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Teaching Illustrations

Scarred Arms

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Every night, the young mother rocked her young 3 year old daughter to sleep and each night the same conversation took place between mother and daughter.

The young mother would first tell a story, then say a prayer for her daughter, and finally hum a lulaby.

The daughter would then respond by touching her mother’s soft hair and saying, “Mommy, your hair is so pretty. I love your hair.”

She would stroke her mother’s cheek and say, “Mommy, your face is so pretty. I love your face”

Finally, the little girl would point at her mother’s arms and say, “But Mommy, your arms are ugly. I don’t love your arms.”

This bedtime ritual went on night after night. Then one evening, after the little girl had once again told her mother that she did not love her arms, the mother decided it was time to tell her daughter the story of her scarred arms.

The mother gently explained, “When you were a baby, there was a fire in the nursery. You were trapped in your crib and would have surely burned to death. But I heard you crying, ran into the room, and had to reach through the flames in order to save you from the fire. The fire burned mommy’s arms very badly and that is why my arms are so ugly.”

The child thoughtfully nodded. A couple minutes passed. The mother assumed that her daughter was probably too young to understand.

Then the little girl began her nightly ritual and began by touching her mother’s soft hair.
“Mommy, your hair is so pretty. I love your hair.”

As usual, she stroked her mother’s cheek and said, “Mommy, your face is so pretty. I love your face”

Then, for the first time in the little girl’s life, she reached down and began to gently caress her mother’s arms and said, “Mommy, your arms are prettiest of all. I really love your arms.”

Jesus is just like that mother with disfigured arms.

He has reached through the fires of hell to rescue you from the crib of death.

His scarred arms are beautiful because they reveal how much he loves you and what it cost him to save you from the flames.


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Youth Ministry

Face Painting Tips for Halloween or Carnival Events

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Face Painting as a Hobby or Fundraising Activity

Face painting can liven up any children’s event and add an element of fun and humor to it; not to mention aesthetic appeal. While a lot of people enjoy the art form as a hobby; others have taken it up as a profession or as a fundraiser, with ten hours spent painting gleeful faces in a variety of colors at halloween or fall festival carnivals, birthday parties for children and youth. Regardless of whether you want to try out your face panting skills at the children’s events you host at home or have turned the art form into a money making fundraiser; here are some valuable tips on face painting that will come in handy. Also included are some safety considerations, information on how to find designs that will find favor with children, paint applying tactics and more.

Face Painting tips: Where can you get the supplies?

If you are a pro at face painting, you may already know the best stores to go to in order to stock up on your face-painting supplies. However, if you have just ventured into the colorful world of this art form; the best place to find the materials you need is a local hobby shop. Try to get your face painting box ready with items such as brushes (soft and of different thickness and width); regular paint brushes should work fine here, sponges, paints and glitter.

Face painting designs for children

If you are a novice face painter, start with simple designs; what can be easier than balloons and flowers? Besides the hypo allergenic paint that is used to create the designs and the twinkiling eyes and excited smile on your canvas; there isn’t a lot of difference between face painting and regular ‘on paper’ painting. As a matter of fact, if you have always been dexterous with a painting brush, you should have no trouble mastering the art of face painting.

Face Painting Balloons
When trying to paint a balloon, you simply have to follow the natural contour of the child’s face to make an oval shape with a paint brush. Next, use a sponge to fill in the desired color; anything from blue to pink and even neon shades go well here. You can also add polka dots or any other design with a thin paint brush. Just remember to be careful when applying the paint around the child’s eyes.

Face Painting Flowers
The next theme to try out would be a colorful bouquet of flowers; for this design, you will need at least 3 to 4 colors for the flowers; use red, pink, white and even purple. Then, you will also have to apply a lot of green for the leaves. Start by making the flowers; try to get a few on the child’s cheeks; at least one on the nose and 2 or 3 on the child’s forehead. Use a fine paint brush for the dark outline of the flowers and fill color in the petals with a sponge or even with a thick brush. Use a brush dipped in green paint for the leaves; apply some pressure to create longer or shorter leaves as desired.

