2015 Pre-Mission Bible Study

Living Life On-Mission

By Dr. Dwayne C. Ulmer

Purpose Preparation Prayer

Living Life On-Mission. Copyright © 2015 by BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery. All rights

reserved. No part of this study may be used in any manner whatsoever without written permission.

Getting the Most Out of this Pre-Mission Study

We are so excited that you have chosen to join us for one of our BOUNCE missions this summer. You and your students will be putting your faith into action as you serve communities that are in the proc-ess of bouncing back from the devastation of disasters. The work will be physically challenging, but make no mistake – this is a spiritual undertaking. That is why we have prepared this pre-mission study for you and your group. This year’s study will focus on three foundations for living a life on-mission for God:

Purpose – The purpose and passion of BOUNCE

Preparation – Preparing to BOUNCE

Prayer – Praying for BOUNCE We have prepared Bible studies that address each of these elements as well as a detailed plan for conducting a Parent Meeting in advance of your BOUNCE mission. These studies could be conducted on three consecutive Wednesday or Sunday nights, during an evening or weekend retreat, or at any time that is convenient for you and your students. Please make these studies a MANDATORY part of your mission preparation. We believe God honors preparation, and the time you spend with your students on this spiritual focus will pay dividends during your mission. Helping your students to understand the spiritual nature of mission service will be an important part of their discipleship journey. Spiritual work requires spiritual tools, and that is why we have provided this study. About the Writer: Dr. Dwayne Ulmer serves as Director of the Masters of Arts in Student Ministry

program at Dallas Baptist University. He has served as a student minister in churches in Texas and

Tennessee, and has worked for such organizations as Lifeway Christian Resources and Student Life

Publishing. Dr. Ulmer has also coordinated student mission camps in New Mexico, California, and

Louisiana. He has authored numerous youth ministry books, articles, and Bible studies. Dwayne has

also served as a Mission Coordinator for BOUNCE.

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Introduction

They are scattered throughout the nation and our churches are full of them. They look like any other Christian student on Sunday mornings in church. They may say the right things, answer questions in the correct manner, give an offering, or even sing or play in the praise band. It is on Sunday, however, that their commitment ends. Out in the world during the week, they look like any other non-Christian. They blend in with the secular culture around them and they go about their daily tasks without the distinc-tion or joy of being a child of the King. Victory and peace in their Christian walk is an occasional experi-ence and their lifestyles often reflect the spirit of a whipped puppy . . . or worse. More than likely, they began their Christian journey with the fire and enthusiasm of a fresh convert. Though they may experience incredible spiritual highs or renewals at camps, retreats, discipleship weekends, and even mission trips, their spiritual impact is minimal or nonexistent. Even on mission trips, they judge the success or failure of their efforts by the number of goose-bumps or warm feelings they had during the experience. They didn’t intend to fall off their commitment or become inconsistent in their daily Christian walk, it just sort of happened. Somewhere in the midst of it all, they simply gave up or never made the transition to an on-mission lifestyle. Their lives are more about the personal benefits they receive from their spirituality than their contribution to the Kingdom of God. It could be that our society is partly to blame. In a world of fast food, quick fixes, instant breakfast, ex-press lanes, microwaves, short-term loans, self-gratification, instant messaging and texts, and short-cuts to success; Christians may become frustrated or even confused about Christ’s demand for a long-term commitment. This frustration may intensify when their commitments don’t bring the instant re-sults they expect. Servanthood and consistent obedience are not the means by which our world guar-antees success and happiness, and prayer was never intended to be a spiritual wish list; yet they are necessary elements for abundant living and a victorious lifestyle. Unfortunately, when their expecta-tions of success and happiness aren’t instantly realized, many students give up their pursuit of an inti-mate relationship with Jesus. At some point in a person’s Christian life, there must be a transition, or better yet, a transformation. Believers must make a shift from an ego-centric, self-serving life to a submissive, kingdom-focused life that is engaged in God’s grand narrative. Ironically, students (both teenagers and college-aged), are at an ideal time in their lives to make the transition from a selfish Christian life to a lifestyle that is on-mission. The expectation of such a spiritual transformation is not unrealistic. It is precisely experiences like BOUNCE that are designed to provide springboards for on-mission lifestyles. In addition, if the truth were known, most Christian students love Jesus and want to make that transition, they just don’t know how. The purpose of this pre-mission study is to lead students to identify the purpose of an on-mission life-style, enable them to prepare themselves for an on-mission lifestyle, and equip them to pray for op-portunities and spiritual awareness in the living out of an on-mission lifestyle. In addition, this study is also designed to help students join hands with their families to encourage them utilize this year’s BOUNCE opportunity for their entire families to live on-mission for Jesus.

