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Creative Teaching Ideas, Game Ideas

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

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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.

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Game Ideas

Superbowl Challenge – A Football themed game for Church Youth

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A Christian Superbowl Challenge
Use this Superbowl themed game with youth as an introduction to the idea of the game of football as a metaphor for living the victorious Christian life.

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Superbowl / Football Games

What You Need

  • Newsprint or long strip of paper – Classified ads work great
  • A marker for writing on the paper
  • Football themed decorations

Preparation

Create a miniature football field in the center of the room.

  • Cut some newsprint into 11 long strips 3 or four inches wide (small print classified ads work best. Cut from a double newspaper spread so that you get the longest strips possible.)
  • Masking tape can be used to replace the paper strips, but be sure to check it first to make sure it does no damage on carpet or floor tiles.
  • In the center of each strip of paper or stretch of masking tape, label the yard lines. You should have one strip for each of the following:

—– GOAL —–
—– 10 —–
—– 20 —–
—– 30 —–
—– 40 —–
—– 50 —–
—– 40 —–
—– 30 —–
—– 20 —–
—– 10 —–
—– GOAL —–

  • Lay the strips of paper out on the floor to create a miniature football field as shown above.

Create a football

  • Cut a brown paper bag, or piece of brown cardboard into the shape of a football. Use a marker to draw the laces onto the football shape so it looks more like a football.
  • You can also use a small football easily found in a toy store. They are usually about the size of a large orange.

What to do

Bible Quiz

  1. Choose a quiz of at least 50 questions. It can be questions from recent Bible lessons or simply Bible Trivia.
  2. Split the youth into two different teams and sit them on opposite at opposite ends of the football field.
  3. Flip a coin to see which team plays first
  4. Start off on the 50 yard line
  5. Each “Play” involves asking a youth from the team a question to be answered. You may wish to limit each youth on the team to answering only one question to insure that all youth participate.
  6. A correct answer advances the team 10 yards. An incorrect answer causes the team to lose 5 yards. If the student is unsure of the answer they may “pass” to another player on the team that has not answered a question yet. One pass per question is allowed.
  7. The winner is the first team to reach the opponent’s endzone (A touchdown). If the game is taking too long, the team closest to the endzone wins.
  8. For more fun, decorate the room with football logos and come dresses as the referee with a whistle.

VARIATIONS

Instead of a quiz you could use the following ideas:

  • Football Charades

Place a bunch of football related words on folded slips of paper and put them in a bowl. Divide into two teams. A player from the team pics a slip from the bowl, takes a peak at it, then must act out the word for his or her team. If the team hasn’t guessed the word in one minute, the opposing team can make one guess and try to steal the ball. When a charade is correctly guessed the team advances 5 yards. There is an attached list of Superbowl / Football related words you can use for the Charades. Get more details on how to play charades here

You can also play charades using the names of various football teams. You can find some of the football teams here

  • Forbidden Word

Divide into two teams and Every time someone from the opposing team says the word football the ball is advanced for your team.

Football / Superbowl terms (for Charades)

AFL, announcer, arm guard, arm pad, artificial turf, assistant coach, astroturf, audible, back, backfield, ball boy, ballcarrier, bench, blitz, block, bomb, bowl game, carries, center, cheerleader, chest protector, cleats, clipping, clock, clothesline, coach, coin toss, completion, conferences, cornerback, count, cup, dead ball, defense, defensive back, defensive end, defensive halfback, defensive holding, defensive line, defensive lineman, defensive tackle, delay of game, dime back, double team, down, draft, draw, drive, drop kick, elbow pad, eleven, eligible receiver, end, end zone, extra point, face guard, face mask, fair catch, fake, false start, fan, field, field goal, field of play, field position, first and ten, first down, flag, flanker, football, football helmet, football player, football tee, formation, forward pass, foul, four-point stance, free kick, free safety, freeze, fullback, fumble, goal line, goalpost, gridiron, grounding, guard, hail mary, half time, halfback, handoff, hang time, hash marks, head coach, Heisman trophy, hike, hip pad, holding, home-field advantage, huddle, i formation, illegal motion, incomplete pass, instant replay, intentional grounding, interception, interference, jersey, kick, kick return, kicker, kickoff, knee pad, laces, lateral pass, line, line judge, line of scrimmage, linebacker, lineman, live ball, lob, loose ball, man-to-man coverage, mascot, middle guard, midfield, NFL, nickel back, nose guard, nose tackle, off sides, off-season, offense, offensive backfield, offensive holding, offensive line, officials, offside, onside kick, open receiver, overtime, pass, pass defender, pass interference, pass pattern, pass protection, passing game, penalty, personal foul, pick, pigskin, piling on, pistol formation, placekick, placekicker, play, play clock, playbook, playoffs, point spread, possession, post-season, preseason, punt, punt return, punter, quarter, quarterback, quarterback sneak, receiver, reception, red flag, redshirt, referee, regular season, return, reverse, roll, rookie, roster, roughing the kicker, roughing the passer, running back, running game, running into the kicker, rush, rushing, sack, safety, score, scramble, screen, screen pass, scrimmage, scrimmage line, season, set, shotgun, shoulder pad, sideline, snap, special teams, spike, spiral, split end, spot, stadium, stance, starter, steal, stiff arm, straight arm, strong safety, substitution, super bowl, superbowl, sweep, t-formation, tackle, tailback, take a knee, TD, team, thigh pad, three-point conversion, three-point stance, tie, tight end, time out, too many men on the field, touchback, touchdown, trap, trick play, turnover, umpire, uniforms, unnecessary roughness, unsportsmanlike conduct, uprights, wide receiver, wing back, wishbone, formation, wrist pad, yard line, yellow flag

