Program Ideas

YOUTH GROUP

Several years ago the media was capitalizing on the supernatural craze. Do you remember the Matrix trilogy? How about the Lord of the Rings? You might not be a famous script writer that takes various world religions and includes elements from each to attempt to draw spiritual allusions that a greater variety of people tap into. What if you were to develop a story based on the following passages: Hebrews 1:1-3; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 4:14-16. What could your story line be? What would one of the scenes be like?

SERVICE ACTIVITY

Start an after school basketball league for kids that don’t have anywhere to go or anything constructive to do. Have it be low-key with just pick-up games. If you’re able, add a few drills to learn skills and have coaches for each team. Your purpose isn’t to become an NBA coach, but to help shape young people through a receptive venue. School and community leaders are likely to support you, and they probably could offer some counsel that you might not be open to, but you’d benefit by listening!

SOCIAL ACTIVITY

For Valentine’s Day, do a kissing fund-raiser. Reduce germs by planting kisses with a rubber stamp off a red ink pad. You can sell kisses to people who can pay 25 cents to a dollar per kiss and they select the person who will receive it. The designated delivery personnel follow through. Add a twist of inclusive fun by making sure that anyone without at least one prominently displayed kiss gets one applied (no charge–go ahead and act like somebody ordered and paid for it already). Add more an hour later!

SMALL GROUP

Lead in a series of small group Bible studies about Gideon’s escapades as found in Judges 6-8. Encourage an openness and vulnerability to apply each portion to one’s life. Some of the elements in the story include low self-esteem, cowardice, attempting to take a stand, trying the improbable, moving to the impossible, looking for signs from God, changing signs after God already responds, needing even more proof, greater miracles than we’ve ever imagined, running out of energy, being misunderstood by others, falling prey to your own success, worship and seeking an object to worship.

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

The Super Bowl–a once a year extravaganza that rarely lives up to the hype it suggests. Will it be the Colts or the Seahawks? Oh wait, they were Super Bowl contenders in the past, not this season!  Are people near you rabid about it or could they care less? Even if only a few people participate, this is reason to gather as a group. Munchies can be cheap, or have people bring their own! Commercials have become a crucial part of the experience as well. You can launch on a variety of topics or use this as a culture-watch time to better understand your culture or your friends/acquaintances.

YOUTH GROUP

Play the “X-O” game to see to what extent people will cooperate. Divide into 6 groups (1-5 per group). Each group votes X or O by secret ballot. Points are given according to the following combinations of votes: All vote “O”–each group wins 200 pts; 5 vote “O”, 1 votes X–O gets -200, X gets 1000 pts; 4 vote “O”, 2 vote X–O gets -400, X gets +800 pts; 3 vote “O”, 3 vote X–O gets -600, X gets +600 pts; 2 vote “O”, 4 vote X–O gets -800, X gets +400 pts; 1 votes “O”, 5 vote X–O gets -1000, X gets +200 pts; all vote “X–each group loses 200 pts. Continue for 10 rounds and keep score. Double points earned on 3rd vote; triple them on the 7th vote, and multiply by 10 on the 10th vote. Debrief. Open for a discussion on James 4:1-10.

SERVICE ACTIVITY

Locate a place where firewood could be cut and taken for free. Arrange for chainsaws and a group of youth to go and cut firewood. Locate a dry place where the wood could be stored until an emergency exists (such as an extended power outage). Deliver dry firewood to those who need it. (Be sure a qualified person operates the chainsaw.)

SOCIAL ACTIVITY

Do a community scavenger hunt–instead of obtaining worthless objects, go for the practical values, such as getting the signature of someone who wants to quit smoking; collect 10 dollars for a local community service program; find someone who will attend church with you sometime; find someone who will let you mow and rake their yard. Add ideas as they are discovered. Plan for ways to follow-up on the ministry ideas. (Ex. Stop smoking clinic, special worship services, yard clean ups, etc.)

SMALL GROUP

Personal license plates make candid statements about the driver of the car. Share examples of personal plates you’ve seen. Let the kids do the same. Then ask each kid to think of the personal plate that they would like to have on their car. Have them explain its meaning. Then have each person design a personal license plate that best defines his or her spiritual conviction. Be prepared to share yours as the leader.

