Youth Ideas: Valentines Wink’em
This is a classic Valentine’s Day game where the objective is for the girls to catch a guy or vice versa!
Youth Ideas: Valentine’s Day True or False
Can you separate the Valentine’s Day related facts from the fiction?
Youth Ideas: Valentine’s Day Candy Charades
Play a game of charades using candy conversation hearts as the messages.
Youth Ideas: Valentine’s Day ‘Honey, if You Love Me’
Can you get someone of the opposite sex to smile?
Youth Ideas: Valentine Candy Teams
Use Valentine candy hearts as a crowbreaker to break your group into teams.
Youth Ideas: Love Is
Use this creative teaching idea as an introduction to a lesson on love or for Valentine's Day
Youth Ideas: Love Birds on a Perch
This is a high energy elimination game for Valentine's Day where one couple is eliminated from play each round until there is only one couple left.
Youth Ideas: Cinderella’s Valentine
Each blind-folded prince must follow the directions of his Cinderella to return her shoe to her.
Youth Ideas: Fractured Valentines
Create random Valentine's from youth response
Youth Icebreakers: Valentine’s Day Love Letters
Youth Create a wacky love letter, one word at a time.Youth Icebreakers: Valentine’s Day Bingo
Played as a traditional game of Bingo but using items related to Valentine's day.
Youth Icebreakers: Valentine Twister
Twister is a very simple game that can become very complicated as the players can easily get tied up in knots. Play a classic game of twister replacing the colored dots with Valentine's Day Hearts and phrases from Candy Conversation Hearts.
Youth Icebreakers: True Love
Name as many things as possible that are associated with love.
Youth Icebreakers: Toothless Valentine
The objective of this game is not to laugh
Youth Icebreakers: Pocket Scavenger Hunt
God wants to use the small things in our life to show others his love
Youth Icebreakers: Matching Emotions
Display the given emotion until you find the other members of your group.
Youth Icebreakers: Circle of Love
As kids toss a ball around the circle they will discover that it's sometimes difficult to say what we love about others.
Icebreakers: Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt
This is the traditional scavenger hunt where participants are given a list of items to retrieve and bring back within a designated time limit. The Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt consists of a list of the Valentine’s Day related objects and some rules. Variations may allow photos of an object to replace the actual object or creative substitutions. The rules may forbid the purchase of items or restrict the participants from going to their own homes or malls to collect items. Various points are assigned to the objects based upon the difficulty necessary to obtain them.
Icebreakers: Valentine’s Day Forward and Backward
In this Icebreaker game for your Valentine’s Day Party, youth will move forward or backwards when they meet the Valentine’s day criteria that is called out.
Icebreakers: Valentine’s Day Famous Couples
In this scavenger hunt / icebreaker, participants must find the hearts hidden around the building and match the couples together which are written upon the hearts.
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Icebreakers: Valentine’s Day Cupid
Youth must pop balloons with cupid's arrows and correctly piece together a love poem or scripture verse.
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Icebreakers: Valentine’s Day “Who Am I?”
Match the fun fact with the youth who wrote it
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Icebreakers: Valentine Balloon Shavers
Shave the cream from the balloon with the razor without popping the balloon.
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Icebreakers: Valentine Balloon Race
Using the air inside the balloons to propel them forward, move the heart shaped balloon to the opposite end of the room and back.
Icebreakers: Hearts in a Bottle
Can you guess the number of Valentine Candy Hearts in the bottle?
Icebreaker: Valentine’s Back to Back
Use this fun drawing game to remind youth that God showed us true love but we have turned our back on God and thus our understanding and standards for true love have degraded.
Icebreaker: Valentine Card Puzzler
Youth match their pieces to the card design to find their groups in this Valentine's Day crowdbreaker.
Children's Sermon: Held Together
Love holds us together in unity.
Children's Sermon: Corners of God’s Love
The more of God's Love you give away, the bigger it gets
Youth Illustrations: The Mask I Wear
Youth Illustrations: A Halloween Message
Youth Illustration: Jack-O-Lantern
Youth Ideas: The Mummy
Youth Ideas: Pumpkin Patch Relay
Sermons for Youth: I Never
Enough sturdy chairs for all participants to sit in a circle
Icebreaker Description
In this high energy icebreaker, youth learn a lot of fun facts about each other pertaining to the things that they have never done.
Preparation
Place enough chairs in a circle to have one chair for each person then remove one chair.
Icebreaker Activity
- Choose one person to be "it" and stand in the center of the circle.
- The person in the middle of the circle names something they have never done. (e.g. "I have never... been water skiing.")
- Then, anyone who has done the thing that was mentioned has to get out of his/her chair and find another empty chair to sit in. They may NOT sit in the same seat. Whoever is "It" tries to grab one of the empty chairs during the chaos.
- Whoever is left without a chair become "it" and must stand in the middle of the circle. They then state something they have never done and try to get a chair.
- If a person has been in the center of the circle at least 3 times and can't think of anything they've never done, they can "holler train wreck." EVERYONE has to move on this one. Don't let them call this out too many times or you loose all the fun of it.
If a person ends up in the center of the circle three times, they must perform a forfeit for the group. This forfeit could be to dance, to sing, to tell a clean joke, etc.
Caution
Be careful to not allow youth to name things that might be an embarrassment to others.
Optional Debrief
- What are some of the things that Christians should do, but most never do? Why?
- What are some things that you fail to do in your own Christian walk even though you know you should do them?
- Have you ever found yourself doing something that you promised yourself you would never do?
Traditionally there are two types of sin: Sins of Commission and Sins of Omission. Sins of commission are the things that we do that are wrong. Whenever we break one of the commandments or do anything that the Bible forbids it is a sin of commission. Sins of Omission are those things we know we should do, but fail to do. Scripture puts it this way: "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins" (James 4:17).
Application Point
What is something you haven't been doing in your Christian walk, that you will commit to start doing this week?
Scripture
James 4:17
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Paper and something to write with for each team.
Game Objective
In this icebreaker, teams race to create lists of things that all the team members have in common.
Game Play
1. Form equal-sized teams of at least 3 persons.
2. Give each team a sheet of paper and something to write with.
3. Tell teams to list everything they can think of that all team members have in common. (e.g. like the same band, play the same sports, etc)
4. Let teams have three to five minutes to create their lists.
5. When time is up, ask the team with the longest list to read the similarities they listed.
6. Ask teams who had similarities not already shared to mention them.
Application
* Why is it important to understand the ways we are alike?
* How can the ways we are alike be a bond between us?
* How can similarities benefit the body of Christ?
Variation
Instead of listing similarities, have groups list their differences.
* How can our differences sometimes cause division?
* How are the differences beneficial?
* Why didn't God create us all the same?
Game extension
Have the entire group list the similarities/ differences they have.
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Sermons for Youth: Ducks in a Row
In this icebreaker game, youth must arrange their group in order according to specific criteria.
Number of Youth
Unlimited (in groups of at least 8 teens)
How to Play
- Youth are told they may not talk.
- Teens are then told to line up their group in order of height (shortest to tallest).
- Once everyone is lined up the team must shout "Ducks in a Row" and Quack loudly while flapping their arms as wings.
- The first team of youth to do so wins the round.
- Alphabetical order by first name
- Alphabetical order by mother's or father's first name
- In order of their birthday
- According to shoe size
- According to phone number
- According to the number of letters in their full name.
- According to their house number or address block
- According to length of hair
- Others?
The phrase "Ducks in a row" is a common English idiom meaning that things are well-organized - that all the small details are accounted for and are in their proper positions before moving on to something else. At first thought, the sight of a mother duck followed by all the little ducklings seems the logical source for this idiom. But the most popular theory is that it comes from bowling as a sport. Early blowing pins were shorter and thicker than modern pins and were commonly referred to as "ducks." Before the invention of automatic resetting machines for the pins, after each round they would be manually placed back into position by a person. So to "have all your ducks in a row" was to make sure all the pins were properly placed in position before sending the next bowling ball down the lane.A lot of people put off making various decisions until everything seems to be in place and perfect. Older people might use the idiom "When I get all my ducks in order I will..." Youth may not use the phrase much, but they use similar expressions. "When I get my life (or act) together, THEN I'll make that commitment." "When I grow up, then I will..." "When I finish my education, then I will..." "When I am successful in my career then i will..." In fact, people of all ages make similar excuses.
The truth of the matter is that becoming and living as a Christian is a step of faith. You will never on this earth fully understand the scriptures. You will never fully understand the ways and mind of God. (Isaiah 55:8) You will never even truly understand yourself. While it is good to use your mind and plan ahead, we must also trust and depend completely upon God.
Focal Scripture
"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." – Proverbs 3:5-6
Practical Application
- What are some of the choices and decisions that God calls us to make as Christians?
- How do we know when God is calling us to do do something?
- How do we know when the timing is right to step out in faith?
- What are some things in your life that God might be calling you to get in order before he calls you to a position or task?
- Don't wait till you understand everything. If God is calling you to something make a decision today to yield to that calling and trust him for the results. Simply step out in faith and trust him and he will make your way sure.
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Youth Bible Studies: Build a Burger
Paper slips with various parts of a hamburger written on them.
Icebreaker Description
Youth will divide into groups of various sizes to introduce themselves to each other.
Preparation
Cut up several slips of paper so that there is enough for everyone. On each slip of paper write a part of a hamburger: MAIN: Bun, Meat ADDITIONAL: Tomato, Cheese, Onion, Ketchup, Pickle, Mustard, Mayonnaise, BBQ Sauce, Bacon, Lettuce, Salt, Pepper, Mushrooms. The higher the number of expected participants, the more ingredients you can include. There should be more buns and meat than other ingredients.
Icebreaker Activity
- As people arrive, hand a slip of paper to everyone with some part of a burger on it.
- Have everyone mingle and then yell out "BUILD A BURGER!"
- Everyone should get together with enough people to build a burger from everything on it to plain meat and buns. Each burger must consist of a minimum of 2 buns and a meat patty.
- In their burger groups get youth to introduce themselves to each other, tell their favorite fast food place etc.
- After few minutes, call out "Build a Burger" again.
- Everyone must form new groups and then share again.
- We sometimes hear that "we are what we eat." What are some of your favorite foods? Do they reveal anything about your personality?
- Scripture tells us that it is not food that makes us unclean, but the words that come out of our mouths. These words come from our heart. (Matthew 15:17-19) What do your words say about you?
Instead of "Build a Burger" take a few moments to "Build Others Up." Tell the people in your group something that you admire about them, a word of encouragement, or a mention a gift / talent they have.
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Sermons for Youth: Alter Ego
None
Game Objective
Kids are to introduce themselves and tell the group who they would most like to be other than themselves. They may name fictional characters or actual people, either living or dead. For example, kids could name Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Meryl Streep, Michael Jordan, or Joan of Arc. Kids should not explain their choices. Allow kids to enjoy the mystery of the "why" behind each other's choices.
Variation
Have kids introduce themselves as the characters or persons they'd like to be and tell their real names later in the meeting or event.
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Youth Bible Studies: Where's Waldo Photo Scavenger Hunt
1. handheld camcorder / video camera for each team
or
2. Digital or traditional 35mm camera for each team
Scavenger Hunt Objective
This is merely a photo scavenger hunt with a special title and a couple of items related to the popular "Where's Waldo" books. Another key factor is that the entire group must be seen in each picture. Teams are awarded bonuses for non-group members they are able to persuade to be in the pictures. When choosing your list be aware of the sensitivities of your youth and their adult sponsors. The intention is not to offend but to have fun. Don't use all the suggestions in one outing. Save some for a future repeat as this activity is sure to be a hit. You can use slide film and have a slide show at the end or use regular photos and have special bulletin boards. You can even make a little money if you decide to auction off the pictures or print reprints. For digital photos upload them to a website so everyone can access them.
The List
(Assign points to these based on the difficulty to accomplish each)
* Picture of your team drinking a coke out of one glass with straws
* Picture of your team with a Where's Waldo Book!
* Picture of a crowd scene. Your team among a large crowd of people, but with everyone's faces visible. The team with the largest crowd recieves an extra 5000 points.
* Picture of your team standing on their heads.
* Picture of your team holding cereal boxes.
* Picture of your team in front of a fire station.
* Picture of your team on an escalator.
* Picture of your team all licking the same ice-cream cone.
* Picture of your team with the guys on their knees, holding the hands of the girls in the team.
* Picture of your team with (local landmark) in the background.
* Picture of your team with a Police station in the background.
* Picture of your team behind bars (Hint: You don't have to break the law to do this)
* Picture of your team's funniest faces
* Picture of your team playing in a playground
* Picture of your team with the parent's of someone on your team.
* Picture of your team in a mirror
* Picture of your team holding hands stretched across a residential street (be safe)
* Picture of your team with a guy on the team in a dress
* Picture of your team ALL on the same bench in a park
* Picture of your team on a bus
* Picture of your team with a boat in the background
* Picture of your team with a church staff member
* Picture of your team's bare feet only
* Picture of your team with a museum in the background
* Picture of your team with the guys kissing the girls
* Picture of your team with panyhose over everyone's heads. (NOT in a PUBLIC place or near a bank)
* Picture of your team with everyone wearing shaving cream beards.
* Picture of your team with one member dressed up like WALLY!
* Picture of your team all in a phone booth
* Picture of your team on a glass elevator
* Picture of your team in a bathtub
* Picture of your team illustrating the classical monkey statues of "I hear nothing, see nothing, say nothing" poses
* Picture of your team's saddest faces
* Picture of your team with the girls holding frying pans, and rolling pins and threatening the guys with them
* Picture of your team with all the younger brothers/ sisters of someone on your team.
* Picture of your team with a church in the background
* Picture of your team all hugging each other
* Picture of your team all wearing sunglasses
* Picture of your team with everyone blowing bubbles
* Picture of your team with one of the guys wearing a wig
* Picture of your team eating popcorn
* Picture of your team with someone in curlers
* Picture of your team picking each other's noses - (don't eat it!)
* Picture of your entire team standing up in one tree. (Double points for each stranger)
* Picture of your team modeling bibs from a local dining establishment. Please ask manager first.
* Picture of your entire team standing on a fire engine. Thank the firemen.
* Picture of your team standing in front of a large public clock that reads exactly 7:15 PM.
* Picture of your of one of your team members kissing a mannequin in a clothes store while the rest of the team looks on. Get permission first!
* Picture of your entire team with their feet immersed in a body of water (creek, pool, etc.).
* Picture of your team with a live amphibian or reptile.
* Picture of your team standing with a pregnant woman
* Picture of your team in front of a school spelling out the letters of the school name using your bodies.
* Picture of your team in front of the church spelling out the letters of your church name using your bodies.
* Picture of your team forming a Christian symbol
* Picture of your team in front of cemetery
Variation
1. Use the standard rules, but add "For each non-group member in a picture, a bonus of 50 points is added."
2. Print out invitations and have your youth invite every person they involve in their photos to your church.
Awards
In addition to awarding an overall winner, also award prizes for funniest, best dressed, most unlikely Bible character, etc.
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Sermons for Youth: Travel Scavenger Hunt
None
Preparation
Make a list of items, street signs, and other information that can be found while traveling to a destination.
Scavenger Hunt Description
Next time the youth go on a road trip to summer camp or to any other destination, have a Travel Scavenger Hunt also sometimes known as a Car Rally Scavenger Hunt or Road Rally Scavenger Hunt. Give each youth a list of items to watch for while traveling. The list can be made up ahead of time and adjusted for the specific scenery. These also can be added as part of a road rally.
Example items
[Miles to a specific destination], [Specific breed of dog], [Specific model and color car], Airport sign, Ambulance, Baby Stroller, Barn, Billboard with a child on it, Bus, Cat, Cemetery, Churches of several different denominations, City Dump, Construction, Cows, Cul-de-sac, Dam, Danger, Dead End, Deer, Deer Crossing, Detour, Dirt Road, Do Not Enter, Do not pass, Dog in a car, Exit, Fire Station, Flashing red light, Flat Tire, Food store, For Sale sign, Fountain, Grain silo, Handicapped Parking, Helicopter, High Voltage, Hiring, Horse, Hospital, Hotel, Ice on Road, Intersection, Keep Out, Keep Right, Large clock, Library, License plate that starts with "Q" [or letters - or all letters], License plates from other states, License plate with three identical digits on it i.e. 777, Lighthouse, Low Water Crossing, Merge, Motel, Motorcycle Gang, Museum, Name of a Bank, Narrow Bridge, Neon Sign, No parking, No right turn on red, No Swimming, No Trespassing, No U-turn, Oil Pump, One Way, Palm Tree, Person talking on a phone, Playground, Police Car, Policeman, Pond or Lake, Post Office, Price of Gas, Radio Tower, Railroad crossing, Rest Area, Road closed, Road Narrows, Road Work Ahead, Round about, School, School Crossing, School Zone, Sharp Curve, Shopping Cart, Signs in foreign languages, Slippery When Wet, Slow, Slower Traffic keep right, Someone on a Bicycle, Someone wearing a cowboy hat, Speed bump, Speed Limit, State Park, State Prison, Statue, Steep Incline, Stop, Subway, Taxi, Tow Truck, Tractor, Trespassers will be prosecuted, Various street signs, Watch for Falling Rock, Water Tower, Winding Road, Windmill, Window Cleaner, Yield Sign
Create your own: The more specific the information and the more obscure and difficult to obtain it, the better. Be creative and try to make the list educational as well as fun.
Additional Guidelines
1. Have an adult in each vehicle (besides the driver) to verify each spotting of an item.
2. Only the first person to spot a particular item can get credit for it. If there are more than one of an item, the first person to spot each instance gets credit.
3. You can limit the hunt to street signs or combine it with items and information. Information might be the highway numbers, miles to a particular destination or other information found along the way.
4. At the final destination, tally the results and award the youth with the keenest eyesight!
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Youth Bible Studies: Tearable Turkey
Sheet of brown construction paper for each participant.
Activity
Participants must rip a sheet of construction paper into the shape of a turkey -- behind their back. They are not allowed to look at their creation until it is complete. Hang the works of art up for everyone to judge. Give prizes for the best-looking turkeys.
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Sermons for Youth: Someone Moved
Have all players sit in a circle and then chose a person to be “it”. “It” must then leave the room. While "It" is gone, one to four players move to a new seat in the circle. When “it” returns he is to figure out who has moved in the circle. Great ice breaker for new groups! If he guesses correctly, he swaps places with the person who moved.
Variation
Instead of moving locations, have someone change body position.
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Sermons for Youth: Scavenger Hunts for Youth, Children, and Adults
Types of Family Scavenger Hunts
When deciding what you want to do for a youth scavenger hunt the first thing you want to decide is what type of scavenger hunt you want. Scavenger hunts can involve looking for items or clues and can contain props and equipment like a compass and maps. There are also photo scavenger hunts, sound scavenger hunts, video hunts, "amazing race" type hunts, and many more variations.
