Object Lesson - A Christian Superbowl Challenge

Use this Super Bowl themed game with youth as an introduction to the idea of the game of football as a metaphor for living the victorious Christian life.

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What You Need

• Newsprint or long strip of paper – Classified ads work great
• A marker for writing on the paper
• Football themed decorations

 
Preparation

Create a miniature football field in the center of the room.

• Cut some newsprint into 11 long strips 3 or four inches wide (small print classified ads work best. Cut from a double newspaper spread so that you get the longest strips possible.)
• You can usually use wide masking tape to replace the paper strips, but be sure to check it first to make sure it does no damage on carpet or floor tiles.
• In the center of each strip of paper or stretch of masking tape, label the yard lines. You should have one strip for each of the following:

—– GOAL —–
—– 10 —–
—– 20 —–
—– 30 —–
—– 40 —–
—– 50 —–
—– 40 —–
—– 30 —–
—– 20 —–
—– 10 —–
—– GOAL —–

• Lay the strips of paper out on the floor to create a miniature football field as shown above.

Create a football

• Cut a brown paper bag, or piece of brown cardboard into the shape of a football. Use a marker to draw the laces onto the football shape so it looks more like a football.

• You can also use a small football easily found in a toy store. They are usually about the size of a large orange.

 
What to do
 
Bible Quiz

1. Choose a quiz of at least 50 questions. It can be questions from recent Bible lessons or simply Bible Trivia.
2. Split the youth into two different teams and sit them on opposite at opposite ends of the football field.
3. Flip a coin to see which team plays first
4. Start off on the 50 yard line
5. Each “Play” involves asking a youth from the team a question to be answered. You may wish to limit each youth on the team to answering only one question to insure that all youth participate.
6. A correct answer advances the team 10 yards. An incorrect answer causes the team to lose 5 yards. If the student is unsure of the answer they may “pass” to another player on the team that has not answered a question yet. One pass per question is allowed.
7. The winner is the first team to reach the opponent’s endzone (A touchdown). If the game is taking too long, the team closest to the endzone wins.
8. For more fun, decorate the room with football logos and come dresses as the referee with a whistle.

 
VARIATIONS

Instead of a quiz you could use the following ideas:

• Football Charades

 Place a bunch of football related words on folded slips of paper and put them in a bowl. Divide into two teams. A player from the team pics a slip from the bowl, takes a peak at it, then must act out the word for his or her team. If the team hasn’t guessed the word in one minute, the opposing team can make one guess and try to steal the ball. When a charade is correctly guessed the team advances 5 yards. There is an attached list of Superbowl / Football related words you can use for the Charades. Get more details on how to play charades here
You can also play charades using the names of various football teams. You can find some of the football teams here

• Forbidden Word

Divide into two teams and Every time someone from the opposing team says the word football the ball is advanced for your team.
 
Football terms (for Charades)

AFL, announcer, arm guard, arm pad, artificial turf, assistant coach, astroturf, audible, back, backfield, ball boy, ballcarrier, bench, blitz, block, bomb, bowl game, carries, center, cheerleader, chest protector, cleats, clipping, clock, clothesline, coach, coin toss, completion, conferences, cornerback, count, cup, dead ball, defense, defensive back, defensive end, defensive halfback, defensive holding, defensive line, defensive lineman, defensive tackle, delay of game, dime back, double team, down, draft, draw, drive, drop kick, elbow pad, eleven, eligible receiver, end, end zone, extra point, face guard, face mask, fair catch, fake, false start, fan, field, field goal, field of play, field position, first and ten, first down, flag, flanker, football, football helmet, football player, football tee, formation, forward pass, foul, four-point stance, free kick, free safety, freeze, fullback, fumble, goal line, goalpost, gridiron, grounding, guard, hail mary, half time, halfback, handoff, hang time, hash marks, head coach, Heisman trophy, hike, hip pad, holding, home-field advantage, huddle, i formation, illegal motion, incomplete pass, instant replay, intentional grounding, interception, interference, jersey, kick, kick return, kicker, kickoff, knee pad, laces, lateral pass, line, line judge, line of scrimmage, linebacker, lineman, live ball, lob, loose ball, man-to-man coverage, mascot, middle guard, midfield, NFL, nickel back, nose guard, nose tackle, off sides, off-season, offense, offensive backfield, offensive holding, offensive line, officials, offside, onside kick, open receiver, overtime, pass, pass defender, pass interference, pass pattern, pass protection, passing game, penalty, personal foul, pick, pigskin, piling on, pistol formation, placekick, placekicker, play, play clock, playbook, playoffs, point spread, possession, post-season, preseason, punt, punt return, punter, quarter, quarterback, quarterback sneak, receiver, reception, red flag, redshirt, referee, regular season, return, reverse, roll, rookie, roster, roughing the kicker, roughing the passer, running back, running game, running into the kicker, rush, rushing, sack, safety, score, scramble, screen, screen pass, scrimmage, scrimmage line, season, set, shotgun, shoulder pad, sideline, snap, special teams, spike, spiral, split end, spot, stadium, stance, starter, steal, stiff arm, straight arm, strong safety, substitution, super bowl, sweep, t-formation, tackle, tailback, take a knee, TD, team, thigh pad, three-point conversion, three-point stance, tie, tight end, time out, too many men on the field, touchback, touchdown, trap, trick play, turnover, umpire, uniforms, unnecessary roughness, unsportsmanlike conduct, uprights, wide receiver, wing back, wishbone, formation, wrist pad, yard line, yellow flag
 
TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

DISCUSSION

• How much do you know about football? Whos the football expert?
• Do you have to know everything about the game to enjoy the football game?
• Are there people who dont really care about football but get caught up in the excitement of the event? Why?
• Do you need to know everything about the team players to enjoy the game?
• What is it about the superbowl that gets people excited?
• Are you as excited about God as you are about the Superbowl? Why or why not?

 
MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

• Equipment – Ephesians 6:10-18 – In football terms, Paul, the team coach gives his team a pre-game pep talk, reminding them to put on their gear – the hip pads of truth, shoulder pads of righteousness, cleats of preparation, the face mask of faith, the helmet of salvation, and play according to the rules of the Playbook.” Then they have a team huddle to seek perseverance and strength to achieve victory over their opponent.
• Fans – Some people are in the game and others are simply watching. Some are wearing the uniform, merely to be seen by others, but not on the field. They are watching, yet not doing. (James 1:22; Matthew 23:1-25)
• Rules – We must compete according to the rules so that we are not disqualified for the prize (2 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:3-4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 10:23)
• Goals – Philippians 3:14 – Press on toward the Goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward.
• Perseverance – James 1:2-4 – You’ll go up against many tests and when you persevere through these tests you will emerge victorious. (Ephesians 6:13; Hebrews 10:36)
• Cheering – We must cheer one another on. (I Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:23-25; Hebrews 12:1-2)
• The Clock is ticking down – Are you ready? Make the most of your time. (Ephesians 5:15-16; Colossians 4:5-6; 1 Corinthians 9:26-27; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Timothy 4:2)

For more in depth scriptural applications check out last year’s superbowl lesson here:
 
MAKE IT PRACTICAL

• In what ways is the church (or this group) similar to a football team?

(We are united as a team, we have a goal (the great commission), we work together to achieve a goal, there is opposition, sometimes unexpected things happen, sometimes we fumble in our tasks, sometimes we gain ground, while other times we lose ground, We have a coach (God), sometimes we have to defend against the opposition, time is short, there are people watching us (spectators), not everyone plays fair, there are penalties for mistakes, we must wear protective gear (armor of God), we have different positions on the team, there are people who are playing and there are people on the sidelines, we need a game plan, etc.)
 
MAKE IT PERSONAL

• Are you part of the team (A Christian?) Why or why not?
• If you are, what is your position(role) in the team?
• Are you on the sidelines or playing the game?
• Are you a team player?
• Are you focused on the goal?
• What can you begin doing to help the team more effectively overcome the opposition and achieve the goals ahead?

 
SCRIPTURE

1 Corinthians 1:25-27

“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.”

Object Lesson - Marshmallow Olympics

Use marshmallows as an object lesson and tie it in to a well known Harvard study on delayed gratification and success. Waiting on God is a Biblical concept and something all youth need to learn. Patience in relationships, in sexuality, in simply growing up.

