?
  • If you were alive today, what role do you think you would take in today’s world?
  • Who would you be most like in the world today?
Relationships
  • Who were your friends? Your enemies? Other people you met?
  • Tell me a bit about your relationships and how they influenced you?
  • Tell me about your spouse, your children? Describe your relationship to them. What influence did you have on each other?
  • What influence did you have on the people you encountered in your life?
Character
  • How would your friends describe your character? Your enemies?
  • What do you see as your greatest strengths? Weaknesses?
  • What kind of person were you?
  • What were your flaws? Failures? Faults? What was the source, the cause, and the cure?
  • What were your greatest virtues? Why?
Key Events
  • What key things happened in your life to make you the person I have read about in the Bible?
  • What things influenced your thinking and beliefs?
  • What were the biggest challenges you faced? What were some of the most difficult circumstances you faced and how did they affect you?
Legacy
  • What were some of your successes and your failures? What lessons did you learn from them? What happened to you?
  • What important contributions did you make? What opportunities did you miss?
  • What was your greatest acheivement in life? How did this achievement help or hurt others?
  • What was the end of the story for you? What were some of your victories? Your defeats?
  • What were some of the greatest lessons others could learn from your life? Examples to follow? Things to avoid?
Ommissions
  • What were some of the details of your life that were left our of scripture? Why?
Spiritual
  • Describe yourself Spiritually.
  • When did you encounter God? How?
  • How did your encounter with God change you?
  • Describe your relationship with Him.
  • What might God say about you?
  • Describe some key events related to your spiritual growth?
  • What was your basic response to spiritual things and to God?
Lessons
  • What is one lesson I should learn from your life?
  • How can the power, the love, the knowledge of God shine through the story of your life? What does your life reveal to us about God?
Going Deeper
You may wish to zero in on an event and ask the person about how they felt and what they learned from a specific incident.
  • Tell me what happened?
  • How did you feel about what happened?
  • What did you learn from the event?
  • How affect did the event have on you? others?
  • Why was this event important?
  • What should others learn from this event?
  • What are some events and issues in the world today, they might have an opinion on? What wisdom do you think they would share?

Take it to the Next Level

Making it Personal
The characters in the Bible were much like you an me, not perfect, but still used by God. Thinking about, understanding, and relating to what they went through very often gives us insight into our own situations and how to learn and grow through them.
  • What is the most memorable part of their story?
  • What is God telling me from this person’s life story?
  • How am I encouraged and strengthened?
  • What has it taught me about myself and how I need to change and grow?
  • What has it taught me about God and how I need to respond to Him?

Think about a situation in your life story you’re still dealing with. Surrender it to God and allow him to work in and through you just as He did in the lives of countless others so many years ago.

Not sure where to find that famous Bible personality?

Here’s a nice list of famous people in the Bible!


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What is the Church?

There really isn’t a “best” way to describe the church. Even the writers of the New Testament found it difficult to describe and used a ton of metaphors to help relate the place of the church in its community and the world. We hope this activity helps your youth not only identify with the mission and purpose of the church, but to find their unique place and role within it as well.

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

Resources

Objects, pictures, or simply index cards with words on them that represent the Church

  • Bride – Wedding ring
  • Vineyard – Bunch of grapes
  • Flock – Sheepskin
  • Family – Family Photo
  • Nation – A Globe
  • Catholic Collar – Priest
  • Building / House – Monopoly house
  • Salt – Salt Shaker
  • Body – A Barbie or Ken Doll
  • Lampstand – Candlestick
  • Loaf – Loaf of bread
  • City – City map
  • Field – Bag of soil
  • Light – Flashlight
  • Fisherman – Fishing Pole
  • Army – Toy Soldier
  • Temple – Small Church with Steeple
  • New Race – Photo of people from diverse ethnic groups

What to Do

  1. Divide into groups and distribute one of the words, photos or objects to each group.
  2. Give groups have ten minutes maximum to generate a list of qualities based on a keyword, photo, or object as it reflects the church.
  3. Each group must choose a spokesperson from their group to present their group’s responses.
  4. Have each spokesperson take five minutes each to present their group’s responses.
  5. When everyone has finished, celebrate their efforts and spend some time to highlight interesting points that were presented by the students.

Variations

  1. Spread the cards, photos or objects out before the group and have them pick one that best represents an experience or a feeling that they have had as a member of the church or youth group. Go around the group and ask each participant to share why they picked what they did and why that represents them or an experience they have had in the church or youth group.
  2. Place cards or photos on each person’s forehead or back and let them try to guess what is on their back by everyone’s reaction to them. No talking is allowed.
  3. Play a game of charades using the words.

Scripture References

Family
(Hebrews 2:10-11; Galatians 4:1-7; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Matthew 12:49-50; Ephesians 2:19; Galatians 6:10; 1 Timothy 5:1)
Do your treat other members of your church as part of the same family, as an extended household?

House
(Hebrews 3:6; 1 Timothy 3:14-15; 1 Peter 4:17; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:6-7; Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 118:22; 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Corinthians 3:11-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19)

Fishermen
(Matt. 4:19)
Does your church cast its influence outside in order to capture lost souls for Christ?

Flock
(Matthew 10:16; 26:31; Acts 20:28-30; I Peter 5:1-3; John 21:15-17; John 10:11-15; Col. 1:13)
Are there shepherds in your church guiding and protecting those who are easily lost? Do the members of your church seek and follow the direction of the one Shepherd together?

Body of Christ
(1 Corinthians 12:12, 27; Ephesians 4:12, 5:23,30; Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 10:17; Colossians 1:24; Eph. 4:12, 16)
Do the members of your church see themselves as part of the same organism with different abilities working together for the common good?

Bride of Christ
(2 Corinthians 11:2, 11:12; Ephesians 5:25, 31-32; Romans 7:4, Revelation 19:7-8, 21:9)
Are they actively engaged in being loved by Christ and loving Him in return?

New Race
(Gal. 6; Eph. 2; 1 Pet. 2)
Do the members of your church see themselves as part of a new group of people brought together in Christ and not by physical race, nationality, gender, and social class?

Salt
(Matt. 5:13)
Do the members of your church preserve, and give others a taste of Christ?

An Army
(Eph. 6:10-1 7, 1 Thess. 5:8)
Do the members of your church see themselves as part of one army that is growing in spiritual life and conquering anything that stands in the way between them and God?

A Holy Priesthood
(1 Pet. 2; Rev. 1; 5)
Do all the members of your church serve God and draw near to him?

Light
(Matt. 5:14)
Do the members of your church bring light to the world’s darkness and shine for Christ in all things?

A Holy Nation
(1 Pet. 2; Rev. 1; 5)
Do their values reflect that of the Kingdom of God or this present culture?

A Golden Lampstand
(Rev. 1-2)
Does your church bear the light of Christ?

One Loaf
(John 12; 1 Cor. 10)
Are the members of your church so connected together that they have lost their independence and individualism? Or do they live as independent, individualistic, uncrushed grains of wheat?

God’s Field
(1 Cor. 3)
Are they passing through spiritual seasons together and growing into Christlikeness as the word of God takes root in their life?

A Vineyard
(John 15; saiah 65:8)
Is your church like a vineyard where the cluster of grapes lives and grows together?

A Temple
(1 Cor. 3; 2 Cor. 6; 1 Pet. 2; 2 Cor. 5, Eph. 2:19-22)
Are the members of your church being built together?

A City
(Php. 3; Heb. 12; Rev. 21-22; Gal. 4:26)
Are the practices of your church based on human tradition, or are they built on the spiritual principles of the city of God?

Take It to the Next Level

These objects are all metaphors for the church in the New Testament that help Christians understand who we are as a church, and our relationship to each other in the church, and to the world.

Make it Spiritual

  • What connections did you make with the church?
  • • What connection was most meaningful to you? Why?

Make it Personal

• What is one characteristic you would like to develop in your church?
• What can the youth do to immediately start developing that trait in your church?
• What will you personally start doing to see that characteristic is displayed in your church?

Good Friday – Easter’s Great EGGsChange

Youth will have a quiz for which the losing team will receive punishment, but one of the youth leaders will step in and take the punishment on their behalf. The activity is a metaphor for the exchange that took place when Christ took our place and died for our sins on the cross.

Resources

  • Bibles
  • Uncracked Raw Egg
  • Disposable Raincoat or garbage back with holes cut in it for arms and the head
  • Garbage bags or newspaper to place on the floor to make it easy to clean up any splattered egg.
  • Damp towel for clean up.

What to do

  1. Divide the youth into two teams.
  2. Each team of youth must choose someone to represent them for an Easter Quiz.
  3. Only the team representative can answer the questions, but the team can help them with the answers by using their bibles and discussion the answer. The choice of representative is final and the team cannot choose a replacement.
  4. Once a representative has been chosen, and the final decision has been made. Explain that the losing team’s representative will be punished by having a raw egg cracked on his or her head.
  5. Scoring: The first team representative to answer correctly scores a point. Wrong answers lose a point. The first team get 5 points wins the game.
  6. After you have declared a winner, have the losing representative prepare for his or her punishment.
  7. Have him or her sit on a folding chair with a sheet of plastic underneath to protect the floor.
  8. Bring out the unbroken raw egg. Talk about how the egg is going to make such a mess and how it runs down your face. Be sure to tell them to plug their ears with their fingers and close their eyes to prevent the raw egg from getting in them.
  9. Then, when they are all prepared, have another leader take the place of the youth and crack the raw egg on the leader’s head.
  10. Encourage the youth to cheer for the volunteer and let them leave the room to clean up.

Questions about the crucifixion

  • Who was forced to carry the cross for Jesus?
     Simon of Cyrene (Matt. 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26).
  • What is the name of the way that Jesus walked to His crucifixion?
    The Via Dolorosa, “Way of Suffering.”
  • What is the name of the place where Jesus was crucified?
    In Hebrew, Golgotha (Matt. 27:33; Mark 15:22; John 19:17).In Greek, the skull (Luke 23:33).In Latin, Calvary.
  • What was the purpose of the writing attached to the cross?
    They gave the crime for which the person was being executed.
  • What inscription did Pilate put on the cross of Jesus?”
    Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (John 19:19).
  • What were Jesus’s first words on the cross?
    “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
  • In what languages was it written?
    Aramaic, Latin, and Greek (John 19:20).
  • What is the first prophecy that was fulfilled by those who crucified Jesus after He was nailed to the cross?
    They cast lots over Jesus’ garments (John 19:24).
  • Who are the three women named in scripture who stood by the cross (John 19:25)?
    Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary’s sister–the wife of Cleopas, Mary Magdalene
  • What was the second thing Jesus said from the cross and to whom was it given (John 19:27)?
    To Mary: “Woman, behold, your son”; to John, “Behold your mother!”
  • At what hour was Jesus actually crucified?
    The third hour–nine a.m. (Mark 15:25).
  • At what hour did darkness cover the earth?
    The sixth hour (Matt. 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44).
  • How long did the darkness last?
    Three hours (Matt. 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44).
  • Around the ninth hour, what did Jesus cry out?
    “My God, My God, why has Thou forsaken me?” (Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani).
  • What was Jesus’ next-to-last utterance from the cross and to what did it refer?
    “It is finished.” It referred to the penalty He paid on the cross (John 19:30).
  • At the death of Jesus, what strange things occurred?
    a. The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 21:45).
    b. There was an earthquake (Matt. 27:51).
    c. Rocks were split apart (Matt. 27:51).
    d. Tombs were opened (Matt. 27:52).
    e. There were many resuscitations of the dead. They entered into the city, appeared to many, and stayed alive until after Jesus’ resurrection (Matt. 27:52-53).
  • The fear occasioned by these awesome events moved the centurion at the foot of the cross to make what profession?
    That Jesus was a righteous man and truly the Son of God (Matt. 27:54; Mark 15:39; Luke 23:47).
  • How did the multitudes respond to these strange events?
    They returned to the city beating their breasts (Luke 23:48).
  • What reason did the Jews give to have Pilate break the legs of those crucified?
    So as not to defile the sabbath-day Passover (John 19:31).
  • Instead of breaking Jesus’ legs, they did something else to Him, since He was already dead. What?
    They pierced His side (John 19:33-34).
  • What resulted from the piercing, signifying that death had occurred?
    Blood and water flowed out (John 19:34).
  • What two prophecies relate to Jesus’ legs not being broken?
    a. No bone shall be broken (Exod. 12:46; Num. 9:12; Ps. 34:20).
    b. They will look on me, the one they have pierced (Zach. 12:10).
  • Who asked Pilate for the body of Jesus for burial?
    Joseph of Arimathea (Matt. 27:54; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50; John 19:38).
  • How did Pilate confirm that Jesus had in fact died?
    He called in the centurion in charge of the crucifixion (Mark 15:44-45).

Take it to the Next Level

Make it Spiritual

  • Ask the team leader, “How did it feel to let someone else take your punishment?”
  • Ask the teams, “What were your thoughts as you watched an innocent person suffer?”
  • How was this activity similar to what Jesus did on the cross?
  • Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?
  • How does it make you feel knowing that Jesus exchanged his life for yours on the cross?
  • How do you think his mother and the disciples felt as they watched Jesus suffer and die?
  • He told them many times about his death, but do you think they really understood?
  • Read John 3:16.

Make it Practical

  • Lets look at what really happened from Mark 15:16-37
  • Ask the youth to follow along as you read the passage. Explain that when you come to a part where someone is speaking (people, soldiers, etc) you will stop and they must read aloud the words of the people in the passage. Say they words with full emotion as if you were really there at the crucifixion. (Don’t worry about different translations as it will make it seem more real like various voices in a crowd)
  • If you want to add even more realism, have someone strike a hammer on a nail in wood every, or two hammers together, every few seconds while reading.
  • Read the passage out loud. Pause at verses 18, 29-30, 31-32, and 35-36.
  • To add even more meaning, grab some large square nails or long nails from the local hardware store and give one to each youth. Ask them to hold the nail and think about what Christ went through when he exchanged his life for theirs on the cross.

Make it Personal

  • If you were the only person alive, Christ would have still died for you.
  • How do you personally feel, knowing Christ, perfectly innocent, died for you?
  • How does it make you want to respond? to live your life differently?

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Easter: Taken by Surprise

We all make plans for big events and the next big one coming up is Easter. We often find that things rarely go according to how we intend and we tend to get caught off guard. The Easter account is full of surprises. Like the plot twist at the end of a suspense novel, all the characters get the surprise of their lives and their lives are never the same again. Here’s a fun game you can play that expresses the surprising Easter story!

Resources

  • Colored Easter Eggs

Preparation

  1. Prepare a variety of Easter eggs in different colors (black, white, red, yellow, blue, green, orange, and purple), some with numbers (7, 11, 13, and 15) and some without.
  2. Hide them around the room or a designated area.

What to Do

  1. Before starting the game, divide the youth into 2 or more teams.
  2. Tell them they have 10 minutes to find all the eggs. You might have to extend the time depending on the size of the group or the playing area.
  3. Let them know it is a team competition and that some eggs will be worth more than others.
  4. You are also allowed to trade eggs with other teams once your find them.
  5. When you announce the game has begun, the youth search for eggs, trying to acquire the eggs they think are worth the most and trading eggs with each other based on what they think the true value is.
  6. Only you will know the true value of the eggs and the meaning of the numbers.
  7. When the time is up, gather the teams together and reveal the scoring system for the eggs:

Colors: (Substitute colors as needed)

  • Black = 30 points
  • Red = 10 points
  • Yellow = 5 points
  • Blue = 2 points
  • Green = minus 2 points
  • Orange = minus 5 points
  • Purple = minus 10 points
  • White = minus 30 points

Numbers:

  • 7 = subtract 50
  • 11 = double score
  • 13 = add 50
  • 15 = add 1

Take It to the Next Level

In this game, you thought you knew the outcome. You had an idea of the meaning of the eggs and the numbers. You thought you knew the rules. You thought you had a plan. You thought you knew what to expect. But you were surprised.

Sometimes what seems a solid victory can actually be a defeat. What seems a defeat can be a victory. Sometimes the ending of the story is actually the beginning. The expected gives way to the unexpected and we are surprised. With God there are many things which are certain. But there are also things that only He understands. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Make it Spiritual

  • Like the game, the Easter Story is full of surprises – some pleasant and some unpleasant. What are some of the surprises in the easter story?
  • What expectations did the disciples have? The pharisees? The crowd? The criminals on the cross? The Guards at the tomb? Satan? The other characters in the story?

His disciples were surprised. In the hours after Christ’s crucifixion, believers huddled together in fear behind locked doors. Then Jesus appeared, inside the locked room, in their midst. Can you imagine the surprise?

Can you imagine the surprise of those who persecuted Christ? The religious leaders surely thought that they had won. The so called Messiah would never question their authority or their righteousness again. Can you imagine how they felt when they heard about the empty tomb?

Can you imagine Satan’s surprise? It seemed that God had allowed Christ to placed under the heel of death. You can imagine his satisfaction as he watched Jesus’ head fall onto His chest, the last breath leaving His body on that terrible Friday afternoon. “We have won!” But can you imagine His surprise when Jesus rose from the dead, stole the victory from him, and conquered sin and death?

Can you imagine the surprise of the Roman soldiers guarding the tomb? Jesus was a convicted rebel put to a very painful death for his crimes. He was a rebel. He was argumentative and angered many powerful people. Even the crowd wanted his blood. And as the soldiers were guarding the tomb can you imagine their surprise when they felt a violent earthquake and the appearance of an angel who rolled away the massive stone. Matthew reported they were so petrified they were shaken stiff – just like dead men.

The women visiting Jesus’ tomb were surprised.  They were expecting to tend to a corpse. They came prepared with spices but they saw an angel actually speaking to them and telling them the unbelievable story that Jesus is not dead, and has risen. They were the first to be told that Jesus had risen from the dead. They were the first to hear of the news and Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene personally! Not surprisingly, when they reported this to the apostles, the apostles thought that what the women said was nonsense and they did not believe them (Luke 24:11).

The greatest Surprise? Of all the surprises that Easter morning, the greatest surprise is that a holy, perfect God would be willing to die for sinful man. That He died for you and He died for me. And that He rose again so will we – that’s the true surprise of the Easter story.

Make It Personal

  1. When you are surprised, what reactions do you have? How do you feel? What is the difference between a pleasant surprise and an unpleasant one? Do any make you feel the need to make changes?
  2. What surprises you in the Easter Story? What do you think should surprise us more?
  3. How is Jesus’ whole life a surprise to many?
  4. How do we assign value to people? Are there some people you consider less valuable than others? How does God value people? Does his value differ from ours?

Make It Practical

You are valuable to God. Not just you, the lost, the sinful, the broken hearted, the poor, the rich, everyone has value to God. Just how valuable? They say you only know the true value of something by what someone else is willing to trade for it. God traded His beloved Son and Jesus paid the price Himself, for you. That’s how valuable you truly are.

This Easter, how can you share God’s love with someone and let them know that it’s not just you who sees their true value, but how much more God does? What are you willing to trade to show someone else the love of Christ? Commit to surprising someone with the love of Christ through your words or deeds this week!

Scripture References

“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'”
– Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

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Shepherds and Sheep: Ezekiel 34

God often uses the metaphor of a Shepherd and a sheep in both the Old and New Testament Scriptures. It was something that the people were familiar with. We might not be as familiar with shepherds and sheep today, but the metaphor is still a powerful illustration of leadership as well as our common behaviors in the church. Ezekiel 34 is full of lessons on leadership and how we treat each other. It’s all full of promises. While these promises were initially given to the children of Israel, they also hold important truths for us today as God’s Children.

What to do

Following is a list of characteristics from the Ezekiel 34:1-31. These can be used in several ways.

  1. Write the categories on the board and have a competition between teams. Randomly read phrases from the lists. The first team or team member to identify the correct category for the phrase scores a point. The team which correctly identifies the most phrases wins.
  2. Play a game such as “ring on a string.” or another game where a person becomes “it” When a person becomes “it”, they must correctly place one of the phrases under the appropriate category.
  3. Play a game of “Sheep in the field.” Sit in a circle. The first person says “one sheep ” the 2nd “lost in the field” the 3rd “Baa” Then the same phrases are used but with “two sheep” and each phrase repeated twice. The “three sheep” with each phrase repeated three times. This game must be done very rapidly if someone hesitates and breaks the rythem or makes a mistake they must correctly place one of the items below a category.
  4. Split the youth into groups and in a given time limit, have them list all the characteristics of the shepherds or the sheep in this passage.  After time is up have them call out the characteristics.  If more than one group lists the same characteristics they cross them off their list.  The team with the most unique characteristics (those from the passage not found by the other group) wins.

Here are some partial lists I created

1. Characteristics of God as Shepherd

  • He will rescue the sheep
  • He will search for the sheep
  • He will look after the sheep
  • He will rescue the flock from the mouth of the shepherds
  • He will rescue the sheep that have been scattered
  • His Sheep will be tended in good pasture
  • His Sheep will lie down in good grazing land
  • He will bring back the strays
  • He will bind up the injured
  • He will strengthen the weak
  • He will destroy the sleek and strong
  • He will judge between the sheep
  • He will judge between rams and goats
  • He will place one shepherd over the sheep

2. Characteristics of the leaders of Israel as Shepherds

  • They will only take care of themselves
  • They will not strengthen the weak
  • They will not heal the sick
  • They will not bind up the injured
  • They will not bring back the strays
  • They will not search for the lost sheep
  • Their sheep became food for the wild animals
  • They ate the best sheep
  • They are clothed in the best wool from the sheep
  • Their heep were like those without a shepherd
  • They will be held responsible as a shepherd
  • They will be removed by God

3. General Characteristics of sheep in general

  • Dumb
  • Tend to stay in flocks
  • Do whatever the other sheep do
  • Cannot defend themselves
  • Easily wander off and get lost
  • Need to be led to food & water
  • Dependent upon shepherd

4. Characteristics of the Fat sheep in the passage

  • Feed on the pastor and then trample the rest with their feet
  • Drink clear water and the muddy the rest
  • Shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with horns until they are driven away.
  • Plunder the flock.

Take it to the Next Level

Make it Spiritual

  • Who was the parable written to? 
    (While written to the children of Israel, many of the principles also apply to us as children of God.)
  • What are the main characters in this parable?
    (Sheep, rams, goats, wild beasts, Shepherds, God the shepherd)

Make it Practical

  • In this parable, different kinds of sheep are mentioned. Can you name them? 
    (Weak, Sick, Injured, Lost, Fat, Lean, sleek, strong. What does each represent?)
  • Pastor literally means shepherd. How is a pastor or leader like shepherd?
  • From this passage, what are the qualities of a good shepherd? What are some of the qualities of a bad shepherd? When it comes to leadership among your friends what qualities do you share with the shepherds? What are the ways leaders in the church might show the same qualities today? What are some actions that might be examples of each quality?
  • This passage also lists some activies or actions of the sheep. What are some things the sheep do?
    (Trample, Drink, Muddy the water, lie down, feed, shove, butting the weak, driving others away. What are some actions that Christians youth do today that could be represented by these?)
  • What are God’s promises to the flock?

Make it personal.

  • Of the different characters in the Parable, which one are you most like? Shepherd or leader? The different sheep? Weak, Sick, Injured, Lost, Fat, Lean, sleek, strong? What are your actions toward others in the flock?
  • If God were to share this story with you, what lesson do you think he would want you to take from it? How can you be more caring toward God’s people either as a shepherd leader or as simply another one of the sheep?

Scripture References

  • Ezekiel 34:1-31
  • Ezekiel 34:31 “You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

God Says

This learning game is a great way to introduce the concept of obedience to God. It can also be used for famous Biblical personalities (See the list at the end) that practiced hearing God and obedience to Him.

What to Do

  1. Tell the youth that they must only obey you if you first say the words “Simon says.”
  2. If they follow an order that doesn’t begin with “Simon says,” or if they fail to do what Simon SAYS to do they will be eliminated from the game. Remember, they have to do what “Simon” says, NOT what “Simon” does.
  3. Start with something simple like, “Simon says, put your hands on your head.” Put your hands on your head to demonstrate what you are asking them to do. Once you have given the instruction, take note of those who who did not follow the instruction and eliminate them from the game.
  4. Continue to give instructions, prefacing them with “Simon says” and eliminating those who fail to follow the instructions. “Thumbs Up” “Thumbs down” Shout out a phrase. Be sure to include a lot of funny and silly things to get everyone laughing.
  5. Mix things up by also saying things like, “Raise your right hand,” without the preface “Simon says.” Eliminate the youth who raise their hands.
  6. Continue to play, randomly choosing to give instructions with and without prefacing them with “Simon Says” and eliminating players until only one person is left. This is the winner.

You can play a second, more challenging round by:

  1. Giving the instructions quickly and keep the pace moving fast.
  2. Giving instructions in a quick series.
  3. Use phrases like “Do this” while making the motions you want copied. Other examples include “And This”, “Put it down”, “Put it back”, etc. Many of the youth will simply copy your gestures and be eliminated from the game.
  4. Relax and give simple instructions once in a while that seem as if they are not commands but instructions for how to play the game: “Relax”, “Straighten up your line”, “If you are having fun in this game, raise your hand”, etc. Some of the youth will let down their guard and be eliminated from the game.
  5. You can also call players by name and ask them to do simple tasks like “Move back a step”, “Get me a pencil” etc. You can point to a youth and tell them to tell you their name again, and other similar phrases.
  6. Or, you can simply follow this script:
    • “Ok everyone stand up. I thought you said you knew how to play Simon Says! I thought you were ready! Ok I’ll give you one more chance.
    • Simon says Stand up. That was slow! Sit back down.
    • Simon says touch your nose. Simon says rub your belly.
    • Simon says spin around in a circle. Ok you can stop.
    • Simon says stop.
    • Simon says touch your head, Simon says touch your mouth, Simon says touch your shoulders, Simon says touch your ears, Simon says touch your hips, touch your knees.
    • Simon says touch your knees (while touching head), Simon says touch your hips (while touching ears), Simon says touch your nose (while touching knees), Simon says touch your ears (while touching shoulders), Simon says touch your hips, touch your head.
    • Ok all those who are still in the game, give yourselves a big hand!”

Take It to the Next Level

Discussion

How many of you found this simple game to be an unexpected challenge?
What was it that made it hard to follow instructions?
To those who were eliminated early:

  • Was the game as easy as you thought it would be?
  • Did you have trouble understanding the rules?
  • Did you think the game was fair?

To the last remaining few:

  • Did all of you get so far by REALLY following the instructions? (Some may have actually been eliminated but didn’t own up to their mistakes)
  • Were you called out by others on the mistakes you made but didn’t own up to?
  • How did it feel to be so close to winning, but failing in the end?

To the winner:

  • What did you do to stay on till the end?
  • What was your winning strategy?
  • What’s your advice to everyone else?

Make it Spiritual

Many times, we find it a struggle to listen to instructions. Or we misunderstand what instructions are given to us. There are times when we’re distracted by things going on around us, we see what other people around us are doing and blindly followed along. Some times we don’t follow the instructions exactly but pretend to. We think no one’s going to notice.