Treasure Hunts for the Family
One of the most popular types of scavenger hunts for youth happens to be those which use detailed maps and in which simple clues are used to find special locations. Sometimes the clues will lead you to items at the location that either are clues themselves or have clues stuck to them. Sometimes challenges will be included at some of those locations before they can receive the clue leading to the next location. Prizes can also be awarded in scavenger hunts in order to keep the interest of the participants, and keep them motivated. Prizes can include: Gift Cards, Movie Tickets, and themed gift baskets.
Setting up a "Pirate Treasure Hunt" for your Family
Here's a simplified example of a treasure hunt using a "Pirate's Treasure Hunt" theme. Start with a pirate map letting everyone know the boundaries of the hunt. In this example, the youth's house is the primary location for the scavenger hunt. You will need a compass for each team of youth because compasses are what pirates used. Use descriptive language and a little creativity to bring your maps alive. The bathtub and mirror becomes a "mirrored lake" or "mirrored sea." The hall becomes the "middle passage". A door or window is described as a "portal." Any place with plants becomes a "garden." The closet becomes the "stores." A shoe closet becomes the "foot locker." You can also include the "North room", a "central chamber," "the Den", "Next to the Sleeping Princess" and others.
Clues for a "Pirate Treasure Hunt"
First Clue: Fill your bath tub with a little water, and put a toy boat floating in the water. If you have a shower curtain, pull the shower curtain shut so that the boat is concealed. Place a clue on the wall behind the shower curtain which will be concealed unless someone opens the shower curtain to find the next clue. The hint leading to this ship should be: Find a pirate ship sailing in water or in more descriptive and thematic terms "Find the pirate ship sailing upon the mirrored sea."
Second clue: On the wall behind the shower curtain you will to put something like: "Head west 6 feet then make your way north to the rocky road." (This would lead the youth outside the home) "Then continue to the Green Parrot's waterfall."
Third Clue: The waterfall would be near a rock by a fountain outside, which is also used as a bird bath. The next clue would be something like "travel 6 feet west and through the portal to find the sea." "When you find the sea, walk north until you hit the dead end." This would then lead the hunters back into my home to a picture which has dolphins on my wall. When you head north you will walk directly into a broom closet.
Putting It All Together
Of course there could be many more clues and the clues could be much more difficult. Sometimes riddles are also used to make the scavenger hunt even more difficult. But in this simple example, you can imagine how much fun the youth can have as they are forced to work together and decipher the meaning of the clues.
With a little imagination, creating scavenger hunts for youth can be almost as much fun as playing them. If you are interested in creating one of these scavenger hunts cheek out my eBook below for a variety of ideas, themes and even riddles to help you get started.
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Youth Bible Studies: Santa Dress Up
Use deflated balloons, colored tissue papers, garbage bags, toilet paper, shaving cream and anything else available.
Game Play
1. Each team chooses a representative to dress as Santa using the materials provided..
2. The best dressed Santa wins.
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Sermons for Youth: Predictions
Can you predict what will happen in the new year? This little game gives you a chance to give a small party favor (gag gift) to each visitor to your new Year Party and generate a few laughs at the same time.
Game Description
Guest will open up a gift related to a prophecy about their future in the upcoming year.
Game Materials
Numbered Gifts and corresponding clues.
Game Preparation
Wrap the gifts and number them to match the descriptions. Guests will draw out a piece of paper and read the clue and then open the gift with the matching number. Tape the response to the gift inside the wrapped paper.
You can make up your own gag gifts, but here are some suggestions:
- Clue: "Your wisdom will begin to show"
Gift: "Black hair dye to cover the gray hairs" - Clue: "There will be unexpected revelations in the new year."
Gift: "Safety pins for when you have a busted zipper" - Clue: "You will be at a loss for words"
Gift: "Here's a dictionary so you can find some!" - Clue: "You'll need to wipe away the results of your efforts"
Gift: "Here's a roll of toilet paper for a clean break!" - Clue: "I expect you will lose more than a few"
Gift: "Here's some golf balls to replace the ones you lose" - Clue: "Things will move a little too slow for comfort" Gift: Here's some Chocolate Ex-Lax to make things move a little faster"
- Clue: "You will be a little short of dough"
Gift: "Here's a cookie recipe and cutter" - Clue: "Circumstances may be a little bitter"
Gift: "Here's some sugar to sweeten things up" - Clue: "You will not quite measure up"
Gift: Here's a ruler to help" - Clue: "With great changes you will need a new yard stick"
Gift: "Here's a stick from my yard to help" - Clue: "You will need to clean up a mess!"
Gift: "Here's a dust pan to make it easier" - Clue: "You will need to release a little stress"
Gift: "Here's some stress relieving capsules" (Bubble wrap) - Clue: "You'll need a washer and dryer"
Gift: "Here's a dual purpose washer or dryer" (hand towel) - Clue: "You will discover a great deal"
Gift: "Here's a deck of cards to help you learn" - Clue: "You will want to take a bubble bath"
Gift: "Here's jar of beans. Boil and eat 1 hour in advance for a natural bubble bath." - Clue: "You will need to make some great calculations"
Gift: "Here's a pencil - use your head!" - Clue: "You will make more than a few mistakes."
Gift: "Here's an eraser for a clean start" - Clue: "You will want a bigger paycheck"
Gift: "Here's a magnifying glass to help" - Clue: "everyone will believe you have lost your marbles!"
Gift: "Now you have at least a few." (bag of marbles) - Clue: "You will want to pull your hair out in frustration."
Gift: "Here's a wig to hide the bald spots!"
- Guests draw a numbered clue from a bag and read the prophecy aloud.
- Guest then open the matching gift and show it to everyone while reading the attached response.
- What predictions would you like to make for yourself for the next year?
- How can you make those dreams become a reality in your life?
God's gifts are no joke.
Read Jeremiah 29:11-14
God says that he has plans for each of us. Plans to prosper us and not to harm us! Plans for a hope and a future. How do we discover these plans? He will bring them to pass when we seek him with all our heart!
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Youth Bible Studies: Pass the Brains
1. Pumpkin
2. Cold -cooked spaghetti
3. Candy
Preparation
1. Cut a circle in the top of the pumpkin and remove the stem and set it aside.
2. Scoop out the pumpkin and set the seeds aside. (They can be roasted for a great snack)
3. Draw a face on the pumpkin with a black marker pen.
4. Boil the spaghetti and let it cool.
5. Fill the pumpkin with the cold, cooked spaghetti and candy. There should be one peice of candy hidden amongst the spaghetti for each kid playing.
Activity
Play some music as the pumpkin head is passed around. When the music stops, (like pass the parcel) the youth holding the head feels through its 'brains to find some candy."
Possible Application
1. Finding God's treasures amongst life's trials (James 1)
2. Instead of candy use coins and discuss the Parable of the lost coin
3. Discuss the things people search for in life and the garbage they sift through in order to find it. Discuss the search for God.
Looking for some icebreakers for your party or event? My eBook, "IceBreakers Ahead: Take It to the Next Level" found at http://www.creativeicebreakers.com
not only provides 52 of the most world's popular group icebreaker activities, but also includes life changing lesson ideas and questions to smoothly transition into discussions about issues common to most groups.
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Sermons for Youth: LoveBirds on a Perch
This is a high energy elimination game for Valentine's Day where one couple is eliminated from play each round until there is only one couple left.
Game Description
Every time the Valentine's day music stops, participant must pair up with their designated partner.
Game Materials
- Valentine's Day Music - Use a few romantic tunes or famous love songs.
- Large open area for people to mingle.
- All girls must stand shoulder to shoulder in a circle facing outward.
- All the guys form a circle around them, with each guy facing his chosen partner (Valentine).
- Make adjustments so that the inner and outer circles contain an equal number of people.
- Girls and guys must take note of their Valentine as they will need to find each other again every time the music stops.
- Staying in a circle, the girls begin walking clockwise.
- The guys walk counterclockwise, also maintaining their circle around the girls.
- When the music stops and the leader calls out "Lovebirds on a perch", both circles stop and the Valentine's Day couples must immediately move to find their partners.
- The guy must get down on one knee with the other knee extended so that the girl may sit on it. The slowest couple to assume the "Lovebird on a perch" position is eliminated.
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Youth Bible Studies: I Doubt It?
Deck of cards
Instructions
1. In this game the objective is to be the first to discard all of your cards. The person who goes first must discard his aces face down, the second two’s, third, three’s... through king’s. As the person places the cards down they must announce the quantity of cards being played (i.e. 2 aces, 1 two, 3 threes, etc.) If a person doesn’t have a card of the value he/ she is supposed to play, then he/ she bluffs. A person may also bluff at any time by including additional cards of another value in with the cards of the correct value they are playing. For example a person may only have two aces, but includes a six and calls out “three aces.”
2. At any time a player may shout “I doubt it.” The person that just played cards must turn them over and reveal them. If the revealed cards were a bluff and not 100% what they were claimed to be, the player picks up the entire discard pile. If he/ she was telling the truth, then the person who yelled “I doubt it” must pick up the entire discard pile.
3. The game continues until one player runs out of cards.
Discussion
1. What is the primary objective of this game? What are some of our objectives in life? What does winning mean to you?
2. What type of person is best at this game? Did anyone in this game get a reputation for dishonesty or for integrity? What reputation do you have with others? How did you get that reputation?
3. What elements of this game caused you to lie, misrepresent the truth, or stretch the truth? What things tempt you be less than honest in real life? What things tempt you to act against your normal character?
4. Are you known for your honesty, for your integrity? What actions in life build / destroy a persons character / reputation? Why is a good reputation important? How does our reputation affect our testimony?
5. Is TRUTH flexible? Why or why not? Is there such a thing as absolute truth? Why or why not?
Application
1. Stretching the TRUTH: How often in life do we try to gain benefit by either stretching the truth or by an outright lie. How many times do we sacrifice honesty and integrity to get ahead of others in the game of life. While in this game we might get away with it, Scripture tells us that a final judgement awaits us all and everything will be revealed. Are you ready for Judgement Day.
2. DOUBTS: All of us have doubts about God at one time or another, but that doesn't mean we give up. We make choices the best we can not knowing what the next card in life holds for us. But we do know that God never bluffs. He always is true. And he wants us to be victorious, not in a card game but in life.
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Sermons for Youth: Freeze Tag
This common game of tag, forces a person to freeze in place, when tagged. Other people who are not frozen can unfreeze a person by tagging them.
Application
A game of freeze tag serves as an active visual illustration of the fact that we are unable to break free from the oppressions in our lives. In a sense we are also stuck, frozen, unable to break free from the oppressions in our lives. Only when Jesus frees us are we able to be truly free. Unfortunately, sin often touches our lives again and we find ourselves back in the same condition. Jesus says, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:31-36) True freedom comes from being set free by Jesus Christ. True freedom is freedom to be myself as God made me and meant me to be. This freedom comes only when we completely surrender ourselves to Jesus and invite Him to be our Lord and Master of our life.
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Youth Bible Studies: Egghead
1. Enough eggs for everyone in the group (Most of the eggs should be hard boiled, but include one or more raw eggs to make the game interesting.)
2. A bowl or Basket. Easter baskets work great.
Game Objective
Don't be the one with a raw egg cracked on your head.
Game Play
1. Put all the eggs into the bowl or basket.
2. One by one students reach into the basket and the first egg they touch they must smash over their own head.
3. Hard boiled or raw there's sure to be suspense.
The eggs can be dyed for Easter or left natural color.
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Sermons for Youth: Easter Egg Bowling
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Youth Bible Studies: Covered
Use this Active Game as a discussion starter for youth on the topic of "forgiveness". What does it mean to forgive? It can also be used as an Easter related activity to introduce youth to the resurrection of Christ and the forgiveness we receive as a result of His death on the cross.
Game Materials
For each group:
- a Chair
- Three of 4 rolls of toilet paper (The cheap rough kind is just fine!)
- Upbeat, active music to create an upbeat game atmosphere for the youth.
- Optionally, you can also use a stop watch to create a sense of urgency and emphasize the issue of time and speed.
You can divide the youth into teams by sex, by school, by age group, or by randomly assigning numbers. Each team of youth should have a minimum of 3 participants. A nice number is 4 youth per team. You can also call for 4 representatives from each group and have the rest of the group as spectators to cheer them on.
Game Play
- Ask the teams or team representatives to come to the front of the room.
- Explain that one member of each team should sit in the chair while the other three youth will attempt to completely wrap him/her with the toilet paper.
- The goal of this game is to cover the youth that is seated in the chair completely so that no part of the body or clothing is showing.
- The team to finish in the quickest time the winner. The Youth being wrapped must remain in place until all teams are finished and judges can verify the results.
- If there are spectators, encourage them to cheer for their respective teams.
- Tell the seated youth to remain in place.
- Examine each youth very carefully in front of the whole group. You will likely find part of an ear sticking out, or a nose, or foot, a shirt collar or something not covered.
- Point out to all the youth what is not covered.
In the Old Testament, one of the words we translate "forgive" (kaphar) actually means "to cover." Just as we covered someone with the toilet paper, we are supposed to cover up whatever it is they did against us when we forgive them. We are to cover it up and put it out of sight and out of thought.
Unfortunately, many times our covering is only partial. We don't cover up everything. There are a few little parts that we have a difficult time totally covering up. But like a wound that is not completely covered can become infected and fester, there are sometimes uncovered woulds of others which also can fester and cause decay in our relationships. It may only a small part that is uncovered, but it is just enough to remind us of the wrong they did. It is just enough to keep us from completely forgetting whatever it is they did to hurt us. It can turn into something that you might drag up later, further jeopardizing the relationship. When we cannot completely forget, we cannot completely forgive.
A friend of mind in youth ministry reminded me that in our human forgiveness we can cover the wounds, but only God can bring about true healing. And sometimes, healing takes time. But in the meantime we must still move on in life in spite of the pain and still act with forgiveness, all the while trusting God to bring about the healing we so desperately need.
When it is time to forgive someone, be sure to forgive that person completely. Cover up all of the transgression so that you can completely forgive. Matthew 6:14-15 reminds us that when we forgive others, God forgives us. Our own sins are also covered. (See also Romans 4:7-8, 1 Peter 1:18-19, I John 1:7, Psalm 85:2; Romans 4:7; I Peter 5:20) But the incredible part is that God not only covers over our sin completely, but he cleanses us from all sin and unrighteousness. He covers us in the blood of Christ and cleanses and heals us.
Take a moment to examine the relationships in your own life. Are there any relationships where you have been hurt and you have not yet forgiven the person? Are there relationships where you need to seek or grant forgiveness? Take a moment of prayer to lift these relationships and the events up to God. Place it in God's hands for his healing and then start living as if the transgression did not occur. Start living a life of true forgiveness in your relationship with this person. Let God;s love and forgiveness cover over the transgression. Ask Him to help you to show love and forgiveness in this relationship just as he has shown love and forgiveness to us.
Easter Discussion
After playing the game, leave the pile of wrappings on the floor from all the participants. Then explain:
When Christ was in the tomb he was also wrapped up. He was covered in burial wrappings. On the cross His blood was shed that all our sins might be covered in the Blood of Christ. Forgiveness was complete.
When the women went to the tomb all they saw was a pile of wrapping, much as we see here. (Point to the pile of wrappings on the floor) But in the time of Christ the wrappings were cloth instead of paper and may have included as much as 75 pounds of spices. And interestingly, the cloth that was used to wrap his head was folded up. Jesus had not been in a rush to leave. If the body had been stolen, as some might believe, why would the wrappings be left behind. Why would the thief take the time to fold the cloth covering Christ's head?
But the most incredible thing about the resurrection story was not the wrappings that were left behind, but instead was the fact that God's forgiveness of us was now complete. The blood of bulls and sacrifices was never able to truly cover our sin. Only the blood of Christ, God's only Son could do that. And the most incredible thing about it is we are not only covered, we are cleansed and we are healed. Forgiveness is complete. And because of this complete forgiveness we must also forgive others in the same way.
If you have not sought the forgiveness of Christ, Now is the time to do so. You can find complete forgiveness for all of the sin in your life.
"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9
Jesus said, "...he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. John 5:24
"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:20-21
"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:23
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Sermons for Youth: Capture the Flag
In this game, participants are divided into opposing teams and must "capture their flag" to win.
Game Materials
Flag (Can be a cloth, frisbee, or almost anything easily carried by a participant)
Game preparation
This game requires a large outdoor play area such as a public park or camp setting.
Game Play
- The playing area needs to be divided into 2 approximately equal sections (be very specific about all the boundaries!), with some sort of dividing line down the middle. The dividing line can be a sidewalk, a string across the ground, a chalked line or simply an aimginary line between two objects.
- Divide the group into two teams.
- Each of the 2 teams should be allowed to designate it's own space anywhere within their area to place the flag. They must also designate a prison area for captured prisoners to remain within. Both should be out in the open (not hidden behind trees or in bushes).
- The game is played with flags or objects that the opposing team must seize and deliver to their own area. A frisbee is easier to toss to a teammate so in order to balance that out you might want to have a rule that as soon as it touches the ground, the entire team must cross back over the central territory line before trying to retrieve it again. The object is simply to capture the flags from the other team and bring them back to your own side without getting caught.
- Each flag has an imaginary boundary around it of 1 to 5 meters depending on how difficult you wish to make the game as a safe zone. Once a player enters the safe zone they cannot be tagged. Team members cannot enter this area to tag them.
- Anyone tagged on the opposition side of the field becomes a prisoner (It works best if prisoners must be escorted back to the prison - this prevents one person from taking more than one prisoner at a time).
- Prisoners may be set free by a teammate touching either the prisoner or the jail - you can choose whether one person can free a single person or is allowed to free the entire jail.
- Once prisoners are (tagged) freed, they (and the person freeing them) get a free walk back to their side.
- The leader may also choose to call a jail break on occasion, which would set all the prisoners free on both sides.
- Once the flag is captured by a team and delivered to their side of the play area, the game is over.
- Have everyone wear a dark colored shirt. You can make "snow balls" (Put 2/3 cup flour in a nylon stocking (pantyhose) and tying it into a small ball.. You can get about 4 out of one leg of panty hose.) Socks can also be used but are not as effective.
- In order to capture a person from the other side youth must use the snow balls as bullets. When hit with one there is a telltale white circle on the dark colored shirts. Once a person is hit with a snow ball he is captured and must go to jail.
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Youth Bible Studies: Blind Snowman
1. Sheet of Paper for each participant
2. Pencil for each participant
Game Play
Give everyone a piece of paper and a pencil. Explain to them that they will close their eyes and you will tell them what to draw. DON’T tell them they’re drawing a snowman!
Instructions
1. Draw 3 circles on top of each other. Each circle gets smaller from bottom to top.
2. In the middle circle draw three buttons going vertically down the center.
3. In the top circle draw two eyes, a carrot nose, and a mouth.
4. Draw a hat on top of the smallest circle.
5. Draw stick arms on both sides of the middle circle.
6. Draw a broom in one stick hand.
Scoring
5 points for each circle that touches the other.
5 points for the hat touching the head
3 points each for the eyes being in the top circle
5 points for the nose in the right circle
4 points for the mouth in the right circle
5 points each for each arm correctly placed
10 points for the broom stick touch the hand.
