Tag Archives: sports

2010 Youth Olympic Games Sports Freeze Frames

August 16, 2010 kensapp 1 Comment

Youth Olympics Sports Logos Freeze Frames!
Can you imitate the people in the logos and be the first to complete all the Youth Olympics Sports images?

Description
Participants will try to copy the poses of athletes in the various Youth Olympic Sports as shown in the Logos for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

Resources

For some great photo opportunities have a few cameras available!
You can get the sports logos as individual images from the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympics website
They are also shown as a single image at the top of this post. Here is a list of the 26 sports included in the first youth Olympic Games in Singapore.
1. Aquatics
2. Archery
3. Athletics
4. Badminton
5. Basketball
6. Boxing
7. Canoe-Kayak
8. Cycling
9. Equestrian
10. Fencing
11. Football
12. Gymnastics
13. Handball
14. Hockey
15. Judo
16. Modern Pentathlon
17. Rowing
18. Sailing
19. Shooting
20. Table tennis
21. Taekwondo
22. Tennis
23. Triathlon
24. Weightlifting
25. Wrestling
26. Volleyball

Preparation

Cut out the images and mount them on colored pieces of construction paper or notecards.
To make it more fun, you may want to add additional photos from the specific sports with people midair and in crazy positions.

What to Do 
Divide the group into teams. You can play with this in a variety of ways:

Randomly draw from the logo images. Have all groups imitate the same image. The first group to get in the same pose as the chosen image gets a point. To make it more difficult, allow only one participant from each group to see the image and then they must go back and form their group into the correct pose.
Randomly deal the images to the groups face down so they cannot see them. Provide a judge for each group that will decide if the group is close enough to the original image before moving on to the next. The first group to complete all the images first wins.
Make it a relay race, where group members must run to the other side of the room, grab an image and then emulate it before the next person from the group can go. The first group to have all persons go wins!
Give each group a camera and make it a photo scavenger hunt. Give each group a collection of photos involving props, positions, and even locations that they must duplicate with the group. The first group to complete the assignment and return with the most correct photos wins!

Variations

Make props available for each of the sports. Teams must also include the props.

Taking it to the Next Level 

For good and for bad, we often imitate others in life. Sometimes this can be a positive thing when others have qualities or traits that we wish to develop in our own lives. At other times it can be stifling as we try to fit into roles and expectations instead of being the person we were created to be.

Are there people in your life you would like to imitate? Name some of your role models.
Who are the people you aspire to be like?
Is it important to have role models? Why or why not?
How do you draw a balance between being the unique person you were created to be and expectations that society expects us to conform to?
What are some of the qualities you would like to imitate from a role model? How can you develop these qualities?
If you don’t have a mentor or role model, who is someone that has the qualities, skills or experience to help you in your personal development?
Is there an area of your life where you have simply been conforming to what is expected rather then expressing your unique self? If you were not concerned about other people’s expectations and what other people think, what is something you would change about yourself?

Application

Choose a trait or quality you want to develop and find a role model or mentor to help you develop that in your own life.
Choose a trait or quality that you have stifled because of expectations that you can begin to develop and learn to express in a positive way.

Possible Scripture References:

Psalm 139:14ff, Ephesians 2:10; Deuteronomy 18:9; 1 Corinthians 4:16-17; Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 13:7; 3 John 1:11, 1 Corinthians 11:1-2; 2 Kings 14:3; John 13:15; Philippians 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:7; 1 Timothy 4:12; Titus 2:7; 1 Peter 2:22-24

Go for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

What is salvation all about? What does it mean to be saved? This sports themed Bible Study / Camp Curriculum uses the Olympic Flag to introduce the concepts of sin (black circle), forgiveness (red circle), purity (white background), spiritual growth (green circle), heaven (Yellow Circle) and (Baptism) blue circle.
-> Tell me about “Go for the Gold”

Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

The race as a metaphor for the Christian life is used in several places in the Bible. This series is a great follow up for new Christians or to re-emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum has a sports theme and is great for athletes as well as a tie in to the youth Olympic Games.
->Tell me about “Destined to Win”

Teaching Illustrations

Lessons from the 2010 Youth Olympic Games

August 11, 2010 kensapp Leave a comment

In 1st Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul writes:

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

While the Olympic Games as we know them today were not practiced at during Paul’s time, in the ancient city of Corinth they did hold athletic competitions. Paul used these sports events to teach the Corinthians about God!

