Physiological needs are the basic necessities of life.
Safety needs involve security, stability, protection, order, and freedom from fear.
Social needs are those involving the need to love and be loved, to feel accepted and to belong and to give and receive affection.
Esteem needs are those dealing with confidence and competence, self-image, self-respect, and esteem from others.
Growth needs are those dealing with potential and being all that one can be and become.
Some of youth’s greatest issues associated with these needs are those related to loneliness, poor self-esteem, and discovering self-identity. Other major issues include poor relationships with parents, school problems, prejudice and injustice, vocational decisions, and their desire to discover God’s will in their lives.
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A man decided that he was going to ride a 10-speed bike from Phoenix to Flagstaff. He got as far as Black Canyon City before the mountains just became too much and he could go no farther.
He stuck his thumb out, but after 3 hours he hadn’t gotten a single person to stop. Finally a guy in a Corvette pulled over and offered him a ride. Of course, the bike wouldn’t fit in the car. The owner of the Corvette found a piece of rope lying by the highway and tied it to his bumper. He tied the other end to the bike and told the man that if he got to going too fast to honk the horn on his bike and he would slow down.
Everything went fine for the first 30 miles. Suddenly, another Corvette blew past them. Not to be outdone, the Corvette pulling the bike took off after the other. A short distance down the road, the Corvettes–both going well over 120 mph–blew through a speed trap. The police officer noted the speeds from his radar gun and radioed to the other officer that he had 2 Corvettes headed his way at over 120 mph. He then relayed, “And you’re not going to believe this, but there’s guy on a 10-speed bike honking to pass”.
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.
Icebreaker Description
In this icebreaker / crowdbreaker, youth will try to guess the key events in another person’s life.
Preparation
None
Icebreaker Activity
Have youth pair up with someone they do not know very well.
In each pair, they will take turns guessing each other’s the most exciting and memorable experiences of another person’s life.
Allow plenty of freedom for creativity, but tell kids that they are to suggest only positive descriptions of experiences.
Partners must then explain to each other which guesses were accurate and which were incorrect.
Allow a few minutes for partners to describe some of the true events in their lives that were not guessed.
After partners have guessed and responded, have them take turns introducing each other to the entire group.
Optional Debrief
What were some of the key events that have shaped your life?
How did these events make you the person you are today?
What decisions have changed your life?
Conclusion
When Jesus met the woman at the well, he spoke to her. In the conversation he mentioned some key aspects of her life so that when she went back to the village, she told them to come meet the man “who told her everything she ever did.” Wow. Jesus just met her and he knew all about her. Jesus spoke to her with compassion and forgiveness. he answered her questions, but most importantly, his purpose was redemption, for her to begin a new life in Christ.
Application
What things might Jesus identify as key events in your life? Are you living in past mistakes or moving forward to a new future with Christ of forgiveness, grace, and redemption. This week, make it a point to tell at least one person about the difference Jesus has made in your life.
Scripture
John 4 – story of the Woman at the well “Come see a man who told me everything I ever did.” (4:29)
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.
Have you ever wondered why a pigeon walks so funny? According to an interesting article in the Detroit Free Press, a pigeon walks the way it does so it can see where it’s going. Because it can’t adjust its focus as it moves, the pigeon actually has to bring its head to a complete stop between steps in order to refocus. This is the way it walks: head forward, stop; head back, stop. Don’t laugh — that’s how it goes!
In our spiritual walk with the Lord we have the same problem as the pigeon. We have a hard time seeing while we’re moving. We also need to stop between steps — to refocus on where we are in relation to the World and the will of God. That’s not to say we have to stop and pray and meditate about every little decision in life. But certainly our walk with the Lord needs to have built into it a pattern of “stops,” which enable us to see more clearly before moving on.
“Where is the dwelling of God?” This was the question with which the Rabbi of Kotzk surprised a number of learned men who happened to be visiting him. They laughed at him: “What a thing to ask! Is not the whole world full of his glory?” Then he answered his own question: “God dwells wherever people let him in.”
A little girl and a little boy were at day care one day.
The girl approaches the boy and says, “Hey Tommy, want to play house?”
He says, “Sure! What do you want me to do?”
The girl replies, “I want you to communicate your feelings.”