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

Ultimate Workout # 22 takes place in Nicaragua this July 17-30. This Maranatha mission trip is for high school age youth. Approximately 200 are expected this year to construct One Day Church structures in the remote areas of northeastern Nicaragua. This will indeed be an “ultimate” experience due to the challenging living conditions! For more information, go to www.ultimateworkout.org. The cost for this mission trip is $900. Each person must provide their own transportation to and from Managua, Nicaragua.

YOUTH GROUP

Conduct a Bible study on David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17). As you read the familiar story, look to elements that you may have missed or understood in a less mature way. What/Who are the Goliaths in your life today? David had to fight in his own armor. What is the best armor for you to fight in? And now for the BIG question: what gave David the courage to take on Goliath when nobody else would? Do you have what he had? (Hint: you won’t find the secret to David’s courage unless you look in the preceding chapter–1 Samuel 16:13, but let people search on their own first.)

SERVICE ACTIVITY

Just as it’s nice to provide cool drinks on hot summer days, try the opposite–warm or hot drinks on cold winter days. You pick the time/spot, like before/after church, outside a mall, on the street in a business district, at a low income apartment complex, at an outdoor sports event. Be sure you have all supplies, including garbage containers. Strike up conversations and invite people to join the warmth of your youth group.

SOCIAL ACTIVITY

Some people have done the group building/initiative game called “Over the Rope” (also referred to as the electric fence) in which participants must get everyone over a rope 5’-6’ above the ground. An alternative that isn’t so high is “Under the Rope” in which all the members of a group must crawl under a rope that’s only 12”-18” above the ground. To make it more difficult, draw two lines about 2’ on either side of the rope–no touching the ground inside those lines. Adjust if needed. Debrief.

SMALL GROUP

On a cold winter day, meet by a cozy fireplace and sip hot drinks while you contemplate and share four progressively challenging Quaker questions about warmth. 1. Where did you live when you were 10 years old? 2. How did you heat your house at that time? 3. Where did you receive emotional warmth at that time? 4. When (if ever) did God become a warm person to you? Be ready to listen, affirm, and follow up.

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

For those able to take advantage of winter snow, do a snow weekend, complete with snowboarding, snow mobiling, skiing, sledding, ice skating, hockey, and even snowball fights. Rent a cabin or set of condos, take turns with cooking, include a focus on spirituality with small group discussions, times of praise singing and prayers, and even devotional talks. Use symbols by creating snow sculptures about spiritual themes and tap into Scriptures like Isaiah 1:18.

YOUTH GROUP

Take predictions from a tabloid and mix in your own silly ones. Most will have something to do with a well known music, film, politician, or other person in the news doing something quite outlandish. Mix in a few natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes or tsunamis) or terrorist attacks or financial catastrophes, or perhaps something about global warming. Then compare with the prophecy of Daniel 2 (image made of various metals) or Revelation 2-3 (seven churches).

SERVICE ACTIVITY

Provide a written forum for youth issues by posting a question and then providing an answer. Include space for others to write their own opinions. Include a drop box for additional questions but have your own ready in case that box isn’t used much. Use the various answers as a springboard for group discussions, including how people make decisions and where they go for good counsel.

SOCIAL ACTIVITY

When you have a large group and you want to divide into smaller groups for a variety of activities, use barn animals and inform each participant what they are secretly by handing a slip of paper to each one. Then turn out the lights and have each animal make their sound (dog, cat, mouse, cow, horse, pig, goat, etc.). After it sounds like most of the same animals have grouped together, turn on the lights and let the stray animals find their kin. (If you have a very secure individual, you can make that person the only donkey.)

SMALL GROUP

Even though New Year’s is a time for New Beginnings, already many of us are in need of a new beginning since the new beginning. Perhaps what we need is to simply get started in what has already begun! A good 1-2 punch is combining 1 John 1:9 (forgiveness and cleansing from sin) with 1 John 2:1 (Jesus–our intercessor in heaven). Invite participants to write things they would like Jesus to forgive and cleanse and/or items they would like for Him to intercede on their behalf. Close with a song of rejoicing for all that Jesus does for us.