With the first Youth Olympic Games taking place in Singapore in less than 3 days, sporting events can once again be used to draw comparisons between athletics and sports and spiritual truths. As your youth are drawn to the sporting events of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, here are some spiritual truths that you can use for your youth meetings, youth cell groups, youth Bible Studies, or youth sermons:

Run for the heavenly prize

Just as the young Olympic Athletes must exert his or her greatest possible efforts to gain the prize. In the same way, as Christians, we must exert out greatest possible efforts to that to spread the Gospel, straining for the heavenly prize that lies ahead.

Avoid anything that might prevent us from achieving the goal

To achieve that goal and to receive the trophy, Olympic Athletes are forced to refrain from many things. These things are not necessarily bad, but they might hinder them in the pursuit of their goal. In the same way, as Christians, we must refrain from things that hinder us in one way or another one to being effective in the ministry of spreading the Gospel.

Work for an eternal glory

All effort of an Olympic Athlete is directed to receive a crown that will not last. This was especially true in the days of Paul, because athletes did not receive medals like today’s Olympians, but only a wreath of laurel. Only the champion received it and there were no awards for second or third place. The champion, received honor that lasted until another became a champion, and then it was forgotten little by little. While we do not work for our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9), the Christian’s effort in the Gospel will be rewarded with an eternal glory in heaven.

Compete according to the rules

Another truth from the life of a young Olympic Athlete is mentioned by Paul when he said:

“Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. (2 Timothy 2:5)(NASB)?

There are rules in each Olympic competition, and anyone who violates them is disqualified. In the same way, as Christians, God has established rules that are written in the Bible. We fall short every time we break one of those rules. But through Christ we can all become more than victors.

Go for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

Announcements

2010 Youth Olympic Games Bible Study Resources

August 4, 2010 kensapp Leave a comment

The streets here in Singapore have really been busy with one major event about to explode into action. If you haven’t heard about it by now, it’s the first time this little island nation I call home will be hosting an international sporting event – the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. Not only is it the first time we’re hosting something this big, it’s the first Youth Olympic Games to be held ever!

I thought a great way to celebrate this international youth sporting event would be to launch not one but two Youth Bible Study series / Youth Camp Curriculum that are sports themed. It doesn’t matter which part of the world you’re in, you’ve probably heard of the Olympics. Likely, your youth would have heard about the 2010 Youth Olympic Games too. We hope to support you with these great sports-themed studies, something that they can easily relate to and invite their pre-believing friends to participate in too.

Introducing, “Go for the Gold”

Click below to learn more…
“Go for the Gold” – Youth Olympic Game themed Bible Study Series

This is an evangelistic youth Bible Study or Youth Camp Curriculum. I’m taking a step of faith here in the vein of the good work of what the Alpha course is doing to reach out to pre-believing youth in five 1-2 hour sessions, to share the truth about salvation using the Olympic rings as a backdrop to the Bible studies. This study can also be used as an evangelistic tool for mature Christians to reach out to their own friends and loved ones.

Plus, “Destined to Win”

Click below to learn more…
“Destined to Win” – Youth Sports themed Bible Study Series (Great for the Youth Olympics too)

This sports-themed Bible Study or Camp Curriculum covers what it takes to run the Christian race. It’s a great follow-up study to “Go for the Gold” as the content focuses on answering “What’s next?” and “What is my spiritual destiny?” In five 1-2 hour sessions, I hope to impart what it takes to run the Christian race.

Your youth will learn:

Put on Your Running Shoes
“The Spiritual Race and Characteristics of Good Athletes”
(I Corinthians 9:24-27)
Cross Training
“A Healthy Spiritual Diet and Exercise”
(I Timothy 4:8)
Crossing the Goal
“Don’t Give Up, Don’t Look Back, Focus on the Goal and Do What It Takes”
(Philippians 3:12-14, 17-21)
Staying In Your Lane and On Track
“Discovering God’s Will”
Various scriptures
A Trophy or Atrophy
“Choosing to Live for Christ”
(II Timothy 4:7-8)

If you’re not running any more camps this season, not to worry, I’ve designed this curriculum to be used for your Bible Studies, Sunday School or Small Groups.

