The main purpose of a sponge is to soak things up. When you squeeze a sponge, whatever is inside comes out. Both of these characteristics of a sponge provide metaphors for our hearts. Some of us have hard hearts and unlike a sponge, things just stay on the surface and never affect us while other have receptive hearts to God. When we are under pressure, we truly get to see what is in a person's heart. These games are great for a little wet time during the hot summer and provide a nice illustration for the condition of our hearts.
We often talk about a person's walk with Christ. That's because the feet tell us two very important facts about someone: where one is standing and which way someone is going. A firm stand and a consistent walk are both traits we admire in other Christians. This Object Lesson uses shoes as a reminder of the need for youth to walk daily with Christ.
Bandana's are one of those multipurpose items that should be in every youth minister's tool kit. They can be used as blindfolds, to replace a short length of rope, as flags and to identify teams. They can be bought in bulk relatively cheaply or if you have someone in your church with a sewing machine and a little time they can be made from a few yards of cloth or even cheap sheets. If you can't find bandanas, you can always substitute cloth handkerchiefs, washcloths, or cloth napkins. Get enough for your entire youth group to have one each, and in different colors so they can easily be used to identify different teams.
In 1912, Clarence Crane, a chocolate manufacturer in Cleveland Ohio, USA invented Lifesaver's as a summer candy that could withstand heat better than chocolate. The candy's name is derived from its similarity to the shape of the rings used for saving people who have fallen off of ships. But this candy, with the empty hole in the middle, can also be used as an illustration of the emptiness we experience inside without God as the center of a person's life.
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.
This lesson 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.
Marbles have been around since ancient times. Whether made from glass, stone, or even clay, they have been used in games and as tokens. While not specifically mentioned in the Bible, our modern games of marbles most likely came from the ancient Romans. The oldest known marbles date back to about 3000 B.C. They can be found in many cultures around the world. Many of the games involve taking risks in order to win. In this idea of the week, we use glass marbles not only for games, but also as an object lesson on how we can see differently as Christians and to learn to take risks for God.
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.
Balloons are enjoyed not only by children and youth, but by people of all ages. We see them at birthdays and celebrations throughout the year. And like many things we enjoy in the world around us, they can be metaphors for spiritual lessons as well.
A clothespin is used to attach clothes to a clothesline. It can also serve as a reminder that we need to cling to our lifeline - we need to cling to God (Deuteronomy 13:4). And clothes aren't the only thing that needs washing. We need to be washed clean as well. And God washes us white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18) The scriptures lists a variety of things we should cling to, things we should hold on to, but in reality most of those other things listed have the same purpose - to help us to cling to God.
Creative Youth ideas: 1700+ Resources for youth leaders, pastors, ministers to help plan camps, retreats, and meetings using games, illustrations, Children's Worship, Bible Studies, object lessons, sermons, creative ideas,creative activities
