Youth Ministry Object Lesson - Flying Disc-iples

These games are all played with a flying disc which also goes by the brand name ‘Frisbee.” Supposedly the name was derived from the Frisbie Pie Company whose round metal pie tins were used as toys by Yale University students. Over time the metal edges would become sharp so plastic versions were created in the 1940’s. Fred Headrick is credited with creating the modern day frisbee in 1967.

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Games Using Flying Discs (Commonly known as Frisbees)
[NOTE: For some games, to avoid injury, you may wish to use a soft nerf style flying disc rather than a hard plastic one.]

• Bocce Frisbee – The object is to get the Frisbee as close to a designated object as possible without touching it. Make it more difficult by increasing the throwing distance.
• Bottles – Two teams of six face each other in a line, with each player having an empty soda bottle in front of them. Each player starts with three lives and each time a players bottle is knocked over they lose a life. Each team gets three discs. Discs must be thrown from behind the bottle, and players may only throw a disc when their bottle is upright. When a player loses all three lives, they are out of the game and must sit down. Any player may retrieve a disc from the area between the teams, but cannot go behind enemy lines. You cannot block a disc and cannot touch a moving disc until it passes beyond the the line of bottles.
• Call it – Any group size forms a circle. One person throws the disc straight into the air, ideally flat and with spin. The goal is to catch the disc using one-hand. If the disc is caught everyone who made any move to try and catch the disc must leave the circle. Whoever caught the disc is now the server, they are not allowed to catch their own serve. The game continues until only on person remains. In the event that it becomes a duel between two people a outside person will become the server. In the event that one player simply refuses to make an attempt at catching the disc a rule can be invoked such that the player will forfeit if they do not make no attempt X times in a row.
• Disc Dodge Circle – Make a circle of players with one player in the middle. Circle is wide enough so there is at least 10feet to the person in the center. Person in the middle tries to dodge the throws coming at them. People in the circle can either throw at the center or toss to someone else in an attempt to flank them. If you hit the person in the middle you are in the middle. Play goes on as long as your willing to get hit with a disc. Use a soft nerf disc to avoid injuries.
• Disc Dodge – There is one thrower and the rest of the team is in a box of cones, size of the box depending on the size of the group. When the disc is in the air each person must decide if they can catch it. If you move for the disc than you HAVE to catch it. Each catch is a point and you need 3 points to become the thrower. If you move or if the disc hits you and do not catch it then you are out. Once you are out you go to the Mac line. From here you can go for a disc after someone in the game moves or you can hit the disc into the box to hit other players. If you mac the disc into someone then you are in and they are out. We also allowed Bidding for discs to get back in, but not everyone does.
• Disc Dodge Ball – Same basic game play as dodge ball, but with frisbees. Of course, head shots put the tosser out on the sidelines.
• Disc Golf – Disc golf is played much like traditional golf but instead of a ball and clubs, players use a flying disc or “Frisbee”. In disc golf targets or holes can be almost anything – a tree, a rubbish bin, a lamp post, a bucket, a flower pot, a net, or even a patch of the sidewalk. Each shot must be made from behind where the disc lands. Like golf you want to get to the target using the least possible number of throws. You include special conditions like requiring the disc to go around a tree or through a fork in a tree before hitting the target. If a tree is designated as the hole, the target is typically assigned as hitting the tree trunk below the first tree branch so that leaves and low branches do not count. You can have a marked out course or after each hole someone new can choose the next target and the conditions.
• Discathalon – A trail is marked out through a park or open area, around natural obstacles and to a finish line. All the youth, each with a disc, begin behind the start line and race to the finish line, following the designated course. Each successive throw must be taken from behind where the disc last stopped. The winner is the player whose disc first crosses the finish line.
• Five Hundred – Groups are separated by a distance of about 20m. One group throws a high disc above the other group. If someone catches it, that person scores 100 points. That group then throws another high, throw back and the other team gets to try to score points. The winner is the first person to score 500 points. The game is non-contact; no pushing or holding is allowed.
