Tag Archives: God’s Will

A New Year: New Priorities

December 30, 2015 kensapp Leave a comment

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

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What You Need

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

Preparation

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

What to Do

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

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Read Matthew 4:1-10

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

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

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

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

MAKE IT PERSONAL

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

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

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

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

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

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

Creative Holiday Ideas
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan not only your next New Year’s Celebration, but also most of the other common holidays. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for the holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Game Ideas, Object Lessons

Candy Corn Choices

October 22, 2014 kensapp Leave a comment

Candy corn is the top-selling Halloween candy and the most talked about candy during Halloween, but it is also talked about as the worst candy for you. Candy Corn isn’t real corn. It is almost pure sugar – a sweet imitation of the real thing which isn’t good for us in any way. So it’s good, but it’s bad. How do we decide what things are good for us in our Christian life? The most difficult decisions are often not between what is good and bad, but between what is permissible and what is beneficial to us.

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Candy Corn Games

Candy Corn Cluckers – Fill a bowl with dried corn kernels or peanuts and add several pieces of candy corn. Blindfolded youth must retrieve the candy corn from the bowl within a designate amount of time without eating the dried corn kernels / nuts. The teen that retrieves the most candy corn in the designated time limit wins.
Candy Corn Pitching – Youth take turns pitching ten to twenty candy corn kernels, one at a time, into a bowl from a set distance. You might choose to have various bowls of different sizes and at different distances. Display the points based upon difficulty. Keep score of how many kernels end up in the various bowls. The winner is the youth with the highest score after three rounds.
Odds or Evens – Each player starts out with the same number of candy corn kernels. Players rotate about the room pairing up with others. When they find a partner, one youth hides a few kernels of candy corn in his hand. The other youth must guess if the number of corn kernels is odd or even. If guessed correctly, the player can add the kernels to his own collection. Youth take turns hiding and guessing, until one player has all the corn or until a specified time limit! [With this game the candy corn can get a little messy 🙂 to avoid the mess use individually wrapped mints or other candy.]
Candy Corn Drop – Have the youth stand on a sturdy chair or other safe elevation and drop the pieces down into a person’s mouth who is lying on the floor. The youth who gets the most candy corn into the person’s mouth in a given time frame wins.
Candy Corn Toss – Place the pieces of candy corn into a small sealed sandwich bag or similar cellophane bag and have a “candy corn bag” toss. Number pails, bowls, or plastic pumpkins, placing them in a row perpendicular to A start line, pail number one being closest. youth stand behind the line and throw candy cord bags into each consecutive bucket. Keep score or issue prizes for hitting each target.
Candy Corn Bocce – On a smooth surface like a table, one youth acts as the referee, sliding out the first piece of candy corn. He then marks this piece with a toothpick. Contestants take turns sliding 4 different pieces as close to the referee’s mark as they can. The referee determines which piece is the closest, awarding that youth or team a point. Play until someone gets ten points.
Candy Corn Hunt – Fill small plastic bags with candy corn and hide them throughout the yard. Send players out into the yard to find the bags until every bag has been claimed. You may also divide the players up into groups and see which group can find the most bags. This game can also be played inside, or at night with flashlights.
Corny Scramble – Toss handfuls of candy corn onto a large table clear of obstacles. Give each youth a treat bag and make the scramblers wait until you say “Boo!” On the signal, the players must run forward and collect as many pieces of candy corn as possible. Once all the kernels have been picked up, see who has the most candy in his bag.
Guess the Kernels – Fill a decorated jar or Halloween treat pail with pieces of candy corn, making sure you count how many pieces you put into the container. Set the container up on a table supplied with slips of paper, pencils and a bucket to put the paper slips into. Each participant may take one guess at how many pieces of candy are inside the container. The player who guesses the closest to the actual amount wins all the candy corn.
