Materials
1. Scissors, markers, small stickers or white address labels
2. “Bible Passport” (patterned after a real passport) If you have a polaroid camera, you can even take pictures of the youth for their passports. Another option is to ask them to bring a picture of themselves for the next week. Neoprint pictures also work well.

Activity
As you discuss different Bible stories and characters you can discuss destinations and have them write brief notes in their passports. You might have youth create a special symbol or stamp for the passport based on each Bible destination. If you are really feeling creative, have someone dress up as a Bible character (like Paul) and tell them about the various places he visited. Have youth write down the names of places visited and what happened at each.

Application
“Traveling, through the Bible takes us to many wonderful places. We can travel through the promised land with Joshua, or wander in the desert with Moses. We can travel with Paul to Asia Minor and with Philip to see the Ethiopian. The Bible is like a passport to many places.”

Bible Passport Inscription
The King of Kings
hereby requests all who it may concern to permit this citizen of Heaven (statute Phil: 3:20) named herein to go into all the world and in case of need to be provided with all necessary aid and protection from enemies of God’s Kingdom. (statute John 17:17-18)

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.

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Materials
Divide groups into teams and provide each team with 4 sheets of paper, scissors, several straws, some string, a couple rubber bands, 4 ice-cream sticks, 2 paper plates, a pencil, 4 styrofoam or paper cups, an egg and some tape.

Activity
Give each group an egg… allow them 5 minutes to build a capsule for their egg to protect it from being dropped… then drop the egg capsules from different heights. Award the group whose egg survives the fall intact. In case of a tie, the group using theleast materials wins.

Application
1. Today we are going to learn what preparations you can make to prevent you from cracking under pressure in your spiritual walk.

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.

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Materials
Blindfolds for 3 or four youth/ children

Activity
Choose 3 or 4 volunteers and blindfold them. Then divide the group into two teams for each volunteer. The objective of one team is to direct the blindfolded person through an obstacle course you have created while the objective of the other opponent’s team is to lead the blind-folded person astray. The Blindfolded person will not know which team to trust… If the blindfolded person completes course, the team leading him wins; if he is led astray the distraction team wins.

Application
1. Sometimes in life, the right path is difficult to see and even more difficult to follow
2. We need to learn to differentiate the voices around us so we can make wise decisions

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.

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Materials
Index Cards

Setup
Known as “battle” or “slap.” Write key words, phrases and other facts that match up on a set of index cards. Place the names listed below as well as descriptions on separate note cards. Include as many copies of the names as there are descriptions.

Activity
Divide the cards into two stacks, one for each team. Players turn over cards simultaneously. If two cards match the first player to slap the discard pile gets all the cards in it. The object is to collect all the cards. After a couple minutes change players on each team.

Example of cards: The Rebuilding of the temple
Babylonians – Destroyed Jerusalem
Darius – King of Persia
Cyrus – King of Persia
Cyrus – allowed Jews to return
Cyrus – granted money for rebuilding the temple
Cyrus – ordered temple vessels returned
Zechariah – Prophet
Haggai – Prophet
Haggai – said “Jews too busy with own houses and God’s house is in ruins.”
Daniel – exile
Temple – Place of sacrifice
Temple – dedication
Temple – rebuilt
Exile – noble family
Exile – wealthy, educated, or skilled
Exile – The “children of the captivity”
Tatnai – Persian Governor over Judah
Shadrach – exile
Meshach – exile
Abednego – exile
Belshazzar – Babylonian King
Nebuchadnezzer – Babylonian King
Nebuchadnezzer – statue of self
Zerubbabel – Governor of Judean community
Worship – Temple
Ezra – Post-exilic book
Nehemiah – Post-exilic book
Malachi – Post-exilic book

Application
1. This can be used for any lessons that have facts for review that can be matched.
2. Rebuilding the temple: 2Chronicles 36:23; Ezra 1-6; Isaiah 44-45

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.

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Preparation
The group will be divided into teams of 8 persons, each arranged in a circle. Each circle will have a disciple (adult) to watch them.

Activity
1. The group has one minute to form a circle around the disciple with not more than four points of contact with the ground. (Members may not lie across the ground)
2. After 1 minute time will be called, and disciples will take note of the group. If the group has not reached the correct arrangement, the disciple falls asleep and that team is out.
3. This continues with remaining teams forming new arrangements every minute. i.e. they must arrange themselves differently.
4. The team which keeps their disciple awake the longest will be rewarded.

