The Young Life Leader Blog

You can win a Spikeball set by emailing us your best Run-on/Walk-on skit ideas by this Friday, Dec. 11th. Include a pic and/or video, repeater lines, theme music, and any instructions on how to steal your idea. We'll collect the best ideas and share them in early January.

Below is an example of what we're looking for. It was shared with us by Natalie Betts, a volunteer leader in Burlington, NC.

YouTube Vloggers

The Characters
Our characters are Vicky and Valorie, annoying middle schoolers aspiring to be YouTube sensations. We started each week sitting in front of our video camera as if we were filming a “vlog.” (vlog = video blog)

We said:

“Hello Internet!

I’m Vicky.

And I’m Valorie, your favorite YouTube vloggers! You’ve seen the cat videos. You’ve seen the makeup tutorials. You’ve seen the whip. You’ve seen the nae nae, but you’ve never seen anything like this!

Ready, set, action – hashtag viral!”

In week one we emphasized that we wanted to be famous YouTube vloggers—that we were going to create the ultimate YouTube video that would instantly go #viral.

(Many of our lines ended with some sort of hashtag, similar to the Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake video, “Hashtag”)

We created a YouTube channel and Twitter and had kids follow us - updating the account every couple days.

We showed a video that we “created” and was sure to go viral. The catch was that we stole the video from another YouTube account and it had already gone viral. Think the classics - Charlie Bit My Finger, Girl Burns her Hair Off, Evolution of Dance, etc.

Our straight man called us out and we promised to come back the following week with an original video that was sure to go viral.

The following weeks, we did the same, stealing another famous video, claiming it was ours, and being called out on our bluff. We were #ashamed.

Throughout these clubs, I was filming footage of kids at club dancing, having fun, doin’ their thing. This was all with the plan of putting a real video together to show the final week of the run on - something funny but that would mostly show kids, making them feel special.

Around this time, the song “Sorry” by Justin Beiber was released - and we knew we had to use it to “apologize to our fans” (kids at club) for stealing all the videos.

So we made a music video, changing the lyrics to the song and adding our own twist. It was really fun and pretty simple to make! Kids thought it was hilarious, and will hopefully show it to their friends! Hope you like it!

Guest post written by, Julie Clapp, WyldLife Coordinator - Southern Division.

If there ever was a group of kids looking for something to do over Christmas break, it’s your WyldLife friends. They’re dependent on others for transportation and may not have money of their own to spend. So when a WyldLife leader calls and invites them to hang out, most of them will jump at the chance!

Some experienced WyldLife leaders shared their ideas for spending time with middle school kids over the holidays:

Decorate Christmas cookies. You could even package the cookies and deliver them to committee members. (Just be ready to clean up sprinkles for days.)

Go bowling with a small group of kids. You’ll get great time to talk – and you’ll probably laugh some too!

Attend a Christmas parade in your community.

Host a pajama party. Watch Elf, drink hot chocolate and have a Christmas sock exchange. (Each girl brings a wrapped pair of socks. Draw numbers and trade socks White Elephant style.)

Take kids geocaching.

Adopt an angel. After choosing a child in need from a Salvation Army tree (or another local charity), take kids to the store to buy clothes, toys and wrapping paper.

Go Christmas caroling in the neighborhood.

Plan a snowball fight. (You can even do this somewhere like Texas – just order “snowballs” from a local shaved ice company.) Decorate WyldLife Christmas ornaments. You’ll find all kinds of ornaments at your local craft store or online that can be decorated with Sharpies – no messy paint needed.

Play paintball, drive go-karts or jump around at a trampoline park. They’ve got the energy for any (or all) of these.

Take kids Christmas shopping. A trip to the mall without their parents is a huge win.

Thanks to Abby Acree, Katie Burnett, Mary Ann Henderson, Cindy Hunter, Emily Johnson, Lindy Schiel and Kasey Scott Van Etten for the great ideas!

Guest post submitted by Jacob Raitz, Area Director in Bandera, TX.

If you don't already know about it, there's a new creative messaging app called Ditty.

How does it work?

You type whatever text you want, pick your music and Ditty sings your message for you. They have some good free ones, however, you can buy current popular songs for .99 each (i.e. Stitches, Trap Queen, GDFR, etc.)

Check out the one Jacob made for free below to get an idea about how you could use it to promote club.

And here's another one we made for Christmas club.

This is the 8th week in our Sunday series, "Running on Empty," by Fil Anderson. If you've missed the first 7, catch up here:

Part 8: Keeping Company with God

During the fall of an election year, I was invited to speak on prayer to a group of university students. On the same night a presidential debate was taking place on their campus. As I approached my destination, I began to see the extraordinary safety measures being taken to protect the two candidates. Police officers, Secret Service agents, and other law-enforcement personnel were positioned just about everywhere.

Observing this impenetrable shield of protection, I was struck by the contrast between it and my unrestricted access to God. This Holy Other, this Lover of my soul, invites me to share in continual and unguarded dialogue with Him. Nonetheless, I struggle with prayer.

Some of my difficulty is that I’m often in a hurry; and God never hurries. I also want to be in control. I want God to move at the pace I set. I much prefer prayer to be like driving through the pickup lane at a fast-food restaurant. I want to place my order, drive around and be handed, in a convenient package, exactly what I ordered. (Ordered is an intriguing word to use when speaking with God, don’t you think?) If there are two things I don’t like, it’s having to wait and not getting what I order.
Prior to offering His friends a model prayer known today as The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus said:

“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to roleplay before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace”(Matt. 6:6).

