Main Point: Help us look deep inside and discover how we are attempting to find purpose and value.
Supplies:
¼ sheets of paper for Youth Challenge.
Kids Arrive: about 6:30-6:450
- make them feel welcome
- learn names and interests
- give new people a New Person Form
Bring it together: about 7:15pm. “Hey, glad to see you all here. Welcome to ???”
Introduce newcomers: Give them a blow-pop, skittles, or Snickers bar, etc.
Youth Challenge or Game: On individual slips of paper write different household machines (i.e., leaf blower, washing machine, etc). Put the slips of paper in a box or bag. Break into groups of 4-5. Have a representative from each group draw a slip of paper. Give the teams a few minutes to come up with a short skit demonstrating the machine. They cannot say anything or make any noise at all while presenting their skit (like charades). Have each team perform their mini-skit while the audience attempts to guess their machine. Have a panel of judges selected the best skit based on originality, entertainment value, and how quick the audience guessed their machine. Reward the winning team. Gather the students together and ask them to pause for a minute and think about the question, WHO AM I?
Announcements: upcoming activities, events.
Discussion Starter: Tell (or have another key leader tell) a personal story of a time when you wondered about yourself, or were embarrassed by something you did, or made a big mistake. Send everyone to small groups explaining that tonight we are going to explore who we really are.
Break up into small groups.
Small Group Discussion:
- Describe yourself in one or two sentences.
- Describe your family.
- Describe something about yourself that most people don’t know about you.
- At what age do people stop becoming who they are? Why?
- Do you believe that you are still developing into “who you are?” Are you a “work in progress?” Is this good news or bad news? (ie: good news, because you can still change for the better?)
- If we are all a “work in progress” . . . then who is the artist?
Wrap-up: Each one of us have been uniquely and wonderfully made by God. If we want to obtain true fulfillment and joy we should follow the path our Creator has for us.
Ask a couple of people what kind of car they have. Then say something like, “Unless you’re an expert mechanic who can fit random spare parts into any vehicle, what parts would you use to replace major parts in your car?” After they answer, affirm that you wouldn’t install a Volvo engine in a Nissan car, and ask, “Why not?” Then say something like, “If you believe that God made you, then who do you think can finish making you?” From here, offer the opportunity to give Jesus lordship over their lives. Follow up within 24 hours with an encouraging phone call offering a face-to-face visit to help disciple them (you or one of your key leaders).
Original idea by Louis J. Chaney & YFC JV newsletter
