Activity
Ask Youth or Children,
“If you could ask God one question, what would you ask?”
Questions are positives, not negatives.
If a child / teen is not asking spiritual questions he / she is not growing spiritually. In “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby this is referred to as a “crisis of belief.”
Honest doubts and questions are not the same as unbelief. Actually, they are the sign of belief or of a developing belief. Faith is not the absence of doubt, but moving forward despite the doubts. As decisions are made, in spite of the doubts, one’s faith grows and the doubts disappear.
As you help children / youth /adults to work through their doubts and questions you will be nurturing their faith.
MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.
Description
A communicative exercize in which individuals or groups must present a specific view of an issue and argue against other views presented by other groups.
Example
Jesus violated the Sabbath to heal the sick.
Group 1: Take the position of the Pharisees in keeping the Sabbath
Group 2: Take the position of Jesus in healing the sick
Key Actions
1. Choose the topic or issue and participants
2. Provide information, references or other sources that can be used in arguments
3. Give all sides of the issue opportunity to present their views and to respond to other views.
MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.
Description
A description of the meaning of a word or phrase.
example
Faith: a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
Faith: a convinced belief
Faith: Belief without evidence
Key Actions
1. Have members form a personal definition
2. Read formal definitions from dictionaries, encyclopedias or other sources.
Game Idea
1. Award the person whose definition is closest to that in the dictionary
2. Include webster dictionary among the entries. Ask youth to try to find the corerct definition among those given
Application
A dictionary is the one of the best Bible study tools available. It opens up the meaning of the words as used in scriptures and is accessible to anyone. Teaching kids and youth to use a dictionary while they study the Bible has great benefit!
MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.
Description
A method of problem solving in which group members are led to suggest as many solutions as possible in a designated time period. Evaluation and criticism of proposed suggestions in not allowed until later. Great to get kids to begin thinking about a topic or subject.
Example
1. What are some similarities between fishing and evangelism?
2. In what ways are Christians like a light?
3. What equipment is needed for fishing?
Key Actions
1. Leader presents a problem or question
2. Time period is specified
3. Contributions are recorded as offered by ALL the participants
4. After contributions are made the leader leads the group in evaluating proposed solutions / answers.
MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.
Description
A word is chosen and each letter in that word is used as the first letter of another word.
Examples
GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense
FAITH = Forsaking All I Trust Him
How to use it to spice up your teaching
1. Pick an important word from the lesson
2. Have participants in the group or subgroups create an acrostic using the key word.
3. Have volunteers share the acrostics they have created.
MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.
When Jesus talked with the woman at the well He began with water, compared that water to eternal life, and finally explained about the Messiah (John 4:1-26). He began with people at the level they were at and then stretched them and gently guided them to deeper spiritual truths and action.
Rather than scolding Thomas for his religious questions, Jesus gave him the evidence he needed to believe (John 20:24-28). Jesus responded to His mother’s worry by explaining why He stayed in the temple (Luke 2:49). Jesus comforted His disciples by assuring them He would prepare a place for them (John 14:1-3). At the Last Supper He tempered Peter’s overconfidence by telling him what to do after failure (Luke 22:32). He helped His disciples see that children weren’t a bother to “serious” religion, but a demonstration of it (Mt 19:13-15).
By beginning at the level of the student we can gently guide them into deeper spiritual truths. In the process we are a little closer to teaching as Jesus Taught.
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Jesus spent time with His students. He called 12 people to be His closest disciples (Mark 1:17-20). He talked with them (Mark 11:20-25), rested with them (Mark 6:30-31), and shared the Last Supper with them (Mark 14:12-26).
He also spent time teaching others who were interested in Him (Mark 6:34-44). He respected people by taking time for children and by talking with the very people others often chose to ignore (Matthew 19:14; John 4:9). He spent time listening to and understanding people, regardless of their background. He accepted Zacchaeus, the hated tax collector, when no one else would. Rather than judging him, Jesus spent time with him and let God’s love transform Zacchaeus (Luke 19:2-10).
Jesus knew that more is caught than taught. When we spend time with students they learn from our lives and we discover a little bit more about their needs and concerns. Then we are a little closer to Teaching as Jesus Taught.
