Tag Archives: trials

Popcorn Christians

Popcorn Christians
Popcorn is a seed that is hard and tasteless, until placed in the fire. And then the white goodness on the inside comes out for us to not only smell the aroma, but also to taste. It’s a powerful object lesson and metaphor for Christ working in us and drawing others to himself through as as Christians.

What You Need

  • Lots of popped Popcorn
  • Some unpopped popcorn
  • There are several games below that may require additional materials such as drinking straws, cups, blindfolds, and a spoon.

Preparation

Pop some popcorn, preferably in the room in which you have the meeting, so the smell of popcorn permeates the room before the youth arrive.

Popcorn Games

  • Popcorn Race: Using a drinking straw, the youth must blow a popped kernel of popcorn across a table. First to blow it from one end to the other wins.
  • Popcorn Catcher: You must stand on a chair and dropped popped kernels of popcorn into a cup. The person with the most kernels in the cup when time is up wins.
  • Popcorn Toss: Each youth tries to throw a piece of popcorn as far as possible. The farthest throw wins.
  • Popcorn Collector: Each youth is blindfolded, given a metal spoon, and placed in from of a large bowl of popcorn. 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 popcorn 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 kernels of popcorn in the cup wins.
  • Popcorn on the fire: Play a game in which two teams simulate being popcorn in a pan. Explain that in the activity, everyone on a team sits on the floor and each is a piece of popcorn. The floor is a big pan on the fire. As the pan begins to heat, some kernels of corn begin to pop. A youth pops by jumping up, clapping their hands together, and saying “Pop”. Usually popcorn begins to gradually pop and builds up to become very active and loud and then eventually stops. The team that best demonstrates the making of popcorn gets a prize.

Enjoy some Popcorn

Finish off by sharing popcorn for all the youth to enjoy. First offer the un-popped kernels and then when the youth refuse, pass around the popped popcorn.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

DEBRIEF

  • Ask the youth to tell you everything they know about popcorn.
  • Ask the youth to tell you the way they have experienced popcorn in the meeting

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

  • How is a kernel of popcorn similar to a person’s heart?
  • What are some lessons and truths we can learn from a kernel of popcorn?
  • What are some of the things that heat up our situations and cause us to respond?

Touch Points

  • The seeds start as hard and tasteless, can’t be digested
  • When heated, some respond, but some do not.
  • At some point, a change occurs, and all the potential inside the kernel is released.
    • Some remain hard and tasteless and may even burn
    • Others, the sweet inside is exposed and can be enjoyed
    • We not only taste it, but there is also a pleasant aroma that attracts people
  • Everything comes from inside the kernel
  • Most people love the smell of popcorn. One small bag fills the room. with the smell. Another word for smell is aroma. God compares us to an aroma. We experience it from a distance. It attracts us. We want it. We want to taste it for ourselves. In the same way, We must live our lives in such a way that Christ in us, is noticed by others, and they want to experience Christ for themselves.
  • Human hearts can either be like a hard kernel or the soft, fluffy, fragrant popcorn.
  • God places us in the heat – circumstances so our hearts can open up (Visually express this by changing a clenched fist to an open hand)

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • How do circumstances change us? Why does God allow difficult circumstances? See James 1:2-4 and Romans 5:3-5
  • In what ways are Christians an aroma of Christ?
  • What are some actions, attitudes, mindsets, and other characteristics of Christians and their relationship with Christ that are attractive to the lost?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • Would you consider your heart hard and tightly closed up, or soft and open?
  • What are some of the circumstances God has used in your own life to bring about a pleasant change in your life?
  • If you were to do a self test on your life as a Christian, what would it reveal? Does your life express an aroma of Christ?
  • What can you personally do this week that will serve like a pleasant aroma to draw others to Christ and want to experience Christ for themselves?

Scriptures

  • Matthew 12:35 – “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”
  • Luke 6:45 – “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
  • Matthew 15:11 – “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
  • Matthew 15:16-20 – “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
  • James 1:2-4 – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
  • Romans 5:3-5 – “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
  • Romans 8:18 – “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
  • 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 – “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?”

