Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Youth Ministry Object Lesson - Spiritual Sponges

The main purpose of a sponge is to soak things up. When you squeeze a sponge, whatever is inside comes out. Both of these characteristics of a sponge provide metaphors for our hearts. Some of us have hard hearts and unlike a sponge, things just stay on the surface and never affect us while other have receptive hearts to God. When we are under pressure, we truly get to see what is in a person’s heart. These games are great for a little wet time during the hot summer and provide a nice illustration for the condition of our hearts.

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Games Using Sponges
  • Back to Back Sponge Relay – Fill two new large large trash cans or clean buckets with water and place sponges in each. Pairs run to a trash can, grab a soaked sponge, place it between their backs, and run back to the team. If the sponge is dropped they must go back and get another one. First team to have all members complete the relay wins.
  • Bottle Fill Relay – Each team appoints one youth to lie face up on the ground with his or her head toward the starting line and hold an empty plastic soda bottle on his or her forehead. A team member from each team soaks a sponge with water, runs to the bottle, and with arms stretched straight out in front of them tries to squeeze the water into the bottle. He or she then runs back to the team and the next person goes. First team to fill the bottle wins.
  • Shaving Cream Sponge Off – Each team of youth must have one large bucket of water and one team member willing to get wet. Make a beard of shaving cream on one person from each team. Each member of the team will get one toss of a wet sponge to try and remove all the shaving cream. You will rotate the team line until all the shaving cream is removed. The first team to remove the cream is the winner.
  • Sponge Dodge Ball – Get 4-6 water buckets and arrange them in a square or circle. Get a sponge for each bucket – Car wash sponges work great and can be cut into smaller pieces. They youth leader stands outside the circle, soaks a sponge and tosses it a someone inside the circle. Anyone who gets hit joins the youth leader outside the circle. A sponge that lands inside the circle can be retrieved by anyone, but must be dipped in the water again before it can be tossed at someone. Last person inside the circle wins.
  • Sponge Shot Put – See who can toss a wet sponge the farthest. For added incentive, have a leader stand just out of reach of the players for a target.
  • Sponge Standoff – Arrange the youth in a circle and have them number themselves off. Place a sponge in a bucket of water in the center of the circle. When the leader calls out two numbers, those two youth must jump up, run around the circle back to their own place, then run through the gap where they were sitting to get the sponge. Whoever gets the sponge gets to throw it as the other person.
  • Toss up – A youth is given a wet sponge and tosses it high into the air while calling out a person’s name. Whoever is called must catch the sponge. If success he or she gets a free toss at the person who tossed the sponge.
  • Wet Sponge Hot Potato – Everyone sits in a circle. Play music or sing a song. Pass the wet sponge around the circle. When the music has ended (just play a short segment) or the song is over, the person left with the wet sponge can squeeze it over their head. They can also choose to squeeze it over another child•s head. Refill the wet sponge and play again.
  • Wet Sponge Over and Under Relay – Place a bucket in front of the first player on each team and a jar or soda bottle behind the last player. The first player fills the sponge and with two hands lifts it over his/her head to the next player. The next player takes the sponge and hands it back under their legs. Continue to hand it back over and under until you reach the last player, who squeezes it in the jar or soda bottle. Then he/she runs towards the front of the line to fill the sponge again and pass it. The first team to fill the jar or soda bottle to overflowing wins.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL
  • What is the purpose of a sponge?
  • What are some things sponges are used for?
  • What comes out of a sponge when it’s squeezed?
  • How is a sponge different from a rock?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL
  • Do we ever get “squeezed” in life? If so, how?
  • In what ways are our minds and hearts like a sponge?
  • What are some negative things / positive things we may be soaking up?
  • When you get “squeezed”, what comes out?
  • How can we soak up what is good and so that we are full good things and less likely to soak up what’s bad?
  • In what ways can our minds and hearts be like a rock, what the Bible calls a hardened heart?
  • If we have a hardened heart, how can we become more receptive to God?

MAKE IT PERSONAL
  • What comes out of me when the “squeeze” is on – clean, pure thoughts & actions that please God or something not so clean & pure?
  • How can I soften my heart toward God this week?
  • How can I fill my heart with the things of God this week so when the pressure comes, I spill good things over into the lives of others?

Finish the lesson by giving each youth a sponge to take with them and to place somewhere they will see it so that it will remind them of the need to not have a hardened heart, but to allow God’s Word to fill them.

