Youth Group Discussion: Evangelism

Bible Verse 1: Isaiah 9:1-2

Video: Skit Guys The Skinny on Evangelism

Bible Verse 2: Matt. 4:18-22

Five Questions:
1. Do you consider yourself a “follower” of Jesus?
2. What does that mean to you?
3. How would a stranger know you are a Christian?
4. Do your friends know your Christian? How?
5. Tell me want you might want your friends to know about Christianity. About Jesus, about your church.

Children's Church Lesson: The Apostle Paul

Story

Say: Today we are going to talk about the apostle Paul.  Paul wrote letters to other disciples of Jesus telling them more about Jesus.  We can learn a lot from what Paul has to say. 

Read A story about Paul and his writings from any children's bible.

Lesson 1

Say: Who was Paul? (apostle/disciple of Jesus) What did Paul do? (Travel, Start Churches, write a letter to share God’s love)  What three things did Paul tell the Christians in Rome? (Jesus was a human and God, Jesus came to show people how much God loves them, Jesus changes your life).  What did Paul compare the Church to? (A body)  Why did he do that? (to show us that even though we are all different we all have a job to do as part of the church

Lesson 2

See if an older child wants to read 1 Corinthians 9:24-26.  If no one does than a leader can read. 

Say: What does Paul compare follow Jesus to? (A race, sports) What are some sports that you play (validate all answers).  Why do you think Paul compares following Jesus to running a race? (Validate all answers).  That’s right!  In a race we need to be focused and prepared, I think Paul is saying we need to be that way about following Jesus too.

Memory Verse

 I run with a purpose in every step. – 1 Corinthians 9:26

Prayer

Take a minute to see if the children have any prayer requests or prayer joys.  Say a short prayer thanking God for giving us Paul’s writings so we can learn how to follow Jesus.

Music

Pick a song from any music DVD (from VBS or Sunday School curriculum).  Consider using the same song for several weeks in a row and then having your group sing it during church (to showcase your ministry).

Youth Group Discussion Outline: The Disciples

Bible Verse 1: Isaiah 9:1-2


Video Idea : Skit Guys The Skinny on Evangelism


Bible Verse 2: Matt. 4:18-22


Five Questions:
1. Do you consider yourself a “follower” of Jesus?  Why?
2. What does that mean to you?
3. How would a stranger know you are a Christian?
4. Do your friends know your Christian? How?
5. Tell me want you might want your friends to know about Christianity. About Jesus, about your church.


Do a Wrap Up: 5 minutes or less

Children's Lesson: The Disciples

Story

Say: Today’s story is about Jesus, fish a boat and disciples.   Listen carefully, because when you hear me say something about nets your job is to use your imagination and act that part out. 

Read the story of calling The Disciples in any children's story bible.  

Lesson

Say: What was the amazing thing Jesus did with fish that day? (He helped the fisherman catch so many fish their nets were breaking)  How could the fisherman tell that Jesus was amazing? (they couldn’t catch any fish until he helped them)  What did Jesus say to the fisherman and several other people? (Follow me!)  All of those people dropped what they were doing and followed Jesus.  Do you think it was easy or hard for them to follow Jesus, and why? (Affirm all answers)  When they decided that they would follow Jesus what did they become? (His disciples)  What is a disciple (Someone who follows Jesus and does what he wants them to do) Did anyone else become a disciple? (Yes) Lots of different people followed Jesus and became disciples.  We can be disciples too, when we except Jesus gift of living with him forever.  When we do the things he taught and tell other about the things he did we are Jesus’ disciples!

Big Idea

We are Jesus’ disciples when we do the things he taught and tell other people the things that Jesus did.

Memory Verse

 Jesus said, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”  Matthew 4:19

Music

Pick a song or two from any children's worship DVD.  Pick the same songs for several weeks in a row.  Consider having the children sing the song in front of church

Prayer

Take a minute to see if the children have any prayer requests or prayer joys.  Say a short prayer thanking God for loving us and sending us his son and asking Him to help us follow Jesus and be his disciples.  

Craft: Fishers of men

Children make a picture frame by gluing craft sticks to a card stock paper making a square.  They then draw a picture of the people they want to help become disciples and then make a net over them by taping pre-cut yarn to the picture frame.   Younger children might want to draw the net instead of using the yarn.

Children's Church Lesson: John the Baptist

Story

Say: Today’s story is from the New Testament of the Bible.  The story is about a man named John.  John wore weird clothes, ate strange food, used water a different way, and had an important message to give people from God.  When you hear me talk about John’s clothes say “itchy scratchy!”  If you hear me talk about something he hate say “ew, yuck!”  The most important thing in the story is the message that john gave the people

Read “John the Baptist”  in any children's bible giving time for the students to respond when needed 

Lesson

Say: What was unusual about John? (his clothing and food)  How did John get people’s attention (He shouted) What was the important message from God that John delivered to people? (Jesus is coming)  Who tells you about Jesus? (Give kids time to answer)  Who can you tell about Jesus? (Give them time to answer)  John knew how important it was to tell other people about Jesus.  Is it important for us to tell people about Jesus? (yes)  That’s right!  Just like John the Baptist, we can be like arrows and point people to Jesus.