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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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Stretched by God – Games and an Object Lesson

Stretched by God

There is going to be a tug-of-war in our spiritual life because God is always in the process of transforming us. Change causes tension and we are stretched. This week’s lesson uses rubber bands for games and as an object lesson on the topic of being stretched by God.

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Rubber Band Games

  • Rubber Band Face – Youth compete by stretching a rubber band over their heads and open their mouths so that the rubber band is stretched between their teeth and below their ears. Without using their hands, they must move the rubber band down their faces so that it ends up around their neck. They will need to use their tongue, lips and teeth and lots of chin wriggling to make this happen. be sure to have a camera because the distorted faces are hilarious. (You can also place the rubber band on the upper lip just below the nose for a different variation)
  • Rubber Band Face – Youth compete by stretching a rubber band over their heads and open their mouths so that the rubber band is stretched between their teeth and below their ears. Without using their hands, they must move the rubber band down their faces so that it ends up around their neck. They will need to use their tongue, lips and teeth and lots of chin wriggling to make this happen. be sure to have a camera because the distorted faces are hilarious. (You can also place the rubber band on the upper lip just below the nose for a different variation)
  • Rubber Band War – Set up two fortresses in a classroom using folding tables turned on their sides about 8-10 feet apart. Put a line of masking tape down the middle of the playing field between the two tables. Give two teams tons of rubber bands (you can buy them by the bag at office supply stores). Teams try to hide behind the fortress, but can jump out and run around as long as they stay on their side of the dividing line. If anyone gets shot by a rubber band, even from their own team, they are out of the game. The last team standing (or crawling around the floor) wins. Rubber bands must be shot directly in order to get a person out. Simply tossing them over the table doesn’t count. Stress the importance of honesty. Try different configurations with your tables to keep it interesting. Use thin rubber bands so they don’t hurt too much or cause injuries.
  • Rubber Band Targets – Hang aluminum pie tins from string across one end of the room. Use a marker to label them with different point values. When hit with a rubber band they will make a definite sound. Give each youth 5 to 10 rubber bands to shoot from the other side of the room. Highest score wins.
  • Rubber Band Pass – The objective of this youth group game is to pass the most rubber bands to the end of your team’s line as possible in a given amount of time. Divide into teams and give every team member a plastic drinking straw to place in his or her mouth. (You can also use dried spaghetti in place of a straw) Once the straw is in the mouth you cannot adjust it or touch it with your hands. The first person on each team places a rubber band on his or her straw, then using the straws only must pass it to the second person in line, and continue until it reaches the end of the line. Only one rubber band can be on a straw at a time.
  • Rubber Band Man – You’ll need a lot of rubber bands for each team. Give each team 1 minute to place as many rubber bands as possible on their rubber band man (or woman). A rubber band on the rubber band man’s hands or arms is worth 1 point. The feet and legs are two points. Face is 3 points. Hanging it on the ears doesn’t count. The neck is not allowed. The team with the most points wins. Use different size rubber bands to make the game more interesting. Be prepared for some outrageous photos.
  • Rubber Band Rope Jumping – Loop a number of rubber bands together tightly until you have a larger one (You can select the length you want). Teams then compete to see who can make the most jumps using the rubber band.
  • Loop Groups – Tie a number of rubber bands together to form a big loop about the size of a hula hoop. Ask the youth to stand in a circle and hold hands. Then have one pair of youth release their hands and reach through the loop circle and then re-connect hands. The ring of rubber bands must travel in a clockwise direction and return to the initial starting position without anyone letting go of the hands on either side of them. The youth must stay in one location while the rubber band loop moves around the circle. Fastest time wins.
  • Rubber Band Limbo – This game, is like the traditional game of limbo, except that the string of rubber bands replaces the pole. The rubber bands are stretched at progressively lower levels and the youth try to pass under it.
  • Rubber band wrestling – This game is played between pairs of youths. They must sit at a table facing each other, and resting their right hands on the table. They then hook their fingers together with their thumbs raised up in the air. A rubber band is then placed around the two thumbs. On “go” they each try to capture the rubber band without dropping it by wiggling their thumbs. The side with the most winners can be the winning team or you can have successive play off until you have a single winner.
  • Elastic Bull’s Eye – You will need loop of rubber bands tied together into a circle and one “target” (non-elastic string loop) for each group. The group must release the stretched out rubber band in such a way that the elastic falls inside the target (inside the bulls eye). Divide the youth group into teams of 4-8 and supply each group with one loop of rubber bands and one “target” (non-elastic string). Each person in the group holds onto the elastic with two fingers and then the group backs up so the elastic is stretched out in a big circle (people are spaced evenly from each other). Place the target in the center of the circle. The group must now release the elastic simultaneously and in such a way that the elastic falls into the target. Most number of success in a given time wins. Rules: The group must keep the loop stretched just before the release. The group must release the loop simultaneously. The stretched loop must be kept parallel to the ground. The target must stay in the center of the circle. The loop can only land inside the target as a result of the simultaneous release of the loop by the group (example: the elastic cannot be thrown by one person)
  • Focus Ring – You’ll need a large thick rubber band that is a bit smaller than a tennis ball for each team. Each team will also need two empty plastic soda bottles. Finally you will need about 3 ft or 1 meter of string for each team member. Tie the strings to the rubber band in a radiating pattern so that the rubber band is in the center of all the strings. Place the tennis ball on top of one of the empty soda bottles as a pedestal. The objective it to pull on the strings and use the rubber band to move the tennis ball on top of the other. Each person in the group holds on to at least one string (depending on the size of the group, some will have more than one string). The participants spread out like spokes of a wheel, holding on to the end of their string. Rules: Each participant gets to operate at least one string. Participants must hold onto the end of the string and no other place. Participants must stay at a distance of at least the length of a stretched out string (very important). If the ball falls the group must start again. If the pedestal falls over the group must start again. The group is successful when the ball is balanced on the pedestal.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