SCRIPTURE

  • Romans 5:1-5 (NIV) – “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
  • Psalm 119:11 – “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
  • Philippians 1:9-11 – “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God.”

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Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Youth Ministry Object Lesson - Watermelon Seed Christians

Watermelons are almost synonymous with summer – cool, refreshing, and great on a hot summer day. Watermelons can also be used for a variety of fun, and sometimes messy games, though the cost could be a bit prohibitive for some youth groups. Here are a variety of games using watermelons as well as some ideas for spiritual lessons using this popular summer treat.

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Games Using Watermelons
  • Greased Watermelon – Grease two watermelons down with butter and jelly, then divide the youth into two teams and have them line up across from each other. Ask players to wear disposable gloves to make the game more challenging. The youth must pass the watermelon to each other in the lineup without dropping it. If dropped, it must begin again at the beginning. The team that passes the watermelon all the way to the end of the line first wins.
  • Seed Teams – To split into team, set aside an equal number of watermelon seeds and pumpkin seeds and pass them out, 1 seed per person. Everyone with a pumpkin seed forms team one. Everyone with a watermelon seed forms another team. Add more types of seeds for more teams.
  • Steal the Watermelon – (like Steal the Bacon) Grease a watermelon an place it in the center of a tarp. Each team lines up facing each other while you number them off on each team. When you call a number and that person has to grab the watermelon and get it back to their side of the tarp.
  • Ultimate Watermelon – This is just like Ultimate Frisbee . . . but with a small watermelon. Each team tries to get to the opposite end zone. Instead of a kick-off, just have one team start on their side of the field. When a player catches the Watermelon, they can take only 3 steps. Then they must throw/toss it. Each team works their way down the field, passing to each other until a team scores. If the team’s melon hits the ground, it’s the other teams turn. If one team busts the watermelon, the other team automatically scores. (Have extra watermelons available or seal the watermelon in a heavy duty plastic bag first.) The watermelon goes to the opposite team of the last person to touch it before it hits the ground. Defensive players must give any person already holding a watermelon at least 3 feet clearance.
  • Watermelon Artists – Cut watermelons into slices and give each youth a slice. Slices can be small or large, depending upon the object you plan to carve. If you want many objects carved, you may want to make them all small, such as turtles, suns or birds. Write down the object each youth will carve on separate slips of paper and give each player their slip to read silently. Instruct each youth to begin carving, but not to reveal the object. Non-carvers can guess what each object is to earn prizes for themselves and the carver.
  • Watermelon Carving Contest – Carve funny faces in the watermelons as you would a pumpkin and award prizes for the funniest face, best carving, most creative, met unusual, etc. You might want to have some plastic utensils rather than knives or assign an adult to handle the knives under the directions of the youth.
  • Watermelon Eating Contest – Ask the youth from each team to hold their hands behind their backs, using only their mouths to eat a large piece of watermelon. First to do so wins points for their team.
  • Watermelon Head – Youth must roll a watermelon down a plastic tarp with their heads. First team that has each member complete the task wins. To make it more fun coat it in shaving cream or whipped cream.
  • Watermelon Horseshoes Contest – For this contest you need watermelon rind cut across the width of the watermelon to form rings. These rinds can be made from wounded watermelons, injured in earlier games. All you need are rind rings, not the fruit. The object of the game is to toss watermelon rind rings onto a stationary post. Score the game as you would score horseshoes.
  • Watermelon Jigsaw Puzzle – Cut several watermelons into slices and pieces and mix them up in a bowl. Have one watermelon for each team. The objective of this game is for youth to eat the watermelon (red part), then using toothpicks, be the first team to correctly piece the watermelon back together again into a whole watermelon. To put it back correctly, youth will need to pay attention to the pattern on the outside. Variation: Instead of toothpicks, you can also use duct tape.
  • Watermelon Pass – The first youth in line takes the watermelon and passes it between their legs to the person behind them. The next youth then takes the melon and lifts it backwards, over their head to the next person. It is really a game of over/under, over/under. This is repeated until the watermelon reaches the end. At this point, the watermelon is then passed back up to the front in like fashion (with everyone continuing to face forward). The first team to return the melon to the front with their team sitting down in single file fashion is the winner!
  • Watermelon Race – Set a Start Line and a half way point where each team must roll their watermelon, circle and then turn around and roll the watermelon back to the starting point. Once the youth rolling the watermelon returns to the starting Line, they tag the next youth in line and they take their turn roll the watermelon. The first team to have all players rolls their watermelons around the course is the Winner.
  • Watermelon Rolling Contest – Players must roll small watermelons toward specific soft objects. Once the object is touched by a watermelon, players can roll watermelons toward the next soft object, until the last goal is reached. First one to the end with a watermelon that still rolls, wins. Some youth would rather take out another player, than hit the soft object next in line.
  • Watermelon Seed Flinging Contest – The youth must snap the seeds off the finger, using only one hand. This is done much like you were playing marbles. The nail of the thumb flips the seed off the back of a curled index finger.
  • Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest – In this contest, you draw your line and give game players their slice of watermelon. They will eat their way to the seeds they spit. Spitting needs to happen over an area where you will be able to see where the seeds fall. The player who spits the farthest seed within certain amount of time is the winner.
  • Watermelon Seed Spitting Target Competition – Players focus on hitting a target rather than going for distance. Use a cup, bucket or create a bullseye target, then as the youth find seeds in their watermelon they can step to the start line, aim and try to spit the watermelon seed into or onto the target. They receive 1 point for each time they land on or in the target. Add up the scores and the youth with the most points is the winner. If there is a tie, do a sudden death round until someone hits the target and can be declared the winner.
  • Watermelon Smash (Suikawari) – This is a party game often played on beaches in Japan where someone is blindfolded, given a large stick, spun around to disorient them and then directed to smash/crack a watermelon. While the aim is for the blindfolded participant to find and crack the watermelon on their own, spectators may shout advice or distractions.
  • Watermelon Water Polo – This is played in a swimming pool which is not too deep, but a watermelon is used instead of a ball. It can also be coated in Vaseline to make it more difficult.

