December 28, 2012 · 7:11 pm
Audience
Teens, Adults
Time
3 hours
Description
The Life of Pi is the story of an Indian man, his search for God and his masculine maturity. He experiences a tragic shipwreck, in which all his family members are eventually killed. Afterward, he spends months at sea with a tiger, which represents the wildness of a man that needs to be controlled to achieve maturity. Without controlling this part of their masculinity, men become destructive, abusive adults seeking selfish pursuits and pleasures that hurt those around them.
Scriptures
These Scriptures speak to some of the themes of the movie.
- Psalm 34:4-7 (God delivers us from all our fears)
Materials
o Copy of the movie
o Equipment for showing the movie (TV, DVD player, LCD projector, Speakers, Screen…)
o Question Sheet (attached)
o Popcorn and drinks (optional)
Preparation
o Print out copies of the question sheet for each individual or group.
o Set up everything for viewing the movie. (Be sure to test it all out to make sure that the movie plays well and that the sound can be heard by everyone.)
o Prepare snacks. (optional)
Procedure
Watch the movie. Then on your own, with a mentor or with a group, answer the questions on the Question Sheet.
Question Sheet
- Who did each of the animals on the boat (i.e., the hyena, the orangutan, the zebra and the tiger) represent?
- Why do you think it was important for Pi to associate people with animals in his story?
- What part of Pi’s personality or identity did the tiger represent?
- Why didn’t Pi let the tiger die when he had a chance to let it drown?
- What did Pi mean (metaphorically) when he said that the tiger couldn’t be tamed, but it could be trained?
- Why was it important for Pi to face the tiger (metaphorically)?
- What did the island represent?
- Why was it important for Pi to leave the island?
- Why was Pi so sad when the tiger left him without a goodbye?
10. Where do you think the “tiger” went (metaphorically)?
November 7, 2011 · 8:48 am
Time
10-15 minutes
Description
This object lesson teaches that when we try to do ministry in our own power, we may be able to spread light for some time, but we will eventually burn out. Only by continually renewing our power source (i.e., by allowing ourselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit) can we continue to be strong in ministry over the long term.
Audience
Scriptures
You can choose from the following Scriptures depending on how you want to reinforce your lesson.
- 2 Samuel 22:29 (“You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.”)
- Job 29:3 (“…his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness!”)
- Psalm 18:28-29 (“You, Lord, keep my lamp burning…”)
- Proverbs 20:27 (“The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord…”)
- Matthew 5:14-16 (“You are the light of the world…”)
- Luke 12:35-48 (“…keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return…”)
- Ephesians 5:18-20 (“Do not get drunk on wine…instead be filled with the Spirit…”)
Materials
- Two identical lamps – the kind that burn oil and have a wick
- Matches or a lighter
- A bottle of oil for the lamps
- Table to put your lamps on
- Bible
Preparation
- Set up the two, identical lamps on the table at the front of the room.
- Fill one lamp with oil, but leave the other dry.
- Try lighting both wicks to make sure they will light quickly during your lesson, then blow them out. (You will probably need to dip the dry wicks (both of them) into the oil so that they will light quickly.)
- Place the bottle of oil somewhere nearby but out of sight.
- Practice the script.
Procedure
Use the following script and instructions (or modify to suit your needs):
- “So often, people burn out in ministry.”
- “They get exhausted meeting the daily needs of the people they serve.”
- “So, they try harder and work longer.”
- “They skip meals and go without sleep.”
- “They sacrifice time with their families and friends.”
- “They stop spending time with God each day.”
- “In fact, this is often one of the first things to go on their daily schedule.”
- “The harder they work, the less effective they become, but the work is so important that they don’t know what to do except double their efforts.”
- “Everything becomes a crisis, and this further drains their resources until they have absolutely nothing left to give.”
- “Their bodies or minds or emotions break down (or a combination of these), and they have a collapse where the good work they have been doing comes to a grinding halt because they are no longer able to keep it going.”
- “Sometimes they will be able to return to their ministry after an extended healing time, but often, they have ruined themselves for the work and have to find something else to do.”
- “The have killed the goose that laid the golden eggs by trying to get too much out of to too quickly.”