One of the key characteristics of a rubber band is that it is stretched. In fact, a rubber band isn’t much use unless it is stretched.

  • What are some things that we use rubber bands for?
  • Why are the rubber bands ideal for such tasks?
  • What happens to a rubber band after it is stretched many times?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Just as a rubber band becomes more useful when stretched, God also stretches us to make us more effective and use us more fully for his glory. When stretched you expand your usefulness to God. See the scripture section below for verses that talk about us being stretched in the Christian walk. Stretching means trusting God in moments of stress, tension, pressure, and discomfort. Sometimes it is painful and sometimes merely uncomfortable.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

There is going to be a tug-of-war in our spiritual life because God is always in the process of transforming us. Change causes tension and we are stretched. But in these times God is moving us forward into the likeness of Christ. When God stretches us, He is not making us somebody we do not want to be. He is actually stretching us to be the person He created us to be.

  • When a muscle is regularly stretched it becomes more flexible, versatile, efficient, strong, and growing. What difference would it make in your Christian walk if these characteristics were also true of you spiritual life?
  • Consider also the opposites of those qualities. How would your spiritual life be different if it was characterized by inflexible, limited, ineffective, atrophied, weak and brittle?
  • When a muscle is not regularly stretched it atrophies or shrinks. How does this relate to spiritually exercising our faith?
  • There is always a purpose to being stretched. How do we cooperate with God and grow in the stretch?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • How is God growing and stretching you right now?
  • Do you tend to cooperate and hear what God is doing, or pull away when you are being stretched
  • How can you personally cooperate with God when he is stretching you?

SCRIPTURES

  • Philippians 3:14 – “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
  • Isaiah 54:2 – “Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.”
  • Philippians 3:13 and 14 – “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
  • Matthew 12:13 – “Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.”
  • James 1:2-4 – “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials; knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
  • 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.”
  • Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

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Thanksgiving Object Lesson – 5 Kernels of Corn

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 Pilgrims and early settlers. The native Americans taught them how to bury a fish with the kernel of corn to act as fertilizer and speed its growth. After the first year of the Plymouth colony, only half of the 102 settlers were still alive. Times were hard. At a later harvest, after a particularly tough winter it was said that each person had only 5 kernels of corn to live on each day.  Yet they still gave God thanks in spite of the difficult circumstances. Here are a variety of games using corn kernels.

