Hot topic of the week

im wondering. if you do something and you know you were not supposed to do it. like i know im not suppose to lie and other things, but say i did it anyway. does God still forgive you? even when you delibratly disobey him.

What do YOU think?

Click here join in the discussion.

Most Commented Articles

The Other You (7)
01.12.08

Wheel Trouble (5)
09.29.07

Saved (4)
10.13.07

Practical Purity (4)
02.09.08

Fight Every Temptation (3)
01.26.08

Youth Leaders

Go Deeper

Dig deep into God's Word and plans for us with these discussion starters.

Seeking the Lost. Compare the parables of God seeking the lost in Luke 15. Which ones does your group relate best to? In the parable of the prodigal son, which son was more lost--the one who left home and partied, or the one who stayed home, and begrudged the experience?

Faith Rewarded. Invite someone from your congregation to share a personal experience of how God rewarded their faith. Then complete the text "and hearing by the word of God" by studying one of the famous faithfuls of Hebr /ews 11. Delve deeply into the lives of Abraham, Joseph, and Moses. (From Activities That Build Teens Faith, by Crystal Earnhardt, Cornerstone Youth Resources, 1st Quarter 1998, pp. 44-45.)

Bible or Bust. Read the entire Bible (66 books) in 66 days. Do this by reading a book a day! Divide each book into sections and have each person in the group read their portion for that day (on their own). Be sure to take notes for when your group gathers. Meet once a week during the 10 week time period to discuss what you've been reading, to encourage one another, to pray, and to expand your horizons with Scripture. (From Steve Case's Program Ideas)

The Top 10 Songs. The top songs in the nation are usually listed in the newspaper each week. Get the words to as many of them as you can and read the lyrics (available on the internet or in music magazines) aloud to the class. Then discuss:

1. What messages are the songs relating to society?
2. How does the lifestyle they promote compare to biblical teachings?
3. How can they benefit society?

(Adapted from "Secular Music," by Crystal Earnhardt, in Cornerstone Connections Teachers Quarterly, fall 1997, pp. 15.)

Compare the visions of Daniel (Chapters 2 and 7). How are they similar? How are they different? In chapter 2, God gives a vision to a pagan, and shows him an idol. In Daniel 7God gives a vision to someone who already knows him, and starts with a scene that echoes stories of creation and the flood. Finally, explore the meaning of judgment as depicted in chapter 7. Explain that in biblical times, judges always took the side of the accused, and compare the modern role of judges to those in the Bible book of Judges, who saved Israel from its enemies.

Compare some Old Testament stories in the first few chapters of 2 Kings with similar New Testament stories. For example, compare Elisha's feeding (2 Kings 4:42-44) and the feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:15-21); or what about the widow's oil that kept pouring (2 Kings 4:1-7) and Jesus' promise of never ending water (John 4:13-15; Revelation 22:17); open and closed eyes (2 Kings 6:15-23) and other blind ones (John 9:13-23, 35-41). You can also find raising the dead and healing lepers in Elisha's time and the same with Jesus. (From Steve Case's Program Ideas)

Telling God What to Do. Have you ever felt the need to get God to do something because things weren't going too well for you? When Israel suffered defeat from the Philistines, the elders decided to get extra help by taking the ark into their next battle (see 1 Samuel 4:1-4). But their next defeat was even worse (see verses 10-11, 18, 21). List times when you wish God would help you more. Note how God is able to take care of Himself (see 1 Samuel 5:1-6:16). Compare this with Matthew 6:31-33. (From Steve Case's Program Ideas)

Impossible Problems. Ask the class which problems seem impossible to solve. Discuss why they seem impossible. Review the following process for determining solutions. (Be sure to differentiate between a problem and the result of a wrong choice.)

1. Define the problem.
2. Determine all possible choices.
3. Project the probable and possible results of each choice.
4. Choose the best possible solution. (Sometimes the result of a wrong choice creates new problems with no good solutions, only best-possible ones.)

(From Overcoming Dilemmas by Fran Seton, in Cornerstone Teacher's Guide, 2nd Quarter 2000, p. 19.)

Picturing Heaven. Have your group members bring in things that demonstrate what they're looking forward to about heaven. What does heaven mean to them? How do they picture it? Is it a place where they can fulfill their wildest dreams, or do they picture it as boring and mundane? Read about heaven in Revelation 21-22 and Isaiah 65:17-25.What do verses such as "They shall build houses and inhabit them, they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit" tell us about life in the New Earth?

Strength in Crisis. According to Proverbs 24:10 (NIV), "If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength." The TEV reads, "If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed." List some typical crisis that young people face. Then list typical responses they make. Are these weak responses? What are examples of strong responses to these crises? If the right thing to do is to turn to God during a crisis, give specific ways individuals could do that in the crises that have been presented. You could make this a testimony time or even role play the situations. (From Steve Case's Program Ideas)

Funny Stuff. Does God have a sense of humor? Why the giraffe, the baboon, or the platypus? Ask people to recall Bible stories that indicate the unexpected or unusual. Why walk around Jericho 7 days in a row? How often do you have arguments with donkeys? With Proverbs 17:22 as your prescription, set guidelines of not laughing at another person's expense; look for the joy of the unexpected in life--and laugh! (From Steve Case's Program Ideas)

Fruits of the Spirit? Read about the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:22,23. Then look at some advertisements from tv or magazines. What "fruits of the spirit" do the ads promise to give in exchange for our money? What are the ads promising that only God can give? What spiritual fruits do the ads ignore entirely?

Prophet, Priest, and King. God's people in Old Testament times were looking for the Messiah, the Anointed One. This miracle person would function in all three of the top roles for God's people--prophet, priest and king. Study the desert temptations of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). It's not obvious on the surface, but remember that Moses wrote that God would send another leader like him (Deut. 18:15). Compare this with John 6:1-15 (prophet vs. 14; priest vs. 11; king vs. 15). What are our temptations to be prophet, priest and/or king? (From Steve Case's Program Ideas)

Inside--Or Out? Bring a selection of the most "repulsive" foods you can find. Whether it's cow's tongue, chocolate-covered cockroaches, their high school cafeteria's mystery meat, or durian fruit (which looks like a cantaloupe with thorns and smells like rotten eggs, but--I'm told--tastes deliciously sweet), see how much people would have to be paid to have a taste. Then discuss the meaning of clean and unclean in Matthew 15, particularly Jesus' words in verse 11: "What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'" Is sin something that happens on the outside, or the inside?

I Spy . . . Study Deuteronomy 1:19-46--the story of the spies who checked out Canaan and gave their report, the majority's influence that the Israelites followed, and the results. Role play the story. Note what is true and what is exaggerated. Compare what is known and what is unknown. How does God fit into the equation? Next, spend some time reflecting on current and personal giants and impossibilities. Role play these in the same way the Israelites would respond. How can your faith increase? (From Steve Case's Program Ideas)

Grace--Pass It On. Act out the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:23-35. Have different people play the various roles. Then discuss--If Christ has forgiven us of our massive debt to Him, how should we treat those who hurt us? How can we extend grace to even the worst offenders? How should we live in light of Jesus' forgiveness?

Radical Service. Get a group of youth together and study servanthood as demonstrated by Jesus in John 13. Then, go as a group to your church board or your board of elders and ask them what you can do to better serve the needs in your church-- the church members, church facilities, or the mission of your church. They might not have any idea of what to do, or they may come up with seemingly meaningless things to do. Persist. Are you ready to be a faithful servant? (From Steve Case's Program Ideas)