Etc.
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Sermons for Youth: Aunt Sally
Preparation
Divide the youth into at least two teams of 4-8 people. Line each team up in a line, sitting side by side in chairs. (To make it more humorous you may wish to have teams lined up facing each other.)
Game Play
Instruct each team in the following dialog. This will start with person in first chair and be with the person next to him/her.
1: "Guess what?
2: "What?"
1: "Aunt Sally went shopping again."
2: "Oh no.. what did she buy this time?"
3: "A rocking chair" and begins to rock back and forth in his chair.
4. "Oh, a rocking Chair." and begins to rock. He then turns to the next person and repreats the process. Meanwhile he and the first person continue the actions. Actions are passed down the line until the entire team is doing it.
Everyone continues with actions non-stop adding each new one as it comes to them. When it gets to the last person, he ends with the name of the item e.g. "Oh, a rocking chair", but instead of doing the action, he runs to the leader for the next item. Every one on his team scoots down the line one chair, so that the last person in line is able to sit in the first chair. He then begins the process by repeating any previous actions in the appropriate order and then adding the new item he received.
Winning
First team to get through all the items wins.
The Last Person on the last action says:
Guess what? What? Aunt sally Died! all fall on floor from exhaustion.
Items that can be used are:
Rocking chair (rock back and forth)
Knitting needles (knitting motions while sitting down)
Toothbrush - motion brushing your teeth
Basketball - mime dribbling a basketball and shooting a shot
Bicycle - sitting in chair pretend you ar epedaling with your feet
Pogo stick - get out of chair and jump up and down
Hula Hoop - sway those hips like using a hulahoop
Jump rope - pretend you are jumping rope
Accordian - Side to side motions as playing an according
Escape from Prison - All stand Up - last guy must crawl through legs
Of course you can add or remove any items to control the time required for the activities. You may wish to start with the simpler actions and move to the more vigorous and humerous ones. Be sure to have a list of actions and corresponding motions to give to each youth as they come up.
Application
This game can be used as a discussion starter about going through the motions in our Christian walk. They are not really doing the things on the list but only going through the motions. What are some of the things we do as Christians simply to be seen by others?
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Sermon 4 Kids: Cleansed
Cleaning supplies such as a broom, soap, cloth, detergent, scrub brush and scrub pad, window cleaner, brass polish, furniture polish, etc. Take a look under your sink or among your cleaning supplies and see what you can find. Warning: Do not open any chemicals or other cleansing agents as they can be irritants to skin and eyes. Some are even poisonous.
Activity
Bring all the cleaning supplies before the children and ask then to identify what they all have in common. Of course they are all cleaning supplies. Then have children name what each item is used for. You may wish to bring some dirty dishes, tarnished metal, etc. to demonstrate cleaning for the children. Have children look about the room for things that need to be cleaned. Some children, depending on their age may wish to help clean the room.
Application
Talk about the fact that sometimes when you are cleaning you have to use a lot of pressure. It is good that these things aren't alive and don't have feelings because it could be very painful. Let them rub a scrub brush or scrub pad along their skin to see that it can be painful, especially if you have to scrub very hard. Explain that sometimes pressure and discomfort or even pain is needed in order to clean something. Jesus was placed under immense pressure and incredible pain on the cross that we might be cleansed from our sin.
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Sermon for Kids: Built On the Rock
Collection of Bricks, blocks, dominoes, Jenga blocks, cards, straws, paper rolls/tubes, and various other objects. Provide an identical set of objects for each group.
Activity
1. Ask youth / children to build a tall tower using the object provided. The key will to be to put the heavier objects on bottom. Have a competition to see which group can build the tallest tower.
2. Repeat the competition using a pillow or other unstable object as a foundation.
Debrief
1. Compare the two activities. Which foundation was more effective?
2. Why is a strong foundation important?
3. Is your life built on the solid or or shifting sand? Explain.
Application
1. The tower build on solid ground is like building our lives upon Christ.
2. Matthew 7:24 - Christ as foundation
3. Matthew 16:18 - Peter's confession of faith is a rock
A little bit more...
While some may object to using Children's Fairy tales in church, the story of the Big bad wolf and the three little pigs which built houses of straw, hay, and brick are a perfect illustration of this spiritual truth. The pig who built his house of brick is like the person who puts his faith in Christ. Satan is like the big bad wolf!
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Sermons for Youth: Betrayed
A large open area. An empty field works best, but a large room can also be used.
Set the stage
Remind the youth that when Jesus was betrayed by Judas, the disciples were frightened for their lives. The disciples were afraid they might be arrested if they were identified as followers of Jesus.
Activity
Form two teams of disciples. Appoint one "soldier" per team. Divide your playing area in half and designate opposite corners as "jail cells." Set a timer for 2-5 minutes. Place one team on each side of the playing area. They may not leave their side of the area. Tagged disciples must go to the jail cell on their side and remain there until the timer goes off.
The two soldiers must turn away from the disciples, count to 20, and then must attempt to tag the disciples. After playing, the soldier on each team can pick someone else to be the soldier and play again. You can award the team of disciples which lasts the longest or has the most disciples outside jail at the end of the game time.
Debrief
1. How did it feel to be caught by a soldier and thrown into jail for being a disciple?
2. What feelings did you have while playing this game?
3. How do you think the disciples felt after Jesus was arrested?
4. What do you think you would you have done if you had been with Jesus when he was betrayed?
5. Has there been a time in your life when you denied you were a Christian? Denied Christ? Didn't stand up to the pressure when you were persecuted for your faith?
6. Why is it sometimes difficult today to let people know that we are Jesus' disciples?
7. What can we learn from this event in the life of Jesus and the disciples? Remind youth of the events after the resurrection and the changed Disciples boldly standing up for Christ.
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Children's Sermons: All You Need
A Bible and a soft object to throw, such as afoam ball or a wadded-up pair of clean socks.
Activity
Have everyone stand or sit in a circle. Say: "Let's play a game called All You Need." I'll begin with a statement and will throw the ball to someone in the circle. Whoever catches the ball will finish the statement. For example, if I say, "All you need to make spaghetti is..." and then throw the ball to you, you might say, "boiling water." And then you throw the ball to someone else, who might say "meatballs." Then that person throws the ball to someone else, and so on. I'll interrupt with new statements, so don't be concerned if you don't get to answer every statement. Let's make sure everyone gets a chance to throw the ball.
Begin the game by saying: All you need for a good party is... Then have each person finish the statement as he or she catches the ball. As the game continues, interject the following statements:
· All you need to fix a flat tire is...
· All you need for a great concert is...
· All you need for a perfect weekend is...
· All you need to be popular is...
· All you need to make mee siam is...
· All you need to make friends is...
· All you need for peace is...
· All you need to recieve blessings from God is to ... (PRAY)
ADD YOUR OWN IDEAS
Debrief
· What was easy about this game? What was difficult?
· Which statements took more thought? Why?
· Was everything mentioned really needed?
· Were some things needed that were not mentioned?
· Is prayer all we need? Why or why not?
Application
There are times when we think we need something, but it is not really a need. It is merely a desire, a wish. Sometimes there are things we need but we don't realize it. Fortunately God promises to provide all our needs - Philippians 4:19. God is all we need and he blesses us with even more than we ask in our prayers.
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Youth Sermons: Who's Who
An auditor is someone who arrives after the battle and bayonets all the wounded.
A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain. (Mark Twain)
An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday did not happen today.
A statistician is someone who is good with numbers but lacks the personality to be an accountant.
A mathematician is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that is not there.
A topologist is a man who does not know the difference between a coffee cup and a doughnut.
A lawyer is a person who writes a 10,000-word document and calls it a "brief."
A psychologist is a man who watches everyone else when a beautiful girl enters the room.
A professor is one who talks in someone else's sleep.
A consultant is someone who takes the watch off your wrist and tells you the time.
A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to Antarctica in such a way that you will look forward to the trip.
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Sermon 4 Kids: Wacky Warning Labels - Transportation
Cannot be made non-poisonous.
Automobile Windshield cover
Caution: Never drive with the cover on your windshield
Car Jack
For lifting purposes only
Cayman Airlines safety booklet
If you are seated in an exit aisle and are unable to read this, please ask a stewardess to reseat you.
Bike Helmet Mirror
Remember: Objects in mirror are actually behind you.
A 13-inch wheel on a wheelbarrow
Not intended for highway use.
A can of windscreen de-icing spray
Spray works in sub-zero temperatures.
jet ski
Warning! Riders of personal watercraft may suffer injury due to the forceful injection of water into body cavities either by falling into the water or while mounting the craft.
A snow sled
Beware: sled may develop high speed under certain snow conditions.
On a car lock which loops around both the clutch pedal and the steering wheel:
Warning - Remove lock before driving.
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Sermon for Kids: Wacky Warning Labels - Computers and Electronics
Do not dangle the mouse by its cable or throw the mouse at co-workers.
Laser Printer Cartridge
Do not eat toner.
Television Owner’s Manual
Do not pour liquids into your television set.
Cordless Phone
Do not put lit candles on phone.
Battery
Do not recharge, put in backwards, or use.
Electronic Thermometer
Do not use orally after using rectally.
Ray-O-Vac Renewal AA Batteries
If swallowed or lodged in ear or nose see doctor.
VCR
Instructional video on hooking up your VCR included.
12-inch rack for storing compact disks
Do not use as a ladder.
A CD player
Do not use the Ultradisc2000 as a projectile in a catapult.
TV Remote Control
Not dishwasher safe.
Laser Pointer
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
Camera
This camera only works when there is film inside.
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Sermons for Youth: Top 20 things overheard on the Wise men's journey
19. OK, we got gold. We got the frankincense. We got the Myrrh. Think we should get something more practical, like diapers maybe?
18. I thought this was SUPPOSED to be a WEEKEND road trip. Boy, is my wife ever gonna be ticked when I get home.
17. All this gazing at a star while riding a camel is making me woozy.
16. Wise men. They call us wise men. What's so WISE about wandering around the the desert for three years?
15. I still say it wouldn't hurt to drop by Balthazar's place for another visit on the way back. That was SOME buffet!
14. 16 hours a day on a camel. Are you sure this beats walking?
13. All in all, I'd rather be a shepherd. All they ever do is stand around and WATCH the stars. We have to FOLLOW one.
12. Time to check the map again, I think we took a wrong turn at Amal's house.
11. Why should I always have to be in the rear? It's somebody else's turn to get sand in his face.
10. I need to stop at the Bazaar in the next town and pick up one more gift.
9. C'mon, we gotta stop and ask for directions, if we don't this trip could take years.
8. You guys have any idea how to treat saddle sores?
7. Man, I'm starting to get a rush from this frankincense!
6. You guys ever eat camel meat? I hear it tastes like chicken.
5. You know, I used to go to school with a girl name Beth Lehem.
4. What kind of name is Balthazar anyhow? Phoenician?
3. Hey, do you either of you know why "MYRRH" is spelled with a "Y" instead of a "U"?
2. Okay, who forgot to give their camel a bath before we left?
1. Whaddya mean we'll be part of history? A year from now, nobody will have a clue why we did this.
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Children's Sermons: Youth Alcohol Abuse
- On 10 sheets of paper place the numbers 1-10.
- Tape these across the floor on one side of the room.
- Ask youth to stand on the sheet of paper that corresponds to how they feel about the any or all the statements below. (scale: 1 highly disagree, 10 highly agree)
- You may choose to ask youth why they have chosen their positions on the scale.
- Alcohol abuse is a serious problem at my school.
- Most parents of youth at my school do not know their teens drink.
- Most parents of youth at my school do not care if their teens drink.
- Drugs are not a problem at my school.
- Most youth at my school drink because they think alcohol tastes good.
- Most youth at my school drink because it is the cool thing to do.
- Christian youth at my school do not drink.
- It is a sin for youth to drink.
- A youth is affected only while actually using alcohol.
- A youth is an addict only when the addiction become apparent to others.
- Alcoholism is the third cause of early death behind cancer & heart disease.
- A youth is not addicted if he or she can periodically control his or her drinkingYouth with good mental health do not become addicted; imbalanced youth do.
- Cutting down can lead to cutting out alcohol all together.
- If you think you have had too much to drink, the best solution is to drink black coffee and get some fresh air.
- The stages of alcohol abuse are experimentation, then social-recreational use, preoccupation, then finally dependency.
- If a Christian youth were in a dark room, no one saw them buy the alcohol, and no one could see them, and they only drank a little, but did not get drunk, would it be wrong?
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Youth Sermons: Teachable Moments
Oliver Wendell Holmes once described the teachable moment this way: "A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience."
As Christ walked among us, teachable moments often presented themselves in circumstances, situations, and events that were seemingly unplanned. Sometimes the participants would respond to the events with a question or a simple statement of observation. Then, Jesus had a habit of responding with another question or with a saying that was difficult to understand. As he continued to fan that spark of curiosity or interest, the discussion would leave the person deep in thought and the encounter would be forever branded on the listener's mind.
Ask Nicodemus about his conversation with Christ and he could probably tell you every single word! The same with the woman at the well, the man healed on the sabbath, the paralytic lowered through the roof, the woman in the crowd who touched his garments, and I dare say, every person who had a personal encounter with Christ.
Like the rich young ruler who walked away saddened, some left unable to accept the truth that had been revealed. But for others, that one teachable moment became a life-changing experience! Jesus began with the day to day moments of life, and used those moments to spotlight spiritual truths.
It was characteristic of Jesus to make use of whatever occasion arose. This is one of the reasons his teaching was so alive and exciting! When you see the events of life through heaven's eyes, all of life can become a canvas on which truths of God reveal themselves in a myriad of vivid colors and hues!
- When His disciples were accused of working on the Sabbath and breaking the Sabbath Law by threshing wheat, Jesus used the occasion to instruct the Pharisees on the real intention of the Sabbath Law.
- When the woman anointed Jesus' feet in the house of Simon the Pharisee and Jesus was criticized for permitting such a sinful woman to touch Him, He used the occasion to teach on forgiveness.
In the world today, it's hard to follow your youth through the daily moments of their lives and recognize and fan into flame those teachable moments. Yet, with a carefully chosen icebreaker, game, or learning activity, you can create a controlled experience where teachable moments can spring into existence. As they do, the effective teacher can pick out those little sparkles among the mundane and polish them into life-changing diamonds of truth! Truths that will last an eternity!
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Sermon 4 Kids: Jesus' Use of Object Lessons
When we use tangible objects - insects, fruits, vegetables, animals, coins, thermometers, tools, and weapons - to teach intellectual and spiritual truths the the teaching method is usually called an object lesson. Something physical is used as a metaphor for an abstract concept or principle that is difficult to explain.
More than just a visual, an object lesson draws a truth from something you are showing or doing. The object becomes a hook on which you hang your lesson and can create powerful associations that serve as reminders every time the object is seen outside the classroom. Real objects, places and events can make learning come alive for children, youth, and adults.
Jesus often used the objects at hand around Him to teach people about God and His Kingdom. When He was by a well, He used water. After He fed 5000 people, He taught them about the Bread of Life. When He was on a fishing boat, He said the Kingdom was like a fishing net. He told His listeners to consider the lilies, the sparrows, and the hairs on their head. Jesus referred to a fig tree, a mustard tree, yeast, salt, a vineyard, money and other things from everyday life to reveal spiritual truth. When He spoke of a vineyard, He was probably by a vineyard. When He said, consider the sparrows, there were probably sparrows flying around. When He taught the parable of the sower, it’s by no means a major stretch of our imagination to think that there was a sower in the next field where Jesus was.
Jesus asked the disciples to remember Him as they took bread and wine at the Last supper. The Bible is filled with visible reminders of God’s constant communication and connection with His people. Just as Christ was the visible image of the invisible God, object lessons are a visible expression of the invisible (Colossians 1). In fact, Christ himself was THE ultimate object lesson. His entire life, teaching, death and resurrection are all object lessons.
To find out how you can use object lessons, like Jesus did, to bring your lessons to life and teach life changing spiritual truths visit
www.CreativeObjectLessons.com
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Sermon for Kids: Building Bridges - Part 2 (Learner focused)
2.Goals tell what should happen to the learner, not the teacher!
- Goals do not express what the teacher will know or understand.
- Goals do not state what the teacher will do to teach the lesson or the course.
- Goals tell what happens or will happen to the learner.
- Knows the temptations of Jesus
- Understands the beatitudes of Jesus.
- To increase the student’s understanding of the beatitudes of Jesus.
In number 1, the student obviously understands the methods of Bible study.
Number 2 tells what the teacher intends to do. You should have checked number one.
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Sermons for Youth: Active Listing with a Game
Sitting in a circle, youth toss a ball of string to someone else in the circle. The person receiving the string must name a quality, item, or something else related to the lesson.
Game Materials
Ball of string or yarn
Game Play
Example: Name a Quality of friendship
- Sit the group on the floor in a circle.
- Holding firmly to the string, toss it to a person in the circle.
- The person receiving the string must name a quality (of the person who tossed it to him/her) that makes them a good friend.
- The person then, holding firmly onto the string, tosses the ball on to another person. The string should be held above the ground.
- Continue until everyone has received the string at least once and said at least one quality of a friend that the person who tosses it to them possesses.
- Of the qualities mentioned which do you value most?
- Who are your friends?
- How can we be better friends?
- Why are friends important?
What makes a friend is the connections we make, the events we share, the discussions we share. Eventually, if we fail to share with each other or if we do things that "break" the relationship the friendship begins to fall apart. John 15 speaks of the "Vine and the branches" and the connectedness we must maintain with Christ! Fortunately the Bible says we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother- Jesus.
What are some of the qualities of God as a friend?
Apply it
What is one quality of a friend you will work to show in your actions this week? Who will you show it to? How?
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Children's Sermons: Working
And my love flowed warm and free.
Then He pointed me out a tiny spot
And said, "Tend that for me."
I quickly relied, "Oh no, not that.
"Why no one would ever see.
"No matter how well my work was done;
"Not that little place for me."
The word He spoke, It was not stern,
He answered me tenderly;
"Ah, little one, search that heart of thine.
"Are you working for them or me?
"Nazareth was a little place, and so was Galilee."
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Youth Sermons: Who's in Control
One day he decided to invite the Lord to home and stay with him. When the Lord arrived, this young man offered him the very best room in the house. The room was upstairs and at the end of the hall.
"This room is yours, Jesus! Stay as long as you like and you can do whatever you want to in this room, remember Jesus, its all yours."
"Thank you" the Lord replied, and with that the man shut the door and went about his daily business. That evening after he had retired for the night there came a loud knocking at the front door. The young man pulled on his robe and made his way downstairs.
When he opened the door he found that the devil had sent three of his demons to attack the man. He quickly tried to close the door but none of the demons kept sticking his foot in the door.
Sometime later, after a great struggle, he managed to slam the door shut and returned to his room totally exhausted.
Can you believe that! The man thought. Jesus is upstairs in my very best room sleeping while I am down here battling demons.
Oh, well, maybe he just didn't hear. He slept fitfully that night.
The next day things went along as normal and, being tired as he was, the young man retired early that evening.