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What You Need

  • Dried Corn Kernels or popcorn – you can get dried feed corn like that sold for bird feeders or unpopped popcorn will also work.

Games using Corn

  • Chopsticks and corn – Using a pair of chopsticks and a couple shallow bowls or saucers, each youth is given one minute to move corn from one bowl to the other using only the chopsticks. Only one hand can be used to hold the chopsticks. The youth to transfer the most corn wins.
  • Corn and Straws Relay – Divide the youth into teams and give every person on a team a plastic straw and a paper cup. Place a piece of corn in the first team member’s cup. The youth must create a vacuum in the straw to pick up the corn and place it into the next person’s cup. First team to get the corn into the last person’s cup wins. If the corn is dropped on the floor, the team must start completely over at the beginning.
  • Corn Bocce – On a smooth surface like a table, one youth acts as the referee, sliding out the first piece of corn. He then marks this piece with a toothpick. Contestants take turns sliding 4 different pieces as close to the referee’s mark as they can. The referee determines which piece is the closest, awarding that youth or team a point. Play until someone gets ten points
  • Corn Catch – You’ll need one cornucopia or basket for each team, one bag of corn per team, and a belt or length of rope for each team. Use the rope or belt to secure the cornucopia around the waist of one player per team. Have the team member who is wearing the cornucopia stand about 7 to 10 feet away from the players who will be throwing the corn. The player wearing the cornucopia may move around to try and catch the corn as it is thrown without using their hands to deflect the corn in any way. Once everyone has thrown the corn, take the cornucopia and count the corn inside. The youth with the most corn wins.
  • Corn Foosball – Have two youth stand at either end of a large table. One youth throws corn (or a plastic bag of it) to the other end of the table, and the other youth must block it from going through and making a goal. Use a dry sponge for blocking making sure it is one that will not scratch your table.
  • Corn Pitching – 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. Keep score of how many kernels end up in the various bowls. The winner is the one with the highest score after three rounds.
  • Corn Race – Using a drinking straw, the youth must blow a kernel of corn across a table. First to blow it from one end to the other wins.
  • Corn Straw Relay – Race to see who could move the most corn from the table into a bowl in sixty seconds using only a single straw.
  • Kernel Relay – Mark a starting line and a finish line with masking tape on the floor roughly 15 feet apart. Set an empty bowl for each player at the finish line and a bag of corn and a spoon at the starting line. Have each player stand at a bag of corn and take the spoon in hand, placing a single kernel on the spoon. The youth will then carefully race a piece of corn to an empty bowl at the finish line, trying not to let the corn fall off the spoon. Each player will continue to race from the bag of corn to the bowl to see how many pieces of corn she or he can get into the bowl within the allotted time of one minute. If a player drops a kernel from the spoon, that youth must then run back to the bag of corn and get another piece to start over again.
  • Odds or Evens – Each player starts out with the same number of corn kernels. Players rotate about the room pairing up with others. When they find a partner, one player hides a few kernels of corn in his hand. 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. Players take turns hiding and guessing, until one player has all the corn or until a specified time limit!
  • Turkey Feed – Mix a few pieces of candy corn in with a bowl of corn kernels. Blindfold 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.) The player that retrieves the most candy corn in the designated time limit wins.
  • Where’s the Corn? – Line up three plastic cups out on a tabletop in front of a youth. Place a single piece of corn under one of the cups, allowing the player to see which cup the corn is under. Begin to change the cups’ formation around for five to ten seconds. The youth then must try to remember which cup is hiding the corn and will continue to play and collect corn until he or she chooses the wrong cup. Give the earned corn to that player, and continue on with the next player until every youth has won pieces of corn.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

  • 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?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

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.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • What risks are worth the reward of knowing Jesus as Lord and living for him?
  • Is Christianity a risk? Why or why not?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • Has God called you to do something out of the ordinary?
  • To what has God called you?
  • What are you willing to risk for religious freedom?

CLOSING ACTIVITY

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.