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Session 1 – The Purpose of On-Mission Living

(The Purpose and Passion of BOUNCE) PURPOSE

Life Question: To what purpose has God called me?

Bible Truth: God calls you to win the lost as an on-mission Chris-tian.

Teaching Aim: To lead students to identify the characteristics of a winning, on-mission Christian and to implement these characteris-tics in their lives.

PASSAGE

1 Corinthians 9:19-27 PREPARATION

Introduction In 1925 a huge bronze statue, molded to honor a mythical runner known as “The Flying Finn,” was constructed and placed on the path up to the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland. Paavo Nurmi does not resemble the long-striding, muscle-rippling runner of the sculptor’s mold but it is definitely him. The legend of Paavo Nurmi was born in the 1924 Olympics after a series of amazing triumphs that summer where he took his place alongside the greatest dis-tance runners of all time.

Nurmi was a barrel-chested upright runner who held his head erect and periodically glanced down at the stopwatch he always carried during practices and races. He was methodical and precise in his training and racing, and it was one of the things that made him great. He chose to run against the clock rather than against men, and as a result he set world records in an amazing total of sixteen individual events. He set world records at least thirty-five times and won twelve Olympic medals during the decade in which he dominated long-distance running.

Some have classified Nurmi as a running machine, and based on the way he harnessed his energy into methodical and precise train-ing, this is fairly accurate. From the time he saw his first track meet at the age of nine, he exchanged boy’s games for a passion that would envelop his life. He idolized the great Finnish runners of old, and as a teenager dedicated himself to becoming a world-class runner. His training program was strict and disciplined. To develop

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speed and stamina he chased an early morning mail train in Turku. Later, when World War I forced him to become a soldier, he kept up his daily training by getting up before reveille and running mile after mile before the rest of the camp was awake.

When the war ended he initiated a scientific plan to master long distance running by conquering time rather than men. Whatever he tried in the way of diet, pacing, and breathing he carefully re-corded together with his performance. The key to his two gold medals and world records in France in 1924 in the 1,500 and 5,000 meter finals (which were just fifty-five minutes apart), was his de-termined approach to run each race evenly, which meant each quarter in even time. For that, he predetermined the times in the quarters he knew would win the race. He used his stopwatch to keep his pace to the second and refused to allow other runners to get him off track.

He was superhuman in the sense that he continually exceeded his competitors. He was totally immersed in what he was doing, which was part of his strength. Beyond that, he had an unusual degree of what the Finnish call sisu, a combination of will and endurance. Add to that his clockwork precision and one can understand why he added three more gold medals before he left Paris and the 113 degree heat in 1924.

In the same way Paavo Nurmi attacked the distance race, so we as Christians must attack our Christian walk. Winning was just as im-portant to the Apostle Paul as it was to Nurmi, but Paul was run-ning a different kind of race. While Nurmi challenged the clock, Paul challenged the complacent Christian life. Paul understood that discipline, passion, single-mindedness, sacrifice, precision, rigidity with flexibility, and integrity were just as important to him as they were to Nurmi. Nowhere does Paul bring these ideas together bet-ter than in 1 Corinthians 9 where he discussed his passion and pur-pose for winning those who are lost without Jesus. Materials 1. Provide pens and paper for students to compose a workout

schedule for the “Runners Up” activity. 2. Provide posters or large sheets of paper and markers for each

team to compile their lists for “The Good; The Bad; and The Ugly” optional activity.

3. Provide pens and paper for the optional activity “A Sporting Paraphrase.”

4. Make copies of Handout #1 for each student to complete the “Rank and File” activity.

5. Make copies of Handout #2 for each student to complete the

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“Liberty for All” optional activity. 6.Provide paper and markers for students to complete the “Surrender is Better than Sacrifice” optional activity.