Find out more about how you can challenge your youth to “Go for the Gold” and “run the race” towards their spiritual destiny by clicking on the links below:

Go for the Gold

Destined to Win

With YOUth on my heart
Ken

Object Lessons

Wind Up Toy Christianity

July 12, 2010 kensapp Leave a comment

Description
Youth Bible study activity using wind-up toys. Works great as a discussion about free will or for discussing running in the Christian race. It could also be tied into Disney’s “Toy Story 3” in which Andy is all grown up now and ready to leave home for college. For the toys, the prospect of having no one who will Love them and spend time with them takes them down a path of despair and filled with dangers. Andy has to learn to put away childish things and the toys find purpose in bringing joy to another young person, filled with life, energy, love and childish delight. Sometime we also feel that God has set us aside and gone on to other things. But he hasn’t forgotten us. He will always be there for us. And like the toys, we may find our energy exhausted, and ourselves in less than pristine condition, but we find great joy in life when we are fulfilling the purpose for which we were created.

Resources Needed
Get a variety of kinds wind-up toys. These are often readily available at fast food chains as part of the kid’s meals. They can also be found in most toy stores. Some of the toys might be as cars, small figurines / action figures, cymbal clanking monkeys, or fanciful spinning tops etc. They come in a variety of forms and sizes. If you can get enough of the wind-up toys for everyone then it is a nice reminder of the lesson for the youth to take back home. Otherwise you can have one wind-up toy for every pair, trio, or small group of youth depending on the size of the youth group.

What to Do

Stage a variety of toy relay races. Set a goal, let everyone wind up their toys, and let them go. You might want to have several heats to make the activity last longer. Race the wind-up toys a few at a time and then have winners of those races compete against each other until you have a final race between the top wind-up toys. To add a little variety, you can add some obstacles, traps like a strip of sticky tape, rubber balls, etc.
Treat it like real race: On your mark, get set, go and a loud cap-gun. Gentleman start your engines, etc. Have prices for the winners as well as a victory celebration. You can also award additional prizes to various wind-up toys in addition to the winners:

Most helpless
Most lost
Most persistent
Strongest
Funniest finish
Best “crash and Burn”
Slowest
Fastest
Most direct route to the finish

Discussion

What are some of the things you observed in the races of the wind-up toys?
Possible answers will likely include some of the following points:

They need to be wound up
They sometimes change direction unexpectedly
Even when they run into walls, the keep going without any change of direction.
Eventually the wind down.
They perform different actions when wound up.
They were designed and created to do different things.
They only do what they were created to do
They can be easily broken.
They sometimes fall over for no apparent reason.
They don’t always stick to the intended path.
Not all finish the race.
Some veer off course.

In what ways are our lives similar / different from those of wind up toys?

Take it to the Next Level

In a way God creates us, sets us on a path, and then lets us go. In time we run down, but the question is what we will do in the time we are given? but unlike the wind-up toys, we can choose our path. and while each of us is created with a purpose, we can choose to deviate from the chosen path and to act contrary to the purpose for which we were created. But like the wind-up toys there are some people who live wind-up mechanical lives without meaning and purpose.

You can also explain the different types of toys found today. Wind up toys used to be very common. Most toys today use batteries. What is the purpose of the wind up mechanism or the battery? The main purpose is to store energy for later use. There are many methods toy makers use to transfer and store energy. A yo-yo or a top uses a piece of string wrapped around an axel. Some toys use small springs that are tightened. Many clocks and musical jewelry boxes work on this same principle. A rubber band wrapped around an axle can also store energy. You might want to disassemble several toys and show students the springs or rubber bands inside that are “squeezed,” “stretched,” or “twisted” to give the toy energy. Ask the students to predict what mechanism is used inside the toy to store and release energy.

Discussion

Where do you get your energy?
What things give you a push, give you a stretch, or twists your life around causing things to happen?
What gets you wound up? What energizes you?
What wears you down? What drains your energy?
If you had to describe your life as that of a toy, what would it be? Why?
What characteristics do the toy and you have in common? In what ways are you different?

Take it to the Next Level

As Christians, we attempt to live each day for the purpose that God created us, glorifying His name, attempting to do as He would do, and following His will and following His guidance. Like the toys there will be times when we run down, when we stray, and when we find ourselves banging against a wall or barrier. But God didn’t just create us and and let us go on our own. He doesn’t look upon us as some sort of wind-up toy that He might set on the ground and then watch as it aimlessly runs into obstacle’s, never heading in the direction in which He pointed it, or falling over…legs still churning in mid air now – going nowhere. Instead God is constantly watching over us, waiting to energize us, and picking us up and pointing us back to the correct path.   Sometimes the obstacle’s we face are being used to nudge us back on to the right path…like a guardrail. And at times we stubbornly fight the change in our direction until our energy is exhausted. But God does care. He’s simply waiting for you to quit struggling and to call out to Him so that he can re-energize you and set you back on course in the right direction.

