H.S. YOUTH: Amazing Text Race

Somebody recently asked for scavenger hunt ideas and it reminded me of the time I had kids participate in The Amazing Text Race.

The kids get their first clue at church and it's a riddle so they have to figure it out before they can start and after that everything is done by text. They had a riddle to get to their destination and when they figured that out I replied with the task they were to complete there. They then had to either text back an answer to a question about the place or a photo of something specific. When I got the right answer I texted their next clue and they were off. Here are a few of the things they were required to do:

• Take a photo of a cross on another church in town.
• Write a Bible verse on a public sidewalk outside a mall.
• Text back the quote on a specific church's sign. 
• Ask a stranger in a local park what s/he knows or believes about the Bible, Jesus, etc.
• Perform a specific random act of kindness.
• Find a quote in a C.S. Lewis book on a specific page. 
• Perform a mini flash mob singing a hymn or other church related song.
• Visit a youth group parent and find out his/her baptismal date.
• The final clue to get them back to church was take a picture with the pastor.

Some of these are general because every town is different and obviously some tasks had to be set up ahead of time. If you're doing it at night you might want a final clue that brings them back to church and not to the pastor's house. There are tons of other clue ideas that depend on your location.

SUMMER: Neighborhood Fun Night!

You may have noticed that my last few summer posts have not been about planning and organizing huge events but about pulling back and relaxing. I'm quite convinced that, as a church, in some ways, we try too hard and trust too little. Since summer is a time for slowing down and forcing things never really works anyway, why not relax a little bit and stop trying so hard to push Christ into people's lives and just invite them to join in a neighborhood fun night. No in-depth study, no sermons, no pushy questions, just hanging out, playing some yard games, and having some face-to-face conversations. Don't push... plant... and trust that the Spirit will move in their hearts in God's time.

Among the many you already know about, here are a few great yard games:

• Big Birdie Golf - This looks SO fun!!
• Yard Twister - A fun twist to the indoor game.
• Mini Disc Golf - Inexpensive but challenging.
• Hide some "treasure" in the yard for a treasure hunt.
• Frisbee Tic-Tac-Toe - Section a shower curtain and pin it to the ground.
• Basket Frisbee Golf - Cute idea but needs a bunch of laundry baskets.
• Croquet, Horse Shoes & Bean Bags - Oldies but goodies.
• Water Balloon Toss - Sometimes it's fun with partners, tossing and catching them with towels.

Don't forget to make some really crazy medals just for fun!

(you can make them out of small paper plates and markers or jewel them up a bit)

SUMMER: Don't make plans... make disciples.

One of my favorite family memories is dinner. My mom drove us crazy because she made us turn off the TV  and when we did that, oddly enough, we started talking... to each other. The topics have changed but to this day we have great conversations during meals when we get together. We are a religious, philosophical, and funny family and nobody would believe our crazy conversations but through them my parents were doing their part in making us disciples. Another memory, and one of our family jokes, is that whenever we put up our tent it rained. You know when great conversations happen? When everybody's trying to sleep in a tent while it rains. "Don't touch the sides of the tent!"

So, here's my absolute favorite and best resource for your congregation this summer. Set aside the structure, the constant event planning, organized game playing and programming, and encourage the families in your congregation to spend time at the cabin, camping, hanging out in the yard, eating dinner on the porch, taking a walk after dinner, inviting the neighbors over to sit in the yard, and hanging out with their church friends at the lake. Talk about anything and everything, about life, the mysteries of the world, animals, God, the stars. Find out what people are thinking and don't lecture or correct. Listen. Respond. Talk. You won't see it but they will grow. You will grow. Faith will grow. Making disciples isn't about forcing conversations or formal programs. It's about looking, listening, laughing, loving, and living... with God.

SUMMER: Book Club!

Ever think of having a different kind of Summer Sunday School for youth and adults and have a Book Club?  Put the adults and the youth together and give them a good book to read. If you publish the reading schedule people who are gone could continue reading and come to a discussion when they're in town. Books written by men and not God provide fantastic fodder for discussion because we can disagree with them!

You may have some great books in mind but how cool would it be to get youth and adults together to talk about some of the books by C.S. Lewis such as Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and Surprised by Joy? You could try nearly anything by Max Lucado or I might also suggest a fiction story such as The Shack by William Young that is a little out there but was very popular and is full of discussion opportunities. If you want something edgy you could try Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman. It talks about how Jesus is not interested in having fans but wants lifelong followers. The question will be whether or not it's the type of book that lay-people are interested in reading.