WaterMelon Games with a Message
  • Watermelon Puzzle Relay – Cut off the end of some watermelons and remove the seeds and flesh so that they have been cleaned out. (Be sure to set it aside for eating later.) Cut a different face in each watermelon, but save the pieces that you remove and set them aside. Collect all the pieces you removed from the watermelons and mix them up and place them on a trap or trash bag on the ground at one end of a field. At the other end of the field place the watermelon for each team. Youth from each team must run across the field grab one piece that looks like it might fit the holes in that team’s watermelon and return to his team with the piece. If the piece fits in the watermelon, the next person can run to get a new piece. If the piece doesn’t fit, the next person on the team must return it to the table at the end of the room and collect another piece to try. First team to complete it’s watermelon wins the relay! Variation: Play the game with the relay runners blind-folded and the team shouting directions.

Teaching Point: Talk about how we all have holes in our our lives (an emptiness) we are trying to fill. Some people may try to fill it with money, with relationships, with various types of pleasures, etc. But the only thing that can fill the emptiness we have in our lives is a relationship with God. Blaise Pascal says we were all created with a God-shaped vacuum that only he can fill. Just as you had to align the pieces with the various holes in the watermelon, we have to align the various areas of our lives with the will of God. Only those things of God which are aligned with his plan for our individual lives, will fit correctly and make us whole.

  • Watermelon Seed Targets – Cut different size holes in the top of a watermelon and place it on the ground at some distance from the youth. Youth must toss watermelon seeds into the holes in the top of the watermelon for points depending on the hole they get it in. You’ll want to cut the holes deep enough to catch a seed, but not deep enough to expose the inner red flesh of the watermelon so that you can cut it open and eat it later.
    • Why did you choose your target?
    • Some people chose the smaller holes because they were worth more. Others chose the larger holes because they were an easier target.
    • When it comes down to real life, do you choose your targets based on value or upon which is easier?
    • What are your targets in the Christian life? Are they easy? Why do you value these targets?


TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL


MAKE IT SPIRITUAL
The Bible says in Galatians 6:7-9 that we will reap what we sow. So if we plant good things then that is what we will reap. But if we plant bad things then that is what we will reap. What things are you planting in your life? Those are the things that you will reap. I hope that you all reap many good things in your life because you choose to plant the right things. Inside a single watermelon are hundreds of seeds, each with the potential to grow a watermelon plant which can produce several more watermelons each containing hundreds of seeds.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL
Read Matthew 13:3-23
  • What are the four types of soil mentioned and the results of seeds sown?
  • Again list the four types of soil, but this time explain what each represents.
  • Why do some people choose not to listen?
  • Why do some people not want to see?
  • What is the main problem with the rocky soil?
  • What happens when trouble or persecution comes? What are some of the troubles and persecutions that youth may face?
  • Of the troubles and persecutions you listed, which ones do you have the most difficult time dealing with?
  • In what ways can a person sink roots deeper in order to be better able to withstand trouble and persecutions?
  • What are some of the worries of life?
  • How can worries and the pursuit of wealth and materialism choke out the spiritual life?
  • Of the worries listed, which ones cause you to lose focus in your relationship with God?
  • What are the priorities in your life at the moment?
  • Are you prepared to hear what God wants to teach you? What are some things he might want you to hear during these studies?
  • Are you really trying to understand what God’s Word is saying and how it affects your daily life? What are some things God might want you to understand this week?
  • Are you willing to act, to make changes, to live a life of obedience to God’s Word that will be fruitful? In what areas of your life might God be calling you to obedience? In what areas are you not living as a Christian should?
  • What can be done to make the first three soils good soil?

MAKE IT PERSONAL
  • What soil are you and what do you need to do to become good soil?
  • What heart changes do you need to make to allow God to plant his Word in your life?
  • Are there some areas of your life that have become hardened like the path soil? Ask God to help you break through that hardness and to soften your heart.
  • Are your spiritual roots too shallow to withstand the persecutions and troubles? Make a commitment to sink your roots deeper by spending time with God.
  • Are the worries and daily activities of your life taking away from God as your first priority? Ask God to give you the faith and commitment to keep him first.
  • Ask God to make you good soil. If you’ve never accepted Christ, ask him into your heart. He wants you to have a life that is vibrant and fruitful. If God is already in your heart, ask him to make you more fruitful. Pray for a specific area of your life where you would like to be more fruitful, more obedient.

SCRIPTURE
  • Matthew 13:3-8 – “Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop•a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
  • Matthew 3:18-23 – “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
  • Matthew 9:36-37 – “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.’ “

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Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Youth Ministry Object Lesson - Shoe Shuffle - Walking With Christ

We often talk about a person’s walk with Christ. That’s because the feet tell us two very important facts about someone: where one is standing and which way someone is going. A firm stand and a consistent walk are both traits we admire in other Christians. This Object Lesson uses shoes as a reminder of the need for youth to walk daily with Christ.