- “They are like this lamp.” (Point to the lamp with no oil.)
- “What do you think is wrong with it?” (Acknowledge responses.)
- “Right! it has no oil.”
- “What happens to a burning wick when it has no oil?” (Acknowledge responses.)
- “Exactly! It burns out. The wick itself catches fire, and even though it can provide light for some period of time, it will eventually destroy itself by providing the light.”
- “What’s different about this other lamp?” (Acknowledge responses.)
- “Yes, it has oil, and when the lamp has oil, the wick doesn’t burn – the oil does!”
- “In fact, as long as you keep putting oil in the lamp, the wick will never burn up!”
- “Amazing, right?”
- “Here’s the point of the illustration. The oil represents the Holy Spirit (as it so often does in Scripture).”
- “You are the wick.”
- “Unless you regularly refill your oil, you will burn yourself out.”
- “But if you spend time with the Lord everyday and do the things that He tells you to do, your light in your ministry will come from Him and not from you.” (Open the dry lamp, and fill it with oil. Then, replace the wick, and relight it if necessary.)
- “And His flame will never be exhausted!”
- “Allow yourself to be filled with God’s Spirit very day, and you will never run out of light.”
- “And be careful…some ministries and certain times in your ministry will require more of God’s Spirit than others.”
- “If you are doing a really big work with the Lord, you will need to spend more time with Him each day to get enough of His Spirit.”
- “The brighter you want His light to shine, the more oil you need in your lamp.”
- “During those times, pray more, confess more, give thanks more, praise more and work less!”
Filed under Abundance, Annointing, Failure, Hardship, Holy Spirit, Motivation, Object Lesson
Tagged as Burnout, empty, exhaustion, filling with the Holy Spirit, fire for ministry, ministry, passion
November 4, 2011 · 5:08 am
Time
15-20 minutes
Description
This Challenge looks at the events of Joseph’s life and asks whether God was using each one as a Tool (to shape Joseph), a Test (to reveal the quality of his heart) or new Territory (to give him more ministry for the Lord).
Scriptures
Materials
- Card stock paper – 1 sheet per person (Alternatively, you can use posterboard, but you will then need to glue the pyramid pattern to the posterboard.)
- Printouts of the pyramid pattern – 1 per person (The file for printing is called, “JJ – Tool, Test or Territory? – Pyramid (CHALLENGE),” and it can be found on the Lesson and Material Downloads page at www.teachingthem.com. It would be best if the pyramids were printed in color.)
- Printouts of the Questions and Answers sheets for group leaders – 1 per group (The file for printing is called, “JJ – Tool, Test or Territory? – Questions and Answers Sheet (CHALLENGE),” and it can be found on the Lesson and Material Downloads page at www.teachingthem.com. This can be printed in black and white on regular paper.)
- Challenge Card (The file for printing is called, “JJ – Tool, Test or Territory? – Challenge Card (CHALLENGE),” and it can be found on the Lesson and Material Downloads page at www.teachingthem.com. This can be printed in black and white on regular paper. There are two Challenge Cards per page.)
- Glue sticks – several per group
- Envelope – 1 per group
- Rulers – several per group (to help with creasing)
- Ziplock bags – gallon size – 1 per group
- Scissors or cutting tools – 1 per person
Preparation
- Print out the pyramid patterns on card stock paper (or on regular paper and then glue them to posterboard).
- Put enough pyramid patterns into each Ziplock bag for each participant in the group to have one. (If you want to save time facilitating this challenge, you can cut out the pyramids yourself.)
- Print out the Challenge Card document.
- Cut the Challenge Card document in half (each half is identical), and put one in each Ziplock bag (one per group).
- Print the Questions and Answers document out (one per group) and put it in an envelope. Then add it to the Ziplock bag for each group.
- Put glue sticks and scissors (or cutting tools) in each Ziplock bag (enough for sharing or for each participant in each group).
- Practice the script.
Procedure
Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):
- “We’re going to do a group Challenge today.”
- “It’s called, “Tool, Test or Territory?” and it’s part of the Joseph’s Journey Series.”
