Last minute salvation

We know the story. You’ve had a full on week. You were up ‘til 1:30am this morning counselling a teenager who’s just been dumped and, no matter how much coffee you’ve drunk today, you’re feeling absolutely stuffed! Your young people are going to start arriving in less than half an hour and they’re expecting you to deliver your usual creative mix of fun, insight and biblical truth…

We’re here to help!

Below are five ideas to save your skin at the last minute.

We don’t want you to make a habit of this but, if enough people are prepared to share their best ideas, this could become your favourite webpage!!!

The following ideas follow the simple Hook-Look-Book-Took format:

Hook

A game or activity to get your young people interested in the topic.

Look

Some questions to generate discussion about the topic you’re looking at and an opportunity to assess the knowledge and opinions of your young people.

Book

What the Bible has to say about your topic. This is an opportunity to sow truth into the lives of your young people through whatever method you choose; preaching, teaching, questioning, memorising or discussing.

Took

Something for your young people to take away and apply to their lives; it could be something tangible or a task to complete before you meet again.

Idea #1: Wash Each Other’s Feet?

Hook

Distribute rubbish bags to everyone in your group and walk the streets around your church picking up rubbish. Doing this at a local beach or park is also a good option.

Look

After you gather your young people together, along with the pile of rubbish they’ve collected, read ‘A Skip Full of Memories’ (from View from a Bouncy Castle by Adrian Plass).
OR
Talk about some ‘messy’ situations you’re aware of, in terms of the mess people make of their lives. Just don’t mention names and phone numbers!

Book

John 13:1-17. Jesus wants us to follow his example, not by washing other people’s feet, but by serving others no matter how dirty or uncomfortable that may be.

Took

Give each person in your group a bag to take away so they can reflect during the week on how God wants to use their lives to clean up other people’s messes.

Idea #2: Up and Down the Generations

Hook

Get everyone to draw their family tree on a piece of paper. Encourage them to go back as far and as wide as they possibly can.

Look

What physical characteristics or personality traits have you inherited from the people above you on your family tree? What decisions have people on your family tree made that influence your life today? How has Christian faith been passed on (if it has been) in your family tree?

Book

Genesis 48:1-16 (this session would fit well at the end of a series on the life of Joseph).

Took

What things do you hope to pass on to people who will/may follow you on your family tree? Who do you hope to pass your faith on to?

Idea #3: Word, Deed & Sign

Hook

Get teams of young people to transfer water, in a bucket, to a measuring cup at the other end of the room using dessert spoons. The team who transfers the most water wins!

Look

Are there any people, or groups of people, in our society that you avoid? Why?
Are there any people, or groups of people, you think it’s inappropriate to talk to? Why?
Has anyone ever struck up a conversation with you when you least expected it?
Have you ever struck up a conversation with someone out of the blue that turned out to be a really enjoyable experience?

Book

John 4:1-42. Jesus broke a number of social and religious taboos by initiating a conversation with the Samaritan woman.

Took

Jesus impacted people’s lives through word, deed and sign. He calls us to do the same. We can show people what it means to follow Jesus by the way we live (deed). We can tell people about Jesus by sharing things we’ve learned in the Bible (word). What’s God part in the process of people coming to faith in Jesus (sign) and how can we work with him?

Idea #4

Watch Bruce Almighty and download the question sheet to discuss it. You could spread this over two youth group nights and encourage your young people to come up with Bible verses relevant to Bruce’s predicament!

Idea #5

Play a nooma DVD!

If you’ve had some great youth group nights, and you’re willing to share them, send them to us via our contact page and we’ll feature them on this page.