Face Painting Other Designs
Other popular face painting designs for children include a butterfly; tiger, lion, Dalmatian, pirate etc. There are several online resources that have in depth information on how to create these face-painting designs. Also, you don’t have to master all of them; just practice two or three good ones and make them in a variety of colors. For instance, a tiger can be painted in the characteristic yellow and orange or you could get experimental and go for a blue, red or even a pink tiger; children absolutely adore these..

Face Painting Tips

Choose the right Paint
Paints are available in both tubs as well as stick forms; if you have just started experimenting with face painting, you should use stick paints while tub colors are suitable for professionals. Either way, it is essential to remember that these paints are quite expensive, so store them properly once you are done and don’t let children get their hands on them.

Use your sponges
Sponges work better when you need to apply a base coat of paint to a child’s face or even when you have to cover a large area of the face with color. They are easy to use and quick. Always use different sponges for the different colors so that you do not waste time trying to wash out the color from a sponge.

Patience
This is the key word when trying to master face painting; when working with two colors, always wait for the first layer of paint to dry before applying the second coat. If you hurry through this phase, the colors will mix, creating a mess and you will need to wipe off the paint and start over. Also, always remember to use a thin layer of paint, go for two coats if necessary.

Have a clear idea about the design
Visualize the picture or design that you are trying to create as you apply layer after layer of paint to the child’s face. You should know exactly what you are trying to create; as a matter of fact, it is always a good idea to keep a picture on your desk. Trying to make things up as you go along simply isn’t going to work in this case.

Use stencils
If you are not good at freehand drawing, you can easily use stencils to create fantastic designs without a lot of effort. These are particularly handy when painting the faces of a lot of eager children.

Go for special effects
The paint used will usually also work as a basic glue to create bumps on the child’s nose or even big, thick eyebrows. Just soaks some cotton wool in the paint and place on the faces of the children, cover this with some tissue and paint as normal. Wheat and puffed rice can be used to make warts, use the same technique and add a dusting of flour for a ghostly effect.

Safety tips when face painting children

  • Always use hypo allergenic and non toxic paint: Only use paints that have been certified for usage on the skin; just because hobby paints come with the term ‘non-toxic’ on their packaging does not make them safe for face painting.
  • Only use cosmetic glitter on the face.
  • Do not paint the faces of children who suffer from rashes or other skin conditions that may be contagious or which may get aggravated due to the paint.
  • Use a skin friendly, antiseptic and antibacterial soap for cleaning the brushes and the sponges after use
  • Wash your hands before applying paint

Taking face paint off a child’s face

Most paints used on skin are water soluble and you will just need to wash the children’s faces with some soap and water to clean them. If glitter has been used or if you have a thick coat of paint, you may want to consider using simple olive oil to dissolve the paint before washing it off. Alternatively, you could also use a soft cloth soaked in luke warm water to gently wipe off the paint. Remember to never scrub a child’s face as this may cause redness and rashes.

With these tips, face-painting can be an enjoyable addition to many different holiday events and carnivals. It’s also a great fundraising activity for youth groups.

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Planning Ideas for a Youth – Children’s Carnival as an alternative to Halloween Trick or Treat

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Why Plan a Children’s Carnival instead of the Traditional Halloween Trick-or-Treat?
As the holiday of Halloween rolls around, many schools, churches and children’s organizations start planning their SAFE alternative options to the traditional “trick or treating” activity. This allows more control over what kids receive and also to avoid some of those members of society that might place unwanted items in candy or treats. It’s also a lot safer than having kids roam the neighborhoods. Some places throw a holiday dance or get together where others opt for such things as a youth and children’s carnival. This is a great way to show children a different way to celebrate and stay safe for the Halloween holiday or simply provide an alternative if you are opposed to the celebrations of halloween in the first place.

