Tag Archives: friendship

Icebreakers

Christ Calls Us Friends

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Summer is a time of friendships. The time away from school is a welcome break and provides the freedom to spend time with friends doing the things you enjoy. Friends will come and go but all will teach you something about who you are and who you want to be. But Jesus also calls us friends. So what does that teach us?

What to do
Place a tag/ sticker with each name on the back of people as they enter the meeting. Do not tell them that these are pairs of friends. Their task is to mingle around asking “yes” or “no” questions to discover the character on the tag. After a brief time of mingling have each person find his or her “friend” and share a quality they look for in a friend! (The three stooges are included in case you have an odd number of people.) If the group is small you might give out only one of each pair and then once everyone has discovered his/her identity have them name the friend associated with the person on the tag they have been given.

Here’s a sample list of famous friendships.

Be sure to add any famous friendships from recent television shows or youth culture.

Take It to the Next Level

Put the following questions up on posters around the room – taped to the walls or to the floor. Have youth wander around the room and to add their thoughts and answers for each question. Then discuss them as a group!

  • A friend is…?
  • Real Friends always…?
  • Real Friends never…?
  • One of my friends is ________ because…?
  • What do you do to be a friend and to have friends?
  • What is one of the qualities you look for in a friend?
  • What is one of your best qualities as a friend?
  • What is one of the qualities you look for in a friend?

Take It Spiritual

John 15:13 calls us to look to the interests of others for the sake of the common good. Jesus’ whole life is an incarnation of the ideal of friendship. What Jesus teaches he is already living. Jesus gave everything to his friends—his knowledge of God and his own life. Jesus is our model for friendship—because he loved without limits—and he makes it possible for us to live a life of friendship—because we have been transformed by everything he shared with us. Through friendship we come to know God and through friendship we express the love of God. We can risk being friends because Jesus has been a friend to us.

Make it Practical

  • How can we be better friends to those around us?
  • How can we express the love of God in our friendships?

Make it Personal

  • What is something you will do this week to be more Christlike in your friendships?

Scripture

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.” – John 15:12-15

This idea is adapted from a similar idea in our ebook “Icebreakers Ahead: Take it to the Next Level”

Get Icebreakers ebookIcebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Evangelism Ideas

My Friend

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My friend I stand in judgement now
And feel that you’re to blame somehow.
On earth I walked with you day by day,
And never did you point the way.

You knew the Lord in truth and glory,
But never did you tell the story.
My knowledge then was very dim;
You could have led me safe to Him.

Though we lived together here on earth,
You never told of the second birth;
And now I stand this day condemned,
Because you failed to mention Him.

You taught me many things that’s true.
I called you “friend” and trusted you.
But I learn, now that it is too late,
And you could have kept me from this fate.

We walked by day and talked by night
And yet you showed me not the light.
You let me live and love and die;
You knew I’d never live on high.

Yes, I called you friend in life
And trusted you through fun and strife;
And yet on coming to this dreadful end
I cannot, now, call you “my friend.”

Author unknown

Creative Teaching Ideas

The Nature of God

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We were recently very blessed in church when we got the opportunity to meet and worship with the writer of the praise song “Jesus Shall Take the Highest Honor.” It really opened our eyes and hearts to the magnificence of God and we saw a glimpse of what a big and indescribable God He truly is.

When we think about God, it really blows our minds. There’s so many things to say about Him, many things about His character that we still don’t understand. This activity helps youth at least gain some perspective on the personhood of God and relate to Him in ways they can describe and (at least try to) identify with.

The Nature of God

Resources

  1. Balloons
  2. Newsprint or a large sheets of paper
  3. Markers for youth to write on the balloons and also to write on the newsprint

Preparation

  • To speed up the activity you can inflate the balloons in advance.

What to Do

  1. Divide the youth into small groups and give each group a marker and some newsprint.
  2. Individual groups brainstorm attributes of God and list their ideas on newsprint.
  3. Groups share their answers and vote on 5 most important attributes from the collective ideas of all the youth.
  4. Write the attributes of God on the inflated Balloons and place them in the center of the classroom.
  5. Have the youth group stand in a circle around the balloons. For larger youth groups split into 2 or more circles.
  6. Toss the balloons into the air. The youth must keep all the balloons in the air at once.
  7. If a balloon hits the floor, everything stops and the youth must discuss what God would be like without the attribute that touched the floor.
  8. If the same balloon hits the floor more than once, the youth must discuss one of the attributes on a balloon that has not been discussed yet.
  9. Once all the attributes have been discussed, have everyone take a seat and get out their Bibles.
  10. Share a few of the verses on the attributes of God. (Unless you have a lot of time, limit discussion to 3-5 attributes, but mention some of the others)
  11. Discuss how the attributes affect our relationship with God.

Variations

  • Replace the word “God” in the instructions above with “friend” for a lesson on the qualities of a friend.
  • Attributes of the Church (Christians)
  • Attributes of a Good father / Good Mother
  • Attributes of a Christian
  • Attributes of a missionary / evangelist
  • Attributes of Christ
  • Attributes of the Holy Spirit