Ultimately, when instructions aren’t followed exactly, we end up getting eliminated. To follow instructions only once or at the beginning is not enough. You have to keep following the instructions. To not follow God’s instructions can also eliminate us from Him being able to use us. To obey Him only once is not enough. We must be in a constant state of obedience. We can fool everyone around us, but we can’t fool God.

In the New Testament, obedience is not used with commands, laws, or decrees, but in reference to a person. Obedience is to God, to Moses, to prophets, to Paul, to parents, etc.

Make it Practical

  • What areas do youth find it most difficult to obey?
  • What areas of obedience do youth question most often?
  • Why is obedience often difficult?
  • Why are some things easy to obey yet others are so difficult?
  • What can a person do if they have disobeyed to make things right?

Make it Personal

  • What are some areas where you find it easy to obey God? Difficult?
  • What types of commands do you tend to question?
  • What things do you hesitate to obey?
  • What areas of disobedience do you often make excuses for?
  • What is one area of your life you can submit to God and live in greater obedience to Him? The solution is not to focus on the law, the rule, the commandment, but to focus on the person. Obedience is always to a person. What truths do you know about God that will make it easier for you to obey him in the area of your life you have chosen to submit to him?

Scripture References

  • Deuteronomy 11:13 – “if you listen obediently to MY commandments”
  • I Samuel 15:22 – “to obey is better than sacrifice”
  • Hebrews 5:9 – “He became to all who obey Him the source of salvation”
  • I Peter 1:2 – “that you may obey Jesus Christ”
  • I Peter 1:14 – “As obedient children…be holy”
  • I Peter 1:22 – “you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls”

Other references to obedience:

  • Acts 5:29
  • 1 Samuel 15:22
  • Romans 6:16
  • 2 Corinthians 10:5

Biblical Personalities who were are known for their obedience

  • Abraham – Genesis 12:4 22:2,3
  • Abram (Abraham)- Genesis 12:1-4; Hebrews 11:8; Genesis 22:3,12
  • Asa – 1 Kings 15:11
  • Bezaleel – Exodus 36:1; Numbers 9:23
  • Caleb – Numbers 32:12
  • Christ – Hebrews 5:8, 10:9; Philippians 2:8, Romans 5:19, John 14:31; 15:10; 15:20; Matthew 3:15
  • Daniel – Daniel 1-6
  • David – Psalm 119:106, 1 Samuel 17
  • Elijah – 1 Kings 17:5
  • Hezekiah – 2 Kings 18:6; Ezra 7:23; Psalm 27:8
  • Israelites – Exodus 12:28; 24:7
  • Joseph and Mary – Luke 1:26-38; 2:39; Acts 16:10; Matthew 1:24
  • Joshua – A man known for his military strategy was asked by God to to march around Jericho for seven days beating on pots and blowing horns rather that use his miliatry might. – Joshua 11:15
  • Josiah – 2 Kings 22:2
  • Moses – A desert nomad who could not speak was asked by God to appear before Pharaoh, a leader of powerful civilization and to demand that the Israelites be set free.
  • Naaman – 2 Kings 5
  • Nehemiah – Was sked by God to supplies to rebuild Jerusalem from a pagan Babylonian king.
  • Noah – Asked by God to build a huge boat and was ridiculed by men for doing so. – Genesis 6:22
  • Paul – Acts 26:19; Romans 16:19
  • Saints of Rome – Romans 16:19
  • Wise men – Matthew 2:12
  • Zacharias – Luke 1:6
  • Zerubbabel – Haggai 1:12

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Predictions for the New Year

Here’s a game we thought up to allow your youth one more chance to celebrate as they start the school year. You can invite visitors and give a small party gag gift to everyone and generate a few laughs at the same time.

Resources

  1. Index cards
  2. Gag gifts
  3. Bag or Bowl

Preparation

  1. Write out the “prophecies” below on a card, number them, and place them in the bowl or bag.
  2. Wrap the response together with the gift and number them to match the “prophecies”.

Prophecy: “Your wisdom will begin to show”
Response: “Black hair dye to cover the grey hairs”

Prophecy: “There will be unexpected revelations in the new year.”
Response: “Safety pins for when you have a busted zipper”

Prophecy: “You will be at a loss for words”
Response: “Here’s a dictionary so you can find some!”

Prophecy: “You’ll need to wipe away the results of your efforts”
Response: “Here’s a roll of toilet paper for a clean break!”

Prophecy: “Things will move a little too slow for comfort”
Response: Here’s some Chocolate Ex-Lax to make things move a little faster”

Prophecy: “You will be a little short of dough”
Response: “Here’s a cookie recipe and cutter”

Prophecy: “Circumstances may be a little bitter”
Response: “Here’s some sugar to sweeten things up”

Prophecy: “You will not quite measure up”
Response: “Here’s a ruler to help”

Prophecy: “With great changes you will need a new yard stick”
Response: “Here’s a stick from my yard to help”

Prophecy: “You will need to clean up a mess!”
Response: “Here’s a dust pan to make it easier”

Prophecy: “You will need to release a little stress”
Response: “Here’s some stress relieving capsules” (Bubble wrap)

Prophecy: “You’ll need a washer and dryer”
Response: “Here’s a dual purpose washer or dryer” (hand towel)

Prophecy: “You will discover a great deal”
Response: “Here’s a deck of cards to help you learn”

Prophecy: “You will want to take a bubble bath”
Response: “Here’s a jar of beans. Boil and eat 1 hour in advance for a natural bubble bath.”

Prophecy: “You will need to make some great calculations”
Response: “Here’s a pencil – use your head!”

Prophecy: “You will make more than a few mistakes.”
Response: “Here’s an eraser for a clean start”

Prophecy: “You will want a bigger paycheck”
Response: “Here’s a magnifying glass to help”

Prophecy: “Everyone will believe you have lost your marbles!”
Response: “Now you have at least a few.” (bag of marbles)

Prophecy: “You will want to pull your hair out in frustration.”
Response: “Here’s a wig to hide the bald spots!”

What to Do

  1. Say: Can you predict what will happen in the new year? We prepared some predictions for everyone for this year, and something special to help make them a reality!
  2. Youth draw a numbered clue from a bag and read the “prophecy” about their future in the upcoming year aloud.
  3. Then they open the matching gift and show it to everyone while reading the attached response.

Take It to the Next Level

  • What are some things people predict will happen this year?
  • Do you have some predictions you have made for your own life?
  • How are you planning to make those predictions a reality?

We often make plans for our lives that we can believe and know are possible and achievable. When we look at our predictions for the year, how much of it is what we know we can accomplish with or without God’s help and how much of it is beyond what we believe is possible? God has called us to live a life that’s bigger than that. We have a God that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that what we can ask or imagine.

  • Maybe there’s someone in your life you feel is impossible to share the love of Christ with.
  • Possibly, it’s a subject in school you’re struggling with.
  • Could be a situation you feel will never be overcome.
  • Maybe an addiction, a habit or attitude you feel you can’t change.
  • It could even be a medical condition you’re struggling with.

If we desire to see positive changes in our lives and the lives of those around us to please the One we serve, God will give us the strength to overcome. Jesus Christ has won the victory. We just need to earnestly seek Him and exercise our faith in the One who has made all things possible through His death and resurrection on the cross.

Isn’t it time we challenged ourselves and make a faith prediction for what we want to see this year?

Closing

Have youth write the faith prediction on a piece of paper. Date it. Sign it and then seal it in an envelope for the end of the year.

Variations

In addition for a faith prediction for themselves, encourage them to make some faith predictions for the youth group, for their class, or for their church.

Scripture References

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
– Mark 10:27

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
– Matthew 17:20

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
– Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)

“God says that he has plans for each of us. Plans to prosper us and not to harm us! Plans for a hope and a future. How do we discover these plans? He will bring them to pass when we seek him with all our heart!”
– Jeremiah 29:11-14

New Year’s Resolutions You Can Keep

In general, each new day is like the one before. There really is no reason why New Year’s Day should be any different than the rest of the days of the year. There is no difference between December 31 and January 1. Nothing special occurs at midnight on December 31. But for many, the New Year is a day to reflect on the past and look to the future. In fact the name of the first month of the year, January, is derived from Janus, a two faced Roman deity that looked both backwards and forward at the same time. January 1st is a time of new beginnings, of getting a fresh start, of letting go of the things from the past that might hold us back and pressing forward.

If that sounds familiar, you might recognise it as a concept, not unique to the Romans but a Biblical concept as well. From the very beginning God appointed the 7th day as a day of rest, a day of renewal to begin a new week. Later God commanded a day of atonement, which allowed anyone to start with a clean slate for a new year. There was even a year of jubilee during which all inheritances were restored, all slaves freed, and everyone was given an opportunity for a new beginning.

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV)

In Luke 18:18-27, Jesus is asked by a rich young ruler, what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. When Jesus responded he mentioned the keeping of the 10 commandments. The man replied that he had kept them all. Then Jesus said there was still one thing he needed to do – to sell all he owned and Follow Jesus. There was one thing that stood between him and God. For him it was his money.

It is a fitting story for the New Year. At this time of the year people are making lists of commitments of things to do – New Year’s Resolutions. In a way they are personal commandments of do’s and don’ts. But maybe instead of making a long list we need to look at the one things that stands between us and all that God has planned for us. For some it might be the same as the rich young ruler – riches. For others it may be a variety of things. I wonder what that one thing is that would bring you closer to God in the New Year?

What are some of the goals or resolutions that people make for the New Year?

According to the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology, December 13, 2012 edition, the top ten resolutions for 2012 were:

  1. Lose Weight
  2. Getting Organized
  3. Spend Less, Save More
  4. Enjoy Life to the Fullest
  5. Staying Fit and Healthy
  6. Learn Something Exciting
  7. Quit Smoking
  8. Help Others in Their Dreams
  9. Fall in Love
  10. Spend More Time with Family

These things are all GOOD things. But if we were to follow Jesus completely, with nothing standing between us and Him, a good number of these things would become true. If we were to follow God wholeheartedly and depend more on him in the year ahead, there is so much more God could do in our lives.

Jesus wasn’t against wealth. He was against anything that holds us back from God. For the rich young ruler great wealth was the ‘one thing’ that stood between him and God.

What are some other things that might stand between a person and God?

So what is your ‘one thing’?

Before we focus on that one thing, there is a final thing to remember from this passage. It is found in verse 27.

“With God all things are possible.”

Of those that do make New Year Resolutions, most fail. Some last a week, some last a month, but virtually none will last till the end of the year. That’s because we need God to make lasting change in our lives. We cannot do it alone. And if we do fail along the way, there’s nothing stopping us from confessing and picking ourselves up again then and there to continue on the journey. We don’t need to wait till the end of the New Year.

Pray for God’s help to give up your ‘one thing’ to Him so that you can not only be closer to Him, but so he can bring about even more change in your life over the next year.

Pray Philippians 1:9-11 into your life “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a pathway in the wilderness and streams in the desert.”

Take it to the Next Level

 

Have youth write that one thing on a piece of paper. Ask them why to write down why that one thing stands between them and God. Then ask them to write a letter to themselves about how God might encourage them and help them to make him more important in their life of the course of the next year. Then give each an envelope to seal the letter inside. Have them write their name and address on the front of their envelope. Then on their birthday or another special day during the next year, send them the letter.

“Until you commit your goals to paper, you have intentions that are seeds without soil.”
— Anonymous

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” Matthew 6:25-34

Additional Verses

Here are some verses to contemplate for the New Year. As your youth are writing, you may wish to make them into a slideshow presentation or write them out on flipchart paper and stick them up around the room. You might also want to consider using them to encourage your youth or as theme verses for the upcoming year.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:10-11)

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:14-15)

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.” (Philippians 3:12-15)

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 19:20)

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)

“How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?” (Psalm 116:12)

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” (Psalm 20:4)

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” (Lamentations 3:22-24)

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” (Ezekiel 36:25-27)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3)

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2)

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34)

“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23:6)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15)

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

“For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” (Isaiah 64:3-4)

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40).

“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9).

Christmas Jeopardy – Mary

The TV show Jeopardy, is a great game for the review of Biblical lessons. It’s also great to see how much people really know about stories that they hear all the time. In this Christmas Jeopardy game, the focus is on Mary.

Resources

1. Game board
The game board can be drawn on a piece of paper, on a whiteboard, on an OHP, on individual pieces of paper taped to the wall, or on computer with a projector using powerpoint. Typically the board consists of categories across the top and point values below at 100, 200, 300, 400, 500. Powerpoint is the easiest because you can link the point values to a slide that contains the clues. Clues are phrased as statement and participants must provide the question that the statement answers. Every clue then links to the answer and then links back to the initial slide. A Christmas template for the questions below can be downloaded HERE. Links that have already been clicked will automatically show a different color in some versions of powerpoint.  If it doesn’t on yours, simple print out the first slide and keep track of which questions have been asked already.  Give a copy to each team so they can also keep track.

2. You’ll need to people to help you run the game – a host, a scorekeeper, and a person to run the game itself.

  • Host – Introduces the game, reads the clues, and decides whether the answers provided are correct or not.
  • Scorekeeper – The scorekeeper keeps the score for all teams. Correct answers add to the score where as incorrect answers subtract from the score.
  • Game Runner – The Game Runner is responsible for running the game board and identifying the first person or team to indicate they want to answer the question. You can use a bell or the simply raising of a hand to indicate they want to answer.

Game Play

On television, the jeopardy game consists of three rounds. There is a normal round, a round that is known as double jeopardy where the point values are doubled, and final Jeopardy. Depending on time you may want to eliminate the double jeopardy round to speed up the game. This game works well with 2 to 6 teams with 2-4 people on each team.

General Play

Standard Round

  • Randomly choose a team to go first.
  • During their turn, each team chooses a category and a value. (i.e. “Bible Boks for $200”)
  • The host then reads the clue, after which any player on any team can buzz in.
  • The Game Runner announces the first team to buzz in and the Host calls on that team for a response to the clue. The response must be phrased in the form of a question (for example,
  • “What is Genesis?”.)
  • Teams are allowed to discuss before someone buzzes in, but once someone buzzes in, the person who raised hand or hit the bell must give the response.
  • A correct adds the value to the team’s score whereas an incorrect response subtracts the value.
  • The response must be given within a specific time frame (I usually give a maximum of 10 seconds.
  • If the response is correct, the team also gets the opportunity to choose the next clue.
  • If the response is incorrect or not given in time, another team has the chance to buzz in with their answer.
  • If no correct response is given, the host reads the correct response, and the team who
  • originally chose the question maintains control of the board.

Daily Doubles

  • There are three Daily Doubles – one in the standard Jeopardy round and two in the Double Jeopardy round.
  • Only the team that receives the Daily Double may respond to its clue. The team may only wager as much as they have accumulated so far up to a maximum amount of the clues on the board of the current round. Minimum bid is 100.
  • When a Daily Double comes up, the scorekeeper announces the scores of each team. The team that picked the Daily Double decides how much of their score to wager and calls it out. The team may discuss their response but must respond within 10 seconds. Points are added for a correct answer or subtracted for an incorrect one.

Double Jeopardy Round

  • The team with the lowest score at the end of the standard Jeopardy round has the first selection in Double Jeopardy round. Values in the Double Jeopardy Round are doubled. This round is optional depending on time.

Final Jeopardy Round

  • Teams with zero, or negative scores are eliminated from the final Jeopardy round.
  • Distribute Note card and writing materials for the final round. In the final Jeopardy round, the score must be written down on a note card or piece of paper so you will want to have this available along with something for the team to write with.
  • The Host announces the final jeopardy category. After hearing the category the Teams have 10 seconds to discuss how much to risk on the final question and write it on their card or piece of paper. Teams can risk any amount up to what they have already won.
  • Host reads the final clue and teams have 30 seconds to discuss and write their responses to the clue on their Final Jeopardy cards.
  • At the end of the 30 seconds, teams display their cards (beginning with the team that has the lowest score)
  • Calculate the final scores. The team with the highest score wins.

The Questions

Angels
100 The name of the angel that brought the message to Mary – Gabriel
200 The month God sent the angel – sixth month
300 The name of the town where the angel met Mary – Nazareth
400 Phrase the angel used to described Mary – Highly blessed, or Most favored
500 These two births were mentioned to Mary – John the baptist and Jesus

Parents
100 The name of the mother of Jesus – Mary
200 A relative of the mother of Jesus – Elizabeth
300 The name of the person to whom the mother of Jesus was betrothed – Joseph
400 The mother described herself as this in her song – humble servant
500 The mother of Jesus hurried to this person’s home when she received
the message from the angel – Zechariah’s home (or Elizabeth’s home)

Parents
100 The name Mary was to give to her baby – Jesus
200 The other baby in the story did this when in the presence of Mary? – jumped for joy in the womb
300 The baby was also called the Son of this – The son of the Most High
400 The Lord will give him the throne of his father – David
500 He will reign over this house – Jacob

Bible
100 The book of the Bible which speaks most about Mary – Luke
200 The Book of the Bible that foretold the virgin birth – Isaiah 7:14
300 The book of the Bible that mentioned the Messiah would be a descendent of David – Jeremiah 23:5
400 The book that foretold that Mary and Joseph would flee to Egypt – Hosea 11:1
500 Book of the Bible that mentioned Bethlehem as the city Mary would give birth – Micah 5:1-2

Miscellaneous
100 Number of days until Christmas? – depends on when you play the game
200 Opposite of arrogance – humility
300 The reason Mary was travelling, even though she was pregnant – pay taxes
400 The number of Months Elizabeth was pregnant when she met Mary – 6
500 The Meaning of the name “Jesus” – God saves

Final Jeopardy Question:

What was the main characteristic of Mary that enabled God to use her? – humble obedience

Click Here to Download a Powerpoint for the Christmas Jeopardy Questions

 

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The Christmas Story: Elizabeth & Zechariah

The story of the priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth is an integral part of the Christmas story as found in Luke 1:5-25; 57-66. Mary, pregnant with Jesus, visits Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist. In the presence of Christ in Mary’s Womb, John the Baptist jumps in Elizabeth’s womb. But this story is not only about John the Baptist and Jesus. Elizabeth and Zachariah are wonderful examples of patience and belief.

Christmas Time Line Relay

Resources

  • Index Cards

Preparation

  1. On the index cards place the following events from the story of the Birth of John, one per card. Make a set for each team.
  2. On a wall/ board across the room place the numbers 1-10.
  3. Shuffle the cards and place them at the front of the line for each team.
    • Zechariah draws the small straw so he goes into the temple to burn incense
    • An angel of the Lord appears to Zechariah
    • The Angel Gabriel prophesies about the birth of John and his life
    • Zechariah doubts
    • Zechariah’s voice is taken away so he cannot speak
    • Elizabeth became pregnant
    • Elizabeth has a son
    • Elizabeth wants to call the baby “John”
    • Zechariah sings a song of prophesy
    • John the Baptist grew and became strong in the Spirit and lived in the desert

What to Do

  1. Zechariah had to communicate using his hands to gesture or by writing on a piece of paper. Play Christmas charades with the youth using the Bible events from the story of Zachariah and Elizabeth. Divide into 1 or more teams and give them the cards with the various events.
  2. The first person for each group must take a card and act out the Bible person or situation while the rest of the team tries to guess the event. Only once the event is guessed, can it be placed on the timeline.
  3. Once the event has been guessed, the youth must run and place it in what they think the correct position (positions 1 to 10) on the timeline and then run back to the line. They may rearrange those cards already placed on the timeline while they are there.
  4. Teammates can shout help.
  5. If at the end of the relay, not all cards are in the correct order, the next person in line can go up and rearrange the cards and come back.
  6. Do not tell the team whether it is correct until they come back. If something is out of place, do not tell them which events are out of order, but simply tell them it is incorrect.
  7. The first team to complete the time line in the correct order wins.

Variation

To make things more interesting, or to make it last longer in a small space, give the teams straws and peanuts or peas. They must pick up a pea or peanuts using suction through the straw and carry it to the timeline and back. If the person drops the pea/ peanut that he must return his card to the deck and go to the end of the line. The next person then goes.

Variation

Instead of charades use pictionary so that youth must draw the events on a whiteboard or large sheet of paper.

Take it to the Next Level

 

Make it Spiritual

At Christmas, most of us see gifts under the Christmas tree long before Christmas Day. It takes patience to wait until Christmas Day to open the gifts. Israel had waited a long time for the promised Saviour, the Messiah. But the long awaited Messiah had not come yet. Even though Zachariah and his wife were childless, and quite old, he still served God faithfully and continued to pray for a child. Like Israel, he He had waited for a very long time. On this occasion, while he was faithfully serving in the temple, the Angel Gabriel appeared and told him his prayers were about to be answered. He and his wife would have a son and God would use that son – to be named John, to bless Israel and usher in the long promised messiah. God was about to present not only he and his wifeWhile Zechariah was faithfully serving in the temple and praying for the birth of a child for him and his wife a very special blessing, but all of Israel with an incredible blessing as well.

At the angel’s appearance, Zechariah was at first scared, and then when he heard the message he had trouble believing it. Because of his disbelief, Gabriel told him that he would not be able to speak until the baby was born. He had been given a very special message, but he couldn’t speak about it for 9 months. Everyone knew something special had happened, but Zachariah had to patiently trust God that when the baby was born he would get his voice back. After the birth, when there was a question of what to name the baby, Zachariah wrote down the name John. Immediately, Zechariah could speak again.

Make it Practical

  • What are some of the promises of God given to us?
  • What are some promises you have seen become real in your own life?
  • What are some of the promises of God you are still waiting to see become real for you?
  • What are some things we pray for in life?
  • What lessons can we learn from the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth related to God’s promises and prayer?
  • Why is patience and belief important to Christians when it comes to God’s promises and answered prayer?

Make it Personal

  • What promises of God are you most eagerly awaiting to be fulfilled in your life?
  • Why? What different would this make to your life?
  • What is the most persistent prayer you make to God?
  • Why? What different would this make to your life?
  • What lessons regarding patience, faithful service, and prayer can you apply to your own life?

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Insignificant Christmas?

As the streets get lit up, the sidewalks, shop windows, everything gets decorated with scenes of the nativity, we see it all around us, and these symbols carry deep meaning for us. But something we don’t realize is how insignificant they were at the very first Christmas.

INSIGNIFICANT CHRISTMAS?

Resources

  1. A list of 15-20 items that teens carry in their wallets, purses, or on themselves.
  2. Some possible items for your list are: a black comb, facial tissue, a cross, five dollar bill, Bible, a book mark, foreign currency, lipstick, a note from a friend, white shoe string, 1 cent coin, an identity card, brown belt, safety pin, a ring, watch with a second hand, toothbrush, a friend’s phone number, pen, fingernail file, a pencil, picture of dad, friendship bracelet, a blank piece of paper, student ID, blonde hair, credit card, mobile phone, a cosmetic mirror, etc.

Preparation

  1. Divide youth into groups of 4-5 students

What to Do

  1. Tell the groups that you are going to ask for an object.
  2. Each group should present their object to you for a point.
  3. Once they’re back in their groups, they have to form these objects into some kind of representation of Christmas.
  4. Have each group explain their representation.

Take It to the Next Level

Think about the small, insignificant things we see all around us at Christmas time, the sights, the sounds, the images. What are some of them you see?

Insignificant Places

Bethlehem
“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, TOO LITTLE to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2 – Emphasis Mine) Bethlehem means “House of Bread.” Ephrathah means “fruitful.” It is fitting that the Messiah, the “Bread of life”, the “fruitful vine” would be born there. It is the city of David, who was initially seen by his father Jesse as the most insignificant of his sons when presenting them to the prophet Samuel. Bethlehem was not the capital city. It was not a major trade center. It wasn’t a center of attention. It was a small quiet town, an insignificant place until the Messiah came.

Nazareth
Nathanael asked of Nazareth, “Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46) Joseph and Mary cam from Nazareth. It wasn’t significant. It wasn’t held in high regard as indicated by Nathaniel’s statement.

Fields
The shepherd kept watch in the fields by night. It was pasture, farmland, a place to raise sheep. In fact, scripture says they were “living in the fields.” It was not at a crossroads, in the public square, on the palace grounds that the Savior’s arrival was announced, but in a field filled with more sheep than men.

A Stable
There was no room in the inn. No decent room. Not even a decent bed. Christ was not born in a palace or event a place created for men. It was a place for the animals, a stable. Instead of a bed, a feed trough.

Insignificant People

Shepherds
“In that region, there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.” (Luke 2:8) Shepherds were banished from the temple, indicating that in some way they were social outcasts who spent most of their lives not among men, but among sheep. As the shepherds tended their sheep they were simply going about their daily tasks. To the shepherds there was nothing significant about the night until the sky suddenly filled with a multitude of angels announcing “Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.”

The Innkeeper
He was so insignificant that his name was not even mentioned, yet he gave Mary and Joseph a stable that provided some shelter for the night.

Mary and Joseph
They were not well to do and traveled the long journey from Nazareth to pay their taxes. Too young to be married, but old enough to trust God at His word. Mary’s words – “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said”.

From Insignificant to Significant

Christmas reminds us that any place can become special when God visits that place. That anyone can become important when God works through them. God specializes in making the small, the insignificant, the forgotten, and even the outcast significant in his plans. All he needs is a place, in your heart and in your life where ever you may be. When God is near, When God is with us, “Immanuel”, the insignificant grows into significance because he fills the space given to Him.

Make it Personal

  • What are some of the possibilities for God to use you and where you are at now for his glory?
  • In what ways can you allow God to fill more of your life?
  • What things can you do to allow God to use you in a more significant way?
  • You are significant to God. How would your life change if you said to God like Mary? “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

Scripture References

“Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
– 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

 

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The Nature of God

We were recently very blessed in church when we got the opportunity to meet and worship with the writer of the praise song “Jesus Shall Take the Highest Honor.” It really opened our eyes and hearts to the magnificence of God and we saw a glimpse of what a big and indescribable God He truly is.

When we think about God, it really blows our minds. There’s so many things to say about Him, many things about His character that we still don’t understand. This activity helps youth at least gain some perspective on the personhood of God and relate to Him in ways they can describe and (at least try to) identify with.

The Nature of God

Resources

  1. Balloons
  2. Newsprint or a large sheets of paper
  3. Markers for youth to write on the balloons and also to write on the newsprint

Preparation

  • To speed up the activity you can inflate the balloons in advance.

What to Do

  1. Divide the youth into small groups and give each group a marker and some newsprint.
  2. Individual groups brainstorm attributes of God and list their ideas on newsprint.
  3. Groups share their answers and vote on 5 most important attributes from the collective ideas of all the youth.
  4. Write the attributes of God on the inflated Balloons and place them in the center of the classroom.
  5. Have the youth group stand in a circle around the balloons. For larger youth groups split into 2 or more circles.
  6. Toss the balloons into the air. The youth must keep all the balloons in the air at once.
  7. If a balloon hits the floor, everything stops and the youth must discuss what God would be like without the attribute that touched the floor.
  8. If the same balloon hits the floor more than once, the youth must discuss one of the attributes on a balloon that has not been discussed yet.
  9. Once all the attributes have been discussed, have everyone take a seat and get out their Bibles.
  10. Share a few of the verses on the attributes of God. (Unless you have a lot of time, limit discussion to 3-5 attributes, but mention some of the others)
  11. Discuss how the attributes affect our relationship with God.