Tips for Planning Your Halloween Carnival or Harvest Festival Event.
If you are planning such a Halloween carnival or fall festival, you will want to plan a wide variety of games and activities to have at your children’s carnival that will keep the kids entertained. Below are some of the most popular types of activity booths and games for this type of carnival celebration. It is best to have a variety of choices for kids of all ages so that they will have plenty to choose from. When you plan your carnival, think about both boys and girls and what they like to do. Include activities that are good for younger children, activities that are for older children and activities that might even be fun for their parents as well.

Carnival Games:

  • Baseball Strike Zone
    This is a game that can be adjusted for all ages. Strike zone games are generally set up for older kids but you can adapt it for the little ones. You can make a ball throwing game (It doesn’t have to be baseballs) that stands up on its own using a cardboard box. You can often get large boxes from appliance and furniture stores. Simply cut holes in the cardboard and paint it to match your Halloween event theme. You can create a carved pumpkin image with a mouth and eyes as the strike zones, a full moon with different size craters, smiley faces, flowers and many other designs. The objective is to have the children throw the balls into the various holes. You can vary the size of the holes and the point awarded for each successful throw. Make your prize selection based on the amount of points the child gets with a total of 3 to 5 balls.
  • Fishing Games
    This is something that is great for the little ones. You can do this with a large tub of water and some play fishing poles. You can get about 15 to 20 floating ducks or boats at a dollar store and paint a mark on the bottom of some of them. To make the game really simple, you can attach magnets to both the floating toys and the end of the fishing poles so that the children simply have to get the fishing pole string into the water and they will always pull up something. Those who pull up a toy with a mark on it are the winners.
  • Golfing Area
    There are many discount stores that sell play golf sets. You can get a few of these and set up a mini golf course which is great fun for all ages. You can also have a putting area where golfers can test their luck at getting a hole in one. You can make the prizes based on where the person is standing when they get the ball in the hole.

Activity Booths
There are many activity booths for your carnival that you can make out of everyday items such as bottles, cans and fishbowls:

  • Set up cans in a row and give your players balls to throw at the cans to knock them over. Fill them with sand as full cans are more difficult to knock over than empty ones.Set up plastic bottles like bowling pins and use a small ball to let your players see how many “pins” they can knock over with one try. Again, bottles filled with water or sand will be more difficult to knock over. Base your prizes on the number of cans or bottles knocked over.
  • Use small fish bowls as a game by filling them each with a fish and water. Put paper plates on top of the fishbowls with a bull’s-eye drawn on them and et the players toss coins onto the plates to try to win a fish. You can also use small balls and let the players try to throw a ball into a bowl to win a fish.
  • Use bottles and small rope rings as another game. Toss the ring over the bottle to win prizes.
  • Place a slip of paper inside a balloons with a prize written on it then let the older children toss darts and try to pop a balloon to get the prize written on the slip of paper inside.

Unlimited possibilities for your Halloween / Fall Carnival
These are just a few examples of the large number of different types of games and activity booths that you can plan for your carnival; you just need to be creative. You will find that if you plan right, your carnival will be a huge success. Just remember to have games that are good for all ages as well as games set for certain ages. Spread things out as well so it makes the carnival seem that much bigger. Add in some food booths and drinks and you have got the makings for a great carnival that is not only fun but also safe for all the participants.

Looking for More Ideas for Halloween? Check out these other possibilities from the Creative Youth Ideas Website:

Halloween Bible Studies or Sermons
Some scripture passages that might make good Halloween Bible Study or sermon topics

Bobbing for Apples
Halloween Party Game: Bobbing for apples is a common Halloween tradition in which youth try to take a bite out of an apple floating in a tub of water.

The Mask I Wear
This Halloween mask related study encourages youth to take a look at the masks we wear everyday, not just on Halloween and to expose what is underneath to God so that he can transform us so that we reveal his glory! Makes a great study for a Halloween or fall festival event.

Halloween Bowling Party
Thinking of a youth bowling party? Here’s a way to have fun while making it less dependent on skill. Great youth idea for Halloween as well!

Halloween Party or Fall Festival
Make your harvest Festival (alternative to a Halloween Party) a harvest of souls into the Kingdom of God!

