Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Youth Ideas: Daffynitions

Introduction
Next time you have a lesson on a difficult theological concept, distribute a list of words for which kids are unlikely to know the exact definitions:

Examples
atheism, atonement, beatitude, covenant, eschatology, Eucharist, predestination, gnosticism, grace, justification, meek, propitiation, repentance, sanctification, supplication, transfiguration, etc.

Activity

  1. Have each student define the words, one word at time on a small piece of paper. They must write their name, the word, and then the definition. Participants can write phony definitions when they don't know the real definitions, but the phony ones should sound as realistic as possible to score points.
  2. Collect all the definitions. Also have one prepared for each with the correct definition for comparison.
  3. Read the various definitions out loud.
  4. After you read the definitions, let students vote for what they think is the closest to the real definition-one vote per student.
  5. Add up the votes, reveal the real definition, and then award points as follows:
    • Kids who write correct definitions earn five points for each one.
    • Kids whose phony definitions receive the most votes earn five points per vote.

You can also allow the students to discuss the various definitions and which one is the closes to the true definition and why. Its a great activity to promote discussion.

NOTE
If your group is so large that it is hard to keep track of definitions, create smaller groups.

Variation
Instead of using a definition of a word, do the same thing with Bible teachings. Just ask students to write: "What the Bible teaches about: " Use any Biblical concept. Play it the same way.


Visit our page for more Youth Bible Studies at Youth Ideas

Sermons for Youth: Circle of Love

Materials
* Tennis ball (small ball)
* newsprint and a marker.
* A Bible.

Activity
1. Form kids into circles of 10-20 people.
2. Ask each group to sit in a circle.
3. Explain that you're going to toss the ball to someone across the circle.
4. The receiver is to pick out another person across the circle that has not received the ball yet and toss the ball to him or her.
5. Continue tossing until everyone in the circle has had a chance to catch and toss the ball.
6. Repeat the pattern, catching and tossing to the same people as before. But this time, ask kids to each say one thing they really "love" (basketball, skateboarding, trench fries, movies, and so on) before they toss the ball to someone else.
7. On the third round, repeat the catch-and-toss pattern, this time asking kids to each say one thing they really love about the person they're tossing the ball to (this will probably be much harder than the previous round).

Debrief
* How did you feel when someone told you something he or she loved about you?
* Why is it easier to talk about things we love than about what we love in others?
* What's one thing we can do in our group to show we love each other?
* Write the answers to the last question on newsprint. Then vote on the best idea and do it at each class.


Visit our page for more Youth Bible Studies at Youth Ideas

Sermons for Youth: Candy String Race

Materials
String and a piece of candy for each two persons. (Polo mints with the hole in the center works well.)

Activity
Have two contestants face each other. Have a long piece of string with a candy of some sort tied to the exact middle. Put each end in a contestants mouth. Say go and the contestants will pull the string into their mouth and move their way toward the center of the string to get the candy. The person who gets the candy in their mouth the first is the winner.

Application
Paul wanted the Philippians to know that being first, or getting possessions and things, was no longer important to him. Winning was also not important. He was willing to lose everything if he could have Jesus. His only concern was Jesus. In the game, the candy was in the center of the string. But it wasn't titles or accomplishments that Paul focused on for the center of his life. He wanted Jesus to became the center of his life. (Philippians 3:4-9)


Visit our page for more Youth Bible Studies at Youth Ideas

Youth Bible Studies: Blind Guide

Materials
Blindfolds for 3 or four youth/ children

Activity
Choose 3 or 4 volunteers and blindfold them. Then divide the group into two teams for each volunteer. The objective of one team is to direct the blindfolded person through an obstacle course you have created while the objective of the other opponent's team is to lead the blind-folded person astray. The Blindfolded person will not know which team to trust... If the blindfolded person completes course, the team leading him wins; if he is led astray the distraction team wins.

Application
1. Sometimes in life, the right path is difficult to see and even more difficult to follow
2. We need to learn to differentiate the voices around us so we can make wise decisions


Visit our page for more Sermons for Youth at Youth Ideas

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Easter Collection eBook from Creative Youth Ideas


ANNOUNCING
The Creative Youth Ideas Easter Collection
(Digital eBook)

I've recently launched a new Easter ebook with all the best Easter ideas (80+ ideas) and more from my main website at www.CreativeYouthIdeas.com

You can order the book at
www.CreativeEasterIdeas.com

There are Easter Games and Icebreakers,
Easter Children's Sermons and Object Lessons,
Easter Devotionals and Illustrations,
Easter Jokes and MORE!!!!

They are great for your next Easter Party, Good Friday event!
Fun for Children, youth, and Adults!

To find out more Visit
www.CreativeEasterIdeas.com

Ken

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

New eBook published with 52 of the world's most popular icebreakers!

Singapore – August 29, 2007 – A new eBook, found at http://www.creativeicebreakers.com, not only provides 52 of the most popular group icebreaker activities, but also includes lesson ideas and questions to smoothly transition into discussions about issues common to most groups.

There are a lot of icebreaker books on the market, but this one is DIFFERENT!

The book was written in response to common complaints heard in team meetings, training events, youth meetings, and other venues where icebreakers are often used with participants. "Why do we have to endure meaningless icebreakers? We've played this so many times before! They’re just for fun and that’s it. They don’t teach anything or have any deeper meaning!"