Variations

  • Replace the word “God” in the instructions above with “friend” for a lesson on the qualities of a friend.
  • Attributes of the Church (Christians)
  • Attributes of a Good father / Good Mother
  • Attributes of a Christian
  • Attributes of a missionary / evangelist
  • Attributes of Christ
  • Attributes of the Holy Spirit

Take It to the Next Level

Make it Spiritual

God is…

  • Alive (John 5:26)
  • Beyond Comprehension (Isaiah 40:28; Psalm 145:3; Romans 11:33, 34; Isaiah 55:8).
  • Compassionate (Psalm 103:13)
  • Eternal (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17)
  • Faithful (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:24)
  • Father (Matthew 6:9; 7:9-11)
  • Forgiving (1 John 1:9)
  • Gentle (Psalm 18:35)
  • Good (Romans 2:4)
  • Gracious (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 31:19; 1 Peter 1:3; John 3:16, 17:3; Psalm 103:8, Ephesians 2:7-9)
  • Holy (Leviticus 11:44-45, Isaiah 6:3; Habakkuk 1:13; Exodus 3:2, 4-5; Hebrews 12:29; 1 Peter 1:16; Isaiah 59:2)
  • Incomparable (2 Samuel 7:22; Psalm 86:8; Isaiah 40:25; Matthew 5:48)
  • Invisible (Exodus 33:20; John 1:18; 1 John 4:12; 1 Timothy 6:16; Col 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:27)
  • Just (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 18:30; Isaiah 45:21; Jeremiah 9:24; Job 34:12)
  • Love (1 John 4:8,16)
  • Merciful (Psalm 103:8)
  • Omnipotent; All-powerful (Revelation 19:6; Jeremiah 32:17, 27; Genesis 17:1; 35:11; Romans 13:1; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:6; Matthew 19:26)
  • Omnipresent; Everywhere (Psalm 139:7-13; Jeremiah 23:23; Mark 5:10; Jude 6; Revelation 20:1-3; 1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 2:6; 6:18; Isaiah 66:1; Acts 7:49; 17:27-28; Psalm 139:7-13)
  • Omniscient; All knowing (Psalm 139:1-5; Proverbs 5:21; Psalm 139:1-6; Job 42:2; Acts 2:23; 1 Timothy 1:17; Psalm 147:5; 1 John 3:20)
  • Patient (Exodus 34:6)
  • Perfect (Matthew 5:48)
  • Personal (Exodus 3:14, Romans 9:19; Isaiah 1:18; Romans 11:33-34; Genesis 1:27; Psalm 18:19; Psalm 103:13; Proverbs 6:16; Exodus 20:5; Psalm 103:8; Deuteronomy 4:25; Genesis 6:6; Psalm 103:1)
  • Provider (Matthew 6:25-27)
  • Righteous (Exodus 9:27; Matthew 27:45-46; Romans 3:21-26; Psalm 129:4; Psalm 19:7-9; Jeremiah 9:24)
  • Sovereign (Psalm 93:1; 95:3; Jeremiah 23:20)
  • Spirit (John 1:18; 4:24; Matthew 16:17)
  • Truth (Psalm 117:2; 1 Samuel 15:29; 1 Jn 1:5; John 17:17; Titus 1:2)
  • Unchanging (James 1:17; Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19; Psalm 102:26, 27; Mal 3:6; But God can change his mind: Jonah 3:10; Gen 6:6)

Make it Personal

  • What attributes of God comfort you? Make you fearful?
  • How are the attributes of God revealed in his dealing with us?
  • Share a situation when you personally experienced one of the attributes of God. How did it make you feel? What effect did it have on your relationship with God, with others, or on the way you live your life?
  • What attributes of God should we also display in our words, thoughts, and actions?

Make it Practical

We are called not only to seek God and worship him, but also to be like him. While there are some attributes of God we can never have, there are other attributes of God that we are told to express in our lives as Christians. (Eph. 4:24, Colossians 3:10, leviticus 11:44, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 8:28-29, 1 John 3:2)

  • Which characteristics of God should do you need to express more in your life? Which is most difficult for you?
  • What can you start doing now that can help it to happen?

With all the awesome attributes of God, it may seem that God is out of reach. It’s hard to imagine that God should take an interest in us. But our awesome God can be found if we seek Him.

Close with a time of praise to God for who he is and for how he relates to us.

Scripture References

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
– Romans 1:20

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
– Jeremiah 29:11-13

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Bible Lessons from the Olympics: Running for the Gold

Running for the GoldWe’ve come to the end of the Olympic games. Seen the joy on the faces of the athletes at the closing ceremony and seen the flag passed on to Rio, the next hosts of the Olympics. For many of these athletes, this would mark the end of their career. Their last time competing on the world’s stage. As we recognize their achievements, we’re reminded of the spiritual race that still lies before us…

Running for the Gold

 

During the 2012 London Olympic Games, we watched athletes who have invested a lot of time, money, and immense effort in order to compete (often in a single event), hoping to receive gold, silver and bronze medals that will be hung on ribbons around their necks. In the original Olympic games the only prize the Greek athletes received was a crown of olive leaves cut from a sacred tree at Olympia. There were no medals and only the winner’s name was recorded. There was no prize for those who finished second or third. While today’s Olympic medals last much longer than a crown of olive leaves, they may not be worth as much as you think.

Olympic gold medals only need to be gilded with a minimum of 6 grams of gold. The rest of the medal is silver that is a minimum of 92.5 percent pure. Silver medals are made entirely of at least 92.5 percent pure silver. At today’s prices the gold medal is only worth around $300 and the silver medal is worth considerably less. But ask any athlete how much it is worth and they are sure to tell you it is priceless. Even so, these medals do not last forever. Medals can tarnish, be stolen, or even be lost. The ribbons they hang from will rot. The athlete’s moment of glory will one day be forgotten. Think about it, how many Olympic champions can you remember? How many world record holders can you name?

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, the apostle Paul says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (NIV).

Just as the Olympic Games has come to an end, and the athletes have been awarded their medals, the Olympic flame extinguished, our life will one day come to its end. The Bible says that we also compete, not for a medal, not for a temporary crown of olive leaves, not for honor and personal glory but for a crown that lasts forever. The opponents we face are the enemy and his forces and our own fleshly nature. The glory we receive is not that one moment on the podium but one that endures for all eternity. God’s crown is not for one winner, but for all who strive for righteousness.

The crown is our reward for running the race, for being faithful to our calling, for enduring the struggles and the hardships, for wrestling with the sad events and circumstances we cannot control and do not understand, for finishing the course God has set out for us.

Toward the end of his life Paul writes: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to ALL who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Take it to the Next Level

 

Life is like a race. Sometimes its uphill, sometimes it’s downhill. Sometimes you don’t know how far you’ve come or how far you still have to go. It’s more than simply showing up to the starting line.

The important factor is not how many start, but how many finish. It’s not a half-effort attempt, but a total commitment. It’s not taking short cuts, but following the rules. Only then can you win the prize.

It’s the pursuit of a goal, forgetting about what lies behind and instead straining toward what lies ahead, and casting aside anything that might hinder us. It’s the pursuit of Godliness. It’s something you strive for every moment of every day. We have our coach, our guide, the Holy Spirit and our training manual – the Bible. Our coach makes it clear to us what we need to work on, and the Bible provides instruction on how to make it happen. Both reveal areas where we need self-control, more discipline, and better focus. Both guide our training in righteousness. We must make a disciplined all out effort to act on that instruction. And at the end of this life, we will stand on the victors team. Christ has already run the race, being not only the first, but also the last to make sure that all of us in the middle cross the finish line in victory. Don’t just run. Run in such a way as to win. When things get tough, the discipline carries you through. When the moments of testing come, its the training that brings you the victory.

If you look at many of the great Bible characters you will see a period of training and discipline before God places them in the spotlight. Daniel in Captivity. Joseph in a prison. Moses in a desert. David as a shepherd among the sheep. John and Peter as Fishermen.  Saul (Paul) as a Pharisee.

 All destined to be used by God, yet all in a place of training where God prepared them for the race that was ahead. And God has plans for you too. Wherever you are now, whatever situation you are in now, is training not only for the present, but also for the race ahead. Maybe God has already brought you to the track. Maybe God is preparing you for the track. Whatever the case, he will work his perfect will in your life if you have the discipline and accept the training he has for you now.

Scriptures Verses for Youth Bible Study

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV)
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to ALL who have longed for his appearing.”

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)
“However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him'”

Questions for Youth Discussion

Rules

  • What are the things we are commanded to DO in these Bible verses?
  • What are we told to NOT DO in these Bible verses?
  • How are we to run?
  • What will result in disqualification for a Christian? What are we disqualified for?
  • What actions can cause us to lose our rewards?
  • What are the rules for Christian living?

Discipline & Training

  • What are the Christian disciplines?
  • Why did Paul live a disciplined life?
  • What is a disciplined life in the context of living as a Christian?
  • What are some of the Christian disciplines that prepare us for the race?
  • What are the characteristics of our training?
  • What does it mean to run in such a way as to get the prize?
  • What does the spiritual athlete need to exercise?
  • When have you “run aimlessly” or “beat the air”?
  • What requires discipline and self-control in your life?

Goals

  • What is our goal, our purpose as a Christian?
  • What can we do to ensure we finish well?
  • What is the prize for Christians?

Application to the Lives of Youth

* What lessons can you find in your past and present circumstances?
* What training and discipline has God revealed a need for in your life?
* What are some goals that you would like to trust God to achieve?
* What are your plans (i.e., activities) to achieve these goals?

What can you begin with today, so that at the end, you can say like Paul, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, and now there is in heaven the crown of Righteousness.

Get "Go for the Gold" Youth Bible Study SeriesGo for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

What is salvation all about? What does it mean to be saved? This sports themed Bible Study / Camp Curriculum uses the Olympic Flag to introduce the concepts of sin (black circle), forgiveness (red circle), purity (white background), spiritual growth (green circle), heaven (Yellow Circle) and (Baptism) blue circle.
-> Tell me about “Go for the Gold”

Get "Destined to Win" Youth Bible Study SeriesDestined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

The race as a metaphor for the Christian life is used in several places in the Bible. This series is a great follow up for new Christians or to re-emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum has a sports theme and is great for athletes as well as a tie in to the youth Olympic Games.
->Tell me about “Destined to Win”

Affinity – God Cares for Youth

Summary

Sometimes the summer months can be lonely for youth. Things slow down. Since they are not at school, contact with other youth is reduced. There is a lot of time to think. And when you spend more time alone, it’s also common to think that you are alone in your struggles. Use this activity as an icebreaker or simply to create an awareness that regardless of what youth are going through, there are others who gone through it before us and others that will go through it later. And even if it seems there is no one who can understand, Jesus does.

Resources
None

 

Preparation
None

What to do

  1. Get everyone to pair up with someone else in the room.
  2. Ask them to decide who will be person A and who will be person B.
  3. As always, person B goes first. Person B asks the following questions in order, giving a chance for person A to respond after each question.
  4. After person A has given his/her responses, the pair switches between who asks and who answers.
  5. After some time to go back and forth between person A and B, you may wish to mix up the pairs with others in the room and repeat the process.

Questions

  • Tell me something I don’t know about you.
  • Tell me something you like about me.
  • Tell me something we might have in common.

Take It to the Next Level

We often feel we are alone in our struggles and that no one understands us or there’s no one who can relate to us or understand what we’re going through.

We don’t often realize there are people all around us that have the same life situations as us – people who share so many things in common with us. We were never created to function alone. That’s why God gave us a community.

In fact, to prove we were never alone and that there was someone out there who was familiar with our struggles, Jesus Christ, our King left His throne room and became man. He walked the same land and lived the same life. He was God with us – Emmanuel.

Looking at the Scripture

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16 NASB)

1. Jesus knows how you think and feel

  • “But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man” (John 2:24, 25).
  • And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen” (Acts 1:24).

2. Jesus knows you inside and out (Psalm 139:1-12, Psalm 103:14)

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. (Psalm 139:1-4)

3. Jesus knows your suffering (Isaiah 53:3-7)

4. Jesus will be with you and take care of you in all things (Psalm 91, 1 Peter 5:7)

Applying it to Life

  • How does it make you feel knowing that God fully understands everything you think, feel, and are going through?
  • Often God uses Christians as his hands, his voice, and his messengers to show his love and care to others.
  • Who has God placed around you to show that there are others out there who care about them?
  • Is there someone in your life you need to get to know more, to relate to, that you need to be his messenger of love and concern to?
  • If we don’t take that first step to reach out, how else will they know that there is a God who isn’t so far away an out of touch with what they’re going through?
  • What can you do this week to be a messenger of God’s love, and care for others?

 


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…

Who’s the Father?

Description
As we celebrate Father’s Day we are reminded that God created us through fathers and that fathers are all around us in creation. Father’s are special, and we often have special names for fathers such as dad, daddy, etc. In the animal kingdom some father’s also have special names. Do you know the special name for each father in the animal kingdom?

alligator ………. bull
ant ……………… gyne
antelope ………. buck
bear ……………. boar
bee …………….. drone
bird (general) .. cock
bison ………….. bull
buffalo ………… bull
camel …………. stallion
cat …………….. tom
cat …………….. gib
cattle ………….. bull
chicken ……….. rooster
crocodile ……… bull
deer ……………. buck
deer ……………. hart
deer ……………. stag
dolphin ……….. bull
donkey ………… jack
duck …………… drake
elephant ……… bull
elk ……………… bull
falcon …………. tercel
ferret …………… Jill
fox ……………… reynard
fox ……………… vix
giraffe …………. bull
gnu …………….. bull
goat ……………. billy
goose ………….. gander
steg ……………. steg
grouse ………… gorcock
guinea pig …… boar
hare …………… buck
hare …………… jack
hawk …………. tiercel
hedgehog ……. boar
hippopotamus.. bull
horse ………….. sire
horse ………….. stallion
horse ………….. stud
impala ………… buck
kangaroo ……… boomer
Lemur …………. dictator
moose ………….. bull
mouse ………….. buck
mule …………….. jack
ox ……………….. steer
panda ………….. boar
pig ………………. barrow
pig ………………. boar
possum …………. jack
porcupine ………. boar
rabbit ……………. buck
rat ……………….. buck
reindeer …………. bull
rhinoceros ……… bull
seal ………………. bull
shark ……………. bull
sheep ……………. ram
sheep ……………. tup
sheep ……………. wether
squirrel …………. buck
swan ……………. cob
turkey …………… gobbler
turkey …………… tom
turkey …………… jack
walrus ………….. bull
wasp ……………. drone
whale …………… bull
wolf …………….. he-wolf
yak ……………… bull
zebra …………… stallion

Icebreaker Game Idea: Who am I and where is my Father
Write the name of each Male (father) and the matching animal on separate index cards or name labels. Shuffle them, and as youth arrive one on the back of each youth so that each person cannot see his own card. The youth must mingle around the room asking each other “yes” or “no” questions about the animal on his or her back in order try to not only identify what is on his or her back, but to also find his or her match. Reduce the number of cards for smaller groups. Duplicate some of the animals for larger groups.

Game Idea: Concentration Card Matching Game
You can place the cards face down so that they cannot be seen in several rows on a table. Do not stack the cards. Youth then turn over any two cards. If a father is matched with the correct animal they can take both cards and then choose two more. If the two cards do not go together they must leave the cards in place and turn them back over. Youth takes turns trying to match cards. This can be done in teams or as individuals. At the end of the game when all the cards have been matched and taken, the youth or team with the most cards wins.

Game Idea: Matching Fathers Concentration Card Game
As a variation you can get photos of fathers and the youth. Paste or print each one on a card. Play it in the same way as the game above except the youth must also match father and child together.

Game Idea: “Battle” also known as “slap”
Shuffle and deal the cards into two equal piles. Divide the youth into two teams. Each team chooses a person to turn over cards. Each team turns over a card at the same time as the other team. When the two cards go together the first person to slap the top of the discards in the center gets all those cards. If they slap the stack and the cards do not match, the other team gets all the cards. The team can shout directions for its player and help them to determine when to slap the deck. Once the deck has been slapped, the next person from each team turns over the cards. The game is over when one team obtains all the cards in this manner.

Father – Child Game Idea
Have each child bring a stuffed animal. Put all the stuffed animals in a pile. Then one by one each father is blindfolded and must find his child’s stuffed animal without looking!

Game Idea: “Name That Animal”
In this variation, youth get to see animal listed on the card, but must make the sound of the animal to find their match. Have dictionaries available as some youth will not know what their animal is. Make sure that there are not duplicate names of fathers as some of the names of the males are the same for different animals.

Game Idea: Which one is my daddy?
Blindfold youth the youth and line up the fathers in a row of chairs. Each youth must find his or her father using only touch. You could guide them to touch the father’s face, or the fathers could hold out their arms, or you could use a hand, a foot, or a leg for identification. You could also do it the other way around so that fathers are blindfolder and must identify their children by touch. The story of jacob and Esau in the Genesis 25 of the Bible would be a great follow up as Isaac wasn’t able to identify which son was which.

Take it to the Next Level
Each animal in this list has a special name for its father. Your parents gave each of you a special name as well. And God knows each one of you by name. Just as the parents take care of their babies, your father takes care of you. Take some time to thank your father for taking care of you.

  • What are some of the unique characteristics of your father?
  • What are some of the things that would help you identify your father if you could not see?
  • What are some of the phrases and words your father often uses?
  • What are some ways that your father takes care of you?
  • What are some things that you treasure about your father?
  • In what ways has your father blessed you?

You can then ask the same questions, but in regard to our heavenly father.

 


Get Creative Youth Ideas: "Holiday Collection" ebook Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next Father’s Day as well as other familiar holidays. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do in celebration of the holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection

The Olympic Torch Relay

olympic-torch.jpg
The Olympic Games was a significant competitive sporting event in the life and times of Jesus, carrying right on through the life of the early church and the ministry of the apostles. It’s no surprise then that the writers in the New Testamant make so many athletic references to “running races”, “training”, “prizes”, “crowns”, all of which were part of the tradition of the Games.

In a few months time, we’ll be celebrating the 2012 Olympics in London. Although the location, scale, format, participating countries, events, and well, practically everything has changed over the years, one tradition has persisted through the ages — the Olympic Torch Relay.

The traditional Lighting Ceremony recently took place on 10 May 2012 at the Temple of Hera, Olympia, home of the Ancient Olympic Games. The torch will travel around Greece, and will arrive in Athens in 2 days time and then arrive in the United Kingdom the next day.

The relay will last 70 days, with 66 evening celebrations, six Island Visits with about 8,000 people carrying the torch a total distance of about 8,000 miles (12,800 km), starting from Land’s End in Cornwall.

This year, the Olympic Torch is perforated by 8,000 circles representing the inspirational stories of the 8,000 Torchbearers who will carry the Olympic Flame.

Our Christian journey of faith reminds me a lot of this relay. It’s not the torch that bore the mark of their testimony, but the Bible. The writer of Hebrews in Chapter 11 talks about the many “inspirational heroes” of faith that came before us. Each of them with their own story about how God delivered them and how His promises were fulfilled in their lives through their faith in Him.

After they carried the “torch”, pressing on in spite of their struggles to take hold of what God had in store for them, they passed their legacy on to the next generation of “torchbearers” who would stand as a lighthouse and witness to the world around them. Their names are familiar to us. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Samson, David, Samuel, and the prophets. The writer doesn’t always tell each of their stories but the very mention of their names makes us recall their great exploits, their journeys, their stories, and sometimes, cautionary tales.

They weren’t perfect people and the Bible did nothing to sugarcoat or hide their flaws. They were murderers, thieves, adulterers, and prostitutes. They were proud, greedy, lustful, and selfish. Yet there they are — the ones we look up to. They were human in their failings but the one common thread running through their lives was that they looked to God in faith. And that’s what set them apart from the rest. They weren’t focused on their insignificant lives, they were focused on an all-powerful God.

They finished their part of the relay and God saw that their faith in Him was well placed. And now they pass their torch to us. The writer of Hebrews says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Heb 12:1)

They haven’t disappeared, they’re there in the stands cheering us on. Saying as it were, “This faith journey of yours is not going to be easy, it sure wasn’t for me either. But I made it. So, don’t let your sin hinder you. Keep on going. Don’t give up. You can do it.”

There’s always going to be times when we want to just give up. To say it’s too hard and drop the torch. But we’re reminded that we’re not alone in this journey of faith. All those who came before us, even God Himself is cheering us on. Our place in this journey of ours is just to keep running. To be faithful to what God has called us to do and be an example, not even a perfect one, but a very real and human hero to the next generation of believers and faithful followers of Christ!

Take It to the Next Level

What do you feel God has called you to do? It could be something that requires a lot of faith, something that you have to persevere through, it could be a struggle you have to overcome. Whatever it is, he intends to make your hopes, dreams and experiences help others find meaning through their own lives. Your big dream can ignite that same passion in others, your persistence can encourage others to find strength, and your experiences can inspire the world. God can make your story like he used the stories of the faith giants in the Bible – the good, the bad, and the ugly – to be a testimony of His grace working through our faith.

Get "Go for the Gold" Youth Bible Study SeriesGo for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

What is salvation all about? What does it mean to be saved? This sports themed Bible Study / Camp Curriculum uses the Olympic Flag to introduce the concepts of sin (black circle), forgiveness (red circle), purity (white background), spiritual growth (green circle), heaven (Yellow Circle) and (Baptism) blue circle.
-> Tell me about “Go for the Gold”

Get "Destined to Win" Youth Bible Study SeriesDestined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

The race as a metaphor for the Christian life is used in several places in the Bible. This series is a great follow up for new Christians or to re-emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum has a sports theme and is great for athletes as well as a tie in to the youth Olympic Games.
->Tell me about “Destined to Win”

Christ – The light of the World for Today’s Youth

Description
Use this simple Bible Teaching Activity for Children and Youth to introduce help them to better understand the idea that Jesus is the Light of the World, ways he brings light into our daily lives, and what that means to living the Christian Life.

Resources

  • Modeling Clay or Playdoh
  • Flashlight or small light

 

Advance Preparation
Prepare the room so that if you turn off the lights, the room becomes very dark. You can use newspaper, aluminum foil, or black plastic trash bags to cover windows if needed.

What to do

  • As the youth arrive, give each a “ball” of modeling clay or Playdoh. Instruct one half of the room to create something that represents darkness. Instruct the other half of the youth to form something that represents light. Their creations can either be very literal or symbolic.
  • After all the youth have had enough time to create something, ask them to share their expressions of light and darkness with the class. Encourage them to explain what they have created and how it represents light or darkness.

Take it to the Next Level

Learning Games
We all have spiritual darkness in our lives, but Jesus promises to bring light into our lives. Read John 8:12 then turn out the lights so that the room is completely dark. Then play a few carnival games in the dark. Here are some possibilities

  • Ball toss
  • Obstacle Course
  • Scavenger Hunt
  • Charades
  • Ring Toss
  • Complete a Zigsaw Puzzle
  • Bowling using a ball and empty soda bottles as pins
  • OTHERS?

 

Discussion

  • How would you describe darkness?
  • Darkness is like ___________?
  • What would it be like to live without light?
  • What effect does darkness have on us?
  • How does darkness hinder our abilities?

 

Learning Games: Part 2

  • Turn on the flashlight and repeat the games.
  • “Even a little light makes a big difference”

 

Conclusion

  • Read John 8:21-24
  • The light of Jesus is offered to every person, but each of us must personally make the choice to follow or reject him.
  • Divide the youth into two groups. The first group must list as many consequences or benefits as possible that are likely for a person who rejects the Light of Christ in his or her life. The second group of youth must list as as many consequences or benefits as possible for someone who rejects the light of Christ in his or her life. Answers should reflect immediate results, long term results as well as the afterlife.
  • Have the groups pick one or more spokespersons to share their answers.
  • Explain that while Christ offers light to our lives, there are still many people who choose to walk in the dark or even to close their eyes when there is light available. Discuss why a person might choose to live in the dark?

 

Applying the Truth

  • Jesus is available to all, if you have not asked Christ into your life, then why not? What must a person do to have Christ?
  • Ask youth to list possible areas where teens need more light?
  • Ask youth to think about areas in their own lives that need more light?
  • Have a time of prayer where youth can talk to God about the areas of their lives they need him to bring his light an cleansing to

 

Scripture
John 8:12,21-24

Looking for more Ideas related to Jesus as the Light of the World?
Shining for Jesus This Christmas
Poem: Christ has Come – the Light of the World
Placing Light
How Youth Can shine as Lights in the World

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…

Balloon Bop Relay

Description
Teams of youth must move different colored balloons from the front of the room to the back, then back to the front again. Balloons can be holiday colors or contain messages inside.


Resources Needed


  • Rubber Balloons in various colors. You’ll need one of each color for every team.
  • Open area for youth to move around. It can also be done in a classroom setting with youth sitting in chairs.

Advance Preparation


Put the verses of the Roman Road on small slips of paper and place them inside the balloons.

  1. Romans 3:10-12
  2. Romans 3:23
  3. Romans 6:23
  4. Romans 5:8
  5. Romans 10:9-10
  6. Romans 10:13

 

NOTE: You can also put steps to take, key learning points form a lesson, events in a sequence, or other scriptures on a topic inside the balloons to make this activity suitable for other lessons.


Getting Started


  1. Divide the youth into 2 or more teams. If sitting in a classroom setting, divide the class into the two different halves of the room.
  2. Place a balloon of each color in front of each team.
  3. Inform the youth about the objective and the rules of the game.
  4. Declare the winner of the game.

The Objective of the Game


One at a time, move each of the colored balloons to the back of the room and then return them to the front until you complete the journey for all of the balloons.


The Rules of the Game


  1. You must bop (hit) the balloon to move it.
  2. You may not grab the balloon with your hands.
  3. If the balloon falls to the floor, you must quickly take it to the front of the room and start again.
  4. Your team may only have one balloon in motion at a time.
  5. The balloon must touch the back wall before it can be sent forward again.
  6. First team to complete the relay using all of their balloons wins.

Adjusting the Difficulty Level


  1. You can increase the difficulty of this game by adding one or more of the following rules.
  2. A person may not hit the balloon twice in a row.
  3. Hits must alternate between guys and girls.
  4. You may not use your hands.

Discussion


Ask youth what were some of the keys to success in this game?

They might have a lot of answers, but here are some things you can highlight:

  • When near to you, do your part.
  • Don’t wait for someone else to handle things.
  • It’s a team effort.
  • It usually takes more than one person to see results.
  • Sometimes things don’t go as you plan.
  • Don’t give up. Patient progress will get you there.

 


Take It to the Next Level


Through the Bible, God delivered a message to the world. It came through different people and there were many parts to the journey, but it was “Finished” with Christ on the Cross. He’s passed on responsibility for delivering the message of the Gospel, the “Good News” to us.