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Games Using Shoes
  • Big Foot – Organize all the youth into a straight line and blindfold everyone or simply ask them to close their eyes and keep them shut. The youth must then re-organize themselves according to shoe size without stating their shoe size to each other.
  • Do You Like Your Neighbors? – Youth must stand in a circle with one person in the center. Everyone in the circle takes off their shoes and places them behind where they are standing to mark their spot. Someone standing around the circle asks, “Do you like your neighbors?” The participant in the middle of the circle must reply, “No I don’t, but I like people who ______” and fills in the blank with a characteristic. (e.g have a pet, skipped breakfast, etc) All the youth that fit the description must quickly find a new spot in the circle (not next to the one they left, at least five people away) to stand. Last person without a spot stands in the middle. Those who don’t fit the description stay in their spot while others run for a new spot.
  • Horseshoe Toss – Play a classic game of horseshoes but use shoes instead. Each team of youth tries to toss one each of their shoes closest to the wall from across the room. Closest shoe gets 5 points. Any shoe leaning against the wall gets 10 points. Team with highest score wins.
  • Minefield – Divide into two teams and mark of an area to be the minefield. Everyone removes their shoes and randomly tosses them into the minefield area. Teams line up on opposite sides of the minefield and using words only must guide a blindfolded member of their team from one side of the mine field to the opposite side faster than the opposing team. One the person makes the trip, the blindfold is removed and another team member can wear the blindfold and cross the minefield. First team to get everyone successfully across wins. Only one blindfolded person is allowed in the field at any time. If the blindfolded player touches a land mine, a 10-second penalty is assessed to that team.
  • Musical Shoes – Sit the youth in a circle and ask everyone to take off hos/her left shoe. As the music plays, the youth must pass the shoe to the right while taking the shoe being passed from the left. When the music stops, each youth must find the owner of the show he or she is holding and return the shoe to them. For an icebreaker, ask them to learn the persons name and one other fun fact about them or answer to specific icebreaker question you have chosen.
  • Shoe Bucket – Divide kids into teams of four. The kids lie on their backs in a circle with their feet raised in the middle in order to balance a bucket of water or ice. Each team member must remove one of his shoes without spilling the bucket of water. The first team to complete this wins.
  • Shoe Detectives – Divide the youth into two teams. Have each team line up on opposite sides of the room and remove their shoes. Take all the shoes outside room and put them in one large pile outside room. The first person on each team is the “detective.” The second person on each team describes his or her shoes to the detective, who runs to find them in the shoe pile and bring them back. If the detective brings back the wrong shoes, he or she gathers more clues and searches again. If the detective brings back the right shoes, the owner puts them on and becomes the detective. Repeat the process until one team finds all its shoes.
  • Shoe Identity – Everyone takes off their shoes, ties them together and places them in the center of the circle. Someone comes forward, chooses a pair of shoes and makes a statement about the shoes’ owner based on the condition and/or characteristics of the shoes. (For example, “This person loves fashion.”) The owner of the shoes then introduces him/herself and picks out the next pair. Variation: Have each youth retrieve a pair of shoes that represent him or her and once everyone has a pair, youth explain what they have in common with the shoes they have chosen.
  • Shoe Match – Each youth takes off one shoe and tosses it into a pile. On your signal, each youth then grabs a shoe from the pile and find the owner who is wearing the other shoe. They must learn the name (if they don’t already know each other) and three things about the other person they didn’t already know. One everyone has found a match, sit in a circle where each youth shares what they learned about the person they matched.
  • Shoe Prints – As each person enters the room, have them create a dirty footprint on a white sheet of paper. Mix up the footprints and then pass them out. Each person must find the shoe that matches the footprints. (This works best when people are coming into the room from outside. Once they have walked across a carpet or clean floor, the dust is often left behind and it is difficult to get footprints.) Variation: Take a digital photo of part of the bottom of each person’s shoe and print and use these instead of the footprints.
  • Shoe Shucking – Everyone takes their shoe half off and flings it into the air. See who can get their shoe the furthest.
  • Shoe Snake – All youth place their shoes behind one another to create a long snake. The group with the largest snake shoes wins.
  • Shoe Towers – Teams of Youth must build the tallest tower in a given time using only their shoes.
  • Shoe Twister – Each youth takes off one shoe and puts it in the centre of the circle. Everyone joins hands. On your signal everyone gets a shoe from centre of the circle and finds the person who owns it, and puts it back on that person without letting go of hands of people beside them.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Pile everyone’s shoes in the middle of a circle of youth.
  • Ask the youth to share as many features as possible that the shoes in the middle of the circle have in common.
  • Ask the youth to share as many features as possible make each pair of shoes unique.
  • What are some of the things that we have in common as part of the body of Christ?
  • What are some of the things that make us unique?
  • What do our shoes tell us about ourselves? To what extent is there a relationship between our personality and the way we walk?
  • How is describing your shoes to a friend similar to sharing the gospel? What might happen if we don’t present the gospel clearly? How can we become more effective at sharing Christ with others this week?
  • When it comes to running the race of life, what lessons can we learn from the games we played with shoes?

In I Cor. 9:24-27, Paul compares the Christian life to a race. Any runner will tell you that the most important piece of equipment for the runner is his shoes. Shoes are very personal things. You can’t run the race in someone else’s shoes. In the same way, in the body of Christ we each must run the race. Everyone needs his own set of running shoes. And while we all need shoes, our shoes will be different as we run the race ahead.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

We often talk about a person’s walk with Christ. That’s because the feet tell us two very important facts about someone: where one’s standing and which way someone is going. A firm stand and a consistent walk are both traits we admire in others. When we talk about our journey in life we often talk about those times we slip and stumble as well as those times when we took a step in the right direction.
  • What is something that you have taken a stand for in your life? What are some things that you need to take a stronger stand on?
  • What are some steps that you have taken in the right direction with your life? The wrong direction?
  • What are some areas in which you have stumbled along the way in your journey?
  • What are some ways that we can make our walk sure? How can you get back on your feet and take a new step in the right direction with your life? In what areas do you need to watch your step?
  • Taking a stand and finding your footing in life isn’t always easy – especially when you might need to step on a few toes to do so.
  • How can you find the balance between taking a stand on things that are important to you without stepping on too many toes? Should you worry about stepping on toes? Why or why not?

MAKE IT PERSONAL
  • As a footnote to this lesson, identify at least one area of your life where you need to get back on your feet!
  • How can you take a new step in the right direction with your life beginning today?
  • In what areas do you need to watch your step in the journey ahead?