- “First, I’ll need to divide you into groups.” (Divide the participants into the number of groups for which you have prepared kits.)
- “Each group will have a Ziplock bag with a Challenge Card, some pyramid patterns, glue, scissors, rulers and an envelope.”
- “When I tell you to go, open your Ziplock bags, and begin cutting out your pyramid patterns. There are enough for everyone to have one.”
- “After they are cut out, use the rulers to crease your pyramids along all the lines.”
- “Then, put glue anywhere it says, ‘GLUE-GLUE-GLUE,’ and glue these tabs INSIDE your pyramid. The square part is the bottom of the pyramid, and the four triangles are the top.”
- “When you are done, your group leader will open the envelope to get the Questions and Answers sheet and ask you about different experiences in Joseph’s life.”
- “Everyone in the group should vote about how you think God was using that experience in Joseph’s life.”
- “If you think God was using it as a ‘Tool,’ show the ‘Tool’ side of the pyramid to your group leader.”
- “A ‘Tool’ experience is when God uses it to shape our character to make us more like Jesus and develop skills / knowledge we can use to serve Him.”
- “If you think God was using it as a “Test,’ show the ‘Test’ side of the pyramid to your group leader.”
- “A ‘Test’ experience is when God uses it to test our hearts and show us our character and maturity.”
- “If you think God was using it as a ‘Territory,’ show the ‘Territory’ side of the pyramid to your group leader.”
- “A ‘Territory’ experience is when God uses it to invite us to take more territory (which is an area of influence or ministry) for His glory.”
- “If you think God was using it for more than one reason, show the fourth side of your pyramid to your group leader.”
- “Be ready…your group leader will probably ask you why you voted the way that you did.”
- (Let them begin. When they finish making their pyramids, open the envelope and give them the quiz by reading off each experience and asking them to vote with their pyramids. After each vote, ask a few of the participants to tell you why they voted the way they did; then, share the correct answer and explanation from the sheet. When they are finished with the quiz, have them answer the Debrief Questions below (also on their Challenge Cards. The Rhyme Time is a reinforce to help them remember that the events of their lives can be used by God in a big way.)
Debriefing Questions
- What do you think about all these events in Joseph’s life?
- What did you learn about how God uses our experiences to prepare us for the future?
- What is a Tool, a Test or a new Territory God has recently used in your life?
Rhyme Time
Often what’s hard is a tool and a test;
God will help me to do what’s best!
Filed under Challenges, Character, Choices, Coping skills, God's Plan, God's Will, Hardship, Joseph
Tagged as Egypt, God's purpose, Pyramid, territory, test, tool
October 30, 2011 · 8:24 am
Time
10-15 minutes
Description
This Challenge teaches that we don’t always get to choose our circumstances, but we always get to choose our attitude about those circumstances. It highlights Joseph’s way of handling his enslavement to Potiphar in Genesis 39:1-20. The activity is based on the game of Simon Says.
Scriptures
Materials
- Egyptian headdress for participants to wear as they play the role of Potiphar (1 per group) – OPTIONAL
- Challenge Card (The file for printing is called, “JJ – Potiphar Says – Challenge Card (CHALLENGE),” and it can be found on the Lesson and Material Downloads page at www.teachingthem.com. This can be printed in black and white on regular paper. There are two Challenge Cards per page.)
- Ziplock bags – gallon size – 1 per group
Preparation
- Create the headdress (OPTIONAL)
- Print out the Challenge Card document.
- Cut the Challenge Card document in half (each half is identical), and put one in each Ziplock bag (one per group).
- Put the headdress in the Ziplock if it will fit or tape it to the bag if needed.
- Practice the script.
Procedure
Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):
- “We’re going to do a group Challenge today.”
- “It’s called, “Potiphar Says” and it’s part of the Joseph’s Journey Series.”
- “First, I’ll need to divide you into groups.” (Divide the participants into the number of groups for which you have prepared kits.)
- “Each group will have a Ziplock bag with a Challenge Card, and an Egyptian headdress.”
- “When I tell you to go, open your Ziplock bags, and read the Challenge Card.” (Allow them to read the Challenge Card.)