Sleepy Hollow
While you may not lose your head playing this game, the head to head play is wild and fun!

Harvest Festival Games
Two games you can use at your next harvest festival or Halloween alternative event.

Pumpkin Picasso
How well can you draw the Halloween Jack-o-Lantern? What roles do a clear vision and clear instructions play in accomplishing our goals and objectives in life?

Candy Toss
Just for fun. Toss the candy into a Halloween Jack-o-lantern pumpkin and if it lands inside, you get to keep it!

Pumpkin Patch Relay
In this relay, participants will try to replace the missing pieces that have been removed from their team’s pumpkin. It can be used as party game for your October 31st Halloween alternative, for a harvest festival, or a Halloween carnival.

The Mummy
Use this game about a mummy as part of Halloween Alternative or as an introduction to the story of Lazarus.

Skeleton Race
Even if you don’t want to be involved with Halloween, you’ll want to grab at least one of those plastic or paper Halloween skeletons for this object lesson / game.

Jack-O-Lantern
Use the legend of the Jack-o-lantern to share the gospel.

A Halloween Message
A possible salvation message for a fall festival or event to replace Halloween.

Fall or Harvest Festival?
Do you have a fall festival?

Halloween Alternatives for Christians?
Looking for Halloween Alternatives? Check these out! You’ll find games and activities, many of which have an evangelistic message.

Firsts and Lasts
Our lives are often defined by the firsts and lasts which affect everything in between. What are your spiritual firsts and Lasts which define your spiritual life?

Hollywood Squares Game
This game, based on the television show “Hollywood Squares” makes a great review activity after a lesson series has been taught! You can also use it with trivia questions and modern events as a fun activity for a game night or outreach activity!

Cupcake Faith
Use this creative object lesson as a surprising illustration to kids that God looks at our heart, not our appearances. It can be used on any occasion or as a children’s sermon, but with a reference to tombs, and masks it also serves as a fun lesson for an alternative to Halloween.

Strategies to Confuse Trick or Treaters
Halloween humor

Candy
Youth will take part in a learning simulation experiencing what it is like when gifts are not appropriately utilized as a blessing to all members of the body of Christ. Makes a great activity for a Halloween Alternative or for a creative Bible Study lesson.

Pumpkin Puzzles
Youth will cut up pumpkins and then try to put a cut up pumpkin back together again. The game can be used as an object lesson illustrating God’s restoration of our lives.

A Christian Response to Halloween?
Can and should Christians provide alternatives to Halloween with the purpose of reaching youths for Christ?

Trick or Treat Relay Game
As a Halloween alternative, use this messy game based upon the common Halloween chant : “Trick-or-treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat” to teach youth about the tricks of the evil one.

Pumpkin Prayer
Object Lesson on Prayer using a pumpkin

Peter Pumpkin
Has your light gone out because of sin in your life?

Perky the Orange Pumpkin
Lesson on self-identity using a children’s story about a colorful pumpkin

Jack O’ Lantern
Create a Halloween lantern with stars for eyes, the Christian fish symbol for a mouth, and a cross for its nose. Then pass out a poem to spread the gospel message.

Pumpkin Seed Toss
Use this game as a discussion about the power of our words, or about how we choose goals in life.

Pass the Brains
Play “pass the parcel” with a pumpkin


Like A Halloween Pumpkin
Use a pumpkin to share the gospel.

Masks
What are the masks we wear?

Fear Factors
Discuss dealing with fears as a halloween alternative.

Noah’s Ark Party
Redeem Halloween with a Noah’s Ark Party and discuss the promises of God.

Candy Relay
Redeem Halloween by using this “Trick or Treat” Candy game to share the gospel

Pumpkin Bowling
Use vegetables for a wild bowling variation.

The Pumpkin
Life as a pumpkin!