We’d be foolish to ignore Jesus’ straightforward wisdom. He eliminates any doubt about whether He wants us to pray by saying, “Here’s what I want you to do.” Then he focuses on where to pray. I don’t believe He’s saying there are places where prayer cannot occur. However, the setting can be an enormous help or hindrance. Cozy, quiet, removed, and comfortable are words that come to mind when I’m considering the ideal setting for getting away together.

Beyond the setting, it’s important to consider the form of prayer and the substance it reflects. Openness and vulnerability are crucial. So is availability, however, sometimes the simple act of “being there” is the greatest challenge. So much of my life is focused either on the past or the future. Yet, prayer requires us to be in the present moment.

Just as it’s easiest to learn a foreign language when we’re forced to speak it, we learn most about how to pray when we’re praying. And there are as many ways to pray as there are moments in a day. Every moment is a moment for some kind of praying and every form of prayer is acceptable. How we pray isn’t as important as that we pray. The saints don’t teach us a specific form for prayer; they simply teach us to pray.

The Scriptures chronicle an endless variety of forms and styles and approaches to prayer. Some prayed in sacred places and on secular streets. Some prayed with the language of angels while others stuttered and stammered. Walking, wobbling, or wallowing; standing, kneeling, or dancing they offered their prayers. Speaking their own words, using other’s words, or without words, they prayed. Raising their hands, clenching their fists, or clasping their hands in humility, they prayed. With full or empty stomachs, with full or empty hearts, they talked with God.

Perhaps the most important prayer we will ever pray is: “God, give me the desire to pray.” On other days it might be: “God, give me the desire for the desire to pray.”

Points to Ponder

What forms of prayer are most natural and meaningful to you? Which ones seem to rob you of motivation?
How open and honest are you with God? Do you find it difficult to be yourself God? Do you find yourself trying to hide things from God?
How would you like to pray? Do you find it easier to maintain a habit if it’s something you find meaningful and enjoy?

Fil Anderson is a spiritual director, conference speaker, writer and retreat leader. He served on the Young Life staff for 25 years. Fil and his wife Lucie live in Greensboro, NC and are parents of 3 adult children. He is the author of Running on Empty: Contemplative Spirituality for Overachievers and Breaking the Rules: Trading Performance for Intimacy with God.

Young Life Staff,

During the YL75 Celebration in Orlando we're hosting a small gathering to discuss leader resourcing for the upcoming year. If you're interested in attending, email us here. Looking forward to connecting with you in January!

Drew Hill and the YLLB team

Guest post written by Mary Beth Witler, WyldLife staff, Argyle, TX.

While having lunch with another Young Life staff person, we talked about how to get parents more involved in WyldLife. Parents are almost always willing to help, but identifying how they can help is the kicker. So we thought, “Let’s make a group and call them Wyld Moms. They will love it!” After all, who doesn’t want a shirt that says “Wyld Mom”? We kicked the group off last year and have seen it provide all kinds of new ideas and resources for our WyldLife ministry.

Here’s how you can have Wyld Moms in your area:

Where
Find a mom who is involved in the school/community. A key parent is important as the host because she will be part of the reason parents come. Ask the host if she is willing to provide a few snacks so you don’t have to worry about providing food. When someone asks me, “What can I bring”, I take them up on the offer!

When
I have found that parents can be involved in too many areas, and they don’t need another weekly or monthly obligation. We decided to meet once at the beginning of each semester so I could let them in on our upcoming plans. The first time, we gathered for an hour - I didn’t want to overwhelm them, but also wanted to make it worthwhile. The chitchat made the meeting a little long so the next time, we planned a slightly longer meeting. I want to respect their time, so my goal is to finish when we say we will.

I have found that there are fewer conflicts later in the evening, so we met from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Talk with parents to see what nights and times work for them. There’s no point in picking a time that works for you if it isn’t good for parents. Don’t be afraid to ask.

What
What should the meeting look like - casual or formal? Look at your area and see what’s the best fit for you. In my area we are somewhere in the middle. Structured, but fun with everyone involved. Here’s an example of the night’s agenda with explanations.

The night starts with mingling and snacks - this is your opportunity to talk with moms and get to know them. When they arrive, each person fills out a nametag and a Wyld Moms Interest Form. After everyone has arrived and mingling is dying down, we gather in the living room. I then go through the agenda above. We finish the night with prayer. Often a few moms stick around to talk more. Be bold and start conversations with moms. It can be intimidating at the beginning, but eventually you will be a natural.

Wyld Moms is a great way to connect with moms in your area! So many great ideas have come from my moms, and I am glad I gave them the opportunity to step in and help.

Follow this link for more helpful Wyld Moms material.

Guest post submitted by Keith Baker, Area Director in Western Douglas County, CO

For our Christmas area party I asked everyone attending to bring a wrapped or bagged Christmas ornament. Toward the end of the evening, I asked everyone to stand in a circle and hold their wrapped ornament and then pass it to either the right or left when they hear the word “right" or “left.”

