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Children and Young People
Ways in…
Quick Question Session
• Read v27 - what is this gift? Christ is in us! In our hearts and minds: how we think and how we feel. How we make choices
every day. Not that this makes us instantly perfect in every way – God is at work with us and alongside us to work towards
being the best person we can.
• Share about some famous Christians and tell the story of their lives. Some examples could be: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther
King, Mary Berry, Claudia Fragapane, Bear Grylls or Daniel Sturridge. Put their names on cards and give some info on who
they are on back of card. Which ones are Christians and why? Pick them and read, follow by looking at the others.
What do they have in common? Speak about faith, who they are and how it impacts their daily life.
• Understanding who God is and how he wants us to live. How does being a Christian make a difference to how we respond
and live our lives each day? Or does it? Explore who do they know is a Christian and how do they know they are? (v9-14) • Get into pairs and write descriptions for each other. Where do you see God in the other person?
Activities Age 8-18 years • If you were to say three things about being a Christian to someone who’s never heard about God, what would they be?
• Who and what are the big influences on us - Use wallpaper or lining paper and draw an outline of a young person. Ask the
group to write on the outside the names of people who influence them. E.g. TV, films, music, YouTubers, school. Then ask
them to write outside the figure in a different colour pen how are they influenced and what does this influence look like?
On the outside of the figure write ‘What ways does God influence them?’ • Yes, no, maybe questions: I am confident to talk openly about my faith and God; I get embarrassed talking about God; I
don’t really know what to say about God; I wonder what people will think of me; Talking about God is important to me.
Use this discussion to explore some of the barriers to talking about God and faith - let those in your group encourage each
other and grow in confidence.
• Further questions to explore include: How do our friends want us to live? How do our parents/families want us to live?
How does media/social media want us to live? How does God want us to live? Recognising that God equips us to live lives
of freedom where we and others can grow.
• Or you can use a continuum line - The group stand and visualise an imaginary line across the room. One end of the line
is ‘agree’ and the other ‘disagree’ and the children and young people select themselves where they stand. They can change
where they stand at any time during the conversation. The question is: ‘God influences me a lot?’ Agree/disagree.
Ask the children and young people at the ‘agree’ end/’disagree’ end or in the middle: why have they chosen to stand where
they are. This activity can also be used in an intergenerational context. Or you can use Yes, No or Maybe and members of
the group choose to stand by one of the answers.
• Wisdom, strength, patience, joy, resilience - Write each one these words out on a separate large piece of paper. Ask the
group to draw or write their understanding of these words or a definition of these words on the sheets of paper.
Think and write names of who they know has these qualities. When did we last notice them in ourselves?
• Select modern-day dilemmas for young people to discuss and how they could affect someone’s ability to exhibit wisdom,
strength, patience, joy or resilience. Some examples could be: bullying, fighting, drops litter, writes a mean comment on a
social media post.
• Write words on a ball – Pass the ball around the group and when the facilitator says ‘stop’ the holder makes up a story using
the first word they see.
Chapter 2
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and
let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
(Extract from v6-7, New Living Translation (NLT))
Children and Young People
• Root Search – Take the group for a short stroll near to where you meet. Ensure you get all the permissions you need before
going out as well as the other safety checks required. A local park or play area is ideal. Play ‘Go Find’ in pairs either by calling
out the different things or providing a list or place for them to record their responses. Ideas for the ‘Go Find’ list are:
something that has roots that go a long way down; something that has roots near the surface; something you can see the
roots of; something that doesn’t have roots. Afterwards share what they found and discuss why roots are important.
• The idea of our roots growing down into Jesus might seem a strange image. Talk about how we might do this – we don’t
actually have to plant ourselves in the ground!
Intergenerational Idea
God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. This message was kept secret for
centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory
of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
(Extract from v25-28, New Living Translation (NLT))
God knew us from the very beginning. But kept one gift back as He got to know us and we got to know God. When Christ was born,
He chose to reveal this gift to us.
Intergenerational Idea
• Plant runner beans or sunflower seeds together by providing pots and compost to put them in. Encourage different ages to work
together. Talk about what we need to do to care for them and how could we best do this as a church family? Draw parallels with
how we put our roots down into Jesus. Wonder together about how might God ‘water’ us or ‘shine sunlight’ into our lives?
• As the plants grow return to them occasionally to check progress and see if they need planting out or staking up as they
grow taller. Discuss that sometimes in life we need God to ‘prop us up’ a bit like the plants, maybe when life is hard. Invite
some people of different ages to come and share if they’ve had an experience like this and how it was for them to know God
in the middle of it. It would be worth considering asking them to prepare their short testimony in advance.
So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere
human teachings. (Extract from v20-22, New Living Translation (NLT))