Kernel Relay – Mark a starting line and a finish line with masking tape on the floor roughly 15 feet apart. Set an empty bowl for each player at the finish line and a bag of candy corn and a spoon at the starting line. Have each player stand at a bag of corn and take the spoon in hand, placing a single kernel on the spoon. The youth will then carefully race a piece of corn to an empty bowl at the finish line, trying not to let the candy fall off the spoon. Each player will continue to race from the bag of corn to the bowl to see how many pieces of candy she or he can get into the bowl within the allotted time of one minute. If a player drops a kernel from the spoon, that youth must then run back to the bag of candy corn and get another piece to start over again.
Candy Corn and Straws Relay – Divide the youth into teams and give every person on a team a plastic straw and a paper cup. Place a piece of candy corn in the first team member’s cup. The youth must create a vacuum in the straw to pick up the candy corn and place it into the next person’s cup. First team to get the candy corn into the last person’s cup wins. If the candy corn is dropped on the floor, the team must start completely over at the beginning.
Where’s the Corn? – Line up three plastic cups out on a tabletop in front of a youth. Place a single piece of candy corn under one of the cups, allowing the player to see which cup the corn is under. Begin to change the cups’ formation around for five to ten seconds. The youth then must try to remember which cup is hiding the candy and will continue to play and collect candy corn until he or she chooses the wrong cup. Give the earned candy corn to that player, and continue on with the next player until every youth has won pieces of candy.
Candy Corn and Spoons – Divide into teams, have each team to line up single file, and have a cup with one or more pieces of candy corn for each team. Give each player a spoon. The first player on each team picks up a piece of candy corn with the spoon, spins around in place 3 times, then passes the candy to the next person on the team. Candy Corn can only be touched with the spoon. If the candy is dropped the team must start over again from the beginning. First team to get all the marbles down the line wins.
Chopsticks and Candy Corn – Using a pair of chopsticks and a couple shallow bowls or saucers, each youth is given one minute to move candy corn from one bowl to the other using only the chopsticks. Only one hand can be used to hold the chopsticks. The youth to transfer the most candy corn wins.
Tick-Tack-Corn – Pair the youth up into groups of two and sit them down at a table across from each other. Give the pair a tick-tack-toe board, and one player a handful of regular candy corn pieces. The other youth will receive a handful of the chocolate variety of candy corn, making one player the yellow team and the other player the brown team. Have the players play tick-tack-toe using their corn until one player wins, or until there is a draw. This may continue for as many rounds as desired.
Musical Candy Corn – Fill treat bags with candy corn for as many youth as are playing, minus one. Set the bags up in a circle on a tabletop or floor. Have the players circle around the bags at a steady walking pace while some music plays. Stop the music at random, at which point each player tries to grab the bag closest to him. Whoever fails to grab a bag or candy corn in time is out of the game, and the players still in must set the bags back up in the circle. Remove one of the bags from the circle, then start the music up again. Continue this until the game is down between two players and one treat bag. Whoever snatches up the last bag is the game winner.
Candy Corn Foosball – Have two youth stand at either end of a large table. One youth throws candy corn (or a plastic bag of it) to the other end of the table, and the other youth must block it from going through and making a goal. Use a dry sponge for blocking making sure it is one that will not scratch your table.
Candy Corn Straw Relay – Race to see who could move the most candy corn from the table into a bowl in sixty seconds using only a single straw.
Candy Corn Catch – You’ll need one plastic pumpkin with a handle for each team, one bag of candy corn per team, and a belt or length of rope for each team. Use the rope or belt to secure the pumpkin around the waist of one player per team. Have the team member who is wearing the pumpkin stand about 7 to 10 feet away from the players who will be throwing the candy corn. The player wearing the pumpkin may move around to try and catch the candy corn as it is thrown without using their hands to deflect the candy corn in any way. Once everyone has thrown the candy corn, take the pumpkin and count the candy corn inside. The youth with the most candy corn wins.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

What are some of the differences between real corn and candy corn?
Which is good for you? Bad for you?
What other things in life are good for you? Bad for you?
How do you know the difference?