SCRIPTURE
  • Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV) – “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it[a] with thanksgiving.”
  • Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
  • 1 John 1:7 – “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
  • 1 John 2:6 (NKJV) – “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”
  • Romans 8:4 (NKJV) – “that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
  • 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV) – “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.”
  • Ephesians 4:1-6 (NKJV) – “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
  • Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV) – “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
  • Deuteronomy 8:6 – “Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.”
  • Deuteronomy 10:12 – “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,”

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Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Youth Ideas - String Connections

Almost everyone has some string lying around the house. Most often, string is used to connect things. As such, the string games below can be used to introduce a great object lesson on being connected to Christ and others.

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What You Need
  • Lots of string

Games Using String
  • All Inside – Lay a circle of string on the ground and ask a team of youth (6-15 people) to stand inside the circle. Everyone must be touching the ground inside the string circle in some way. They must stay inside the circle for the amount of time it takes them to sing the chorus of a song familiar to the youth. No one can touch the ground outside the shoestring circle. Then tie an 8 inch loop in the string and try again. Team to fit inside the smallest circle of string wins.
  • Loop Groups – Create a loop of string 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 reach through the string circle and then re-connect hands. The shoestring circle must travel in a clockwise direction and return to the initial starting position without anyone letting go of hands. The youth must stay in one location while the shoestring circle moves around the circle. Fastest time wins.
  • Polygon – Tie a long piece of string together at the ends to form a circle. All the youth hold onto the circle with both hands and then asked to form a specific shape without letting go. (e.g.: Perfect circle, square, equilateral triangle, Letter C, etc). Stage 1: No talking. Stage two – Can talk but eyes closed.
  • String Introductions – Take a pair of scissors and cut pieces of string or yarn into various lengths. (12-30 inches in length) Then bunch them all up in one pile. Each youth pulls on one piece of string to separate it from the others then introduces him or herself as he or she slowly winds the piece of string around an index finger. Some of the strings are extremely long, so sometimes a person must keep talking for a very long time!
  • String spelling – Played like charades, youth must guess a series of words or items from a list, but instead of miming them, they try to spell them out with the piece of string.
  • Tennis Ball Transport – You’ll need some large washers (or a curtain ring), some string, and some tennis balls. Tie five to eight long cord pieces (4-6 feet long) to a washer (or curtain ring). Place the washer on the ground with the cords coming out from it like rays of sunshine. Place a tennis ball on top of the washer. The challenge is for the youth to pick up the washer and tennis ball by hanging onto the strings only without the tennis ball falling off. Need more of a challenge? Switch strings with another group without dropping a tennis ball.

A String Game and a Lesson
  1. Sit the group on the floor in a circle with everyone facing inward toward the center of the circle.
  2. Tell everyone your name and one characteristic about yourself.
  3. Holding firmly to the end of the string, toss the ball of string to someone in the circle who has not yet received the string.
  4. The youth receiving the string gives his/her name and one characteristic.
  5. Then, holding firmly onto the string, he or she tosses the ball on to another person.
  6. The string should be held tightly and above the ground at all times.
  7. Continue until everyone has received the string at least once and has told the group their name and shared one characteristic.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

GENERAL DISCUSSION
  • Have someone in the group pull the string – What happens?
  • Have everyone pull the string tight then cut the string in the middle. What happens?
  • In what ways does the string represent various relationships in the youth group?

(Sample answers: Our relationships are intertwined and connected. If a single person pulls the string it affects everyone in the group to varying degrees, depending on how closely they are connected. If one persons string is cut the relationship is broken, it affects all. We need to support each other and not let others down)

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

John 15 speaks of the Vine and the branches and the connectedness we must maintain with Christ! The Bible says we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother – Jesus. Scripture tells us that like this string, Jesus connects us all together. He is the head of the body and we are all connected though him. (Colossians 1:15-20, 1 Corinthians 12)
Next, tie the string to an object with some weight and start to spin it. When spinning the object, ask the audience what will happen when you let go. Will the object continue in the path that it is currently traveling? Let go. The object will travel in a straight line away from where the center used to be. The same thing happens in our walk with God when we discontinue our devotional and our personal time with Him. We grow farther apart from Him. We need to be connected to God to grow spiritually or we will fall away.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL
  • What are some ways that a person can stay closer connected to Christ?
  • What are the benefits a person gets in staying close to Christ?
  • What are some ways that Christians can draw closer to others in the church?
  • Why are relationships, connections in the church so important?
  • What things ties us together as Christians?