• Frisbee bowling – For this game you need a plastic bottle. Turn it upside down and push the neck into the sand. See if you can knock it over with your frisbee! Challenge yourself by putting more bottles in the sand and seeing how many you can knock over.
• Frisbee Relay – This relay type race is best for 8-12 people, divided into two teams. Two Frisbees are needed, one for each team. Each team should spread out in a line about 50 ft. (or more) apart from each other. On “GO!” the first person in the line of each team throws the Frisbee to the second person. That person allows the Frisbee to land, goes to where it landed, then throws it to the next person in their line, and so on. The object of the frisbee game is to see which team can throw the Frisbee the furthest in the fastest time (to the last person in their line).
• Gritz – Gritz is played on a regular volleyball court and scores similar to volleyball (score on serve, 3 touches max, rotation) Players cannot touch the ground and the disc and the same time. The disc must not be travelling downwards at the point of release. No serves are allowed where the disk is thrown overhand and perpendicular to the ground.
• Monkeys in the Middle – Form a 20m square with the 4 cones. The aim of the game is to retain possession of the disc by passing to teammates for as long as possible. As in ultimate, players may not run with the disc and cannot hold it for more than 10 seconds.
• Passing Relay – Divide the youth into teams. Each team lines up in a straight line, at least arms length apart. Place a disc halfway down the line and about 5 meters to the side of the line. On “go” the last player in the line runs out to the disc and tosses it the to the 1st player in the line, who passes it back. Then he tosses it to the 2nd player and so on until the end of the line is reached. When the last player catches the disc, they run out the front to become the person tossing the frisbee and the previous captain runs to the front to become the first receiver. If a player has to retrieve a disc, they must return to their place before throwing the return pass. Continue until the original captain runs out the front again and the whole team sits down to finish.
• Rounders (Disc Baseball) – Set up a diamond, similar to baseball. The rules are similar to baseball and the position are also the same except there is no pitcher. All players must be at least 5 meters from the batter. In each play, the batter tosses the disc from home base keeping it in bounds. It must travel at least 5 meteres or it is considered a foul. The batter is out on the third foul or if their toss is caught. Runners are out if the disc reaches the base they are running towards before they do. Only one runner can be on a base at a time. Only the basemen may run with the disc and everyone else must throw the disc to other players. The batting team earns a run each time a runner runs around the bases and reaches home base. When the batting team gets 3 outs the teams switch positions.
• Sidewalk Seven – This is frisbee game that is played on a sidewalk, usually on the way to somewhere. It is best with two to three players. Each player throws a frisbee, trying to land it inside a sidewalk square and as far away as possible. For each square away from the player that it is thrown, the player earns one point. The frisbee is considered in the square if it is more than 50% in. If it lands off of the sidewalk, the player earns zero points for that round and the next round begins. If the frisbee lands seven squares away, the player earns zero points for that round.
• Statue Frisbee – Pair up in teams of two. See how many times you can consecutively catch the Frisbee without moving your feet. Advanced rules: Set a time clock and go for points. Each valid catch equals one point. Catches under a leg or on the tip of a finger earn two points. When the buzzer rings, the team with the most points wins. Variation: If the partner catches it without moving, then they both take a step back. If a person drops the Frisbee or has to move their feet, they are out of the game. After each successful round, each team must take a step back. Whoever lasts the longest in the game, wins.
• Throwing Race – Split the youth up into pairs. All pairs are competing against all other pairs. Pairs line up across from their partners so that all the youth are in two rows. During a set amount of time, the youth in a pair must complete as many passes as possile. If a disc is missed and must be retrieved, the pairs must get back into their original positions before they can toss the disc again. If you want to increase the difficulty, then add a rule that the receiver may not move their feet to catch the disc.
• Touch it – Line of players with a thrower/receiver at each end, a few metres off. Disc is thrown down the line, players need to touch it without catching it, then the receiver has to catch it one-handed. If you successfully touch it and then it’s caught, you get through the round; if you knock it enough that the receiver can’t catch it, you’re knocked out. Repeat rounds knocking out the last X people each time. You can also just do it by points.