Along about midnight, there came such a terrible ruckus at the front door that the young man was sure that whatever it was would tear the door down. He stumbled down the stairs once again and opened the door to find that there were dozens of demons now trying to get into his beautiful home.
For more than three hours he fought and struggled against the demons from hell and finally overtook them enough to shut the door against their attack. All energy seemed to fail him.
I really don't understand this at all. Why won't the Lord come to my rescue? Why does he allow me to fight all by myself? I feel so alone. Troubled he found his way to the sofa and fell into a restless sleep.
The next morning he decided to inquire of the Lord about the happenings of the last two evenings. Quietly he made his way to the elegant bedroom where he had left Jesus. "Jesus," he called as he tapped at the door. "Lord, I don't understand what is happening. For the last two nights I have had to fight the demons away from my door while you laid up here sleeping. Don't you care about me?
Did I not give you the very best room in house? He could see the tears building in Jesus' eyes but continued on, "I just don't understand. I really thought that once I invited you in to live with me that you would take care of me and I gave you the best room in my house and everything.
What more can I do?" "My precious child," Jesus spoke so softly. " I do love and care for you. I protect all that you have released into my care. But when you invited me to come here and stay, you brought me to this lovely room and you shut the door to the rest of your house.
I am Lord of this room but I am not Master of this house I have protected this room and no demon may enter here."
"Oh, Lord, please forgive me. Take all of my house - it is yours I am so sorry that I never offered you all to begin with. I want you to have control of everything."
With this he flung open the bedroom door and knelt at Jesus' feet. "Please forgive me Lord for being so selfish." Jesus smiled and told him that He had already forgiven him and that He would take care of things from now on.
That night the young man prepared for bed he thought to himself, " I wonder if those demons will return. I am so tired of fighting them each and every night." But he knew that Jesus said that he would take care of things from now on..
Along about midnight the banging on the door was frightening. The young man slipped out of his room in time to see Jesus going down the stairs. He watched in awe as Jesus swung open the door, no need to be afraid.
Satan stood at the door this time demanding to be let in. "What do you want, satan?" the Lord asked. The devil bowed low in the presence of the Lord, "So sorry, I seem to have gotten the wrong address." And with that, he and the demons all ran away.
There is a moral to this tale. Jesus wants all of you, not just a part. He will take all that you give Him but nothing more. How much of your heart have you given to the Lord? Are you keeping a portion of it away from Him? Perhaps the attacks are coming more and more each day. Why not let the Lord fight the battles for you. He is always victorious.
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Sermon 4 Kids: What are Fathers Made Of?
A father is a thing that growls when it feels good--and laughs very loud when it's scared half to death.
A father never feels entirely worthy of the worship in a child's eyes. He's never quite the hero his daughter thinks, never quite the man his son believes him to be--and this worries him, sometimes. So he works too hard to try and smooth the rough places in the road for those of his own who will follow him.
A father is a thing that gets very angry when the first school grades aren't as good as he thinks they should be. He scolds his son though he knows it's the teacher's fault. Fathers are what give daughters away to other men who aren't nearly good enough so they can have grandchildren who are smarter than anybody's .
Fathers make bets with insurance companies about who'll live the longest. Though they know the odds, they keep right on betting. And one day they lose.
I don't know where fathers go when they die. But I've an idea that after a good rest, wherever it is, he won't be happy unless there's work to do. He won't just sit on a cloud and wait for the girl he's loved and the children she bore. He'll be busy there, too, repairing the stairs, oiling the gates, improving the streets, smoothing the way.
Paul Harvey
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Sermon for Kids: Unseen Player
Later, another explorer carried the explanation further. Hammers were now the secret, many hammers dancing and leaping on the wires. This was a more complicated theory, but it all went to show that they lived in a purely mechanical and mathematical world. Now mothers told their little ones about the myth of the Unseen Player.
But the pianist continued to play.
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Sermons for Youth: The “WHY” of It All
To the place of the skull, Golgatha by name
And there with two thieves, His friends’ hopes all lost,
Was man’s greatest error now hung on a cross
He held back His power, His glory was veiled
He silenced His tongue as accusations were railed
He submitted His body to torture and pain
And saw through it all a glorious gain
Oh what sight could hold Him, this King of all Kings
What glory awaited that only shame brings?
The One who spoke galaxies, wisdom and life
Laid aside all His power without any strife
And WHY would He do it? The question looms large
Accept accusations, absorb every charge
The smoke finally clears as the veil rips away
And eyes filled with tears see truth bright as day
Humbled and willing I bow to my knee
Jesus! Oh Jesus! You did it for me…..
By Cindy Blackamore
03-31-09
Used by Permission
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Children's Sermons: The Road
-Martin Luther
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Youth Sermons: The Origin of Father's Day
In 1909, Mrs. Dodd approached her own minister and others in Spokane about having a church service dedicated to fathers on June 5, her father's birthday. That date was too soon for her minister to prepare the service, so he spoke a few weeks later on June 19th. From then on, the state of Washington celebrated the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Children made special desserts, or visited their fathers if they lived apart.
President Calvin Coolidge, in 1924, supported the idea of a national Father's Day in the United States. Then in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day. President Richard Nixon signed the law which finally made it permanent in 1972.
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Sermon 4 Kids: The Little Match Girl
Hans Christian Andersen
It was very, very cold. It snowed and it grew dark. It was the last evening of the year, New Year's Eve. In the cold and dark a poor little girl, with bare head and bare feet, was walking through the streets. When she left her own house she certainly had had slippers on, but what could they do? They were very big slippers, and her mother had used them till then, so big were they. The little maid lost them as she slipped across the road, where two carriages were rattling by terribly fast. One slipper was not to be found again, and a boy ran away with the other. He said he could use it for a cradle when he had children of his own.
So now the little girl went with her little naked feet, which were quite red and blue with the cold. In an old apron she carried a number of matches, and a bundle of them in her hand. No one had bought anything of her all day - no one had given her a copper. Hungry and cold she went, and drew herself together, poor little thing! The snowflakes fell on her long yellow hair, which curled prettily over her neck - but she did not think of that now. In all the windows lights were shining, and there was a glorious smell of roast goose out there in the street - it was no doubt New Year's Eve. Yes, she thought of that!
In a corner formed by two houses, one of which was a little farther from the street than the other, she sat down and crept close. She had drawn up her little feet, but she was still colder, and she did not dare to go home, for she had sold no matches, and she had not a single cent. Her father would beat her, and besides, it was cold at home, for they had nothing over the them but a roof through which the wind whistled, though straw and rags stopped the largest holes.
Her small hands were quite numb with the cold. Ah! a little match might do her good if she only dared draw one from the bundle, and strike it against the wall, and warm her fingers at it. She drew one out. R-r-atch! how it spluttered and burned! It was a warm bright flame, like a little candle, when she held her hands over it; it was a wonderful little light! It really seemed to the little girl as if she sat before a great polished stove, with bright brass feet and a brass cover. The fire burned so nicely. It warmed her so well, the little girl was just putting out her feet to warm these, too, when out went the flame. The stove was gone - she sat with only the end of the burned match in her hand.
She struck another. It burned. It gave a light - and where it shone on the wall, the wall became thin like a veil, and she could see through it into the room where a table stood, spread with a white cloth, and with china on it, and the roast goose smoked gloriously, stuffed with apples and dried plums. And what was still more splendid to behold, the goose hopped down from the dish, and waddled along the floor, with a knife and fork in its breast - straight to the little girl he came. Then the match went out, and only the thick, damp, cold wall was before her.
She lighted another. Then she was sitting under a beautiful Christmas tree. It was greater and finer than the one she had seen through the glass door at the rich merchant's. Thousands of candles burned upon the green branches, and colored pictures like those in the shop windows looked down upon them. The little girl stretched forth both hands toward them - then the match went out. The Christmas lights went higher and higher. She saw that now they were stars in the sky - one of them fell and made a long line of fire.
"Now some one is dying,'' said the little girl, for her old grandmother, the only person who had been good to her, but who was now dead, had said, "When a star falls a soul mounts up to God.''
She rubbed another match against the wall. It became bright again, and in the light there stood the old grandmother clear and shining, mild and lovely.
"Grandmother!'' cried the child. "Oh, take me with you! I know you will go when the match is burned out. You will go away like the warm stove, the nice roast goose, and the great glorious Christmas tree!''
And she hastily rubbed the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to hold her grandmother fast. And the matches burned with such a glow that it became brighter than in the middle of the day. Grandmother had never been so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl up in her arms, and both flew in the light and the joy so high, so high! and up there was no cold, nor hunger, nor care - they were with God.
But in the corner by the house sat the little girl, with red cheeks and smiling mouth, frozen to death on the last evening of the Old Year. The New Year sun rose upon the little body, that sat there with the matches, of which one bundle was burned. She wanted to warm herself, the people said. No one knew what fine things she had seen, and in what glory she had gone in with her grandmother to the New Year Day.
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Sermon for Kids: The Empty Egg
That evening, Doris' kitchen sink stopped up. She called the landlord and waited an hour for him to come by and unclog it. After that, she still had to shop for groceries, iron a blouse and prepare a vocabulary test for the next day. She completely forgot about phoning Jeremy's parents.
The next morning, 19 children came to school, laughing and talking as they placed their eggs in the large wicker basket on Miss Miller's desk. After they completed their Math lesson, it was time to open the eggs. In the first egg, Doris found a flower. "Oh yes, a flower is certainly a sign of new life," she said. "When plants peek through the ground we know that spring is here." A small girl in the first row waved her arms. "That's my egg, Miss Miller," she called out. The next egg contained a plastic butterfly, which looked very real. Doris held it up. "We all know that a caterpillar changes and grows into a beautiful butterfly. Yes that is new life, too" Little Judy smiled proudly and said, "Miss Miller, that one is mine." Next Doris found a rock with moss on it. She explained that the moss, too, showed life. Billy spoke up from the back of the classroom. "My Daddy helped me!" he beamed.
Then Doris opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The egg was empty! Surely it must be Jeremy's, she thought, and, of course, he did not understand her instructions. If only she had not forgotten to phone his parents. Because she did not want to embarrass him, she quietly set the egg aside and reached for another. Suddenly Jeremy spoke up. "Miss Miller, aren't you going to talk about my egg?" Flustered, Doris replied, "but Jeremy - your egg is empty!" He looked into her eyes and said softly, "Yes, but Jesus' tomb was empty, too!"
Time stopped. When she could speak again. Doris asked him, " Do you know why the tomb was empty?" "Oh yes!" Jeremy exclaimed. "Jesus was killed and put in there. Then his Father raised him up!" The recess bell rang. While the children excitedly ran out to the school yard, Doris cried. The cold inside her melted completely away.
Three months later Jeremy died. Those who paid their respects at the mortuary were surprised to see 19 eggs on top of his casket, all of them empty.
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Sermons for Youth: Youth Ministry Tips: Variety
Here are some ideas for ways you can change things up a little bit!
- Rearrange the chairs or layout every couple of weeks.
- Rearrange your normal schedule for an event
- Involve someone else
- Use a different medium of communication- i.e. if you always use OHP try PPT, Flip Charts, Posters, Signs, etc to make your key points
- Add music, video, or other multimedia
- Change the location - i.e. do a Bible study on the feeding of the 5000 sitting in a field.
- Change the Decor - decorate the room like a football pep rally for a lesson on teamwork!
- Change your wardrobe - come to youth meeting in a hawaiian shirt, football uniform, dressed up as a Bible character
- Add Props - add a slingshot for a story on David and Goliath, add a ram's horn Shofar for a story about the walls of Jericho
- Add a game
- Use teams
- Use Drama
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Children's Sermons: V.E.T. your Youth Ministry Volunteers
Vision
Expectations
Training
Vision: Have a vision for your youth Ministry.People are best recruited to a vision, not just a job. Help your prospective volunteers to see their responsibilities as a means to an end, not an end in themselves. Help them to see that they are a meaningful part of a team that is fulfilling Gods purpose among your youth. What you are excited about in your youth ministry that you can share with potential volunteers. What are the benefits and "payoffs" you can share? Present your vision of youth ministry and why volunteer leaders are needed in fulfilling that dream.
Expectations: Clearly outline your expectations.
- Be honest about what you expect, about time demands, and responsibilities. While we often want leaders badly, we should not minimize the responsibilities. Trust that God will provide people who will be able to rise to the needs of the ministry.
- Create a variety of positions and roles to match the needs of your ministry with the variety of gifts, talents, and interests of volunteers and considering the amount of time each volunteer has to offer.
- Make a list of all tasks that need to be done to achieve a successful youth program, regardless of the size of the task or the significance along with the time required for each to be accomplished.
- Prioritize - rate them according to importance and whether they are required or optional. Some tasks may be ad hoc and other tasks may require someone to fill a position for a predetermined length of time in order to fulfill them.
- Develop job descriptions for your leaders that summarize expectations and provide estimates of how much time it will take to fulfill their particular responsibilities.
- Make a list of those ad hoc, or event specific roles that could be handled without a long term commitment. Those who cannot commit to long term service might be able to take on a specific event, project or task on an ad hoc basis.
Faithful
Available
Teachable
It is important that they are faithful both to Christ and to the youth ministry. They need to be available and ready to commit a portion of their availability to the youth ministry. And finally, they need to have a teachable spirit. They should see themselves as both teacher and student, leader and follower.
Train, Nurture, and Support Adequately prepare your new volunteers for service and then continue to train them and provide a supportive and nurturing environment.
- I DO -YOU WATCH
(Observed leadership) - I DO - YOU DO
(Shared leadership) - YOU DO - I WATCH
(Trained leadership) - YOU DO - I GO DO SOMETHING ELSE
(Owned Leadership)
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Youth Sermons: Sunday School Teacher's Pledge
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS' PLEDGE
Believing that the privilege of guiding people in the Christian way of life is worthy of my best, I pledge, as a [teacher, youth worker etc] in [Church Name] to:
- Be an example to my students in speech and conduct, earnestly seeking to win them for God and grow them in Christ (Prov 11:30)
- Be regular and punctual in attendance; and in case of unavoidable absence, give notice thereof as far in advance as possible (1 Cor 4:2)
- Make thorough preparation for the lessons and my other duties each week (2 Tim 2:15)
- Help my students to understand and love the Bible (Psalms 119:16)
- Attend the planning meetings with my [Superintendents, Directors, Youth Ministry Team, etc] (Luke 14:28-30)
- Co-operate wholeheartedly in the plans and activities of the church and [Sunday School Department / youth Ministry] (1 Cor 3:9)
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Sermon 4 Kids: Recreation as a Relational Bridge in Youth Ministry
- a channel of service and support,
- a catalyst for outreach,
- a vehicle for ministry and mission action, and
- a tool for teaching
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Sermon for Kids: How to Build Support from Leaders
B e enthusiastic about what you are doing
A pproval of your superiors (i.e. pastor, etc) must be obtained
C omplete your homework so that you have everything worked out in advance
K now where you are going
There are a few who still not follow because:
E ncourage you to wait until the time is right
X tremely controversial Issue
C annot Afford it
U nproven that the old program will not work
S ets a bad precedent
E xplained as another Fad that will pass
S ituation is hopeless
Dealing With Objections
D irect people towards good ideas and help them see foolish ideas
E mploy rationally with objective fact and figures in dealing with other objections
A nswering some objections is impossible because you do not know
L ine is fine between whether it just doesn’t work or it hasn’t had time to work.
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Sermons for Youth: Discipline with Youth - Preventive Discipline
Discipline is from the word “disciple” which means “learner”. Therefore discipline is leading a person into self-control through instruction and example. It is not the same as punishment. Punishment may be a part of discipline as it is a means to control behavior when a person is unable to exercise self control. Our goal is the internal control of the teen instead of the external control of the teacher.
Preventive discipline
I. Set reasonable limits
- Decide what is and what is not objectionable behavior and set specific limits accordingly. Consider the age and needs of youth.
- Youth should know and agree to the limits and have some limited room for negotiation. Allow, as much as possible, for freedom and flexibility within the rules set. Like bargaining for a price it is best to set your price too high and bargain down to where you
want. In the end both parties feel that have a gotten a good deal! If youth help make the rules they break them less frequently. - Be careful not to set too many rules. Decide which battles are worth fighting and save your resources for the battles that are really important.
- Avoid threats.
- Once limits are set, don’t budge on them. Youth are continually testing limits to see how far they push them. They want freedom but they also want limits that are firm. It gives them security. Yet they must also know what will happen when a rule is broken. They WILL break them at times even to just see if you will follow through.
- Consequences should be edifying, consistent, fair and fit the action. Don’t play favorites. Build a good healthy respect for youth in discipline. Never embarrass a youth in front of peers. Deal with them alone and attack the behavior, not the person.
- Set a positive tone to your relationship. Notice and affirm appropriate behavior. If you spend most of your time affirming you will need to spend little time correcting. Affirmation & encouragement are inspiring. Criticism is largely self defeating.
- Youth can tell if you are a drill sergeant, a pushover or someone in between. Being too strict is a mistake but so is being too lenient. A happy balance must be established so that youth are allowed free expression as their talkative high energy selves within an orderly context.
- Correct with compassion instead of harshness.
- Avoid the use of labels to characterize youth such as “naughty”, “bad”, “good”, “lazy”, “slow”, etc.
- Conditions leading to discipline problems may be internal, external, temperament, developmental or symptomatic:
- Poor student/ teacher ratio
- The room being too hot or too cold
- The room being too crowded
- The room having too many distractions
- Make sure activities involve everyone. Often youth who aren’t involved are the ones that create the most problems.
- Move smoothly and quickly between activities. When a lag occurs between activities, problems tend to occur.
- Arrive early, prepared, and ready to start. Start with a “bang” to encourage promptness. Fight teens’ tendency to be late by starting on time. Start meetings with a quick activity that will grab their attention instead of running after them, wasting your time trying to round them up.
- Use positive clear directions. If youth are unclear of instructions then tend to be disruptive.
- High sugar at beginning of sessions
Youth are more likely to respond to someone who respects them as individuals and whom they have grown to respect. Get to know all youth, especially those tending toward behavioral problems. Accept their silly, noisy sides and direct their high energy into appropriate outlets. Accept feelings and high energy they cannot control but seek to stop disruptive, annoying, and destructive behavior.
VI. Plan high energy programs
Youth have an attention span in minutes approximately equal to their age in years. Good meetings are positive, upbeat, and have a wide range of activities that are exciting and fun, game oriented, and concise.
VII. Plan with youth
The more ownership youth have in an event, the less discipline problems you will have.
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Children's Sermons: A Healthy Spiritual Heart for Youth
- A LEARNER'S HEART
- Learn for God's glory, your edification, and the furtherance of the Gospel.
- To know, knowledge are used at least 51 times in Proverbs.
- Weigh all learning through the knowledge of Jesus Christ (II Peter 3:18).
- AN UNDERSTANDING HEART - 65 times in Proverbs
- To be able to interpret what you learn (above) in God's perspective (Proverbs 2:10,11).
- To be able to understand yourself first (Proverbs 4:7-9) and then others.