MAKE IT PERSONAL
  • What do you need to do to be closer connected to Christ?
  • What are some ways you can be closer connected to other Christians?
  • How can you draw those who have fallen away or strayed from God to be closer to him?

SCRIPTURE
Colossians 1:15-20 – “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

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Monday, June 6, 2016

Youth Ideas - Card Sharks – Playing the Hand You Are Dealt in Life

Decks of cards are easy to find. And everyone knows a card game or two. With this icebreaker, cards are used to sort people into different groups as well as discover a little about each other! They can also be used to explore integrity, doubts, honesty, and personal character.

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What You Need

Deck of normal playing cards. Add additional decks for larger groups. I have found boxes of enormously sized cards at novelty shops that add even more fun to the games. I’ve even found them as large as an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of paper.

Using Playing cards to Breaking into Groups

Shuffle cards and let each youth choose one. (You can reduce the size of a deck to your group side by removing some of the numbers of each suit. Once youth have chosen cards, you can force specific combinations of youth by telling them to group themselves in the following ways:

* Red vs Black – Two Teams according to the color of the cards
* Odds & Evens – Two teams according to the value of cards (Face cards have the values Jack-11, Queen – 12, and King – 13)
* Suits – Four teams (Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs)
* Call out any number and they must form groups that add up to that number.
* BlackJack – Add up to 21
* Poker Hands – Groups of 5 cards (Which group has the highest hand?)
– Four of a Kind – All four cards of each number (groups of four)
– Straight Flush – 5 Cards Grouped by Colors and lined up according to number.
– Full House – 3 of one card and two of another
– 3 of a kind – 3 cards of same number, 2 additional cards
– 4 of a kind – 4 cards of same number, 1 additional card
– Straight – 5 cards in order
– Flush – 5 cards of the same color
– Two Pairs – 2 sets of two plus another card

Games using Playing Cards
  • Build a Tower – Give groups of youth a deck or two of playing cards, inside a box, and ask them to build the tallest tower in a given period of time. Do not say it is a competition between groups. Just that in X minutes the tallest tower wins. The tallest tower could actually be built when they put all their resources together. What lessons can we learn from this?
  • Card elimination – When you call out specific groupings of cards (or poker hands), The youth must scramble to form them. If groups do not meet the specified criteria or are the last group to form, they are eliminated from the game. The last remaining group is the winner.
  • Card Identity – Ask students to pick cards from the deck that represent something about themselves. These representations can be as shallow or deep as the students’ imaginations. Have youth mingle and share with one another their names and the cards they have chosen and why. One might choose a two because they have “2 parents” or “two feet” etc. Another student might choose an ace because they strive to “be an ‘ace’ at everything they do… The opportunities are limitless.
  • Card Mixer – Before the activity, write a question on each card to be shared when the youth are mixing together. (e.g. what is your favorite ice cream, most embarrassing moment, favorite musician, favorite scripture, etc.) Match these questions to a future discussion!
  • Go Fish! – 5 cards are dealt to each player. In turn, players ask another player for his/her cards of a specific rank. (Example: “Ken, do you have threes?”) A player may only ask for a card of which he already holds at least 1 card.The person asked must hand over all cards of that rank. If the call was successful, the player has another turn. But if the player asked has no cards of that rank, he says “Go fish”, and the asking player draws the top card from the deck and it’s the next player’s turn. When a player has all 4 cards of a rank they are placed face up on the table. The game ends when all sets are formed, and the player with the most cards wins.
  • Playing Card LIne-up – Instruct the youth to not peek at their cards, then pass out one playing card to each member of the group (you may need a few decks …). On your signal, each youth places the card on their forehead so that others can see the card. Without talking, all youth then group by suit, and then in numerical order (Is Ace high or low? ) Instead of placing them on their forehead where they can fall off, you can also punch a hole in each card and hand them on a strong around the youth’s necks so that it hangs in the back where they cannot see it but others can. What worked or didn’t? Who were the leaders? What are some lessons?
  • Stratego – Play a variation of “stratego” between two teams. Remove cards from the deck so that there is 1-ace, 2-two’s, 3 three’s, etc. Designate jokers as bombs. Leave only one king. The king can be captured by any card. Use the jack with the sword to his head as the spy. Play the game just as you would “stratego”, but have teams send representatives to a person on the opposing team to do battle. Do not reveal the card numbers to teams, but merely who is the victor of the battle. Those who lose battle cannot reveal the victors total to their teams and are removed to a graveyard area. First team to kill the king wins.
  • Team Sit – Give each team a suit of cards, shuffled and one chair. On your signal, players look at their cards and without talking the ace takes the chair. 2 sits on their knees. 3 sits on the next person’s knees. First team to sit in a line wins.
  • Ten – Remove 10s and all face cards. Have students choose a partner whose card added to theirs will result in a sum of 10… the combinations are numerous (1-9, 2-8, 3-7, 4-6, 5-5) Last couple to pair up is eliminated. Blindly exchange cards with at least 3 people then have then go again , repeating until you have a winner.
A Card Game and a Lesson