MOST OF THE LESSONS ARE APPLIED TO THIS GAME

Ultimate – The Field is rectangular shape with endzones at each end. A regulation field is 64m by 37m, with endzones 18m deep. Each point begins with teams lined up in the front of their own end zone. The defence then throws the disc to the offense. A point is scored each time the offense completes a pass in the defences’ endzone. The disc can be passed to a teammate in any direction who must catch it. Players may not run with the disc. The person with the disc has ten seconds to throw the disc. The defender guarding the thrower counts out the 10 seconds. When a pass in not completed (e.g. goes out of bounds, touches the ground, is blocked, or intercepted), the defence immediately takes possession of the disc and becomes the offense at that location on the field. No physical contact of any kind is allowed between players, regardless of whether you have the disc or not. When anyone makes physical contact a foul occurs and if it results in a turnover to the other team, the team gets the disc back. Players call their own fouls.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

* What comparisons can you make between this game and and living as a Christian?

When we look at Ultimate, here are some of the things that are similar to spiritual truths:

(Running, Standing Firm, a Goal, winning and losing, Struggle, Opposition, Spectators, teamwork, passing it along, fouls and rules.)

• We pass it along – When we pass along faith or the gospel, we must deliver it in a way that it can be easily received, and the person must be ready to receive it.
• Field – Our field is the world (Mat. 13:38), and our goal is to win it for Jesus Christ. Everyone is called onto the field to play and we have to do it together. You must rely on your team mates to move things forward on the field together with you in order to reach the goal.
• Rules – The rules keep us focused and set the standards for how we act on the field. There are also boundaries. When we break the rules or step out of bounds, there are penalties. Yet when we compete according to the rules, and are victorious in our efforts, we will receive a prize (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
• Time – In most games of ultimate, like life, we don’t know how much time we have on the field. This makes it even more important for us to make the most of it. The Bible commands us to redeem the time, to make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:16) rather than waste it.
• Goal – It is not enough to simply be in the game. It is not enough to simply overcome the opposition. Our goal is to score one for the team. And another one. And another one. “Press on toward the Goal.” – Philippians 3:14.
• Team – We don’t play alone, but play as part of a TEAM. In Ultimate, once you receive the disc, you have to stand firm with it and pass it on to someone else. You can’t do it alone. Every believer has a part to play as we pursue the goal (1 Cor 12:4-6; 12-20)
• Offense and Defence – Sometimes in the game we must be on the offence and at other times we must defend.
• Our actions affect others – When you drop the disc during a game, the possession turns over to the other team and you and your teammates suffer the consequences alongside you. They must now run the length of the field again, this time on defense.
• Getting fouled – Sometimes in the game, bad things happen to you of no fault of your own. It is your responsibility to call the truth of what happened but the game still continues.
• Taking risks – Sometimes you have to take risks to reach the goal. Push yourself a little harder, stretch for the goal, pass the task to someone else on your team completely out of your control. The same is true of our walk and also of evangelism. It is said that it usually takes 20 interactions before a person accepts Christ. And while some skills may be clumsy and awkward at first, with practice we can be much more effective.

Make it Practical

• What are some of the difficulties in faced in this game that remind of us of difficulties in the Christian’s life? In evangelism?
• How is the teamwork in this game similar to the body of Christ?
• Read 1 Corinthians 3:4-9. How does this relate to the game?

Make it Personal

Are you in the game?
No one in the crowd ever makes progress on the field. No one in the crowd ever adds a single point to the score. The game is played and won by the players on the field, and not by anyone else. Are you in the game or a spectator? Just being a Christian isn’t enough. You are called to be on the playing field, not in the stands or on the sidelines. Are you on the field playing the game and gaining ground for Jesus Christ or are you merely watching the game? The clock is ticking away, and time is running out. Get in the game before you lose your chance forever!

SCRIPTURE

• 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 – “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.”
• Hebrews 12:1-2 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
• Philippians 3:12-14 “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
• 2 Timothy 2:5 “Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.”
• 2 Timothy 4:7-8 – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
• 1 Corinthians 3:4-9 (NIV) – ‘For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
• 1 Corinthians 12:12-20 (NIV) – “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free, and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”
• 2 Timothy 2:2 (NIV) – “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”
• Philippians 4:9 (NIV) – “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

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Youth Ministry Object Lesson - Broken Water Balloons

You can’t have summer without at least one water balloon fight. Water Balloons have a purpose – to be filled with water. As God’s creation each of us also has a purpose. Pascal said that all men were created with a God shaped vacuum – an emptiness in our lives only GOD can fill. When we try to fill that emptiness with things other than the Living Water, we will always feel empty. We will always be thirsty.