- “This challenge is about Joseph from the Bible.”
- “He was his father’s favorite son but his brothers’ least favorite sibling.”
- “In fact, they hated him so much that they sold him into slavery!”
- “A passing band of Ishmaelites bought Joseph and took him to Egypt, where they sold him to a man named Potiphar, one of Pharoah’s officials.”
- “How many of you think being a slave would be really unfair and not much fun?” (Take responses.)
- “Let’s play a game like ‘Simon Says’ that will help us understand a little bit what it’s like to be a slave. It’s called ‘Potiphar Says.’”
- “Everyone stand up.”
- “I’m going to be Potiphar for the first round.” (Or pick one of the participants to be Potiphar. Have “Potiphar” put on the Egyptian Headdress.)
- “Potiphar is going to ask you to do several things. If he says ‘Potiphar says’ before the thing you are asked to do, then you should do it.”
- “However, if he doesn’t say ‘Potiphar says’ before the thing he asks you to do, you shouldn’t do it.”
- “If you do something when he doesn’t say ‘Potiphar says,’ you have to sit down.”
- “The last person standing gets to be ‘Potiphar.’”
- “Is everyone clear on the rules?” (Check to make sure everyone is clear.)
- “Okay, let’s play:” (Play a round of ‘Potiphar Says.’ If you are leading, you can ask the participants to touch their noses, raise their hands above their heads, hop on one foot, etc… Mix up the times you say, ‘Potiphar says,’ to try to catch them off guard. The rounds will go quickly, so let several participants be “Potiphar” before you finish.)
- “That was fun! Probably a lot more fun than Joseph had following Potiphar’s orders, don’t you think?”
- “But you know what really impresses me about Joseph?”
- “Even though the whole thing was unfair…even though he had lost his family and his home and his country and his freedom, Joseph still had a great attitude about the whole thing.”
- “He could have kicked the dirt and complained about how unfair it all was, but he didn’t.”
- “He did his job the best he could. In fact, he did it so well that Potiphar put him in charge of everything!”
- “Joseph kept trusting in God and doing the best he could. He made the best of a bad situation, and God blessed him.”
- “And because Joseph was blessed, Potiphar’s entire household was blessed.”
- “And you know what? The same thing can happen with you!”
- “In your life, you will be in bad situations sometimes. You will be in unfair situations sometimes.”
- “You may not be able to do much about the bad situation, but you can choose your attitude.”
- “If you choose to keep trusting in God when things are bad, He will bless you and everything and everyone around you!”
- “When someone has a great attitude in a bad situation, it really gets peoples’ attention.”
- “They wonder why you have such a great attitude, and they will probably even ask you about it.”
- “When they do, that is your opportunity to tell them about how wonderful God is and how you can trust in him to use ALL things in your life for your benefit.”
- “So, everyone try to be like Joseph in Potiphar’s house – keep doing your best and trusting in God, and then watch and see how He will bless you and those around you!” (When you are finished, have them answer the Debrief Questions below (also on their Challenge Cards). The Rhyme Time is to help them recognize that even when life isn’t fair, God is watching over them. He won’t allow more struggles that they are able to handle with His help, and if they do their best, they will have His blessing.)
Debriefing Questions
- What would be the most difficult thing about being a slave?
- Do you ever have to do things you don’t want to do, because someone makes you do them?
- How can you be more like Joseph in those situations?
Rhyme Time
Even when life is so unfair,
God won’t allow more than I can bear.
Filed under Attitude, Challenges, Choices, Coping skills, Energizer, Game, Hardship, Joseph, Object Lesson, Overcoming obstacles, Waiting on the Lord
Tagged as Challenges, circumstances, fairness, freedom, Joseph, Justice, Potiphar, slavery, suffering, work
September 6, 2011 · 8:42 am
Time
10-15 minutes
Description
This Challenge teaches that God will help us get through difficult times and temptations. He never leaves us alone when we suffer. The lesson is made by sticking wooden skewers through balloons without popping them.
Scriptures
Materials
- Large balloons – 2-3 per person
- Wooden skewers – 2-3 per person
- Vegetable oil – 1 small container per group
- Duct tape – 1 roll per group
Preparation
- Practice doing the exercise.