Candy corn may not kill you, but it most certainly is not the best for you. It may taste sweet, but the sugar rush doesn’t last and it really isn’t something that is good for you. Corn is healthy and good for us, but candy corn, is really just sugar. It’s a sweet imitation of something good. In life there are many things which may seem good, but are not good for us. BUT how can we decide what is good for us and what is not?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

Some decisions are not simply a matter of right and wrong, but a choice between what is permissable, what is good, and what is best. These are often the toughest decisions.

Here are some guidelines:

Is this action Scripturally based–does Scripture support or condemn it (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10; I Timothy 3:16-17)?
How would this affect my witness for Christ if others knew about it (Matthew 5:13-16; I Thessalonians 5:21-22)?
Would Jesus put his name on this for a stamp of approval? (Colossians 3:17)
Does this fall into the classification of good thinking? (Philippians 4:8)
Will this degrade or defile my body (the temple of the Holy Spirit)? (I Corinthians 6:19)
Will this sooner or later make a slave out of me? (I Corinthians 9:27, 2 Peter 2:19)
Does this have the “smell” of evil on it? (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
Will my indulgence in this tend to weaken someone’s faith? (I Corinthians 8:13)
Does it benefit us or others? (I Corinthians 6:12a, 10:23)
Can you do it with a clear conscience? (Romans 14:22)
Does it bring Glory to God, meet his approval? (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 10:31-33; 2 Corinthians 5:9)
Does it help lead others to Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:33)
Would I be ashamed to be doing this thing when Christ returns (Matthew 24:42-46)?
Does this action hurt others (Romans 14:20-21; Galatians 5:13-15)?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

What are some of the things I allow as substitutes in my life for the real things?
Which of the above considerations is new to me?
Which of the above considerations is most difficult for me?
What can I do this week to be more Christlike?
How can I allow Christ to have more influence in the daily decisions of my life?

SCRIPTURE

1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1 – “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God – even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

ROMANS 12:2 – “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

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Creative Holiday Ideas
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan not only your next Fall Festival or Halloween Alternative event, but also most of the other common holidays. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for the holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Game Ideas, Object Lessons

Clay in the Potter’s Hands

September 30, 2014 kensapp Leave a comment

A Lump of clay is chosen with a purpose in mind. The potter envisions a vessel that will be useful to its final owner and a credit to the potter’s craftsmanship and experience. The potter applies pressure to the clay in different ways shaping and forming it until the final product he imagined is realized. The Bible tells us Adam was made from clay. God describes his relationship to us as a Potter. We are the clay. Like clay we can be mouldable, or we can become hard. The choice is ours.

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Games Using Clay or Playdoh

Note: Playdoh, while generally easy to remove can get mashed into carpets and leave bihind residue on some objects. You’ll want to make sure you use it in a way so that cleanup presents no problems.

