Get documents about "Looking in the Mirror - DOC
Document Sample
Looking in the Mirror!
Written by Dawn Ryswyk
What do we want to look like?
This lesson is a process to help engage all members of your youth group, teens and
leaders, into active ministry of the group. It will not tell you what lesson topics are
desired or what other type of events to place in your year. This is aimed at helping
to make your group members become active—rather then passive—participants. It
helps each of us look at what we can give—rather then what we get.
It is recommended to have someone outside the youth group lead you through these
lessons. Someone who can look at leaders and ask them to give ALL they have to
this calling. And someone who can look at teens and ask them to give ALL they have
to their part in the group.
Small Group Activity:
Ask which person has visited the most different states. Give that person a pencil.
Give each group a small hand mirror and two pieces of paper. Have the state winner
draw a picture of a face by only seeing the paper through the mirror:
Place drawing paper on a flat surface, have someone hold another paper over that
one so the artist can’t see the paper he is drawing on. Place the hand mirror in
front of that set-up so that the artist can see his drawing only through the mirror.
Now have them draw the face of the person holding the mirror!!
After all are done compare the picture with the other groups and see if anyone can
recognize the person in the drawing!!
Hopefully your youth group doesn’t look quite as bad as those pictures do—but
what does your youth group look like? What’s the purpose of your youth group?
For whatever reasons you are here as teens or leaders—you are here. Now how
can we make this a growing and worthwhile experience for everyone?
your church name
Portrait of a ___________________ High School Graduate Student
There are several things that should become evident in a students life as they get
older and the closer he/she becomes to Jesus Christ.
Small group task:
Every church has its strengths of ministry and emphasis. For your specific church,
what does the average high school graduating student look like after growing up
within the ministry of your church? Make a list of traits, habits, opportunities,
knowledge, understandings, etc. this student should have received from church
fellowship, youth group, worship, giving, education, church involvement etc.
Group activity:
Combine your answers.
This is the portrait of a Graduate from _____________ Church.
Hang this on the wall somewhere!
Now list all the things that your youth group has helped to attain.
No one wants to spend time doing things for no worthwhile purpose or reason.
None of us need to spend time in the name of church ministry just to put in
time. So why should we get together?
Small group task:
In a sentence or two answer this question: What is the purpose of your youth
group?
Group activity:
Share each groups purpose and come to a group consensus of what you want your
purpose to be for existing this year. Display this in your meeting room.
James 1:22-24 - And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you
don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. [23] For if you just listen and don't obey, it is
like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. [24]
You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.
Looking in the Mirror – Part Two
What are we going to do about it?
James 4:17
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
Look at the portraits you drew last time. If you have a digital camera available, take
some real pictures and show some of those. Or use pictures that you already have
taken in your youth group setting. Which ones do you want to look like as a youth
group or as individuals?
Review the ―Portrait of a Graduate‖.
Review the Purpose of your youth group.
Small group activity:
Answer the following questions for the importance of your specific youth group.
Remember that this will affect what your group does this year with your time
together. When you meet— at what quality level will it be?
Importance Rating
5 – Extremely important
4 – Very important
3 – Somewhat important
2 – Not very important
1 – Not important
How important is it to have youth group? 1 2 3 4 5
How important is it to have lesson meetings? 1 2 3 4 5
How important is it to have fun events? 1 2 3 4 5
How important is it to have service events? 1 2 3 4 5
How important is it to attend Serve, Convention, MIK events? 1 2 3 4 5
(you can add additional questions to this list)
Group activity:
Average out all the groups’ answers – Yes this is a math lesson too!
Hopefully you gave some (or most) of the items a high-level importance rating
or else every one will be bored this year with youth group and your ―Portrait
of a Graduate‖ better be readjusted!
Look at the list again. So if any of this is of any importance to you, what is
your responsibility for doing it?
Have everyone stand in the middle of the room facing the same direction with their
eyes shut. Instruct them that if they agree with the statement they should move 5
steps to the right and if they disagree with the statement they should move 5
steps to the left. (Yes, everyone will be crashing into each other—that is just part
of waking everyone up again.) Start back to the middle after each question.