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

DISCUSSION

  • How much do you know about football? Whos the football expert?
  • Do you have to know everything about the game to enjoy the football game?
  • Are there people who don’t really care about football but get caught up in the excitement of the event? Why?
  • Do you need to know everything about the team players to enjoy the game?
  • What is it about the superbowl that gets people excited?
  • Are you as excited about God as you are about the Superbowl? Why or why not?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

  • Equipment – Ephesians 6:10-18 – In football terms, Paul, the team coach gives his team a pre-game pep talk, reminding them to put on their gear – the hip pads of truth, shoulder pads of righteousness, cleats of preparation, the face mask of faith, the helmet of salvation, and play according to the rules of the Playbook.” Then they have a team huddle to seek perseverance and strength to achieve victory over their opponent.
  • Fans – Some people are in the game and others are simply watching. Some are wearing the uniform, merely to be seen by others, but not on the field. They are watching, yet not doing. (James 1:22; Matthew 23:1-25)
  • Rules – We must compete according to the rules so that we are not disqualified for the prize (2 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:3-4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 10:23)
  • Goals – Philippians 3:14 – Press on toward the Goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward.
  • Perseverance – James 1:2-4 – You’ll go up against many tests and when you persevere through these tests you will emerge victorious. (Ephesians 6:13; Hebrews 10:36)
  • Cheering – We must cheer one another on. (I Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:23-25; Hebrews 12:1-2)
  • The Clock is ticking down – Are you ready? Make the most of your time. (Ephesians 5:15-16; Colossians 4:5-6; 1 Corinthians 9:26-27; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Timothy 4:2)

For more in depth scriptural applications check out last year’s superbowl lesson here:

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • In what ways is the church (or this group) similar to a football team?

(We are united as a team, we have a goal (the great commission), we work together to achieve a goal, there is opposition, sometimes unexpected things happen, sometimes we fumble in our tasks, sometimes we gain ground, while other times we lose ground, We have a coach (God), sometimes we have to defend against the opposition, time is short, there are people watching us (spectators), not everyone plays fair, there are penalties for mistakes, we must wear protective gear (armor of God), we have different positions on the team, there are people who are playing and there are people on the sidelines, we need a game plan, etc.)

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • Are you part of the team (A Christian?) Why or why not?
  • If you are, what is your position(role) in the team?
  • Are you on the sidelines or playing the game?
  • Do you consider yourself a team player? Why or why not?
  • Are you focused on the goal?
  • What can you begin doing to help the team more effectively overcome the opposition and achieve the goals ahead?

SCRIPTURE

1 Corinthians 1:25-27

“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.”

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Game Ideas, Object Lessons

Spiritually Measuring Up

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Spiritually_Measuring_Up

It’s back to school time. Time to get all your school supplies and meet new friends. These games all have a ruler as the central prop and serve as a discussion start for measuring up to God’s standards. I remember the days of using a ruler to create a growth chart on the door frame. But how do we measure our growth as Christians?