Historically on the way out the door, I’ve jumped on the internet and found a quick story to print off. This year I had an idea that I should write my own, a Young Life party version. You can download a copy of the story I wrote, here. Feel free to edit and use in your own area.

At our Christmas Club I had the privilege of giving the final talk of the semester. During most of my talk I held up this creepy looking Elf doll.

When I asked who had an ‘Elf on the Shelf’ in their house, over half the room raised their hands. If you’re not familiar with this interesting little fad, The ‘Elf on the Shelf’ is a Christmas doll that parents of young children use to coax their kids into behaving properly through the holidays. Parents will place the elf in different parts of the house where he can keep an eye on all that goes on in the house, even when the parents aren’t watching. Parents generally tell their kids to be on their best behavior because “the elf is watching you.” Creepy, huh?

As the story goes, the Elf on the Shelf is a family’s “personal elf” sent by Santa himself to keep an eye on the family’s behavior during the holiday season. Each night from Thanksgiving to Christmas, the elf will report back to Santa with either a good or a bad progress report. This determines whether you make it onto the “naughty” or the “nice” list.

So, the moral of the story is this: Don’t screw up in front of the elf, or no presents for you.

It’s a funny tradition, but sadly falls right in line with the lie so many of our high school friends believe about God. It makes sense that we’d throw God in the same box as all our other relationships. If we don’t perform well on the playing field, we can kiss playing time goodbye. If we get caught cheating in the classroom, we get a bad grade. If we show up late to work, we get fired. If we disobey our parents, we get punished.

It’s how the world works. If you get caught messing up, you don’t get rewarded. You get coals in your stocking.

It’s how many of our high school friends view God.

If I behave.
If I go to church.
If I only go to second base with my girlfriend.
If I don’t cuss as much as the other guys on my team.

... then I’ll be all good. God will accept me, because at least I’m better than ‘that guy.’

In all my years of youth ministry, this “Elf on the Shelf” theology is the most common lie I hear kids believing. If I can perform well enough and behave properly, then I’ll be able to earn God’s favor. It’s a recipe for sadness. It’s a recipe for failure.

Our God is the opposite of the Elf on the Shelf. Jesus isn’t waiting for us to screw up so he can condemn us. It’s when we fail that He seems to even love us more. John 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

My 18 month old son got a bad cold last week. He was pitiful. I should’ve stayed away from him because I had a busy week and couldn’t afford to catch his sickness. But I couldn’t stay away from him. He’s my boy. When he was sick and snotty, that’s when he needed me most. Did I hold him close and catch his sickness? Of course I did. He’s my son.

On the cross Jesus took on our sickness, our sin, and in exchange, He gave us a love we did not deserve. God doesn’t sit on a shelf and watch us with condemning eyes, waiting for us to sin. He watches us with the loving eyes of a perfect Heavenly Father. And when we do sin, when we’re at our very worst, He enters in, holds us, and reminds us of the cross.

It’s a love unlike anything the world offers.
It’s a love that says, “When you deserved nothing more than a coal in your stocking, I overflowed your life with forgiveness and grace.”
It’s a love not dependent upon our good works, but upon His work on the cross.
Where else can you find a love like that?

This post was co-authored by Tim Branch& Drew Hill and originally posted in 2014.

This is the 9th week in our Sunday series, "Running on Empty," by Fil Anderson. If you've missed the first 8, catch up here:

Quite a few years have passed since a dear friend laid me bare with a penetrating observation. “Fil,” he said, “you are all the time quoting authors who have influenced your life…but you rarely mention the Bible.” His truthful words hurt, and even today I feel their sting. But along with the sadness and shame came eventual healing and change. That night, through my friend, I heard the call for change.

I typically read the Bible every day, but I had taken a pragmatic and ultimately neurotic approach to reading. What I needed was a way of reading that would move me concretely from my over-reliance on fact-finding and information-gathering. I was in need of an approach, consisting of more than filling in the blanks and answering questions that fed my desire to be in control. My need was for a day-in-and-day-out experience of God.

Part 9: A Particular Kind of Reading

Soon I began to discover a particular kind of Bible reading that’s most congruent with the type of words in the Bible; powerful, living and transformative words; intended to work their way deep into our lives. The leader of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther acknowledged their power when he said, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me, it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it grabs hold of me.” Before him, Paul encouraged Christ followers to, “Let the Word of Christ—The Message—have the run of the house—give it plenty of room in your lives” (Col. 3:16).

How we read the Bible is as important as that we read it and the ancient method I’ll explain is a powerful catalyst for transformation. Follow this path and you’ll experience a deeper, richer and more intimate life with God. It consists of four movements that will slowly but surely ignite a spiritual revolution in your life.

First, select a brief Scripture passage (PS 23, 119:9-11; MT 6:7-8, 11:28-30; Romans 8:35-39). Remember that this kind of reading is not for distance but for depth. What’s important isn’t on how much you read but how deeply. Also, make sure you neither hurry nor worry. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you. Don’t let your reading become striving. Don’t try gaining new insights; instead maintain an inner posture of openness and receptivity to God. This way of reading is designed to take us out of the place of being in control and train us to wait and listen for the voice of God, since He is the only One capable of properly guiding and shaping our lives.

