Jonah and the Whale | Youth Group Games

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Kids of all ages love this Jonah and the whale youth group game. It is so fun and fast paced the kids want to play it over and over.

Just tonight, we played this game. The kids loved it so much that they wanted to skip snack-time and asked if they could play it again next week!

We have even played it in Sunday school after telling the Jonah and the whale bible story.

Youth Group Games
Jonah and the Whale
Photo: Leelilly

 

How to Play this Youth Group Game

To play this youth group game, you simply need kids who are willing to run, play and have fun along with enough room for the kids to move around easily.

Pick one child to be the 'whale'.

The whale will stand in the center of the playing area. Line up all the other kids on one side of the room. They will be 'Jonah'. Yes, all of them will be Jonah.

When you call out 'STORM', the kids will try to run from one side of the room to the other without getting tagged by the 'whale'.

Whoever gets tagged will remain in the middle and become an extra whale.

Play will continue until there is only one 'Jonah' left and everyone else has now become a 'whale'.

This game is simple and fun!

For more ideas, check out our Youth Group Games page.

 

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Adam and Eve | Temptation | Youth Group Activity

Friday, June 7, 2013

The bible story of Adam and Eve is a great way to teach Youth Group kids about temptation. While many kids will know the bible story of Adam and Eve, some may not. As Youth Group leaders or even Sunday school teachers, we assume the kids have heard basic bible stories, but this isn't always the case.

A lesson I learned...

This past Wednesday night I said, "You've all heard the story of Noah's Ark, right?"

To my surprise, three kids in our Youth Group didn't have a clue who Noah was or even what the ark was.

These three kids were not regulars and had been coming with other kids for several weeks, but I assumed they knew the story, but they didn't. This taught me a good lesson - never assume anything!

Adam and Eve Bible Story
Temptation
Youth Group Activity
Photo: grongar

Adam and Eve Bible Story

Begin by laying a bit of foundation. Start with the basics of how God made Adam and Eve and how they were allowed to stay in the Garden of Eden as long as they didn't eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Go on to explain how Lucifer was once an angel, but the temptation to rule over God became to great and caused Lucifer and the angels who followed him to be cast out of heaven. Today we call him Satan or the devil.

Of course, Lucifer didn't stop there. He wanted to trick Adam and Eve into eating the fruit. He even tries every day to get us to do things we shouldn't. He is tempting us. We have to rely on God to help us with those temptations.

Maybe it is smoking. Maybe it is drinking. Maybe it is talking back to your mom and dad. Maybe bullying kids at school or stealing. It could even be running away or taking drugs.

Ask the kids if they can name some temptations they may face.

Wait for answers.

Explain how Satan disguised as a serpent tricked Eve into eating the fruit and that she also gave some to Adam. The serpent tempted Eve with being able to know as much as God.

Eve gave into temptation causing she and Adam to be thrown out of the Garden of Eden forever.

Youth Group Activity

This Youth Group activity is great to use as a reminder of how easy it is to give into temptation. Stress over and over again how important it is to resist the devil and pray for God's help to do so.

What you'll need:

• a large piece of paper like bulletin board paper or a white sheet (you can also use a wall or large rock)
• paint
• paint brushes, stencils, or stamps

What to do:

Have a teen or adult paint a tree trunk on the paper or sheet. Then, give the kids a paint brush or stamp and let them create the leaves on the tree. We let the kids go outside and pick large leaves off of trees and used them as stamps.

Let the kids work to add leaves to the top of the tree until you feel it is finished.

Once finished add this verse along with a serpent to the bottom of the paper or sheet:

 

Mark 14:38 KJV

 

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

 

 

Be sure to hang the tree where the Youth Group can see it each time they enter the room. Talk about the tree often to remind kids that temptation comes in all forms and we can't resist them ourselves. We need God's help.

 



 

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Youth Group - Youth Group Lessons

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Did I mention - have a blast a Youth Group!
Photo: John Trainor

If you are a part of a Youth Group, then you fully understand how hard it can be to get new kids to come on a regular basis. Sure, a regular from your youth group may bring a friend ever now and then, but will they come for the long haul?

More than likely - No.

In the world we live in today, it is hard to get new church members to come let alone new kids. Parents just don't seem to think that teaching their children about God is important at all.

Rest assured, there is good news.

What We're Doing in Our Youth Group

At our youth group, we have decided to make getting new/more kids to youth group one of our main priorities. As workers for God, it is our duty to share the gospel with others. But, if no one comes when the doors are open, who will we teach? How can we pass on what we've learned?

The problem is we can't do it alone. So, who do we bring in to help us?

Our regular youth group kids, of course!

Youth Group Lessons

For the next several weeks, choose youth group lessons that focus on spreading God's word, telling others about Christ, and winning lost souls.

These youth group lessons will get the kids in the mind set of inviting their friends, family, neighbors and anyone else they can think of. Don't limit the kids to just bringing kids their own age. Be clear that the bible loves everyone and we are to love them too. Even encourage the kids to invite people they are not particularly fond of.

In the long run, that person may become their best friend!

What are some youth group lessons you can use?

Youth Group Lesson - Number One

Here is a great bible verse that helps kids understand that people can't understand God and the bible unless they 'hear' it. How can they hear the word of God? By coming to church and youth group. If they never hear the word, how can they be saved?

Romans 10:17 (KJV) - So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Youth Group Lesson - Number Two

People can live in this world as Godly or as wickedly as they please, but they can not live forever in heaven with our heavenly father unless they accept Jesus as their savior. For those who have never cared about hearing the word of God, they can't fully understand why they must ask Jesus to be their savior. We must attend church, youth group, Sunday school, and study the bible on our own if we want to be able to teach others about him and win souls to Christ.

Matthew 4:4 (KJV) - But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God

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There are hundreds of verses you can base your youth group lessons around to show kids the importance of asking others to come to church/youth group/Sunday school/VBS or any other time the church doors or church functions are under way.

Get FREE Youth Group Games!

 

 

Find ways to encourge the kids to bring visitors such as: charts with rewards, games, fun days, trips, community service, or any thing else that will bring the kids and adults together in Christ!

 



You can also visit our Sunday School Lessons of Plenty blog and our website Christian Magazine Today for more ideas!

 

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