Play a game of “I Doubt It” it with the cards.
  1. Divide into 2 to 4 teams.
  2. In this game the objective is to be the first team to discard all of their cards. The team who goes first must discard their aces face down, the second two’s, third, three’s… through King’s. Each time play comes back to the team, a new player must place the cards down, rotating through team members.
  3. As the team places the cards down they must announce the quantity of cards being played (i.e. 2 aces, 1 two, 3 threes, 1 jack, 4 queens, etc.) If a team doesn’t have a card of the value they are supposed to play, then they must bluff.
  4. A team may also bluff at any time by including additional cards of another value in with the cards of the correct value they are playing. For example a person may only have two aces, but includes a six and calls out “three aces.”
  5. At any time another team may shout “I doubt it.” The team that just played cards must turn them over and reveal them. If the revealed cards were a bluff and not 100% what they were claimed to be, the team picks up the entire discard pile. If they were telling the truth, then the team who yelled “I doubt it” must pick up the entire discard pile.
  6. The game continues until one team runs out of cards.
TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Discussion
  • What is the primary objective of the card game “I doubt it”? What are some of our objectives in life? What does winning mean to you?
  • What type of person is best at this game? Did anyone in this game get a reputation for dishonesty or for integrity? What reputation do you have with others? How did you get that reputation?
  • What elements of this game caused you to lie, misrepresent the truth, or stretch the truth? What things tempt you to be less than honest in real life? What things tempt you to act against your normal character?
  • Are you known for your honesty, for your integrity? What actions in life build / destroy a person’s character / reputation? Why is a good reputation important? How does our reputation affect how others respond to us?
  • Is TRUTH flexible? Why or why not? Is there such a thing as absolute truth? Why or why not?
MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

INTEGRITY: How often in life do we try to gain – benefit by either stretching the truth or by an outright lie? How many times do we sacrifice honesty and integrity to get ahead of others in the game of life? While in this game we might get away with it do people get away with it in life? Is integrity really important? Honesty?

Why is integrity important to God? (1 Kings 9:4, 1 Chronicles 29:17, Job 2:2-4, Titus 2:7, Proverbs 10:9)

Instances of integrity in the Bible:
  • Jacob, in the care of Laban’s property (Genesis 31:39)
  • Joseph, in resisting Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:8-12, 40:15)
  • Moses, took nothing from the Israelites for his services (Numbers 16:15)
  • Samuel, in took nothing from the people for his services (1 Samuel 12:4)
  • David, in self-reproach for the cutting of Saul’s robe (1 Samuel 24:5)
  • Daniel, in staying pure and upright (Daniel 1:8-20; Daniel 6:4)
  • Nathanael, in whom was no guile (John 1:47)
  • Peter, when offered money by Simon Magus (Acts 8:18-23)
DOUBTS: All of us have doubts at one time or another, but that doesn’t mean we give up. We make choices the best we can not knowing what the next card in life holds for us.

What are some of your doubts related to the Bible and your faith?
Divided the youth into groups to write a short monologues of doubts that the following Biblical characters might have had:
  • The disciples when caught on the sea in storm (Mark 4:26-40)
  • Noah when he was asked to build the ark (Genesis 6,7)
  • Abraham when asked to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22:1-10)
  • Moses when God asked him to go to Pharoah (Ex. 4:1-13)
  • David when he faced Goliath (I Samuel 17,18)
  • Daniel when he was thrown to the lion’s den (Daniel 6)
  1. What options did the above people have in responding to their doubts? Why do you think they acted as they did?
  2. How could you rewrite the above passages as modern situations which might create similar doubts.
  3. What was the time of greatest doubt in your life, and why? Was it similar to any of the characters above?
  4. How are your doubts different or similar? Explain.
MAKE IT PERSONAL

Make a commitment to live a life of integrity, to face your doubts and keep playing the game regardless of the cards you have been dealt in life!

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