A Simple and Clear Path to Follow…

Read…the verses you’ve chosen several times. You may find it helpful to read aloud (if you’re in a place where you can). Read slowly and prayerfully, gently looking and listening for words that draw your attention, either through attraction or resistance. Notice the words or phrases that stand out. Once you’ve selected a word or phrase to focus your attention on you’re ready to move on.
Reflect…on the word or words you’ve chosen (or perhaps that chose you). As you ponder the word or words, pay close attention to your thoughts and feelings. What is it about this word(s) that attracted you…or…why were you resistant? After you’ve “chewed on” the word(s) for a while you may realize that the word(s) have provoked a response within you …then it’s time to move on.
Respond…as openly and honestly as you can. Express to God, in whatever way is natural and meaningful; your thoughts, feelings, longings, frustrations, questions, doubts and fears. Don’t edit. Risk being vulnerable and real. After you’ve had your say, make sure you take some time to listen. When you’ve expressed to God whatever you wish to say and taken time to listen, then it’s time to move on.
Rest…Let go of all of your thoughts and feelings. Simply rest in God’s presence, remembering that prayerfully reading Scripture will lead our heart into the heart of God. Then someday our two hearts will beat in us as one.

The great British preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, “A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.” May this be so in your life and in mine! May our lives be shaped by the Living Word of God.

Considering your schedule, how can you structure your day so that regularly reading Scripture is more likely to occur?
What could you do to enable yourself to read Scripture with a more open and vulnerable heart and mind?

It's been an incredible 2015! Thanks to all of you who have been a part of this YL leader community! If you've not yet signed up for The YLLB Monthly Email List, click here.

The YLLB team is taking the rest of December off from blogging and will kick it back off in January with lots of ideas for the new semester. We hope to see many of you at YL75!

In the mean time we've posted some questions below for you to think about as you enter the new year. Maybe they're questions you'd like to answer personally, with your significant other, with your YL team, or with your Campaigners group. MerryChristmas& Happy New Year!

-Drew Hill, Stacey Greene, and The Young Life Leader Blog team

Download 'Questions For The New Year' Here

Questions From 2015

-The most fun times you can remember:
-Terms you would use to describe yourself over the past year:
-Memorable things you heard people say:
-Times when the Gospel came alive:
-People you came to appreciate in a new way:
-Music that touched you deeply:
-In what ways did you change?
-Sermons/talks that rocked your world:
-Movies that impacted you:
-Things that books taught you:
-The most compelling philosophical insights you encountered:
-Times when you entered a place of mystery:
-People who came through for you:
-Ways you messed up:
-Ways that you were magic:
-Times that God took you by surprise:
-The most stimulating discussions:
-Things you remember that you'd rather forget:
-The most difficult times:
-People who poured out their souls to you:
-Ways you were challenged:
-When everything was going wrong and suddenly turned out right:
-Your most significant accomplishments:
-What spiritual practices generated the greatest benefit to your soul:
-Was there any anger, guilt, greed or jealousy that needs to be resolved:
-Did you honor God with your finances and give generously?
-Did you cultivate your prayer life?
-How did you do as a father/mother?
-As a husband/wife?
-As a son/daughter?
-As a grandson/granddaughter?
-As a brother/sister?
-As a friend?
-If you were to give this past year a title, it would be:

Questions For 2016

-What hopes do you have for the coming year?
-What apprehensions do you have?
-What one change could you make in your behavior in this coming year that would help you to live in greater alignment with your values?
-What daring/thrilling things will you try?
-What would you like to change about yourself?
-If this new year is to have a title, what do you want it to be?
-If you knew now that this coming year would be your last year on earth, what would you do more/less of?
-What major things do you want to accomplish this coming year?
-Who do you want to get to know better this coming year?
-Any wild predictions about what will happen throughout this nation and the world?
-Who are the top ten relationships you intend to influence this year?
-How will you be more intentional with these people than in the past year?
-What has to happen in this coming year for you to label it “your best year yet?”
-What is the wildest, most unconventional thing you could do this next year to live with more passion?
-What out of the box thinking could you do in your job/ministry?
-How will you honor God with your finances this next year?
-In what specific areas will you give more generously?
-Who will hold you accountable to be at your best this next year?
-What are the most purposeful daily habits you could develop/upgrade over next 12 months?
-Identify specific messes or clutter projects you’d like to clean up in the next 12 months:
-Proverbs 22:1 says “A good name is more desirable than great riches.” Identify 3 qualities you’d like to see associated with your name as well as how you’d define each quality.
-How will you take better care of your health in this next year?
-What will you do to daily renew your mind?

Below is a great idea for starting off the new semester. It was shared by Lauren Bowen, volunteer leader in Rockingham County, VA.

Last year my YL team and I wanted kids to return to a warm welcome after us being apart over the holidays. The first club after Christmas break can be a challenge--making sure that we don't just put on an event, but that we reconnect with kids and continue to build relationships with them.

Our idea? "Ringin' in the New Year (a little late) with Young Life Club!"

We did it last January and kids LOVED it and definitely responded. We spent the first 30 minutes of club just hanging out to meet new kids and reconnect with the ones we already knew.