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Games using a Ruler

  • Back Flip Rulers – Back flip rulers is a variation of the minute-to-win-it game “Back Flip” The objective is simple – palms down, rest several rulers on the back of your hand. Now flip them up and catch them all in the same hand. Person who can catch the most rulers at once wins.
  • Dice it Up – Another Minute-to-win-it game, youth must place a ruler into their mouth and stack a die on the end of the ruler. The die is not allowed to touch a youth’s nose or face. If the die falls off, the youth must choose another die to put on the ruler. Once the first die is in place, the player can pick up another die and put it on top of the first die. He has to continue adding a die until he’s stacked six die on top of one another. The dice have to be balanced for 3 seconds at least. First youth to be successful wins.
  • Feather Relay – Give individuals or teams a ruler with a feather, leaf or some other light object on it. The idea is to see who can go across the room and back again, keeping the elusive object on his or her ruler. If the object blows off, it must be replaced before the contestant can continue.
  • Herding Cats – Ever tried to herd a cat? They have a mind of their own. Give each team of youth one ruler and a cat (a lemon or raw egg.) Teams line up at the starting line, than at the signal, the first player pushes the cat to the goal and back using only the ruler. That player passes the ruler to the teammate who is next in line, and so on until all youth on a team have run. The team that finishes first wins. Other variations are to set up an obstacle course.
  • Longest Line – Give each group a ruler and a few school supplies if you have some. Then give the following instructions – “Using what you have, create the longest line possible.” The key to this game is they have more than the objects you have given to them. They can use a belt, a shoe lace, keys, coins, paper money, etc to create a long line of objects. We often look to God to give us resources to get things done, but we often have more than we realise if we expand our thinking.
  • Peas on a Ruler – Place a pile of peas (equal number of peas in each) for each team at one end of the room and an empty bowl for each at the opposite end. Give the first person in each line a ruler. Youth must run to their pea pile and scoop up as many peas on the ruler as they can, and bring them back and dump them into the empty bowl. They then give the rulers to the next person in line, who repeat the process. The first team to transfer its peas from the pile to the bowl is the winner. Any peas which fall along the way must also he picked up on the ruler and brought to the bowl. Players may have more than one run until all the peas are transfered, but must continue in the same order as they inititially began. They may not put the experts at the beginning of the line the second time through.
  • Ruler Catapult – Take a ruler and a square rubber pencil eraser. Place the ruler on the edge of a book or table. Place the eraser at one of the ruler and slam the other end of the ruler towards the floor. HARD. Whoever can get the eraser to fly the furthest wins!
  • Ruler 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 using a ruler in each person’s mouth. 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.
  • Ruler Fencing – Players hold a ruler with a square rubber eraser on it in one hand. In the other hand the players hold an empty ruler. Then they try to knock the opponents’ eraser off the ruler without losing their own eraser.
  • Ruler of the world – roll a marble down a ruler and into a bowl. First team to do it successfully wins. Make it more difficult by using a yardstick or meter ruler.
  • Rulers – This is the game of spoons but played with rulers. Depending on the number of players, you need at least one deck of cards, and one ruler less than the number of players. Players sit in a circle with the rulers 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 ruler. Once one person grabs a ruler, everyone else also grabs one until all the rulers are gone and 1 person is left without a ruler. Play resumes with one less player and one less ruler. Play continues until there is only one player left, the winner.
  • Standing Broad Grin – Measure everyone’s grin with a ruler to see who has the widest smile. Offer first, second, and third place prizes to the biggest smiles.
  • Tallest Tower – Bring in a variety of school supplies, including a ruler. Each team of students must create the tallest tower using the supplies you have provided. Then bring the school supplies back together and command the them to create the tallest tower. Of course the tools will simply lie where they are put. NOTE: These tools are very useful, but only when they are in someone’s hands. The same thing is true of us. We can be useful to God, and be used to teach others life changing truths, but only when we place ourselves in God’s hands.

Main Lesson Idea – Measuring Up

Measuring Up – Participants must scour the room and use a ruler find objects that match the measurements they are given… first to get them all correct gets a prize. You must first of course, make a list of measurements of various items found in the youth room or throughout the church.

Rules

  1. Teams must stay together as a group. You may not split up.
  2. Stay within the designated game area. Any group found outside the game area or in banned areas will be disqualified.
  3. No communicating or collaborating with other teams.
  4. Be respectful and courteous in everything you do. Crude language, inappropriate behavior, and offensive actions are not allowed. Respect other people’s property. Do not destroy things. When the hunt is over, there should be no sign that it took place.
  5. Respect each other. Do not cheat. Do not hinder other teams.

Scoring

  1. Only one submission for each item on the list. Multiple submissions are not allowed. Label submissions with corresponding numbers so the judges know which items are intended for which things on the list. You are not required to complete every item on the list.
  2. Teams can only qualify once for each item on the list.
  3. Stick to the Time Limit. A penalty will be imposed for each minute after the deadline that you are late. In case of a tie, the first team to finish wins.
  4. How to Win? Points will be assigned to these based on the difficulty to accomplish each, creativity and the fun factor. The team with the most points wins!

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

  • What are some things people use to measure or evaluate living a good life?
  • What are some things people use to measure other people?
  • What are some things people use to measure themselves?
  • How do we measure a person as a success or failure?
  • What are some of the standards of measurement from God’s Word?

You might give them some helpful scriptures to write on their rulers:

  • Love – I Corinthians 13:4-7
  • Holiness – Hebrews 12.14; Revelation 21.27
  • Righteousness – 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 3:23
  • Christian Living – Romans 12:10-21
  • Maturity – Ephesians 4:1-13

Discussion: If your ruler had been marked wrongly, you would have found it difficult to find any of the objects. When our measurements of obedience, ourselves (pride), expectations (jealousy), comparisons with others, and timing (patience) are wrong it messes up our results. 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.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

In the Old Testament, the focus on godliness was living by God’s Laws and commandments. But as a Christian, the focus of the life is no longer the laws and standards, but instesd focused on a person – Christ. It’s not a set of rules but a relationship. We are to follow Christ and live for Him.

