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THIS WEEK’S PASSAGES : EZRA 3, JOHN 20:21-22
PREPARATION
You will need: newspaper and sticky tape for the tallest tower game, pieces of paper and writing equipment, a large piece of paper or flip chart, enough small candles or tea lights for each young person to take home and something to light the candles with.
THE TALLEST TOWER
10 mins
Split the group into two or more teams. Give each team a pile of newspapers and some tape. The aim of the game is to see who can build the tallest tower in the shortest amount of time: the first one to the ceiling wins! You could add an extra twist, by making it a condition that your tower needs to be able to support or hold an object (such as a book or an apple).
REBUILDING THE TEMPLE
15 mins
Read through Ezra chapter 3 together – don’t worry it’s a short chapter. In the passage, we can see the step-by-step process of the Israelites rebuilding the altar and temple in Jerusalem. Ask the young people to discuss:
• What is happening here?
• Why are they rebuilding the altar and the temple?
• How did they make sure that all the jobs that needed doing were done? Was it just thrown together or planned out carefully?
• How did they celebrate when the job was done?
KEY POINT
The Israelites worked hard to re-create their temple. It wasn’t a quick process, and it wasn’t without objection, but God was with them, and they sacrificed, giving thanks and praise through each step.
LOOKING TO THE NEW
5 mins
Explain to the group that we are going to look at the who, what, where and how of reimagining church in this session. We have covered a lot over the past eight weeks, from looking back to the way the original followers of Jesus did things to building walls and taking them down again, from looking in to our church and the way it does things to discovering the key elements of what being a church means. It has all led to today… how can we take our ideas and put it into action?
PLANNING
20 mins
Over the last few weeks, we have looked at our own individual passions, skills and knowledge, and the different ways in which we connect to God, how we take part in community, and how we worship.
Remind the young people of the idea (or ideas!) that they have been developing so far to reimagine their own group from scratch or start something new together. By sketching out your idea on a large piece of paper or flipchart, begin to put together a step-by-step plan for putting it into practice. What practical steps will need to be put in place to make it happen? Who will take responsibility for which elements of the preparation? How will you include the four key elements of community, mission, worship, and connectedness?
You can use these four headings on the flip chart as a way of organising and guiding the conversation:
• Who? Who do you want to invite to join in? Who do you know that doesn’t fit in? Who do you think will benefit from a new group like this? What about your friends who don’t know Jesus?
• What? What kind of group is this going to be? What will your aims be? What will you do when you meet?
• Where? Where will you meet? How often? What day and time? Are you reimagining your current group or planning something new and different?
• How? How will this be an expression of church? How will we practically prepare everything we need to make it happen? Are there some jobs we each need to take responsibility for?
KEY POINT
It won’t always be easy: a new adventure like this will take courage. Courage does not mean lack of fear, but rather the guts to stand and trust God.
JESUS’ COMMISSION
5 mins
Read John 20:21-22 together. Explain that Jesus breathed on the disciples so that they would be blessed with the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the receiving of power was to be witnesses across the earth for Jesus. The same calling and purpose exists for us today. We have an incredible strength that isn’t like what the world sees as strength: this is a Godstrength.
What is God-strength? Just look at Peter. We see him before the crucifixion, denying Jesus three times in fear. Yet in the opening chapters of Acts we see he has a new God strength. He is working miracles, standing up and preaching in the streets, declaring Jesus’ story for everyone to hear and even standing up to those who had condemned Jesus just a few days before. The number of believers in Jesus grew enormously as Peter led them with authority and wisdom.
You might want to ask the young people: how will we need God to help us as a group in order to make our plan happen?
PRAYER
10 mins
Hand out the small candles or tea lights. While sitting or standing in a circle, have the young people carefully light the tea light of the person next to them. As they do, invite them to say the words of John 20:21, ‘As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.’
When all of the candles are lit, pray: Lord, as we come together to reimagine church, help us to think about your will and your way. Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who provides us with God-strength in every move we make. Thank you Lord that you are with us every time we meet in your name, and give us the strength to step out and be your light in the world. Amen.