Club elements we included to ring in the new year:

A photo booth for the kids to take pictures. We encouraged kids to dress "Classy and Flashy!"
We asked Campaigner kids and their parents to bring an appetizer to share (It is essential to bring Campaigners in on this so they share responsibility and ownership of Young Life in their school)
We started club with the Times Square Ball Drop! We counted down together and went crazy with noise makers! So fun!
Instead of the usual songs, we did a "Best of 2014" mashup!
Since we opened the evening with a 30-minute hang out, we didn’t do a skit or run-on. We created a mixer instead! We split the kids into their grades. We gave them about 5 minutes to write a toast to represent the past year. Then one person from each grade presented the toast. It was fun, and a good laugh!
Lastly, my teammate, Terry, shared with the kids what Young Life was all about, why we wanted to get to know them, and that we welcome them to come hang out with us or talk about life anytime!

We rang in the new year with our first club centered on relationships, unity within the school, and Jesus. We can all toast to that. We hope this is idea is helpful and encouraging as you start club this semester. Happy 2016!

Guest post written by Rob O’Donnell and Perrin Duvall WyldLife Representatives | Eastern Division

Earlier this fall, we wrote a post highlighting Expectations for WyldLife High School Leaders.

Because we don’t live in a college town, most of our leaders in Virginia Beach are high school students. We asked a few of those young, new leaders about their first semester. Check out what they had to say - their maturity blows us away!

Why did you want to lead WyldLife?

“Middle school was hard for me. I wish I had had someone who walked alongside me so I want to be that for the students!”

“The influential time that kids are in during middle school is major. They can choose whether to pursue living fully with Jesus, or to pursue their own plans. Hopefully I can play a role in helping them choose well.”

“I just couldn't imagine all of the kids who are so lost, especially in middle school. I wanted to chase after middle schoolers like my leaders chased after me.”

What were your expectations as you began to lead WyldLife?

“I expected it to be more challenging than it really is. I realize that it's simply getting to know kids and getting the opportunity to share with them and pour into them.”

How has leading WyldLife drawn you closer to Jesus?

“It's definitely pushed me to reach people who others do not want to reach. It's really hard, but when you realize how much the middle schoolers just love being loved on, you begin to see that other people probably feel the same way. Jesus did this too, and I think by doing Wyldlife it has helped me understand more so what it is like to live like Jesus.”

“My leaders have stuck it in my brain that you can only take kids as far as you've gone. Leading WyldLife encourages me to learn more and more about Jesus.”

What will you do differently based on your experience this semester?

“I will definitely pursue relationship with girls even outside of club so that eventually our conversations will go deeper into what it means to be a young girl who is in love with and following Jesus.”

“Be more of a leader than a friend. Middle schoolers can be pretty crazy and it's definitely hard to determine when to be their friend and when to be their leader.”

What will you do the same based on your experience this semester?

“I think just being normal with them and first being their friend instead of seeming like a high and mighty leader really helps me relate to them, and them to be more open to me (while still being appropriate.)”

What would you tell a high school student who was considering leading WyldLife?

“It's a blast! Being able to impact someone else's life for Jesus is an adventure that you won't want to miss.”

“Think about how many times you heard the Gospel until you fully gave your life to Christ. Continue to chase after those kids and never stop.”

“I would tell them that it is definitely worth your time and that you truly benefit just as much or even more than the middle schoolers do. I would say that it's important to be able to commit because kids really see that you make time for them.”

Are there any other highlights that you would like to share from your first semester leading WyldLife?

“We've been praying for more guys this year and bigger numbers as far as how many kids come. And let me tell you, Jesus did provide, I think about 75 percent of our club is boys now. Huge gift and answer to prayer!”

“I was recently talking with the parents of middle schooler that I lead. The parents could not stop telling me how appreciative they were for myself and the other leaders and what we're teaching their son. They continued to tell me how their son was going through such a tough time but every Tuesday night he's a different kid. It makes you feel like what you're doing has a great purpose, and it does.”

We open each semester by giving Young Life talks about the person of Christ. Who is Jesus? What is He like? What does He reveal to us about God?

Below are 25 POC talk ideas.

1. Jesus Is Human, Yet Divine

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it as you say” Jesus replied. Matthew 26:63-64
The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. -John 1:14
God became man.
Jesus is God: Apologetics talk.

2. Jesus Came For The Sick

"The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost." - Luke 19:10, Mark 10:45
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. -Matthew 4:23

3. Jesus Was Authoritative, Yet Humble

They were amazed at his teaching, for he taught as one who had real authority- quite unlike the teachers of religious law. -Mark 1:22
Mark 2:1-12- Authority to forgive sin.

4. Jesus Hung Out With The Outcasts

That night, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with his fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners. The Pharisees were indigent, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” they asked his disciples. -Matthew 9:10-11

5. Jesus Was Angered By Hypocrisy

How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. -Matthew 23:27

6. Jesus Satisfies Our Desires

John 4- The woman at the well.
He quenches our thirst. He is the Living Water.

7. Jesus Is Unpredictable, Yet Reliable

He was not the king people expected. This talk could go many different directions. Here are some ideas.
Matthew 14:13-34 -Feeding the 5,000.
John 10:37-38 -Jesus puts his money where his mouth is.

8. Jesus Was Tempted In Every Way, Yet Without Sin

He faced all of the same temptations we do. -Hebrews 4:15
But you know that Jesus appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him there is no sin. -1 John 3:5

9. Jesus Made It Possible To Have A Relationship With God

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. -John 3:16-17

10. Jesus Made Nobodies Somebodies

Jesus chose disciples who were fisherman and outcasts. They weren't chosen by other Rabbis, they were the leftovers, the second string, the JV team.
Read Mark 1:14-20.
Here's another helpful article about the disciples.