Best impressions – Give youth some playdoh and send them on a scavenger hunt to obtain impressions of various objects in the clay/ playdoh. You can put things on your list like 5 different size coins, comb, leaf, key, button, pen cap, bottle cap, can tab, fork, shell, dog-tag, chess piece, cross, earring, paper clip, tweesers, action figure, bug, small lightbulb, lego, marble, battery, chain, rope, pencil, pair of dice, monopoly piece, checkers, wrench, nail, screw, watch, belt buckle, thimble, safety pin, whistle, lifesaver, golf ball, a letter, word from an engraving, etc. Add your own.
Clay Bowling – Have youth make balls from the clay / playdoh. See which one can get their ball to roll the farthest, or the straightest…. Or get closest to a target.
Longest snake – Which team can roll our the longest snake given the same amount of clay.
Great Minds Think Alike – Provide each of the youth with a tub of play dough. Have all the youth sit in a circle with their backs to each other. Call out a theme; example Animal, Shape, Candy, Letter, Pastry, etc. Give the players 1 minute to create something with that theme. When the time is up everyone turns around to face the center of the circle and shows what they have made. Points are determined by how many youth thought of the same thing to make. So, for example if the theme was ANIMAL and four teens made cats, two made fish, six made dogs, and one made a penguin then all the youth who made cats would get 4 pts, all who made fish would get 2 pts, all that made a dog get six points.
Pass the Clay – Divide the youth into two or more teams, sit them in a circle, and then give one person on each team a large lump of clay/Playdoh. When you shout out an object, scene or word, the person holding the clay begins to shape it as fast as they can. After a few seconds blow a whistle or use some other loud noise to indicate a change and then the clay must be passed to the next person who picks up where the first person left off. Continue to change sculptors every few seconds. Shout a final “STOP” after which each team shows off their creation. You can award points for the most realistic, the funniest, etc. You can use Biblical objects, people, and ideas or everyday objects like a hotdog stand, a clown, a barn with animals, A plate of spagetti with meatballs, etc.
Pass the Clay Mystery Object – This is played just like pass the clay, but the first person must start making something without communicating to the rest of the group in any way what the object is. You can assign an item to the first person or let them choose the item on their own. Once you yell the final stop, have the first person express what they started to create and then compare this to the final object. It can make for lots of laughs.
Playdoh Pictionary – Divide the youth into 2 or more teams. Each team chooses one member to start the game as the sculptor. It’s played just like pictionary, but instead of drawing the word, the youth must shape it from the Playdoh/clay. The first team to correctly guess the word wins a point. After a word is shaped and guessed, the next person on the team becomes the sculptor. The team at the end of the game with the most points wins. The sculptors may only mould the clay to represent the word and cannot say anything, make noises, use actions and gestures or represent the word in any other way. They also are not allowed to shape any letters or numbers. The words can be people, animals, objects, concepts, Adjectives, etc. VARIATION: Instead of going through the whole bowl of words to win, you can set a timer. When the time is up, the team with the most words guessed, wins.
Playdoh Pictionary Race – Played the same as playdoh pictionary, but this one is a race. Each team sends one “sculpter” up to get the first word. They then run back to the team and sculpt the word. As soon as their teammates correctly guess the word, a new person from their group who has not gone yet runs up to the person with the list and they are given the next word. The team who successfully gets through the whole list first, wins.
PlayDoh Pong – Set up plastic cups at one end of the table in a row of five, a row of four, a row of three, a row of two, and then one to form a triangle of cups. In the bottom of each cup write a different point value – In some cups put 5, others put 10, and in others put 15. To play have each youth stand and the other side of the table. Provide them with a can of Playdoh and a plastic spoon. Give them two minutes to create as many Playdoh balls as they can and use the spoon to try and flick them into the cups. At the end of two minutes count up their points. Whoever has the most points at the end wins.
PlayDoh Treasure Hunt – Mix about 50-100 coins and pennies into a large amount of Playdoh and roll the Playdoh into a thick, flat mass on a table. At your signal, they can use plastic spoons to dig into the playdoh and collect as many pennies as they can in a given amount of time. The person with the most value coins wins.
Ring toss – Youth make coil hoops and do a ring toss over objects for various points.
Tallest tower – Give each team a lump of playdoh. The team that builds the tallest standing tower in the given time wins. Add some dried spaghetti for a little more excitement. The tower must be standing with no help from the group members or any other devices.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

What does it mean to sculpt, shape, or mould something into a particular shape?
What are things that might be molded, sculpted, or formed?
How does something that’s molded become changed from its original form?
How did you decide what your creation was going to look like?
Did you come up with a plan before you started or did you just start and make changes as you went? Was this a good or bad method? Why?
What can this activity tell us about God working in our lives?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

Why do you think God wants to mold us?
Why is it better for us to be like clay?
What are some things in life that try to mould us and shape us?
What are some typical molds that students at your school get squeezed into?
Why do we give way to pressure to be shaped by things and people around us?
Is conformity good or bad? Explain? What makes the difference?
Why do we give in so easy to allow us things to force us to conform?
Why is it difficult for us to allow God to mould us?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

What are some of the things you are you being squeezed into?
What things are shaping your life?
How would you describe the work of the Divine Potter in your life?
What can you do to be more yielding to God’s hand to shape your life?