Variation
Play a game in which the youth take on the role of wind-up toys in a game of Simon says.

Blindfold the youth (optional)
Have the youth spin around and point in various directions.
Then in the style of Simon Says have them follow the directions you give them to move forward a certain number of steps, turn right, hop, jump, etc

Discussion

How was this game similar to the way people live their lives?
What did you do when you encountered obstacles?
How do you know when you’ve hit a wall in life and need to change direction?
In what ways does God guide us?
In what ways does God empower us for the journey ahead?
What can we do when we run down and are exhausted?

Scripture references
Philippians 3:13-14, Psalm 138:8, Proverbs 16:4, Romans 11:36, Matthew 7:13-14, Proverbs 19:21, Philippians 4:13, Deuteronomy 28, Romans 8:12-13, Ephesians 5:18-21

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…

Go for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

Game Ideas

Caterpillar Race

July 12, 2009 kensapp Leave a comment

Game Description
Teams of youth move toward the finish line in small hops, connected like a caterpillar with many legs.

Game Materials
No additional game supplies are needed.

Optimal Group Size for Game
Any number of youth

Game Venue
You’ll need some space for youth to line up as teams as well as to move a good distance. This game can be played indoors or outdoors.

Game Preparation

You will need to designate the start and finish line in some way.
Divide the youth into teams of equal size, with at least 2 youth on each team.
Youth must choose a one-syllable name for each team.

Game Play

Line the teams of youth up next to each other behind a starting line.
Youth must place their hands on the shoulders of the team members in front of them. They are not allowed to lose contact with the person’s shoulder at any time. If a person loses contact with the person in front of them the entire team must move back to the start.
The first person in each line hops one step forward. The next person in line then also takes a hop. Continue down the line until the last person in line hops one step forward. Players may move forward only by hopping one step forward with both feet at once.
After the last person in line hops, he or she must shout out the name of the team.
Then the whole team may hop one step forward at the same time.
The whole process then begins again with the first person taking a single hop. The next, etc.
If a team member breaks any of the above rules, it must return to the starting line and begin again.
First team to completely cross the finish line wins.

Go for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

Devotional

Underdogs

June 2, 2009 kensapp Leave a comment

1 Samuel 17:45-47 ‘David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

When you think of underdogs one can’t help but think of sports. Their are so many stories in the sports world of teams who were told they never have a chance of winning and yet they went on to beat the odds and end up shocking the world. I’m sure I could list tons of teams who were told they never had a chance, or why even show up? but as they say in the sports world “that’s why they play the game”.

Now to be called an underdog you have to meet certain criteria, you have to lack more skill than your opponent, you have to be weaker, or you have to make less money than your opponent. Payroll seems to be everything in the sports world these days so if your team doesn’t have a high payroll or enough star talent and you some how walk into the playoffs then you might be an underdog. If one of your star players is injured and can’t make the big game you could be an underdog. If you don’t have home field advantage and a first round bye that could make you an underdog too.

With so many possibilities out there any team could be an underdog on any given day. So why do we make such a fuss when it comes to underdogs? Why do we find them so hard to not route for? Probably because we love to hear stories of people or teams who beat the odds when everything was stacked against them. We like knowing that some times the little guy can come out on top in the end.

We all have experienced moments when it seemed like their was no use in trying, when we felt like we should just cut our loses and run. But underdogs never give up, they never throw in the towel, they always have hope leading them on. I mean that’s what being an underdog is all about isn’t it? It’s about having hope even when everyone else has given up all hope. It’s about believing in yourself and God when everyone else chooses to throw in the towel.

Take David for instance. Here’s a guy who by the worlds standards never had a chance when he went up against Goliath. I mean Goliath was huge, he was over 9 feet tall. His armor and his helmet alone weighed about 125 pounds. That’s probably more than what David weighed soaked and wet. The shaft of Goliath’s mighty spear weighed another 15 pounds. This is crazy! Who in their right mind would even want to take a shot at this giant Philistine.

Goliath would come out every day for 40 days and shout at the Israelites mocking them and how did they respond? verse 11 says Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. They wanted nothing to do with this giant.