PROCEDURES

Runners Up (10 minutes) Divide the students into several groups of three or four. Direct each group to select a captain to lead the others in a series of stretching exercises as if they were preparing to run a distance race. Then instruct the group to come up with a weekly workout schedule for the cross-country runners at their school. Include in the workout schedule the type of food and amount of rest for the team members during the week, as if their race was on Saturday. After each group has had a few minutes to stretch and come up with a workout routine, call on a few mem-bers to share their work. Point out that it is also necessary for Christians to develop a spiritual training routine for their lives. The Flying Finn (5 minutes) Read the story of Paavo Nurmi in the introduction of the Bible study material. Write the word precision on the chalkboard or large sheet of paper. Call on youth to define the term. Be prepared to read a dictionary definition of precision the students can write down on a sheet of paper. Ask: What are some elements of precision in the Christian life? Point out that Paul identified some of these in today’s Bible study passage. Winning is Everything (10 minutes) Instruct the students to read the focal passage of Scripture silently or enlist a volunteer to read the passage out loud. Lead them to identify some key concepts found in the passage of Scripture (identity, sacrifice, integrity, in-tensity, passion, flexibility, honor, discipline, focus, purpose). After everyone has identified the key concepts ask: What does it mean to “win” in the Christian life? (effective Christian service, new Christian converts, impact for the cause of Christ, positive witness-ing experiences, good example for others, encouragement, matur-ity.) Also ask: What will it mean to “win” on the BOUNCE Mission this year? How can we best prepare ourselves for a winning ex-perience at BOUNCE this year? Targeting People Groups (10 minutes) Point out that Paul desired to become all things to all men in order that he might win them to Christ. Ask: What three groups of people did Paul specifically mention in this passage? (Jews, Non-Jews, and Weak Christians). What type of groups would be included in your list of those you are trying to impact? (Answers may vary but should include things like cliques or social groups with which they are familiar). Take a

NOTES

The Good; The Bad; and the Ugly (Optional Activity) Divide the students into two teams. Lead one team of students to list the qualities of a good distance runner on a separate sheet of paper. (perseverance, stretched, strong legs, low resting heart rate, strong lungs, etc.) Lead the other team of students to list some things that might hinder a distance runner on a separate sheet of paper. (poor eating hab-its, refuses to workout, bad an-kles, not enough rest, no desire, etc.) Call for the two teams to share their responses. Instruct them to draw parallels to “running” the Christian life. A Sporting Paraphrase (Optional Activity) Distribute sheets of paper to the students. Challenge them to paraphrase the passage of Scripture by using other Olym-pic sports instead of the two Paul used, boxing and running. Point out the illustrations should communicate the same message Paul wanted to emphasize, that Christians should do whatever it takes to win the lost. After a few minutes, call for some of the youth to share their para-phrases.

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few minutes to identify the types of people the students will likely encounter during the BOUNCE Mission this year. Rank and File (5 minutes) Call attention to the key ideas identified in the focal passage as listed in the Winning is Everything activity. Lead the students to rank themselves on a scale of 1-10 in each area with 10 meaning that they are doing an excellent job in this area. Challenge them to jot down some ways they intend to im-prove their score. Working Out the Kinks (10 minutes) Remind the students that Paul challenged Christians to develop a winning lifestyle. Earlier the students were instructed to design a workout routine for a cross-country runner. Direct the youth to develop a weekly routine for a winning disciple. Call on several volunteers to share their lists of those routines (regular attendance at worship, Quiet Times, prayer time, Bible study, Christian fellowship, sharing their faith, etc.). Point out that one of the aspects of precision is paying atten-tion to minute details and practicing those small details over and over again until they become perfected. As Christians we must also pay close attention to detail and remember to keep the small basic details of our Christian lives in working order, perfecting them as we go along.

NOTES

Liberty for All (Optional Activ-ity) Point out that Paul spoke of freedom in this passage of Scrip-ture. Ask: What did he mean by this reference to liberty? (Freedom means being enslaved to Christ.) Distribute a sheet of paper to pairs of students. In-struct them to write a “Christian Bill of Rights” on the sheet based on the focal passage of Scripture. After a few minutes, call on the pairs to share their lists. Decide on the top ten “Christian Bill of Rights” to jot down on a poster board or a large sheet of paper. Freedom isn’t Free (Optional Activity) Remind the youth of how important freedom was to Paul. If time permits, refer to several passages of Scripture where Paul mentioned the con-cept of freedom or liberty. Refer back to the Bill of Rights com-pleted earlier. Point out that one of the things that made Paul so successful was that he knew when to sacrifice his freedom for the cause of Christ. He also knew there were certain aspects of the Christian walk he could not compromise. His strength was knowing when to compro-mise and when not to compro-mise.

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NOTES

Surrender is Better than Sacri-fice (Optional Activity) Divide the group into two teams. Give one team a blank sheet of paper and instruct them to come up with a list of principles or activi-ties they should not give up or compromise no matter what the circumstances. (salvation based on faith, Bible study, concept of grace, prayer, the priority of Scripture, etc.) Give the second team a blank sheet of paper and instruct them to come up with a list of principles or activities they could give up if it meant having an impact for the cause of Christ. (worship with a particular denomination, shopping at a particular store because of a negative product they sell, kiss-ing, using certain words, certain kinds of music, etc.) After a few minutes, call on the teams to share their lists. Allow time for debate or discussion if neces-sary. Be careful and open as to how you handle this activity. You may not agree with certain things the youth decide to put on their lists. Keep the discus-sion based on Scripture. Also be sure to point out that just be-cause Paul was willing to be “all things to all men” did not mean he was not a person of convic-tion or principle.