11. Jesus Is Gentle, Yet Powerful

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me." -Matthew 19:14
Contrast with the miracles in Matthew 8

12. Jesus Can Sympathize With Our Struggles

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses. -Hebrews 4:15
He enters into our despair- John 5:1-9 (Pool of Bethsaida)

13. Jesus Understands Our Sadness

Jesus wept. -John 11:35
He is a Man of Sorrows. -Isaiah 53

14. Jesus Has Your Best Interest In Mind

In the story of Lazurus (John 11:1-46) it seems as if everything has gone wrong, but Jesus always has the big picture in mind. He turns broken things into something beautiful.

15. Jesus Wants To Be Your Friend

In Luke 19:1-10 we find the story of Zaccheus. God's desire to pursue a relationship with Zaccheus was not dependent on how good of a person Zach was. He didn't wait for Zach to come to Him, he pursued a relationship with him. Our worship of Jesus grows out of our friendship with Him.

16. Jesus Can Make You Clean Again

We find the story of Jesus healing the Leper in Mark 1:40-44, Matthew 8:2-4, & Luke 5:12-14.
Jesus has the power to cleanse us from physical and spiritual disease. He is moved with compassion for us.

17. Jesus Came To Give Us Life To The Full

John 10:10- Abundant life
Luke 5- So many fish it breaks the nets
Matthew 14:22-46- Peter walking on water.

18. Jesus Came To Defeat Evil

Mark 5:1-20- Demoniac

19. Jesus Came To Give Us Freedom

Luke 4:14-22
Isaiah 61:1-2

20. Jesus Isn't Who We Often Expect

He's the life of the party- John 2
Luke 5- Big catch of fish

21. Jesus Wants To Hear Our Story

Mark 5:21-43- Bleeding Woman

22. Jesus Fights For Us

Jesus clears the temple. He wants nothing to get in between us and God.
Luke 19:45-48, John 2:13-17, Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-19

23. Jesus Gives Us A Do-Over

John 4- The woman at the well

24. Jesus Was Persecuted Unfairly

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. - Matthew 26:59-60
He understands how it feels when you're treated unfairly.

25. Jesus Is In The Storm With You

He doesn't sleep through your storm.
Who is this that even the wind and waves obey Him?
Mark 4:35-41; Matthew 8:18, 23-27; Luke 8:22-25

Here are dozens of other helpful posts when preparing a club talk.

Also, I highly recommend investing $1.99 and picking up this book by Ty Saltzgiver.

If you're looking for run-on ideas for the new semester, check here. Below is a new idea, submitted by Kelsey Bohl, volunteer leader in Lancaster, OH. Credit goes to her friends in Southeast Indiana.

The Professors of Pyrotechnics

Jethro & Cletus wore jorts, (short jean shorts), boots, Mountain Dew shirts, American flag sunglasses, American flag bandana, and long wigs.

Norm wore a nerd outfit consisting mainly of a lab coat. However, eventually he started dressing like the other two.

Sky wore a Goodwill dress.

Find scripts for 7 weeks below:

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7

Entrance song and Exit song.

If you have a run-on idea to share, email us here. You never know what YL swag you might find in your mailbox if you submit an idea worth sharing!

OVER is my favorite app to make "Instagram flyers" for Young Life events.

It can be a little complicated to figure out so here is a 4 minute screen recording of how I use the app. An audio description starts immediately and the video demonstration starts at the 1:06 mark.

Transparent Backgrounds
When searching for images on your phone to use for your Insta-flyer, use Safari instead of the Google app. (Make sure in your 'Settings,' under 'Safari,' that your search engine is set to 'Google.')

In the Safari browser you can scroll to the rightand select 'Search Tools.' Under 'color,' select 'Transparent.' This will give you images you can lay over other images without having the background color included in the image. If that doesn't make sense, watch this video for more explanation.

The OVER app can be a little tricky to navigate at first. You can buy additional fonts and other graphic packages, but most of the ones you need are free. If you don't like using OVER, I also like 'Phonto.' Play around with it and if you get confused, ask one of your high school friends to help you, it'll be good contact work!

You can find lots of Young Life Instagram ideas here. Also, follow Jacob Raitz's YL Insta account: @TonightYesTonight.

Guest post written by Julie Clapp, WyldLife Coordinator - Southern Division.

Our regional director was cheering on his son at a middle school soccer game last year when he noticed a teacher cheering in the stands with him. He had heard that this long-time teacher had recently started teaching middle school again.

The teacher had been a well-liked and effective upper school teacher for several years, so Nick asked why he chose to return to the middle school classroom. His answer was simple, “These are the 1,000 days of significance.” This teacher believes that a child’s sixth, seventh and eighth grade years are the most formative in his life, and he wanted to be a part of those days.

So thank you to those of you who serve as WyldLife leaders. You are investing in kids during these crucial 1,000 days. It’s not an easy task God has called you to, but it is one that will have a significant and eternal impact in the lives of kids.

