Help for Young Life Leaders NOW

I am part of a team that trains the student staff in our YL region and I was talking to them last week about the book of John. In our region we are focusing on the book of John this year. One of the unique features of the book of John is the “I Am” statements. As you may know, when Moses encountered the Lord in the burning bush and asked the Lord what to tell people as His name, the Lord replied “I Am Who I Am” (Exodus 3:14). So when we are reading through the book of John we find the author using this phrase “I am” as an important tool to communicate Jesus’ divinity and the Lord’s identity. As I was teaching this I gave our student staff some ideas about how to utilize these in club talks, campaigner talks, team devotionals, etc. Here are a couple of them:

1. I am… the bread of life (John 6:35)

Just like our need for food, Jesus is the food we need for life. I suggested using a loaf of bread as an illustration to talk about how we need food and what happens when we are hungry or don’t have food. A few of the Wyldlife leads said they thought this object lesson would work well with their kids. 

2. I am… the light of the world (John 8:12, 9:5)

Throughout scripture we see a contrast of the “light” and the “dark”. It starts in Genesis and works its way all the way through. I recall my leader, Kathy Mason, doing a talk when I was in high school when she turned off the lights during her talk to illustrate what it is like in the dark. This would be a good time to talk about what it is like when you don’t know what to do, when you aren’t sure where to go for help, when you don’t have answers, when you feel alone, and more. Then, after it almost gets uncomfortable and people’s eyes are getting adjusted to the dark (which is another illustration you can use), turn on a flashlight and talk about Jesus being the “light” of the world. Jesus lights up dark places, shows us the world around us as it really is, shows us who God is, allows us to even see who we really are, etc. There is a lot you can do with this!

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At summer camp we get to hear from some great speakers who are gifted, experienced and who have put a lot of time, prayer and study into the messages. It would be great if we could list some of the best illustrations or examples that we heard in the club talks this summer. It could be really useful for our club talks during the school year.

While I was at camp, the speaker used “cardboard testimonies” near the end of the week to illustrate the change that can happen when Jesus comes into your life. A person would come out with a piece of cardboard and on one side it would say something from their past (ex: fatherless), and then they would flip it over and it would say what has happened since then (ex: heavenly father). I thought this was an excellent illustration for those who were considering starting a relationship with Jesus.

What did you see this summer that was good? Put it in the comments on this post.

I’m speaking at a junior high summer camp in a several weeks. I want a theme to tie it all together. I’m thinking Transformers (i.e. Jesus can transform people). I loved them as a kid and I think junior high students like them quite a bit too (based off conversations with some of my junior high friends).

I have a 7 talk outline already drafted, but I would love some of your ideas before I post mine (and possibly limit your unlimited collective creative potential).

Any ideas for illustrations, Bible stories, ideas to communicate sin, cross, resurrection, accepting Christ, discipleship, etc.??

I had the privilege to be with all of the camp speakers this summer. As part of this time they compiled their best talk illustrations. Many of them are time-tested ones many are familiar with. There were dozens of these. There were five that really stood out to me and I want to share them with you in this series of posts. I am also trying them in my club so I know how they work. I’ve used two so far, I’ll be using more soon.

Blood Diamond – I am your father who loves you

This clip needs some setup. Blood Diamond is a movie that highlights the illegal trade of diamonds. In the midst of chaos, rebels abduct children and brainwash them to kill people. In this scene the son is supposed to shoot his father. Then the father says these words:

What are you doing?
I know they made you do bad things.
You are not a bad boy.
I am your father
Who loves you
You will come home with me and…
be my son again

I am not a crier, but this one gets me every time. The richness of those words minister to me. Our job is to translate this to our friends. This could be part of a sin message or a cross message or an appropriation message.

Next week I am doing a person of Christ message. I might do the woman caught in adultery (John 8). I’ll let you know how it goes.

I had the privilege to be with all of the camp speakers this summer. As part of this time they compiled their best talk illustrations. Many of them are time-tested ones many are familiar with. There were dozens of these. There were five that really stood out to me and I want to share them with you in this series of posts. I am also trying them in my club so I know how they work. I’ve used two so far, I’ll be using more soon.

TOM BRADY – “There’s got to be more than this…”

Watch this interview from 60 minutes. The last minute is the most useful.

I used a version of this video in my club talk a few weeks ago. Here was my main point…

You can do incredible things, but without Christ you will never be satisfied.

In my introduction I told a story of when I got my first birdie in golf. It was an incredible moment but there was no one around to witness it. It felt hollow, I wish someone was there to see it. It was so close yet so far from being an amazing thing.

Then I told them I wanted to describe a similar situation. I told them the story of the Rich Young Ruler in Matthew 19. He went away sad because there was one thing missing in his life, giving up control.

Then I said I want to close by describing someone who is rich, young and rules in what he does every day. Then I listed his anecdotes without saying his name…

• Played in four Super Bowls, winning three of them
• Won two Super Bowl MVP awards (XXXVI and XXXVIII)
• Four Pro Bowls
• Holds the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a single regular season.
• Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year, in 2005.
• He also helped set the record for the longest consecutive win streak in NFL history with 21 straight wins over two season
• In 2007, he became the first quarterback to lead a team to a 16-0 regular season.
• He was named “Sportsman of the Year” by The Sporting News for the second time in his career.
• He was also named the NFL MVP in 2007
• Male Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press
• Dating a Brazillian super model
• Makes over $8 million dollars per year

I asked them, do you know who this is? They knew, Tom Brady. Then I played the video.

I closed by saying, look it was true for the man that Jesus encountered 2000 years ago, it is true for Tom Brady today, you can do incredible things, but without Christ you will never be satisfied.

I had the privilege to be with all of the camp speakers this summer. As part of this time they compiled their best talk illustrations. Many of them are time-tested ones many are familiar with. There were dozens of these. There were five that really stood out to me and I want to share them with you in this series of posts. I am also trying them in my club so I know how they work. I’ve used two so far, I’ll be using more soon.

THE LADDER

In this illustration you use a ladder to illustrate how people try to climb to the top in life or in Christianity or really anywhere. You have a ladder in your club talk. This is how I used it last Monday…

I told a story about how my dad has been absent and has a lot to make up in my life. I then transitioned into Zaccheus (Luke 19). It worked great because he was short and had to climb the tree. When I read that part I climbed the ladder and talked about how all of Zaccheus’ stealing left him with a lot work on in his life.

Then I told them how a lot of us feel like being a Christian has to do with going up and down based on our actions. I went to church this week (climb two steps up), but I cheated on my test (climb two steps down). I went on Work Crew (climb three steps up), but this weekend I was out of control (climb three steps down), and so-on, you get the point.

I then continued the story and highlighted that when Jesus wanted to eat at his house, what Jesus wanted was a relationship. I noted that Jesus didn’t immediately ask him to stop stealing. An ongoing relationship with Christ is more important than how high or low you are on the ladder.

I also took a brief moment to say that the ladder only counted when Jesus went up high on a cross (I climbed to the top) and gave up his life for ours (I spread out my arms like being on a cross).

It had the potential to be an A+ talk but for some reason I felt like I didn’t do a very good job, maybe a C+.

Let me know what you think about this…