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Jesus’ parables, “earthly stories with heavenly meaning,” made spiritual truth clear by relating it to the everyday experiences of life. “The kingdom of God . . . is like a mustard seed” (Luke 13:19). People could relate to the stories because they were drawn from real life. He used a coin to teach about taxes (Mark 12:16-17). He used the stones of magnificent buildings to explain the intensity of the end of the age (Mark 13:1-4).
The greatest engagement is to be actively involved in life. Involve rather than inform. Suppose you had climbed a mountain and wanted to convey to your students the exhilaration of reaching the top and the relief at discovering that the grueling work was really worth the effort. Would it be better to tell them about your climb or take them to the top of the mountain with you? Taking them to the top would take more time than saying: “The results are worth the climb.” But which would impact their lives more deeply? It’s the same with Bible study: the more youth do for themselves, the more meaningful their learning becomes.
Jesus taught by first being an example, and then by encouraging others to follow his example. He served by washing His disciples’ feet (John 13:1-7). He emphasized baptism by being baptized (Mt 3:13-17). He sent the disciples out in pairs to proclaim the kingdom of God. (Lk 10:1-12) He challenged His followers to share His gospel with the world (Mt 28: 18-20).
When spiritual truths connect with real life, lives are changed and we are a little closer to teaching as Jesus taught.
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This 100 Page e-Book Includes All The Help You Need To Prepare Powerful, Life-Changing Youth Sermons That Will Turn Your Preaching Around And Make Your Youth Sit Up And Listen! Includes 7 Complete Sermons. –> I want More Youth Sermon Ideas…
“Who do people say that I am?” Jesus Asked — perhaps because people find it easier to begin talking about other people’s opinions. It was an invitation to discussion. Jesus then asked the personal question: “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15) because he was never content to leave spiritual truth at the level of discussion of what others believed. Spiritual Truth must become personal if it is to change lives.
Jesus used questions to help people draw conclusions for themselves, such as when He spoke with the rich ruler about eternal life (Luke 18:18-29).
He also invited discussion and used questions to correct faulty thinking, as when He talked with religious leaders about authority (Matthew 21:23-27). Often Jesus did not answer His own questions but used them to lead His listeners toward truth.
But Jesus did more than ask questions. Part of encouraging others to talk is learning to listen. He himself learned by listening to teachers in the temple (Luke 2:46). He reminded His followers to listen to understand (Mt 11:15; 13:18; 15:10). God commanded people to listen to Jesus (Lk 9:35). Jesus listened and encouraged others to listen.
When we invite others to speak, we get them to interact with the truths of God. When we invite others to speak, we are one step closer to teaching as Jesus taught.
Get Help on Your Youth Sermons
Creative Sermon Ideas
This 100 Page e-Book Includes All The Help You Need To Prepare Powerful, Life-Changing Youth Sermons That Will Turn Your Preaching Around And Make Your Youth Sit Up And Listen! Includes 7 Complete Sermons. –> I want More Youth Sermon Ideas…
Choose the idea you want to illustrate and find an object that can represent that idea.
Plan every step for using the object lesson carefully in advance.
—Make an outline of the required steps.
—Keep the demonstration simple.
—Do not digress from the main ideas.
Practice using the object to illustrate the truth until it is smooth.
Rehearse your demonstration with a “guinea pig” if possible. Try to find someone around the same age as the intended audience.
Tell a story the listener can relate to along with the object lesson. Stories have an emotional impact on the listener and provide a means by which younger children, who think in very concrete terms can identify with the truth.
Be sure every member of class can see demonstration.
Check frequently to make sure the demonstration is understood.
Keep summarizing as you go along.
Don’t hurry the lesson or drag out the lesson.
Keep the punch line to the very end and build the suspense if you can. Make sure your draw the connection between the object and the idea.
Resist the temptation to explain all the deep symbolism you’ve been able to uncover. The power of an object lesson is in its simplicity. One of the quickest ways to ruin an object lesson is try to make it more than it is. Make just one truth visible to your students – that’s enough. Be sure that all details are authentic.
Remember that it’s the Holy Spirit, not your object lesson, that instructs and changes students. Never use a visual aid because you are caught short. They must work for you, not instead of you. Remember: They are a means to an end, not an end in themselves
MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God. Learn More…
Creative Youth ideas: 1700+ Resources for youth leaders, pastors, ministers to help plan camps, retreats, and meetings using games, illustrations, Children's Worship, Bible Studies, object lessons, sermons, creative ideas,creative activities
MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