- AN HONEST, TRANSPARENT HEART
- What you can't understand (above), share with the person giving you the real or imagined problem (Matthew 5:23,24).
- A PURE HEART
- In an increasingly amoral world we must flee youthful lusts (II Timothy 2:22).
- Young men and women overcome by letting God's Word live within (I John 2:14).
- Don't be a loner - go out two by two (Mark 6:7).
- A DISCRETIONARY HEART - in Word and in Deed
- To know the difference between that which unnecessarily offends and the inoffensive (Proverbs 2:11).
- Lord, help me not to be a stumbling block to younger Christians (I Corinthians 8).
- A RESPECTFUL HEART
- You may not agree with or understand someone, but respect him for his work's sake (I Thessalonians 5:12).
- Notice in I Timothy 5:1,2 the intricate relationships that young Timothy must observe.
- A DISCIPLINED HEART
- One that chooses against oneself in all matters great or small (Luke 9:23). What you are will be your message (II Corinthians 3:2,3):
- A SERVANT'S ALERT HEART
- Become a load-lifter. Anticipate what would be helpful and then do it. Study the greatest servant in all of history, Jesus Christ (Mark 10:42-45).
- A COMMUNICATING HEART
- This is the counterbalance to merely "being a good example." Communicate by word, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Acts uses words like witness, teach, tell, proclaim, etc., 113 times or an average of four per chapter.
- Your personal testimony, backed by God's Word are your greatest weapons (Revelation 12:11).
- A PRAISING, THANKFUL HEART
- If you learn this through loneliness, problems, misunderstandings - you will be A-OK with God.
- In everything give thanks (I Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20; Hebrews 13:15):
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Youth Leadership Lessons: The Ballad of the Oyster
Whose story I tell,
Who found that some sand
Had got into its shell.
It was only a grain,
But it gave him great pain;
For oysters have feelings
Although they're so plain.
Now, did he berate
The harsh workings of fate
That had brought him
To such a deplorable state?
Did he curse at the government,
Cry for election,
And claim that the sea should
Have given him protection?
No! He said to himself
As he lay on a shell,
"Since I cannot remove it,
I'll try to improve it."
Now the years have rolled by,
As the years always do,
And he came to his ultimate
Destiny--stew.
And the small grain of sand
That had bothered him so
Was a beautiful pearl
All richly aglow.
Now the tale has a moral;
For isn't it grand
What an oyster can do
With a small grain of sand?
What couldn't we do
If we'd only begin
With some of the things
That get under our skin.
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Youth Ideas: Stable Light
A land was torn, until was born, a child of chosen race.
God as man, a special plan would rest within this child,
To save the land, and by his hand, redeem what men defiled.
A quiet night, in stable light, He came into the world,
Was born to die, be crucified, the prophesies foretold.
Men from afar, sought yonder star, to welcome God to earth,
And shepherd men, the message given, would celebrate his birth.
The word rings out, and angels shout, echoes of the joy,
"Peace on earth", a Savior's birth, new life from a new born boy.
A quiet night, in stable light, He came into the world,
Was born to die, be crucified, the prophesies foretold."
Author: Ken Sapp - Christmas '92
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Sand & Stone
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE."
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?" The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."
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Youth Ideas: Praying Hands
Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children. Eighteen! In order merely to keep food on the table for this mob, the father and head of the household, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood. Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of Albrecht Durer the Elder's children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.
After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.
They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg. Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht's etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works.
When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with music and laughter, Albrecht rose from his honored position at the head of the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His closing words were, "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you."
All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over, "No ...no ...no ...no."
Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, "No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look ... look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother ...for me it is too late."
More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer's hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver-point sketches, watercolors, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like most people, are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer's works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.
One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother's abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply "Hands," but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love "The Praying Hands."
The next time you see a copy of that touching creation, take a second look. Let it be your reminder, if you still need one, that no one - no one - - ever makes it alone!
"Even though the story is fiction, I hope the intent of the story touches your heart..."
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Youth Ideas: Outstretched Arms
The workmen called to the child and waved their arms, but he only looked on their strange antics with amusement. No man dared run forward knowing the explosion was only seconds away. The child most certainly would have been killed, had not his mother appeared at this moment of crisis.
Taking in the situation at a glance she did what her mother's heart dictated. She did not run toward her son or yell to frighten him. Instead, she knelt down, opened wide her arms and smiled for him to come. Instantly the child ran towards her. Shortly later the area shook with the force of the explosion, yet the child was safe in his mother's arms.
What a picture of the grace of God and of the cross. With outstretched arms on the cross Jesus gives his gracious invitation to the world. Indicating we are to come to him for eternal safety.
Source: PULPIT HELPS, Sept., 1990
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Youth Leadership Lessons: My Father
Four years old: My daddy can do anything.
Five years old: My daddy knows a whole lot.
Six years old: My dad is smarter than your dad.
Eight years old: My dad doesn't know exactly everything.
Ten years old: In the olden days, when my dad grew up, things were sure different.
Twelve years old: Oh, well, naturally, Dad doesn't know anything about that. He is too old to remember his childhood.
Fourteen years old: Don't pay any attention to my dad. He is so old-fashioned.
Twenty-one years old: Him? My Lord, he's hopelessly out of date.
Twenty-five years old: Dad knows about it, but then he should, because he has been around so long.
Thirty years old: Maybe we should ask Dad what he thinks. After all, he's had a lot of experience.
Thirty-five years old: I'm not doing a single thing until I talk to Dad.
Forty years old: I wonder how Dad would have handled it. He was so wise.
Fifty years old: I'd give anything if Dad were here now so I could talk this over with him. Too bad I didn't appreciate how smart he was. I could have learned a lot from him.
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Youth Ideas: Love and Time
Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.
When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.
Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?"
Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."
Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!"
"I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.
Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you."
"Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"
Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.
Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way.
Realizing how much was owed the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?"
"It was Time," Knowledge answered.
"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?"
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Keep Your Fork
Everything was done and the pastor was leaving when the woman suddenly exclaimed, “There’s one more thing,” The pastor asked, “What’s that?” As he turned, he saw that she had left the living room and was in the kitchen. He heard her rummaging around as she called, “This is...” she came back in to the living room,...“very important." with a fork in her right hand!
“I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.” she proclaimed. All the pastor could say was a slow, “Well...” “That surprises you, doesn’t it?” the woman asked, smiling. “Does it show?" the pastor asked. She nodded. The pastor said, “Well, it does seem strange.”
The woman explained. “In all my years of attending church social and potluck dinners, I always remember when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, ‘keep your fork.’ It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep dish
apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!”
The lady said, “I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder, ‘What’s with the fork?’ Then I want you to tell them, ‘Keep your fork...The best is yet to come.”’
The pastor’s eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged her good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the woman’s casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite Bible and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question, “What’s with the fork?”
And he just smiled. During his message, he told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died and what the fork symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it gently remind you that the best is yet to come...
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Youth Ideas: If You Think
If you think you dare not, you don't!
If you want to win, but think you can't,
It's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you're lost;
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a person's will;
It's all in the state of mind."
Author: Walter Winkle
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Helping Others Win
At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win.
All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry.
They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back......every one of them. One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.
Everyone in the stadium stood, the cheering went on for several minutes.
People who were there are still telling the story... Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.
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Youth Ideas: Giving Blood
Her only chance for restoration was a blood transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the illness. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.
"Johnny, would you like to give your blood for Mary?" the doctor asked.
The boy hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled, and said, "Sure, Doc. I'll give my blood for my sister."
Soon the two children were wheeled into the operating room - Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and the picture of health. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned. As his blood siphoned into Mary's veins, one could almost see new life come into her tired body.
The ordeal was almost over when Johnny's brave little voice broke the silence, "Say Doc, when do I die?" It was only then that the doctor realized what the moment of hesitation, the trembling of the lip, had meant earlier.
Little Johnny actually thought that in giving his blood to his sister he was giving up his life! And in that brief moment, the final decision that he had made was the greatest love of all... the unconditional sacrificing love..
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Family Treasure
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Youth Ideas: Easter Auction
As winter approached, war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was missing in action. The art collector anxiously awaited more news, fearing he would never see his son again.
Within days, his fears were confirmed. The young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a medic. Distraught and lonely, the old man faced the upcoming Easter holidays with anguish and sadness. The joy of the season, a season that he and his son had so looked forward to, would visit his house no longer.
On Easter morning, a knock on the door awakened the depressed old man. As he walked to the door, the masterpieces of art on the walls only reminded him that his son was not coming home. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hand.
He introduced himself to the man by saying, "I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you."
As the two began to talk, the soldier told of how the man's son had told everyone of his father's love of fine art. "I'm an artist,"said the soldier, "and I want to give you this." As the old man unwrapped the package, the paper gave way to reveal a portrait of the man's son. Though the world would never consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man's face in striking detail.
Overcome with emotion, the man thanked the soldier, promising to hang the picture above the fireplace. A few hours later, after the soldier had departed, the old man set about his task. True to his word, the painting went above the fireplace, pushing aside thousands of dollars of paintings. And then the man sat in his chair and spent Easter gazing at the gift he had been given. During the days and weeks that followed, the man realized that even though his son was no longer with him, the boy's life would live on because of those he had touched. He would soon learn that his son had rescued dozens of wounded soldiers before a bullet stilled his caring heart. As the stories of his son's gallantry continued to reach him, fatherly pride and satisfaction began to ease the grief. The painting of his son soon became his most prized possession, far eclipsing any interest in the pieces for which museums around the world clamored. He told his neighbors it was the greatest gift he had ever received. The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was in anticipation.
With the collector's passing, and his only son dead, those paintings would be sold at an auction. According to the will of the old man, all of the art works would be auctioned on Easter day, the day he had received his greatest gift.
The day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world's most spectacular paintings. Dreams would be fulfilled this day; greatness would be achieved as many would claim "I have the greatest collection." The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum's list. It was the painting of the man's son. The auctioneer asked for an opening bid. The room was silent.
"Who will open the bidding with $100?" he asked.
Minutes passed. No one spoke. From the back of the room came, "Who cares about that painting? It's just a picture of his son. Let's forget it and go on to the good stuff." More voices echoed in agreement.
"No, we have to sell this one first," replied the auctioneer. "Now, who will take the son?"
Finally, a friend of the old man spoke. "Will you take ten dollars for the painting? That's all I have. I knew the boy, so I'd like to have it."
"I have ten dollars. Will anyone go higher?" called the auctioneer. After more silence, the auctioneer said, "Going once, going twice. Gone." The gavel fell.
Cheers filled the room and someone exclaimed, "Now we can get on with it and we can bid on these treasures!" The auctioneer looked at the audience and announced the auction was over.
Stunned disbelief quieted the room. Someone spoke up and asked, "What do you mean it's over? We didn't come here for a picture of some old guy's son. What about all of these paintings? There are millions of dollars of art here! I demand that you explain what's going on here!"
The auctioneer replied, "It's very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son...gets it all!"
Just as those art collectors discovered on that Easter day, the message is still the same-the love of a Father-a Father whose greatest joy came from His Son who went away and gave his life rescuing others. And because of that Father's love...whoever takes the Son gets it all.
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Dart Test
One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary class and knew they were in for a fun day. On the wall was a big target, and on a nearby table were many darts. Dr. Smith told his students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture, if they wished.
Sally's girlfriend drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased with the overall effect she had achieved.
The class lined up and began throwing darts. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripped apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Dr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.
As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target. Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall.
Underneath the Target was a picture of Jesus.
A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face, and His eyes were pierced.
Dr. Smith said only these words.....
"In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." Matthew 25:40.
No other words were necessary; tears filled the eyes of the students, focused only on the picture of Christ.
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Youth Ideas: Claimed for God
"I did not see that the Power that would give the men and the means would be sufficient to keep them also, even in the interior of China.
"A million a month were dying in China without God. This was burned into my very soul."
Sunday, June 25th, 1865, he left the church meeting and went to a near by beach and walked most of the afternoon. Then he went back to his room that night and wrote these words:
"I was unable to bear the sight of a congregation of a thousand or more Christian people rejoicing in their own security while millions were perishing for the lack of knowledge. I wondered out on the sands alone and in great spiritual agony there the Lord finally conquered my unbelief. I surrendered myself to God for His service. I told Him that all the responsibilities as to the issues as to the consequences must rest with Him. That as His servant it was mine to obey and to follow Him. It was His to direct, to care for, to guide me, in all those who would labor with me. Needless to say, peace then flooded my soul. "
He then prayed that God would give him 24 people to join him. Two for each of the eleven provinces of China that had no Gospel witness and two extras for Mongolia.
The young medical doctor was J. Hudson Taylor. From that church meeting J. Hudson Taylor claimed China for God.
J Hudson Taylor became the most widely used missionary in China's history. During his 51 years of service there, his China Inland Mission established 20 mission stations, brought 849 missionaries to the field (968 by 1911), trained some 700 Chinese workers, raised four million dollars by faith, and developed a witnessing Chinese church of 125,000. It has been said at least 35,000 were his own converts and that he baptized some 50,000.
All this because he surrendered his will to God, to follow Him in obedience, to be used by Him.
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Can You Forgive Me?
The report of the man's enormous error quickly spread throughout the executive offices, and his colleagues began to make themselves scarce. Afraid of Rockefeller's reaction, they didn't even want to cross his path.
One individual didn't have any choice, however, since he had an appointment with the boss. The guilty culprit worked for this man making him accountable to Rockefeller for his subordinate's costly blunder. So he straightened his tie, threw back his shoulders, tightened his belt and walked into Rockefeller's office struggling to hold his head up high.
As he approached the oil monarch's desk, Rockefeller looked up from the piece of paper upon which he was writing.
"I guess you've heard about the two million dollar mistake our friend made," he said abruptly.
"Yes," the executive said, expecting Rockefeller to explode.
"Well, I've been sitting here listing all of our friend's good qualities on this sheet of paper, and I've discovered in the past he has made us many more times the amount he lost for us by his one mistake. His good points far outweigh this one human error. So I think we ought to forgive him, don't you?"
When Rockefeller thought about this executive who cost him millions, he chose to dwell on how this person had been a blessing to his company. He made a decision to affirm him instead of tearing him down.
When someone offends you, is your tendency to tabulate how he or she wronged you on other occasions, or do you concentrate on their value to your life?
From You Can Win with Love by Dale Galloway.
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Youth Ideas: Born on the 4th of July
This nation was born out of faith in God. It can continue to exist in freedom only as that faith remains forthright and strong. A statesman of a past age said, 'Despotism may govern without faith, but Liberty cannot.'
Faith in God remains the solid rock that stands unmoved amid the sliding sands. The antithesis of cynicism, it is the dynamo which sparks the minds and actions of men who think beyond the pettiness of self. It is the tie which binds mankind in mystic unity, exalting the human creature until, indeed, he is 'little lower than the angels.' And it is the balm which salves the sting of time and death.
Faith in God has meant to me the enjoyment of those manifold 'blessings of liberty' which the Founding Fathers sought to secure for all posterity.
It is a fathomless source from which to draw strength in times of adversity. And it has helped me to catch a glimpse of the wisdom implicit in those immutable laws by which He rules His universe."
J. Edgar Hoover
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Awesomites
-Matthew 9:36,37
"I think Christ is awesome and wants us to be 'awesomites.' Humble awesomites representing His awesomeness nonetheless. More than conquerors! Christ and His Christians, changing things on the earth.
There are many wounded and hurting individuals 'tied to trees' around the world. You work with some, others live across the street. One of them probably just served you in a check-out line, seated you in a restaurant or served you food. Their chains are alcohol, drugs, abuse, broken dreams, rejection, money, lust...Well, you get the point.
Plan A is for supernatural, but ordinary, people like you and me to: (1) wholeheartedly believe in the victory of Calvary--to be convinced that it was complete and final and (2) to rise up in our role as sent ones, ambassadors, authorized representatives of the Victor. Our challenge is not so much to liberate as to believe in the Liberator; to heal as to believe in the Healer.
Plan B is to waste the Cross; to leave the tormented in their torment; to scream with our silence, 'There is no hope!'; to hear the Father say again, 'I looked but found no one''; to hear the Son cry once more, 'The laborers! Where are the laborers?'
Come on, Church! Let's untie some folks. Let's tell them there is a God who cares. Let's represent--let's mediate--let's intercede!"
Source: Dutch Sheets "Intercessory Prayer"
"How God Can Use Your Prayers to Move Heaven and Earth"
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Youth Ideas: America's Greatest Source of Strength
According to the U.S. Congress, it's American mothers. Stay-at-home moms, Congress declared, are "doing so much for the home . . . and [for] religion," which leads to "good government and humanity."
Congress use these in 1914 when it created Mother's Day. The words reflect the widespread belief that full-time mothers were performing a vitally important task.
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Youth Leadership Lessons: A Penny
The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely.
As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband.
He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts.
Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her.
Finally, she could stand it no longer. She causally mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.
A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?
"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says."
She read the words "United States of America."
"No, not that; read further."
"One cent?"
"No, keep reading."
"In God we Trust?"
"Yes!"
"And?"
"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!
When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message. It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful!
And, God is patient...
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Youth Ideas: 10 Little Christians
1 disliked the preacher, then there were 9.
9 little Christians stayed up very late.
1 overslept Sunday, then there were 8.
8 little Christians on their way to Heaven.
1 took the low road and then there were 7.
7 little Christians chirping like chicks.
1 disliked music, then there were 6.
6 little Christians seemed very much alive,
but one lost his interest then there was 5.
5 little Christians pulling for Heaven's Shore,
but one stopped to rest, then there were 4
4 little Christians each busy as a bee.
1 got his feelings hurt, then there were 3
3 little Christians knew not what to do.
1 joined the sporty crowd, then there were 2
2 little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done,
differed with each other, then there was 1
1 little Christian can't do much 'tis true,
brought his friend to bible study, then there were 2
2 earnest Christians, each won one more.
That doubled the number, then there were 4
4 sincere Christians worked early and late.
Each won another then there were 8
8 splendid Christians if they doubled as before.
In just so many Sundays, we'd have 1,024
In this little jingle, there is a lesson true,
you belong either to the building or to the wrecking crew!
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Youth Leadership Lessons: The Secret to Catching Fish
So the first little boy asked the other boy, "What's your secret?"
The other replied, " Ma motta meep ma Morms merm!"
The first little boy couldn't understand him and so he asked him again, " What's your secret?"
So the boy again replied,"Ma Motta meep Ma Morms Merm!"
The first little boy still couldn't understand him, so he asked a third time, "What's your secret?"
The other boy said, " --PATOOWEE(spit)-- "You gotta keep your worms warm!"
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Youth Ideas: Thanksgiving Prayer
"Logan, wait until we say our prayer," his mother reminded him.
"I don't need to," the little boy replied.
"Of course you do!" his mother insisted, "We say a prayer before eating at our house."
"That's at our house," Logan explained, "but this is Grandma's house, and she knows how to cook!"
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Strategies to Confuse Trick or Treaters
Get about 30 people to wait in your living room. When trick-or-treaters come to the door, say, "Come in." When they do, have everyone yell, "Surprise!!!" Act like it's a surprise party.