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Games Using Water Balloons

• Back to Back – Split the youth up into partners however many as necessary. Then put them next to a bucket of water balloons. This is a relay race so have another bucket abouy 15 feet away. The players have to put the water balloon between both of their backs and walk to the other bucket. If your balloon breaks you must go back and get another balloon. Set a time limit and when the times run out see which team has the most water balloons in their bucket.
• Beach Towel Toss – Divide into teams of two, each person holding a towel at the corners. Standing six feet apart, each team must use the towel to toss a balloon back and forth with another team. After a successful toss, have the teams move farther apart. Continue playing until the balloon breaks.
• Blanket Water Balloon Toss – All youth stand around a blanket holding an edge. When you toss individual water balloons high into the air, the youth must try to catch each water balloon in the blanket.
• Hot Potato, Water Balloon Style – Played just like Hot Potato, youth must pass a water balloon around the circle when the music starts. When it stops whoever is holding it has the bust the water balloon on their own head.
• Soaker – one person throws a water balloon high in the air and calls out another player’s name or number. The player so called must catch the balloon. If the player succeeds at catching it unbroken, she gets a free shot at the thrower who called her name and gets her turn at throwing a water balloon up and calling another’s name.
• Water Balloon Pinata – Fill regular sized round balloons up with water, and tie them to a rope that is hung between two trees. You are blindfolded, given a plastic baseball bat, and get three swings to break a balloon.
• Water Balloon Shot Put – see who can toss a water balloon the farthest. For added incentive, have a leader stand just out of reach of the players for a target.
• Water Balloon Squat – Relay. Run to the line. Sit on a water balloon. Return to the team.
• Water Balloon Stuff – Get two sets of those long johns and a bunch of water balloons. Get two volunteers and assign them a team whose job is to stuff water balloons in the long johns. When the designated time is up you count the balloons and the one with the most balloons wins. The winner and his stuffers get to throw all the balloons at the loser.
• Water Balloon Toss – Form two lines of paired players, facing each other. Have each pair toss a water balloon back and forth, taking a step backwards after every two tosses. The further back you step, the further the toss and the more likely the water balloon will burst. The last pair to have their water balloon intact wins.
• Water Balloon Toss Relay – Form 2 or more even teams. As in any relay race, have a starting line and a finishing line. Spread each member of the team about 3-5 feet apart. Each member must toss the water balloon to the next team member. If the water balloon breaks or falls onto the floor they have to start from the very beginning. The object of the game is to send 3 water balloon successfully down the line and into their team bucket.
• Water balloon volleyball – Set up a volleyball net or string a rope between two posts, and then split the youth into groups of two. Give each group a towel or sheet and instruct the teams to hold it between them to create a landing mat for water balloons. With one team on each side of the net, the players use their towel or sheet to toss the balloon over the net to the other side. Every time a team drops a balloon, the balloon breaks or the balloon doesn’t cross over the net, the opposite team earns a point. Play to eight points before switching out teams.
• WATER BALLOON FIGHT – have a classic water Balloon war between two teams.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

At the end of your water balloon games, take a hose and squirt a leader or volunteer down.

• Compare a water balloon and a hose? In what what ways are they similar? Different?
• Describe a time when you were really thirsty?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL
During the time of Jeremiah much of Israel had turned away from God. They had turned away from the Fountain of living water and were looking to other things (broken cisterns) to satisfy their spiritual thirst. A cistern was basically just a hole in the ground with some kind of lining meant to hold stagnant rainwater. They were broken from the very day they were built. Only God Himself can quench our spiritual thirst. (See Isaiah 55:1-2, John 4:10-14, John 6:35 and John 7:37-38.) Imagine yourself as a very thirsty person in a parched land, turning away from a bubbling spring of cool water to shovel out a cistern in the dirt, under the parched sun, in the hopes of collecting some rain water! Many people today are also busy digging cisterns. We are not so different from the people of Jeremiah’s day. The one thing that is different is that we have more things available to us with which we try to satisfy the deep longings and thirsts of our lives.

• Discuss as a group how cisterns were constructed and the constant effort it took to maintain them vs. get refreshed from a natural spring of water.
• Digging cisterns is like going our own way in life. How do our own plans take constant effort to maintain?
• What are some of the things people seek for pleasure, happiness, to fill the emptiness of our days?
• Why do people insist on building broken cisterns rather than drinking from the spring of living water that will never run dry?
• Why do people look for other sources? Why aren’t people happy with the Living Water?
• Why do we run from one thing to another, never finding satisfaction, but never running to God?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

• How do we know if we are seeking the things of God or broken cisterns?
• What is it in us that makes us prefer to do things our way rather than accept God’s way?
• Is it possible for us to be so busy doing things that don’t really matter that you never became involved in the things of God? Can we do good things and yet still neglect God? Spiritual things?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