Thank you for being a chauffeur for kids who can’t drive.
Thank you for showing kids that they are worth the time you spend with them.
Thank you for cheering kids on as they learn to play football, volleyball and basketball.
Thank you for being steadfast when they love you one minute and ignore you the next.
Thank you for having another conversation about One Direction.
Thank you for leading 10-minute Campaigners lessons.
Thank you for getting to know parents so they’ll trust you with their kids.
Thank you for saying “hello” to kids who nobody else notices in the lunchroom.
Thank you for being patient during the inevitable drama that comes with a WyldLife slumber party or weekend camp.
Thank you for taking the consequences during club games so kids don’t have to be embarrassed.
Thank you for praying for kids.
Thank you for spending your own money when kids don’t understand tax and tips at restaurants.
Thank you for learning kids’ names when others forget them.
Thank you for spending your vacation days at WyldLife camp.
Thank you for consuming more than your fair share of Red Bull to match the energy level of your kids.
Thank you for being there when their feelings get hurt.
Thank you for listening to tangent after tangent after tangent after tangent…
Thank you for allowing Christ’s love to compel you to chase middle school kids.
Thank you for obeying God’s call to invest in these 1,000 days of significance.

Written by Suzanne Williams, Southern Division Capernaum Coordinator.

A man by the name of Stephen Handy said "all we need to change the world is a table and a cup." It sounds simple, but I think he’s on to something profound.

Handy goes on to talk about how we all drink something and that we can all come to the table. When people gather at a table, they tend to put their hearts on it. This, he says, isn’t an option if we want the world to change. It’s a must. Jesus went to the table, at times to eat with his friends and they were always changed, and then He went to die and be raised again. The table is no mediocre place for Jesus. Nor should it be for us. Handy goes on to say, “It is more critical to have a cup of coffee around the table than anything else we can do other than study the word of God together”.

Handy was talking about race. And yet, I couldn’t help but sub the word ‘race’ with ‘ability’ and ‘black’ for ‘disability’.

In Young Life, we long for every kid to know that the God of the Universe is madly in love with them. Every Kid. It was part of our slogan once, but we still say it because we mean it with every fiber of our hearts. The same hearts that pull up to the table with a cup of coffee, sitting across from people who are different than us because we know that if we sit at the table with only people who are similar to us, that we are missing something in the kingdom and our understanding of the gospel.

Yet, how do we do this? A few thoughts… sit at the table with people who are different than you and extend grace not only to yourself but to them. You’ll make mistakes and that’s ok. You may not know what to say at first and that’s ok. You won’t be perfect and that’s ok because you’re on a journey. Start with what you like about that person, it diffuses tension immediately when we learn about what other people love. It also helps us realize that we may have far more in common than we know.

Handy goes on to talk about Galatians, chapter 4 where we are reminded that all are children of God. Not some, not a few, not the white and able-bodied, but ALL. As he unpacks this passage he talks about how often God intentionally disrupts our paths, that our imaginations may be rekindled and our hearts aflame for His kingdom. When God disrupts our path, we have two choices:

We can acknowledge what He’s doing.
We can see it as invisible.

“People of color (sub disability here) are often seen as invisible, but we are made in the image of God and the likeness of Jesus and everyone deserves to be acknowledged in the name of the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit”.

May we be a mission that chooses to acknowledge and not a mission that chooses to make people invisible. Grab a cup of coffee this week with someone who is different from you. Then spend some time with your team considering what your club may need to adjust to welcome every kind of kid. Our lives and ministries will be richer for it.

Some of your areas have Family Camps coming up for this spring. Young Life Family Camp weekends are special and unique. My friend Kristin Leathers is on staff in Mt. Airy, NC and does a fabulous job speaking at Family Camp. I asked her to put together some thoughts that might be helpful for those of you who will be speaking to this specific audience. Thanks for sharing Kristin!

Speaking at Family Camp by Kristin Leathers

Family Camp is a unique setting in which to present the Gospel because of your audience. There is a huge range in spiritual maturity, age, experience with Young Life, etc. So who do you speak to? What do you present? What is the goal?

In outreach camping we put the cookies on the bottom shelf so that the farthest out kid can access the Gospel. At family camp it is important to put the cookies on several different shelves. Study your passage of scripture at length (using various tools) so that you are able to present it from various angles.

Present the Gospel.
It is tempting to consider a talk sequence that is “more advanced” than the Gospel. This is a misnomer. The Gospel is always the thing that transforms us (the awareness of our sin in conjunction with our awareness of His grace) no matter how long we have been walking with the Lord. Present it in a way that engages non-believers and believers.

Know your audience.
Call the trip leaders who are bringing families to gain some insight into your audience. What are they like? What are their growth edges? Have they experienced a lot of suffering lately? Are they active in their faith? What is the culture of young families like in their area? Take this into consideration when preparing your talks.

Consider imagery over visuals.
We often use a visual aid to help present the message to high school kids. This may also be effective on a family camp weekend. However, imagery may be a more suitable tool to use in a club with mostly adults.

Be vulnerable. Be real.
Your audience has most likely lived a good bit of life. They’ve experienced real loss, real disappointment, and potentially a real sense of disillusionment in their faith. To hear from a speaker who is talking AT THEM rather than WITH THEM will shut them down. They do not need to hear more of what they should do. They need to hear from someone who is seeking Jesus in the midst of the mess.

Dig right in.
Although we still do need to earn the right to be heard (adults have walls just like high school kids), let’s make the most of the opportunity and offer some real substance during the night 1 talk. Erring on the side of light and easy during that first talk may backfire.