  • Romans 6:14 “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”
  • Romans 8:1-17
  • What difference does it make in the way you live your life to know that you are no longer under the law, but under grace?
  • Under the law you are fearful of making a mistake, but under grace you are focused on pleasing God and acting out of gratitude. How does this make a difference in how you live life?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • How do you measure your life? How do you measure up?
  • What are some of the things you use to measure your spiritual growth? Your spiritual journey?
  • In what way does Grace give you freedom to live more effectively for Christ?

SCRIPTURE

Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” – We don’t measure up to God’s standard.

Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Because we don’t measure up, we cannot boast. This free us to advance in good works, not out of striving to be worthy.

Ephesians 4:11-12 – “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.” – our goal is to measure up to the life of Christ.

Galatians 2:16 – “know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.”

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.” God still marks out a direction for us to strive toward as Christians.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – “God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – We don’t have to measure up to righteousness because we wear Christ’s righteousness.

Colossians 2:13-14 – “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.” – God wiped away the shortcoming so that before him we measure up in Christ.

2 Peter 1:3-9 – “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.” – Now we are measure by growth in the our journey to becoming more and more Christlike.

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Game Ideas, Object Lessons

Spiritual Hoopla?

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Spiritual Hoopla

Is the excitement of serving God a whole lot of Hoopla – unnecessary excitement and fuss? These games using Hula Hoops are sure to create excitement but can also be used to create discussion on living as a Christian youth within God’s boundaries.

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Games using Hula Hoops

NOTE: If you can’t find hula hoops, plastic tubing can be shaped into a circle and secured with duct tape. For some of the games a circle of rope will also work.

  • Antigravity Hula Hoops – 5-10 youth form a circle, putting their hands out in front of them parallel to the floor – index finger extended (as in a kid making a gun). Tell them you will be placing a hula hoop on their fingers and everyone’s index fingers must stay in contact with the hula hoop. The task is to lower the hula hoop to the floor. It will inevitably go up immediately. The only way this works is if they remain calm and there is no blame.
  • Hula Hoop Hand Tag – Choose one player to be “It” and 4 additional players for each hoop. Have “It” stand in the center of the Hula-Hoop and the other players outside the circle. The players alternate holding the Hula-Hoop first with one hand and then the other while “It” tries to tap a hand. Those on the outside try to avoid being tapped. The game is over if players drop the hoop. Three rules: 1) the holders must each have one hand on the hoop at all times, 2)the person who is “It” cannot tag a hand that has been lifted from the hoop, and 3) whenever a person is tagged, he or she becomes “It.”
  • Hula Hoop Stuff – How many youth can get at least part of their bodies into a Hula Hoop? Count fingers, toes, ears-whatever. Better yet, how many youth can fit inside a Hula Hoop so that their bodies don’t touch the ground outside the hoop?
  • Hula Hoop Tag – Spread a few Hula hoops around the ground. The hoops are safe zones where youth cannot be tagged. The idea is to run between the safe havens without getting tagged. Set a time limit on how long people can stay in the safe zones, and make sure you have plenty of space between the hoops.
  • Hula Relay – Each youth on a team must take a Hula Hoop and hula while walking or running to a certain point 20 feet or so from the team and back. If the Hula Hoop drops, the player must stop, get the hoop going again, and continue. First team to finish wins.
  • Hula Slide Relay – Put the youth in groups of up to four and have each group step inside a Hula Hoop. The youth must move their hoop on the ground from one point to the other. If someone trips and steps out of the hoop, the team has to start over from the beginning.
  • Hula Tangled – Gather the participants in a circle and make them hold hands right at the center. Let one person wear the hula hoop on the arm. Without letting go, youth must pass the ring to one another, until it comes back to the person who first had it. Variation: do it without talking.
  • Keep the Hula Hoops Up – Every youth needs their own hula hoop. The goal is to keep the hula hoops spinning as possible using the traditional method of swinging it around the waist. A youth is out of the game when their hula hoop completely hits the floor. The last person with their hula hoop moving wins the game. This can also be played in teams.
  • Lava Flow – Scatter hula hoops around in a large open space. Everyone playing has found out that the floor has become covered in lava, but only when the leader calls out “lava flow.” In the meantime, the youth are supposed to wander around the room. When “lava flow, 3-2-1” is called, the players need to find shelter inside a hula hoop before the countdown ends. As time goes on, the leader removes hula hoops and the game gets more and more difficult as there are more people per hoop. Feet must touch the ground inside the hoops to be safe and everyone must be safe in order for anyone to win.
  • Lion tamer – Youth step through a hoop that get’s progressively higher off the ground – It is similar to limbo but keeps getting higher rather than lower.
  • Musical Hoops – This has the same basic rules as the traditional game of musical chairs except no one is ever out. Spread hula-hoops on the floor and play lively, fun music. As you remove the hoops, let the group know that no one is out. Let them figure out that they may share the hoops in order to remain playing. It’s fun to see how many people can share a hoop.
  • Sharks – Hula Hoops represent islands. Everyone mills around the sea until SHARKS is called out – then everyone has to get onto an island (in a hoop) to be safe, anyone not on the island is eaten by a shark and so out of the game. Remove islands at your pleasure forcing more and more people out of the game until you have a champ!
  • Simon Says – Play traditional Simon Says, but using the hula hoop as a prop. “Simon says• jump in/out of the hula hoop, lift it over your head, put your hand in the hoop, balance it on your foot, etc..”
  • Shoes in a Hula-Hoop – You’ll need 4 or more hula-hoops depending on the number of groups you want to have. Each group is given one Hula Hoop. The 4th hula-hoop is placed in the middle of the room and all of the participant’s shoes are placed inside of it. Announce: “The purpose of the game is to have ALL of the ping pong balls in your hula-hoop.” On “go” all the youth will scramble to collect as many shoes as possible. In the midst of the chaos, the leader will stop the game and send people back to their groups to deliberate on how to better capture all the shoes. Continue the game as before. After a while, stop the game again and mention teamwork, and the need to join forces in order to have all the shoes in one’s hoop. The answer to the game is that all of the teams put their hula-hoops together, on top of the Shoe filled hula hoop in the middle of the room.
  • Up, Down, Under, Over – This hula hoop game is also for a group of players. Have three or four youth stand inside a large hoop, holding it up at waist level without using their hands. Challenge them to lift the hoop up to their necks or down to their ankles – hands-free. Or, see if they can get the whole group from inside the hoop to outside, without grabbing the hoop or letting it touch the floor.