• Describe a time when you sought God to fill a void in your life that seemed impossible to face?
• What do I not have in my life that, if I only had, I believe would make me happy?
• What do I now have, that, if taken away, would leave me unhappy or devastated?
• What do I have now that I spend a lot of time maintaining and would struggle to keep?
• What is it that I now have in my life that I can’t live without?
• Are you so busy repairing and refilling your broken cistern that you never took advantage of the fountain of life God offers?
• God is asking you to see what you have been doing with your life. How are you spending your time, your money, your abilities, your resources?
• Are you wasting your life and ignoring the many opportunities to be used by God?
• Where are you going to drink today, this week this month, the rest of your life—for all of eternity? The spring of living waters or the cisterns of this world?
• Ask God to show you the broken cisterns you have in your life. Surrender them and ask Him to satisfy your soul with Himself alone.
• What are you consuming that masks your inner thirst? What deeper needs do you sense in yourself? Ask God would to show you how He can meet that need.

SCRIPTURE

• Jeremiah 2:13 – “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”
• John 7:37 – “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink”
• John 10:10 – He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”

Youth Ministry Object Lesson - Frozen Chosen?

Beat the hot days of summer with a frozen T-shirt contest for your youth. The objective is simple – Unfold a frozen t-shirt and wear it. But it’s not quite as easy as it sounds. It can be played as a team effort or you can have one frozen tee for each youth. Add a few additional ice games to get things moving before you have the final T-shirt thaw.

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Games Using Ice

• Back to Back Ice Relay – Split the youth into two teams. Freeze a water balloon for each team and just before the game starts, remove the balloon so you are left with a ball of ice. The first two people in line on each team have to put the ball of ice between both of their backs and walk to a designated finish line and then back to the team. If they drop it, they must go back to the beginning and start over again. First team to complete the relay wins.
• Build with Ice – Freeze and pop out a bunch of ice cubes. Use hot water to make clearer ice. Shake a little salt on the ice to act as glue as the salt melts the ice a little to help the cold cubes stick to one another. Construct creations by salting and adding cubes to create ice people, igloos, and other shapes.
• Cold Head – Place one ice cube on your head and the other on a competitors head. No hands allowed. First youth to drop the ice cube is eliminated. Continue until you have one champion. Variation – place the ice cube on the back of their necks.
• Ice Cube Melt – In this game, the objective is for the youth to fill a glass with water to the top using only the dropping water from melted ice. They may only use their hands to melt the ice. Only one ice cube can be melted at a time.
• Ice Cube Melt Relay – One Large ice cube per team (the ice cubes should be the same size). Divide the youth into two equal teams. Give each team an ice cube. The first player on each team holds and rubs the ice cube until their hands get too cold. Then they pass it to the next person on their team, and so on, until the ice cube is completely melted. The first team to completely melt their ice cube wins the game.
• Ice Cube Melting Race – Give each child an ice cube and see who can get it to melt the fastest in their hands. Working in pairs or teams is best, so when a child’s hands get too cold, they can pass the ice cube off to a teammate.
• Ice Cube Melting Race – Give each youth an ice cube and see who can get it to melt the fastest in their hands. Working in pairs or teams is best, so when someone’s hands get too cold, they can pass the ice cube off to a teammate.
• Ice Cube Transfers – Fill a bucket with water and lots of ice cubes. Teams try to remove ice cubes from the bucket using only their feet. Make it more challenging by putting on a blind fold.
• Ice Puzzles – Get some small lego sets with the instructions to create the object. Freeze all the pieces individually in ice cubes (It’s ok if longer pieces stick out of the ice cube). First team to thaw the pieces and follow the instruction to create the lego set wins.
• Marbles in Ice – Place a marble into each one of your ice cube trays’ sections. Fill with water as usual and freeze. Repeat this process until you have anywhere between 30 and 100 marbles. The more marbles you have, the longer the game will last and the more fun it will be. Give each youth an equal-sized cup and tell them that whomever fills their cup full of marbles first wins the game. Alternately, you can deem the youth with the highest number of marbles the winner. Then, let the youth decide how to melt the ice cubes and retrieve the frozen marble.
• Musical Ice Pass – This is a variation of musical chairs, with players passing an ice cube to music. When the music stops whoever is holding the ice cube is eliminated. Make it more fun by freezing a giant water balloon to replace the ice cubes. As a variation, give those eliminated a small ice cube. If any youth who was eliminated can use their hands to get the ice to melt before the game finishes they can join back into the game.
• Pick up ice cubes – Fill a paddling pool up with water and add ice cubes. Each person has to try and remove the ice cubes using their feet. Count out how many ice cubes each team/person is able to remove.
• Thaw it – Freeze a coin or any other small item in a block of ice. First team to unthaw the item without putting it in their mouth or hitting it with another object is the winner.
• Thread the Spoon – The day before the game, cut some yarn or string into long segments, allowing about 4 feet of yarn per team member. If in doubt, always make your yarn longer than necessary. Tie one end of one piece of yarn to the end of one spoon. Do this for each team. Put the spoons (with the yarn attached) in the FREEZER to freeze. For even more fun, run the string through one or more ice cube trays so that there are ice cubes froozen along the string as well. You may want to dip the spoons in water a few times to add a little ice build-up. When you’re ready to play, divide the youth into equal size teams. Hand the spoon to the first player and instruct them to put the spoon down their shirt, through pants legs (or skirts) and out by their feet. The fact that the spoons are cold will be apparent very quickly. The first person should also be instructed to hold the end of the yarn while the rest of the team repeats the threading process. NOTE: the spoon does not, and should not, go in undergarments; only inside of shirts, slacks, etc. The object of the game is to see which team can “thread the spoon” from the first person to the last. When done, the entire team will be stitched together!