SCRIPTURE VERSES

Genesis 2:5-7 – “In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground—then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
Job 10:9 – “Remember that thou hast made me of clay; and wilt thou turn me to dust again?”
Jeremiah 18:3-6 – “Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?’ says the LORD. ‘Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!’ “
Isaiah 45:9 – “Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter,’What are you making?’ Does your work say,’The potter has no hands’?”
Isaiah 64:8 “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
Romans 9:21 – “Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?”
Romans 12:1-2 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
II Timothy 2:20-26 – “In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for noble use, some for ignoble. If any one purifies himself from what is ignoble [those practices which appear just before this in the context —wrongful attitudes, contentiousness, ungodliness, doctrinal aberrations, iniquity] then he will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work.”

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HOME MADE PLAYDOH RECIPE

You can find various alternative recipes for this on the internet

1 cup cold water
Food coloring of your choice
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup table salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp cooking oil
Scented oil or extract (optional, just for scent)

Combine the ingredients in a heavy saucepan and stir to mix and review the color. The color will deepen when the playdough is cooked. To get really good purples and colors like black I bought gel food coloring. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the Playdoh pulls away from the sides of the pan. About 3 to 5 minutes, or until it has the consistency of mashed potatoes or well, Playdoh. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for 1 minute before kneading the dough. Store, after cooling, in a plastic container or resealable plastic bags. If stored in an air tight container or bag it can be kept for months.

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…

Game Ideas, Object Lessons

Lego Instructions for the Christian Life

September 10, 2014 kensapp Leave a comment

LEGOs are one of those toys that are universally loved around the world by all ages. They are simple building blocks in a variety of shapes and colors, but with a little creativity and imagination they can be put together in unlimited combinations to create masterpieces. They are a great metaphor for each of us in the body of Christ. And if we follow God’s instruction we can be used to create and do incredible things.