TIME TO FIX IT
Get everyone who comes to the door to come in and see if they can figure out what's wrong with your dishwasher. Insist that it makes an unnatural "whirring" sound.
SO WHO's PAYING FOR IT
After you give them candy, hand the trick-or-treaters a bill.
MARINE STYLE
Insist that the trick-or-treaters each do ten push-ups before you give them any candy.
THE WAITER
Hand out menus to the trick-or-treaters and let them order their candy. Keep asking if anyone wants to see the entrée menu.
THE DENTIST
Answer the door dressed as a dentist. Angrily give the trick-or-treaters a two-hour lecture on tooth decay.
THE PILGRIM
Answer the door dressed as a pilgrim. Stare at the trick-or-treaters for a moment, pretend to be confused, and start flipping through a calendar
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Youth Ideas: Praise Songs Explained
“Praise choruses,” said his wife, “What are those?”
“Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer.
“”Well, what’s the difference?” asked his wife.
The farmer said, “Well it’s like this - If I were to say to you:
`Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:
`Martha Martha, Martha, Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA,
the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows,
the white cows, the black and white cows,
the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn,
are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn,
the CORN, CORN, CORN,’
Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well that
would be a praise chorus.”
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Mother's White Hair
The mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.
The girl thought about this revelation a while, and then said, "Momma, how come *all* of grandma's hairs are white?"
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Youth Ideas: Kids Say The Funniest Things
the left shoe was on the right foot. She said, "Son, your shoes are on the wrong feet." He looked up at her with a raised brow and said, "Don't kid me, Mom. I KNOW they're my feet."
__________________________________________________
On the first day of school, the Kindergarten teacher said, "If anyone
has to go to the bathroom, hold up two fingers." A little voice from the back of the room asked, "How will that help?"
__________________________________________________
A mother and her young son returned from the grocery store and began
putting away the groceries. The boy opened the box of animal crackers and spread them all over the table. "What are you doing?" his mother asked. "The box says you can't eat them if the seal is broken," the boy explained. "I'm looking for the seal."
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Youth Leadership Lessons: If Jesus Were Born Today
Of course, Mary would have an underpaid court appointed attorney to represent her in the dependent-neglect proceeding, and Joseph would be out of luck once it was determined that paternity could not be established within a reasonable degree of medical certainty through blood or DNA testing (97% probability that Joe was the dad is sufficient, but absent divine intervention, that couldn't happen, hmmm?). He would be excluded from juvenile court as a stranger to the proceeding and investigated for possible sexual deviance (all those oxen and asses around), and he would be told that he had no standing to object since he was not the natural father of the child and was not yet married to Mary (by their own admissions they had not yet consummated their union).
The Division of Children and Family Services would ask the court to order Mary to take parenting classes, and the Court would order that homemaker services be provided as well, since obviously Mary can't keep house properly (the place where the DHS workers found the child was kept remarkably like a barn).
Mary would be allowed to have one visit with Jesus per week at the Centers for Youth and Families. The visit would be one hour long, and supervised by a therapist since Jesus would no doubt be put in therapeutic foster care to prevent psychological damage resulting from the horrible lack of civilization to which he had been exposed at such a tender age.
At the eighteen month dispositional hearing, the court would consider terminating parental rights because of Mary's refusal to bring a paternity suit against Jesus' true biological father (or even to identify him to the satisfaction of the Court). The Court would be appalled at the life choices Mary would have made: she would have completed her marriage to Joseph (that suspected sexual deviant) and had more children by him, which was obviously contrary to Jesus' best interest.
Since Mary and Joseph had fled the jurisdiction with Jesus once to escape encounters with the authorities, they would determine that Mary and Joe had nefarious plans to abscond with the Ward of the State to Egypt again, where they would possibly engage in dangerous and illegal activities with him. Parental rights would be terminated, and Jesus would be put up for adoption.
He would be adopted by the Herods, a well-connected and politically powerful family, who have been searching for just such a child as Jesus. Of course, Jesus will die in the custody of his adoptive family, because that's all they wanted him for in the first place. Social services will NOT have intervened prior to his death because the state social workers could never imagine someone as highly placed as the Herods exploiting children or torturing them to death. The political ramifications for the Herods would have been too severe. In all likelihood, the social service agencies would cover up the death as one occurring from accident, and Herod's good name will be preserved.
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Youth Ideas: Great Men of God
The deacon was amazed at this great feat. But that was nothing. The second elder said, "Oh no, I forgot the bait." So just like the first elder he stepped out of the boat, walked across the water, went back to the car, got the bait, and then walked back to the boat. The deacon was in great amazement now. He was thinking, "Gee, these must really be great men of God to be able to walk across the water."
Then the deacon remembered that he forgot his hooks. He told the elders that he did not have his hooks and that he was going back to the car to get them. The elders did not say anything so the deacon took a deep breath, stepped out of the boat, into the water and sank to the bottom of the lake. Then the first elder looked at the second elder and said, "Do you think we should have told him where the rocks were?"
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Youth Ideas: Father's Day Humor
Say what you will about healthy eating and all, but I've always found it awfully difficult to explain to my son (who's 6'4" to my 6' in height), why junk food is bad for you.
One time my kids wanted to surprise me with a good breakfast in bed on Father's Day. They put a cot in the kitchen.
If you think about it, Adam had more trouble than any of the rest of us buying his Father a gift for Father's Day. I mean, what do you get somebody who's Everything?
I started early teaching my kids the value of a dollar. From then on, they demanded their allowances in gold.
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Definition of A Mother
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Youth Ideas: Christmas A Little Too Commercial
10. The only time you've heard Jesus mentioned this year was when your neighbor opened his Visa bill!
9. You mentioned the "Star in the East" to someone and they thought you were talking about Jackie Chan!
8. Your son thought St. Nick, Kris Kringle, and Father Christmas were the Three Wise Men.
7. You got more Christmas Cards from companies then friends!
6. When you hear the name Bethlehem, you think . . .Ah, steel manufacturing!
5. You asked your neighbor to come to church Christmas Eve, and they said, "What's Christmas got to do with church?"
4. The last time you said "Merry Christmas" to someone, they called the "Politically Correct Police"!
3. When you got to the part in the Christmas account about there being "no room in the inn", your first thought was, "Maybe I should invest in the hospitality industry!"
2. When you told your Sunday School class about the Magi's gifts, a couple of the kids wondered about their current market value!
And the number one reason why Christmas might be a little too commercial:
1. Simple, you spent more time, running and buying then you did bending to worship!
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Barbershop Salvation
The barber's wife, Grace, was working that day, so she performed the task. Grace shaved him and sprayed him with lilac water, and said, "That will be $20." The man thought the price was a bit high, but he paid the bill and went to work. The next morning the man looked in the mirror, and his face was as smooth as it had been when he left the barber shop the day before. Not bad, he thought. At least I don't need to get a shave every day.
The next morning, the man's face was still smooth. Two weeks later, the man was still unable to find any trace of whiskers on his face. It was more than he could take, so he returned to the barber shop.
"I thought $20 was high for a shave", he told the barber's wife, "but you must have done a great job. It's been two weeks and my whiskers still haven't started growing back."
The expression on her face didn't even change, expecting his comment. She responded, "You were shaved by Grace. Once shaved, always shaved."
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Youth Ideas: 20 Ways to Confuse Santa Claus
While he's in the house, go find his sleigh and write him a speeding ticket.
Leave him a note, explaining that you've gone away for the holidays. Ask if he would mind watering your plants.
While he's in the house, replace all his reindeer with exact replicas. Then wait and see what happens when he tries to get them to fly.
Keep an angry bull in your living room. If you think a bull goes crazy when he sees a little red cape, wait until he sees that big, red Santa suit!
Build an army of mean-looking snowmen on the roof, holding signs that say "We hate Christmas," and "Go away Santa."
Leave a note by the telephone, telling Santa that Mrs. Claus called and wanted to remind him to pick up some milk and a loaf of bread on his way home.
Throw a surprise party for Santa when he comes down the chimney. Refuse to let him leave until everyone else arrives.
While he's in the house, find the sleigh and sit in it. As soon as he comes back and sees you, tell him that he shouldn't have missed that last payment, and take off.
Leave a plate filled with cookies and a glass of milk out, with a note that says, "For The Tooth Fairy." Leave another plate out with half a stale cookie and a few drops of skim milk in a dirty glass with a note that says, "For Santa."
Take everything out of your house as if it's just been robbed. When Santa arrives, show up dressed like a policeman and say, "Well, well. They always return to the scene of the crime."
Leave out a copy of your Christmas list with last-minute changes and corrections.
While he's in the house, cover the top of the chimney with barbed wire.
Leave lots of hunting trophies and guns out where Santa's sure to see them. Go outside, yell, "Ooh! Look! A deer! And he's got a red nose!" and fire a gun.
Leave Santa a note, explaining that you've moved. Include a map with unclear and hard-to-read directions to your new house.
Set a bear trap at the bottom of the chimney. Wait for Santa to get caught in it, and then explain that you're sorry, but from a distance, he looked like a bear.
Leave out a Santa suit, with a dry-cleaning bill.
Paint "hoof-prints" all over your face and clothes. While he's in the house, go out on the roof. When he comes back up, act like you've been "trampled." Threaten to sue.
Instead of ornaments, decorate your tree with Easter eggs.
Dress up like the Easter Bunny. Wait for Santa to come and then say, "This neighborhood ain't big enough for the both of us."
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Sermons for Youth: A Character Of A Champion
Darkness was falling. Only a few thousand spectators remained in the stadium. The Marathon had been won over an hour earlier. Now, as the last of the spectators were leaving, their attention was suddenly drawn to the sound of police sirens and whistles at the marathon gates.
Out of the cold darkness, John Stephen Akhwari, wearing the colors of Tanzania, entered at the far end of the stadium, painfully hobbling, his leg bloody and bandaged.
Earlier, several miles into the race, Akhwari had found himself trapped in the middle of some runners. Unable to see well, he fell and severely injured his knee and ankle. He watched in anguish as the other racers continued. But he didn't give up there.
Grimacing with every step, he now painfully hobbles around the 400 meter track, eventually crosses the finish line and collapses--the last man to finish the marathon.
The spectators rise and applaud him - saluting the man's determination. Without looking back, Akhwari quietly walked off the field. Later, when asked why he did not quit, he replied, "My country did not send me 7000
miles away to start the race. They sent me 7000 miles to finish it."
Akhwari was never awarded a medal. They don't hand out awards for perseverance at the Olympics. Yet few remember who won the gold in the 1968 Marathon. Instead they remember John Stephen Awkwari -- the runner whose determination and perseverance represented the true character of a Champion.
Anyone can start something but true Champions finish what they start!
"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."
-Hebrews 12:1
Copyright 2003 by Ken Sapp
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Youth Bible Studies: Even Eagles Need A Push
Golden and bald eagles are among the largest and most powerful birds in the world. Eagles are symbols of strength, bravery and courage -- and proud independence. But their independence must be learned.
As young eaglets, the nest is comfortable, safe, and secure. But if the eaglets are to survive on their own, they must leave the comfort of the nest and learn to fly! To convince the eaglets that it is time to leave the parents make the nest uncomfortable by tearing up the bedding with their talons, allowing the sticks and sharp ends to be exposed.
The mother eagle then beats her wings at the eaglets, harassing them, and driving them forward. Cowering before such an attack, the little eaglets climb up on the edge of the nest, only to be pushed over the side by the mother eagle. The eaglet falls, its wings struggling to catch the air currents, but flopping out of control due to inexperience.
Just before the eaglet crashes upon the rocks below, the mother eagle swoops down, catches it on her back, and soars upward into the sky. Much relieved, the young eaglet feels safe, until suddenly, without warning, the mother eagle dives downward, depriving the little eaglet of its grip. Once again it finds itself plummeting toward the ground.
Repeatedly the eaglet is dumped then rescued until it learns to catch the rising air currents and ride the winds. Its wings strengthen and soon the eaglet soars high above the earth, taking on the character of a true eagle.
Unfortunately, some eaglets refuse to use their wings and fly. Eventually, the mother eagle soars high one final time with the eaglet on her back, and with a wild screech of disappointment and pain, she dives out from under it and flies away, leaving it to its fate -- either “fly or die.”
Have you become too comfortable? Do you have a "fly or die" attitude. It's time you gave your life a push and stretched your wings! If you never stretch your wings, you will never fly to greater heights.
“”Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles”
- Isaiah 40:31
The Lord uphold all those who fall
and lifts up all those who are bowed down
Copyright 2003 by Ken Sapp
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Sermons for Youth: Walking Like A Pigeon
In our spiritual walk with the Lord we have the same problem as the pigeon. We have a hard time seeing while we're moving. We also need to stop between steps -- to refocus on where we are in relation to the World and the will of God. That's not to say we have to stop and pray and meditate about every little decision in life. But certainly our walk with the Lord needs to have built into it a pattern of "stops," which enable us to see more clearly before moving on.
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Youth Bible Studies: Why I Teach
Came at the evening cold and gray
To a chasm vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a swollen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim
That swollen stream held no fears for him
But he paused when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
"You are wasting strength with building here.
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way.
You have crossed the chasm deep and wide;
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"
The builder lifted his old gray head,
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There follows after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This swollen stream which was naught to me
To that fair haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim.
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."
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Sermons for Youth: True Courage
It is easy to be a mother when a baby is cooing and gurgling over breakfast; it takes courage to be a mother when the child suffers from a terrible and incurable handicap.
Courage is the power to do well in the face of a threat--to your life, to your security, to your future, to the things you hold dear."
Lewis Smedes "Practical Christianity" (Tyndale House Publishers)
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Youth Ideas: Tank Test
I guess you could say I know about fish, fish tanks, fish filters, fish food, and fish stuff. There's a lot to fish that your average person doesn't realize or even care about that much. Initially my knowledge didn't go beyond the basics. Like, if a fish is swimming upside down it is probably dead. Or, dead fish look bigger in the aquarium than than the do just before you flush them down the toilet. I also discovered fish will eat and eat and eat until they explode which is why you only feed them a little at a time. I think I had also read that fish must rest half an hour after they eat or they'll get cramps and drown, but that story now sounds a little fishy to me.
One of my aquariums had a clear plastic partition down the middle. I think that one or two of the fish that died might have run into the wall, knocked themselves out, and drowned, but I am not sure.
Anyway, now I know about wet/ dry filters, algea eaters, brackish water, etc. I always wanted a bigger tank and even now I miss my aquariums. I think I developed a fish fetish. Fish have a way of doing that to people. You might start with five goldfish in a glass jar, but then you add this and that and before you know it you have a tank the size of the Great Barrier Reef and Sentosa's Underwater Aquarium is calling to see if you can keep a dolphin for the weekend.
"Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs- He wants to please his commanding officer." (II Timothy 2:3-4)
Sometimes my fish died because the water in the tank didn't have enough of something or too much of something else. The tank was unbalanced. When life has a bitter taste, when our tomorrows appear cloudy and murky, when all our fish are floating belly up, it's time to test our waters and see what is out of balance.
Paul's words to Timothy is the tank tester we need. It's a fairly simple test, merely a small question. Are you caught up in the things of the world or are you seeking to please Christ? What is the center of your life?
Sometimes get caught up in the things of the world as we try to keep a daytime calendar that requires 25 hour days. We then wonder why we are so tired or never have time to do anything. We spend so much time and energy working to get the things our society values that in the end we don't have time to enjoy them or the things in life that are so much more important - fellowship with God, family, and friends. Sometimes we may feel like we have charged into an invisible wall, have been knocked out by frustrations and tragedies, and are drowning in despair. Sometimes we may have spiritual indigestion because we have eaten too much of the things of the world or we are choking from trying to eat the wrong things.
Why not look over your activities this week as and ask yourself the questions, "How can I please Christ in the things I do? Is my life out of balance? What things do I need to add to my schedule or remove from it to get my life into balance?"
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Placing Light
- A lighthouse
- A floodlight
- 100 watt light bulb
- A flashlight
- A flashlight with dead batteries'
- A penlight
- A bonfire
- A campfire
- A candle
- A spark
- Other?
A young lady working in a factory became frustrated with the immorality around her. She went to her pastor for counseling one day and began to tell him how difficult it was to work in a factory with so many non-Christians.
"Pastor." she said, "You lust don't know how hard it is to go to work on Monday morning and hear all the stories about the partying that took place the weekend before."
Her pastor replied, "Where do you place lights?"
The girl, barely hearing the question, rushed on saying, "And you can't imagine how terrible it is work with people who smoke and curse all day!"
"Where do you place lights?" he questioned again.
This time the girls hesitated with a puzzled look on her face and continued on "Pastor, you couldn't possibly know how hard it is to work with a bunch of men and women who come in after the weekend and talk about their sexual exploits and affairs."
Again the pastor challenged the girl. 'Where do you put lights?"
The conversation continued on until the girl stopped in frustration and responded to the question. "Well. I don't know where you place lights--in dark places I guess!" When the words had barely left her lips, it was as if a light had come on, for the girl understood the point her pastor was making. She was to be God's light in the factory where she worked. She left her church that day with a vision in her heart for what she could do to reach her coworkers for the Lord. In the next several months she led several of them to the Lord.
If we are going to win our friends to Christ we must start sharing outside the four walls of the church. If we refuse to tell them about Jesus on their own ground, in the work place and in homes, many of them will never hear the good news of salvation.
Read Matthew 5:14-16, and 1 Peter 2:12.
What common theme is there in these verses?
Matthew 5:1-12 sets the foundation for what it means to be the “light of the world.” Of the 8 qualities listed here, which do you desire most in your life? How might these eight qualities relate to being the "Light of the world”?
- Is your life a light on a hill?
- Do you live a life that causes others to glorify God?
- How might you shine brighter for Christ?
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
- 2 Corinthians 3:18
Copyright 1998 by Ken Sapp
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Youth Ideas: Little Tree
Then the monk sought out a brother monk in his cell and told him of the strange experience. After hearing the story, the other monk said, "I too have planted a little tree. See how it is thriving! But I entrust my tree to it's God. He who made it knows better than a man like me what it needs. I gave God no constraints or conditions, except to pray, "Lord, send what it needs - be it sunshine, wind, rain or frost. You made it and You know what it needs."
Let us not pray for what we want, but let us pray for what God wants for us. And remember that we are to come to Him as a child and that God answers all prayers, but sometimes the answer is "No" because He knows better what we need!
See how the lilies of the field grow. (Matt 6:28)
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Youth Leadership Lessons: Impossible
In the physical world there may be limits, but often the limits persist only in the mind of man. When someone looks beyond and dares to challenge the impossible, that barrier we call the "impossible" disperses and we discover things were not as impossible as they seemed. The only true limitation was our belief and the knowledge discovered when we dared to step outside our limiting beliefs.
Listen to these statements of professionals regarding flight.
"...We hope that Professor Langley will not put his substantial greatness as a scientist in further peril by continuing to waste his time and the money involved, in further airship experiments. Life is short, and he is capable of services to humanity incomparably greater than can be expected to result from trying to fly." - New York Times, December 10,1903, editorial page.