SCRIPTURES

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
  • Ephesians 5:20 – “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
  • Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

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Balloon Faith for Youth

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.

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What You Need

  • Lots of balloons
  • The Object lesson at the end requires Additional Resources

Some of my favourite Balloon Games for Youth

  • Air Race – Be the first to get a balloon to the other side of the room by blowing it up and letting it go. Where ever the balloon lands, the youth can pick it up and repeat the process.
  • Balloon Bump – Divide youth into two teams and give each team a different colored balloon. The team must hit its balloon in the air and not allow it to touch the ground. If a team’s balloon touches the ground the other team gets a point. To add to the excitement, add more balloons. Vary the game by choosing the body part that they must use to bump the balloon – elbows, knees, head, etc.
  • Balloon Capture the Flag – Give each team a color. Randomly hide balloons of the various team colors throughout the building. Teams start from a central BASE and must explore the building rescuing balloons of their own color by bringing them back to the BASE. All balloons inside the base are safe. Teams can also pop opposing team member’s balloons by sitting on them. At the end of a designated time period the team which rescued the most balloons of their team color wins.
  • Balloon Caterpillar – Split the youth into teams of 3 to 6 and have them line up with their hands on the hips of the person in front of them. Attach a balloon to the backside of the last person in the line’s belt. If they don’t have a belt you can use a length of string around his or her waste. Teams must move around, keeping their hands on the waist of the person in front of them and try to pop the balloons at the end of the other teams. The only person that use his or her hands is the person at the fron of the caterpillar.
  • Balloon Duels – Split the youth into two teams. Line up each team from shortest to tallest. Then Ask them to count off so that each youth on a team has a number. Tie an inflated balloon with an arms length of string to the ankle of each youth. To play, call out a number. The two players with that number come to the center of the room and try to stomp each other’s balloons. If you pop your opponent’s balloon first, your team gets a point. Repeat this process until all have played. The team with the greatest number of points wins.
  • Balloon hacky sack – See how many taps or how long a team can keep a balloon in the air without it touching the ground.
  • Balloon Identity – Everyone must write one piece of information about themselves on a small strip of paper and place it in a balloon. They then blow up the balloon and throw the balloon in the center of the circle of youth. One by one, participants select a balloon, pop it, and try to guess which youth matches the piece of information.
  • Balloon Juggling – Inflate an equal number of balloons for each team and place them in a plastic trash bag. The team must keep all the balloons in the air. Start with one balloon and every few seconds add another balloon until one of them touches the floor. The team that is able to keep the most balloons in the air wins.
  • Balloon Shaving – Divide into teams and give each team a fully inflated balloon to be held in one team member’s mouth. Cover it with whip cream or shaving cream and give each team a disposable razor. First team to remove the shaving cream wins.
  • Balloon Smashdown – Each youth is given a balloon with her or her name on it and must keep it in the air by tapping it from below. But at the same time others can tap it from above and try to get it to touch the ground. Everyone begins standing up, but if a balloon touches the ground the own must then get on their knees. If it touches the floor again they must sit, then lie on the floor, then they are out.
  • Balloon Stomp – Using an arm’s length of string or a rubber band, tie a balloon to the ankle of each youth so that it drags on the floor a few inches behind their feet. Then they must run around the room and try to pop each other’s balloons by stepping on them while also trying to prevent their own balloon from being popped. Last person to have their balloon unpopped wins. Best played with shoes removed. You can even make it more fun by adding a freeze portion. When the music stops, everyone must stop.
  • Balloon to Chair Relay – In teams, each person on the team must inflate a balloon, tie ot off, then race to a chair at the opposite end of the room and pop it by sitting on it. This can be very funny as some balloons refuse to pop easily and the youth are hopping up and down on them to pop them. First team to complete the relay wins.
  • Balloon Volleyball – Set up a divider across the room and play a game of volleyball with balloons.
  • Hot Air Race – Have a competition to see who can be the first to blow up a balloon until it pops.
  • Human Foosball – Seat the youth in rows, either on chairs or on the floor so that every other row turns around and faces the opposite direction. Use a balloon to bat around like a volleyball. A point is scored when a team taps the balloon past all of the opposing team and hits the wall (indoors) or beyond a boundary (outdoors). Highest number of points wins.
  • Sumo Wrestling – Teams choose the smallest person to be a “Sumo Wrestler” who will put on an oversized sweatshirt and pants. Each team is given an equal number of balloons to blow up, tie them in a knot, and “stuff” them in the pants and shirt of the Sumo Wrestler. The first team to blow up all balloons and make a Sumo Wrestler wins. For a part 2, the first Sumo wrestler to pop all his or her balloons first wins.
  • Twins – Youth are divided into pairs and placed back to back with a balloon in between them. The first pair to pop the balloon using only their backs wins.
  • Two Man Balloon Run – A two man team must run through an obstacle course using only their stomachs or head to hold the balloon between them. Anyone holds the balloon in their hands or lets the balloon touch the ground must stop and go back to the start to begin again.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