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Games using LEGOs

Blind Builder – A player is blindfolded and must construct the item solely from verbal directions from the team. First to team to complete it wins.
Blind LEGO Construction – Blindfold each team and ask them to build a Lego sculpture using a pile of Lego pieces in front of them. Give awards for the most like a real object, funniest, tallest, longest, most creative, etc
Fast As You Can – In this game you call out a simple object that can be created from LEGO’s. Each team has three minutes to make one as fast as they can. At the end of the three minutes have a judge decide who sculpture most resembles the object. Play a couple of rounds so there are more chances for winners.
Guess How Many LEGO Bricks – Guess how many bricks in a lego jar? The winner could go home with the jar of LEGOS.
I Spy The LEGO Guy – Get several LEGO guys and hide them in various places around the room. The youth or team to locate the most wins.
LEGO Car Race – Divide the youth group into teams and provide each team with a duplicate pile of plastic LEGO building blocks and four LEGO wheels. Within a given time limit, the team must build a car, create a nickname for the car, a racing team name and choose a mascot. Allow each team to line up their racers on a starting line and race them down a makeshift ramp. Your ramp can be a long table propped up on one end, or even a wide board or two. Have challenges or race all at one go.
LEGO Chopsticks – Place two bowls in front of each team: one filled with LEGO blocks, and the other empty. Give the youth one minute to move as many LEGO blocks as they can from the full bowl to the empty bowl using only the chopsticks
LEGO Identity – Give each group an assortment of peices with the instructions to build something that represents them as a group.
LEGO Me – Have youth select a specific lego piece that represent them as an individual and explain it’s significance. Then have them use all the pieces to build one object.
LEGO Memory – Before the game, build a structure with Legos (the more complex the structure, the more difficult the activity). Then put the youth in small groups, each group with a bag of Legos (each bag contains the same size, color, and quantity of Legos and has identical stock as that of the structure you built). The group has to exactly replicate the structure you already built. But, the structure to replicate is located outside the room or behind a screen, only one person from each group may look at the structure at a time. They cannot draw or take a picture of the structure to communicate it – they have to use their memory. Each team can look at the structure as many times as they want, but only one person can look at it at a time. The first to replicate the structure – exactly with the same size and color Legos wins.
LEGO on a string – Have the youth form a circle, facing inward, with one youth in the middle. String a LEGO piece with a hole in it on a long piece of string and then tie the ends of the string together. Place the string inside the circle and have each youth hold it with both hands . The idea is to pass the LEGO around the circle from hand to hand, unnoticed by the youth in the middle . He tries to guess where it is by pointing to the hand he thinks is holding the LEGO. If he is correct, the LEGO holder goes to the middle and the guesser takes his place in the circle . The youth in the middle must keep guessing until he locates the LEGO.
LEGO Scavenger Hunt – Hide an assortment of LEGO bricks and the youth search for them. You can award point values to the different brick colors and have them compete for a high score.
LEGO snapshots – Take pictures of simple LEGO structures, and have the youth try to duplicate it from the picture only. You might need a photo from more than one angle to get all the pieces.
LEGO Tongue Tower – To win this game, the a youth must first put a tongue depressor (or plastic spoon) in their mouth then build a tower of five loose Legos on the tongue depressor (still in their mouth) and then keep the LEGOS balanced for ten seconds.
Lose the LEGOS – Tape an empty tissue box the rear of each player with the opening facing away from the player. You can do this with team representatives or individually if you have enough tissue boxes. You can also have timed trials to determine the fastest. Once the tissue box is taped on, the time will start and the player must shake their rear to be the quickest to get all of the LEGOS to come out of the tissue box.
Quickest LEGO Builders – Get a brand new small box of legos, with a picture on the front of the completed set, for each team. Pass it out to the teams and on go they must build the set. Quickest to do so wins. You can also find blueprints for a variety of lego projects at www.letsbuilditagain.com
Strongest LEGO Bridge – Give each team of youth a set amount of time to build the strongest bridge. Then line up and test them. You can use ziplock bags filled with rice (250grams), soft wrist weights or anything which will not damage your floor when in falls. Amazingly they have been known to hold 5kg (11.02 pounds) so make sure you have enough weight to test them.
Tallest LEGO Tower – See which team can build the tallest tower in a predetermined time limit without the tower falling over.
What am I? – Divide the youth into teams and supply each team a pile of Lego parts that include pieces to make cars, trucks and people. Have everyone write down a name of a person, place or thing on a small slip of paper (tell them not to show anyone else). Ask each youth to fold his or her slip of paper and place it in a hat. Mix the slips of paper and ask one member from each team to randomly select one slip of paper. Tell the team member not to show the paper to his or her teammates. Set a kitchen timer for 10 minutes and tell the team member who chose the slip of paper to build whatever was on that slip of paper. It is up to his or her teammates to guess what he or she is building based on his or her creation. No talking or gestures are allowed. The first team to correctly guess the right answer wins that round.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Debrief

What do we need that will help us turn a pile of pieces into a specific shape?
Do you have to build exactly what is on the LEGO box or in the instructions?
Can we use the pieces to build other good things as well?
(If it has step by step instruction) Do you have to follow the instructions?
What is the advantage of instructions?
How does a photo, an example or instructions help?
What could have happened if we didn’t follow the manual?
How did the groups go about assembling their Lego project? How did each person participate?
What was frustrating about this activity?
Why was it difficult/easy to communicate instructions?
What are other situations that happen in your life where you have to rely on others to communicate information or instructions to you?
How do you make sure that you understand them completely? What can you do as the person with the information to get your message across to others?
How do you know where a brick belongs and how it fits into the overall plan?
Is it sometimes possible for more that one brick to fit in the same?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

What spiritual lessons can we learn from LEGOS?
What could happen if you don’t follow the instructions?
How is this like the choices we have in life?
Were you created with a purpose?
What other projects or things have you done that require an instruction manual?
Are there instructions for us to follow in life? As a Christian?
What are some of the world’s instructions? Those from the Bible?
How is a lego set like the body of Christ?
How is the Bible like an instruction manual?
How is Christ a model for us to follow? (1 Corinthians 11:1)

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

A LEGO manual shows how each piece fits together to form the completed shape and the order or sequence.