Main Teaching Game – Frozen T-shirts
RESOURCES

• Gallon Freezer Bags
• You’ll need one t-shirt for each team or participant. Larger shirts are best and if possible you want them all to be the same size. Sometimes t-Shirts can be torn or stretched in the process.
• Water
• Freezer

PREPARATION

• Soak each t-shirt in about 2 cups of water then wring it out. If there is too much water it will take too long to thaw.
• Once the shirt has been wrung out, nicely fold each one into a square that will fit inside the freezer bag. Once you have folded it flat, press it down again to try to remove even more water.
• Seal each bag, and place each t-shirt in the freezer so that each lies flat.
• Let them freeze for a couple of days for best results.
• If you need to transport the shirts to another venue, place them in a cooler filled with ice so they stay frozen.

WHAT TO DO

• Tell the youth you are going to have a real icebreaker game.
• If you play by teams, don’t tell the youth what you are going to do and instead ask for a volunteer from each team. (You don’t want more than 4 or 5 on a team or it gets too crowded and some youth end up sitting on the sideline and watching.)
• Give each youth (or team) a frozen tee.
• The objective is to use whatever means possible to thaw the t-shirt enough so that it they can put it on. (They’ll sit on them like hatching an egg, throw them on the ground, rub them with hands, roll them, stick them on bare arms and legs to use their body heat to warm them up enough to unfold them and put them on.) They’ll be worn out trying to get them unfolded enough to wear.
• The first person to get the t-shirt on wins! Heads and arms must be completely in the t-shirt for normal wear to be declared the winner.

RULES OF THE GAME

• You might want to set some rules such as:
• You cannot place the t-shirt in water or any other liquids
• You cannot microwave it or use any appliance or machinery to heat it up.
• You cannot leave the game area
• You are not allowed to use any sharp object on the t-shirt

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Like many things in life, this game takes a lot of effort. It’s the same with building relationships. If you want to have relationships that aren’t so cold and are more warm and friendly, it takes work. “Cold hearted” and “Hard – hearted” are terms we commonly use to describe how youth relate to others. We also often talk about the warmth of friendship.

• What happened during the game?
• What were the difficulties encountered?
• What made these tasks difficult?
• How difficult was it to melt the ice?
• What did you try that didn’t work so well?
• Did you get frustrated? Why or why not?
• What was the most effective strategy?
• What could you do differently to be more successful if you played again?
• Did you ever feel like giving up? What are some things that you have tried to do that ended up being so difficult that you gave up?
• What is something that was difficult but you kept at it until you got it done?
• What happened as a result?
• What lesson did you learn?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

• How is following God like playing this game?
• When we become Christians, are we able to put on holiness right away?
• Do you ever get frustrated thinking God isn’t working fast enough for you?
• How do you respond to God when He isn’t working fast enough?
• Have you ever gotten so frustrated with God, and impatient that you tried to rush things in your own way? What happened?

In the Bible, Cold and Hot are used to describe the relationship of a person with God. But God’s greatest criticism is not to a person is either hot or cold, but to someone that is lukewarm. In Revelation, God refers to the church of Laodicia in the same terms.