An Object Lesson using Balloons

What You Need

  • Two balloons – Add a little water into one before you inflate it and tie it off. The other should just have air.
  • A candle and something to light it with.
  • NOTE: Practice this yourself first before trying it with the youth.

What to do

  1. Begin by lighting the candle.
  2. Explain that the balloon (the one without water in it) represents a person’s life.
  3. Explain that there are some things we face in life that are painful or even destructive.
  4. Hold the stem of the balloon and touch it to the flame and it will pop.
  5. Some people’s lives are destroyed by the difficulties they face.

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL
Read James 1:2-4

  • What are some of the things youth experience in life that are painful?
  • Ask the youth to share some of the trials a typical youth may face?
  • What are some trials that Christians may face?
  1.  Take out the balloon with a bit of water in it without drawing attention to the water inside.
  2. Move the balloon with water in it toward the flame.
  3. while holding the stem of the balloon, move it in a very small circle on top of the flame so that it is directly over the flame, but so that the flame is not concentrated on one spot for two long. You can do this for quite a long time – at least 10 seconds without the balloon popping. This is because the little bit of the water in the balloon draws the heat away from the balloon and disperses it.
  4. Explain that the balloon has a bit of water inside it and this allows it to withstand the fiery trial.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • In John 7:37-38 Jesus promises us that if we come to Him, he will give us living water.
  • Romans 8:28 tells us that when Christ is in our lives, all things work for good.
  • If we have Jesus, the living water, in our lives, we will be victorious over the circumstances of life and the fiery trials.
  • What are some of the circumstances, trials, or difficult situations you face in which you can you let Christ take the heat for you?
  • What difference does Christ make in a person’s life?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • What difference has Christ made in your life?
  • How can Christ help you to face the your own circumstances trials or difficult situations?
  • What can you do differently this week to trust Christ in the situations you will face?

KEY SCRIPTURE VERSE

James 1:2-4

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

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Like the Baobab Tree

baobab-treeWe don’t always get what we want in life. We sometimes wish we were taller, smarter, more beautiful, healthier, richer, or thinner. Things might not go the way we planned – we could be cut down in our jobs, blown over by situations, our lives turned upside-down.

Like the Baobab tree…

One of the most amazing and stunning trees that grow on earth is the Baobab tree. Native to mainland Africa, the island of Madagascar, and Australia, these striking trees can have a trunk diameter of between 7 and 11 meters and grow 5 to 30 meters in height. Some people call the Baobab the ‘upside-down tree’ as the branches of some Baobabs resemble roots.

Legends describe the Baobab as among the first trees to appear on the land. When it saw the height of the palm tree, it cried out to the gods to be taller; when it saw the red flowers of the flame tree, it was envious for flower blossoms; when it saw the fig tree with its delicious fruit, it too prayed for fruit as well. The gods became angry with the tree, pulled it up by its roots, then replanted it upside down to keep it quiet.

The Baobab looks like this for a reason. In the wet months water is stored in its thick, fire-resistant trunk – up to 120,000 litres – for the nine dry months ahead. Some trees are believed to be thousands of years old.

Besides being traditionally tapped for its water; every other part is used. The bark is used for cloth, rope, dye, used to treat fever and protect against malaria. The leaves are used in soup and medicines. The fruit is nutritious to eat and high in vitamin C and calcium and eaten to protect against illness. Sometimes people even live inside of the huge trunks.

