By Sheri Clemmer, Administrative Secretary, General Conference Stewardship Department
Summary: Two books with hundreds of active, guided experiences for youth Bible study. The editors suggest a variety of activities—learning games, creative readings, adventures, object lessons, skits, retreat suggestions, creative prayers, and parties—to motivate the young student of the Word.
It is your turn to lead out in the youth division next Sabbath. You\ve worked with the same group of kids before and so you know what will work and what won\t. After reviewing the material provided by your church, you just know this won\t work! So you frantically start looking for alternate material. You need something that will start a discussion. You need something that will stir excitement. You need something that will keep them occupied for 20 minutes. But you also need something that deals with the same topic or scriptural reference they have studied all week. Sound familiar? What do you do? Where do you start searching?
You won\t have to go very far if you have access to these two volumes—Youth Worker\s Encyclopedia of Bible Teaching Ideas: Old Testament and New Testament. Created by some of the most innovative minds in youth ministry, this collection of ideas is up-to-date and speaks in ways that your youth can understand and relate to.
Using this collection of ideas is easy. First, find your topic or scripture in the index, then choose your teaching idea, and watch your kids get the message! Many of the topics relate to stewardship—living in the light, leaning on God, materialism, gifts and talents, relationship with God, friendship with God, giving, God goes with us, God uses what we have, etc.
These hands-on ideas fit any group setting—Bible study, Sabbath School class, or retreat. You will find lots of new ways to liven up your group. Within these two books are hundreds of active, guided experiences from which your youth will gain a deeper understanding of the Bible. Well aware that each youth group is different from the other, the editors suggest a variety of activities—learning games, creative readings, adventures, object lessons, skits, retreat suggestions, creative prayers, and parties! After a dose of Bible teachings from these books, your kids will never think of the Bible as boring again. Instead, they will learn to embrace and apply its truths into their lives.