Living life with steps of faith

Middle School Youth – Samson’s Strength and Being a Hero of Our Time Start with Pizza Party. Competitive Game Ask each youth to blow up a balloon and then tie a string to it.   Next, have them tie the string to their ankle.   The goal of this game is for each youth to protect the balloon tied to his own ankle while trying to pop the balloon tied on the ankles of other youth.   Team maker Game Invite the youth to pair up.   Have the pairs sit back-to-back.   They have to stand up together without their hands or arms touching the floor.   Then have the youth get in groups of three and try this again.   Then four. Then five. See if you can get the whole group together to stand up as one. Pop Culture Reference TV Show: Luke Cage “Everyone has a gun, no one has a father.” – Luke Cage Luke Cage is an average guy who has done some time and is trying to find his way – except for one special gift – he is “immune to bullets.” H...

Why is there suffering in the world? A.       God created a beautiful world and gave humans volition (the power of using one’s own will). ( Genesis 1 & 2 ) B.       God gave us instructions on how to live well.  We can choose to follow God’s advice or choose to go our own way. (The book: The Bible .) C.        Problem is that when we choose to go our own way we create brokenness.  That brokenness impacts everything and everyone! ( Genesis 3 & 4 ) D.       There is suffering in the world because people choose to disobey God’s wise advice and the earth, our bodies, and our relationships have suffered as a result. ( Romans 8:18-22 ) So how do we find Joy in the midst of the suffering? A.       Recognize that Joy flows from God & we become conduits of this Joy when we worship God. ( Psalm ) B.    ...

Chapter 5 - "Fading Strength But Standing Strong" 1.  Please share about a time you felt physically weak. 2. How do you recognize God's voice? 3. Aging is irreversible.  As such, what are ways we can embrace it?  What are some aspects of aging that we feel it is okay to fight?  Why? 4. How have you earned your scars and wrinkles? (p. 80) 5. What is the fountain of life? 6.  What is your pace of life?  How has it changed over the years?  How do you see it changing as you get older? 7.  Which of the following perils do you think you are most susceptible to and why:  fear, depression, anger, intense loneliness, being self-absorbed? 8.  "How do we overcome the perils that steal our zest for life?" (p. 89) 9.  What are some of the special joys of old age? 10.  How is God calling you to depend upon Him?

Chapter 2 - "Don't Retire from Life" 1. What are/were you most looking forward to about retirement? How were you or someone you know surprised by retirement? 2. "Old is authentic. Old is genuine. Old is valuable." (p. 18-19)  How did reading this make you feel? 3. What new biblical perspective did this chapter shed light on? 4. On page 20 Billy writes, "The generations that follow are learning about growing old from us."  What are we teaching them? 5. How can we as a church help people prepare for retirement and use retirement years well? 6. How can those who are retired support those who are working? 7. How can we as a church better minister to both groups of people?

Chapter 1 - "Running Toward Home" 1. What did Billy Graham say in this chapter? 2. How is the life you have lived different than the life you had planned? (Billy Graham's baseball story) 3. When Billy talks about "remembrance" on pages 4 and 5, what does he say we are to remember? 4. Billy shares several Biblical stories of ordinary men and women in their old age acting with great faith.  He then says (p. 14), "old age may have its limitations and challenges, but in spite of them our later years can be the most rewarding and fulfilling of our lives.  It was for them, and it can be for us." What was your reaction to these biblical examples and this statement by Billy? 5.  Is there a message in this chapter for us at this church?

1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 “The Right Request” “Nothing is foolproof to a talented fool.”   “The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.” “Borrow money from a pessimist; they don’t expect it back.” “Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.” What is wisdom? And why do we want it so much and then when we get it we ignore it? There are a lot of advantages to being wise.    According to Proverbs 3:13-18: READ FROM BIBLE Wisdom has the potential to bless us with longer lives, wealth, and peace.   Ecclesiastes tells us that wisdom is better than weapons for war. Proverbs says that wisdom will save us from the ways of the wicked and from the adulterous.   If we don’t let it out of sight, we will find that wisdom keeps us from stumbling and maintains our safety. But it does more than that.   Wisdom protects our reputation.   In Matthew Jesus reflects on the ridiculous...

Dating, Marriage, and Sex High School Sunday School Class I. Letter to Parents Prior to the class, email parents to notify them of the upcoming discussion related to dating, marriage, and sex. Here is an example email: “ Although only 13% of teens have had sex by age 15, most initiate sex in their later teen years. By their 19th birthday, seven in 10 female and male teens have had intercourse.” *** Dear Parents, This coming Sunday in High School Sunday School we will be discussing the sensitive topic of dating, relationships, marriage, and sex.   I will be leading the High School class and will organize it more in a discussion style than in a lecture style.   I am making the assumption that most of the youth have been in a sex ed. class at their school and that conversation about these topics is not unfamiliar to them and their peers. Thus this will not be a biology focused sex ed. class (S.T.I.’s, biology of intercourse, etc.), rather it will be a discussion of how o...

It really amazes me that it isn't easier to find youth ministry Bible studies that apply to contemporary events. I would think that youth ministers across the country would be ready to blog about how they are creatively addressing these big news stories.  But they are not. Or at least I cannot find them. I want to take advantage of the passing of May 21st to speak with my students about Bible prophecy, cults, and true hope and I was hoping to find some helpful youth ministry resources online. So, this is what I have in mind for class tomorrow morning.  I have on hand the following Scriptures: Matthew 24:36-44, 2 Peter 3:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4, Mark 13:32, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4; Mark 13:32. I want to talk about how we respond as Christians when others claim that tomorrow is the end of the world. I think I'll start by asking them about their thoughts on Harold Camping and his failed prediction for the end of the world.  (Yes, I am writing this 2 minutes before midn...

Scripture: Luke 22:17-20 Topic: When Jesus ate with his Disciples Background: This lesson would be taught during a Sunday morning breakfast club for teenagers. Once a month the youth meet to cook breakfast and then we try to relate the lesson to food. Last time the Middle School breakfast club met a middle school student led his peers in a devotional that went through the various stories of Jesus sharing food with his disciples. This Sunday we are going to focus on one of those stories and how it relates to Easter. Opening: 1. Ask, “Have you ever helped plan a party?” a. Ask the students to share about the various things they did to prepare (send invites, decorate, blow up balloons, set the table, plan games, order food). 2. Say, “For some families, Easter is a time of celebration, a party of sorts.” a. Ask, “What does your family do to celebrate Easter?” (family gets together, we eat dinner together, Easter egg hunt, attend church se...