- Practice the script.
Procedure
Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):
- “We’re going to do an object lesson today to learn how God helps us during difficult times.”
- “Bad stuff even happens to Christians, but God will never leave you alone when you suffer.”
- “I know that because 1 Corinthians 10:13 in the Bible says, ‘No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.’” (The Message)
- “Let’s demonstrate this.”
- “Okay, let’s say that you are one of the balloons in our kit.”
- “Let’s blow it up, and tie it off.” (Help participants if they have trouble with this. Don’t blow the balloons up fully. You want there to be some thickness of the rubber at the nipple and at the place where you tied off the balloon.)
- “Now, let’s say that one of those skewers is a bad thing or a temptation that’s about to happen to you.”
- “What would happen if you put the skewer (the bad thing or temptation) through the balloon (the you)?” (Listen to responses.)
- “Right! It’s going to pop us!”
- “But I know a way that we can keep ourselves from being popped by these bad things and temptations.”
- “When you face something bad, you need the covering of the Holy Spirit.”
- “That’s God’s covering over your life, and it will protect you during bad times.”
- “In the Bible, oil often represents the anointing of God. Let’s anoint this skewer so that it can be used by God.” (Dip the skewers into the oil. Then instruct them to insert them slowly into a balloon through the tie-off area and out the very top (the nipple). These are the areas where the rubber of the balloon stretches the least, so they are more likely to receive the skewer without popping. If the balloon pops, laugh nervously and grab another balloon – kids love it when things don’t go the way an adult plans them.)
- “Look at that! God’s anointing was all it took!”
- “You see, if God allows bad stuff to happen to us, He anoints it so that it ends up doing His work in our lives. God knows where you can handle the bad stuff, just like I knew just where the balloon could handle the skewer.”
- “Now, sometimes, God allows bad stuff and temptations to happen to you, but he provides grace and strength for going through those things.”
- “Let’s pretend that this duct tape represents God’s covering of grace and strength for us.” (Have everyone blow up new balloons. Then, put pieces of duct tape across both the front and back sides of balloon. Then, have them slowly twist and poke a skewer though – dry ones, not the ones with the oil. You can repeat this several times for dramatic effect.)
- “Sometimes during tough situations, you might feel like you could just burst.”
- “But remember that God is with you during those times. Pray for His covering, and He will help you through them.”
- (When you are finished, have them answer the Debrief Questions below (also on their Challenge Cards). The Rhyme Time is to help them recognize that God can cover them during times of temptation and testing. They need to trust in Him for His protection.)
Debriefing Questions
- Why didn’t the balloons pop when the skewers went through them?
- How is this like how God protects us during times of suffering?
- If you have to go through a time of suffering in the future, how will you handle it?
Rhyme Time
God is there when it’s more than we can bear!
Filed under Annointing, Challenges, Coping skills, courage, Failure, Fear, God's Protection, Hardship, Joseph, Object Lesson
Tagged as balloons, challenge, difficulties, duct tape, Object Lesson, pierce, pop, skewers, stress, teaching
August 25, 2011 · 3:57 am
Time
10-15 minutes
Description
This Challenge teaches what happens to us is not as important as how we respond to what happens to us. If we trust God with even our “unfortunate” events and circumstances, He can use everything for our good. Participants will tell a story and take turns making the events of the story either “fortunate” or “unfortunate.”
Scriptures
- Genesis 37-50
- Proverbs 3:11
- Romans 8:28
Materials
- Challenge Card (The file for printing is called, “JJ – Fortunately-Unfortunately – Challenge Card (CHALLENGE),” and it can be found on the Lesson and Material Downloads page at www.teachingthem.com. This can be printed in black and white on regular paper. There are two Challenge Cards per page.)
- Ziplock bags – any size – 1 per group
Preparation
- Print out the Challenge Card document.
- Cut the Challenge Card document in half (each half is identical), and put one in each Ziplock bag (one per group).
- Practice the script.
Procedure
Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):
- “We’re going to do a group Challenge today.”
- “It’s called, “Fortunately-Unfortunately” and it’s part of the Joseph’s Journey Series.”