Take It to the Next Level

Make it Spiritual

God is…

  • Alive (John 5:26)
  • Beyond Comprehension (Isaiah 40:28; Psalm 145:3; Romans 11:33, 34; Isaiah 55:8).
  • Compassionate (Psalm 103:13)
  • Eternal (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17)
  • Faithful (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:24)
  • Father (Matthew 6:9; 7:9-11)
  • Forgiving (1 John 1:9)
  • Gentle (Psalm 18:35)
  • Good (Romans 2:4)
  • Gracious (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 31:19; 1 Peter 1:3; John 3:16, 17:3; Psalm 103:8, Ephesians 2:7-9)
  • Holy (Leviticus 11:44-45, Isaiah 6:3; Habakkuk 1:13; Exodus 3:2, 4-5; Hebrews 12:29; 1 Peter 1:16; Isaiah 59:2)
  • Incomparable (2 Samuel 7:22; Psalm 86:8; Isaiah 40:25; Matthew 5:48)
  • Invisible (Exodus 33:20; John 1:18; 1 John 4:12; 1 Timothy 6:16; Col 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:27)
  • Just (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 18:30; Isaiah 45:21; Jeremiah 9:24; Job 34:12)
  • Love (1 John 4:8,16)
  • Merciful (Psalm 103:8)
  • Omnipotent; All-powerful (Revelation 19:6; Jeremiah 32:17, 27; Genesis 17:1; 35:11; Romans 13:1; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:6; Matthew 19:26)
  • Omnipresent; Everywhere (Psalm 139:7-13; Jeremiah 23:23; Mark 5:10; Jude 6; Revelation 20:1-3; 1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 2:6; 6:18; Isaiah 66:1; Acts 7:49; 17:27-28; Psalm 139:7-13)
  • Omniscient; All knowing (Psalm 139:1-5; Proverbs 5:21; Psalm 139:1-6; Job 42:2; Acts 2:23; 1 Timothy 1:17; Psalm 147:5; 1 John 3:20)
  • Patient (Exodus 34:6)
  • Perfect (Matthew 5:48)
  • Personal (Exodus 3:14, Romans 9:19; Isaiah 1:18; Romans 11:33-34; Genesis 1:27; Psalm 18:19; Psalm 103:13; Proverbs 6:16; Exodus 20:5; Psalm 103:8; Deuteronomy 4:25; Genesis 6:6; Psalm 103:1)
  • Provider (Matthew 6:25-27)
  • Righteous (Exodus 9:27; Matthew 27:45-46; Romans 3:21-26; Psalm 129:4; Psalm 19:7-9; Jeremiah 9:24)
  • Sovereign (Psalm 93:1; 95:3; Jeremiah 23:20)
  • Spirit (John 1:18; 4:24; Matthew 16:17)
  • Truth (Psalm 117:2; 1 Samuel 15:29; 1 Jn 1:5; John 17:17; Titus 1:2)
  • Unchanging (James 1:17; Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19; Psalm 102:26, 27; Mal 3:6; But God can change his mind: Jonah 3:10; Gen 6:6)

Make it Personal

  • What attributes of God comfort you? Make you fearful?
  • How are the attributes of God revealed in his dealing with us?
  • Share a situation when you personally experienced one of the attributes of God. How did it make you feel? What effect did it have on your relationship with God, with others, or on the way you live your life?
  • What attributes of God should we also display in our words, thoughts, and actions?

Make it Practical

We are called not only to seek God and worship him, but also to be like him. While there are some attributes of God we can never have, there are other attributes of God that we are told to express in our lives as Christians. (Eph. 4:24, Colossians 3:10, leviticus 11:44, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 8:28-29, 1 John 3:2)

  • Which characteristics of God should do you need to express more in your life? Which is most difficult for you?
  • What can you start doing now that can help it to happen?

With all the awesome attributes of God, it may seem that God is out of reach. It’s hard to imagine that God should take an interest in us. But our awesome God can be found if we seek Him.

Close with a time of praise to God for who he is and for how he relates to us.

Scripture References

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
– Romans 1:20

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
– Jeremiah 29:11-13

Get Icebreakers ebookIcebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Icebreakers

Famous Friendships

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Description
Use famous friendships to match couples in this icebreaker/crowdbreaker

Below is a list of famous / semi-famous friendships. While this certainly is not a complete list, it is a start. These can be used in several ways:

  • Who am i?: Place a tag/ sticker with each name on the back of people as they enter the meeting. Do not tell them that these are pairs of friends. Their task is to mingle around asking “yes” or “no” questions to discover the character on the tag. After a brief time of mingling have each person find his or her “friend” and share a quality they look for in a friend! (The three stooges are included in case you have an odd number of people.) If the group is small you might give out only one of each pair and then once everyone has discovered his/her identity have them name the friend associated with the person on the tag they have been given.
  • Name the Most Famous Friends: Have youth make a list of famous friends. Award the team or individual youth with the most. Award extra points if Jesus and John are mentioned. Do not count famous couples (i.e. husband and wife).
  • Double charades: Divide the group into 2 or more teams. Divide each team into pairs and have each pair attempt to get their team to guess the famous friends.

Famous Friends
Tom & Jerry
Jesus & John
Snoopy & Charlie
Abbott & Costello
Laurel & Hardy
Batman & Robin
Lone Ranger & Tonto
David & Jonathan
Fred & Barney
Snoopy & Woodstock
Bill & Ted
Thelma & Louise
Lucy & Ethyl
Chip & Dale
Pinky & Brain
Curly & Larry & Moe
Shaq & Hardoway
Betty & Veronica
Archie & Jughead
Luke Skywalker & Han Solo
Lois & Clark
Barnum & Bailey
Calvin & Hobbes
Laverne & Shirley
Beavis & Butt-head
Asterix & Obelix
Bert & Ernie
Chip & Dale
Frodo Baggins & Sam Gamgee
Gumby & Pokey
Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson
Kirk & Spock
Mutt & Jeff
Rocky & Bullwinkle
Tintin & Snowy
Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn

Be sure to add any famous friendships from recent television shows or youth culture.

Can be used with Active Listening With a Game for after the icebreaker to continue the theme of friendship. Then do a lesson on famous friendships in the Bible.

Get Icebreakers ebookIcebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!