Today’s examples of “real men” often portray bronzed, muscular men with their lives put together. It’s hard for middle school guys to figure out what kind of man they’re going to be, unless you help them learn from the only perfect man. Breaking the Code—book 2 is an eight-week study that will help guys focus on the life of Jesus and learn how to deal with life as he would. The activities are fun and interactive, and the age-appropriate discussion questions will have your small group of mi...

From the time they’re born, boys are given a “code” to live by: don’t cry, don’t play with dolls, don’t be a wimp…you get the picture. For a middle school guy, it’s tough enough to figure out what it means to just be yourself—let alone how to become a man. Breaking the Code is an eight-week study that will help them discover what it really means to be a man. With fun, interactive activities and age-appropriate discussion questions, you’ll find that this study will help small groups of midd...

You know them as hilarious, boisterous skits that get kids involved, whether they're hamming up front, or in the audience cheering for the good guys, hissing the bad guys, and getting nearly as animated as the onstage actors. Better yet, these no-rehearsal skits are comic takes on 24 classic Bible stories, from Babel to Zacchaeus. Use these skits to take your students into or out of your Bible lesson -- for the humor never buries the central message of the Bible passage. Inside you'll find...

New York Times bestsellerJoin us on a journey to find a faith of your own.A faith that isn’t your parents’ or your youth pastor’s or your church’s.Start from scratch, question everything, and get hold of a faith that’s real.We call it firsthand faith.“It’s rare to find young people unafraid to voice their doubts while still being bold in their faith. Ryan and Josh are two of those people.”—Mark Batterson, lead pastor of ...

Unpacking Scripture in Youth Ministry focuses on how to teach and present the Bible in the lives of teenagers. Andrew Root argues that teens are constant interpreters – always asking the questions, who am I? and what do others think of me? – and so youth ministers must teach them to interpret the actions of God as revealed in the Bible. This view is different than teaching biblical knowledge – memory verses and Bible facts – and it’s different than teaching them to interpret the B...

The Trinity can be one of the most difficult ideas in the Bible to understand. How can our God be made up of three different people? Andrew Hedges answers this question in Creative Bible Lessons on the Trinity, an in-depth guide perfect for small groups and student discussions. Divided into three sections, one for each aspect of the Trinity, this book presents students with a clear understanding of the role each part plays. Biblical evidence is supplemented with discussion questions so you...

80 sure-fire scripts and other onstage fun to illustrate your lessons and enliven your events! - Just for Fun . . . Short stunts, funny skits, sight gags, easy prep -- we've got 'em all. If you have even one or two students who love hamming it up and making spectacles of themselves, you'll find plenty of funny fodder here. - Spontaneous Melodramas . . . Fueled by groans, catcalls, cheers, and boos from your small or large audience, student actors in these no-rehearsal melodramatic spoofs w...

Many of the statistics you read about teenagers and faith can be alarming. Recent studies show that 40-50 percent of kids who are connected to a youth group throughout their senior year will fail to stick with their faith in college. As youth workers are pouring their time and energy into the students in their ministries, they are often left wondering if they’ve done enough to equip their students to carry their faith into adulthood. Fuller Youth Institute has done extensive research in th...

Luther's Catechism: Large & Small brings together two foundational texts of Reformation pedagogy: the concise Small Catechism for household instruction and the more expansive Large Catechism for pastors, teachers, and serious students. Organized around the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, baptism, confession, and the Eucharist, the work combines scriptural exposition, pastoral urgency, and plain-spoken German theological prose. Its style is direct yet profound, situating Chr...

The idea of this book is to talk about what we go thru mentally as Misfits. When we are trying to make a difference in the world, we can prevent ourselves because of negative thoughts, unbelief or our circumstance. The idea is to relate it to “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde”, and keep the theme through out the book. You are your own worst enemy and hardest critic. We have to learn to get ourselves out of our own way s we can allow God to use us the way he wants to. “Inside every man there is a batt...

Think of it as a lean, mean Bible doctrine course--without the lecture. But with lots of options, videos, music, and drama. And small group work. And reproducible, interactive worksheets with eye-catching designs and soul-searching content. (Like, what else do you expect from St. Paul when he sits down to write the meatiest book of doctrine in the Bible?) in the 12 clear, complete sessions of Creative Bible Lessons in Romans. Author Chap Clark guides kids (and you) through the Big Ideas in...

You loved Would You Rather…?and asked for more. Inthe tradition of the Quick Questions line, More WouldYou Rather…?offers another 465 provocative questionsthat will get your students laughing, debating, and thinking(and they’ll learn a ton about each other in theprocess). Get ready for more fun as you ask:Would you rather…• Live without your thumb or your big toe?• Be famous or inspirational?• Flip burgers or deliver pizza?It’s amazing what can happen when you ask a silly question.Most of ...