Main Game – Hula Hoop Circle

Ask the youth to stand in a big circle, slip a hula hoop onto one youth’s arm, and have them all join hands. They then must find a way to move the hula hoop all the way around the circle without letting go of each other’s hands.

Basic rules:

  1. The object of the game is to pass he hoop around the circle as quickly as possible.
  2. Youth may not let go of the hands they are holding at any time. If they lose their grip or let go, the hula Hoop must start back at the beginning again.
  3. Fingers cannot be used to grip or move the Hula Hoop
  4. The youth must remain in a circle. Players bend and twist their bodies through the hoop to get it around the circle.
  5. The fastest group wins.

Important Notes:

  1. Glasses may sometimes fall off and break so those youth wearing glasses need to remove them before the game starts.
  2. Make sure the hula hoop you use is big enough for everyone in the group to fit through so that there are no awkward moments for larger sized youth.
  3. Youth should be in generally good shape as some flexibility and balance will be needed to complete the task.

Youth may question whether this challenge is possible, but assure them that it can be done. Repeat the process until the team is satisfied with their time and their system. Generally, groups get it down to less than 2 minutes. The people directly involved work together to fit their body into the hoop and those waiting for the hoop to get to them, watch, give suggestions and encourage. Once it has made it around the circle, the task is complete.

Variations:

  1. Provide two Hoops for each team. Start the Hoops in the same location but ask the group to pass one in a clockwise direction and the other in a counterclockwise direction. When they get to the midway point there is usually some confusion.
  2. Time the group as they pass the hoop to see how long it takes them to get it all the way around. Allow another attempt to break the “record”.
  3. Try to do it as one big group.
  4. Ask players to stand with their back toward center of the circle.
  5. Ask the youth to complete the task without talking or while blindfolded.
  6. Do it sitting down
  7. They have to pass it 2 persons at a time, 3 at a time?

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Have you ever heard of the phrase “Jumping through Hoops”? Know what it means?
“Jumping though hoops” has typically meant “going to great lengths” or “much effort” in order to accomplish something.

People jump through hoops on a regular basis. Either to fulfill some kind of requirement to gain acceptance into a group, to meet some kind of standard to satisfy others, to follow some set of rules.

  1. What are some of the hoops in your life that you have had to jump through?
  2. Are there hoops we jump through as Christians? In the church? In the youth group?
  3. What are the expectations for each of these groups?
  4. Are these hoops good or bad? Explain.
  5. Do some people have more to deal with than others? If so, why?
  6. Are hoops necessary? What hoops would you add/remove from/to your life if you could?
  7. What is the purpose of rules and expectations? How are they useful / harmful?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

In the Old Testament, the people of God went to great lengths to be accepted by God. To be accepted by God required jumping through a lot of hoops – following a long list of God given laws, and requirements in order to be accepted by God. To make matters worse, by human standards, it was impossible to be accepted by God, because the hoops were beyond the ability of the people. And on top of that, tradition added even more rules and expectations so that by the time Christ had his encounters with the Pharisees, it was an even more impossible burden.