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

For a communion service, provide the drink in pottery-styled little cups, preferably cheap, throw-away types. Present an introductory sermonette based on 2 Corinthians 4 (especially verse 7). After giving the emblems to participants, play the song “Liquid” from Jars of Clay (1995) and provide lyrics. After the silent meditation, open it up for testimonies on being a jar of clay and yet containing Jesus within.

YOUTH GROUP

Many people have added visual prompts when praying, such as artwork, candles, and even doodling. Some include music and maybe even clay or sand for people who are more kinesthetic. Tap into the sense of taste to either offer a prayer or listen for God during a season of prayer. In advance, put a collection of small food items in zip lock bags (one per person). Include items like candies, nuts, crackers, or other items of your choice. Let these tastes and textures lead you to pray for others during a 5-10 minute season of prayer.

SERVICE ACTIVITY

Take the bouquet of flowers after the church service and take your youth group to a nearby cemetery to distribute the flowers to some of the graves. This involves taking apart the bouquet, and then choosing which grave site receives a flower and which one doesn’t. Give time for the youth to read the tombstones and imagine the lives of the people. When debriefing, consider whether to talk about the past, the present, and/or the future.

SOCIAL ACTIVITY

Divide into teams and give each group an unbaked pizza crust and the names of a few streets (territory) near the social activity for them to go door-to-door to ask for pizza toppings. Give each group 30-45 minutes. They can get only one topping at any house. When the groups return, bake the pizzas and have them eat the one they created. Judges can give awards for the most creative, best tasting, uneatable. etc.

SMALL GROUP

Make a call for renewed commitment by setting personal and group goals for your small group. Examples of personal goals include having regular devotions, turning to prayer when tempted, building people up instead of tearing them down, etc. Examples of group goals include faithful attendance, participation, honesty and confidentiality, outreach, personal study prior to the study group. Make some suggestions for specific goals, but let individuals and the group modify them before making a realistic commitment. Do friendly but honest check ups periodically.

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

“Just Claim It 3” also known as JCI3, takes place this March 7-11 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Join thousands of young people for inspiration, challenge, fellowship, training, spiritual growth, and of course: PRAYER! For more information, such as speakers, workshops, registration, housing, etc., go to www.jci3.org.

YOUTH GROUP

Make a list of 10 things you want to receive for Christmas. Prioritize the items and include an estimated cost of each thing. Then, based on the old tune “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” determine how many of your 10 gifts you’d receive based upon how naughty or nice you’ve been this past year. Have someone else in the group also determine this for you. Then compare with Psalm 103:10-11.

SERVICE ACTIVITY

Encourage your teens to be alcohol-free by putting on a brief skit or two for elementary students about how to have fun without alcohol. Children look up to teens as cool role models, plus this can confirm healthy choices for the teens. Have the teens create and practice the skits so they go through the process of identifying good times without alcohol and how they maintain such choices, especially in contrast to the tremendous advertising that promotes alcohol use.

SOCIAL ACTIVITY

Host an alcohol-free New Year’s Eve party. Use a foam theme with sword fights, nerf basketball and nerf dodge ball. If you can, obtain the nerf-style of darts and have target contests as well as foam warfare. Night time outdoors can be a good time for steal the flag, dare base, hide and seek, and even steal the bacon. If you can make the arrangements, a velcro wall or even an air inflated jumping pit can be a great source of god, clean fun–either just to jump or to have some small competitions.

SMALL GROUP

Who counts? Vaclav Havel, the popular former Czech president who led his country in democracy and served as a role model for the world, passed away last week. But those headlines got eclipsed in the Western World with the death of Kim Jong Il, the North Korean leader considered a tyrant by Westerners. Why do the bad guys seem to always attract more attention? When Jesus died in Jerusalem, would it have made headlines in Rome? What about when Herod died? Discuss heroes, role models, and popularity. Who and what matters to you? What about to God?

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

Lots on young ladies coming of age (teen girls) go to a one-day event called “Revolve Tour.” The website www.revolvetour.com can put you in touch with one of these mega-events with big name speakers to inspire and music to celebrate. Look at the YouTube promo at www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAE0bkVLQ-8 or you can try an old fashioned method: call 1-877-973-8658.

YOUTH GROUP

Looking for a fresh mission story? Log onto www.maranatha.org, which is the Maranatha website and go to their “Maranatha Mission Stories” for inspiring tales and commentary on various mission experiences in different parts of the globe. Download some of the these or have other short-term mission trip veterans recall their experiences as well as identifying what ís happening for those who are spending their Christmas vacation on a mission trip.