- “First, I’ll need to divide you into groups.” (Divide the participants into the number of groups for which you have prepared kits.)
- “Each group will have a Ziplock bag with a Challenge Card.”
- “When I tell you to go, open your Ziplock bags, and read the Challenge Card.” (Allow them to read the Challenge Card.)
- “This challenge is about how God can make good things come out of bad situations.”
- “We’re going to play a short game called, “Fortunately – Unfortunately.”
- “First, we have to select the person who will start the game. I want everyone to hold up one finger.” (Make sure everyone holds up a finger. Then have them do the following.)
- “Now point that finger straight up in the air as high as you can make it go.”
- “I’m going to count to three. When I say, ‘three,’ I want everyone in the group to point at the person you think should start the game.”
- “Ready? Okay, One….Two….Three!” (If any groups end up with a tie for the number of fingers pointed at different people, have them do it again until the tie is broken.)
- “Alright, this person is going to start you off by telling the first part of a story.”
- “They will tell you about 15-20 words about any topic they want, but the story has to start with, ‘Once upon a time…’”
- “For example, ‘Once upon a time, there was a man who liked to eat pickled porcupines…’”
- “Then, that person will stop right there, and the person on their right will pick up the story where they left off.”
- “But before they tell anymore of the story, they have to say, ‘Unfortunately…’ and then share something unfortunate about the situation or person.”
- “They will tell about 15 words of why things are so unfortunate, and then they will stop.”
- “The next person will pick up the story where they left off, but he/she will start by saying, ‘Fortunately…’ Then they will tell us what is so fortunate about the situation.”
- “This keeps going with each person alternating their stories to be ‘fortunate’ or ‘unfortunate.’”
- “You will keep going around your group until I say to stop, so you will probably have several tries at making up ‘fortunate’ and ‘unfortunate’ parts of the story.”
- “The only other rule is that you can’t kill anyone in the stories.”
- “Does anyone have any questions before we get started?”
- “Alright, those of you who were picked to start, begin your stories!” (Allow three to five minutes for storytelling, then ask them to finish the part they are on and turn their attention back to you.)
- “The point of this game is that there are always two ways of looking at the things that happen in our lives. You can view almost anything as either fortunate or unfortunate.”
- “If you search for it, even something very bad can have a fortunate side, particularly if you are willing to trust God with it.”
- “Romans 8:28 says, ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
- “The Scripture says that God will works in ‘some’ things for our good, right?” (The kids should answer, ‘NO!’)
- “Oh, it says, God works in just the fortunate things, right?” (The kids should answer, ‘NO!’)
- “In just the things where we make good decisions?” (‘NO!’)
- “What does it say? …God works in ALL things for the good of those who love Him.”
- “Sometimes when ‘unfortunate’ stuff happens to us, it’s God’s discipline in our lives, because the Bible says in Proverbs 3:11: ‘My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent His rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in.’”
- “But that means that even when God is disciplining you for your sin, He is doing it for your good!”
- “And it’s even better if you admit that you sinned and ask for forgiveness. Then God can really use it for your good!”
- “He uses EVERYTHING that happens in your life to be a blessing to you!”
- “So, even when something happens that looks bad, it’s a great idea to praise God for it. That shows that you trust Him to use it for your good.”
- “It’s less important what happens to you than how you respond to what happens to you.”
- (When you are finished, have them answer the Debrief Questions below (also on their Challenge Cards). The Rhyme Time is to help them recognize that God can use everything to bless them and prepare them for His good work.)
Debriefing Questions
- Do you think the things that happened in Joseph’s life were fortunate or unfortunate? Why?
- Are there things in your life that looked unfortunate at first but turned out to be fortunate?
- How could you look at bad things in your life in a positive way?
Rhyme Time
God has a purpose, a plan and a dream; My present struggles are not what they seem!
Filed under Abundance, Attitude, Challenges, Daily walk, Expectations, Failure, Hardship, Joseph, Paradigm Shift, Scarcity
Tagged as adversity, attitude, Bible lesson, failure, Joseph, outlook, perspective, Romans 8:28, setbacks, stimulus-response
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