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Make Marshmallow shooters
 
What You Need

• 9 oz plastic cups
• 12 inch balloons
• LOTS OF marshmallows
• scissors
• Duct Tape

Preparation

1. Place two plastic cups together, one inside of the other, and then use a piece of duct tape around the top opening to secure them together and fold over the edge. Cut off the bottom one third so that both ends are now open. You might want to use the tape to also fold over the bottom end and secure the cups together. (You can also use empty yogurt containers instead of plastic cups)
2. Tie off one uninflated balloon and cut off a strip from the opposite end.
3. Stretch the balloon over the bigger end of the cup.
4. Place a marshmallow inside the cup on the knotted center, pull back on the outer knot, and the marshmallow flies out of the end in the direction you aim it.

Caution – Do this outdoors or in an uncluttered room where it is easy to locate all the marshmallows otherwise they can attract unwanted crawly critters.

What to do

With the marshmallow launcher you can:

•  

• See who can launch a marshmallow the farthest
• Try to launch them into the mouth of a teammate across the room
• Play target practice with a stack of marshmallows
• Launch a marshmallow up in the air while a teammate runs around and tries to catch it in a bucket
• launch marshmallows into a trash can or bonfire.
• Play a game of dodgeball with marshmallow launchers

Other marshmallow games

•  

• Long-Distance Marshmallow Toss – Youth face a partner and then toss a marshmallow to the partner. With every successful catch they both take a step backwards and try again. If dropped the pair is removed. Continue until one pair survives the toss for the longest distance.
• MarshmallowShotput – Who can toss a marshmallow the longest distance.
• Marshmallow Juggle – See which youth can successfully juggle the most marshmallows
• Marshmallow Lick – Each youth on a team licks a marshmallow, sticks it to their forehead, and run to the finish line and back, to tag the next person until everyone on the team has done it. If the marshmallow falls they must stop, lick it and stick it back on, before continuing.
• Marshmallow Mind Meld – Put a marshmallow between two people’s foreheads and race to the finish line.
• Marshmallow Porcupines – Each youth holds a toothpick in their teeth and they must stab a marshmallow with the toothpick and pass it down the row of youth leaving the toothpicks stuck in the marshmallow as it moves to the end of the line. First team to pass the marshmallow to the end wins. No hands allowed. Alternatively the marshmallow with the most toothpicks in it at the end wins.
• Marshmallow Pyramid – Build the highest pyramid of marshmallows. Make it tougher by having them build it on a teen’s forehead. Who can balance the most marshmallows on nose?
• Marshmallow Vacuum – Using straws teams of youth must suck up the most marshmallows and place them in cups. No hands allowed.
• Marshmallow Walk – Youth balance a marshmallow on top of their head, tongue or nose, as they walk to a finish line and back. (If tongue have some replacements available in case they drop)
• Tallest Marshmallow Tower – Marshmallows must be stacked one on top of the other – straight up without it falling over. Each marshmallow may rest on only one marshmallow below it.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

More than fifty years ago, researchers at Stanford University conducted a study on preschoolers commonly known as the “Marshmallow test.” They were taken into a room and given a marshmallow and told that if they could wait 15 minutes, they would get a second marshmallow. If they ate the marshmallow, they would not get the second one. They then left the child alone in the room with a marshmallow and a hidden camera and waited. Only about 1/3 were willing to wait. In the following years they checked up on the kids as the became adults and progressed in life. Those that were able to wait, that were able to “delay gratification” were on a whole also able to be much more successful in life.

There are quite a few repeats of the experiment on youtube. Here is one of them:
Marshmallow test on Youtube

• There were three types of kids in the study:
• Those who waited patiently – delayed gratification
• Those who ate it either immediately or after some time
• Those who tried to get as close to eating it as possible without really taking an actual bite? (Licked it, nibbled on it, hollowed it out and hoped no one noticed)

In the Harvard studies, kids who waited:

• had higher SAT scores
• got more education
• less likely to be overweight.

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL
Name some examples of people in the Bible who needed to wait on God to fulfil something he promised to them? (Hebrews 11:1-40) – Take note of the last sentence.
(There are many, many Bible characters who had to wait many years for something that God had promised – Abraham, Moses, Joseph in captivity, the Israelites in the desert, etc.)