SERVICE ACTIVITY

Here’s a wonderful stretch for some family or families over Christmas. Adopt a grandparent over Christmas by actually finding a nursing home person who is alone. Take them to your house for 2-3 days over Christmas. This goes well beyond a token 3-4 hours while opening presents. This would require that you actually care for the person instead of just propping them up in a corner to watch the action. But it might also be the first Christmas they truly experience in a long while, and maybe their last one to make a deep mark in their memory bank.

SOCIAL ACTIVITY

Play the “Ho-Ho” game. One participants lies on the floor, tummy up. The next person lies perpendicular so their head rests on the tummy of the first person while their body goes to the side. Person #3 puts their head on the tummy of person #2, and keep adding people, back and forth. Person #1 says, “Ho” and nobody is supposed to laugh. Then person #2 says, “Ho, Ho.” Then person #3 says “Ho, Ho, Ho” and so on. If laughter starts, you must begin with person #1. Good luck, because heads start bobbing when someone says “Ho” or starts to laugh!

SMALL GROUP

Take a seasonal group photo of your small group and attach affirmation notes from everyone in the group. It’s often a good idea to take a break from your small group over the holidays, but this can be a keepsake for the next year or even for a decade! Have 8×10 copies made and the affirmation notes can be the Christmas gifts people give to one another.

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

Start the New Year with a candlelight communion service. If your group is more apt to be celebrating with a social theme, schedule at a different time. Make it more modern by using pie dough with cinnamon and sugar for your unleavened bread. Transition to the new wine in new wineskins theme and ask participants what is or will be new in their Christian experience as you start a new year. Start the new year with testimonies rather than the traditional New Year’s Resolutions.

YOUTH GROUP

Do The Next Noel. Since “noel” means Christmas carol, this is a way to name a Christmas carol sing-a-long. Be open to requests, but have plenty of songs lined up in advance. A skilled pianist who can play by ear or a guitarist with the same knack can be the key to pull this off. Have people gather around informally rather than sitting in rows. If you don’t have a pianist or guitarist, try a praise band or even a sing-a-long Christmas CD. Have lyrics available for those who don’t know the words.

SERVICE ACTIVITY

Provide parking lot service if your church or school has a Christmas program. Many won’t be open to a valet service from teens, but you can have cones set up and flashlights to direct people to park in an orderly fashion. If the weather includes rain or snow, umbrella service from car to building can be especially appreciated. Some venues have a drop-off/pick-up spot. Be directive here as well so things don’t bottle up too badly. Those involved might actually miss the concert, but some of them won’t actually mind that.

SOCIAL ACTIVITY

Get together for a sharing of classic Christmas stories. These can be read or shown on video of DVD. Some examples would be Twas the Night Before Christmas, A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34^th Street. Some in your group might have some of their own that they consider to be classics. Include refreshments and a time to share Christmas traditions.

SMALL GROUP

Capitalize on a Christmas theme by sharing gift-giving and gift-receiving memories. Go around the circle or make a hand-out in advance for the following categories: one of the best gifts you’ve received, one of the worst, a most memorable gift, biggest surprise, cheapest and the easily guessed in advanced. Come up with your own category. What is on your Christmas list for this year?

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

The football season is winding down and the playoff do-or-die season is just ahead. Some of the pre-season favorites are out of the picture this year and some new winners are real surprises, Will the Packers go undefeated? Will they lose before THE BIG ONE? The Super Bowl has become almost part of the American culture. Many who don’t follow football tune in or join a party for this event. Christians have made use of this gathering event to host a Super Bowl Bash with a Christian promotional. Sports Outreach America has a comprehensive kit to make the most of this extravaganza. To find out more, check out their web site at www.powertowin.org.

YOUTH GROUP

Who’s Who? Instead of a high school recognition program, from a religious angle you can see where people would put themselves when engaging in a bible story. Since it’s Christmas time, provide a drama that highlights the Christmas story. After the skit, have people select who they identify with the most (Mary, Joseph, Anna, Herod, Inn keeper, shepherds, etc.) and move to a group led by that skit dramatist. Share as a group the element about that character that caught their attention.