"Outside of the proven impossible, there probably can be found no better example of the speculative tendency carrying man to the verge of the chimerical than in his attempts to imitate the birds, or no field where so much inventive seed has been sown with so little return as in the attempts of man to fly successfully through the air. Never, it would seem, has the human mind so persistently evaded the issue, begged the questions and, 'wrangling resolutely with the facts', insisted upon dreams being accepted as actual performance, as when there has been proclaimed time and again the proximate and perfect utility of the balloon or of the flying machine." -- Melville, Rear Admiral George (1901)
"...Should man succeed in building a machine small enough to fly and large enough to carry himself, then in attempting to build a still larger machine he will find himself limited by the strength of his materials in the same manner and for the same reasons that nature has." -- Melville, Rear Admiral George (1901)
"...there is no basis for the ardent hopes and positive statements made as to the safety and successful use of the dirigible balloon or flying machine, or both, for commercial transportation or as weapons of ware, and that, therefore, it would be a wrong, whether willful or unknowing, to lead the people and perhaps governments at this time to believe the contrary;..." -- Melville, Rear Admiral George (1901)
"…The aeroplane must have its propellers. These must be driven by an engine with a source of power. Weight is an essential quality of every engine. The propellers must be made of metal, which has its weakness, and which is liable to give way when its speed attains a certain limit. And, granting complete success, imagine the proud possessor of the aeroplane darting through the air at a speed of several hundred feet per second! It is the speed alone that sustains him. Once he slackens his speed, down he begins to fall. He may, indeed, increase the inclination of his aeroplane. Then he increases the resistance necessary to move it. Once he stops he falls a dead mass. How shall he reach the ground without destroying his delicate machinery?" --Newcomb, Simon. Outlook for the Flying Machine. The Independent, October 22, 1903. pp. 2508, 2510-2511.
"...The popular mind often pictures gigantic flying machines speeding across the Atlantic and carrying innumerable passengers in a way analogous to our modern steamships...It seems safe to say that such ideas must be wholly visionary, and even if a machine could get across with one or two passengers the expense would be prohibitive to any but the capitalist who could own his own yacht.” -- Source: Clarke, Arthur C. Profiles of the Future. New York, Harper and Row, 1962. pp.3-4.
But of course flight is common to us today. What was once considered impossible is now commonplace.
What is true for the physical world is even more applicable for the spiritual one -- where for God, NOTHING is impossible. How many breakthroughs do we miss out on in our spiritual lives because of limiting beliefs. God wants to do the impossible in your life and the first step toward that is for you to believe it can be done. Only then will you discover the wonders God has prepared for you. And you will mount up on eagles wings and fly higher with God than ever before!
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Youth Ideas: Gather or Scatter
I love playing games, not all the time but sometimes. It's easy to get burned out playing them too much so I try to only play them once in a while.
One game I never want to play again is 52 pick up. I'm sure most of us are familiar with 52 pick up. We probably learned it from our mean older brother or sister who one day approached us all nice and friendly. For a moment it seemed like they were your best friend as they asked you if you would like to play a game. Sure you said, what shall we play? How does 52 pick up sound they reply? You're just so happy that they would even ask that you let down your guard and you say "yes". That's when you find out just how rotten older siblings can be. They take the whole deck of cards, all 52 and they throw them into the air scattering them all over the floor in a huge mess. As they walk away they say with a grin, "okay pick them up".
You know as Christians we have to be careful of making messes with our lives. Jesus said "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters." There are lots of times in our lives when we think we've finally got it together. We swear that this time it's going to be different, I'm going to live for God no matter what. But what happens? In a couple of days or weeks we find that were right back in a rut.
Why? I think the most important reason is because we fail to act on what we claim is true. In other words, we say we believe in God but it's not evident in the way we live our lives. I mean how many times have we heard that lust is wrong? Yet we look for images on the web or the television that cause us to lust. What about swearing? We know from God's word that it's wrong to swear so why do we do it? And what about coveting? We know that it's wrong too yet still we want what we want and we act as though we could never be happy till we get it.
We're supposed to be the light of the world, the ones who carry the message of hope and love to the lost. When we tell them we're saved and that they need what we've got do you think it's going to mean anything when they see how we really live? You don't act any better than them and you're going to tell them they need what you've got. Hey don't blame them if they don't take you seriously because honestly neither do you.
When Christians live this way they aren't helping they're hurting, they're not gathering instead they're scattering. In order to truly change we need to stop playing the same old games with our faith. Quit doing what you know from God's Word is wrong and do what is right. Is it easy? No! is it hard? Sometimes, but that's the cost of sacrifice. Until you're willing to truly give up the junk in your life. Until you're willing to put your life under God's microscope and say Lord help me to hate what you hate and love what you love. How much gathering do you really expect to get done? How much change should you really expect?
The reason we struggle so much is because deep down inside we really don't want to change. Our sinful nature is at war with the Spirit inside us trying to get us to do what we know is wrong. It's the voice inside that says it will make you feel good if you just give it a try. Your faith is what gives you the strength to live above your emotions though. It's what should drive you to do whats right not because it feels good or because it feels right but because you know it's right and it's what God wants you to do. If by faith you can't live above your emotions then I ask you how strong is your faith?
2 Corinthians 5:7-10 "We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. "
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Youth Ideas: Cracked Pot
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We are all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste. So as we seek ways to minister together, and as God calls you to the tasks He has appointed for you, don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and allow Him to take advantage of them, and you, too, can be the cause of beauty in His pathway.
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Youth Leadership Lessons: God With Us
"Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord."
What a wonderful promise we are reminded of each Christmas!
For we know that God, through Christ, has come and is coming again to establish his Kingdom on Earth.
Christmas is truly a joyous time. Christmas gives us the opportunity to be with family and friends. But we must make the time to share the true meaning of Christmas with those we love. It is all too easy to become overwhelmed by the secular vision of Christmas, the one that only sees Santa Claus, parties, and presents.
I urge each of you to find the quiet time you need for your family and friends - a time for prayer, singing your favorite Christmas hymns, or simply enjoying a walk in the countryside. While you are enjoying activities together, you have the perfect opportunity to share your love of Christ with those around you. Through this personal time, quiet or not, invested lovingly with those you care for, you can make Christmas more enjoyable than you ever would while being caught up in the demands of shopping and socials.
God has given us his promise. Celebrate Christ's coming. It is truly a marvelous promise.
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Youth Ideas: Christmas Memories
• Of coming together as a family and putting up the Christmas Lights and the Christmas tree.
• Of so many decorations that it took a large trunk and several large boxes to store them away each year.
• Of cleverly disguising and wrapping gifts. My family is a family of laughter and practical jokes. I remember dad, wrapping a large box of laundry detergent for my mom. She unwrapped it and was a bit upset until she found a jewelry box down in the powder.
• Of being able to open one gift on Christmas Eve and having to wait on the rest until Christmas morning.
• Of leaving cookies and milk for Santa Claus. And water outside for the reindeer.
• Of Christmas programs and Christmas pageant's at the church.
• Of a manger scene. And an angel on top the tree.
• Of relationships. We were not wealthy, but I could have received anything for Christmas and have been content.
For me, it wasn't the gift, but the giver that was important. And I always enjoyed giving gifts more than receiving them. My parents would apologize for not having much under the tree, but it wasn't what was under the tree that was special to me. It was the fellowship around the tree. It was the relationships, the fellowship that I remember most.. the time together as a family.
Indeed that is the true meaning of Christmas – Relationship! Sinful man was separated from God and God came down to us to restore the relationship. But Christmas was only the beginning. It was with another tree, many years later that our Savior truly restored the relation so that we can once again fellowship together.
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Youth Bible Studies: Christ's Banquet Table
Thank you very much,' you say. 'Might I please have half a cranberry?'
Your astonished friend nearly chokes on a candied yam and replies,
'Please have all you would like. That's why I invited you! You're hungry, and here is everything you need to get full.'
'Thank you so very much,' you say. 'Perhaps I will have a sip of water.'
Ridiculous, we say. Who would ever act like that? If it were us, we'd gobble up so much food they'd have to use a bulldozer to move us out.
Why is it, then, that when it comes to getting full spiritually, we settle for a half a cranberry?
Paul doesn't want that for us, and in this passage he reminds us that in Christ we have all we need to be all that God wants us to be.
Not infrequently you'll come across people who say either in word or deed that their lives are impoverished. Sometimes, remarkably, you'll find a believer who for some reason is looking for something else.
He is not satisfied. She is not filled full.
Remember: The extent to which you need something else to fill you full is the extent to which you find Christ deficient. If you find Christ deficient, then you have found something in contradiction of Scripture, which says that in Christ all the fullness of Deity resides in bodily form.
We've got to decide, Is it true that in Christ we have all that we need?
You'll find in the church today many people propagating all kinds of things that believers 'need.' Not infrequently these things that Christians 'need' have exceedingly tenuous connections to Christ, 'in whom all
fullness dwells.' As soon as someone tells you that you need this, that, and the other thing, ask yourself, Is this in any way diverting my attention from Christ? Is there any sense in which this is perverting the gospel of Christ, which tells me all fullness is in him? If I get into this
particular thing, will it in any way subvert the authority of Christ in my life?
Beware! Scripture declares that in Christ is all fullness, and if you are related to him, you have been given all fullness. We don't need something super-added, extra-plus to Christ. What we need is to daily
discover all that we already have in him.
How much have you eaten off of Christ's banquet table? How full are you?"
Source: Stuart Briscoe- "Secrets of Spiritual Stamina"
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Sermons for Youth: A Quiet Place
Where God can soothe my troubled mind.
Sheltered by tree and flow'r there in my quiet hour
With Him my cares are left behind.
Whether a garden small or on a mountain tall,
New strength and courage there I find.
Then from this quiet place I go prepared to face
A new day with love for all mankind."
Author: Ralph Carmichael
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Object Lesson for Kids: The Cross or Hell?
A piece of paper and scissors
Description
(drama/object lesson, visual - Use caution when discussing Hell with young kids)
The Background Story
A Japanese man was in prison for his faith. He was told by his interrogator the next day he was going to be executed. But since they were such experts in origami he could go free if he could make a cross with only 1 cut in a piece of paper. The man asked for a piece of paper to practice on but he was told that he could not have one. He went and prayed and the next morning he was brought before his interrogator who was all smiles. He was given a piece of paper and a pair of scissors. The prisoner took the paper and folded it as follows.
Preparation
Fold the top right corner to left side of paper, forming a triangle, then the point at the top left over to the right side of the paper. Now it looks like a house with a pitched roof. Then folded it along the horizontal so that it looked like an arrow. Fold it again along the horizontal to make a thinner arrow. Now cut the paper vertically down the middle as indicated below.
The Lesson
After unfolding all the pieces he found he had a cross. He was free and would have an opportunity for a new life of freedom,, but he wasn't finished. He put all the other pieces together to make the word HELL.
Easter gives us the choice of the CROSS or HELL.
Application
Jesus suffered and sacrificed Himself for our sins and offers us the only way to heaven.
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Youth Ministry Object Lessons: Sports Equipment
A variety of sports equipment. Possibilities include: (a baseball mitt, baseball, bat, and baseball cap), (soccerball, soccer shoe, shin guard), (golf club, golf ball, putter, golf tee), (table tennis table, ping-pong ball, racket, net), (basketball, basketball net), (chessboard, chess pieces), (Chinese chess pieces and board), (tennis ball, tennis racket), (croquet set), (swimming fins, goggles, swimsuit, skull cap), (bowling ball, shoes, and glove) and various balls and equipments from other sports. While using actual equipment will make the lesson more exciting, if you can't obtain the different sports equipment you can write the names of the items on note cards.
Activity
Have children or youth group the items together. As a children's sermon make believe you are playing the different sports, but use the wrong equipment. For a fun youth lesson, actually play a sport with the wrong equipment.)
Debrief
While we may be able to play with the wrong equipment, we are NOT going to break any records. If I hit a basketball with a golf club it will take me forever to reach the hole and when I reach the hole the ball won't fit! While some small items like a baseball cap may not make a difference, other equipment may be impossible to use for the wrong game. Imagine running a race in flippers. If you want to be successful and victorious you need to use the right equipment.
Application
Solomon tried a lot of things in life. While some of them worked for a while, his relationship with God was the only thing that could let him be successful and victorious spiritually.
Alternate Application
Applied to Spiritual gifts, God gives us each gifts with a purpose. Like a piece of sports equipment, We each have our own role to play in this game called life. We are not all called to play the same game or even to use the same gifts and skills. If we try to serve God in ways for which we were not created or for which he did not intend for us to serve, we may be able to function, but we will be far from our potential in Christ.
Alternate Application
While some of the wrong equipment may work for a while, you won't realize your true potential until you use the right equipment for the right task and are pursuing the right goal. For Paul, (Phil 3:12 - 16 ) there was only one goal that mattered. His relationship with God was the only thing that could let him be successful and victorious spiritually. We have to make sure that in life we are playing the right game and pursuing the right goals.
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Object Lesson for Kids: Pizza Prayer
- Order a pizza for your Sunday School Class or group meeting. (you can order it in advance microwave it to control the arrival time..)
- Alternatively, you can just bring in a pizza box or pizza coupons.
Enjoy pizza with the youth if you brought one. If not, just show the pizza box and coupons to the group.
Take it to the next level
Have volunteers read aloud Psalm 50:15; Matthew 7:7-11; 21:22; and Mark 11:24.
- How is prayer like ordering pizza?
- How is prayer different from ordering a pizza?
- Do you think of God as a delivery person? Why or why not?
- Is prayer like the pizza guarantee "Delivery in 30 minutes or your pizza is free"? Why or why not?
- What's wrong with calling on God the way we call for Pizza?
- How do you think God wants us to view prayer?
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Youth Ministry Object Lessons: Legend of The Candy Cane
A candy cane for each child.
The Lesson
Candy Canes are everywhere. They are used as decorations on Christmas trees and are one of the most popular of all Christmas treats. I have heard several stories about the history and meaning of the candy cane. I don't know if they are true, but I do think that the candy cane can teach us a few things about the true meaning of Christmas.
J
First of all, if you look at the candy cane it looks like the letter J. Jesus starts with the letter J, so that should remind us of Jesus and help us to remember that Christmas is Jesus' birthday.
Shepherd's Crook
If you look at the candy cane like this it looks like a shepherd's crook. The shepherd used his crook to keep the sheep from wandering away from the flock and getting lost or eaten by a wild animal. The Bible says, "The Lord is my shepherd." The candy cane should remind us that Jesus is our shepherd and he will keep us from wandering away and getting lost or hurt. (John 10:11)
White
The candy cane is mostly white. White is a symbol of purity. That should remind us that Jesus was the spotless Lamb of God and that because he came to be the sacrifice for our sin, we can become as white as snow. (I John 1:7)
Red Stripes
As you know, the candy cane has three red stripes. The Bible tells us that before he was crucified, Jesus was beaten with a whip which made blood-red stripes across his back. The Bible says that we are healed by those stripes. The stripes on the candy cane should remind us that Jesus suffered and died, so that we can have everlasting life. (Mt 26:28)
Sweet
The sweetness of the candy cane reminds us that God Loves us and wants us to enjoy the many gifts He has given us -- especially the gift of His Son, who came into the world on the first Christmas to save us. (John 3:16)
Summary
To many people, the candy cane is a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time or just a piece of candy to be eaten and enjoyed. I hope that this year, every time you see a candy cane, you will be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas.
Scripture
Mark 12:13-17 Mark 12:41-44
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Object Lesson for Kids: How Do I Measure?
A variety of tools used to measure things... a scale, ruler, measuring cups and spoons of all different sizes, thermometer, carpenter's level, plumbline, voltage detector, protractor, stop watch, spring scale, watch or clock, etc.
Activity
Q: What do all these things have in common?
A: They are used to measure things.
Q: What would be the best device to measure a _____________. (Fill in the blank with various objects around the room)
Application
How do we measure our Christian growth?
How do we measure our spirituality?
We could measure our growth and spirituality by many different means. We could use the 10 Commandments, the Fruits of the Spirit, the Great Commission and many other ways to measure our spiritual life. This could be used as an introduction to any of these topics. But Christ said that the primary way we will be known / measured as Christians in by our love for others. (John 13:35)
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Youth Bible Studies: Self-Esteem
"Self-esteem is never self-made. It grows from the esteem of others given in response to all our lives produce"
Maurice Wagner in "The Sensation of Being Somebody" (Zondervan 1975)
Have you helped build the self-esteem of your youth?
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Youth Ideas: Prayer Capacity
"The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge, 'Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not!"
J. Hudson Taylor
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Sermons for Youth: Met Someone
an hour to appreciate them,
a day to love them,
but then an entire life to forget them.
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Sermons for Youth: Joining Church
For more than a year a little old cleaning woman, who lived on the wrong side of the tracks, had been trying to join a fashionable downtown church. The pastor was not eager to have a seedy looking person in faded, out-of-style clothes sitting in a pew next to his rich members. When she called for the fifth time to discuss membership, he put her off for the fifth time.
"I tell you what," said the pastor, "you just go home tonight and have a talk with God about it. Later you can tell me what He said."
The poor woman went her way. Weeks moved into months, and the preacher saw no more of her and his conscience did hurt a little. Then one day he encountered her scrubbing floors in an office building, and felt impelled to inquire, "did you have your little talk with God, Mrs. Washington?" he asked.
"Oh, my yes," she said, "I talked with God as you suggested."
"Ah, and what answer did He give you?" asked the pastor.
"Well, Preacher," she said as she pushed back a wisp of stringy hair with a sudsy hand, "God said for me not to get discouraged, but to keep trying. He said that He Himself had been trying to get into your church for 20 years, with no more success than I have had."
Source: Unknown
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_Youth Sermon Ideas - Never Ending Youth Sermon
There was a youth who was visiting the youth service one Sunday. The youth sermon seemed to go on forever, and many in the youth group were nodding off to sleep.
After the service, to be social, she walked up to a very sleepy looking teen, extended her hand in greeting, and said, "Hello, I'm Gladys Dunn."
And the teen replied, "You're not the only one. I'm glad it's done too!"
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Object Lesson for Kids: Briefcases
1. As many smart-looking black executive brief-cases as you can borrow; inside each one place a clear plastic bag with something unsavoury in it, such as a squashed tomato, an old sandwich or a broken biscuit; molded bread, curdled milk.
2. A well-worn, old-fashioned brief-case; inside this case put a wallet or some cash. Alternatively you can use a wallets or purses.
Object Lesson
1. Talk about executive brief cases and the image that they convey, pretending that you have always wanted one. Compare the smartness of the cases you have borrowed and take a walk with each one, looking very important and pleased with yourself. Make fun of the old briefcase.
2. Open each nice executive briefcase and express horror as you reveal the contents.
3. Pick up the old-fashioned brief-case and discuss how this old thing could not possibly contain anything interesting or worthwhile. Open it and take out the money with complete amazement. Who would have thought? Something valuable inside an old case like this?