Many references mention the exceptional resilience of this tree, noting that even after the entire tree is cut down or blown over in storms, it simply resprouts from the root and continues to grow.

Take It to the Next Level

James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

We often wonder why we have to face trials. If God was really good, why not spare us the pain and agony of having to go through difficult and sometimes traumatic experiences? We are often misguided to think that the victorious Christian life will be hassle-free and once we accept Christ as our Lord and live according to his ways, nothing bad will happen to us.

What we don’t realize is that abundant life God promises comes through maturity. If we never grow to full maturity, how can we expect to enjoy God’s plan and purposes for us? And how do we become mature? Through trials.

It is in trials that we develop our trust and faith in God. The strength to persevere. It is because God is good that he, like a loving parent, nurtures us. We learn to walk by stumbling, falling over, getting up and trying again. If God came by to pick us up every time we fell, we’d never learn to walk!

So the next time you face a harsh environment, a bully, get ridiculed for what you believe in, if your family isn’t perfect (and whose is anyway), if When nothing seems to go our way, look up to the Baobab tree.

The life experiences we gain from struggling in the harsh environments we grow up in prepares us for spiritual maturity when the time is ripe. Not just for ourselves, but for the friends and loved ones that surround us.

While it’s not the prettiest on the outside, it’s magnificence comes from what it has on the inside. It is a life-giving tree, supporting people with the water it has stored, a source of nourishment and healing.

If your life is “upside-down,” it’s time to make it “tree-mendous”!

What Faith Can Do – Kutlass

Verse 1:
Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think its more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

Chorus:
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

Verse 2:
It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

Bridge:
Overcome the odds
You don’t have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can!

Tough Nuts to Crack

All of us face tough situations in our lives. We could be having the time of our lives but when bad things happen, the good times are forgotten, and all we can see ahead of us is despair. Christ passed through the gates of Jerusalem triumphantly, people waved palm leaves, cloaks were laid at the feet of the donkey He rode on, the crowds cheered and welcomed Him. Barely a week later, the cheers turned to jeers, it was His cloak that was ripped from Him and it was a whip that greeted Him. This Easter themed object lesson uses a walnut to teach the youth that even in the darkest hour and hopeless situations, something good awaits for those who know the plan of the Master.

Resources

  1. Walnuts, one for each youth
  2. Fine tipped markers, one for each youth
  3. Bibles

What to Do

  1. Give each youth a walnut and a fine tipped marker.
  2. Ask youth to think of some difficult situations Bible Characters faced that turned out for good. They can search their Bibles for more examples. (See Examples Below)
  3. Ask the youth to think of difficult times that could end up working out for good for people today? (e.g. Failing a test might lead a youth studying harder and passing a class)
  4. Then ask the youth to think a situation in their own life where something difficult turned into something good. Once they think of something, have them come up with a word, phrase or symbol that represents that situation.
  5. Ask the youth to write the word of phrase or symbol onto the shell of the walnut.
  6. Ask for volunteers to share the word or phrase with the rest of the youth and a little about what happened.
  7. After the sharing, ask the youth to take their walnuts outside and do whatever it takes to crack open the walnut. (You could also provide a hammer or nut cracker if you wish).
  8. When everyone has cracked the walnuts, ask the youth to collect all the pieces and return to the room. Encourage them to taste and eat the walnuts.

Biblical Examples:

  • Moses: Murder and ran away to desert – Exodus 2:11-22
  • Joseph: Sold into slavery – Genesis 37
  • Daniel: Carried off as a captive to Babylon – Daniel 1
  • Joseph: Accused by Potiphar’s wife – Genesis 39
  • Esther: Forced into a harem for a pagan king – Esther 4:14
  • Jonah: Swallowed by a whale – Jonah 1
  • Paul: Imprisoned in Rome – Philippians 1:12-14

 Take It to the Next Level


  • How did you feel as you crushed the walnut that represented the difficult situation?
  • How is breaking open the walnut and finding something good inside similar to the difficult situations in life – when something good comes out of a bad situation?

