In youth ministry, few things take more time and energy than planning and creating your weekly lessons. From small group outlines, to front-of-the-room messages, there is a lot that goes into the process, and at times it can seem overwhelming. We recognize the grind that can go into weekly lessons, but also believe there’s a few key ideas that will help you thrive rather than just survive.
What You’ll Find
The Lesson’s and Resources section provides ideas and inspiration for creating, planning and delivering your weekly youth group lessons. From tips on how to make your lessons stick to free ideas to try, we’ll help you create the messages that guide the process of changing your teenagers from the inside out.
Christmas has always been one of my favorite youth ministry seasons. There’s no end to the creative possibilities! If you’re searching for Christmas game and event ideas, here are some of my all-time favorites: 1. Reindeer Games—Set aside an entire night for Christmas game fun!…
Have you noticed that many family devotionals for the Advent season focus on younger children? Those of us with junior highers, high schoolers, or kids of various ages at home don’t always know how to make the most of this time of year.…
I’m a sucker for inspirational speeches in movies… Mikey speaking up at the bottom of the well in The Goonies. Aragorn telling an army that courage can fail, but “not this day” in Return of the King. Woody explaining to Buzz that there’s nothing like being a toy in Toy Story.…
GETTING PAST THE PAST 1. Yellow Passport—(You’ll need a TV, a VCR, a video copy of 1998’s Les Miserables, water-soluble markers, and white blindfolds.) Start by showing a clip from Les Miserables, beginning at 3:20 when the woman says, “Knock on that door” and ending at 6:16 when Valjean sits up (00:00:00 studio logo appears).…
The Story of Creation (Genesis 1)—Why did God create the world? Supplies: You’ll need Bibles; pencils; colored pencils; pieces of poster board; three to six movie posters (or DVD covers); and a box of random items (one per participant). Also, create and photocopy a handout divided into three columns: atop one column, draw a triangle; atop the next, draw a human stick figure; and atop the last column, draw a circle.…
This youth-led worship service is perfect for a lazy, hazy summer day or night. Your kids learn what it takes to hear God’s voice by experiencing Elijah’s story. This worship service doesn’t require a special location; the youth room will be fine.…
You only have so much time with students every week. Should you give them an on-ramp… or take them to the highway? Should you begin a youth night with dodgeball or a discussion? Should you end your message with pizza or communion?…
What’s the feel of your youth ministry? Why does our ministry exist? If you’ve never asked yourself that question, you should. Knowing why you exist as a ministry will help you draft a mission/purpose statement that can guide most of your leadership decisions.…
Blitz campaigns are meant to reach a target audience with a specific message in a short period of time yielding very direct results. A successful blitz will make you better known to your target audience. Timing also plays a big role in a successful blitz.…
Neither of us grew up in the church, but it didn’t take long to learn there was plenty of room for me (Tim), but not quite as much room for Tasha. The lesson was often subtle, but occasionally it reared its head in a backhanded comment or clear statement.…