Application
1. Sometimes the desire to accomplish a task is not enough. There must also be confidence in God and commitment to him. The disciples falling asleep in the garden of Gethsemane was one event in which you see a lack of commitment. Jesus in the Garden is an example of real commitment.
2. Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46, John 18:1, Matthew 26:36-46 – Garden of Gethsemane

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.

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Materials
None

Activity
Call out the name of an object in the room. Youth / Children must rush to touch it. After they understand the mechanics of the game, eliminate the last person to touch the object.

Applications
The world often pursues after objects and material things. As soon we get the latest fad, the world calls out something new as the object of our pursuits.
1. What are some of the things the world considers important pursuits today?
2. What are the top pursuits in your life?
3. Matthew 6:33 – The things of God must be our primary pursuits in life.
4. Deuteronomy 4:29 – Seek God himself
5. Psalm 27:4 – Seek to be in the presence of God
6. Psalm 34:10 – We will not lack anything when we seek God.
7. Matthew 6:19-21 – Store up your treasures in heaven
8. Luke 12:15-21 – Parable of Jesus regarding earthly pursuits.

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.

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Materials
Collection of Bricks, blocks, dominoes, Jenga blocks, cards, straws, paper rolls/tubes, and various other objects. Provide an identical set of objects for each group.

Activity
1. Ask youth / children to build a tall tower using the object provided. The key will to be to put the heavier objects on bottom. Have a competition to see which group can build the tallest tower.
2. Repeat the competition using a pillow or other unstable object as a foundation.

Debrief
1. Compare the two activities. Which foundation was more effective?
2. Why is a strong foundation important?
3. Is your life built on the solid or or shifting sand? Explain.

Application
1. The tower build on solid ground is like building our lives upon Christ.
2. Matthew 7:24 – Christ as foundation
3. Matthew 16:18 – Peter’s confession of faith is a rock

A little bit more…
While some may object to using Children’s Fairy tales in church, the story of the Big bad wolf and the three little pigs which built houses of straw, hay, and brick are a perfect illustration of this spiritual truth. The pig who built his house of brick is like the person who puts his faith in Christ. Satan is like the big bad wolf!

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.

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Materials
plastic Spoons, Ping Pong Balls

Setup
Create an obstacle course for a relay race around chairs, under a rope, etc

Activity
Relay 1: Youth must travel the relay course balancing a ping- pong ball on a spoon. If they drop the ball they must return to the start line. First group to all go through the course wins.
Relay 2: Blind Pyramids: Members, blindfolded, must go to a designated area and stack six Styrofoam cups pyramid fashion then return and pass the blindfold to the next team mate. Leaders should knock the cups down between people.
Relay 3: Coin, Book, Ball relay: Each team is given a 50 cent piece, a tennis ball, and paperback book. The idea is to balance the book on your head, hold coin in your eye, and keep the ball between your knees while going to the end of the room and back. First team to have all members complete the relay wins.
Relay 4: Each person on team pairs with a partner. Each pair races to a goal with an apple or a balloon balanced between their foreheads. If it is dropped they must start over.
Relay 5: Handsfull relay: collect a variety of interesting identical pairs of objects. 2 brooms, 2 balls, 2 skillets, 2 rolls of bathroom tissue, 2 chairs, 2 table tennis paddles, 2 ping pong balls, etc. Be crazy! Get at least 12 items. Place the items at the opposite end of the room in 2 piles. The first player runs to the end of the room picks up an item of choice and brings it back to his team. His team member then carries the object back to the other end and adds a second item. Each succeeding player carries the items collected by his teammates, picks up one new item, and carries them all back to the next player. This game will begin rapidly but will become slower as each successive player decides which item to add and then must pass all the items to the next player. Once picked up an item cannot touch the floor or be set down. Any item dropped in transit is returned to the table by the youth workers. No one may assist the players in the exchange of items except through verbal coaching. First team to empty their pile wins…

Applications
1. Daniel 5:27 “He was weighed in the balance and found wanting”
2. Opening for a lesson of priorities, balance, time management, etc.

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…