Make it Spiritual

  • How is Jesus’ death on the cross similar? (Acts 4:27-28)
  • What good came out of Christ’s death? Resurrection?
  • How is Jesus’ resurrection like tasting the good meat inside the walnut?

Make it Personal

  • What does Christ’s death and resurrection mean to you personally?
  • How has Christ’s death made a difference in your life for good?
  • Psalm 34:8 tells us to taste and see that the Lord is good. How does this relate to the object lesson?

Make it Practical

  • What are some tough situations you’re struggling with?
  • How does Romans 8:28 and the Easter story give you hope and strength to crush these situations in your life?

Scripture References

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
– Psalm 34:8 (NIV)

“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.”
– Rom 8:28 (NIV)

“‘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 (NIV)

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Shadrach Meshach Abednego

Materials
Get enough chairs to have one for each participant then remove one chair.

Icebreaker Description
In this icebreaker / crowdbreaker, youth will learn the names of others in the group.

Preparation
Arrange the chairs in a circle.

Icebreaker Activity

  1. Each participant is called Shadrach. The one sitting on his right is Meshach. The one sitting on his left is Abed-nego. Someone who is “It” stands in the center.
  2. There are three possible scenarios:
    • If “It” calls, “Meshach!”, before everyone can count to ten (vary time for faster groups) you must give the real name of the person on your left.
    • If “It” calls, “Abednego!”, before everyone can count to ten (vary time for faster groups) you must give the real name of the person on your left.
    • Now and then the person in the center may try to fool participants by calling out “Shadrach”. When he points to you and calls “Shadrach” you must give your OWN NAME.
  3. Any mistakes or failure to call out the correct name in the indicated time and you forfeit your seat to the person in the center and you become “it.”

Optional Debrief

  1. Who were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego?
  2. What are some of the things society today asks you to bow down to?
  3. What are some of the fiery trials you have needed to face in life?
  4. How would you describe your life at this time: a spring breeze, Warm, Hot, or Fiery?

Conclusion
Shadrach, Mechach, and Abednego were three Jewish friends of Daniel that were taken into captivity by the Babylonians. It was a difficult time. If you dared to say what you really believed or to stand up for what you thought to be true, it might literally be the last time you ever stood or the last words you ever spoke. But they were not afraid to stand for God. They refused to bow to anyone or anything else, even when their life was on the line.

Application
In what situation is it most difficult for you to take a stand for what you believe? What will you do the next time you are faced with this situation?

Scripture
Daniel 3

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Weather Report

Materials
None

Icebreaker Description
Youth will describe various types of weather they have experienced as an icebreaker / crowdbreaker. This is a good crowdbreaker to use at events or meetings that have been forced inside by inclement weather

Preparation
None

Icebreaker Activity
Give youth a question related to the weather. They must mingle and share the answers to the question with one another. On a periodic basis, change the question.

Possible Questions

  • the hottest temperature they’ve experienced
  • the coldest temperature they’ve experienced
  • the deepest snowfall they’ve seen
  • the worst windstorm they’ve experienced
  • the closest they’ve been to a tornado or hurricane
  • the densest fog they’ve witnessed
  • the most beautiful sunset they’ve seen
  • the strangest weather they’ve experienced.

Debrief
If you had to describe your life at this moment in terms of the weather, how would you explain it?
Examples: Partly Cloudy, thunderstorm, dry season, flooded, sunny, clowdy, lightning, hot, hurricane, tornado. pleasant breeze, windy, clear, sunny, overcast, warm, cold, freezing, hail, ice, fog, smog, mist, frost, drizzling, raining, afternoon showers, blizzard, snow, scattered showers, windy, gusty, squall, gale, stormy, pleasant, dusty

Conclusion
Sometimes life seems stormy, at other times it is a pleasant afternoon. Sometimes the world can be a cold place and other times is can be warm and sunny. There are times when we are in a fog and other times it is clear. The nice thing about weather is that it changes all the time. The same is true for life. Life is always changing. Next time live sends you rain, don’t worry… the sun will shine again!

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!