YOUTH GROUP

For several years there has been controversy regarding the United States “involvement” in Iraq. Instead of taking sides in this political hot potato, make a contrast to being citizens of the kingdom of God. Read Matthew 10:34-39. Jesus calls for totally devoted disciples. How does that look today? What does “support our troops” mean in this context? What preparations are needed? What’s (really) going on?

SERVICE ACTIVITY

‘Tis the season–to make video Christmas cards either FOR the residents of a retirement home or BY the residents for others. Use a video camera on a tripod and interview residents who respond to your questions. Film some of their activities (in their studio apartment, outside, group activities, eating, sitting around talking to others at the retirement home, etc.) After you edit the brief messages, be sure to put it in a VHS format for easy use by those who receive it.

SOCIAL ACTIVITY

Have a “white elephant” gift exchange for a group at Christmas. Set a price limit like $0.00–participants must rummage about until they find something for free (closets, basements, attics, bottom of toy boxes, etc., are good places to look). Each participant must donate a wrapped gift to the pile in order to play. Draw numbers out of a hat. Person #1 chooses a gift and opens it. Person #2 then either picks the gift already opened (if they like it) or else selects a different gift from the pile and opens it. Person #3 can choose gift #1 or #2 or may draw from the pile. If your opened gift is taken, you have the option of taking another person’s gift, provided it hasn’t already been taken that round. Continue until the last person goes. Make sure you take your gift with you!

SMALL GROUP

Give intangible gifts to each person in your small group. This can be done by having each person identify the gift they’d like to give (peace, happiness, a positive attitude, listening ears, perseverance, etc.) which can be for everyone in the group or for a specific person in the group. Be sure to record these gifts. Revisit them next Thanksgiving when you review the extent to which these “blessings” came to pass.

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

Make the start of the New Year special by transforming significant elements. For example, for the Passover, unleavened bread and blood on the doorposts signified salvation/deliverance from Egypt. Jesus took these seemingly timeless symbols and transformed them at the Lord’s Supper by identifying them as symbols of his body and blood. What symbol would you choose for the New Year? Perhaps you will want to have a symbol personally as well as one for your group as a whole.

YOUTH GROUP

Who’s Who? Instead of a high school recognition program, from a religious angle you can see where people would put themselves when engaging in a bible story. Since it’s Christmas time, provide a drama that highlights the Christmas story. After the skit, have people select who they identify with the most (Mary, Joseph, Anna, Herod, Inn keeper, shepherds, etc.) and move to a group led by that skit dramatist. Share as a group the element about that character that caught their attention.

SERVICE ACTIVITY

Decorate (poinsettias, wreaths, etc.) your church for the Christmas holiday. Be careful because some church members see decorating as their annual service to the church. Get permission from the pastor and/or other church leaders. Your church might even have some Christmas decorations available each year or a budget to work with. But you can expect that most or all of the expenses will be yours. If you enter this activity with this expectation, anything offered exceeds even your hopes!

SOCIAL ACTIVITY

Just for the fun of it, create your own “12 Days of Christmas.” Pick an individual or family and for each day leading up to Christmas, beginning with December 14. Anonymously deliver a single something (your choice). The next day, December 15, anonymously drop off two other items (like two wooden spoons, two refrigerator magnet, 2 pads of paper, etc. Include a note about this being the second day of Christmas. Continue with three other items (3 oranges, 3 pens, etc.) on the “Third Day of Christmas, and on Christmas day itself, identify yourself as you ceremoniously deliver the 12 items for that day (12 toothpicks? 12 cookies?).

SMALL GROUP

Delve into Romans 8:5-14 which presents a contrast of what life is like when controlled by one’s sinful nature versus being controlled by the Spirit. Make a list of what you have to offer (according to the passage). Then make a list about what the Spirit has to offer. Which way would you want to live? Talk about a “no brainer”! Wrap up your discussion with John 14:15-21 -the promise Jesus made to send the Spirit to his people. Offer prayers to accept the Spirit into one’s life.

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

Create a Christmas nativity scene for your church. This could be a still set or a living one! It could be a drive by scene or one people actually walk through. Involve loads of people to pull it off, such as set up people, wardrobe, communication/advertising, fund raising. To do something like this might work best if you start well and yet build on each successive year.