How is a lego set like the body of Christ? the youth group?

made up of many parts.
Christ is the cornerstone
The parts fit together to make a whole
if one part is missing, the whole suffers – to be complete they need each other
no piece, is more important that the others.
some relationships are closer than others
together they form a picture / object
they didn’t have the instructions or a picture on a box so it was sometimes difficult to know what they were forming
different people acted as leaders to help them form the picture
The pieces support each other
there are different connections – shapes – that connect each
each piece is different / unique
Each piece is identified by where it fits into the whole
Some pieces are easily identified but not more important

MAKE IT PERSONAL

How can we learn where we belong in the church and the role we each should fill?
After this activity, ask each youth to take back their LEGO piece as a reminder of the lessons.

SCRIPTURE

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 – “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”
1 Peter 2:4 – “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual housea to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 2:19-22 “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

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Object Lessons

Setting Priorities for the New Year

January 7, 2014 kensapp Leave a comment

The beginning of the year is often the time when people set new goals and priorities for the year ahead. This lesson is adapted from an object lesson on priorities in our Creative Object Lessons ebook.

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You can find this as an illustration here.

An Object Lesson

What You Need

Marker than can write on plastic
Transparent plastic or glass jar
Ping pong balls (or golf balls)
Bag of rice
Two small plastic bags – You can use more but I prefer two.
Large sheet of paper, newspaper classified ads, or whiteboard

Advance Preparation

Place as many ping pong balls in the jar as will fit
Add as much rise as possible to fill the rest of the space
Empty the jar and place the rice into the plastic bags
Discard the ping balls that were not in the jar so that you only have those that fit.

What to Do

Ask the youth to list goals people might have for this new year?
List them on the newsprint or whiteboard so that all can see.
Pass out the ping pong balls and ask the students to write one of the goals for the new year on each Ping Pong Ball
Ask the students to choose three other things to write on the bags of rice.
Pour the bags of rice into the jar, reading each goals as you pour its contents into the jar.
Then do the same with each of the ping pong balls. These will not all fit.
Explain that if you do the small things first, you won’t have time for the important things.
Ask youth to decide which things on the ping pong balls are the most important and place them in the jar first. You might need to replace the labels on some of them or replace them with the leftover ping pong balls.
Then when you put the items for the rice in they will all fall into place and everything will fit.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

When it comes to setting goals, I sometimes hear two different opinions. I’ve heard people say we should not plan but should be led by the spirit in everything we do. I’ve heard others say that God gave us brains and wisdom to plan in advance and we must make concrete plans. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. We must make plans and be wise with our time, but at the same time our plans must not be so fixed that there is no room for God to add, change, or interrupt those plans for his will to be done.

1. Men of God make plans based upon the wisdom they have

Proverbs 6 affirms wise planning and working toward those plans.
Proverbs 13:16 “A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t and even brags about it!”
Proverbs 15:22 “Plans go wrong with too few counselors; many counselors bring success.”
Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
Paul made plans (see Acts 15:36; Rom 1:13)
The disciples made plans (Acts 6:1-3)
Jesus made plans (Matt 10:5-15; 16:21; 26:17-19)
Jesus used plans as an illustration in his teachings (Luke 14:28-31)

2. God’s Word must be a guide for our plans (Psalm 119:9-16; Matthew 4:4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Matthew 6:33-34)

3. Our plans must be sensitive and allow room for God to change those plans. (See Acts 16:6-7) James 4:13-14 reminds us that our plans are secondary to God’s. “Instead, you ought to to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that'” (v. 15). Proverbs 16:9, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.”