“They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.” (Matthew 23:4)

I wonder if any of these hoops sound familiar? Christians must not drink. They must not smoke. They must dress appropriately (according to a myriad of opinions of what is proper). They must be timid, and peaceful and submit when others want to walk over them. Youth cannot have tattoos, or earrings, or unnatural colors in their hair. You must be in church every time the doors are open. You must give to every cause. You must put on a smile even though you are deeply hurting and tired and weary. The list goes on… We sing about grace, yet are quick to condemn, proclaim the blood of Christ in forgiveness, yet hold grudges, preach of freedom in Christ, but add a plethora of rules and expectations. The Bible is full of imperfect people resting in the loving care of a perfect God, many of which would never be allowed in any kind of public position in the church of today. But is a list of rules what defines the Christian? What does define a person as a Christian?

A look at Ephesians 2:1-10 and Romans 5:6-8 makes it clear that Christ loved us and died for us even though we were ungodly, sinful, and dead in our trespasses. We were unworthy, yet God reached out to us.

“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  1. What are some of the things that you do simply for show?
  2. In what ways do you conform to expectations?
  3. How can you personally focus more on the relationships rather than the rules and expectations?

Most people would prefer to follow a bunch of rules, to “jump through hoops” as it were, than to actually give up their own lives and follow Christ. Yet Jesus did not call us to a set of rules, but to a relationship. He asked people to take up their cross and follow Him. But it’s so much easier to carry a hoop than a cross.

“Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

More Spiritual Lessons from Hula Hoops:

  • A circle is a symbol of eternity. It has no beginning and no end.
  • Staying in your hula hoop can represent minding your own business and protecting your boundaries.
  • We are only responsible for the things God places in our circle of influence.
  • When we are properly focused on our own lives, our energy is used to keep our hula-hoop spinning. When we drop it and step out to try to control someone else’s life, our life suffers.
  • Will you trust God to take care of the stuff that is outside of your hula-hoop?
  • God is inside with us at all times
  • In hula hoop you have to find a rhythm to keep it going. We must understand that God has a perfect rhythm set up for our lives. Pushing ahead too fast or lazily moving breaks that rhythm and things fall apart.
  • It takes energy to get started
  • Momentum helps it keep it going

SCRIPTURE

  • “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30
  • “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”- Luke 9:2
  • “They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.” – Matthew 23:4
  • “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”- Ephesians 2:8-10
  • “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:6-8

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Devotional, Youth Sermons

Superbowl Christians – Spiritual Lessons for Youth from the Game of Football

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It’s going to be Superbowl Sunday this weekend and we’re sure your youth are excited to be watching the game. Why not make it an opportunity to share something about how the game relates to their spiritual lives? Even if you don’t watch football, the lesson is applicable to most sports. Have a great weekend!

An Illustration

While you might not think of your Christian life as a football game, the Bible does use sports to teach about spiritual truths. In Biblical times they might not have had American football games or superbowls but they did have athletic competitions.

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul writes, “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.”

In Hebrews 12:1-2 we read, “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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

In Philippians 3:12-14 Paul says, “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.”

“Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.” 2 Timothy 2:5

The sports may be different, but you’ll find some things in common with American football if you read the verses carefully. You’ll find running, a prize, winning and losing, competition, training, goals, fighting or struggle, opposition, spectators, obstacles and hindrances, focus and rules. Even so, there tons of lessons we can learn from football.

Take It to the Next Level

COMPETITION is part of the Game

By nature, sports are a competition. But to compete you must be in the game. Just as a coach chooses players to be in the football game, God has chosen us. Our competitor is focused on our defeat (1 Peter 5:8). But we also compete against ourselves. And it is sad to say, but just like in real life football games, most of the people in the stadium sit in the stands. Then there are those who are on the team, but sit in the bench. Most of us would prefer rest on the bench (or pew) and observe the game – both with encouragement and more often with criticism about how others are playing on the field. But God doesn’t call us to be spectators, but participants. Our field is the world (Mat. 13:38), and our goal is to win it for Jesus Christ. Sure, some will have a special call to play a bigger role, but everyone is called onto the field to play. Even if you may not have a key role a particular play, you must still be ready at a moment’s notice to dash onto the field and play your part when the coach calls your number to be on the field. You must clearly know your position, train, and practice your plays to be best prepared for that moment when you might be called upon to make a difference in the game (1 Peter 3:15, 2 Timothy 4:1-5).