Matthew 28:18-20
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

1 Peter 3:15
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have”


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…

Super Bowl XLVI – Indianapolis (Patriots vs Giants)

February 5th is American Football’s Superbowl weekend! The Patriots and Giants will tee off for the NFL’s Super Bowl XLVI.

We’ve got a great idea for you to try out with your youth group, it’s sports-themed and perfect for tying in what’s going on in American Football on the 5th with a spiritual application. I am putting it up one week early as some churches might want to use this the week BEFORE Superbowl Sunday.

The Father’s Eyes


What to Do


  1. Talk about their most embarrassing moment while participating in a sport.
  2. Talk about their greatest triumph while participating in a sport.

Illustration


Bob Richards, the former pole-vault champion, shares a moving story about a skinny young boy who loved American football with all his heart.

Practice after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of the other boys, he got absolutely nowhere.

At all the games, this hopeful football player sat on the bench and hardly ever played.

This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him, but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn’t want to. But the young man loved football, and decided to hang in there.

He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he’d get to play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game, but remained a bench-warmer all four years.

His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him.

When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a “walk-on.” Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did.

The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always put his heart and soul to every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.

The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game. It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram.

The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, “My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?” The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, “Take the rest of the week off, son. And don’t even plan to come back to the game on Saturday.”

Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room, put on his football gear, and as he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. “Coach, please let me play. I’ve just got to play today,” said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game.

But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. “All right,” he said. “You can go in.”

Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked, and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you never heard.

Finally, after the stands had emptied, and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that this young man was sitting quietly in the corner, all alone. The coach came to him and said, “Kid, I can’t believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?”

He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, “Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?” The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, “Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!”


Take It to the Next Level


Like the athlete’s father, God is always there cheering for us. He’s always reminding us to go on. He’s even offering us His hand for He knows what is best, and is willing to give us what we need and not simply what we want.

God has never missed a single game. What a joy to know that life is meaningful if lived for the Highest. We don’t have to be the MVP, we just need to play the position God gives us. Everyone makes mistakes on the field. But God gives us the “grace” to make mistakes, while not losing sight of our goal.

There will be opposition, there will be progress and at other times we may lose ground. But we must never give up striving for the Goal God has for us. Live for HIM, for He’s watching us in the game of life!

Philip. 3:12-17
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

 

Get "Destined to Win" Youth Bible Study SeriesDestined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

 

Our “Destined to Win” series is a great follow up for youth who are new Christians or to emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum / Small Group Study has a sports theme and is great for athletes and works well as a tie in to what’s going on in the NBA and the current Linsanity.
->Tell me about “Destined to Win”

 

 

Christmas Ornament Affirmations

christmas_ornaments2.jpg

Christmas Activity Description

The first Christmas tree ornaments were fruits, nuts, sweets, marzipan cookies and even communion wafers cut into various shapes. Decorations made of gold foil and paper were also added. The tree itself, an evergreen, was a reminder of everlasting life. A star or angel at the top reminded people of the Christmas story. Lights symbolised that the Light had come into the world. Often hard cookies (like gingerbread) would be baked in the shape of fruits, stars, hearts, angels and bells.

We don’t know who was the first to use the Christmas tree to tell others about Christ, but history does record the story of Saint Boniface. This German man traveled across germany telling people about Jesus using a Fir tree. It is said he used a fir tree because the branches pointed to heaven from which baby Jesus came to earth and that he decorated it with fruits and nuts to remind people that God provided for them.

Throughout the ages, many of the early ornaments reflected various aspects of the Christmas Story as found in the Bible. In the late 1800’s glass balls and special handcrafted ornaments began to appear. Homemade ornaments were also popular and paper snowflakes and paper chains are still used today. But regardless of what ornaments adorned the Christmas tree, the original intention was for the ornaments to reflect the Christmas Season and Christ.

Today, trees are not the only things that are decorated. Your life should reflect not the Christmas Season, but the Christian Savior.

Christmas is a time to remember the greatest gift – that God so loved the world that he sent his son, that a Savior was born. We are thankful for Jesus. And this Christmas we also want to thank God for sending you, for the gifts he has given the world through you.

“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” ~1 Peter 3:3-4 ESV

Some youth have decorated their lives with kindness. Others with generosity. Some of your lives are decorated with peace, encouragement, joy, and love. So in this activity, we want to celebrate the gifts God has given the world through each and every youth. Our next activity is going to help us to do that.

What you need

  • Market / Paint Pens – Provide various colors and sizes that can be used to write on glass and shiny surfaces. You can also use paint pens that come in various colors and even in gold or silver, which are perfect for this Christmas activity. Be sure there are enough pens so that everyone in the youth group isn’t forced to wait to long for another color or pen.
  • Christmas Ball Ornaments – You’ll want to have enough for one per person plus a few extras for unexpected visitors and in case some break. For best results use ornaments that are a solid color without and printed designs on them.
  • A lined 3×5 card inside an unsealed envelope for each youth
  • Optional: Stickers, puff paints, glitter paint, and a variety of other things to decorate the ornaments can be found at a local art supply shop.

 

Preparation

  1. Split the youth into smaller groups of 6-10 persons sitting in circles.
  2. Have each youth write their name on the envelope and then also on the top of the index card and then place the card back inside the envelope.

 

What to Do: Stage 1

  1. Everyone passes the envelop to the person on their right.
  2. When receiving an envelop each youth must take out the index card and on any random line, write at least one short phrase describing something that they like, value, or appreciate about the person whose name appears at the top of the card.
  3. After writing something positive, each youth must place the card back in the envelope and keep passing the envelopes to the right.
  4. This continues until it goes all the way around the circle and the next person is the name of the person on the envelope.
  5. Instead of passing it to the person whose name is on the envelope, the last person gives the card to the youth leader.
  6. Once a card has been completed for everyone in the group, the cards are all collected and passed on to the next group.

 

What to Do: Stage 2

At this stage, groups will have the cards from those people who are not in their group. Instead of adding to the card, they will each be given a Christmas Ornament to decorate.

  1. Take an ornament
  2. Take an envelope and first put the youth’s name on the ornament using the markers and paint pens. (You might also want to add the year.)
  3. Using the words on the index cards, decorate the ornament with symbols and phrases from the index card.
  4. After all the ornaments have been decorated, the person who created the ornament explains it and then gives both the index card and the ornament to the person whose name appears on it.
  5. Before passing the ornament to the youth, have a prayer of blessing for the person whose name is on the ornament.

 

Variations

  • Instead of something they appreciate, ask youth to add an encouragement or a Bible verse.
  • Instead of a ball ornament, use a small photoframe with a group photo, or candid shot of each youth. Add the encouragements to the photo frame.

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Costume and Prop Ideas for Christmas Plays

christmas_shepherds.jpg

Description

You don’t need to have an expensive budget to create costumes for the Christmas Play. With a few simple pieces of cloth and some imagination you can easily create costumes for shepherds, angels, wisemen, Mary and Joseph.

Creative Teaching Idea
Make costumes available for the Christmas Bible Study lesson and encourage youth to volunteer to read various parts and dress the part.

Christmas Costumes for Mary, Joseph, Shepherds
Collect Bathrobes, large towels, and sheets. They are available in a variety of colors and can stil be used after the Christmas play is over. Muted and earth tone colors are best. Have adults, youth, and children wear normal dark colored pants underneath and a plain white log-sleeved shirt then add layers. Just ensure the sostumes aren’t too long so that people easily trip. For shoes, leather sandals or even everyday flat sandals can be used. Have some soft rope or scarfs to tie headbands and for use as belts. Keep costumes simple, as more than two layers will be too bulky and could be too hot as well. If you don’t have any wooden shafts for a shepherd’s staff, try using cardboard from the inside roll of Christmas wrapping paper and wrap it unevently in brown tape with lots of wrinkles in the tape.

Costumes for angels
Dress completely in white and add a gold scarf or sash and a halo formed from gold or silver pipe cleaners. You can add wings by bending wire coat hangers and covering them with white tissue paper or a thin gauze. Tape the two wings together and add circle of elastic at the topn and bottom of the wings to go around the houlder and waist.

Costumes for wisemen
These can be similar to those for Joseph and the shepherds, but stick to royal colors like blues, dark purples, gold and silver. Velvet is also an added touch. You can cut crowns from cardboard and cover them with glitter and plastic jewels. Goft wrap different size boxes in gold or silver as gifts from the wisemen.

Christmas Backdrops
Ask a furniture, or appliance store for old cardboard refrigerator boxes or toher large bozes used to ship furnature. Focus on shapes and silouettes rather than details when painting the cardboard with acrylic or tempra paints.

Have other ideas for simple low cost Christmas costumes, please add a comment and share them with others

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Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

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Christmas Letters to Santa

Letters from kids to Santa:


Dear Santa,

Please when you come to my house would you bring me a doll that eats and cries, and my little pony and video games. I don’t want you to bring me another brother, but my mom says that you are going to be bringing one around Christmas, but I already have one and he just gets in my stuff and breaks it. You can bring my dad a new job ’cause the mill he works at is not working right now…

Thank you so much and mom says we will leave cookies for you by the door that’s because we don’t have a chimney.

Love, Sarah


Dear Santa,

I want a skateboard for Christmas and my mom said I can’t have a skate board unless I wear a helmet and pads – so I guess you’d better bring those too.

Tommy


Dear Santa,

This is my Christmas list: a bike and a wii and a basketball hoop the kind that you sit in the driveway and I want surprise stuff too. Santa – I have been very good this year. If my sister says anything about me breaking her talking doll, I just want you to know that it just stopped talking – I had nothing to do with it even if I was holding it.

Jason
PS And I’m really very sorry about Blackie, her hamster


Unfortunately, it seems that the children writing letters to Santa this Christmas won’t be getting a response. According to an Associated Press article on the 18th of November, 2009, this is because the US Postal service says it will no longer deliver the letters to North Pole, Alaska as it has done since 1954.

But wouldn’t it be great if, instead of writing letters to Santa, kids wrote letters to God?

Ask youth to think back to when they were young and wrote letters to Santa.

  • What did they ask for?
  • What things did they tell him?
  • Did they believe he would respond?

 

If we can put so much faith in a fictional man in red, why can’t we put even more faith in the Baby in the Manger? Do we talk to Christ in the same innocent way, sharing our hopes and dreams and with faith that he will answer?

Ask youth to write a personal letter to God, sharing their hopes, their wishes, their fears, their joys and their sorrows. What would they ask from God this Christmas?

Set up a cross and ask the youth to place the letters as a Christmas gift under a different tree – a cross – the tree upon which the Savior died to bring us life. The fact is we have all been bad. None of us have done good. But God in His great LOVE for us sent us the Greatest Christmas gift of all – He sent His son to the earth – born to die that we might live!

The greatest gift we can give him in response is our heart, our life – to bring everything to Him and place it at the foot of the cross.

So this Christmas, instead of a letter to Santa, let’s write a letter to God!

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Christmas Gifts Alphabet

Game Description
Gifts are a big part of Christmas. The greatest gift was God sending his Son. The wisemen brought gifts. In this game, youth go through the alphabet thanking God for the gifts he has given us either on a personal or corporate level. You could use this for a youth group, or for family activity.

Game Materials
None needed

Game Preparation
None

What to Do

  1. Starting with the letter “A” youth progress through the letters of the alphabet naming gifts of God which begin with each letter. (e.g. I thank God for sending Angels to watch over us.)
  2. The next person thanks God for “Angel” and then adds something that begins with the letter “B”
  3. The game continues until the end of the alphabet or until the group gets stuck.

 

Variation
Instead of naming gifts youth are thankful for, youth can list things that are somehow related to Christmas.

Variation
Use this for Thanksgiving instead of Christmas.

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Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

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Prayer circle

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…

Youth Attractions

balloon_bunch.jpgIntroduction
Rub a balloon against your hair and it builds up a charge that will allow it to attract small bits of paper or even stick to a wall. Our thoughts are often like the balloons. We attract what we focus upon. Change your thoughts and you change not only the attractions, but you will find new habits and new results coming into your life.

Game Description
This game is appropriate for any size youth group and balloons are loved by all ages. It can be used on a youth ministry game night, during Sunday School or as part of a Bible Study Class. The objective of the game is for youth to rub balloons against their hair to give the balloons enough static electricity for them to stick to the wall. Small pieces of paper with messages on them can also be placed inside the balloons. Whiteboard or Permanent markers can be used to write on the balloons as well.

Game Materials
You only need to have one balloon for each youth that plays and a few bare walls.

Game Preparation
You can either get the youth to inflate the balloons as part of the game or inflate them in advance. If you inflate balloons in advance, you can also write messages on small slips of paper and place them inside the balloons. Questions, quotes, scripture verses, instructions, key facts, and keywords for a lesson can be placed inside the balloons. An air pump is useful if you decide to inflate the balloons beforehand.

Game Play
If you have a large group of youth, you can play according to teams. It can be a free for all or played as a relay race. Teams can be assigned a particular color of balloons or it can be a free for all. In particularly humid climates, it may be very difficult to generate enough static for the balloon to stick to the wall but in most cases it is still possible. If the youth take too long or don’t give the balloons enough of a charge, they will fall from the wall.

Variation 1: Relay Race

  1. Inflate a balloon and tie it off, or collect an already inflated balloon.
  2. Take it to a designated wall and attach it to the wall using only static electricity to help it to cling to the wall. The easiest way is to rub it against your hair until it gets enough charge to become attracted to the wall and cling to it.
  3. Once it clings to the wall the youth returns to his or her team and the next teen can go get another balloon. If the balloon loses its charge and drops, it must be recharged and attached to the wall again.
  4. First team to get all their balloons attached to the wall wins.

NOTE: To make it a little harder, you can force them to charge the balloon with static electricity and then stick it to their head or clothes to carry it to the wall – i.e. it must be stuck to the person first to take it to the wall.

 

Variation 2: Free for All

  1. Place all the balloons in a pile in the center of the room.
  2. Youths must run to the center of the room, grab a balloon then inflate it and tie it off. Alternatively you can pile all the inflated balloons in the center of the room and they simply collect one. You can have them run one at a time or collect an already inflated balloon.
  3. If a balloon falls from the wall it is free game for anyone to pick up and deliver it to their own wall.
  4. At the end of a time limit the team with the most balloons still attached to their wall wins.

 

Take it to the Next Level

Discussion

  • What are the attractions in your own life?
  • What are the things you cling to?
  • Why do some things in life lose the attraction for us?
  • What are the attractions of living for Christ?
  • What are the attractions of the world?

 

Scriptures: Food for Thought

  • “Let your love be perfectly sincere. Regard with horror what is evil; cling to what is right.” — Romans 12:9
  • “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you” — Matthew 6:33
  • “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” — Proverbs 23:7
  • “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21
  • “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” — Psalm 1:1-5
  • “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” — Colossians 3:2
  • “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” — Romans 8:5
  • “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” — 1 Corinthians 10:13
  • “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.” — James 1: 13-14
  • “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” — Philippians 4:8

 

Potential debrief ideas / learning Points

  • It’s the close connection that gives it the charge.
  • In times the attraction is lost
  • Once the attraction is created it is sometimes difficult to stop it from clinging to us
  • New attractions can be created
  • Attractions can quickly change.
  • New attractions take time to create

 


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.

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50 People, One Question

If anything could happen for you,
before the end of the day,
What do you wish would happen?

If Jesus were to answer the same question about your life,
what would he say?

Use this video to start an interesting discussion with your youth.

 


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…

Solomon’s Measurement of Life. Is Life Meaningless?

Scriptures

“I thought to myself, “Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.” – Ecclesiastes 1:16-17

“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

“So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.” – Ecclesiastes 2:17-19

Infact, right at the start of Ecclesiastes, Solomon says “Meaningless! Meaningless! ” Says the teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!”

Materials
Obtain some flexible rulers or make them from cardboard. IKEA has some flexible rulers and you may be able to ask them for some for your class of youth.

What to do
Have youth measure things with their rulers… maybe have a length scavenger hunt… give youth several measurements and they have to scour the room and find the objects that match the measurements… first to get them all correct gets a prize.

Take it to the Next Level
Have Youth then write the standards of measurement that people use to evaluate their lives. In today’s scripture we see some ways Solomon measures life. You might give them some helpful scriptures to write on their rulers. Talk about how those standards are corrupted when the measurements are wrong. Then everything gets measured incorrectly.

When our measurements of ourselves (pride), expectations (jealousy), comparisons with others, and timing (patience) are wrong it messes up our results. When we measure life by wealth, by pleasure, by excitement, we discover it becomes meaningless, monotonous, and futile. Our standards for measurement must be exact and based on God’s Word or every measurement we make will be wrong. God’s Word is to be the ruler for our life. When we use other things as rulers our measurements come out wrong.

 


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…

St. Patrick’s Day Ideas for Youth

Description
Use this information in a Children’s sermon or for a youth acitivity for St. Patrick’s day. The significance of St Patrick’s day is not in the traditions associated with it today, but in its remembrance of forgiving teenager who was sold into slavery and escaped only to return to the country where he had been a slave, in order to bring the people there to the love of Christ.

Resources
Bring in a large three leafed clover (Shamrock) or clover stickers for each of the children. You might also wear something green, or even let the children have a taste of some traditional Irish food like corned beef and cabbage. NOTE: Cabbage was traditionally served with Irish bacon, instead of corned beef. Corned beef is apparently an Irish American tradition started at the turn of the century because families could not afford Irish Bacon.

Introduction
St Patrick’s Day is March 17, on the day of his death, and has been traditionally associated with all things Irish and a lucky clover. At some point Leprechaun’s and rainbows with a pot of gold at the end somehow were included in the mythology. Like many holidays, St. Patrick’s day began as a religious holiday to commemorate his death, but the original purpose and traditions have been replaced with something almost entirely unconnected to the original celebration. Many of the details of his life are disputed, but we can be certain that he did preach to the unsaved in Ireland and placed a major role in the evangelization of a very large number of people.

Let’s first look at some of the common ideas about St. Patrick’s Day and then look at some teaching points we could associate with each.

Irish
St. Patrick’s Day is correctly associated with Ireland, but St. Patrick himself was not Irish, but British. He might not have even been officially declared a saint. Even so, historians believe he was born around 389 AD near Wales and given the name of Maewyn Succat. Like Daniel and Joseph of the Bible, he was captured and sold into slavery when he was only teenager (16 years old). Life was difficult for slaves. Not only was life difficult, but he was dragged from his home and sent into slavery in another country without his family. Tradition says that as a slave in Ireland he was forced to be a shepherd, herding sheep and pigs. His father had been a church deacon, and his grandfather a clergyman, but by his account Maewyn only turned to religion and prayed out to God when he was in captivity. After six years as a slave he escaped by boat to Britain. He traveled the 200 miles to the ocean and according to some stories either stowed away or booked passage. The boat landed not far from where his parents lived, and one would expect a joyful reunion and for him to remain with his parents. But instead of staying with his family, he traveled to France to study and become a priest. While studying for ministry, he received a vision from God to return to Ireland as a missionary. He only took the name Patrick when he later became a Bishop. It was a great act of forgiveness that he returned to the people who enslaved him in order to share with them the love of Christ. Because of his ministry in Ireland he brought not only Christianity to the whole country, but also an end to slavery. In the same way, through God’s forgiveness and sending of Christ to us we also experience his love and are delivered from our slavery to sin.

Teaching Point
If you were captured and put into slavery as a teenager, do you think you might feel called to return to those who enslaved you and work for the salvation of their souls? Is forgiveness easy or difficult? Why is forgiveness an important concept to Christians?

Four Leaf Clover
A four-leaf clover is said to be good luck, but in a tradition written 1000 years after St. Patrick’s death, a three-leafed shamrock was originally associated with St. Patrick’s day. This is because St. Patrick supposedly used a similar plant to explain the idea of the Trinity. He explained that like a three leafed shamrock, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could exist as three parts of a single entity. Forever associated with this simple illustration, the Irish adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on St. Patrick’s day in their celebrations and feasts.

Teaching Point
1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

A Pot of Gold at the End of a Rainbow
When you see a rainbow associated with St. Patrick’s Day, it is because there is supposed to be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. According to Irish fairy tales the pot of gold is guarded by a Leprechaun – a short little old man, who lived alone and worked as a shoemaker. You could supposedly find him by the sound of his hammer as he made shoes, and if you managed to catch him you could force him to reveal the location of his treasure of Gold. But leprechauns were clever and if he tricked you to take your eyes off him for even a second he vanished.

Teaching Point
The rainbow in the Bible doesn’t lead us to a pot of Gold, but was intended to lead us to God. For the Christian, our “Pot of Gold” lies in heaven, in eternity with God because of Jesus. Earthly treasures are fleeting and incomparable to the joy of knowing Christ. (Ecclesiastes 5:19-20; Matthew 6:19-21) We can find the original significance of the rainbow in Genesis 9:12-14 “And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.”

Luck
“Luck of the Irish” is a common saying. Patrick tells how his life was at risk, and how he was sometimes imprisoned by the local pagan chiefs. But it wasn’t luck that carried him through, but God. (And maybe some of the gifts he supposedly gave to the chiefs.)

Teaching Point
Biblically it is not luck that determines our lives, but God. It is not luck that brings us blessings, but God. And those blessings might be here on earth or in the next life. Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” So God works things, good and bad, for his purpose.

St Patrick drives the snakes out of Ireland
One tradition says that St. Patrick preached a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. It’s highly unlikely there ever were any snakes in Ireland after the last ice age. Being cold blooded reptiles, they would not have survived the cold. But the tradition is more likely to refer to the snake, not as a creature, but as a symbol of evil. In that sense it may refer to his bringing of Christianity to Ireland and his life’s mission to get rid of pagan influences in the country. The tradition might also be related to his lighting of a fire on the hill of Signe on the Eve of Easter to challenge a pagan ritual that forbid the lighting of any fires until the king’s fire had been started first.

Teaching Point
St. Patrick was quite successful at evangelism and traveled the length of Ireland setting up schools, churches and monasteries. In response, the Celtic druids apparently managed to stir up enough trouble to get him arrested several times. Each time he escaped, and after 30 years he was quite instrumental in converting much of Ireland to Christianity.


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How to Make Christmas Snowflakes from Paper

Do you have any idea how easy it is to make Christmas snowflakes? There are several ways to make paper snowflakes for Christmas decorations, and there a ton of wonderful things that you can do with them. So let’s learn how to make your basic snowflake and learn some simple techniques to make the most beautiful decorations for Christmas. Once you get the hang of cutting and folding your paper, it is so easy to make your snowflakes that you will want to show your whole family and even your friends.

All of the snowflakes start out with the same basic fold, and it can be a little complicated at first but once you get the hang of it, you’re golden.

  1. The first step is to find a square sheet of paper. Yes, it must be square.
  2. Next, You fold it in half diagonally so that it forms a triangle, and then fold it in half again so that you have a smaller, four part triangle.
  3. Once you have that, you want to make another fold, but this one is a bit tricky. The corners will overlap after this fold so don’t worry about the paper being caught up in the middle. You would take the left corner and fold it over to the right at an angle, so that you form about a forty-five degree angle with the two triangle points.
  4. Then take the right point of the triangle and fold it over to the left so that the whole looks like a triangle with feet.
  5. When you have that done, cut about a quarter inch above the feet and you have the basis of your snowflake.

Once you have the base of your snowflake, here begins the fun! The next step is to take your scissors and cut out shapes around the edges. They can be triangles, squares, or anything else. If you want to have a Christmas snowflake with a hole in the middle, cut the tip off with a clean snip. If you don’t want a hole in the middle, leave it on there. Since no two snowflakes are the same, use your imagination on what you want it to look like and make any kind of cut notches that you want. Once you’ve done that, unfold and open your paper carefully and voila! You’ve got your very own paper snowflake.

snowflake.JPG

Making snowflakes out of paper for Christmas is one of the most fun projects there is. It’s simple and easy to learn, as well as fun for youth, children and the whole family. When you run out of ideas for decorations, making these snowflakes is an awesome way to compensate as well. A great idea is to take Christmas wrapping paper and make the snowflakes out of it instead of plain white paper. When you are ready to get folding, remember that patience is the answer when you are making these snowflakes and practice makes perfect to get the notches and cuts that you want. It’s easy that.

Take it to the next Level
As each snowflake is unique, this can also be a discussion starter about how God created each of us special and unique and psalm 139.

 

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Christian Running Shoes for the Race

Description
In I Cor. 9:24-27, Paul compares the Christian life to a race. Any runner will tell you that the most important piece of equipment for the runner is his shoes. Shoes are very personal things. You can’t run the race in someone else’s shoes. In the same way, in the body of Christ we each must run the race. Everyone needs his own set of running shoes. And while we all need shoes, our shoes will be different as we run the race ahead.

What to do

  1. Sit the youth in a circle and ask them to remove their shoes, and place them in the middle of the circle.
  2. Divide the group of youth into two or more teams and give each team a piece of paper with the following the following 2 tasks on them.
    • List as many features as possible that the shoes in the middle of the circle have in common.
    • List as many features as possible make each pair of shoes unique.
  3. Have the teams of youth read out their lists.
  4. Next, have everyone close their eyes and grab two shoes from the pile in the center of the circle.
  5. Once everyone has a pair of shoes, they must put them on if possible. If their foot will not fit, just put their toes in the shoes.
  6. Then, wearing the shoes, ask them to run a relay race to the other side of the room and touch the wall and come back.

Discussion

  • What was it like wearing someone else’s shoes? Do you think they helped you or hindered you in your race?
  • What are some of the things that we have in common as part of the body of Christ?
  • What are some of the things that make us unique?
  • When it comes to running the race of life, what lessons can we learn from this activity?

Bible Scripture References
1 Corinthians 12; I Cor. 9:24-27

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Our “Destined to Win” series is a great follow up for youth who are new Christians or to emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum / Small Group Study has a sports theme and is great for athletes and works well as a tie in to what’s going on in the NBA and the current Linsanity.
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Thanksgiving Activities and Lessons

Activities and Lessons for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Object Lesson – Ten Lepers – Use this Thanksgiving Children’s sermon / Thanksgiving Object lesson to create a situation in the Sunday school classroom or Worship service to illustrate the story in Luke 17 of the healing of ten lepers and the ONE that return to Jesus and thanked him for what he had done.

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2010 Youth Olympic Games Sports Freeze Frames

Youth Olympics Sports Logos Freeze Frames!
Can you imitate the people in the logos and be the first to complete all the Youth Olympics Sports images?

2010youtholympicsymbols.jpg

Description
Participants will try to copy the poses of athletes in the various Youth Olympic Sports as shown in the Logos for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

Resources

  • For some great photo opportunities have a few cameras available!
  • You can get the sports logos as individual images from the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympics website
  • They are also shown as a single image at the top of this post. Here is a list of the 26 sports included in the first youth Olympic Games in Singapore.
    1. Aquatics
    2. Archery
    3. Athletics
    4. Badminton
    5. Basketball
    6. Boxing
    7. Canoe-Kayak
    8. Cycling
    9. Equestrian
    10. Fencing
    11. Football
    12. Gymnastics
    13. Handball
    14. Hockey
    15. Judo
    16. Modern Pentathlon
    17. Rowing
    18. Sailing
    19. Shooting
    20. Table tennis
    21. Taekwondo
    22. Tennis
    23. Triathlon
    24. Weightlifting
    25. Wrestling
    26. Volleyball

Preparation

  1. Cut out the images and mount them on colored pieces of construction paper or notecards.
  2. To make it more fun, you may want to add additional photos from the specific sports with people midair and in crazy positions.