“Communicate my feelings?” said a bewildered Tommy. “I have no idea what that means.”
The little girl smirks and says, “Perfect. You can be the husband.”
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.
Our true life is not this external, material life that passes before our eyes here on earth, but the inner life of our spirit, for which the visible life serves only as a scaffolding—a necessary aid to our spiritual growth.
Seeing before him an enormously high and elaborately constructed scaffolding, while the building itself only just shows above its foundations, man is apt to make the mistake of attaching more importance to the scaffolding than to the building for whose sake the former has been temporarily put up.
We must remind ourselves and one another that the scaffolding has no meaning and importance except to render possible the erection of the building itself.
Materials
Index cards or pieces of paper and pens or pencils
Icebreaker Description
In this icebreaker / crowdbreaker, youth will try to separate the fact from the fiction as they share 3 true statements and one false statement about themselves.
Preparation
None
Icebreaker Activity
Let each person write four statements about them selves on the index card. (They can be in any order, but three must be true, and one must be false.) People should be encouraged to make the false statement sound plausible to make it more fun. The false statement can also be something true about someone else in the group in order to mislead the group about the author’s identity.
The cards are then distributed randomly to the participants.
As each person receives a card they read the statements out to the group. The group tries to decide which statement is false and the identity of the person who wrote it.
Once they guess the correct person, the next person reads his or her card until all cards are completed.
Optional Debrief
What is truth?
Is there such a thing as absolute truths or are all truth relative?
How do you determine the truth of something?
How can you validate whether someone’s claims are true or false?
Conclusion
Jesus made many claims about who he was. The Holy Spirit testified to his identity at his baptism. He also asked his disciples who they thought he was. Many people claim different things but not all are telling the truth. While Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, his identity was also verified by those who knew him. His character reflected who he was. Ultimately, he proved he was the Son of God when he rose from the dead on the third day as promised.
Application
If people were to examine your life, would they find enough evidence to convict you of being a Christian? What evidence would they find? How can you a more Christlike life this week?
Scripture
Matthew 16:13-18; Mark 8:27-29; Luke 9:18-20
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.
“A Spirit-filled leader will not shrink from facing up to difficult situations or persons, or from grasping the nettle when that is necessary. He will kindly and courageously administer rebuke when that is called for; or he will exercize necessary discipline when the interests of the Lord’s work demand it.” (73)
The spitual leader must deal promptly with potential causes of weakness (245)
Guidelines for Discipline (186-187)
Action taken only after the most thorough and impartial inquiry
Action taken only when it would be for overall good of the work or individual.
Should always be in spirit of genuine love and conducted in the most considerate manner.
Should always be with the spiritual help and restoration of the offender in view.
It should be done only with much prayer.
Source: J.Oswald Sanders “Spiritual Leadership
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Icebreaker Description
In this icebreaker / crowdbreaker, youth will make the biggest smile they can.
Preparation
None
Icebreaker Activity
As everyone arrives, inform them you are having a “smiling contest”.
Each person puts on the broadest grin he possibly can.
Using a cloth measuring tape, since it will have to be measured around the curve of the mouth, measure each person’s smile, deciding where the smile begins and where it ends.
Give an award for the biggest smile on a guy and a girl
Optional Debrief
Do you smile a lot or rarely?
What are some of the things that make you smile?
Is it possible to smile when things are going badly? Why or why not?
Have you ever forced a smile? Why?
Do we only smile when things are going well or when something is funny?
Conclusion
A smile can mean a lot of things. It can be an encouragement, or a greeting. You can smile when something is funny, or when you are amused. A smile can be a gift. Smiles are contagious.
Application
Give a gift of a smile this week.Try smiling at everyone you meet this week. Some might think you a re a little crazy, but you will find others smiling back. You might even make a new friend. Someone who is depressed may find a little encouragement.
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.
Creative Youth ideas: 1700+ Resources for youth leaders, pastors, ministers to help plan camps, retreats, and meetings using games, illustrations, Children's Worship, Bible Studies, object lessons, sermons, creative ideas,creative activities
“A Spirit-filled leader will not shrink from facing up to difficult situations or persons, or from grasping the nettle when that is necessary. He will kindly and courageously administer rebuke when that is called for; or he will exercize necessary discipline when the interests of the Lord’s work demand it.” (73)