Luckily for the Israelites David enters the scene. David was a man who feared know one, except God that is. He knew that it was God who determined the victor not man. It’s hard to believe that of all the people who would dare to stand up against the giant it would be a lowly inexperienced shepherd boy. I mean other than protecting some sheep in the field from wild animals his resume was pretty small. It’s not like he had a long list of past experiences he could fall back on. Yet he got the job to take on this Philistine.

The king offered David his best armor but David was so young and small that he could hardly move with it on. Instead he decided he was going to take on this giant with God as his shield and protector. He didn’t need any armor because God was going to fight for him, God was going to give him the victory. I love his words in verse 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

If only we could have as much faith as David did when we face our giants. If only we believed that God could help us overcome any obstacle like David. We know what God has done in the past, we’ve seen what he can do in the present, why do we doubt what he can do in the future. He’s the same God yesterday, today and always.

The problem is that we are not the same as we were yesterday, today, and always. We allow our faith to falter, we get out of step and out of touch with God and we like the Israelites get scared when the giants come on the scene. The giants only look big when we allow our God to become a small part in our lives. When you’re not giving God the time he deserves then be sure that even the smallest of giants can look GIGANTIC.

1 Samuel 17:46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.

Thanks to Rob Heverling (robhev (at) yahoo.com) for graciously sharing this with us for the website. Drop this brother in Christ an email and let him know you appreciate him!

Go for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

Creative Teaching Ideas

Grasshopper Olympics

April 8, 2009 kensapp Leave a comment

Introduction
Announce that today we are going today we are going to have some grasshopper Olympics.
Whoever wins will be crowned King of the Grasshoppers!

Materials
Masking tape and a few jump ropes.

Preparation
Tape two 4-foot strips of masking tape to the floor, 12 to 15 feet apart to use as goal lines for the following special relays/ jumping competitions. You may wish to get the youth to warm up doing a few jumping jack exercises.

Grasshopper Competitions

High jump (Mark the jumps on the wall with a piece of tape)
Number of consecutive skips using a jump rope.
Greatest number of people jumping successfully at the same time using a single jump rope.
Most spectacular trick using a jump rope
Long jump from a stand still – line them up along the line and let them jump forward.
Least number of jumps to reach the opposite line
Running long jump… allow to run and jump from the line without crossing over the line.

Take it to the next level

Award the King of the grasshoppers with a crown of grass! Then ask:

Is being compared to a grasshopper a good thing or a put down?
Read Numbers 13:33

In this story, the Israelites saw themselves as grasshoppers. They saw the Guinness World Record breaking inhabitants of the land and in comparison saw themselves as small little grasshoppers. Their focus was on their own limited abilities instead of God’s great promises. When we focus on ourselves we often get the wrong perspective on things. We need to learn to see things from God’s perspective. A king of the grasshoppers may be insignificant, but the King of Kings, God with us, can accomplish anything God desires. God promised the land to the Israelites. His promises never fail. All they needed to do was trust Him and follow in obedience. Instead they ran away in fear.

What is it in your life that you need to trust God for?
What promises of God are applicable to that area of your life?
How can you claim those promises and walk in obedience?

When you do, God will replace fear with victory in your life!

Go for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

Teaching Illustrations

Rabbit on the Swim Team

December 26, 2008 kensapp Leave a comment

Once upon a time, the animals decided they should do something meaningful to meet the problems of the new world. So they organized a school. They adopted an activity curriculum of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.

The duck was excellent in swimming; in fact, better than his instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying, and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to drop swimming and stay after school to practice running. This caused his web feet to be badly worn, so that he was only average in swimming. But average was quite acceptable, so nobody worried about that – except the duck.

The rabbit started at the top of his class in running, but developed a nervous twitch in his leg muscles because of so much make-up work in swimming.

The squirrel was excellent in climbing, but he encountered constant frustration in flying class because his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. He developed “charlie horses” from overexertion, and so only got a C in climbing and a D in running.

The eagle was a problem child and was severely disciplined for being a non-conformist. In climbing classes he beat all the others to the top of the tree, but insisted on using his own way to get there…”

The obvious moral of that story is a simple one – each creature has its own set of capabilities in which it will naturally excel -unless it is expected or forced to fill a mold that doesn’t fit. When that happens, frustration, discouragement, and even guilt bring overall mediocrity or complete defeat. A duck is a duck – and only a duck. It is built to swim, not to run or fly and certainly not to climb. A squirrel is a squirrel – and only that. To move it out of its forte, climbing, and then expect it to swim or fly will drive a squirrel nuts. Eagles are beautiful creatures in the air but not in a foot race. The rabbit will win every time unless, of course, the eagle gets hungry.