What to Do

Divide the group into teams. You can play with this in a variety of ways:

  • Randomly draw from the logo images. Have all groups imitate the same image. The first group to get in the same pose as the chosen image gets a point. To make it more difficult, allow only one participant from each group to see the image and then they must go back and form their group into the correct pose.
  • Randomly deal the images to the groups face down so they cannot see them. Provide a judge for each group that will decide if the group is close enough to the original image before moving on to the next. The first group to complete all the images first wins.
  • Make it a relay race, where group members must run to the other side of the room, grab an image and then emulate it before the next person from the group can go. The first group to have all persons go wins!
  • Give each group a camera and make it a photo scavenger hunt. Give each group a collection of photos involving props, positions, and even locations that they must duplicate with the group. The first group to complete the assignment and return with the most correct photos wins!

Variations

  • Make props available for each of the sports. Teams must also include the props.

Taking it to the Next Level


For good and for bad, we often imitate others in life. Sometimes this can be a positive thing when others have qualities or traits that we wish to develop in our own lives. At other times it can be stifling as we try to fit into roles and expectations instead of being the person we were created to be.

  • Are there people in your life you would like to imitate? Name some of your role models.
  • Who are the people you aspire to be like?
  • Is it important to have role models? Why or why not?
  • How do you draw a balance between being the unique person you were created to be and expectations that society expects us to conform to?
  • What are some of the qualities you would like to imitate from a role model? How can you develop these qualities?
  • If you don’t have a mentor or role model, who is someone that has the qualities, skills or experience to help you in your personal development?
  • Is there an area of your life where you have simply been conforming to what is expected rather then expressing your unique self? If you were not concerned about other people’s expectations and what other people think, what is something you would change about yourself?

Application

  • Choose a trait or quality you want to develop and find a role model or mentor to help you develop that in your own life.
  • Choose a trait or quality that you have stifled because of expectations that you can begin to develop and learn to express in a positive way.

Possible Scripture References:

Psalm 139:14ff, Ephesians 2:10; Deuteronomy 18:9; 1 Corinthians 4:16-17; Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 13:7; 3 John 1:11, 1 Corinthians 11:1-2; 2 Kings 14:3; John 13:15; Philippians 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:7; 1 Timothy 4:12; Titus 2:7; 1 Peter 2:22-24

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Destined to Win

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The race as a metaphor for the Christian life is used in several places in the Bible. This series is a great follow up for new Christians or to re-emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum has a sports theme and is great for athletes as well as a tie in to the youth Olympic Games.
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Fruit of the Spirit Towers

Description
This is a great learning activity for youth to introduce the fruits of the Spirit and discuss the ongoing development of spiritual fruit in youth as they grow in Christ.

Materials

  • A collection of fruits: Apples, Bananas, Custard Apples, Coconuts, Dragonfruit, Durians, Grapefruits, Grapes, Lemons, Limes, Oranges, Papayas, Pears, Pineapples, Pomelos, Rambutans, Soursop, Starfruit, Strawberries.
  • You might also include toothpicks and a plastic knife so the youth can cut the fruits up and stick them together.
  • A plate on which to build the tower.
  • Optional: Plastic or rubber gloves

 

Preparation
Place the fruits and materials in a fruit basket or bowl where all the youth can see them. You should have one fruit basket for each group of youth.

Important Note: I prefer to do this activity with the youth designating a few tower builders who wear gloves so that at the end of the activity the youth can eat the fruits. You could also use the fruits for a fruit salad afterward. Just add the cream, nuts or other ingredients for your favorite fruit salad recipe and then you will have a tasty snack for the youth instead of wasting the fruit.

What to do

  1. Tell the youth or groups of youth to build towers from the fruit and other materials provided. You may choose to give all the groups of youth the same fruits and materials or give different groups different materials.
  2. Award prizes for the tallest, sturdiest, lightest, most creative, best architectural style, strangest, etc. For fun you may wish to video tape the construction of towers for a record of the event.

 

Application
While giving the following explanation, build your own tower from the fruits:
When we abide in Christ, God starts to produce the fruits of the spirit in our lives. (John 15) The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) And these fruits are produced in ever increasing measure. While 2 Peter 5-8, doesn’t specifically mention the phrase “fruits of the Spirit”, you’ll see some of the same qualities mentioned in the list it gives there: Faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. It also says that if we have these in every increasing measure they will prevent us from being unfruitful. Actually, there is a logical pattern to the qualities mentioned there. We begin with a faith in Christ, which leads to a desire to do the good things that we know God’s wants us to do. But as we start to live that life, we realize there is so much more that we need to know to live a life that is pleasing to Him. And the more we learn about God and his plan for us, the more we discover even more areas of our lives that we need to change. And of course, change is never easy and it requires a lot of self-control. We will struggle and fail as we seek to make these changes in our lives. Only perseverance will carry us through. As we make these changes we will show more godliness in the way that we live our lives. But Godliness is ultimately expressed in the way we treat our brothers. Brotherly kindness will ultimately be expressed as love. In fact, we are told that others will truly know that we are Christians by our love – When the love of God is expressed through us to others. (John 13:35) The gifts build upon one another in ever increasing measure leading to a life defined by the greatest commandment: Love the Lord God with all your heart soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-40)

(I wonder how many of us were tempted to destroy our competition instead of building our own tower? Satan is like that too. We work hard to try to be like Jesus. We do nice things like hold our tempers (place a piece of fruit onto your tower) or tell the truth (stack another piece of fruit on top) or obey our parents / teachers (place another piece of fruit on top), and when Satan sees us trying to grow more like Christ guess what Satan tries to do? (Satan tries to knock us down. ) Yes, Satan tries to knock us down. And sometimes he succeeds. But we have to pick ourselves up and try again. Sometimes it is our own weaknesses that cause us to fail – poor choices. We may be far from perfect, but if we keep making progress, ever increasing in our gifts, our lives will be fruitful.

 


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Pin the Tail on the Easter Bunny

Introduction

  • Can you pin the cotton tail on the Easter Bunny?

 

Description

  • In this Easter variation of “Pin the tail on the Donkey”, youth will need to pin a cotton ball tail on to an Easter bunny. Only there is a surprise twist!

 

Materials

  • Drawing of an Easter Bunny
  • Drawing of an Empty Cross
  • Cotton balls
  • Double sided tape

 

Preparation

  • In this Easter variation of “Pin the tail on the Donkey”, you’ll need to find an image of an Easter bunny. Place the picture on a wall or flat surface.
  • Prepare a cotton ball for each youth with a piece of double-sided adhesive tape attached
  • Find or make an image of a cross as well, but keep it hidden until needed.

 

Instructions for Playing this Easter Game

  1. Each youth is given a cotton ball with a double-sided piece of sticky tape attached to it.
  2. Blindfold all of the youth and while everyone is blindfolded, replace the rabbit with a picture of a cross without them knowing it.
  3. Explain to the youth that they are to be completely quiet for this game and to make no comments when their blindfolds have been removed or to give those still playing any clues.
  4. Spin them around 3-5 times, (so they are a little dizzy) and point them in the direction of the cross (2-3 feet in front of it).
  5. Tell the youth to walk forward and place the “tail on the rabbit”.
  6. Remove the blindfold from the youth and repeat the process with the next youth in line.

 

Discussion
I understand that some in the church prefer to avoid anything related to rabbits and eggs in the celebration of Easter and this kind of plays with that idea. I thought of other ways of doing this game, but to “pin Christ on the cross” seemed a little sacrilegious to me. Even though it is true that every time we sin we are in some ways putting Christ on the Cross, because our sins were what put him there in the first place.

But I chose to use this “Pin the tail on the Easter Bunny” game as part of an overall theme on expectations, replacement, and searching. We expected a rabbit, but it was replaced with a cross. Unfortunately, the world today has done the opposite. They have replaced the cross with a rabbit! The Romans expected the death of Christ to end his following. But his followers grew stronger and more numerous after the resurrection. The women went to the tomb expected to find Christ’s body. Instead they found an empty tomb. We sometimes fear that death is the end. But as Christians we are only beginning an eternity with God! In the world today, a lot of people are searching for some place, to leave their mark, like you left your mark on the poster. But Jesus says Seek Me and you will find me. I have sealed you. And with my blood I have marked you as my own. You will leave your mark in the world when you follow me!

Closing Application
Imagine that the cotton ball is representative of your sin. When we repent and accept Christ, we are placing our sins on Christ, our sins on the cross with Him. But the story of Easter is that He is no longer there on the cross and God did a switch on us as well. Instead of us taking the punishment for our sin – death, Christ took that punishment in our place. And through his blood our sins have been forgiven! Through Christ, death has been replaced with life. Just as Christ has risen from the grave, we will also if we have repented and accepted his forgiveness!

In closing, say a prayer of confession for the sins you have committed and one of thanks for his forgiveness through the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross. But more importantly remember that he has risen from the grave and we will one day rise to be with Him!

Don’t replace the cross with a rabbit!

Variations
You could just as easily do this game in reverse from what I have shared above. Start out explaining what Jesus did on the cross, taking the sins of the world on his shoulders and giving youth the cotton ball as a representation of their sins to pin on the cross. Then while all are blindfolded, replace the cross with an Easter bunny. Then for discussion have people share how they felt when they discovered the switch! Does God feel the same way when we replace the cross and the resurrection with a rabbit and eggs? Might create some interesting discussion.

 

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Peter Cotton Tail

The song by Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins, focuses on the Easter Bunny, also known as Peter Cottontail. In essence they have turned the Easter Story into a Spring Santa Claus, who goes gives gifts to children. For somebody, he’s got jellybeans, while for others; he is carrying a basket full of Easter joy.

Here’s the Lyrics:

Here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hopping’ down the bunny trail,
Hippity, hoppity,
Easter’s on its way.

Bringing’ every girl and boy Baskets full of Easter joy,
Things to make your Easter bright and gay.
He’s got jellybeans for Tommy,
Colored eggs for sister Sue,
There’s an orchid for your Mommy
And an Easter bonnet, too.

Oh! here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hopping’ down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity,
Happy Easter day.

Here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hopping’ down the bunny trail,
Look at him stop, and listen to him say:
“Try to do the things you should.”
Maybe if you’re extra good,
He’ll roll lots of Easter eggs your way.

You’ll wake up on Easter morning
And you’ll know that he was there
When you find those chocolate bunnies
That he’s hiding everywhere.

Oh! here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hopping’ down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity,
Happy Easter day.

But what if Peter Cottontail knew the real meaning of Easter?

Have youth write a new version of the popular song and relate it to the true meaning of Easter!

 

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Youth Sunrise Service

Description
An Easter sunrise service for a family or youth group is a great way to do something a little different this Easter.

Resources

  • Bible
  • Blanket to sit on
  • Breakfast – Prepare a simple breakfast of boiled eggs, Hot cross Buns, rolls, juice, etc. Add a little fun to breakfast by packing a breakfast for each person in an individual Easter Basket with each person’s name on it. You can even hide a prize in the bottom of each basket.)

 

Preparation

    • Scout around your general location for a special, quiet place from which the sunrise can be seen. Arrange transportation as necessary to the location.
    • Find and mark the Easter story in the Bible. (John 20: 14-18, Luke 24:1-12)
    • Choose one or two songs the whole family can sing about the risen Lord. You can bring along a portable music player with speakers, a guitar or sing without music. You might also want to create handouts with the words for each participant.

Find out the approximate time of sunrise for Easter Sunday from the newspaper. [You can use this online link or earthtools to find out according to your longitude and latitude]

 

What to Do – Easter Morning

  • Set your alarms so that you have enough time to get up and get ready. You might want to set clothes and other things aside the night before so you can just grab them and run in the morning.
  • Get up early enough in the morning to get everyone to your chosen location before the sun comes up.
  • Encourage youth to dress appropriately for the weather and comfort.
  • Spread out the blanket(s) and encourage everyone to take a seat on the blankets
  • Before the sun comes up, read the account of Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and possibly other women going to Jesus’ tomb and what they experienced.
  • As the sun starts to peek over the horizon, sing or play a victorious song.
  • Then thank God with your eyes wide open for the Resurrection and share what the resurrection means to you. A good outline for your short testimony is: 1) This is what I was, 2) this is what happened, 3) I cried out, and 4) this is what He’s done…You might also invite some of the other youth to share.
  • Share a simple breakfast together with the food you have brought. [One of the defining acts of Jesus’ ministry was table fellowship.]
  • Head back to your homes with enough time for everyone to get dressed in their new Easter clothes and go to church.

 

Added Meaning

  • Study the Biblical events leading up to Easter (Matthew 26 and 27) the week before you have the Easter Sunrise Service.
  • If you are doing this with your family, or in a church locking, the night before Easter, talk about how the disciples must have felt on the Saturday night before the Resurrection; how Jesus’ mother must have felt; what Mary Magdalene and those who had known Jesus were feeling.

 

Adapted from “Let’s Make a Memory” by G. Gaither & S. Dobson”

 

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Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

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Easter Communion

Description
Do something special with your family or with your youth group this year by having an Easter Communion with them.

Resources

  • An easy to understand Bible
  • One loaf of unleavened Bread
  • One cup filled with Grape Juice

 

What to do 

  • Read through the Biblical account of the Jewish Passover and discuss what it meant to the Jews in the Bible. (see Exodus 12).
  • Explain the significance of the use of unleavened bread when Jewish families remembered the Passover.
  • Read the Bible passages leading up to the account of Jesus sharing the passover with His disciples (John 13). You might also want to include Jesus’ last words to His disciples (John 14-16) and Jesus’ prayer for us (John 17).
  • Explain the significance of Jesus as the Passover Lamb as a sacrifice for each of our sins.
  • Discuss the significance of sharing His cup and what it means to us today (John 18:11).
  • Discuss what it means to be part of the Body of Christ. (I Corinthians 12)
  • Forewarn the youth that communion is to be a time of reflection and reverence before God in remembrance of what he has done for us.

 

SHARING THE ELEMENTS OF THE FAMILY COMMUNION
(If it is your conviction that only a clergyman / pastor / minister must administer communion, invite one to do so in the circIe of your family or youth group.)

  • Use one loaf of unleavened bread and one cup so that the family may share “One Body”
  • and “One Cup.” You can make this time more meaningful by sharing with each person with whom you break bread why you feel that person has been a gift from God to you. Jesus said “I love you” with a cross. We need to practice freely saying “I love you” to each other as well.
  • Thank God together for the gift of His Son, for God’s forgiveness through His Son, and for adopting each of us into His own family, making us sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters with the Lord Jesus, who brought us to the Father with His own Life.

 

Get Creative Youth Ideas: "Easter Collection" ebook Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

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God’s Will Scripture Passage ideas

In Gethsemane Jesus Prayed, “Not my will, but thine.” He was determined to do the Father’s will.

  • God’s will and the witness of your life – Matthew 5:1-16
  • God’s will and the garden of your life – Matthew 13:1-23
  • God’s will and your talents – Matthew 25:14-30
  • God’s will and your prayer life – Luke 11:1-13
  • God’s will and your salvation – John 3:1-22
  • God’s will and His provision for your needs – 1 Kings 17:1-16
  • God’s will and your experience of forgiveness – 2 Samuel 11:1 and 12:13 (Psalm 32)
  • God’s will and your willingness to forgive – Matthew 18:21-35
  • God’s will and your attitude – 1 Corinthians 13
  • God’s will and you family life – Ephesians 5:24 and 6:4
  • God’s will and your tongue – James 3:6-12
  • God’s will and your spiritual life – Galatians 5:16-26
  • God’s will and your faithfulness – Psalm 100
  • God’s will and your attitude toward the Bible – Psalm 110:97-104
  • God’s will and your spiritual life – Isaiah 1:1-20
  • God’s will and your worship – Isaiah 6:1-8, Revelation 4:1-11, 2 Corinthians 6:16-18, Revelation 20:11-15
  • God’s will and your pride – Matthew 18:1-6
  • God’s will and self denial – Luke 9:18-26
  • God’s will and your relationship to Christ – John 15:1-11
  • God’s will and your lifestyle – Romans 12:1-21
  • God’s will and your future – 2 Corinthians 12:1-10
  • God’s will and your goal in life – Philippians 3:1-16
  • God’s will and your church life – Hebrews 10:19-25
  • God’s will and your responsibility to others – 1 John 1:5 and 2:6
  • God’s will and your sin – I John 1:5 and 2:6
  • God’s will and your life in Christ – Colossians 3:1-17
  • God’s will in the life of Jesus – Matthew 16:13-23, 26:36-46
  • God’s will in the life of Jesus – John 6:1-5, John 7:1-9, John 20:1-10, 11-31


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.

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Grasshopper Olympics

Introduction
Announce that today we are going today we are going to have some grasshopper Olympics.
Whoever wins will be crowned King of the Grasshoppers!

Materials
Masking tape and a few jump ropes.

Preparation
Tape two 4-foot strips of masking tape to the floor, 12 to 15 feet apart to use as goal lines for the following special relays/ jumping competitions. You may wish to get the youth to warm up doing a few jumping jack exercises.

Grasshopper Competitions

  1. High jump (Mark the jumps on the wall with a piece of tape)
  2. Number of consecutive skips using a jump rope.
  3. Greatest number of people jumping successfully at the same time using a single jump rope.
  4. Most spectacular trick using a jump rope
  5. Long jump from a stand still – line them up along the line and let them jump forward.
  6. Least number of jumps to reach the opposite line
  7. Running long jump… allow to run and jump from the line without crossing over the line.

Take it to the next level

Award the King of the grasshoppers with a crown of grass! Then ask:

  • Is being compared to a grasshopper a good thing or a put down?
  • Read Numbers 13:33

In this story, the Israelites saw themselves as grasshoppers. They saw the Guinness World Record breaking inhabitants of the land and in comparison saw themselves as small little grasshoppers. Their focus was on their own limited abilities instead of God’s great promises. When we focus on ourselves we often get the wrong perspective on things. We need to learn to see things from God’s perspective. A king of the grasshoppers may be insignificant, but the King of Kings, God with us, can accomplish anything God desires. God promised the land to the Israelites. His promises never fail. All they needed to do was trust Him and follow in obedience. Instead they ran away in fear.

  1. What is it in your life that you need to trust God for?
  2. What promises of God are applicable to that area of your life?
  3. How can you claim those promises and walk in obedience?

When you do, God will replace fear with victory in your life!

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What is salvation all about? What does it mean to be saved? This sports themed Bible Study / Camp Curriculum uses the Olympic Flag to introduce the concepts of sin (black circle), forgiveness (red circle), purity (white background), spiritual growth (green circle), heaven (Yellow Circle) and (Baptism) blue circle.
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Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

The race as a metaphor for the Christian life is used in several places in the Bible. This series is a great follow up for new Christians or to re-emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum has a sports theme and is great for athletes as well as a tie in to the youth Olympic Games.
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Choices and Gray Areas

Description
The Bible doesn’t explicitly cover every possible situation in life. How do we deal with those situations and choices the Bible does not mention. Here are some guidelines.

What to do 

  1. Divide the youth into groups
  2. Have each group brainstorm a list of 10 choices that youth of today must face, but which the Bible does not mention directly. (Examples: Violent video games, smoking, movies that are not G rated, etc.)
  3. Then use the guidelines below to have a discussion about these choices.

Should I or Shouldn’t I?

  • Would Jesus put his name on this as a stamp of approval? (Colossians 3:17)
  • Does this fall into the classification of Good thinking, of a wise decision? (Philippians 4:8)
  • Will this degrade or defile the temple of the Holy Spirit? (1 Corinthians 6:19)
  • Will this sooner or later make a slave out of me? (1 Corinthians 9:27)
  • Does this have the “smell” of evil on it? (I Thessalonians 5:22)
  • Will my indulgence in this prevent someone from accepting Christ as Savior or tend to weaken someone’s faith? (1 Corinthians 8:13)

If the first two questions are “yes” and the rest of the questions are “No” then it is probably okay to participate in the questionable activity. Yet we each need to listen to our heart and the prompting on the Holy Spirit to know what things are okay for us to do. Sometimes the most difficult choices in life are not those between wrong and right, but choices of what is good and what is best. Just because something may not be wrong, does not mean it is right for you at this time and in this situation. Finally we should remember what Paul said in Romans 14:14 & 22 “…But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean…. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.”


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.

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Memory Flip

Description
A life-size version of the classic memory card game (Also known in some places as “Concentration”) where you attempt to remove all the cards from the game by flipping over two matching cards.

Key Truths
When we confess our sin, God chooses to remember them no more. At the same time he always knows and remembers our needs.

Materials
None

Preparation

  1. Send two youth from the room along with a youth leader so that they are out of sight and ear shot of the rest of the group.
  2. While the two youth are away, the remainder of the youth pair up and choose a matching sound to make such as a whistle, a couple, a choo choo train, a bird call, chicken cluck, etc. Have the pairs scramble themselves up and lie face down on the floor in rows like cards laid out in grid.

Game Play

  1. Bring the two youth back into the room.
  2. They take turns calling the names of two youths on the floor, who will turn over and make their sounds. When a matching sound is found, the pair stands behind the person who matched them.
  3. When a person makes a correct match, they get an additional turn.
  4. The player with the most matches at the end wins the game.

Take it to the Next Level

  1. Read Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:12, Hebrews 10:17-18; and Matthew 10:29-31.
  2. What does scripture tell us about God’s memory?
  3. Compare God’s memory with our memory.
  4. What are some truths we can learn about our relationship with God and what he chooses to remember and chooses to forget?


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.

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How Does Your Love Measure Up?

Based on 1 Corinthians 13, How does you love measure up?

LOVE IS PATIENT: I am slow to become angry or irritated. I never yell or lose my temper.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE IS KIND: I am thoughtful and considerate and praise the good qualities in others. I freely give others my time and am always looking for ways to build others up.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE ENVIES NO ONE: I am not jealous when others get more attention than I do and I am not threatened if they accomplish more or have more talent or do better than I do. I don’t sit back and pout or complain or try to see faults in others when I go unnoticed or am not in the spotlight.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE IS NEVER BOASTFUL: I don’t direct or try to control or hog the conversation to make sure others find out about my own accomplishments and abilities. I never stretch the facts so that I leave a better impression than what is actually true. I don’t talk about myself much, but prefer to get others to talk about themselves.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE IS NEVER CONCEITED: I don’t have a elevated view of my own importance or have to be begged, pampered or honored to do my share of the load. I don’t twist the conversation around to the things I am interested in or draw attention to myself. I don’t look for things in which I am better than others.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE IS NEVER RUDE: I never cut others down or am rude, harsh or crude, sarcastic or cocky; but instead I am courteous, polite, and sensitive to the needs of others.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE IS NOT SELFISH: I’m not self-centered or self-seeking, making others fit into my mold, expecting others to behave a certain way for my interests; I’m not possessive of others or those I love or the things I have, insisting on my own rights. I’d willingly let others use anything I have.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE DOES NOT TAKE OFFENSE: I’m not touchy, cranky, easily irritable, defensive, brittle or supersensitive; I’m not easily hurt or irritated over things that don’t really matter, or offended because of the oversight of a friend or someone else.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE KEEPS NO SCORE OF WRONGS: I’m quick to forgive and forget the offenses of those who hurt me in any way, intentionally or unintentionally. I don’t have to retaliate or defend myself when criticized by anyone, even someone in authority over me.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE DOES NOT GLOAT OVER OTHER MEN’S WRONGS: I’m not
secretly glad when others make a mistake or are proven wrong; I don’t have an “I told you so” attitude, or take pleasure in reminding others of their faults.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE DELIGHTS IN THE TRUTH: I am happy when truth wins out, even when it may show me up as untruthful in some situations or shed a less than positive light on me.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE HAS NO LIMIT TO ITS FAITH: I am not quick to doubt others or God, not pessimistic, always encouraging others to achieve their best, believing they can do it. I do not worry or doubts God work things for my best interests.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE HAS NO LIMITS TO ITS HOPE: I do not get easily frustrated with life, with friends, and am always looking to what others can be instead of what I see.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOVE HAS NO LIMIT TO ITS ENDURANCE: I am not quick to give up, easily frustrated, quick to complain. I always give everything and every relationship my best, regardless of their response, always giving and not expecting anything in return.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Total Score: ____________ / 140


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Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan not only your next Valentine’s Day, but also various other common holidays. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do with youth for the various holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Foil Faces

Materials

  • Aluminum Foil
  • Permanent marker that can mark on foil
  • Paper and pencil for each youth

What to do
Stage 1

  1. Give each youth a large piece of foil.
  2. Have each youth find a partner
  3. Have each youth make an image of his/her partner’s face by placing the foil up to the person’s face and carefully molding the foil sheet to the face.
  4. With a marker put the owners name on the inside of each.
  5. Line up the foil faces and then have youth number try to match the face with the owner.
  6. Award the person who gets the most correct

Stage 2

  • Have youth form a container or vessel from foil that represents their life, their goals, or their aspirations.

Take it to the Next Level

  • We can become an image or reflection of Christ if we allow him to mold us.
  • We can become vessels to be used by God if we allow him to work through us and mold us.
  • Use it for a lesson on peer pressure and discuss how we conform to the expectations of others instead of being ourselves.

Anytime Teaching Idea
Foil can be used to play a pictionary like game with keywords from a lesson. Instead of drawing out the words, Youth are asked to represent the word using foil. Divide into teams and give each team a roll of foil and words they must mold and get their teams to guess.


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.

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Remote Control

Materials
A remote control. If you don’t have one. Make one from a small rectangular box. Cover it with paper and draw the following buttons: rewind, fast forward, play, Pause, and stop.

Preparation
Prepare a list of temptations that youth commonly face. Describe each situation as if it were a drama script. Each situation should also culminate to a point where a specific decision, a specific choice, must be made. Scenarios can be anything with a decision to be made. Examples include the opportunity to cheat on a test, shoplifting, disobedience to parents, drinking at a party, etc.

What to do

  1. Choose a few volunteers to participate in the “remote control” role play.
  2. Describe one of the tempting situations and ask youth to consider the way “their peers” (friends) might handle the situation. Give them a couple minutes to think.
  3. Then hit the “play” button (and say “play” aloud) and allow youth time to act out the situation as you have described it. When they come to the point where a decision must be made, press pause button while (calling out “pause”) and have the actors freeze.
  4. Ask the rest of the group what how the actors should respond to the choice.
  5. The actors then act out the group consensus.

Take it to the Next Level
At this point you may look into scriptures dealing with the topic, and if a difference choice becomes more evident, hit the “rewind” button (while calling out “rewind”) and have kids rewind the role play so they can come to a new Bible based conclusion.

  • Were the role-plays typical of how your friends at school might respond? How would they justify these responses?
  • How do we know when to listen to the group as opposed to doing what we think is the correct thing to do?