There are RULES to the Game

The football field is laid out in ten yard increments, has boundaries, and there are rules to the game. The boundaries are there to keep us in the game. The 10 yard markers are there not as the object, but as a point of reference as we move toward the goal. If they weren’t there, we wouldn’t know if we were heading in the right direction or running to the wrong goal. God’s laws and the 10 commandments function in much the same way. They keep us in the game and give us points of reference for gaining or losing of ground. Violating the rules results in penalties and may even take us out of the game for a while. There are turnovers and fumbles as well. Yet when we compete according to the rules, and are victorious in our efforts, we will receive a prize (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

Our TIME on the field is limited

The clock is counting down. The game of football is played in four quarters with a set time limit. The wise player, especially the quarterback, will keep his eye on the clock and make the most of his time. The same is true for us as Christians, but unlike the game on the football field, we can’t see the clock. We don’t know how much time is left. This makes it even more important for us to value our time and make the most of it. The Bible commands us to redeem the time, to make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:16) rather than waste it. In fact, if you think about the world today there is not much time left on the clock. In fact, it’s already the fourth quarter, down to the two minute warning, and now it’s up to us to play our part win another one for the coach. Things may seem dire. But in life, just like in football, nothing is impossible, everything can happen. You should not slack or give up until the referee blows his whistle and declares the Victor.

TRAINING is essential for Victory

In football there is an in season and an off season. During the off season the team works on the fundamentals to get ready for the big games during football season. They train for the big games ahead. “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 2 Timothy 4:8 “Be ready in season and in the off season” 2 Timothy 4:2. “There is a season and a time to EVERY purpose under heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. There are times in our Christian walk when we experience seasons of rest. They’re not for us to be idle, but to prepare ourselves spiritually, to grow, to draw closer to God.

GEAR up for the Game

In Ephesians 6:10-18, Paul gives the team the pre-game pep talk and reminds us to check our football gear. He’s talking about gearing up for battle, but football players also gear up for the game. If he’d been thinking about football he might have phrased it this way, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the uniform, so that you can take your stand against the opposing team… Therefore put on all of your gear so that when the game day comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the shoulder pads of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the shoes of readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the face mask of faith, with which you can conquer all the opponents’ plays. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, your playbook, which is the word of God. Let’s all commit the game to God as we kneel for a locker room prayer, that we might prove victorious in this game.”

We strive for the GOAL

It is not enough to simply be in the game. It is not enough to simply overcome the enemy. Out goal is to score one for the team. And another one. And another one. Touchdown after Touchdown. In life, the goal may seem at the far end of the field. It can be difficult to keep moving forward. It may seem that every time you run a play you get knocked down. Sometimes you may even get sacked. The solution is not to focus on where you have come from, but where you are going. “Press on toward the Goal.” Philippians 3:14 And while touchdowns are great, as Christians our goal is to do more than simply score, but to be the player the Head Coach has chosen us to be. We must be always moving forward, never fumbling the ball, and always gaining new ground. If we do stumble and fumble, we are to recover the ball quickly and press onward. If we step out of bounds, or get the wind knocked out of us, we must get back in the game and focus on the Coach. And even if you are tackled for a loss, When you are focused on Him, and run the plays He calls, you’ll find yourself moving toward the goal.

We don’t play alone, but play as part of a TEAM

Football is a team sport. You don’t win it alone. When the team is working in harmony under the direction of the coach things will happen. There’s are star players, but the star players cannot function without the core team. They need blockers, the need linemen to open up opportunities in the defences. There is an offensive team, a kickoff team, a team of receivers, and a defensive team and each are critical to a win for the team. There is no individual victory, only the victory of the team. Only when all players, from the starting quarterback, the receivers, the linemen and the person playing his part in even the smallest position work together, does the team run a successful play. Likewise, every believer has a unique role and a part to play in the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 12:4-6; 12-20)

The Victors receive a PRIZE.

It’s not Super Bowl rings, but the crown of eternal life Christ that we seek. (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Make it Practical

Are you in the game?
No one in the crowd ever gains a yard on the field. No one in the crowd ever adds a single point to the scoreboard. The game is played and won by the players on the field, and not by anyone else. Are you in the game or a spectator? Just being a Christian isn’t enough. You are called to be on the playing field, not in the stands or on the sidelines. Are you on the field playing the game and gaining ground for Jesus Christ or are you merely watching the game? The clock is ticking away, and time is running out. Get in the game before you lose your chance forever!

Scripture References

“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.”
– 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

“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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
– Hebrews 12:1-2

“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

“Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.”
– 2 Timothy 2:5

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
– 1 Peter 5:8

“The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one.”
– Matthew 13:38

“But in your hearts revere 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. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
– 1 Peter 3:15

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
– 2 Timothy 4:1-5

“Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
– Ephesians 5:16

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
– Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
– Ephesians 6:10-18

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 3:14

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”
– 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”
– 1 Corinthians 12:12-20

“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

Game Ideas

Pass the Wreath

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Description

In this Christmas team building game for youth, each team of youth will form a circle holding hands with each person on the left and right and then pass a wreath around the circle as quickly as possible without letting go. The fastest group wins.