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Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next Halloween event or Fall Festival, as well as a variety of other familiar holidays. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all the minor, but common holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Youth Sermons

Halloween Bible Studies or Sermons

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Bible Study Topics for Halloween

  • Fear – 1 John 4:16,18, 2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 8:15
  • Death – Heb. 2:14, 1 Cor. 15:26)
  • Darkness – John 8:12, Psalm 119:105, Eph. 6:12, 1 Thes 5:5
  • Dealing with Giants – David and Goliath – 1 Samuel 16-18
  • Lazarus – Out from the Tomb
  • The real Spirit – John 14:26
  • First Trick or Treat – Exodus 11:2
  • What about witchcraft? – Deuteronomy 18
  • Ghost Story – 1 Samuel 28:3-20

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Game Ideas

Bobbing for Apples

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Description
Halloween Party Game: Bobbing for apples is a common Halloween tradition in which youth try to take a bite out of an apple floating in a tub of water.

Resources

  • Large tub of water
  • Towels
  • Apples with all stems and leaves removed

What to Do

  • Fill a large tub with clean water and put washed apples into the water. Apples are less dense than water, so they will float on the surface.
  • Instruct the youth to try to remove an apple from the tub by biting into it with their teeth. No use of hands is allowed.
  • Traditionally, the winner was the first person to retrieve an apple, but you can also award prizes to everyone who is successful or those who retrieve specially marked apples.

Variations

  • Smaller apples makes this game easier, larger apples make it more difficult.
  • Larger and deeper tubs are more difficult.
  • Fewer the apples in the tub makes it more difficult to bite into one.
  • Harder apples are more difficult to bite than softer dessert varieties.
  • Forcing a youth to go after a particular apple also makes it more difficult.
  • Make it a team relay with one person from each team trying to bite into an apple at the same time.
  • Add some ice before the game to wake everyone up!

Alternative method
If you are concerned about hygiene, an alternative of this game has everyone trying to bite out of an assigned apple on a string. You’ll need one apple (with the stem still attached) and one length of string for each participant. Tie the strings to the stems of the apples and then tie the other ends to something solid so that they can hang freely. You can use a open door frame, a tree branch, or even a pole fixed between two ladders. One advantage is that everyone can go at the same time. The objective remains the same, to retrieve the apple using only your mouth – or at least take a bite out of it!

Take it to the Next Level
The original tradition of bobbing for apples stated that whoever bit the apple first would be the first to get married. In fact, instead of throwing rice at weddings they used to throw apples. DUCK! Whoever succeeded in getting an apple first was supposed to be the lucky person to be the first person to enter into a marriage relationship.

But the apple is also commonly associated with a broken relationship. While the apple is never mentioned in the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis, the apple is commonly associated with the forbidden fruit offered by Eve to Adam. If you cut an apple in half horizontally, it is supposed to look like a pentagram, an occult symbol.

Regardless of whether it was an apple or not, Adam took a bite of the fruit, in disobedience to God, and through that disobedience damaged his relationship with God. The Bible says that Adam “sinned.” Sin is an archery term which means to miss the mark, to fall short of the target. Because God is perfect and just, he cannot allow disobedience to go unpunished.

Because we all fall short but disobedience to God, He in his infinite love, sent Jesus to pay that penalty for us, to suffer the consequences of sin which is death. All we need to do is accept him and our relationship with God is restored.

We each have weaknesses and we all sin. What sin or temptation does the apple represent in your life?

Halloween is a time when people try to scare each other. But one of the greatest fears we all have is that of death. But when you trust Jesus as Savior, you don’t need to fear anymore. Your relationship with him is restored and he will give you eternal life.

At this point, present the gospel plan of salvation. If you need an example use Jelly Bean Salvation which focuses on the colors of Jelly beans. You could also use different colors of Halloween Candy for the same presentation.

Closing
Have youth exchange their apple (representing sin) for a cross (Representing Christ) or to place the apple at the foot of a cross to represent their giving up of sin and living for Christ. Take some time for prayer and quiet meditation

Get Creative Youth Ideas: "Holiday Collection" ebook

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 Halloween event or Fall Festival, as well as a variety of other familiar holidays. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all the minor, but common holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection

Teaching Illustrations

The Mask I Wear

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Description
This Halloween mask related study encourages youth to take a look at the masks we wear everyday, not just on Halloween and to expose what is underneath to God so that he can transform us so that we reveal his glory!