Spiritual Truths

•  

• Waiting on God isn’t easy, but it is worth it!
• God’s answer will come in His perfect timing.
• God’s answer may not be what you were hoping for.
• God’s answers and timing are always better.
• Waiting, patience, and perseverance are one of the keys to life.
• Remember that when God aks you to wait, something better is coming.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

• Have the youth make a list of challenges that today’s teens face that require them to wait. What are the struggles, the difficulties, the tests that force teens to wait?
• After youth have listed their challenges on a large sheet of paper, ask:
• What makes waiting for these these things challenging?
• What makes it easier to wait?
• How does experience with God change the way a person waits for things?
• How could your relationship with God help you handle the times when you need to wait on him?
• Ask volunteers among the youth to share personal testimonies of how they have benefitted from waiting on God for something?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

• Have youth write down something they have been waiting for God to answer and continue to trust him for it looking ahead.

 

SCRIPTURES

•  

• Hebrews 11:39-40 “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
• Isaiah 40:30-31 “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
• Psalm 40:1-2 “I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”
• James 5:11 “As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”
• Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
• Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”

Youth Ideas - Popcorn Christians

Popcorn is a seed that is hard and tasteless, until placed in the fire. And then the white goodness on the inside comes out for us to not only smell the aroma, but also to taste. It’s a powerful object lesson and metaphor for Christ working in us and drawing others to himself through as as Christians.


What You Need

• Lots of popped Popcorn
• Some unpopped popcorn
• There are several games below that may require additional materials such as drinking straws, cups, blindfolds, and a spoon.

Preparation
Pop some popcorn, preferably in the room in which you have the meeting, so the smell of popcorn permeates the room before the youth arrive.


Popcorn Games

• Popcorn Race: Using a drinking straw, the youth must blow a popped kernel of popcorn across a table. First to blow it from one end to the other wins.
• Popcorn Catcher: You must stand on a chair and dropped popped kernels of popcorn into a cup. The person with the most kernels in the cup when time is up wins.
• Popcorn Toss: Each youth tries to throw a piece of popcorn as far as possible. The farthest throw wins.
• Popcorn Collector: Each youth is blindfolded, given a metal spoon, and placed in from of a large bowl of popcorn. They must also hold a bowl or cup on top of their head. In the time given they youth compete by using the spoon to scoop popcorn into the cups on their heads while everyone else watches. Many times, they will deliver empty spoons to their heads and many times they will miss the cup. When time is up, the youth with the most kernels of popcorn in the cup wins.
• Popcorn on the fire: Play a game in which two teams simulate being popcorn in a pan. Explain that in the activity, everyone on a team sits on the floor and each is a piece of popcorn. The floor is a big pan on the fire. As the pan begins to heat, some kernels of corn begin to pop. A youth pops by jumping up, clapping their hands together, and saying “Pop”. Usually popcorn begins to gradually pop and builds up to become very active and loud and then eventually stops. The team that best demonstrates the making of popcorn gets a prize.

Enjoy some Popcorn
Finish off by sharing popcorn for all the youth to enjoy. First offer the un-popped kernels and then when the youth refuse, pass around the popped popcorn.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

DEBRIEF

• Ask the youth to tell you everything they know about popcorn.
• Ask the youth to tell you the way they have experienced popcorn in the meeting

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

• How is a kernel of popcorn similar to a person’s heart?
• What are some lessons and truths we can learn from a kernel of popcorn?
• What are some of the things that heat up our situations and cause us to respond?

Touch Points

• The seeds start as hard and tasteless, can’t be digested
• When heated, some respond, but some do not.
• At some point, a change occurs, and all the potential inside the kernel is released.
  • Some remain hard and tasteless and may even burn
  • Others, the sweet inside is exposed and can be enjoyed
  • We not only taste it, but there is also a pleasant aroma that attracts people
• Everything comes from inside the kernel
• Most people love the smell of popcorn. One small bag fills the room. with the smell. Another word for smell is aroma. God compares us to an aroma. We experience it from a distance. It attracts us. We want it. We want to taste it for ourselves. In the same way, We must live our lives in such a way that Christ in us, is noticed by others, and they want to experience Christ for themselves.
• Human hearts can either be like a hard kernel or the soft, fluffy, fragrant popcorn.
• God places us in the heat – circumstances so our hearts can open up (Visually express this by changing a clenched fist to an open hand)