The authors respond: "We’ve seen those icebreakers in books too. They have the title, they list the materials needed, the duration of the game, and the instructions BUT… they have no application. Icebreakers are supposed to be great lead-ins to the topic you want to teach or discuss aren’t they? So why do these other icebreaker books leave you hanging? That’s what we wondered also. That’s why every one of our icebreakers come with discussion questions and applications for you to take the activity "to the next level.""

The application for each icebreaker is generic enough that you can use it in any setting, not just for a youth group, but also for company events, training, and other types of get togethers. They flow right into discussions that touch on universal issues that youth and adults around the world face. Topics include: attitudes, diversity, personality, change, dreams, priorities, character, emotions, purpose, communication, friendship, relationships, conflict management, goals, responsibility, courage, identity, teamwork, decision making, leadership, values, discipline, perseverance, vision, AND MANY MORE!

There are a lot of benefits to having a collection of proven icebreakers for use with a group. Icebreakers are a great way to set the tone for any class or meeting. With icebreakers you automatically encourage and increase classroom participation. They are also great motivators! Icebreakers work to create a more relaxed learning environment. They are great energizers - sometimes it is just a good idea to shake things up a bit, especially in the middle of the meeting when feet begin to tap, pencils begin to doodle, and eyelids begin to droop. Of course, as previously mentioned, icebreakers can be great topic lead-ins to discussions that help to identify group and individual goals and objectives. They also help bring groups toward meaningful interaction and group building.

The writers, Ken Sapp and Joshua Goh, are veteran youth workers with more than 30 years of experience in working with youth. Ken also leads workshops in a "personal development" focused e-learning company and is often involved with facilitating training events with adults. Both authors know what it is like to spend tons of time and cash on group resources that simply don’t cut it. It was because of this difficulty of finding great resources that they began to compile a list of the most popular icebreakers they had discovered while working with groups from many different cultures around the world.

They have organized a ton of youth events from large scale to small group settings and collected the icebreakers that the youth WANTED and ASKED to play. "We didn’t just pick these icebreakers out of someone else’s book or pull them off websites. We’ve personally used, tweaked and perfected each and every one of these icebreakers! What's more, our youth love them too."

Not all the icebreakers are 100% original, BUT all of them have been modified through their many years of experience and feedback from youth groups they have led around the world. You’ll find they’ve also included with the icebreakers a list of variations so that you can use an icebreaker your group has played before but add the variation to give it a new twist. The possibilities are endless!

These icebreakers can be used, not only for youth groups, but for schools, company meetings, family gatherings, community events, and social clubs. Try these icebreakers out for parties, on company retreats, family get-togethers, the first day of school, high school reunions, team building events, and more! Whatever the occasion, you'll probably find an icebreaker in here appropriate to it. Included are icebreaker games, get to know you questions, icebreaker discussion questions, energizers, and wacky activities from mild to wild! Simplify them and these icebreakers are great for children. Add a little depth and they are a delight to the most sophisticated adults!

For more information on "Icebreakers Ahead: Take it to the Next Level" visit http://www.creativeicebreakers.com

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Did Jesus Use Icebreakers?

How can you "break the ice" with a youth who is a total stranger and guide the discussion from an awkward silence into a meaningful conversation?

Jesus often got people talking with his first question and then was able to guide the discussion so that it developed into a meaningful conversation about a life-changing topic!

He met people where they were--whether they were drawing water, fishing, collecting taxes, watching him from a treetop, or worshiping God in the Temple in Jerusalem.

But Jesus was never content to leave them where they were.
His objective was always a changed life!

Remember the Woman at the well... A simple request for a drink led to a meaningful discussion on "living water" that transformed a village.

Zacheus was simply hoping to get a glimpse of Jesus but instead got to talk to him at his own dinner table in a conversation that not only changed his life, but reached out to the lives of many sinners!

Christ's first words to Nicodemus, a religious scholar, were a conundrum, a puzzle that left him searching. And that search seemingly reached its conclusion when Nicodemus took a bold step of faith, along with Joseph of Arimathea, and asked for the body of Christ after the Crucifixion.

The gospels are filled with the stories
of people who encountered Christ and then
their personal stories would be forever changed!

In encounter after encounter... Jesus not only broke the ice, but he left a lasting impact on the lives of the people he spoke with!

Sometimes Jesus used questions to break the ice. But on other occasions he use everyday objects, shared experiences, stories, and even crises to break the ice and open up the way to life changing spiritual discussions.

He asked people to share their opinions,
challenged their assumptions,
and asked them to find solutions.

He constantly invited others to join him in experiences
and used those common experiences
to bring out life changing spiritual truths.

Fresh experiences often served as living parables.

It's easy to relate to the feelings, thoughts, and experiences when you have just experienced them. Then it is only a short little jump to deeper truths and understanding.

The "here and now" becomes a springboard
to the distant future,
to choices and consequences.
A small controlled simulation
becomes a safe crucible
to test the consequences of real life decisions.

In the same way today, games, challenges, and contrived situations can generate discussions and expose the same deep set beliefs, attitudes, and values as real life situations and events.

How you play the game
is a reflection of who you are
and how you deal with life!

But in all things Jesus always had a purpose.
He broke the ice,
and later his own body would be broken,
so that broken lives could be mended.

Learn how you also can "break the ice"
and make a lasting impact in the lives of youth!

I've specially prepared 52 of my best icebreakers of all time!
(That's a full year of icebreakers - one a week!)

And like Christ's encounters with strangers they are icebreakers with a purpose.

Each one includes debriefs and meaningful discussion questions that engage youths to deal with real life issues.

Check out my new book: "Icebreaker's Ahead: Take It to the Next Level"

Simply visit
http://www.CreativeIcebreakers.com