Source: Unknown

Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

Our “Destined to Win” series is a great follow up for youth who are new Christians or to emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum / Small Group Study has a sports theme and is great for athletes and works well as a tie in to what’s going on in the NBA and the current Linsanity.
->Tell me about “Destined to Win”

Teaching Illustrations

Helping Others Win

August 20, 2008 kensapp Leave a comment

At the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash.

At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win.

All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry.

They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back……every one of them. One girl with Down’s Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, “This will make it better.” Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.

Everyone in the stadium stood, the cheering went on for several minutes.

People who were there are still telling the story… Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.

Go for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

Devotional

Training for the Race

August 18, 2008 kensapp Leave a comment

Micheal Phelps — Michael Phelps won 8 Gold Medals in the Beijing Olympics

The world watched with amazement as 22-year-old Michael Phelps seized 8 Olympic Gold Medals in the Olympics in Beijing. Amazingly this was in addition to another 6 Gold medals in the previous Olympic games. And the 8 Gold medal victories were not in solely personal events but also team efforts. Victory could only be achieved together. He carried his segment of the race, and could only watch as his team members each carried their own segments. – spurring one another on to ultimate victory!

Most amazing was the 200-meter butterfly where, after diving into the pool, his goggles began to fill up with water so that by the last 50 meters he could not even see his goal. After the race he tossed his goggles aside in frustration and stared at the official results. He had still won, even breaking his own world record in the process.

“I couldn’t see the wall. I was just hoping I was winning,” he later told reporters. He had simply relied on his training and counted his strokes to his goal. In one of the many news stories on this amazing swimmer, it was mentioned that he trained EVERY day for 4 ½ hours a day. This included his birthday and even Christmas. 4 ½ hours a day, 365 days a year, for four years since the last Olympics. He credited his coach with giving him benchmarks and smaller goals along the way to his Ultimate Goal of eight Gold Medals at the Olympics. For many of the Gold Medals, he was not only victorious, but broke world records by a fairly big margin in a sport often measured by hundredths of a second.

More than one swimmer had set Phelp’s defeat as their goal. “Before the 200 meter Free style, South Korea’s Park Taehwan said, “I will defeat Phelps tomorrow.” “Everyone on the planet is trying to make him work, giving him obstacles,” said Milorad Cavic, the Serbian Swimmer who was closest to defeating him and lost by only one hundredth of a second. The world deemed 8 Olympic goals as impossible. But Phelps, through daily discipline and training, found victory in every test!

I believe the same is often true in our spiritual lives. How often do we set goals yet fail to measure up? So often we are overwhelmed with the voices of discouragement. Principalities and forces in the heavenly realms are focused on our defeat. (Ephesians 6:12)

We fix our eyes on the goal, on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our Faith. (Hebrews 12:1-3) But then when we finally stretch out and reach for our goal, our vision is hampered, and we can no longer see the goal ahead. It is at these times that the daily discipline and training carries us through. (1 Corinthians 9:25 – 27, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Like Phelps, if we are to achieve that ultimate goal for which God has called every one of us, we have to have incremental goals and daily disciplines. Luckily, God doesn’t come into our lives and demand that everything change immediately. His Spirit works with us in small ways, slowly transforming us to experience personal victories as well as corporate victories in the body of Christ. Many of those victories are personal, but many are also achieved only through the combined efforts of the Body of Christ as we spur one another on and exercise the individual gifts he has given us for the common good. (Hebrews 10:24, 1 Corinthians 12:7, Ephesians 4:11-12, Hebrews 3:13, Galatians 6:9)

Are there areas of your life where victory seems impossible? Are the voices of discouragement overwhelming? Do the circumstances of life seem set on your defeat? Does God’s purpose in your life seem out of focus or completely obscured? Then focus daily on your spiritual disciplines, on the Spirit’s moment-by-moment promptings and you will one day see clearly and realize fully God’s victories through your life! Present yourself daily as a living sacrifice. Keep yourself on the altar! The biggest problem with Living sacrifices is we keep crawling off the altar! (Romans 12:1-2)

Whenever you feel like giving up, read 2 Corinthians 4:7-16. As Christians, even when we cannot see the goal, we don’t have to simply “hope” we are winning. Victory is assured in Christ! Even when the world seems against us, Christ is working in us and through us! Don’t lose heart! (2 Cor. 4:16)

Don’t give up! With God, ALL things are possible. (Luke 1:37)

Go for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

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