Consider having a mini “say – so” at the end of the weekend.
Prepare a few key families ahead of time to share what the gospel means to them and share this at the end of talk 4, then opening up the floor to anyone else who may want to share.

Run-on Idea submitted by Eric DeVries, WyldLife leader in Eastern Ottawa, MI.

The premise of the skit was that Elsa ran a talent show from her basement. However, she would always get interrupted by her condescending brother, Catman, who owned too many cats. This skit would lead into a short skit where Elsa would have the kids show off their talent.

Elsa: Elsa wore a matching wind suit She was very excited and bubbly. Her catch phrase was, "Hi I'm Elsa! No not that Elsa... But maybe someday!" She would always tell a suspicious story about her increasing fame. (example: people knowing who she was at school or at a family reunion)
Elsa's intro and exit song was "Let It Go."

Catman: He wore an ugly sweater and had his hair parted and combed down. He would interrupt Elsa's show. He would embarrass his sister by his mere presence every week. His catch phrase was, "heyy sis, it's me Catman!" He talked in a nerdy voice and constantly combed his hair as he talked. Every week, he would have a new story about how much his cats loved him!
Catman's intro and exit song was, "The Kitty Cat Dance and Song."

After some brother/sister banter, Elsa would bring up some kids to "Show they are the real stars of the show" by playing a minute.

Click here for a downloadable script of Elsa and Catman.

A favorite Young Life tradition is the 'run-on skit.' A 'run-on' (or 'walk-on') is simply a skit where the same characters appear every week.

There are two main options for how to run your run-on:

No Storyline

The skit characters appear weekly at club with no storyline, simply to run-games/sell camp/give announcements, etc... Think of "Deep Thoughts with Jack Handey" from Saturday Night Live or "Mr. Good Times" (a game show host that repeatedly says "Because it's always a good time with...MR. GOOD TIMES) or "The Good Morning Young Life Guys" (that wake kids with video cameras).

Redemptive Storyline

Skit characters appear weekly in club, each week revealing a little more of their story. Typically this method is used to sell camp.

For example: Twin brothers from different mothers, 'Montgomery' and 'John Michael' are competing in a local arm-wrastlin' contest with hopes of getting to the World-Wide Arm Wrastlin' Championships in Jasper, Georgia at a lil place called Tarp Cop Shove. (Which happens to be 'Sharptop Cove' where you're going for fall camp.) Each week they either train or have a competition. Since every good story involves overcoming conflict, villains are introduced (can be played by kids or leaders) and attempt to thwart their dreams.

Club games can be used as 'training opportunities' for Montgomery and John Michael. It's great when you can pair up the sin talk week with the run-on week where all hope seems lost (because Montgomery broke his arm). Then the cross week is where he comes back out of nowhere and wins the semi-finals with his left arm to advance to Tarp Cop Shove. Maybe even make a video to show on the bus to camp?

Many of you already know these basic ideas above, but here are three bonus ideas. They can help your run-on skit create some momentum in the school and even help motivate kids to invite their friends to club.

THREE WAYS TO ROCK OUT YOUR RUN-ON

Instagram Fan Page

Create an Instagram account for your run-on characters. A few summers ago at Sharptop, "The Desire" was one of the program characters. The day after we came home from camp, I kept seeing online that my high school friends had become Facebook friends with "TheDesire Jones." It was a fun way to keep that camp momentum going.

Give-Away T-Shirts

Connect with a local screen-printing business and ask them to cut you a deal on printing some t-shirts with your run-on characters' faces on the front. If you can't get a good deal, try to find a sponsor. Often an area business will pay for your shirts if you put their logo on the sleeve. They don't have to be super high quality, but just something to use as a prize all semester for the winners of the games you play during club.

Cardboard Cutouts

Honestly, who doesn't like to get their picture taken with a life-size cardboard cut-out? A friend who runs a sign company in town is giving us a great deal on getting two of these made of our run-on characters. We plan on breaking them out before club on week 4, after the kids have become familiar with the characters.

We'll have them set up as a photo booth and post the pics of kids with the cardboard characters on Instagram. The rest of the semester we plan on putting the cardboard characters in funny places around town (like kids' bathrooms/the principal's office/local hangout spot) and taking pictures of them to show at club.

Find ideas for run-on skit characters here.

If you have other ideas you'd like to share, here's how you share them. You never know what kind of YL swag might end up in your mailbox if you pass on good ideas!

Run-On Skit: YouTube Vloggers

WyldLife Wednesday: Contact Work Over Christmas Break

New Instagram Music Video App: Ditty

Running On Empty: Keeping Company With God

YL75 Leader Resourcing Gathering in Orlando

WyldLife Wednesday: Wyld Moms

Young Life Christmas Party Game

Elf On The Shelf Theology

Running On Empty: Reading For A Change

Questions for New Year's Eve

Starting Club & The New Year With A Bang!

WyldLife Wednesday: New Leaders - How Was Your First Semester?

25 Person of Christ Club Talk Ideas

Run-On: Professors Of Pyrotechnics

How to use the OVER app to make Instagram promos

WyldLife Wednesday: Thank You for 1000 Days

YL Capernaum: A Table And A Cup

Speaking At Family Camp

Run-On: Elsa And Catman

3 Ways To Rock Out Your Run-On