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

Ultimately, God has one primary goal for each of our lives – to become more like Christ – Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 4:19; Ephesians 4:13; 22-24

What are some of the goals we should have as Christians in this regard.
What goals can we set that will help us to become more and more Christlike?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

What are some of your personal goals?
If you accomplish each goal, how will Jesus Christ be glorified?
How does each goal help you and/or others become more like Jesus Christ?

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES

Matthew 6:33

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

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Game Ideas

Pumpkin Picasso

October 28, 2007 kensapp Leave a comment

Game Description

How well can you draw the Halloween Jack-o-Lantern? Here is a great youth game idea for the Halloween season. You can use it to bring a fresh spiritual meaning to the holiday and allow your youth to apply it to seeking God’s plan and direction for their lives. You could even relate it to a talk about not conforming to the patterns of the world. Be creative and have a great week! And for those completely adverse to anything associated with Halloween, see the alternative variation under the “preparation” section.

Game Materials

Paper
Colored pens or pencils
Several different Pumpkin Faces (Drawings or actual pumpkins)
One blindfold for each team

Game Preparation

Create several different pumpkin jack-o-lantern faces either by drawing them or by cutting them into actual pumpkins. The more intricate and detailed the face, the more difficult it will be for participants.

Variation: If you are adverse to having anything even remotely associated with Halloween, you can use the shapes of natural fallen leaves from various trees or simple images from a Children’s Bible Story book.

Game Play

Divide your church youth group into various teams or into couples.
Have each youth team choose one “Picasso” who will draw the pumpkin face.
Blindfold all the Picasso’s
Reveal the carved pumpkin or the sketched pumpkin Jack-O-lantern face.
Teams must instruct their blindfolded “Picasso” using words only how to draw the pumpkin face on a piece of paper. (No touching is allowed).
You might want to give the teams 2 or 3 minutes to complete their masterpieces.
Compare the final masterpieces drawn by the youth to the actual pumpkin or original drawing and the one that is closest to the original wins!
Swap roles and have a new “Picasso” to play again!

Variation

Allow team members to roam about the room and try to distract or give incorrect instructions to opposing teams. But beware, this can get very noisy! (In the debrief, you can discuss the distractions and false instructions we face in life.)
Give the Picasso 10 seconds one round to see the jack-o-lantern face before blindfolding them. Did it help them to better understand the instructions?
Instead of judging which pumpkin is closest to the original, create a list of items to award various points:
- 20 points for drawing a circle so that the line crossed or connected with itself
- 10 points for each eye that was drawn INSIDE the circle.
- 20 points for a stem that was actually on top of the pumpkin
- 5 points for getting the mouth inside the circle
- 5 points if the mouth was BELOW both of the eyes
- 5 points for each eye that was the correct shape
- 5 points for each mouth that was the correct shape
- 5 points for getting the nose inside the circle
- 5 points for putting the nose between the mouth and the eyes
- 5 points for any triangle that is drawn
- 1 point for each place that lines cross each other.
- ETC

Take it to the Next Level

If you were able to see the desired result before putting on the blindfold would it have made a difference? Explain.
What role does “vision” play in accomplishing goals?
Was it more important – to focus on the big picture or the small details?
Did the person giving instructions do so clearly, orderly, and in a way that helped you achieve the desired results? Could any of the instructions have been clearer? How could the person giving instructions be more effective?

Make it Spiritual

Has God given us a pattern for life? Do we know what the end result is supposed to look like?
Does God focus more on the big picture or on the small steps needed to create the end result?
Are God’s instructions clear? Explain.
What can youth do to hear God more clearly?
Are there things in the lives of youth that obstruct God’s directions?
What are some of our standards for comparison for the Christian walk?

Make it Practical

Are there things in your life that are out of place?
Do you know what you are supposed to create with your life or do you feel you are struggling in the dark?
What are some of the references that have played the biggest role in how you have formed your own Christian life?
How will God judge the end results of your life?

Make it Personal

What is something you can do this week so that God can use you for greater results with your life?

Scripture References

“but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.” – Jeremiah 7:23

“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.” – Jeremiah 29:11

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” – John 10:27-30

Creative Youth Ideas – Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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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