Read the Poem “The mask I wear”
Author unknown

Don’t be fooled by me.
Don’t be fooled by the face I wear
for I wear a mask. I wear a thousand masks
masks that I’m afraid to take off
and none of them are me.
Pretending is an art that’s second nature with me
But don’t be fooled, don’t be fooled.
I give you the impression that I’m secure
That all is sunny and unruffled with me
within as well as without,
that confidence is my name
and coolness my game,
that the water’s calm
and I’m in command,
and that I need no one.
But don’t believe me. Please!

My surface may be smooth but my surface is my mask,
My ever-varying and ever-concealing mask.
Beneath lies no smugness, no complacence.
Beneath dwells the real me in confusion, in fear, in aloneness.
But I hide this.
I don’t want anybody to know it.
I panic at the thought of my weaknesses
and fear exposing them.
That’s why I frantically create my masks to hide behind.
They’re nonchalant, sophisticated facades to help me pretend,
To shield me from the glance that knows.
But such a glance is precisely my salvation,
my only salvation,
and I know it.

That is, if it’s followed by acceptance,
and if it’s followed by love.
It’s the only thing that can liberate me from myself
from my own self-built prison walls.

I dislike hiding, honestly
I dislike the superficial game I’m playing,
the superficial phony game.
I’d really like to be genuine and me.
But I need your help, your hand to hold

Even though my masks would tell you otherwise
That glance from you is the only thing that assures me
of what I can’t assure myself,
that I’m really worth something.
But I don’t tell you this.
I don’t dare.
I’m afraid to.
I’m afraid you’ll think less of me, that you’ll laugh
and your laugh would kill me.
I’m afraid that deep-down I’m nothing, that I’m just no good
and you will see this and reject me.

So I play my game, my desperate, pretending game
With a facade of assurance without
And a trembling child within.
So begins the parade of masks,
The glittering but empty parade of masks,
and my life becomes a front.
I idly chatter to you in suave tones of surface talk.
I tell you everything that’s nothing
and nothing of what’s everything,
of what’s crying within me.
So when I’m going through my routine
do not be fooled by what I’m saying
Please listen carefully and try to hear
what I’m not saying
Hear what I’d like to say
but what I cannot say.

It will not be easy for you,
long felt inadequacies make my defenses strong.
The nearer you approach me
the blinder I may strike back.
Despite what books say of men, I am irrational;
I fight against the very thing that I cry out for.
you wonder who I am
you shouldn’t
for I am everyman
and everywoman
who wears a mask.
Don’t be fooled by me.
At least not by the face I wear.

author unknown

Take it to the Next Level

  • At Halloween, children often wear obvious masks. But the truth is people of all ages are wearing masks every day, not just on Halloween. What are some of the masks that adults often wear? What are some of the masks that youth wear?
  • Have you ever pretended to hide your true feelings? Why did you hide your real feelings? How is hiding your feelings like wearing a mask?
  • Have you ever pretended to be something that you weren’t? To go along with the crowd? To gain acceptance from other youth? Because you were afraid someone might not like the true you? Because you feared rejection if they saw the real you? What are some other reasons youth might wear masks?

 

Taking off the Masks
Wearing a mask brings certain comforts, but it also may hinder our personal growth. As long as we wear the mask we don;t have to deal with the underlying problem. But when we are truly able to confront the truth about ourselves we will find true freedom. We can find healing. We can find an answer to the weaknesses that plague us.

Scripture
2 Corinthians 3:18 “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.”