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

• How do circumstances change us? Why does God allow difficult circumstances? See James 1:2-4 and Romans 5:3-5
• In what ways are Christians an aroma of Christ?
• What are some actions, attitudes, mindsets, and other characteristics of Christians and their relationship with Christ that are attractive to the lost?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

• Would you consider your heart hard and tightly closed up, or soft and open?
• What are some of the circumstances God has used in your own life to bring about a pleasant change in your life?
• If you were to do a self test on your life as a Christian, what would it reveal? Does your life express an aroma of Christ?
• What can you personally do this week that will serve like a pleasant aroma to draw others to Christ and want to experience Christ for themselves?

Scriptures

• Matthew 12:35 – “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”
• Luke 6:45 – “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
• Matthew 15:11 – “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
• Matthew 15:16-20 – “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
• James 1:2-4 – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
• Romans 5:3-5 – “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
• Romans 8:18 – “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
• 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 – “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?”

Youth Ideas - A New Year - New Priorities

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

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What You Need

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

Preparation

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

What to Do

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

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Read Matthew 4:1-10

• How does this passage relate to the posters in the corners of the room?
• Which poster represents each of the temptations?
• How did Christs understanding of his purpose in life reflect his priorities?

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

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

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

MAKE IT PERSONAL

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

————————————————–
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES
————————————————–

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

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

Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

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

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

Icebreakers - Christmas: Across the Line

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

Energy level: Medium

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

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

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

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

Here’s a list of ideas

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

What to Do

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

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

Breaking into Groups

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

Take It to the Next Level
General discussion questions:

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

Take It Spiritual

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

Action Point

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

 

Icebreakers - Thanksgiving Connections

Thanksgiving is an American Holiday when people come together, treasure the relationships with those close to them, and thank God for his blessings over the past year. While the New Year celebrates new opportunities and a chance to start over, Thanksgiving reminds us how far we have come and how God and others have helped us to get where we are. This Thanksgiving Activity encourages youth to remember things for which they are thankful and also reminds us that we are also connect to those around us and need to be thankful for them as well. Being Thankful isn’t just for Americans and Canadians. It’s something all of us should take time to do! PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA ON FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE What You Need

• Ball of string or yarn

What to do

1. Sit the youth group on the floor in a circle with everyone facing inward toward the center of the circle.
2. Ask the youth to think about the past one year. What have been some of the best times, the highlights, the celebrations? What are some things from the past year that they are thankful for? Give them a few moments to think and then ask them all to think of one thing each and to hold it in their thoughts.
3. Then choose one youth to begin and hand them the ball of string. The chosen youth must tell everyone in the circle ONE THING they are thankful for.
4. Then, holding firmly to the end of the string, he or she must toss the ball of string to someone else in the circle who has not yet received the string.
5. The person receiving the string gives ONE THING he or she is thankful and does the same — holding firmly onto the string, he or she tosses the ball on to another person who has not received it yet.
6. The string should be held tightly and above the ground at all times.
7. Continue until everyone has received the string once and has told the group one thing they are thankful for.

VARIATION: In addition to the one thing they are thankful for, have youth to think about one person in the circle they are thankful for and one characteristic of that person that they appreciate. For example: “I am thankful for my family and I am also thankful for Bob, because he makes me laugh all the time.”

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Just as in this game, many of the blessings of the past year are shared and connect us together. When one person is blessed, the joy is shared and we often bless others as a result. Smiles are contagious. Joy is shared. And a heart of gratitude reminds not only us, but others of the source of our blessings which is God. There are a lot of things in life to be thankful for. James 1:17 reminds us “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Ephesians 1:3 reminds us “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”

• What are some of the other things you are thankful for from the past one year?
• What are some of the things you have been blessed with in the past 1 year?
• What are you most thankful for? Why?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL Read Psalm 145:1-21 This psalm gives many reasons we should praise God and be thankful to Him. Some of those things listed describe who God is, what he is like. Others describe what he has done or will do. List all the reasons to thank God and praise Him as found in this psalm.

• Why should we be thankful to God and praise Him?
• What are some of the things that will happen when we praise God according to this psalm?
• What does thanksgiving do for us? How does our thanks affect others?

Read Psalm 95:1-7a “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”

• What reasons do these verses give for being thankful and singing for Joy to God?
• Why should these things make us thankful?
• What are some practical benefits of each?

Read Psalm 100 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

• In psalm 100, what are the 6 reasons given to be thankful to God and to praise Him?
• Who does the psalm say should be thankful?
• Which of the 6 reasons makes you most thankful?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

• What lessons can we learn about Thanksgiving and Gratitude from these Bible passages?
• Why should we be more thankful each day of our lives, and not just once a year?
• What effect could it have on us and others if we always had a grateful heart?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

• How can you be a more grateful person with God and others?
• Take some time in prayer to thank God for his blessings over the past year.
• This week, set aside some time each day to thank God for all the blessings in your life.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE Ephesians 5:19-21 “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

Object Lesson - Chopsticks Christian Living

Thanksgiving is an American Holiday when people come together, treasure the relationships with those close to them, and thank God for his blessings over the past year. While the New Year celebrates new opportunities and a chance to start over, Thanksgiving reminds us how far we have come and how God and others have helped us to get where we are.
This Thanksgiving Activity encourages youth to remember things for which they are thankful and also reminds us that we are also connect to those around us and need to be thankful for them as well. Being Thankful isn’t just for Americans and Canadians. It’s something all of us should take time to do!

PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA ON FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE

What You Need

• Ball of string or yarn

What to do

1. Sit the youth group on the floor in a circle with everyone facing inward toward the center of the circle.
2. Ask the youth to think about the past one year. What have been some of the best times, the highlights, the celebrations? What are some things from the past year that they are thankful for? Give them a few moments to think and then ask them all to think of one thing each and to hold it in their thoughts.
3. Then choose one youth to begin and hand them the ball of string. The chosen youth must tell everyone in the circle ONE THING they are thankful for.
4. Then, holding firmly to the end of the string, he or she must toss the ball of string to someone else in the circle who has not yet received the string.
5. The person receiving the string gives ONE THING he or she is thankful and does the same — holding firmly onto the string, he or she tosses the ball on to another person who has not received it yet.
6. The string should be held tightly and above the ground at all times.
7. Continue until everyone has received the string once and has told the group one thing they are thankful for.

VARIATION: In addition to the one thing they are thankful for, have youth to think about one person in the circle they are thankful for and one characteristic of that person that they appreciate. For example: “I am thankful for my family and I am also thankful for Bob, because he makes me laugh all the time.”

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Just as in this game, many of the blessings of the past year are shared and connect us together. When one person is blessed, the joy is shared and we often bless others as a result. Smiles are contagious. Joy is shared. And a heart of gratitude reminds not only us, but others of the source of our blessings which is God.
There are a lot of things in life to be thankful for. James 1:17 reminds us “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Ephesians 1:3 reminds us “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”

• What are some of the other things you are thankful for from the past one year?
• What are some of the things you have been blessed with in the past 1 year?
• What are you most thankful for? Why?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Read Psalm 145:1-21
This psalm gives many reasons we should praise God and be thankful to Him. Some of those things listed describe who God is, what he is like. Others describe what he has done or will do. List all the reasons to thank God and praise Him as found in this psalm.

• Why should we be thankful to God and praise Him?
• What are some of the things that will happen when we praise God according to this psalm?
• What does thanksgiving do for us? How does our thanks affect others?

Read Psalm 95:1-7a
“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”

• What reasons do these verses give for being thankful and singing for Joy to God?
• Why should these things make us thankful?
• What are some practical benefits of each?

Read Psalm 100
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

• In psalm 100, what are the 6 reasons given to be thankful to God and to praise Him?
• Who does the psalm say should be thankful?
• Which of the 6 reasons makes you most thankful?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

• What lessons can we learn about Thanksgiving and Gratitude from these Bible passages?
• Why should we be more thankful each day of our lives, and not just once a year?
• What effect could it have on us and others if we always had a grateful heart?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

• How can you be a more grateful person with God and others?
• Take some time in prayer to thank God for his blessings over the past year.
• This week, set aside some time each day to thank God for all the blessings in your life.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE

Ephesians 5:19-21 “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

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

Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

2 Corinthians 9:10-11 “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”