Memory Verse

As Jesus walked by John said “Look! There’s the son of God! - John 1:37

Big Idea

Just like John the Baptist, we can be like arrows and point people to Jesus.

Music

Pick a song or two from a kids worship DVD 

Prayer

Take a minute to see if the children have any prayer requests or prayer joys.  Say a short prayer thanking God for loving us and sending us his son and asking Him to help us to point others to Jesus.

Craft

Print off John the Baptist coloring page: http://www.calvarywilliamsport.com/5a17.htm

Youth Group Discussion: Prepare the Way!

Opening Hangout/Game Time: Check out www.thesource4ym.com/games/ or 

www.youthministry.com/rug-burn-indoor-youth-ministry-games-0  for ideas.

Bible Verse 1: Isaiah 40: 3-5

                                                                                                     

Video: You Tube – “The Jesus Memo” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjFEPObXvOM

Bible Verse 2: Luke 3:4-6

Five Questions:

1.     Who is John in this passage from Luke and why did it quote Isaiah

from 600 years before?

2.     Why did Luke want to tell us about the past and about the future by    

using this passage?

3.     Christmas is over and it’s a new year.  Did the “Jesus Memo” make

you think about the past, the future? Why?

4.     Will you help “Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming”? What would that mean for the new year?

5.     Is there anything in the “Jesus Memo” that you could do to help “all people see that salvation (is) sent from God”?

End with a wrap up (5 minutes or less)

- Created my Michael Walden, Youth Director at Rockford United Methodist Church

Children's Church Lesson: Philip and the Ethiopian

Intro

Have a volunteer come up and help them put on the silly dress up clothes.

Say: __________ looks find of silly doesn't he/she.  He/she looks very different than the rest of us.  What sometimes happens to people when they are different than everyone else (laughed at, made fun of, not treated very nice).  The bible says that we are all different from each other.   It also says that God loves everyone and wants them to follow Him, no matter how different they are.  I am going to read a story today about a follower of Jesus who told someone very different from him about Jesus. 

Story

Read the story “Philip and the Ethiopian” in and any children's story bible

Lesson

Say:  Philip was a Jew and this man was an Ethiopian.  There are a lot of differences between the two of them aren't there?  What are some of their differences? (Give plenty of time for the children to answer).  Many of the Jews who were Jesus followers, like Philip, thought that only Jews should learn about what Jesus did and become his followers.  What do you think Jesus really wanted? (for everyone to become his followers)   That’s right, and what do you think God wants us to do when we meet people different from us?  (tell them about Jesus)  Right, God loves everyone no matter how different and wants them to follow Him.  He wants us to tell people different from us about Him. 

Big Idea

God loves everyone no matter how different and wants them to follow Him.  He wants us to tell people different from us about Him. 

Memory Verse

I want you to know that this salvation from God has been offered to everyone – Acts 28:28

Songs

choose any two songs from a music video DVD.  You will want to use the same 2 songs for a month so the children can learn the words and  

Prayer

Take a minute to see if the children have any prayer requests or prayer joys.  Say a short prayer thanking God for loving us and sending us his son and asking Him to help us to love those different from us and to tell them about God.

Craft

Children will decorate the card stock people and chariot and then assemble them (http://www.calvary-kids-pages.com/pdf/sunday_school/philip_ethiopian_craft.pdf).  You will need to print off pages 6,15 and 18.

Game Options

If you love Jesus Please Smile:

Students will sit in a circle.  One student is “it” and must go around the circle and say to each student “if you love Jesus, please smile.”  They can do anything to a student to smile as long as he or she does not touch the student.  The other player must resist smiling and say, “I really love Jesus, but I just can’t smile.”  If a smile is cracked the smiling prayer is now “it.”

Optional: If you have a wide age range for your children's church you can split them up into younger and older after prayer time for age specific activities.

Younger Children Stations

1)      Dress up clothes (no leader needed)

2)      Craft (leader needed): Children will decorate the card stock people and chariot and then assemble them  (http://www.calvary-kids-pages.com/pdf/sunday_school/philip_ethiopian_craft.pdf).  You will need to print off pages 6,15 and 18.

Older Children Stations

1)      Bible (leader needed): as a group the children will read our story from the bible (Acts 8: 26-38).  The leader will ask the children these things…

Who told Philip to go on the try road? (An angel)  Who did Philip find on the road and where were they from (A man from Ethiopia).  What was the man doing? (Reading a scroll).  What was the scroll? (Part of the bible/book of Isaiah)  After Philip explained the scroll what did the Ethiopian ask him to do? (Baptize him)   

2)      Craft (no leader needed): Children will decorate the card stock people and chariot and then assemble them  (http://www.calvary-kids-pages.com/pdf/sunday_school/philip_ethiopian_craft.pdf).  You will need to print off pages 6,15 and 18.