Summer is a great opportunity to do something completely different and as a teacher I LOVE having conversations with teenagers about faith and life where adults and kids can learn from each other in a safe environment. There is no better opportunity to get people of many generations together than to have them all reading the same book but you could also do:

• Just the youth.
• Men's or ladies' summer book club.
• Parenting book club.
• Teen boys and men.
• Teen girls and women.

My suggestions:

• Choose a book that everybody is interested in reading. You may even get really bold, give them three choices and let them vote on what they're interested. 
• Be sure the youth feel comfortable and respected enough to share and don't let adults lecture them for their thoughts or opinions.
• Find a facilitator and not a professor.
• Before you choose a book, read it. Don't just take somebody else's opinion about it.

SUMMER: Backyard Wednesdays or Summer Tuesdays?

I've always wanted to start a casual ministry outside during the summer. It would be something very relaxed and informal called Backyard Wednesdays or Summer Tuesdays or whatever day you choose. It could be every two weeks or you could rotate groups and have one week for families, the next for adults, and the next for youth. I'd have them after dinner at 6:30 or 7 (or later for adults).  The goal would be Christian fellowship, connection, and conversation. I've found that having the ability to play music around a fire can be a great thing so you might want to invest in a simple way to do that without intruding too much on the neighborhood. My vision might be something along these lines:

• For youth - A few games, appropriate music, and conversation on a Bible and life topic. Teenagers always have questions about why things are the way they are. This would be a great place to use a question jar so the kids can have some input regarding what will be discussed. Adults can volunteer to be there to help the conversation but remember that teenagers won't discuss certain topics honestly with parents around. When I was in high school we all liked to lay in the yard and look at the stars and the most random topics would arise about life, the world, and the universe. Don't forget to pray!
• For adults (of all ages) - Wine (or beer) if allowed, music, a fire and conversation on a Bible and life topic. Adults need to connect with other adults. They may want different music from the kids but the conversation might end up surprisingly similar. With the varied ages of adults in a congregation the conversation could be amazing. Don't forget to pray!
• For families - Games and popcorn outside in the yard. This would be a little less conversational and a little more active. Popcorn is a simple snack after games and the games could just be normal yard games. Don't forget the prayer and have a short devotion that might include a song. Kids love to sing!

After a while I would bet it would be so casual and relaxing that people start inviting friends to come enjoy Backyard Wednesdays. People rarely take the time to talk about the questions that are swimming through their minds like:

• What am I doing with my life?
• Where do I fit in the world?
• What does God want from me?
• What really is God's plan for me and can I know what it is?
• What should I do with the trials of life and what does God have to do with them?
• What if I become resentful of God because I'm not happy?

We often get so focused on the pace of life that taking a few moments to relax and ponder God's universe and our place in it can be attitude changing and sometimes that's exactly what we need. It's about ministry of presence and being present for each other in a real way. 

YOUTH: Mini Disc Golf

Some churches have great yards or lots of outdoor space. If you don't, this game can easily be played in a local park. It's a combination of Croquet, Ding, and Disc Golf so I call it Mini Disc Golf. It's a great game because there's no special equipment needed. All you need are "wickets" made with garden stakes and plastic cups, and flying discs. You can use a standard croquet course or create one that suits the age level of the group.

Sample "wicket" or goal.

• Lay out your course. Make sure the challenge level is appropriate for the age group or you can use a version of a regular croquet course. See samples below.
• Put up your "wickets" or goals. You'll need sturdy 5 ft garden stakes (can be found for about $1.50 each) and plastic cups. Plant two stakes the diameter of a large disc plus two fist lengths apart with a cup upside down on top. A difficult course would have more narrow goals. The stakes only have to be deep enough to stand up against a disc bump.
• The goal is to finish the course with the fewest points, similarly to golf.
• Scoring:  Every stroke or throw to the next goal is a point. If the disc is thrown through the goal without touching the sides it's a point. Hitting the goal without unseating the cup is 2 points. Hitting the goal and unseating the cup is 3 points. You can decide if you want to allow entering the goal from behind if somebody overshoots or if they have to come back around, or if they have to re-shoot the goal from the beginning, depending on the age of the players. 

This would be a simple but fun game for any church picnic!

Sample Mini Disc Course

Basic Croquet Course Layout