Linking ideas
1. The remote control could be kept around and used at any time during a lesson when a choice or decision arises. It allows you to place Biblical truths and principles into real life applications.

Variation

  • Take any Biblical story and tell the first half of the story. Then talk about what the Biblical character might have done were he living today. Then hit the play button and explain what actually happened.
  • You can also use this as an object lesson or children’s sermon about forgiveness and second chances.

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.
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Applies – Doesn’t Apply

Description
This can be used as an icebreaker referring to simple facts about the participants and then can move the group toward discussion of issues and opinions.

Setup
This game can be organized while sitting in a circle, or standing.

What to Do

  1. Call out a statement of fact or opinion (Statements may be related to major issues / strong beliefs; or to facts about the participants.
  2. Participants stand if the statement applies to them, or remain seated if it does not apply. (If you want to make it more active, place a sign on one side of the room for “Applies” and on the other side for “Doesn’t Apply” and ask people to move to the side of the room based on the statements)

Examples

  • Factual: I am over 18.
  • Factual: I am from Texas
  • Factual: I have been to Asia before.
  • Factual: I have a quiet time devotional
  • Issue: Christian’s should have a daily devotional time
  • Issue: Christian’s not divorce.
  • Issue: Overeating is a sin.


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.

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Missions Passport

Creative Teaching Idea Description
Kids will be encouraged to “travel” to various destinations as they look at missions.

Central Truth
God called and used the disciples, Paul, and other Christians in the early church to bring the Gospel to the lost.

Bible Text
The life of Paul – Various passages from Acts

Resources
scissors, crayons or markers, small stickers or white address labels, and one “Missions Passport” or template for each participant.

Preparation

  • Prepare a Missionary passport for each person. The amount of work you do in advance will depend on the age of your group. For the youngest participants you may have passports already cut out and assembled. For older youth or adults, you may leave all the work to them and have the materials available. If done well, you may also use this after missions month, as you study other Bible Stories taking place in different places.
  • Look at a real passport and create a version of your own with places for VISA stamps etc. Here’s some sample text you can us on the inside: “The King of Kings hereby requests all who it may concern to permit this citizen of Heaven (statute Phil: 3:20) named herein to go into all the world and in case of need to be provided with all necessary aid and protection from enemies of God’s Kingdom. (statute John 17:17-18)
  • If you have a polaroid camera, you can even take pictures of the participants for their passports. Another option is to ask them to bring a picture of themselves for the next week. Neoprint pictures also work well.
  • Get stickers or make stamps for various locations that Paul visited with the Gospel. Set up stations where youth can learn about each location or study one each week and let the youth get a stamp for that week!

What to do
“Traveling, through the Bible takes us to many wonderful places. We can travel through the promised land with Joshua, or wander in the desert with Moses. We can travel with Paul to Asia Minor and with Philip to see the Ethiopian. The Bible is like a passport to many places. As we read the scriptures, we will travel to different places, meet different people, and learn more about missionaries. ”
Talk about some of the places PAUL visited in his missionary journeys. You may wish to summarize some of the places Paul visited and or read a narrative to the students. If you are really feeling creative, have someone dress up as Paul and tell them about the various places he visited. Have youth write down the names of places Paul visited and what happened there.

Variations

  • Options aside from Paul are: Peter, Timothy, etc. Look in the book of Acts.
  • The Church and the Golden Age of missionaries – William Carey, and other famous missionaries.
  • The church and World Evangelism – Unreached People Groups
  • Current Missionaries supported by your church and the places they are serving

Paul’s Missionary Journeys
This is an outline of a few of the places Paul visited with possible object lessons or symbols.

  • Antioch – was called the “Queen of the East” because of its beauty, being situated on a river, with an island civic center linked to the shore by 5 bridges. It was situated at intersection of caravan routes between east, west, north, and south. Could be symbolized by a beautiful island in the middle of a river with a bridge and palm trees or by a caravan of camels.
  • Philippi – was located on the east-west highway connecting Rome to Asia. Here Paul preached the gospel beside a river, was later beaten, placed in stocks, and placed in prison. It was here he established the first church on the European Continent. Famous among its ruins today is the foundations of a great arch believed Paul passed through to go to the river and preach the gospel. Could be symbolized by an arch next to the river or a whip or prison bars.
  • Cypress – Third largest island in the Mediterranean, famous for its copper mines. Paul traveled by ship to reach it.
  • Paphos, on the island was a naval station. This location could be symbolized by an island with lots of ships around it or by a copper pot.
  • Pamphylia – Was a fortress surrounded by marshes full of malaria carrying mosquitos. A fortress and mosquitos or insects could symbolize this location.
  • Pisidian Antioch – here Paul proclaimed the gospel but was driven out of the city by an angry mob – Could be symbolized by the mob.
  • Lystra – Here the people thought Paul and Barnabus were gods. The people here also had a mob, but the stones Paul until they thought he was dead and drug him outside the city. Stones could represent this city.
  • Jerusalem – Could be symbolized by the star of David (two intersecting triangles) or the temple or a menorah.
  • Troas – Near the ancient city of Troy – famous for its wooden horse. It was here where Paul saw his vision of a man from Macedonia asking Paul to come help them.
  • Thessaloniaca – located on the great northern highway and could be symbolized by this highway.
  • Athens – Could be symbolized by the Acropolis and Parthenon or by a question mark as it was here that Paul delivered his famous presentation of the Gospel in front of the temple to an unknown God.
  • Corinth – was famous for its temple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love. It was here he met Priscilla and Aquila, tentmakers like himself. A tent would be a good symbol for this city.
  • Ephesus – was famous for its temple to Artemis and a sacred stone which had fallen from the sky (meteorite) and its magicians and healers. The people didn’t like him because he was taking away their business by doing real acts of God instead of magic tricks etc.
  • Caesaria – while in Jail here he wrote many of his letters to the churches. Letters might be a good symbol of this place.
  • Rome – Paul was placed under house arrest here and later out under trial for treason, convicted and beheaded outside the gates.

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
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Put on the Full Armor of God

Using Ephesians 6:13-18 give youth a few minutes to list the “six” pieces of spiritual equipment and then rewrite the analogy from a new perspective as below:

Getting Started

  1. List the six pieces of equipment in the passage
  2. Write a short one sentence description for the purpose or use of each item listed.
  3. Rewrite Ephesians 6 using the new analogy provided: (Give each group a different analogy to use) They will need to identify each new piece of equipment and how it relates to the Christian walk.

Here are some possibilities for fresh analogies:

  • Firefighter
  • Astronaut
  • Football player
  • Tennis player
  • Blacksmith
  • Cook/ Chef
  • Orchestra Conductor
  • Race Car Driver
  • Policeman
  • Baseball Player
  • Fighter Pilot
  • Tank Driver
  • Construction Worker
  • Doctor
  • Dentist

There are lots of options…. and looking at the equipment from a fresh perspective often brings out some really nice insights.

Here are the original 6 pieces of equipment for the passage:

  • Belt – Truth
  • Breastplate – Righteousness
  • Shoes – Gospel of Peace
  • Shield – Faith
  • Helmet – Salvation
  • Sword – Word of God

Example of using a new analogy – Fire Fighter

  • Infrared goggles – Allow the firefighter to see the heat spots and know truth of the situation
  • Oxygen Mask – protects his breathing – Like the holy spirit in us
  • Boots – Gives him good footing and allows him to rescue others
  • Fireproof suit – shields him from the fire
  • Helmet – protects head
  • Fire hose – helps him to put out fires of deception so that he can get to the truth
  • Axe – helps him to cut away barriers and blockages so he can rescue others
  • Ladder – helps him to reach places normally out of reach

Addition Questions for discussion:

  • Why are only 6 pieces of equipment listed?
  • Is there something you feel is missing from this list?
  • Are all these pieces of equipment necessary?
  • Which piece of equipment is most useful in your own Christian walk?
  • Which piece of equipment do you most often neglect?
  • How can having these 6 pieces of equipment help you to live a more victorious Christian 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…

Sports Related References in the Bible

Race

  • 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
  • Acts 20:24
  • 2 Timothy 4:7
  • Hebrews 12:1-3
  • Philippians 3:12-14
  • Galatians 5:7

Sports related Traits

  • Endurance – Galatians 6:9
  • Perseverance – James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5, Hebrews 10:36
  • Training – Ephesians 6:4
  • Pursuit of the Goal – Philippians 3:14
  • Strength – Philippians 4:13, Job 17:9
  • Lose – Luke 9:25
  • Physical Training – 1 Timothy 4:8
  • Spur others on – Hebrews 10:24

Get "Go for the Gold" Youth Bible Study SeriesGo for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

What is salvation all about? What does it mean to be saved? This sports themed Bible Study / Camp Curriculum uses the Olympic Flag to introduce the concepts of sin (black circle), forgiveness (red circle), purity (white background), spiritual growth (green circle), heaven (Yellow Circle) and (Baptism) blue circle.
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Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

The race as a metaphor for the Christian life is used in several places in the Bible. This series is a great follow up for new Christians or to re-emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum has a sports theme and is great for athletes as well as a tie in to the youth Olympic Games.
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Understanding the Books of Proverbs

Many proverbs are “variations on a theme.” What major themes have you noticed in the book of proverbs?
Possible answers are : wisdom / fool; righteous / wicked; tongue/ speech; diligence / sluggard; honesty / dishonesty; Justice; pride / humility.

Proverbs has several ways it gets across a message:

  • Couplets – a pair of verses that talk about the same thing
  • Personification – visual personification of the unseen characteristic (e.g. wisdom is personified as a woman)
  • Simile – A is like B
  • Antithesis – a second couplet states the opposite of the first (.e. first talks about the righteous and the second the wicked)
  • Synonymous parallelism – a second couplet states the same as the first but in a different way
  • Synthetic parallelism – a second couplet adds some new idea or thought to the first line

Ask youth to go through some of the proverbs and identify the couplets and characteristics of each one:

  • Contradicts
  • condones an action
  • condemns an action
  • compares
  • combines – adds a thought
  • characterizes
  • etc

Some proverbs are simple observations on life, others are advice for living. How do you tell the difference?


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.

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Disciples

Description
Jesus ends the book of Mark with the disciples going out and doing the things he did…In this ACTIVITY youth will do mirror-image movements to demonstrate discipleship

Materials

  • a Bible

What to do

  1. Form pairs and have partners sit facing each other.
  2. Tell one person in each pair to mirror the other person’s actions.
  3. After a minute reverse roles.
  4. Ask the pairs to each make up a short skit in which they do mirror-image movements (For example, partners could wave with one hand wave with the other hand shrug their shoulders then fall backward)
  5. Have volunteers share their skits.
  6. Did the skits have any meaning?

Discussion

  • How did you feel being a mirror?
  • How did you feel being a model?
  • In what ways does a Christian disciple mirror Jesus?
  • How would you define a Christian disciple?
  • What are some of the things that Christ did?
  • In what ways is Christ an example for us to follow? Actions? Attitudes?
  • Did Christ’s actions have a purpose? If so, what was that purpose?

Take it to the Next Level

  • Read aloud Mark 16:13-20.
  • What does Jesus say about discipleship?
  • Being Jesus’ disciple is kind of like the activity we just did.
  • Just as we mirrored others’ actions by watching them we become a disciple of Jesus by watching and following what we see him doing in the scriptures.


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.

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Balloon Discussion

Description
Use this activity to involve students in discussion.

Materials

  • Small Balloons
  • Permanent Marker
  • List of discussion questions.

Preparation

  • Inflate the balloons.
  • Write one discussion question on each balloon.

What to do
Toss the balloons in the air. Balloons must not touch the ground. If a balloon touches the ground, either the person nearest the balloon OR the last person to touch the balloon must read the question aloud then answer it. After the question has been answered, toss the balloons back in the air and go another round. You may wish to write the same question on more than one balloon. If a question gets asked too many times, just pop the balloon and remove it from the play.

Variations
This also works great as an icebreaker activity. Instead of discussion questions, use icebreaker questions!

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Priorities

Description
Use this creative teaching idea to lead youth in a discussion on priorities and fulfilling the purpose in life for which God placed us in this world.

Materials

  • Large sheets of paper or newsprint
  • Whiteboard markers (that will not bleed through the paper)

Preparation

    1. Put a Poster or large sheet of paper in each corner of the room for each of the following labels:
      • Possessions or provision
      • Power or Position
      • Popularity
      • Others
    2. Place a chair in the exact center of the room as a marker.

Explain

  • Possessions refer to the material things we seek in life.
  • Power refers to positions we want to obtain in life.
  • Popularity refers to social recognition and fame that people seek in life.
  • Explain that the center of the room represents living for God.

What to do

  1. Allow youth to brainstorm about the things that people have as priorities in their lives. Examples might be good grades, a good job, a marriage partner, a house, to serve God, to have lots of money, etc.
  2. Then have youth write the priority on the poster that represents that priority. Some items might fit into more than one category (i.e. good grades might be a priority but the reason could be for popularity or for the purpose of getting a job with more money and a higher position – power.)
  3. After the posters have been filled with examples of each priority, have youth stand somewhere in the room that reflects their most important priorities in life. (For example, if someone’s priority is to make lots of money they might stand in the possessions corner.)

Scripture Text
Read aloud Matthew 4:1-10

Discussion

  • How does this passage relate to the posters in the corners of the room? Which poster represents each of the temptations?
  • How did Christ’s understanding of his purpose in life reflect his priorities?
  • What are some things that are part of God’s plan for every person’s life?
  • How can you discover God’s plan for YOUR life?
  • What do you believe is part of God’s purpose for bringing YOU into the world? (You may not know all the details yet, but you might have some ideas.)
  • Each of you has positioned yourself in a specific corner of the room based on your own priorities. How can someone in your position move closer to “God’s Purpose” for your life and away from the wrong priorities? What are some of the practical steps you can take that would move you closer to God’s ideal plan for your life?
  • Commit to one of the steps you can start this week!

Take it to the Next Level
Jesus was tempted with popularity, power, and possessions (material needs). But because Jesus understood his purpose in the world he did not give into temptation. There is nothing wrong with material possessions, power or popularity. But when they replace God as a priority in our lives they become a problem. In fact, later in Jesus’ ministry we would see him providing for the physical needs of people, he would demonstrate the power of God, and he would be popular. Yet his priority was to do the will of God, to accomplish the purpose for which he had been sent into the world. God has brought each of us into the world for a purpose. The better we understand our purpose, the better we will be able to balance our priorities to fulfill that purpose.

Improving Your Teaching
This type of activity can be used for a variety of active learning lessons. Anytime there are choices to be made, or 2 or more facets of an issue, you can write these on posters and have kids move to that area of the room. The easiest is when there are two choices and youth are asked to move to the left or right of the room depending on whether they agree or disagree with a statement… or whether it is true of them or not. If there are lots of choices, just place them on the walls around the room. It gets the youth physically and mentally involved in the lesson by getting the kids out of their seats and thinking about where they personally stand in relation to a question or issue.


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.

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Honoring Mother

Listen, my child, to what your father teaches you. Don’t neglect your mother’s teaching. What you learn from them will crown you with grace and clothe you with honor.
~~ Proverbs 1:8-9 (New Living Translation)

Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first of the Ten Commandments that ends with a promise. And this is the promise: If you honor your father and mother, “you will live along life, full of blessing.”
~~ Ephesians 6:1-3 (New Living Translation)

The Bible says that our responsibility as children in a family is to obey our parents. This is a command (not a suggestion) from God.

Discussion

  • In what situations is it most difficult for you to obey your parents?
  • Why is obedience an important character trait?
  • How does obedience to your parents help you with your obedience to God?
  • What are some ways in which you can honor and show respect to your parents?
  • What are some things about your parents that you are thankful for?
  • What is God’s promise to those who are obedient to their parents?

Take it to the Next Level

  • God is your heavenly Father and he gave you to your Mom and Dad.
  • Give those circumstances when it is difficult to obey your parents to God in prayer. Ask for His guidance in overcoming your difficulty.
  • Seek God’s and your parents forgiveness for those times of disobedience and start afresh with your parents and Him.
  • Ask God to help you better understand the importance of obedience.
  • Look for a way to honor your parents, especially your Mother today!
  • Thank your parents for giving you guidance.

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Easter Egg Toss

Game Description
This Easter egg toss can be used as a creative teaching idea to stimulate youth to discuss the empty tomb on Easter morning.

Game Materials

  • Hard boiled eggs – Ideally you should have at least 1 hard boiled egg for every two youth.
  • Egg cartons – put the eggs back into the cartons so that it looks like a carton of fresh eggs.

Game Preparation
Hard boil the eggs and place them back in the original egg cartons

Game Play

  1. Take the youth outdoors to a parking lot or field with a lot of open space.
  2. Form the youth into pairs and give each youth pair an egg. Do not tell them that it is hard boiled. They should believe that it is raw.
  3. Form the youth into two lines with the pairs facing each other.
  4. Ask youth to separate by a bit of a distance and toss the eggs to each other. Start close together and then after each toss, have the lines move a little further back from each other.
  5. As the lines get farther apart take note of signs of nervousness and related comments as the stress levels increase.
  6. Continue to separate the lines until several drop their eggs and the group begins to catch on to the fact that the eggs are not raw, but hard-boiled.
  7. Bring the youth together for discussion. You might want to collect the unbroken eggs for a snack later.

Take it to the Next Level

  • How did you feel as the lines became farther and farther apart?
  • How did you feel when the egg ended up being not quite what you expected – when you discovered that the eggs were hard-boiled instead of raw?
  • Why do you think eggs have become a symbol of Easter? In what ways is an egg like the tomb in which Jesus’ body was placed after the crucifixion? Eggs, like the empty tomb are sealed. Its not easy to place things inside or remove something.
  • What feelings do you think the disciples experienced when Jesus body was placed in the tomb?
  • How do you think those feelings changed when they discovered the tomb was not quite like they expected — it was EMPTY!
  • Does God often do the unexpected? The seemingly impossible? Why?

Closing Application
Jesus told the disciples on several occasions that he would be resurrected back to life and return to them, but the disciples did not understand. It seemed impossible so they had a hard time believing. So on Easter morning, their first thoughts at find the tomb empty were that someone might have stolen the body. Their emotions were turned upside down as grief turned to joy, worry turned to relief. God has many surprises in store for his followers. He can turn our stress into joy and replace our worries with gladness and relief if we will trust him with our future! After all, if he can conquer death, then nothing is impossible for God!

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Lost

Introduction
The Focus of Luke 15 is God’s love for the lost and the extend that he will go to get them back into his loving care!

Game Description
You can use a variety of scavenger hunt types of games to serve as an introduction to the three stories in Luke: Parable of the Lost Sheep, Parable of the Lost Coin, and Parable of the Lost Son. Here’s a few ideas:

  • Hide a special colored Jelly bean among a bowl of Jelly Beans.
    1. Get a large bag of Jelly beans for each team.
    2. Remove all of a single color so that only one jelly bean of that color remains.
    3. Pour the Jelly Beans in a bowl.
    4. Each team must choose one representative to search through the bowl and obtain the jelly bean.
    5. But here’s the twist. They cannot use their hands and they must grab the Jelly bean with their teeth!
    6. The first team representative to show you the correct colored jelly bean, grasped in their teeth wins!
    7. To include more team members in the game, after the first team representative correctly obtains the right jelly bean, add one jelly bean of the correct color for the next team member. Continue until EVERY member of the team has correctly obtained a Jelly Bean.
    8. This also works great with Jelly Bean Salvation to present a gospel message. In that case, remove all the RED Jelly beans except one. Then use the other colors of the jelly beans to present the Gospel – Black, Red, White, Green, etc. It’s also a great game for Easter!
  • Hide a strawberry inside a pie tin filled with whip cream.
    This plays the same way as the Jelly Bean version, but is a messy variation! Be sure to have some wet towels to clean up the whip cream covered faces!
  • Hide a Jelly bean or hard candy in a pie tin filled with flour
    Again, a messy variation of the Jelly Bean option.
  • Hide Strawberries in some red colored Jello
    In this variation, players must plant their face in the Jello and try to come up with a strawberry in their teeth.
  • Hide a silver coin among a large number of pennies
    In this variation, youth / kids have to search through a bucket of pennies to find the single silver coin. It has the advantage of being closer related to the Parable of the Lost coin. To make it more difficult, make the team members wear a pair of thick gloves or blindfold them.
  • Hide a dried green pea among a bowl of dried beans.
    In this variation, dried beans are used instead of candy. To make it more difficult, give team members straws. Youth must use suction through the straw to fish the pea out of the bowl and drop it into another bowl across the room. Replace the pea after each team member is successful.
  • Hide a small plastic sheep amid a box of animal crackers.
    This variation has the advantage of relating more closely to the parable of the sheep. If you can’t find a sheep, add a little hardened white frosting to one of the animal crackers that most closely resembles a sheep. To make it more difficult, blindfold each team member first.
  • Hide a special colored marble among a bag of various colored marbles.
    Use colored marbles to replace the jelly beans. To make it more difficult, add thick gloves to make it more difficult or try using a straw to pick up the marble like the green pea variation. You can also use a blindfold. You can use the colored marbles in the same way as Jelly Bean Salvation, to present the gospel.
  • Find the prize in a box of cereal.
    Get a box of dried cereal and have kids search through the box to find the prize. Cracker Jack boxes with prizes inside also work well. First person to find his prize wins.

Take it to the Next Level

  • What was difficult about finding the lost item?
  • What were some of the frustrations? How did you feel trying to find one little item among so many?
  • Have you ever been lost? How did you feel?
  • In what ways are people lost?
  • Why do you think God values us so much and finds us to precious to search for us among so many others?
  • Why do you think you are so precious to God?
  • Do you feel God loves you in the same way? Why or why not?
  • If God is so determined to find us and bring us back into his loving care, how should we feel toward God?
  • How should we feel about helping others find their way back to God? (Evangelism)
  • Have you become spiritually lost? In what ways do you think God has been searching for you?

Take Action
How can you respond to God’s love for 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.

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Light of the World

This object lesson works well with Placing Lights

Description
A lit candle is easily missed in a bright room. But when the lights go out it is impossible to miss it! Use this creative object lesson to illustrate the importance of being lights in the world, especially in those places where people are living in darkness.

Materials

  • Candle and a room that can be darkened.
  • A water soluble marker and newsprint for each group.

Preparation
Before participants arrive light a candle and place it somewhere in the room where it is not easily noticed. Make sure there is no chance for a fire hazard and that the candle is large enough to last until it it needed. Also make sure that it is away from any air draft or air conditioner / fan so that it doesn’t go out!

What to do

  1. As people arrive, divide them into groups and ask the following discussion question: What are some things in the world that attract people’s attention?
  2. As groups to write the responses on a whiteboard, flipchart, or some newsprint (small print classifieds work best).
  3. After a while have groups share their answers.
  4. Then turn off the lights and note the responses.

Discussion
While the lights are still off and the candle is burning and illuminating the room, ask the following questions for discussion:

  • Did anyone notice the candle before? What did you think? Did you disregard / dismiss its presence in the room?
  • How did things change when the lights went off?
  • How is the candle like Jesus in the world? (When so many other things grab our attention it is easy to miss God!)
  • Why are people in times of tragedy and difficulty more likely to seek and find God?
  • Why is it so difficult to see God in life?
  • Why do the attractions of this world distract us from God?
  • How can we get the attention of the world?
  • What are some of the dark places where life takes you where people need to see the light?
  • Where can you personally shine brightly for Christ?
  • What are some of your personal distractions?
  • How can you avoid the distractions and stay more focused on Christ?

Closing Application
Make a decision to shine for Christ in the world, especially in those dark places. What s something you can do to shine more brightly for Christ?


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.
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Tension in Relationships

Introduction
Relationships often have tense moments. Use this youth object lesson / creative teaching idea to discuss the topic of relationships.

Description
Rubber bands will be used as an object lesson for youth on relationships, stress in relationships, closeness in relationships and the hurt we can experience in broken relationships.

Materials
A thin rubber band for each participant. Additional rubber bands and a few larger, thicker ones.

Preparation
None

What to do

  1. Gather everyone in a circle
  2. Pass around the rubber bands and have each person get one.
  3. Have participants hook a finger inside the rubber band and link them together with the person on the right and left so that they are linked in one big circle by a rubber band on the left and right.
  4. Have group members gradually step back stretching the rubber bands between them as far as possible without breaking them
  5. Observe the responses of the participants as the rubber bands are being stretched.

Discussion

  • What will happen if you continue to step apart?
  • Who will likely be hurt when the rubber bands break?
  • How is the tension like that in relationships with God, parents, family members, friends and others?
  • What are the things that connect us in relationships?
  • Make a list of some of the more significant relationships in your life. Who’s on your list? How are the significant to you?
  • What are the things that draw us closer?
  • What are the things that move us apart?
  • What are the consequences when we move away from God? Parents? Family members? Friends? Others?
  • Throughout life relationships are always changing. At times we draw closer to God and others while at other times we may drift apart or even break the relationships. At times there will be tension and sometimes there will even be hurt. How can we more effectively manage relationships with others? Is it possible to end a relationship without causing hurt? What are some ways we can minimize the pain in relationships? How can we handle things gently?
  • The closer to a person we are, the stronger the bonds that develop and more connections are established. This is similar to adding more rubber bands between a person and thicker rubber bands. How does this increase the risks for hurt if the relationship is broken?
  • What are some of the biblical instructions regarding relationships with other Christians? With God? With family members? With our parents? With the lost? In general?

Closing Application
What are some ways you can manage your relationships better? With God? With your parents? Friends? Various family members? The lost? Significant people in your lives?

A few of the many Scripture References on relationships
James 4:8
Galatians 6:2
Exodus 20:12
Ephesians 4:26
Philippians 2:3-4
Philippians 2:14
Proverbs 4:1-17
Proverbs 6:20-23
Ephesians 6:1-4
1 Timothy 5:1-3
Matthew 7:12


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.
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Teaching Tip: Get youth out of their seats!

There is an ancient Chinese proverb that states, “Tell me and I will forget, Show me and I may remember, Involve me and I will understand.” Too often our lessons with youth focus on “Show and Tell” and not necessarily in that order. Unfortunately, far too many youth lessons focus on just “Tell.” Get youth physically involved or you risk them disengaging after awhile due to the lack of movement. Youth need opportunities to release a little of that pent up energy. They need to be involved to get the most understanding from the lesson. Just make sure you keep them focused rather than distract them. What they do needs to explicitly link to what you want to tell the youth.

Object Lessons
The next time you do an “Object Lesson” get the youth to interact with the object in some way. Play a game with it. Get youth to pass it around. Get youth to model it. Get youth to wear it. And then link what the youth do with the object into your object lesson in some way inviting them INTO the lesson.