Materials

  • Hula Hoop for each team. If you can’t find hula hoops, plastic tubing that can be shaped into a circle and secured with duct tape. Warning: Hula Hoops tend to get stretched or may be damaged.
  • Green garland, red ribbon and other Christmas decorations as needed
  • Stopwatch

Preparation

  1. Obtain a Hula Hoop for each team. Wrap each hoop with a green garland and tie a red ribbon on each so they look like large Christmas wreaths.
  2. Divide the youth into teams of an even number participants and ask each team to stand in a circle by clasping hands with the person on either side of them. With a smaller groups, form only one circle and have them compete against the clock instead of against each other. The ideal group size for one circle is 5-10 youth.
  3. After the group(s) form a circle holding hands, separate the hands any single spot in the circle and have the two youth whose hands you have separated to reach through the wreath to reconnect their hands.

What to Do

  1. The object of the game is to pass a wreath around the circle as quickly as possible.
  2. The wreath must move around the circle in a clockwise direction.
  3. Youth may not let go of the hands they are holding at any time. If they lose their grip or let go, the wreath must start back at the beginning again.
  4. Fingers cannot be used to grip or move the wreath
  5. The youth must remain in a circle. Players bend and twist their bodies through the wreath to get it around the circle.
  6. The fastest group wins.

Important Notes

  1. Glasses may sometimes fall off and break so those youth wearing glasses need to remove them before the game starts.
  2. Make sure the hula hoop you use is big enough for everyone in the group to fit through so that there are no awkward moments for larger sized youth.
  3. Youth should be in generally good shape as some flexibility and balance will be needed to complete the task.

Youth may question whether this challenge is possible, but assure them that it can be done. Repeat the process until the team is satisfied with their time and their system. Generally, groups get it down to less than 2 minutes. The people directly involved work together to fit their body into the hoop and those waiting for the hoop to get to them, watch, give suggestions and encourage. Once it has made it around the circle, the task is complete.

Variations

  1. Provide two wreaths for each team. Start the wreaths in the same location but ask the group to pass one wreath in a clockwise direction and the other wreath in a counterclockwise direction. When they get to the midway point there is usually some confusion.
  2. Time the group as they pass the wreath to see how long it takes them to get it all the way around. Allow another attempt to break the “record”.
  3. Ask players to stand with their back toward center of the circle.
  4. Ask the youth to complete the task without talking or while blindfolded.

Take it to the Next Level

Make it Practical

Have you ever heard of the phrase “Jumping through Hoops”? Know what it means?
“Jumping though hoops” has typically meant “going to great lengths” or “much effort” in order to accomplish something.

People jump through hoops on a regular basis. Either to fulfill some kind of requirement to gain acceptance into a group, to meet some kind of standard to satisfy others, to follow some set of rules.

  1. What are some of the hoops in your life that you have had to jump through?
  2. Are there hoops we jump through as Christians? In the church? In the youth group?
  3. What are the expectations for each of these groups?
  4. Are these hoops good or bad? Explain.
  5. Do some people have more to deal with than others? If so, why?
  6. Are hoops necessary? What hoops would you add/remove from/to your life if you could?
  7. What is the purpose of rules and expectations? How are they useful / harmful?

Take It Spiritual

In the Old Testament, the people of God went to great lengths to be accepted by God. To be accepted by God required jumping through a lot of hoops – following a long list of God given laws, and requirements in order to be accepted by God. To make matters worse, by human standards, it was impossible to be accepted by God, because the hoops were beyond the ability of the people. And on top of that, tradition added even more rules and expectations so that by the time Christ had his encounters with the Pharisees, it was an even more impossible burden.

“They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.” (Matthew 23:4)

I wonder if any of these hoops sound familiar? Christians must not drink. They must not smoke. They must dress appropriately (according to a myriad of opinions of what is proper). They must be timid, and peaceful and submit when others want to walk over them. Youth cannot have tattoos, or earrings, or unnatural colors in their hair. You must be in church every time the doors are open. You must give to every cause. You must put on a smile even though you are deeply hurting and tired and weary. The list goes on… We sing about grace, yet are quick to condemn, proclaim the blood of Christ in forgiveness, yet hold grudges, preach of freedom in Christ, but add a plethora of rules and expectations. The Bible is full of imperfect people resting in the loving care of a perfect God, many of which would never be allowed in any kind of public position in the church of today. But is a list of rules what defines the Christian? What does define a person as a Christian?

A look at Ephesians 2:1-10 and Romans 5:6-8 makes it clear that Christ loved us and died for us even though we were ungodly, sinful, and dead in our trespasses. We were unworthy, yet God reached out to us.

“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

Make It Personal

  1. What are some of the things that you do simply for show?
  2. In what ways do you conform to expectations?
  3. How can you personally focus more on the relationships rather than the rules and expectations?

Most people would prefer to follow a bunch of rules, to “jump through hoops” as it were, than to actually give up their own lives and follow Christ. Yet Jesus did not call us to a set of rules, but to a relationship. He asked people to take up their cross and follow Him. But it’s so much easier to carry a hoop than a cross.

“Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Scripture References

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
– Matthew 11:28-30

“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
– Luke 9:23

“They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”
– Matthew 23:4

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
– Ephesians 2:8-10

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
– Romans 5:6-8

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