“I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot”. “Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

Laodicia had no water supply of its own, so an aqueduct was built to bring water to the city from hot springs. By the time the water reached Laodicia is was neither therapeutically hot nor refreshingly cold. And because of it, one of the strongest words in Revelation is used, emesai, meaning to vomit.

• What actions of a Christian might be described as Hot? Cold? Lukewarm?
• How does a lukewarm Christian behave?
• Why is lukewarm worse than being either hot or cold?
• What is an area of your devotion to God that could be described as Lukewarm?
• If we are cold or lukewarm, how can we become “On Fire” in our devotion for God?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

• What can you do this week to become more fired up about your relationship with God?
• What can you do this week to share the warmth of Christ with someone?

SCRIPTURE

• Revelation 3:15-16 – “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot”. “Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth”
• 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) – “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

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Youth Ministry Object Lesson - An Overflowing Cup

“My cup runs over.” A cup is used quite often in the Bible to represent a person’s fate, a person’s destiny. The cup could be one of blessing or of judgement. Is your cup empty? Half full? Overflowing? In a place where water was scarce an overflowing cup implied abundance. This weeks lesson is great for summer in that the youth will get a little wet while learning about what is means to be filled to overflowing with the blessings of God.

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Games Using Water and Cups

• Filler Up – Divide the youth into pairs. Partners stand six feet apart. One person gets a cup with a ping-pong ball in it and the other a water gun. At you signal, those with the water pistol must race to squirt enough water into the cup to make the pin-pong ball float. Keep a bucket of water nearby for easy refills.
• Bottle Fill Relay – Each team appoints one member to lie face up with head toward the starting line, holding an empty pop bottle on his or her head. One member from each team fills a cup (made of nonbendable material) with water, runs to the bottle, and pours in water until it is gone. He or she then runs back, and the next contestant runs out with a cup of water as soon as the first player crosses the starting line.
• Water Cup Derby – Divide into teams. Each team member will fill a cup with water from a shared water bucket, put it over their head and run to a team soda bottle (or bucket) and poor it in. The team that finishes first gets 5 points, but the team that has the most water in the bucket gets 10.
• Leaky Cup Relay – Give each team a plastic cup or sturdy paper cup with holes punched in it. The first person on a team fills it up and passes the leaking cup over his or her head. The person who receives it must pass it under his or her legs to the next person – Over, under, over, under and it reaches the end of the line. At the end of the line, the last youth must run and dump any water that is left in the cup into a 5 gallon bucket and then run to the front of the line. After a given time, whomever has the most water in their 5 gallon bucket wins.
• Jumping Water Splash – Give each youth a plastic or paper cup full of water. While two players twirl a large jump rope, jumpers one by one are to attempt three consecutive jumps. They are to do this while holding onto their cup of water and trying to do let any water spill. The youth that has the most water left is the winner. You can keep playing until only one person has water left in their cup.
• Gargling Charades – This is kind of like charades, but each youth is given a cup of water and must use the water to gargle a given Christian Song while their teammates try to guess the title of the song.
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TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

• What is the purpose of a cup?
• When the Bible talks bout filling our Cup, what does the cup represent?
• With what does God fill our cup?
• Did you trust your team mates to try to aim only for the cup, or were you worried they’d “accidentally” miss? What role does trust play when we come to God asking our cup to be filled?
• Was there a trade-off between trying to be quick vs trying to be accurate? How might this apply spiritually?
• What happened when your cup was emptied?
• What is the meaning of the phrase “My cup runs over”?
• Why is a clean cup important?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

• What are some things youth try to fill the emptiness in their lives with?
• What are some things that youth try to quench their thirsts with in life?
• Are there some things dirty a person’s cup?
• What is the solution for a leaky cup?
• Why does God fill our cup to overflowing?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

• What is it that fills your cup?
• What things are most important to you?
• How do you spend all your time?
• What activities fill your day?
• Are you a clean vessel waiting to be filled?
• What changes do you need to make so that your life overflows with the blessings of God?

SCRIPTURE

• Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
• Acts 14:17 – “Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
• Ephesians 5:18 – “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit”
• Psalm 42:1-2 – “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?”
• Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
• John 4:13-14 – “Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.'”
• Revelation 7:16-17 – “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes.”
• Psalm 63:1 – “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
• Psalm 116:13 – “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.”
• Luke 1:53 – “He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.”
• Psalm 23 – “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

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