Stories
Youth love stories. Actually, everyone loves stories. And one of the greatest teaching techniques is to “Tell” a story so that people will remember the point. But the next time you tell a story to youth, get the youth personally involved in some way. Assign some of the youth parts to act as you tell the story. Assign some of the youth to make specific sound effects when certain cues are given in your story. Assign certain actions or facial expressions for youth to do when specific key words or other cues are given in the story. Decorate the youth room so that a similar environment is created as in the story you want to tell. Instead of saying “Imagine if we were all standing in a circle……”, get them into a circle. Ask youth to create a modern version of a familiar story and to act it out as the tell it. Next time you use a story, don’t just get them on the edge of their seats, get them out of their seats, inviting them INTO the story!

The next time you teach youth, if you are doing a lot of show and tell, think about ways you can involve your youth so the information will resonate and stick. Get them out of their seats!

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…

Theology of Christmas Hymns

Description of Christmas Teaching Idea
Youth will search famous Christian hymns for clues to the real meaning of Christmas!

Resources

  • Hymn books or the words to famous Christmas Hymns
  • Large sheet of paper for each group. (classifieds from the newspaper are a cheap alternative) (Group size can be pairs or small groups of any number)
  • One water soluble marker for each group
  • Adhesive tape

 

Preparation

  1. Arrange the chairs so that youth will sit in small groups when they enter the room.
  2. Inside each circle of chairs place one or more hymn books and a large sheet of paper.
  3. Tape a list of page numbers for the hymns under one chair in each group to help them quickly locate the Christmas Hymns.
  4. The person with this list is designated the group leader.
  5. Tape a water soluble marker under one chair. The person sitting in this chair will be responsible for writing the list of observations.

 

What to Do

  1. Once the youth are seated, have them look under the chair for the list and the marker. Assign each task accordingly.
  2. Each group is given a task to search through the Christmas Hymns and identify what they teach us about Christmas. They should identify the song title and the phrase for each response.
  3. They should search the stanzas and the hymn titles and write what they find on the piece of paper given.
  4. When you are ready, stop the activity.
  5. Ask the team leaders to present their lists to the class as a whole.

 

Take it to the Next Level

  • Here are some of the questions you can ask. Each group can be assigned the same question, or each group may have a different one.
  • Who are the key people discussed in each hymn?
  • What are the key events mentioned in each hymn?
  • What references to scripture can be found in the hymns?
  • What facts about Jesus’ birth are referenced?
  • What phrases are used to describe the baby Jesus?
  • What things are mentioned that are based upon tradition instead of Scripture?
  • What response do these hymns require from us related to Christmas? Do they ask us to do anything?
  • What emotions are suggested or expressed?
  • Why do you think this hymn was written?
  • Why do you think this this hymn has become popular for the Christmas season?

 

Variation

  • Instead of splitting up the questions, ask each group the same list of questions, but give each group a different hymn.

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Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

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Give Thanks to the Lord

The phrase “Give Thanks to the Lord” is found throughout the scriptures.

In Psalms the phrase “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” is found in numerous verses…. (see Psalm 106:1,7; 107:1; 118:1,29; 136:1; 1 Chronicles 16:34)

We usually thank others for things they do, but God is worthy of thanks because of His Character: He is Good, He is loving. He is also righteousness (Psalm 7:17)

What are some of the qualities of God that you might give thanks for?

“Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men,” (Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31)
Many verses command us to give thanks to God for the good things he has done. (1 Chronicles 16:8, Psalm 105:1, Psalm 118:21). But is not just for the good things as we must give thanks in ALL things. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

What are some of the things that God has done in your life that motivate you to a heart of thanksgiving?

That thanks takes not only the form of words, but also song. (Psalm 28:7; Psalm 100:4; Psalm 7:17)

What are some of the ways that we can reveal our thanks to God?

Other verses on thanks include:
1 Chronicles 29:13
Psalm 30:12
Psalm 35:18
Psalm 118:28
Psalm 119:62

So this Thanksgiving and EVERY Day, GIVE GOD THANKS!

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Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

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Thanksgiving Teaching Ideas

Sometimes you need a teaching Idea for a quick Thanksgiving lesson, for a Thanksgiving Children’s Sermons, or for an attention getting Thanksgiving Object Lesson. Here are a couple of ideas you can try this Thanksgiving from the “Creative Youth Ideas” archives.

Have a great Thanksgiving Object Lesson, Thanksgiving related teaching idea, or effective Thanksgiving Children’s sermon or talk? What not share it with the rest of the visitor to the “Creative Youth Ideas” website by dropping me an email or by posting a comment to this message!

Get Creative Youth Ideas: "Holiday Collection" ebook Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Pumpkin Patch Relay

Game Description
In this relay, participants will try to replace the missing pieces that have been removed from their team’s pumpkin. It can be used as party game for your October 31st Halloween alternative, for a harvest festival, or a Halloween carnival.

Game Materials

  • One carved pumpkin for each team. (Keep the pieces that are cut out)
  • Sharp knife for preparing the pumpkins.

 

Game Preparation

  1. Cut off the top of the pumpkins and remove the seeds and pulp so that they have been cleaned out. Cut a different face in each pumpkin, but save the pieces that you remove and set them aside.
  2. Collect all the pieces you removed from the pumpkin and mix them up and place them on a table at one end of the room.
  3. At the other end of the room set up a small table for each team and place each team’s pumpkin on the table.

 

Game Play

  1. The objective of this game is to have team members run across the room… grab one piece that looks like it might fit the holes in that team’s pumpkin and return to his team with the piece.
  2. If the piece fits in the pumpkin, the next person can run to get a new piece. If the piece doesn’t fit, the next person on the team must return it to the table at the end of the room and collect another piece to try.
  3. First team to complete it’s pumpkin wins the relay!

 

Game Variation
Play the game blindfolded. (Be sure to remove any furniture or other things in the room that might injure the participants. You can also place helpers at strategic locations to protect the players.)

Spiritual Applications
Use it with one of these ideas for a meaningful lesson:

  • Use the pumpkin as a metaphor for a Christian – The Pumpkin
  • Object Lesson / Children’s sermon using a Pumpkin – Like A Halloween Pumpkin
  • A specially carved pumpkin and poem to share the plan of Salvation – Jack-O-Lantern
  • A Children’s sermon on being the person God created you to be – Perky the orange Pumpkin
  • A children’s sermon or Object Lesson on being the light of the World – Peter Pumpkin
  • An object lesson or Children’s sermon on prayer – Pumpkin prayer
  • Use this puzzle game to teach about the destructiveness of sin and Christ’s payment for sin on the cross- Pumpkin Puzzles
  • Talk about how we all have holes in our our lives (an emptiness) we are trying to fill. Some people may try to fill it with money, with relationships, with various types of pleasures, etc. But the only thing that can fill the emptiness we have in our lives is a relationship with God. Blaise Pascal says we were all created with a God-shaped vacuum that only he can fill.
  • Just as you had to align the pieces with the various holes in the pumpkin, we have to align the various areas of our lives with the will of God. Only those things of God which are aligned with his plan for our individual lives, will fit correctly and make us whole.

 

Get Icebreakers ebookIcebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

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Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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The Mummy

Description
Use this game about a mummy as part of Halloween Alternative or as an introduction to the story of Lazarus.

Game Materials
Several Rolls of Toilet Paper (One or more for each team)

Game Preparation

  1. Divide the youth into teams.
  2. Each team selects one person on their team to be the mummy. you could also randomly appoint a member as the mummy by drawing straws or some other unbiased method.
  3. The objective is to wrap the team member up like a mummy using the rolls of toilet paper.
  4. You can choose the winner as (1) the team that uses up their rolls of toilet paper the quickest, (2) the best wrapped mummy, (3) the best covered mummy, (4) the neatest (5) the scariest, (6) most creative, etc

 

Game Rules
You may want to make game rules such as:

  1. Do NOT wrap the head or face
  2. Do not throw the rolls of toilet paper.
  3. Everyone on the team must be involved.
  4. ETC

 

Game Variations

  • Have the teams wrap up youth leaders instead of one of their own team members.
  • Instead of teams, split the group into pairs. You can also make the partners wrap each other before they can win so EVERYONE ends up as a mummy.
  • Set a timer and award the group that has the best mummy at the end of the time.

 

Application
When many people think about mummies, they think about Halloween costumes, scary movies, and Egypt. But the Bible also has a story about someone who was wrapped up like a mummy. His name was Lazarus and his story can be found in John 11: 1-46. When Lazarus died, Jesus brought him back to life. But his sisters were not SCARED, they were very happy. Jesus had brought their brother back and he was the same person he was as before. Jesus did it so that he could show how powerful God is and also so we could know for sure that he will also bring us back to life in heaven if we believe in him and trust him.

Looking for some icebreakers? My eBook, “IceBreakers Ahead: Take It to the Next Level” found at http://www.creativeicebreakers.com
not only provides 52 of the most world’s popular group icebreaker activities, but also includes life changing lesson ideas and questions to smoothly transition into discussions about issues common to most groups.

 

Get Creative Youth Ideas: "Holiday Collection" ebook Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Firsts and Lasts

Can you raed tihs?

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Take the above text and add it to a PPT slide or print it for students to read.

Possible Applications
1. It seems that as long as the first and last letter are correct, most people can read this paragraph. The same is often true for our spiritual lives. When we get the initial foundation right, and then also know the end result, everything in between will fall into place.

2. Jesus was described as the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. When everything begins with him and ends with him, the in betweens will all be taken care of.

3. In Matthew 20: 1-16 Jesus tells a parable of the laborers in a vineyard… at the end he explains “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few chosen.” Sometimes in our human understanding we think those who are first should have the advantage or receive special privileges. But God does not look at things in the same way as we do. Whether we serve God from the beginning (all of our lives) or if we decide to (or are finally invited to) serve him near the end of our lives the reward will be the same because God is powerful and gracious and in reality nothing we can do can balance out what he has already done for us. His overwhelming grace makes our efforts irrelevant compared to the enormous gift of forgiveness we receive from God. But God is pleased when any one of us, either at the beginning or at the end, put our faith in Him. Our service is not in compensation but in gratitude for what he has done for us. And as for me, the more I can serve him in gratitude, the happier I am!

4. As people, we often remember the firsts and the lasts… Maybe you have taken a quiz like this one…

FIRSTS

  • First Memory: Cat having babies in a closet (I think?)
  • First Real Kiss: A girl at University which I shall not name.
  • First Concert: Can’t remember, but most memorable was PETRA “On Fire” concert
  • First Love: My mom!
  • First Crush: The girl across the street
  • First thing you think in the morning: I need to go to the toilet!
  • First book you remember loving: The Hobbit by Tolkien!
  • First pet: A cute little dog I used to drag around by the tail!
  • First question you’ll ask in Heaven: Why did you choose me?
  • First thing you think of when you hear the word vacation: The Beach!
  • First best friend: Bobby Cassels

 

LASTS

  • Last time you dressed up: Star Trek World Tour – in my own specially tailored Star Trek Uniform!
  • Last CD you bought: Jars of Clay – Good Monsters
  • Last book you read: Harry Potter
  • Last time you cried: Can’t remember…
  • Last movie you saw: Most recent favorite was Rattatoui
  • Last time you told someone you loved them: I love my family dearly!
  • Last really funny thing you did: I am always doing funny thing!
  • Last Halloween costume: Don’t remember the last time I dressed up… years ago… I think it was a Noah’s Ark Party in University and I my date and I both went as Teddy bears!
  • Last concert attended: Delirious

 

What are some of the Firsts and Lasts in your Christian walk?

This little activity makes a GREAT Icebreaker… as does the list of Firsts and Lasts. Find out how you can get 52 of my best icebreakers of all time! (That’s a full year of icebreakers – one a week!) Like this one, they even lead into lessons on youth related issues!
Visit www.CreativeIcebreakers.com today!

 


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.

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Hollywood Squares Game

This game, based on the television show “Hollywood Squares” makes a great review activity after a lesson series has been taught! You can also use it with trivia questions and modern events as a fun activity for a game night or outreach activity! As an alternative to Halloween have a fall festival and have 9 Bible personalities dress up for this game!

Participants

  1. One (1) Moderator or host
  2. Two (2) contestants. The two contestants can be teams or individuals. One is assigned ‘X’ and the other is assigned ‘O’
  3. Nine (9) personalities – one for each square in a normal tic-tac-toe grid.

The 9 Personalities
If you want to make the game more interesting, ask important personalities in your church or members of your youth leadership team to participate. You can also have the 9 personalities dress up as famous Biblical characters and role play according to those characters. Adam, Eve, Moses, Jesus, Paul, Gideon, David, Elijah, Abraham… the possibilities are endless. If you are studying a book of the Bible and can select 9 personalities from that book it will be even more fun!

Preparation

  1. Make namecard signs for each of your squares (make sure they’re large enough for everyone to see) even if you’re using real names.
  2. Make nine signs (large enough for the audience to see) of an X on one side and an O on the other.
  3. Make a list of questions related to your Bible passage or lesson. These should be facts or details that can be answered with a clear correct answer. You will need at least 20 questions for each round you intend to play.
  4. You can give a copy of this list of questions to your nine personalities ahead of time and then have them choose to give a correct or wrong answer for each.

Time Required
One round of the game can take anywhere from 15-45 minutes (depending on the length of the answers given by each square). Choose the number of questions according to the desired time slot for the activity. It is better to have extra questions rather than not enough.

Setup
The seating arrangement for the 9 squares should be three rows of three as per a normal tic-tac-toe grid. A stadium seat or choir riser works great. You can also have the first row sitting on the floor, second row sitting in chairs and the top row on a stage or high stools! You will need to setup their chairs in a way that everyone can see them. You could also just arrange 9 chairs in a 3×3 grid on the floor, but move each row slightly over to the right or left so that you can see each square.

How to Play

  1. The moderator / game show host should introduce each contestant or team as well as the 9 personalities. (You could also have the personalities introduce themselves)
  2. The moderator should explain the rules so everyone knows how to play the game
  3. The moderator tosses a coin to decide which participant will start the game.
  4. The chosen participant must choose a square (personality)
  5. Moderator then reads a random questions to the personality in the chosen SQUARE who must then answer the question.
  6. The chosen personality provides an answer. A personality can answer correctly or with a bluff or false answer. He or she can explain the answer also if they wish and be humorous or serious! It is even more fun if personalities respond in character.
  7. The contestant (or team) who picked the square THEN decides whether the answer provided is TRUE or FALSE. You can also use AGREE – DISAGREE.
  8. If the contestant chooses correctly the personality in the selected square will show the corresponding X or O of the contestant’s team.
  9. If the contestant chooses incorrectly the square does NOT raise the contestant’s sign. (For a quicker round you can play so that the opponent receives the square and his or her sign is displayed)
  10. The first contestant to create a Tic-Tac-Toe (three x’s or o’s in a diagonal, horizontal, or vertical row) wins. If there is a tie (no tic-tac-toe) you can play a round of “Sudden Death” where each contestant picks a square who answers a question. The first contestant to wrongly choose a square’s answer loses.

Have fun!

Get Creative Youth Ideas: "Holiday Collection" ebook Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Who am I in Spiritual Battle?

If someone were to make a movie about my SPIRITUAL battles, it would be called:

  1. 300
  2. Blade Runner
  3. Braveheart
  4. Bruce Almighty
  5. Die Hard
  6. Dumb and Dumber
  7. Gladiator
  8. Gone with the Wind
  9. Greatest Story ever Told
  10. Groundhog Day
  11. Heaven can wait
  12. It’s A Wonderful Life
  13. Live and Let Die
  14. Living Dangerously
  15. Old Yeller
  16. Rambo
  17. Robocop
  18. Rocky
  19. Sin City
  20. Survivor
  21. Terminator
  22. The Blob
  23. The Incredibles
  24. The Matrix
  25. The Mickey Mouse Show
  26. The Twilight Zone
  27. Too Close for Comfort
  28. OTHER?

Why did you choose this title?

When I am in SPIRITUAL battle, I am more like:

  1. A smashed bug (no guts)
  2. Darth Vader
  3. David against Goliath
  4. Davy Crocket
  5. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
  6. General Custer
  7. Mexican Standoff
  8. Mr. Incredible
  9. Mr. Spock
  10. Pinnochio
  11. Roadrunner
  12. Rocky
  13. Scooby Doo
  14. Superman
  15. The Invisible Man
  16. The Lone Ranger
  17. The Terminator
  18. Wilie Coyote
  19. Worf
  20. OTHER?

Why are you most like this person you chose?


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.

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Put on the Full Armor of God Daily!

Description
Youth will look at a series of common situations, struggles, temptations, etc and determine which piece of spiritual armor would be most useful in the given situation.

Preparation
Make a list of activities/ situations:
Examples

  • A close family member just passed away
  • Someone has done something to hurt your feelings
  • Someone is gossiping about you at school
  • Someone tempts you to view a pornographic picture
  • The desire for money, power, or fame tempts you to do things you know are not good
  • You and a good friend are not talking to each other anymore
  • You are accused of cheating on a test
  • You are afraid to tell your best friend about Jesus
  • You are being taught evolution in school
  • You are having doubts about your faith
  • You are not prepared for your examination
  • You are trying to decide your life career
  • You best friend uses profanity all the time and you find yourself picking up some of it
  • You discover a 50 dollar note on the subway
  • You discover your best friend is gay
  • You don’t feel like God is listening to your prayers
  • You feel very alone
  • You find a person’s wallet on the ground
  • You found out your best friend is pregnant
  • You have doubts about your faith
  • You really want to attend youth camp, but your parents have grounded you.
  • You saw your best friend shoplift an item
  • You see someone begging on the street for food
  • You want to read a novel that has some sexually explicit parts
  • Your exam results were not satisfactory to go to the school you wanted
  • Your friend doesn’t believe in God
  • Your friend is asking about your faith
  • Your friend is having a fight with her parents
  • Your friend needs some advice on a relationship
  • Your friend offers you alcohol at a party
  • Your friend says Jesus never claimed to be God
  • Your mother and father are always fighting
  • Your parents ask you a question and you know if you answer honestly you will be in more trouble
  • Your parents discover you lied to them
  • Your parents never seem to understand you
  • Your parents wish you to be Buddhist
  • Your teacher seems to be treating you as if you are stupid
  • Your worship life is stale
  • You’ve lost your prize possession

Getting Started
Using Ephesians 6:13-18 give youth a few minutes to discuss the “six” pieces of spiritual equipment.
Here are the original 6 pieces of equipment for the passage:

  • Belt – Truth
  • Breastplate – Righteousness
  • Shoes – Gospel of Peace
  • Shield – Faith
  • Helmet – Salvation
  • Sword – Word of God

Note: Sometimes people also add “prayer” to the list.

Discussion
Read out the list of common situations, struggles, temptations, etc one by one. Youth must choose which piece of spiritual armor they believe would be most useful in the given situation. You can also ask them to explain their answers.

Variation
Ask youth to make a list of difficult situations, temptations, doubts, tests of the faith, and fears they have had during the last week. Then ask them to identify the piece of spiritual armor which would help most with each item on the list.


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…

Did Jesus Use Icebreakers?

How can you “break the ice” with a youth who is a total stranger and guide the discussion from an awkward silence into a meaningful conversation?

Jesus often got people talking with his first question and then was able to guide the discussion so that it developed into a meaningful conversation about a life-changing topic!

He met people where they were–whether they were drawing water, fishing, collecting taxes, watching him from a treetop, or worshipping God in the Temple in Jerusalem.

But Jesus was never content to leave them where they were.
His objective was always a changed life!

Remember the Woman at the well…
A simple request for a drink led to a meaningful discussion on “living water” that transformed a village.

Zacheus was simply hoping to get a glimpse of Jesus but instead got to talk to him at his own dinner table in a conversation that not only changed his life, but reached out to the lives of many sinners!

Christ’s first words to Nicodemus, a religious scholar, were a conundrum, a puzzle that left him searching.
And that search seemingly reached its conclusion when Nicodemus took a bold step of faith, along with Joseph of Arimathea, and asked for the body of Christ after the Crucifixion.

The gospels are filled with the stories
of people who encountered Christ and then
their personal stories would be forever changed!

In encounter after encounter… Jesus not only broke the ice, but he left a lasting impact on the lives of the people he spoke with!

Sometimes Jesus used questions to break the ice. But on other occasions he use everyday objects, shared experiences, stories, and even crises to break the ice and open up the way to life changing spiritual discussions.

He asked people to share their opinions,
challenged their assumptions,
and asked them to find solutions.

He constantly invited others to join him in experiences
and used those common experiences
to bring out life changing spiritual truths.

Fresh experiences often served as living parables.

It’s easy to relate to the feelings, thoughts, and experiences when you have just experienced them.
Then it is only a short little jump to deeper truths and understanding.

The “here and now” becomes a springboard
to the distant future,
to choices and consequences.
A small controlled simulation
becomes a safe crucible
to test the consequences of real life decisions.

In the same way today, games, challenges, and contrived situations can generate discussions and expose the same deep set beliefs, attitudes, and values as real life situations and events.

How you play the game
is a reflection of who you are
and how you deal with life!

But in all things Jesus always had a purpose.
He broke the ice,
and later his own body would be broken,
so that broken lives could be mended.

Learn how you also can “break the ice”
and make a lasting impact in the lives of youth!

I’ve specially prepared 52 of my best icebreakers of all time!
(That’s a full year of icebreakers – one a week!)

And like Christ’s encounters with strangers they are icebreakers with a purpose.

Each one includes debriefs and meaningful discussion questions that engage youths to deal with real life issues.

Check out my new book: “Icebreaker’s Ahead: Take It to the Next Level”

Get Icebreakers ebookIcebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Watch Your Step!

Description
In this creative icebreaker, youth will make some important observations based upon footprints or photos of feet and relate these to our personal walk – our personal journey in life.

Resources
For this activity you will need a fairly accurate representation of each participant’s feet. There are a variety of ways you can achieve this.

  1. My personal preference is to have sheets of colored paper – the type that does not leave a stain when wet. (Test it first so you don’t have permanent footprints across your carpet!). Have the participants remove their shoes and socks, then step on a damp towel and then finally step on the paper. A wet footprint will be left behind. Quickly trace it with a dark colored marker and let it dry! For a quick meeting just paste the sheets of paper around the room or project them on a wall using an OHP. If you have a longer event for a couple of days, like at a youth camp, you can also cut them out and place them around the teaching area.
  2. Alternatively, you can have students remove their socks and take digital photos of their feet. Paste them into a powerpoint presentation or a photo slide show and project them on a wall for students to see.
  3. A little messier variation is to use water soluble finger paints and have participants step into a tray of finger paint and then onto a white sheet of paper. Be sure to have a damp towel ready to thoroughly clean their feet before they leave a mess of prints across your meeting area!

You might also want to number the prints and have a numbered name list so that you can correctly identify the prints later.

Preparation
Preparation will depend upon how you plan to make the footprints.

What to Do

  1. As the youth arrive, collect their footprints.
  2. Prepare the prints for display by making them into photo enlargements, slides, overhead transparencies, powerpoint slides, digistal slideshows, or etc so that the pictures are large enough for the entire group to view them at the same time.
  3. For fun, you can also throw in a few gag prints, such as animal feet, baby feet, big clown’s shoes, and two feet side-by-side but facing in opposite directions. These will be your beautiful feet pageant.
  4. Go through the numbered prints and have youth match the print with the person who made it. Can you even identify your own footprint?
  5. Award the person who correctly identifies the most feet! With the Incredible FEAT award!

A lot of our idioms and common sayings refer to “feet”. Share a few appropriate idioms or the entire list of idoms with the group. Which of these idioms best describes you? Why?

Idioms referring to feet
• back on your feet again
• dip your toes in the water
• drag one’s feet
• fall at his feet
• find your feet
• fleet of foot
• foot the bill
• get a foot in the door
• get cold feet
• get off on the wrong foot
• get to one’s feet
• get your feet wet
• has two left feet
• have a foot in both camps
• have feet of clay
• have one foot in the grave
• have your feet on the ground
• hold someone’s feet to the fire
• hot foot out of here
• land on your feet
• make an about face
• My foot!
• on foot
• on your back foot
• pussyfoot around
• put a foot wrong
• put your best foot forward
• put your feet up
• put your foot down
• put your foot in it
• put your foot in your mouth
• shoot yourself in the foot
• sit at the foot of a teacher
• stand on your own two feet
• step on another person’s foot
• step on the gas
• stop dead in your tracks
• sweep someone off his/her feet
• take a load off your feet
• take a stand
• take steps toward something
• the ball is at your feet
• thinking on your feet
• throw yourself at someone’s feet
• tiptoe through it
• to get under foot
• vote with your feet
• watch your step
• world’s at your feet

Taking It to the Next Level
Many times when we talk about the characteristics of a person, we refer to their heart. But we reference the feet almost as often in our expressions. That’s because the feet tell us two very important facts about someone: where one’s standing and which way someone is going. A firm stand and a consistent walk are both traits we admire in others. When we talk about our journey in life we often talk about those times we slip and stumble as well as those times when we took a step in the right direction.

  • What is something that you have taken a stand for in your life? What are some things that you need to take a stronger stand on?
  • What are some steps that you have taken in the right direction with your life? The wrong direction?
  • What are some areas in which you have stumbled along the way in your journey?
  • What are some ways that we can make our walk sure? How can you get back on your feet and take a new step in the right direction with your life? In what areas do you need to watch your step?
  • Taking a stand and finding your footing in life isn’t always easy – especially when you might need to step on a few toes to do so. How can you find the balance between taking a stand on things that are important to you without stepping on too many toes? Should you worry about stepping on toes? Why or why not?

Action Point
As a footnote to this lesson, identify at least one area of your life where you need to get back on your feet! How can you take a new step in the right direction with your life beginning today? In what areas do you need to watch your step in the journey ahead?

(As a meaningful reminder, give the participants the piece of paper with their footprint on it to write the answer to the questions below. Encourage them to place it on the door of their room as a reminder that every day they step outside that door they need to also take a step in the right direction for their life!)

Spiritual Themes

  • Sure footed – Many of the proverbs talk about making our paths straight, about stumbling, about watching our step. Proverbs 4:26 – “Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established.”
  • God’s Protection – “. . . unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24, KJV).Hab 3:19; 2 Sam 22:34; Ps 18:33 – “”The Lord God [is] my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.”
  • Evangelism – Romans 10:15 – “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Ephesians 6:15 – “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace”
  • Servanthood – John 13 – Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.
  • God Holiness – Joshua 5:15 – “And the captain of the LORD’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon you are standing is holy. And Joshua did so.” (Exodus 3:5)

Find out how you can get 52 of my best icebreakers of all time! (That’s a full year of icebreakers – one a week!) They even lead into lessons on youth related issues!

Visit www.CreativeIcebreakers.com today!


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…

Heart Rate

Introduction
Use this activity as an introduction to a study on taking care of your heart.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” – Proverbs 4:23

Activity

  1. As the youth arrive at the meeting, ask them to calculate their heart rate. (Each youth must find his/her pulse on a wrist and count the number of heartbeats in a 60-second time period.)
  2. Next, instruct youth to walk quickly around the room for about two minutes.
  3. When two minutes have passed, the youth must take their pulse again and compare the difference between the two heart rates.

Discussion

  1. What do you think is a healthy heart rate?
  2. Why is it important to have a healthy heart?
  3. How do you know if a heart is healthy or not?
  4. What are some of the signs that something is wrong with your heart?
  5. How should we respond to heart problems?
  6. What would you do if you had heart problems?
  7. How do you take care of your heart?

