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 | Jonathan’s Resource Ezine |
Weekly Resources, Ideas and Articles from The Source for Youth Ministry
Monday, June 23, 2003
| In This Issue |
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| JELLO WRESTLING? Yes, it works! |
June 23, 2003
No, we’re not talking about girls in bikinis rolling around in Jell-O. But I just received this email:
Jonathan,
We are having our 5th anniversary party the end of the month and would very much like to have Jell-O wrestling. Can you advise materials needed and how to get the Jell-O in the plastic pool?
Terry
Ohio, US
Thanks for the question Terry. I don’t claim to have all the answers- but I actually helped with an event where we did Jell-O Wrestling.
But before I answer the question about "HOW" to do this event, let me first address another question that I know I’ll be asked in countless e-mails. "WHY" would we want to do this kind of thing? Or, to put it another way, "What on earth do you hope to accomplish with Jell-O Wrestling?"
Good question. It’s good to plan an event with a purpose in mind. Let me save some time and answer all those people right now. The answer is "Marketing." Yes, marketing. That’s when you do something fun to attract students to the youth group, opening the door to getting them involved.
I just talked with the youth worker who did this Jell-O event and asked him if he saw any fruit as a result of this event. Without hesitation, he named three names of regular attendees that starting coming to the group on that night. These kids made decisions for Christ that same year. Never thought you’d see Jell-O used for such a noble purpose, huh?
Jell-O wrestling, Scavenger hunts, basketball hoops, skateboard ramps . . . these are all tools that we can use to open doors with students.
So how do you do Jell-O wrestling? Good question. Here’s what we did.
1. Find a store near you that sells bulk foods. Here in California there is a chain called SMART & FINAL. We went there and purchased large quantities of instant Jell-O, enough to make 80 gallons. We got some non flavored gelatin, then added a few boxes of colored stuff.
2. Get a bunch of large rubber/plastic garbage cans and make your Jell-O. All you need is the powder, the cans and a garden hose. You gotta love instant Jell-O.
3. Here’s the catch. You have to know someone who owns a store with a big walk-in fridge. We had a connection with a local grocery store that let us use their milk fridge. We left it overnight and . . . WALAH! JELL-O!
4. Now scoop this stuff in baby pools and you’re ready to go.
We told the kids to wear clothes that could get messy, and we did the event outside for easy cleanup. (Note: Cleanup was anything but easy!) We had guys vs. guys and girls vs. girls. It was normal wrestling, but in Jell-O. Use your own judgement for safety. It is slick and it is wrestling, so use caution. We had no injuries, but we were very careful.
An event like this could bring out a ton of new students. Use the links below to read more about how to do this.
| FREE CAMP CURRICULUM |
I have a saying, "If it’s free . . . it’s for me!"
Okay, so Youth Specialties needs no introduction. But have you seen their free camp curriculum? Jump on their website and click on FREE RESOURCES and you’ll find new camp curriculums with daily agendas, games, discussion starters, small group questions . . . you can’t go wrong. Don’t miss this great resource!
www.YouthSpecialties.com
For a weekend retreat, use this link:
https://thesource4ym.com/howdoi/weekendretreat.asp
If you have any other youth ministry ideas you want to share, please email me at jon@thesource4ym.com
Jonathan speaks at schools, camps, and youth events all over the U.S. He also trains youth workers and student leaders at national conferences and seminars. Check out Jonathan’s speaker page and who’s recommending him!
/speakers/jonathan.aspx
Thanks for being an EZINE subscriber. Enjoy the free resources . . . and you know where to find even more free resources at www.TheSourceForYouthMinistry.com
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
God Bless,
Jonathan
If you have any other youth ministry ideas you want to share, please email me at jon@thesource4ym.com
Jonathan R. McKee
THE SOURCE
for Youth Ministry
https://thesource4ym.com/
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.