I want to be bored at every youth group meeting.
I want my faith affected by youth group.
It is the responsibility of the leaders to carry out the purpose of the youth
group.
It is the responsibility of the teens to carry out the purpose of the youth
group.
It is the responsibility of the leaders and teens to carry out the purpose of
the youth group
Hopefully this showed that this is a team sport! We all need to participate in
some way to the purpose, importance, and effectiveness of your youth group.
The leaders cannot make it perfect – the teens cannot make it perfect – but if
we all work together we can all own what we do and make it more effective.
Small group activity:
Each person can bring many things to a youth group event from being very ―up
front‖ such as leading a lesson, participating in discussions, etc. – to things
that are unseen such as committing to a positive attitude, refusing to be
bored, prayer -- and anything in between.
Simply put, if you are not satisfied—don’t just do it anyway, do something
about it!!
- List 10 to 20 things that teens need to do to contribute to the purpose,
importance and effectiveness of your youth group. Include all aspects of
giving, things seen and unseen.
- List 10 to 20 things that youth leaders need to do to contribute to the purpose,
importance, and effectiveness of your youth group. Include all aspects of
giving, things seen and unseen.
As a complete group – compile your lists!
Now, so what?
Give everyone two 3x5 cards. Ask everyone write a response to this statement:
(You may want to have this written up somewhere so everyone can see it).
I want this youth group to be:
A. God honoring - a place of spiritual growth and purpose
B. Mediocre – not really hot or cold
C. A waste of my time
D. Boring
Have them place their cards in a separate basket for A B C D
Compile the answers.
Here’s what we need to do:
If you answered D – go home - why play the game
If you answered C – get used to a purposeless life
If you answered B – I hope you like routine
If you answered A - then engage in the game and hang on because here we
go!
Teens need to know that leaders are committed to hard work in making this
group more effective.
Leaders need to know that teens are committed to hard work in making this
group more effective.
On the second card:
Take a look at the list of ideas of what each of us can bring to this youth
group. On your card write down 10 things that you commit to bringing to this
youth group this year. Partner with another person and share your card with
them. What you commit to bringing to this group is NOT a secret!! This is not
an exhaustive list—you can bring more! You obviously can’t bring it all to every
meeting either. But it’s about being very intentional to do something. When you
leave an event saying I didn’t get much out of it ask yourself - why? And then
do something with that why.
Closing:
Hand out two ―My Will and Testament‖ cards to everyone.
Here’s the bottom line folks!
MY ―WILL and TESTAMENT‖ TO YOUTH GROUP
I promise this to my youth group:
I will bring my gifts and abilities to this youth group!
I will intentionally watch for God at work in each youth group event!
I will focus my participation in youth group and on what I bring to it
rather then what I get out of it!
I will ask myself what part I play in any feelings of boredom or
obligation!
I will praise God when I see God at work in this youth group!
If you can promise to give this to your youth group at each event you are at—
sign these cards. Tape one to the list of things we each can bring that you
made earlier and put the other one with your list of 10 things you personally
will do in a place that reminds you of your commitment regularly. (You may want
to express that if you can’t commit to this then don’t sign it. Only bring what you
can and are willing to give.) If these commitments are carried out this year by
teens and leaders then your youth group will be a place where spiritual growth
can take place in the lives of teens and leaders.
Close in prayer together asking God to equip each of you to give to your youth
group what he has equipped you to give. Ask God to protect all members from
Satan’s subtle ways of making this not happen.
Keep the sheets of all your lists on your youth room wall to remind yourselves each time
you meet what needs to happen.
MY “WILL and TESTAMENT” TO YOUTH GROUP
I promise this to my youth group:
I will bring my gifts and abilities to this youth
group!
I will intentionally watch for God at work in
each youth group event!
I will focus my participation in youth group on
what I bring to it rather then what I get out of
it!
I will ask myself what part I play in any
feelings of boredom or obligation!
I will praise God when I see God at work in this
youth group!
NAME:_______________________________
