Plan, plan, plan
Is there anything worse than crafting the perfect youth session (if such a thing exists) only for two young people, out of your normal 15 loyal regulars, to show up? Sometimes this is unavoidable: flash floods, a last-minute sale at Morrisons or a surprise Status Quo show at the village bandstand. On other occasions, a bit of planning ahead would have helped: exam season, the previously planned and advertised Status Quo concert or, in this instance, knowing that your youth group is going to clash with a big game at the Euros or event at the Olympics. Check the schedule to avoid number-related disappointment. (Disclaimer: youth work isn’t about numbers, but lack thereof can be a bit of a pain.)
Wonky illustrations
The world of sport is ripe for illustrations. Some are obvious, such as Paul talking about running the race and David the underdog beating Goliath (go Leicester!). Other require a bit more work: Jacob (Greco-Roman) wrestling with God, Jesus telling the disciples to put their nets out (presumably for a game of tennis) and Moses’ unorthodox swimming technique (parting the sea). Alternatively, you can use the world of sport to show biblical truths: the last-minute comeback was pioneered by Jesus at the resurrection, a dull game when we all expected excitement is basically the story of Daniel and the lions’ den and in Peter we see the ultimate glory hunter – jumping off the Jesus bandwagon at the key moment, the Manchester United fan of his day.
Sportify your youth group
Regular youth ministry activities can be ‘sported-up’ quite easily. Make young people do press ups for tuck shop treats, enforce a full football kit policy for anyone coming to the group (shin pads included) and start every group with a full opening ceremony complete with Olympic torch and procession around the whole building.