Spiritual Lessons

  1. Why is it important for your spiritual heart to be healthy?
  2. How do you know if you have a healthy spiritual heart?
  3. What are some of the characteristics of a healthy spiritual heart?
  4. What are some of the signs that something is wrong?
  5. What are some of the things we can do if we discover something is wrong with our heart spiritually?
  6. How can we take care of our spiritual heart?

Application

  1. How would you rate your spiritual heart rate?
  2. What is something you can start doing today to improve your spiritual heart condition?


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.

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Daffynitions

Introduction
Next time you have a lesson on a difficult theological concept, distribute a list of words for which kids are unlikely to know the exact definitions:

Examples
atheism, atonement, beatitude, covenant, eschatology, Eucharist, predestination, gnosticism, grace, justification, meek, propitiation, repentance, sanctification, supplication, transfiguration, etc.

Activity

  1. Have each student define the words, one word at time on a small piece of paper. They must write their name, the word, and then the definition. Participants can write phony definitions when they don’t know the real definitions, but the phony ones should sound as realistic as possible to score points.
  2. Collect all the definitions. Also have one prepared for each with the correct definition for comparison.
  3. Read the various definitions out loud.
  4. After you read the definitions, let students vote for what they think is the closest to the real definition-one vote per student.
  5. Add up the votes, reveal the real definition, and then award points as follows:
    • Kids who write correct definitions earn five points for each one.
    • Kids whose phony definitions receive the most votes earn five points per vote.

You can also allow the students to discuss the various definitions and which one is the closes to the true definition and why. Its a great activity to promote discussion.

NOTE
If your group is so large that it is hard to keep track of definitions, create smaller groups.

Variation
Instead of using a definition of a word, do the same thing with Bible teachings. Just ask students to write: “What the Bible teaches about: ” Use any Biblical concept. Play it the same way.


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.

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The 7 Last Words of Jesus Christ from the Cross

The 7 last words of Jesus Christ from the cross are actually 7 short phrases that Jesus spoke while hanging on the cross. None of the writers of the four gospels record all 7 of these phrases, so you have to piece them together from the gospel accounts.

  1. “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 34)
  2. “This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23: 43)
  3. “Woman, behold thy son.” (John 19:25-27)
  4. “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
  5. “I thirst.” (John 19:28)
  6. “It is finished.” (John 19:30)
  7. “Into thine hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.” (Luke 23:46)

Teaching Ideas using these 7 phrases of Christ

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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.


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.

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Creative Ideas for Your New Year Party or Event

The New Year is a great time for reflecting on the Blessings and experiences of the past year and looking forward and planning for the new year. The Creative Youth website has a lot of materials to help you plan your New Year Event with your youth or with your family. There are some great games for New year Celebrations and Parties as well as Creative Learning activities, Object Lessons, and Children’s sermons to help youth think about the future and to set some goals and make some New Year’s resolutions!

New Year Party Games- Just for Fun!
New Year Pictionary

A New Beginning

  • Make a resolution to yield your life to God’s control in the upcoming year. Have you given your life to Christ? Is there an area of your life you have not yielded or that you previously yielded but then took back control?
    New Year’s Resolutions
    Who’s in Control?
  • Will you be merely another person in the crowd in the new year who ultimately goes nowhere or will you, put your belief into action?
    Life on a Tightrope
  • Is there an area of your life that you need a little push to accomplish in the next year? Are you ready to leave the comfort of the familiar and fly to new heights in the next year! Take that step of faith today and commit yourself to that task God has placed on your heart for the next year!
    Even Eagles Need a Push
  • Is your life aligned with God’s Will? Use this creative group trust game as a simulation to remind us of the importance of aligning out lives with the will of God!
    Blind Polygon

Learning from the Past, Looking to the Future

  • Was the past year a difficult one? What can you learn from this past year? How can you take the lessons from the past year and use them to build a brighter future for you and in your relationship with God and others?
    New year Time Capsule
    January
  • Use a potato as an object lesson or illustration :
    Egg or Potato
  • Take this as an opportunity to see both the past and the future through God’s eyes!
    Don’t Look so Good
  • Has the past year been one in which you feel tossed around and tossed about by the winds of difficult circumstances? Use this illustration to help you to discover how God can give them direction and move them steadily according to his purposes in the upcoming year!
    Icebergs
  • Are you allowing the things of the past to chain your thinking and prevent you from being all that God wants you to be, to have the freedom in your life that God intends? Exchange your old limiting beliefs for a quiet trust in God! With Him all things are possible in the New Year!
    Imaginary Chains
  • All the events of our life are Part of God’s plan! Will you allow God to weave your life, the good and the bad, and to make it into a beautiful tapestry that shows His glory?
    The Weaver!
  • Every day we make exchanges in life. What is something in your life you need to exchange for something better in the upcoming year? What is something you should give up and replace with something else?
    Exchanges
  • If your ship is sinking, maybe God is allowing you an opportunity to rest on his shoulder.
    The Magician and the Parrot

Growing in Christ

  • Do you want to see growth in your life, in your relationships with God and others? Are you happy with things as they are now? Are you satisfied? Do you think God has been pleased with your spiritual growth over the past year? Commit to growing your spiritual walk in the upcoming year!
    Well Established!
  • What is something that you need to make time for in the upcoming year?
    Don’t have the Time!
  • Change is difficult but necessary for growth
    Transformed
    Chili Crab
    Change the World

New Opportunities

  • Who knows what opportunities God will send our way in the upcoming year! Are you looking ahead for the opportunities or focused on the past? use this illustration as a reminded that in the upcoming year, we need to keep our eyes focused on the opportunties God has for us! What might seem a tragedy may actually be an opportunity if you are able to see it through God’s eyes!
    I Can’t!
  • Are you focused on the opportunities or the difficulties. What are some things you want to find in the upcoming year? Let God help you to see them by changing your focus!
    You Find What You are Looking For!
  • Are you willing to trust your life to God in the upcoming year?
    A penny
  • Is there something that you have never done, but would like to do this year? Use this high energy game to discuss the things we have never done and then to discuss the things we want to do for the upcoming year!
    I Never
  • Take a moment to refocus, to set your priorities and goals and commitments for the new year!
    Walking Like a Pigeon
  • Life is short! Will you take advantage of the opportunities ahead?
    Life’s but a Flash 
    Every Moment is Precious!
  • Maybe its time for you to make that change in life you have been resisting! Things might be a little awkward for a while, but its a necessary step for you to move forward in the journey God has prepared for you!
    New Shoes!

Staying Connected to God

  • Every year has its ups and downs. But through it all our connection and relationship with God gives us security and prevents life from spinning out of control! Make a commitment to nurture a closer relationship with God in the upcoming year. Use this object Lesson of a yo-yo as reminder that while life has ups and downs, and things seem to be spinning out of control, that if we yield to the Master’s hand he can do perform a spectacular performance with our lives for the world to see! It also makes a great Children’s sermon.
    Yo-Yos

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Ring those Christmas Bells

christmas_bells.jpgIntroduction
Biblically, God instructed the Israelites to put bells on the robe of the High Priest’s ephod before he entered the Holy of Holies. (Exodus 28:31-35; 39:26). Matthew Henry, interpreted the bells as an allegory that “typify the sound of the gospel of Christ in the world, giving notice of His entrance within the veil for us.”

Bells have become an integral part of our Christmas traditions. Throughout history bells have been used to celebrate special occasions. Their bright and cheerful sound was a reminder that something important was happening. In many villages throughout the world people would ring the church bell on special occasions. Bells announced the coming or arrival of an event. They toll for good times. They were rung during Christmas to announce the arrival of the season, to proclaim the birth of Christ.

Christmas bells are also mentioned in many of our holiday songs such as “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”, “Come on, Ring those Bells”, “Jingle Bells”, “Silver Bells”, and “Christmas Bells are Ringing”. Bells are also used to “ring out the old and ring in the new” season!

Activity Objective
In this Creative Teaching Idea, Christmas Bells are both an object lesson and a prop for games.

Materials

    • Handbells or Bells of various shapes and pitches.
    • Sleigh Bells
    • Blindfolds
    • String

Game Ideas using Christmas Bells

Ring those Bells

  1. Place a small sleigh bell on a string and tie one to everyone’s ankle.
  2. Played similar to the classic Marco Polo game that is played in a swimming pool, this one is played in a large open room. (Make sure chairs and other dangerous objects are removed from the room. Station leaders in front of any dangerous corners or objects to prevent a blindfolded person from injuring him/herself.
  3. Blindfold one person and place them in the center of the room with a large handbell.
  4. Any time she/he rings the bell EVERYONE in the room must shake their leg to respond with the ring of the small bell tied to their ankle.
  5. The blindfolded person then heads toward the sound and tries to tag one of the other participants. If he or she manages to tag one of them, they become the blindfolded person in the center and the game begins again!

Jingle Bell Lineup

  1. If you have a small group and several hand-bells of various pitches, blindfold everyone in the room and give them a hand-bell.
  2. Then, by listening to the sounds of the bells they must line themselves up according to the pitch of the bells.
  3. For a larger group, split them into teams and use a stopwatch to time each team.
  4. The team that is able to line up the quickest is the winner!

Bell on a String

  1. A length of string should be tied into a large loop, big enough so that everyone can take hold of it with both hands and have some slack. Before you tie the end of the string run it through the holes in one or two classic sleigh bells. Make sure that the knot easily fits through the hole in the bell. If the holes are too small, attach the bells to the loop with a small key ring or small loop of string. The small round bells should be small enough to be hidden in a closed fist.
  2. Designated someone as “it” who must cover his eyes and count to 10, while the players in the circle pass the bells from player to player by sliding it around the circle on the string. When “it” reaches the count of 10, he must try to guess who is holding the ring.
  3. If he guesses a person has the bell, the person indicated, must let go of the string to show whether he has the bell or not.
  4. If “it” guessed wrong, the whole thing begins again.
  5. People can try to fake passing the bell to another person or someone in the circle may say some misleading remarks while it’s back is to them.

The Christmas Bell as an Object Lesson
Inside each sleigh bell there is a tiny ball which makes the ringing sound as it bounces around the inside of the bell. On other bells there is a ball on the end of a piece of string or metal that hits against the inside of the bell and causes it to ring. In the same way, we must ring out the true meaning of Christmas for the world to hear. Let the holiday joyfully ring from our hearts! The joy comes from within because he fills our hearts with hope and peace!

Hold the bell tight in your fist and shake it. Of course, the sound will be dull if anything is heard at all. When we played the game with the bells on the string, many of you were trying to keep the bell from ringing out. What are some of the things that dampen our joy at Christmas? Has the joy of Christmas gotten lost in a circle of closed fists? Does the joy of Christmas ring out from your life and actions or have you allowed something to dampen your Christmas Spirit?

Sing the classic Christmas song:
Come on, Ring Those Bells

Everybody likes to take a holiday
Everybody likes to take a rest
Spending time together with the family
Sharing lots of love and happiness.
Come on, ring those bells,
Light the Christmas tree,
Jesus is the king
Born for you and me.
Come on, ring those bells,
Every-body say,
Jesus, we remember
This your birthday.
Celebrations come because of something good.
Celebrations we love to recall
Mary had a baby boy in Bethleham
the greatest celebration of all.
Come on, ring those bells,
Light the Christmas tree,
Jesus is the King
Born for you and me.
Come on, ring those bells,
Everybody say,
Jesus, we remember
This your birthday.

Application
Christmas Bells remind us of the joy of Christmas! Joy to the World, The King has come!
It’s Jesus Birthday! What is one way you can let the joy of Christmas Ring out in YOUR life this season?

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Kernel Cornucopia

kernel.jpgIntroduction
The cornucopia, also known in English as the Horn of Plenty, is a symbol of prosperity and affluence, dating back to the 5th century BC. It was often filled with the fruits of the harvest which included corn, fruits, and other vegetables. Corn itself was one of the staple foods of the early settlers. Here are a variety of games using corn kernels… you can get dried feed corn like that sold for bird feeders or unpopped popcorn will also work.

Game Materials

  • Dried Corn Kernels or popcorn
  • Candy Corn
  • Bowls

Game Description

  • Turkey Feed – Turkeys are often fed corn to prepare them as guests at Thanksgiving.
  • Corn Pitching – How accurately can you toss corn kernels into bowls
  • Odds and Evens – Can you guess if there are odd or even numbers of kernels are in your partners hand?

Game Play

Turkey Feed

  1. Fill a bowl with dried corn kernels and add several pieces of candy corn.
  2. Blindfolded players and have them retrieve the candy corn from the bowl within a designate amount of time. (As a gross out variation, have them retrieve it with their bare feet then eat it.
  3. The player that retrieves the most candy corn in the designated time limit wins.

Corn Pitching

  1. Players takes turns pitching ten corn kernels, one at a time, into a bowl from a set distance. You might choose to have various bowls of different sizes and at different distances. Display the points based upon difficulty.
  2. Keep score of how many kernels end up in the various bowls.
  3. The winner is the one with the highest score after three rounds.

Odds or Evens

  1. Each player starts out with the same number of corn kernels.
  2. Players rotate about the room pairing up with others.
  3. When they find a partner, one player hides a few kernels of in his hand.
  4. The other player must guess if the number of corn kernels is odd or even. If guessed correctly, the player can add the kernels to his own collection.
  5. Players take turns hiding and guessing, until one player has all the corn or until a specified time limit!

Discussion

  • In these games are you someone who plays it safe or shoots for the moon?
  • Was the voyage to the new world by the pilgrims a safe bet or a big risk?
  • What were some of the potential risks? Potential rewards?
  • What were some of your strategies in these games?

Application
Some people play it safe in life. Others take risks. Most of the time we evaluate if the potential reward is worth the risk. For the Pilgrims, coming to America was a great risk. But the lure of religious freedom was worth the risk. Many of them lost their lives in pursuit of the opportunity to freely worship God as their conscience dictated. After the first year of the Plymouth colony, only half of the 102 settlers were still alive. Times were hard. Later during a particularly tough winter is was said that each person had only 5 kernels of corn to live on each day.

Yet in spite of their hardships, they gave thanks to God. Eternal blessings outweighed the physical ones. There may be times when we do not have much, but to have a relationship with God is worth any cost and any hardship! They made a choice, a decision to pursue God at any cost.

Conclusion

  • Has God called you to do something out of the ordinary?
  • To what has God called you?
  • What risks are worth the reward of knowing Jesus as Lord and living for him?

Just as a single grain of corn has the potential for an abundant harvest, even one decision for God can lead to a harvest of blessings in your life. What choice is God calling you to make today? Take a kernel of corn home as a reminder of a decision God has called you to make for him regardless of the risk.

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Candy

Game Description
Youth will take part in a learning simulation experiencing what it is like when gifts are not appropriately utilized as a blessing to all members of the body of Christ. Makes a great activity for a Halloween Alternative or for a creative Bible Study lesson.

Game Materials
ROUND 1: You’ll need a Bible and several large bags of individually wrapped candy. There should be 10 different types of candy. Depending on the size of your group, you might have more than 1 bag of some of the 10 types of candy. Since in the second part of this activity people will be trading candy, individually wrapped candly that is not chocolate and does not easily melt is preferable.

  • For one of the 10 types of candy, only allow enough of that candy in circulation for 10% of the total group to be able to have some.
  • Set aside an extra bag of candy to be available for anyone who finishes ROUND 1 without candy.

ROUND 2: Use the same candy already passed out in ROUND 1. Using the extra bag of candy you set aside, distribute a couple peices of candy to anyone who did not receive a piece in ROUND 1.) Continue to retain the candy you have chosen to repesent salvation so that only 10% is in circulation. Hold the rest back for the end of ROUND 2

ROUND 1

Game Preparation
Select one of the 10 types of candy to represent salvation. Only allow enough of this candy in circulation for 10% of the entire group to have some.

Game Play

  1. Take an equal number of students away from the rest of the group as you have bags of candy and explain to them how the game works. Be sure that the other youth cannot hear your instructions. Tell each of the those you have chosen that you are going to give them bags of candy to share with the other students. There’s only one catch: They can give candy only to the guys, or only to the gals, only to those with spectacles, only those in youth choir, those with a “d” in their name, those with 4 letters in their surname, only to kids with black tennis shoes, those with buttons on their shirts, those without socks, those who frown, etc. (The idea is to pick something that will eliminate at least half of the kids – these are only suggestions – be creative. Also remember you want the criteria to be difficult to discover.)
  2. Remind kids not to tell the others why some youth are getting, candy and others aren’t. Warn kids to only give candy to those in the designated group, even if the other kids beg.
  3. After giving the these designated ones their instructions, tell the rest of the group that the game will be played in 2 ROUNDS. For ROUND 1, I’m going to let the youth i took aside back into the room. When they come in, they’ll have some candy to share. You can ask, bribe, and beg them for it, but do not take it from them. You may or may not get some candy. If you figure out what the criteria is for getting candy, you’ll be entitled to an extra portion. Do NOT eat your candy yet. You will need it later for ROUND 2
  4. Call those with the candy back into the room. Allow them time to circulate through the group handing out candy according to their criteria to the chosen few.

Discussion
Once you have completed this phase of the game, ask:

  • What was it like to be one who received the gifts?
  • What was it like to be left out or passed over?
  • Did anyone figure out why he or she did not get gifts? (Give extra candy to the first person who identified any of the criteria.)
  • Are you willing to share your gifts with some people because of the way they look, or do you ignore others because they appear to be different?
  • What makes you treat some people differently than others?

Application
Near the end of the discussion, say: The Bible instructs us to treat each other fairly and equally, and to place what we have into His hands to bless others. God wants to bless others through us, but we often limit those he can touch through us by personal prejudice, misconceptions, jealousy, greed, personal ambition, bitterness, or even laziness.

ROUND 2

Game Preparation
Continue to keep the candy aside that you have chosen to represent salvation. Remember you should only allow enough of this candy in circulation for 10% of the entire group to have some.

Game Play

  1. Say, “Of course, we all have our favorites when it comes to candy. Before we begin ROUND 2, take a moment to trade candy with each other in order to get your favorite candy.” (Give them some time)
  2. Say, “Now we are going to do something a little different. Imagine that like King Solomon, you are granted anything you wish by God. Each type of Candy represents something special. You may trade and bargain with each other to get whichever candy you like. At the end of this activity, we will see what blessings you are gifted with in life, depending on your candy you possess. You may not forcibly take candy from anyone.”
  3. Depending on time, announce one or two of the items below, in any order. Eventually go through all the types of candy, but leave “salvation” for last.
  4. After each announcement, give youth an opportunity to trade again based on this new revelation.
  5. Continue through the list. Then end with Salvation.
  6. Of course there won’t be enough of salvation for everyone to have it. Some may be willing to trade everything they have for it. Others will be simply frustrated.

Choose colors or different types of candy to represent different things. 
Some possibilities are:

  1. Wealth
  2. Power
  3. Good looks
  4. Meaningful career
  5. Love
  6. Popularity
  7. Pleasure
  8. Long Life
  9. Health
  10. Salvation (Initially make certain there is only enough candy representing “salvation” for about 10% of people to have a peice. At the end of this activity, give each person one from those you have set aside..)

Discussion
At the end of the activity, ask youth:

  • Are you happy with what you posses in this game? How do you feel about your situation in life as reflected by the candy you have?
  • Before salvation, what did you evaluate as most important to obtain? What it was that you tried to collect?
  • What were you willing to give to others?
  • Were you selfish or generous with what you were given?

Application
In life, we will all be blessed with different things. Some people may receive an abundance while others may recieve the simpler things in life and only according to their needs of the moment.

  • Some may be blessed with wealth – will you use it for selfish pursuits or will you use it to bless others?
  • Some may be blessed with power – will you use your power to help those who cannot help themselves.
  • Others will be blessed with popularity – will you use your influence to speak on behalf of those who cannot speak up for themselves.

Not only are we blessed in different ways, but we also receive different gifts and talents. Everything we have is a gift from God. If God didn’t give something to us directly, he blessed us with the means or abilities to obtain them.

  • Will you use what you have been given selfishly, or for the benefit of others?
  • Will you cling to them or place them into the hands of God to use?

There are only about 10% of people who are Christians in Singapore.

  • How did you feel if you were one of those without the candy representing slvation?

Conclusion
As Christians, we are all given the knowledge of the gospel – the good news – salvation. Do we keep that knowledge to ourselves or do we share it with the remaining 90% of Singaporeans who do not yet know Christ as Savior?
(Give each 2 pieces of candy representing salvation) Take these pieces of candy you have been given and give them to someone and tell them about the activity you have done today – share with them the good news of salvation.

  • What is it in your life that is a priority for you?
  • What have you been blessed with?
  • Will you selfishly keep it top yourself or will you place it in God’s hands for him to use?

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Identifying Feelings

For a unique perspective on a Biblical story, provide this list of emotions to the youth and have them choose what the various Bible personalities might be feeling at different points in the story.

Positive Feelings
Affectionate, Alive, Amused, Accepted, Beautiful, Brave, Calm, Capable, Caring, Cheerful, Cherished, Comfortable, Competent, Concerned, Confident, Content, Courageous, Curious, Delighted, Desirable, Eager, Excited, Forgiving, Friendly, Fulfilled, Generous, Glad, Good, Grateful, Great, Happy, Hopeful, Humorous, Joyful, Lovable, Loved, Loving, Loyal, Passionate, Peaceful, Playful, Pleased, Proud, Quiet, Relaxed, Relieved, Respected, Safe, Satisfied, Secure, Self-reliant, Sexy, Silly, Special, Strong, Supportive, Sympathetic, Tender, Thankful, Thrilled, Trusted, Understanding, Understood, Unique, Valuable, Warm, Witty, Wonderful, Worthwhile, Youthful

Negative Feelings
Afraid, Angry, Anxious, Apprehensive, Ashamed, Awkward, Bitter, Bored, Confused, Contemptuous, Defeated, Dejected, Dependent, Depressed, Despairing, Desperate, Devastated, Disappointed, Discouraged, Disgusted, Distrustful, Embarrassed, Exasperated, Fearful, Foolish, Frantic, Frustrated, Furious, Guilty, Hateful, Helpless, Hopeless, Horrified, Hostile, Humiliated, Hurt, Ignored, Impatient, Inadequate, Incompetent, Indecisive, Inferior, Inhibited, Insecure, Irritated, Isolated, Jealous, Lonely, Melancholy, Miserable, Misunderstood, Muddled, Needy, Old, Outraged, Overwhelmed, Panicky, Pessimistic, Phony, Preoccupied, Prejudiced, Pressured, Provoked, Regretful, Rejected, Remorseful, Resentful, Sad, Self-conscious, Shy, Sorry, Stubborn, Stupid, Terrified, Threatened, Tired, Touchy, Trapped, Troubled, Unappreciated, Unattractive, Uncertain, Uncomfortable, Uneasy, Unfulfilled, Used, Useless, Uptight, Victimized, Violated, Vulnerable, Weary, Wishy-washy, Worn-out, Worried

Other uses for this list of emotions

  • Youth sometimes find it difficult to identify the feelings they are having. Use this list of positive and negative feelings to help youth identify their feelings about a circumstance or situation.
  • Randomly select emotions from the list for a game of charades or pictionary.
  • Attach an emotion to the back of each youth. Using only yes/ no questions they must discover the emotion on their back.
  • Attach an emotion to the back of each youth. Without speaking they must discover the emotion on their back.
  • As a crowdbreaker, randomly assign youth emotions from the list so that there are two youth for each emotion. Then, using only facial expressions they must find their partner who has the same emotion.
  • As a crowdbreaker to divide the youth into groups have one emotion for each group. Randomly assign youth one of the emotions as they arrive. Using only facial expressions they must group themselves according to the emotions.


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In Everything Give Thanks

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18
“Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Materials

  • Several pairs of scissors
  • newspapers and magazines
  • blank thank you notes
  • pens or pencils

Preparation

  • Set the scissors and the pile of newspapers and magazines in the center of the room / table.

What to Do

  1. “Search through the newspapers and magazines and find one story about someone experiencing either good or bad circumstances. Cut out the story using the scissors for easy reference.”
  2. Once everyone has a story, collect them into a pile and shuffle them up. Walk around the room and ask each youth to take the story on the top of the pile.
  3. Give each person a blank thank you note and a pen or pencil.
  4. “Read through the story you’ve been given and write a thank you note to God. Express how you would be thankful in the circumstances your story describes.”
  5. When youth have finished writing their Thank You notes, have each youth, in turn, read his or her thank you note aloud. (You cab do this in pairs or small groups if you have many youth group members).
  6. Then youth to respond to each circumstance: “In the circumstance you read about, how would being thankful affect your perspective?”

Take it to the Next Level
God wants us to be thankful in all circumstances — in both good situations and bad ones. Being thankful changes our perspective. It helps us take our eyes off ourselves and the circumstances and look to God instead.

Closing
Finish the meeting by having a time of prayer where each youth can have an opportunity to express prayerful thanks to God for the events in their lives.

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Joshua Jeopardy

Objective
Have a Jeopardy competition using some of the facts learned from the book of Joshua. As an example I have provided three categories with 5 questions each for a total of 15 questions… then one final jeopardy question.

Questions:

Category: Memory verses
100 points: Our scripure verse thus far from this quarter have been located in which book of the Bible.
ANSWER: Joshua
200 Points: then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See I have delivered _________ into your hands along with its king and fighting men.” (Joshua 6:2)
ANSWER: Jericho
300 Points: Israel has _____________; they have violated my covenant which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. (Joshua 7:11)
ANSWER: sinned
400 Points: Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be _____________ and ________________. (Joshua 1:8)
ANSWER: prosperous and successful.
500 points: All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign because…..
ANSWER: the Lord, The God of Israel, fought for Israel” (Joshua 10:42)

Category: Bible Facts
100 Points: Whose sin caused Israel’s defeat at AI?
ANSWER: Achan
200 points: How many times did the Isrealites march around the walls of Jericho before they fell?
ANSWER: 7
300 points: How many kings did Israel defeat in Joshua 9-12
ANSWER: 5
400 points: Name the person who protected the spies into the promised land
ANSWER: Rahab
500 Points: Something interesting happened at a river in Joshua 4. Name the river and what happened?
ANSWER: The the waters were cut off as they took each step into the
JORDAN river.

Category: Miscellaneous
100 Points: Most of the original spies to the promised land saw themselves as what compared to the inhabitants?
ANSWER: Grasshoppers
200 Points: Name the two spies who had faith that God could deliver the promised land to the Israelites?
ANSWER: Joshua and Caleb
300 Points: Which group of people made a treaty with the Israelites under false pretenses?
ANSWER: Gibeonites
400 Points: Name the 3 things that were taken and Led to the defeat of The Israelites at AI?
ANSWER: Mantle, 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold 50 shekels in weight
500 Points: How many chapters does the book of Joshua have?
ANSWER: 24

Final Jeopardy question: category : the person – Joshua
QUESTION: Joshua became the leader of the Israelites after this person’s death
ANSWER: Moses


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…