Applications
1. I sam 16 - God does not judge by appearances, what is on the outside, but by the heart - what is on the inside.
2. 2 Kings - In the Northern Kingdom, God was concerned with the internal disobedience of the Isrealites. He was concerned with the fact that they did not put away their idols. For Isreal, their new golden calves were like the executive briefcase- Looks great, but they led to the decay of Israel. They left corruption and disobedience in their hearts. Their faith had become old, seemingly forgotten and they did not believe they could find anything worthwhile in it.
3. Many of todays youth view Christianity in the same way as the old briefcase. They are raised in a high tech, ever changing world. Whatever is new, sleek, and attractive is in. Whatever is old is out. For many of them, their faith has become like the old ragged briefcase. They do not believe that anything worthwhile can be found in it. Yet if they were willing to really look into it they would discover that inside it lies the greatest treasures. Just because something is old doesn't mean it isn't of great worth. Like Isreal many of today's youth run after every new fad and exciting new discovery only to realize later that they were hollow if not destructive.
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Object Lesson: Connecting with Friends
Obtain a ball of string or yarn.
Description
In this creative learning activity, the string or yarn serves as an object lesson illustrating the relationships and friendships we have with each other.
Activity
- Sit the group on the floor in a circle.
- Holding firmly to the string, toss it to a person in the circle.
- The person receiving the string must name a quality (of the person who tossed it to him/her) that makes them a good friend.
- The person receiving the string, holds firmly onto the string and tosses the ball on to another person. The string should be held above the ground.
- Continue until everyone has received the string at least once and said at least one quality of a friend that the person who tosses it to them possesses.
- You will have a spiderweb representing our relationships.
What makes a friend is the connections we make, the events and experiences we share, the discussions we share. Eventually, if we fail to share with each other or if we do things that “break” the relationship the friendship begins to fall apart.
- “What do you do to be a friend and to have friends?”
- What kinds of relationships do we make?
- Using a poster board or whiteboard, make a list of the qualities your group mentions.
This list will probably include: time spent together; listening to each other’s problems, sharing joys and sorrows, and sticking together no matter what happens. Most things we include on “how to be a friend” can be an essential part of a developing relationship with Jesus Christ. He’s not just a band-aid for the rough times, but wants to be with us always.
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Youth Ideas: Applies - Doesn't Apply
This can be used as an icebreaker referring to simple facts about the participants and then can move the group toward discussion of issues and opinions.
Setup
This game can be organized while sitting in a circle, or standing.
What to Do
- Call out a statement of fact or opinion (Statements may be related to major issues / strong beliefs; or to facts about the participants.
- Participants stand if the statement applies to them, or remain seated if it does not apply. (If you want to make it more active, place a sign on one side of the room for "Applies" and on the other side for "Doesn't Apply" and ask people to move to the side of the room based on the statements)
- Factual: I am over 18.
- Factual: I am from Texas
- Factual: I have been to Asia before.
- Factual: I have a quiet time devotional
- Issue: Christian's should have a daily devotional time
- Issue: Christian's not divorce.
- Issue: Overeating is a sin.
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Youth Sermons Ideas: Corners of God's Love
A large sheet of paper with 'GOD'S LOVE' written in large letters on it, and a pair of scissors.
Object Lesson
Show everyone the paper with GOD'S LOVE written on it. Explain that God's love is something we can all have and we can also all give away. Point out that in this case God's love has "4 corners" Ask, If I were to give you one of my corners of God's Love how many would I have left? Some will surely answer 3. Then show them. Take the scissors and cut off one of the corners, and give it to someone. Count the corners now. "I gave one away, and now I've got FIVE!" Continue is this way, cutting off each of the four initial corners. Explain that you end up with MORE corners of God's Love every time you give one away. Then ask who received one of the corners I gave away. "Are you sure I gave you one?" It became three when you cut it... so it keeps multiplying.
Application
1. In the same way, the more of God's Love you give away, the bigger it gets..." PS: - keep on going and you get a circle - God's love encircling us! .
2. Discuss the small and possibly seemingly insignificant ways Jesus portrayed love in his life as revealed in the scriptures.
3. Focus in on the emotion of love and use for Valentine's Day
4. God's Love
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_Youth Ideas: Blocks
Building blocks, decks of cards or other materials used to build a tower. Options are dominoes, fruits, popsicle sticks, stones, people, sheets of paper, sugar cubes, soda straws, lego's, empty soda cans, etc.
Activity
1. Have individuals or groups build towers from the materials provided. You may choose to give all the groups the same materials or give different groups different materials.
2. Award prizes for the tallest, sturdiest, lightest, most creative, best architectural style, strangest, etc. You might then decide to have a best distaster - catastrophe - see which tower has the best death scene when demolished. For fun you may wish to video tape the construction and destruction of towers for a record of the event.
Application
1. When it seems like life is knocking us down, God is there to pick us up.
2. I wonder how many of us were tempted to destroy our competition instead of building our own tower? Satan is like that too. We work hard to try to be like Jesus. We do nice things like hold our tempers (place a block) or tell the truth (stack another block on top) or obey our teacher (place another block on top), and when Satan sees us trying to grow more like Christ guess what Satan tries to do? (Satan tries to knock us down. ) Yes, Satan tries to knock us down. And sometimes he succeeds. But we have to pick ourselves up and try again, because God promises to lift us up and help us.
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_Youth Leadership Lessons: Carry Your Friend
None
Activity
Divide the group into two or more teams. As a series of characteristics are called out, you must carry the team member with those characteristics to the front. First team to do so gets a point. If the person being carried touches the ground he / she must return to the start. In the event that more that one person has the same characteristic the team must choose one that has not been carried yet. If all with the same characteristic have already been carried then the team may choose one.
Possible Characteristics:
(use care to not embarass anyone unduly)
1. Person on the team with the largest shoe.
2. Shortest person on your team.
3. Person on your team with the longest hair
4. Person with the birthday closest to today
5. Person on your team with the darkest skin
6. Tallest person on your team
7. Person on your team with the longest fingernails
8. Person on your team with the most siblings
9. Person with the greatest number of letters in his / her name
10.Person on your team that travels the farthest distance to come to church
11.Person on your team who hasn’t been carried yet
12.Person on your team with the longest pinky finger
13.Person on your team with the most worn socks
14.Person on your team with the most pointed nose
15.Person on your team with the greatest number of pets
16.Person on your team with the ugliest big toe
17.Add your own here........................
Application
We need to carry others to God in prayer, and lift them up with our words and actions. That is what brings us all together in unity.
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_Youth Leadership Lessons: Cleansed
Materials
Cleaning supplies such as a broom, soap, cloth, detergent, scrub brush and scrub pad, window cleaner, brass polish, furniture polish, etc. Take a look under your sink or among your cleaning supplies and see what you can find. Warning: Do not open any chemicals or other cleansing agents as they can be irritants to skin and eyes. Some are even poisonous.
Activity
Bring all the cleaning supplies before the children and ask then to identify what they all have in common. Of course they are all cleaning supplies. Then have children name what each item is used for. You may wish to bring some dirty dishes, tarnished metal, etc. to demonstrate cleaning for the children. Have children look about the room for things that need to be cleaned. Some children, depending on their age may wish to help clean the room.
Application
Talk about the fact that sometimes when you are cleaning you have to use a lot of pressure. It is good that these things aren't alive and don't have feelings because it could be very painful. Let them rub a scrub brush or scrub pad along their skin to see that it can be painful, especially if you have to scrub very hard. Explain that sometimes pressure and discomfort or even pain is needed in order to clean something. Jesus was placed under immense pressure and incredible pain on the cross that we might be cleansed from our sin.
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Youth Ideas: Creative Ideas for Your New Year's Party or Events
New Year Party Games- Just for Fun!
New Year Pictionary
A New Beginning
- Make a resolution to yield your life to God's control in the upcoming year. Have you given your life to Christ? Is there an area of your life you have not yielded or that you previously yielded but then took back control?
New Year's Resolutions
Who's in Control? - Will you be merely another person in the crowd in the new year who ultimately goes nowhere or will you, put your belief into action?
Life on a Tightrope - Is there an area of your life that you need a little push to accomplish in the next year? Are you ready to leave the comfort of the familiar and fly to new heights in the next year! Take that step of faith today and commit yourself to that task God has placed on your heart for the next year!
Even Eagles Need a Push - Is your life aligned with God's Will? Use this creative group trust game as a simulation to remind us of the importance of aligning out lives with the will of God!
Blind Polygon
- Was the past year a difficult one? What can you learn from this past year? How can you take the lessons from the past year and use them to build a brighter future for you and in your relationship with God and others?
New year Time Capsule
January - Use a potato as an object lesson or illustration :
Egg or Potato - Take this as an opportunity to see both the past and the future through God's eyes!
Don't Look so Good - Has the past year been one in which you feel tossed around and tossed about by the winds of difficult circumstances? Use this illustration to help you to discover how God can give them direction and move them steadily according to his purposes in the upcoming year!
Icebergs - Are you allowing the things of the past to chain your thinking and prevent you from being all that God wants you to be, to have the freedom in your life that God intends? Exchange your old limiting beliefs for a quiet trust in God! With Him all things are possible in the New Year!
Imaginary Chains - All the events of our life are Part of God's plan! Will you allow God to weave your life, the good and the bad, and to make it into a beautiful tapestry that shows His glory?
The Weaver! - Every day we make exchanges in life. What is something in your life you need to exchange for something better in the upcoming year? What is something you should give up and replace with something else?
Exchanges - If your ship is sinking, maybe God is allowing you an opportunity to rest on his shoulder.
The Magician and the Parrot
- Do you want to see growth in your life, in your relationships with God and others? Are you happy with things as they are now? Are you satisfied? Do you think God has been pleased with your spiritual growth over the past year? Commit to growing your spiritual walk in the upcoming year!
Well Established! - What is something that you need to make time for in the upcoming year?
Don't have the Time! - Change is difficult but necessary for growth
Transformed
Chili Crab
Change the World
- Who knows what opportunities God will send our way in the upcoming year! Are you looking ahead for the opportunities or focused on the past? use this illustration as a reminded that in the upcoming year, we need to keep our eyes focused on the opportunties God has for us! What might seem a tragedy may actually be an opportunity if you are able to see it through God's eyes!
I Can't! - Are you focused on the opportunities or the difficulties. What are some things you want to find in the upcoming year? Let God help you to see them by changing your focus!
You Find What You are Looking For! - Are you willing to trust your life to God in the upcoming year?
A penny - Is there something that you have never done, but would like to do this year? Use this high energy game to discuss the things we have never done and then to discuss the things we want to do for the upcoming year!
I Never - Take a moment to refocus, to set your priorities and goals and commitments for the new year!
Walking Like a Pigeon - Life is short! Will you take advantage of the opportunities ahead?
Life's but a Flash
Every Moment is Precious! - Maybe its time for you to make that change in life you have been resisting! Things might be a little awkward for a while, but its a necessary step for you to move forward in the journey God has prepared for you!
New Shoes!
- Every year has its ups and downs. But through it all our connection and relationship with God gives us security and prevents life from spinning out of control! Make a commitment to nurture a closer relationship with God in the upcoming year. Use this object Lesson of a yo-yo as reminder that while life has ups and downs, and things seem to be spinning out of control, that if we yield to the Master's hand he can do perform a spectacular performance with our lives for the world to see! It also makes a great Children's sermon.
Yo-Yos
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_Youth Bible Studies: A Blessing
Christ within you
Christ behind you
Christ before you
Christ beside you
Christ to win you
Christ to comfort and restore you
Christ beneath you
Christ above you
Christ in quiet
Christ in danger
Christ in hearts of all that love you
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
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_Youth Leadership Lessons: Change The World
A Middle Eastern mystic said, "I was a revolutionary when I was young and all my prayer to God was: 'Lord, give me the energy to change the world.'
As I approached middle age and realized that my life was half gone without my changing a single soul, I changed my prayer to: 'Lord, give me the grace to change all those who come into contact with me, just my family and friends, and I shall be satisfied.'
Now that I am an old man and my days are numbered, I have begun to see how foolish I have been. My one prayer now is: 'Lord, give me the grace to change myself.’ If I had prayed for this right from the start, I would not have wasted my life.'
Source: John Maxwell's "Developing the Leader Within You"
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Sermon for Youth: Quotes - Giving
Christmas is the season of Giving
"Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone."
- Charles Schulz
"A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; It makes no noise at all, But softly gives itself away; While quite unselfish, it grows small."
- Eva K. Logue
"We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give."
- Winston Churchill
"If there is no joyous way to give a festive gift, give love away."
Unknown
"Mail your packages early so the post office can lose them in time for Christmas."
- Johnny Carson.
"I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included."
- Bernard Manning
"Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world of the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years. Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart."
- George Mathew Adams
"A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; It makes no noise at all, But softly gives itself away; While quite unselfish, it grows small."
- Eva K. Logue
"Were it not for the shepherds, there would have been no reception. And were it not for a group of stargazers, there would have been no gifts."
- Max Lucado, God Came Near
"Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won't make it 'white'."
- Bing Crosby
"Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart."
- Washington Irving
"Do give books - religious or otherwise - for Christmas. They're never fattening, seldom sinful, and permanently personal."
- Lenore Hershey
"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."
- Burton Hillis
"It is the personal thoughtfulness, the warm human awareness, the reaching out of the self to one's fellow man that makes giving worthy of the Christmas spirit.">
- Isabel Currier
"Christmas, my child, is love in action."
- Dale Evans
"Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most."
- Ruth Carter Stapleton
"Christmas, my child, is love in action. ... Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas."
- Dale Evans Rogers
"Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect."
- Oren Arnold
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_Youth Ideas: Don't Have The Time?
There were only 24 hours in a day, then, as now.
But before he died in 1826, he:
- Finished college in less than three years.
- Studied Law and had been admitted to the bar at age 24.
- Introduced crop rotation and terracing to the U.S.
- Designed and built his own home, designed one of the nation’s leading universities and the Capitol building of his own state.
- Invented a plow, a manifold signing machine, a letter copy press, double-swinging doors, a seven-day calendar clock, and countless other gadgets.
- Originated the decimal system for U.S. money.
- Played a violin well.
- Became a serious student of natural history, Indian languages, Latin, Greek, Italian, French, German, Anglo-Saxon, mathematics, history, geography, civics, economics and philosophy.
- Served as a member of his State Legislature, Governor, Minister of France, Secretary of State, Vice President and President of the United States for two terms.
- Created the public school system in his state.
- Established the U.S. Military Academy and designed the uniforms the cadets still wear.
- Wrote the rules of parliamentary procedure under which the U.S. Senate still operates.
- Was an excellent host who enjoyed entertaining.
- Fought for a system of government that made the U.S. a democratic Republic, not one ruled by the aristocracy
- Wrote 16,000 letters to friends and colleagues all over the world.
- Designed his own gravestone and created the epitaph listing the three accomplishments, of which he was proudest: “Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence; of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom; and father of the University of Virginia.”
Author: William “Bill” Schock, publisher of the Falls City Journal, NE
Source: Unknown
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_Youth Ideas: Fear vs Faith
Fear Imprisons, faith liberates;
Fear paralyzes, faith empowers;
Fear disheartens, faith encourages;
Fear sickens, faith heals;
Fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable;
and most of all
Fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices
in its God.
- Harry James Fosdick
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Youth Ideas: Good Morning, Lord
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_Youth Bible Studies: How to have Revival
If all the sleeping folk will wake up,
If all the lukewarm folk will fire up,
If all the dishonest folk will confess up,
If all the disgruntled folk will cheer up,
If all the depressed folk will cheer up,
If all the estranged folk will make up,
If all the gossipers will shut up,
If all true soldiers will stand up,
If all the dry bones will shake up,
If all the church members will pray up...
Then we can have a revival!
--R. G. Lee
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_Youth Bible Studies: Valentines Day Bingo
Materials
1. Bingo cards for each participant in the shape of hearts
2. Bingo items in bag to pull out.
3. Hershey's kisses or Valentine's Heart candy as the bingo chips.
Game Objective
Played as a traditional game of Bingo but using items related to Valentine's day.
Game Preparation
1. Make Bingo cards using Valentine's related items in each square, and play Bingo. (Bingo cards are typically unique for each individual. There are also usually more items than the bingo grid. You might use some of the items below or make up your own) Place a heart in the center square as the free space.
2. Place slips of paper with the Valentine's words in a hat or box decorated for Valentine's Day.
Game Play
1. Pass out the heart-shaped papers.
2. Give each child a supply of Hershey's kisses or candy hearts to use as markers on the board. Ask them not to eat them until the game is over.
3. Draw one slip of paper at a time from the hat or box. Read the saying out loud.
4. Ask participants to look for the saying on their paper. If they find it, they should place a candy heart over it. (Make sure each participant covers the free space.)
5. Play until someone gets five hearts in a row either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. The first person to do so must yell out "Be my Valentine" and wins. Check the grid to make sure the placement of the hearts agrees with those that have been called out.
6. Repeat the game a few times or keep on playing the first game until each child has covered five squares in a row.
7. Let everyone eat the candy after the game is over.
Possible Valentine's Items
Heart, Chocolate, Roses, Carnations, Dinner, Kisses, Cupid, Love, Valentine Card, Be Mine, I'm Yours, Beloved, I love you, True Love, Be My Valentine, Romance, 14th, courtship, Date, February, Arrows, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Candlelight, Candy, Diamonds, Flowers, Forever, Gifts, Hugs, Infatuation, Love Letters, Lovebirds, Lovers, Only You, Passion, Pink, Red, Poetry, Relationship, Secret admirer, Sweetheart, Flirting, Serenade, Love Songs, Stuffed Animals, Cuddle, Honey, Casanova, Amore, Wink, Heartthrob
You could also use famous Biblical or secular couples as items
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_Youth Leadership Lessons: Valentines Day Cupids
Game Materials
1. A cheap, rubber-tipped bow and arrow or dart gun for each team.
2. Heart shaped or red balloons
3. Straight pins
4. Slips of paper
Game Objective
Youth must pop balloons with cupid's arrows and correctly piece together a love poem or scripture verse.
Game Preparation
1. Stick a straight pin carefully through the rubber tip so that the arrow or dart is "loaded."
2. Create a corny love poem such as: "Roses are red, violets are blue; if you kiss me, you'll come down with the flu."
3. Write each word of the poem on a slip of paper and place it in a balloon.
4. Inflate the balloons and tape them to a wall. Have a different color or balloon designation for each team. Red, White, Pink, pastels are nice.
5. Mark a tape line on the floor at least 10 feet from the targets and line up each team single file behind the tape.
6. Have a responsible assistant handle the "ammo." To avoid dangerous crossfire, ammo should only be collected once all teams have shot all thier arrows.
Game Play
1. Each person gets one shot at the balloons, then moves to the back of the line.
2. When a balloon pops and after all shooting ceases, retrieve the word-clue from any balloon that popped and give it to the team of that color (It is possible that another team may pop the balloon for you if their aim is off)
3. The first team to figure out the poem wins!
Variation
Instead of love poems, use Bible Verses related to love or relationships.
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