Some key truths from this verse and the Life of Paul:

  • Paul did not need to hear kind words from his friends. His life and ministry was already reflecting God’s glory.
  • Paul revealed his weaknesses. And in doing so, he also revealed the reality and the power of Jesus. Paul was weak, but the Spirit of God was constantly at work in him. Jesus is not revealed in a person by their human perfection but rather by God transforming us into His image.
  • Paul’s life was not one of “see how good I am.” On the contrary, his life was “see what God is doing in a sinner (Paul referred to himself as the chief of sinners).” We are all sinners with all the ugliness of sin, bent and twisted out of shape, far from being the persons we want to be, or that God intends us to be (Romans 3:23).
  • Our transformation comes from the Holy Spirit. God is in the process of working His transformation in us. “We are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

 

The truth is, when we take of the masks and are honest with ourselves and God he takes our fears, our weaknesses, our sinful ugliness and transforms us to look like Him. When we fail to do so we put on a mask and we no longer reflect the love, grace and joy of Christ. One of the names that Jesus called the pharisees was that of a hypocrite, or a whitewashed tombstone. The word comes from the Greek word “hypokrites” and was a technical term for a stage actor who usually wore a mask and acted a part.

Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”

Making It Personal
What are some of the masks you wear? Why? How would things change if you were to take off this mask and let God deal with the true fears and issues that lie underneath? What is a real way that you can take off this mask? Is there someone you can talk in honesty that can help keep you accountable? Say a prayer to God to help you to deal with the underlying issue so that you can more fully reveal his likeness and glory in your life!

Variation
Provide Halloween masks or carnival masks for the entire group of youth. If possible, you can give youth some heavy paper (paper plates work well) and rubber bands and ask them to create a mask before the lesson. Later at the “Making it personal” stage of the lesson, have youth add a symbol or some words to indicate the mask that they want to remove so that God can work on that area of their life.

For a lesson which complements this one see Masks

 

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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 Halloween event or Fall Festival, as well as a variety of other familiar holidays. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all the minor, but common holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Food for Thought

Harvest Festival or Halloween?

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Should Christians participate in Halloween or have an alternative? I am not going to takes sides on the issue. But should you want to do an event in October on Halloween or another night, a Harvest Festival is a Biblical concept.

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Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next Halloween alternative or Fall Festival, as well as a variety of other familiar holidays. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for the common holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Announcements

Halloween Party or Fall Festival

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Pagan holiday or Evangelistic Opportunity? The decision is yours….

Rather than debate the issue, I am going to provide some things that could be done as part of a Christian alternative either as a family or as a church or youth group. (For the rest of you, many of the ideas involving pumpkins and other things could also be used at Thanksgiving or any time during the year for that matter.) And many of them are VERY evangelistic in nature!

Most of the ideas can be found on the index I created in October 2007
Halloween Alternatives for Christians

Here are some other’s not in that list:
Pumpkin Picasso
Sleepy Hollow
Fall or Harvest Festival
A Halloween Message
Pumpkin Patch Relay

May your harvest Festival be a harvest of souls into the Kingdom of God!

Get Creative Youth Ideas: "Holiday Collection" ebook 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 Halloween Alternative or Fall Festival, as well as games, activities, and meaningful discussions for a variety of other familiar holidays. 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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Game Ideas

Sleepy Hollow

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Introduction
Can you play the wacky game without losing your head?

Game Description
How quickly can you pass the hat around the circle? While you may not lose your head playing this game, the head to head play is wild and fun!

Game Materials
1 hat for each team — Use cowboy hats for a western theme, baseball hats for a sports theme, etc., or simply find two of the wackiest hats you can.

Game Preparation
None

Game Play

  1. Divide the group into two evenly numbered circles all holding hands.
  2. Place a hat on the head of one player in each circle.
  3. The objective is to pass the hat round the circle from head to head without releasing your hands.
  4. The team which passes the hat round the circle first wins the game.

Variations
For a more difficult variation, play it with only right hands, or do not allow the use of hands at all!
For Halloween or a fall festival, use your favourite mask or hat from a costume!

Get Creative Youth Ideas: "Holiday Collection" ebook 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 Halloween Alternative or Fall Festival, as well as ideas for activities for other common holidays. 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.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection