Youth Sermon Topics: Who's the Father?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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