Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Youth Ideas - A New Year - New Priorities

With the New Year we typically evaluate the past year and set new priorities for the upcoming year. Sometimes we call these new priorities or renewed priorities New Year’s Resolutions. New Year’s Resolutions may be focused around family, personal goals, money, jobs, and many other things. While these things are not necessarily wrong, when they take precedence over our relationship with God they become a problem.

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What You Need
  1. Large sheets of paper or newsprint
  2. Whiteboard markers (that will not bleed through the paper)

Preparation
  1. Put a Poster or large sheet of paper in each corner of the room for each of the following labels:
    • Possessions or Provision
    • Power or Position
    • Popularity
    • Others
  2. Place a chair in the exact center of the room as a marker.

What to Do
  1. Explain:
    • Possessions refer to the material things we seek in life.
    • Power refers to positions we want to obtain in life.
    • Popularity refers to social recognition and fame that people seek in life.
    • Explain that the center of the room represents living for God.
  2. Allow youth to brainstorm about the things that people have as priorities in their lives. Examples might be good grades, a good job, a marriage partner, a house, to serve God, to have lots of money, etc.
  3. Then have youth write the priority on the poster that represents that priority. Some items might fit into more than one category (i.e. good grades might be a priority but the reason could be for popularity or for the purpose of getting a job with more money and a higher position – power.)
  4. After the posters have been filled with examples of each priority, have youth stand somewhere in the room that reflects their most important priorities in life. (For example, if someones priority is to make lots of money they might stand in the possessions corner.)

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL


MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Read Matthew 4:1-10
  • How does this passage relate to the posters in the corners of the room?
  • Which poster represents each of the temptations?
  • How did Christs understanding of his purpose in life reflect his priorities?


Jesus was tempted with popularity, power, and possessions (material needs). But because Jesus understood his purpose in the world he did not give into temptation. There is nothing wrong with material possessions, power or popularity. But when they replace God as a priority in our lives they become a problem. In fact, later in Jesus ministry we would see him providing for the physical needs of people, he would demonstrate the power of God, and he would be popular. Yet his priority was to do the will of God, to accomplish the purpose for which he had been sent into the world. God has brought each of us into the world for a purpose. The better we understand our purpose, the better we will be able to balance our priorities to fulfill that purpose in the new year.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL
  • What are some things that are part of Gods plan for every persons life?
  • How can a person discover and trust Gods plan for his or her life? (See Proverbs 3:5-6; Philippians 4:6; Romans 8:28)

MAKE IT PERSONAL
  • What do you believe is part of Gods purpose for bringing YOU into the world? (You may not know all the details yet, but you might have some ideas.)
  • Each of you has positioned yourself in a specific corner of the room based on your own priorities. How can someone in your position move closer to Gods Purpose for your life and away from the wrong priorities?
  • What are some of the practical steps you can take this year that would move you closer to Gods ideal plan for your life?
  • Commit to one of the steps you can start this week!


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ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES
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Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths.”

Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Romans 8:28
“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.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18
“in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:8
“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Icebreakers - Christmas: Across the Line

Location
Anywhere a line can be drawn across the meeting area.

Energy level: Medium

Description Which side are you on? Do you know where you stand? Find out in this Christmas icebreaker where participants move back and forth to opposite sides of the room depending on their Christmas related preferences.

Resources If you have time, use string or tape to make a line down the center of the room. Alternatively, just use chairs or stand in the center as a reference point.

Preparation Come up with a list of Christmas related choices. You will want to choose those ideas that are a little crazy and fun as well as lead into the topic of your discussion. It’s best to end with the one that is most closely related to your Christmas discussion topic. Here is a partial Christmas list. Highlight those or put a tick mark beside those you wish to use for your Christmas Bible study / lesson.

You can also add your own ideas! Don’t use them all… about 10 to 15 is a good number… after that it gets boring! Always leave them wanting for more… as soon as interest starts to decrease a little, it’s time to move on to the next debrief!

Here’s a list of ideas
  • Shepherd – Wise man
  • Mary – Joseph
  • Candy Canes – Chocolates
  • Give a gift – Receive a Gift
  • Gingerbread Man – Plum Pudding
  • Rudolph – Frosty
  • Poinsettia – Mistletoe
  • Nuts – Fruits
  • Live Tree – Artificial Tree
  • Silent Night – Jingle Bells
  • Snow – Sunshine
  • PSP – Wii
  • Cinnamon – Nutmeg
  • Eggnog – Hot Chocolate
  • Christmas Eve – Christmas Day
  • Nutcracker Suite – Handel’s Messiah
  • Matthew – Luke
  • Wreath – Holly
  • Star – Angel
  • Homemade Card – Store Bought card
  • Snowflake – Snowball
  • Red – Green
  • Tinsel – Garland
  • Turkey – Ham
  • Apple Pie – Pecan Pie

What to Do
  1. Divide the room in half and put a line down the middle. You will be giving the participants TWO Christmas options, one for each side of the room.
  2. Stand on the line in the middle of the room. As you call out each Christmas related preference point to the corresponding side of the room.
  3. Everyone must then move to the side of the room based on his/ her Christmas related preference. If both options apply then they must choose the one which is true more often.

For example. I may call out Eggnog (point to left side) and Hot Chocolate (point to right)… If someone prefers eggnog rather than hot chocolate he /she will move to the left side of the room. If they prefer hot Chocolate they should move to the right side of the room.

Breaking into Groups

As you play, take note of those options where the groups were almost equal in size. Later if you want to break the participants up into two groups, use those identifiers to split them up.

Take It to the Next Level
General discussion questions:
  • Which Christmas related choice was easiest for you to make?
  • Which Christmas related choice was most difficult for you? Why?
  • Where there any surprises? (Example: People with the same choice as you that you didn’t expect?)
  • In what ways is the group most alike?
  • In which choices were you in the minority? Does being in the minority make you more bold or more uncertain?
  • Have you ever felt that you were all alone in certain beliefs, attitudes, habits, or characteristics? How can knowing others are just like you help?

Take It Spiritual

  • Did you choose Mary or Joseph? Why?
  • Mary and Joseph had some difficult choices to make. What were some of the issues they faced? Whose choice was more difficult? Why?
  • Did you choose shepherd or wise man? Why? What did the birth of Christ mean for each?

Action Point

  • You probably shared something in common with almost everyone in the group during one choice or another. What is one way you can you build on the things you have in common to form positive relationships with everyone.
  • This Christmas you will need to make a lot of choices… Make sure all of your choices bring glory to God and proclaim the good news to all people!