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Rank and File

Rank yourself on a scale from 1-10 (1=poor, 10=awesome) for each of the key areas (related to your Christian walk) as identified in 1 Corinthians 9:19-27.

KEY IDEAS RANK IDENTITY _________ SACRIFICE _________ INTEGRITY _________ INTENSITY _________ PASSION _________ FLEXIBILITY _________ HONOR _________ DISCIPLINE _________ FOCUS _________ PURPOSE _________ TOTAL . . . . . . . . _________

List below how could you improve your score in any of the areas:

Handout #1

Christian Bill of Rights

Create a “Christian Bill of Rights” based on 1 Corinthians 9:19-27. Write about what it means to be free to serve Christ.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Handout #2

Session 2 – The Preparation for On-Mission Living

(Preparing for BOUNCE)

PURPOSE Life Question: How can I prepare for a life that glorifies God?

Bible Truth: You can become holy by preparing your mind, balanc-ing your judgment, and focusing your hope.

Teaching Aim: To lead students to identify ways they can pursue holiness in their lives.

PASSAGE

1 Peter 1:13-16 PREPARATION

Introduction Pain and discomfort are inherent in the life of an athlete. There is no other way around it. If an athlete is to be successful, he or she must get past the pain and discomfort and focus on what needs to be done. They must find a way to get their minds beyond their ob-stacles and work on their conduct until it becomes second nature, which is how character is formed. Any successful athlete will tell you that the key to their success is as dependent on their mental preparation as it is on their physical training. Faithful conduct (behavior) in the Christian life must first begin in the mind.

The same is true if we are to be successful on-mission Christians. Within the boundaries of conduct that takes the pursuit of Christ seriously, there will be difficulties, discomfort, and even pain. It is the nature of Christianity.

Much of the success or failure of such conduct is dependent on the Christian’s ability to lift his or her mind over matter. There is a lot of junk in the world, and as Christians we must find a way through it. The typical response, however, of many teenagers is to lay their commitment aside when the going gets tough. As long as it is easy to follow Christ, many will want to be a part of the experience. But when the difficulties begin to surface, their natural tendency (as well as ours) is to put faith commitment on the shelf until things settle down. As long as we don’t have to confront the sinful behav-ior in our lives, as long as we don’t have to share our faith, as long as we don’t have to suffer the consequences of our commitment, we will enthusiastically follow Christ.

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Peter, an expert at following Christ when it was convenient and one who fell away when things got tough; had something to say to the early Christians about their preparation for the Christian life. Evidently his letter was written to struggling Christians. These be-lievers were either about to suffer various trials and difficulties, or were already in the midst of them. They were afraid, timid, cau-tious, anxious, and maybe even discouraged. Peter offered them words of hope and challenged them to mentally prepare them-selves for the life ahead.

A challenge is an objective or goal that calls for individuals to reach beyond themselves. In the Christian life, one such challenge is the call that pulls a Christian out of his or her comfort zone and into conduct that is dependent on the Holy Spirit. Where there is no challenge, there is mediocrity. Where there is mediocrity, there are to be no Christians.

In 1 Peter 1:13-16, Peter issued the ultimate challenge. Be holy. Understand, the pursuit of holiness will never be completed until Jesus returns. But the challenge must at all times be a priority in the lives of Christians who desire to develop an on-mission life-style. Bouncers cannot wait until the actual BOUNCE Mission to begin to prepare themselves for the experience, neither can they cease their pursuit of holiness after the BOUNCE Mission is com-plete. The ongoing pursuit of holiness is a key component of an on-mission lifestyle.

Materials 1. Create flash cards to be used in the “Word Association” activ-

ity. Also provide pens and paper for each student. 2. Make a copy of Handout #3 and cut apart the team assign-

ments for the “Acting Speaks Louder Than Words” activity. 3. Make copies of Handout #4 (“Be Holy” acrostic) for use in the

“Word Association—Part 2” activity. 4. Provide 4x6 index cards and pens for students to record their

goals for “The Pursuit of Holiness” activity. 5. Make copies of Handout #5 (Elimination Sign) for each student

to complete the “Eliminating Excess Baggage” activity. 6. Provide pens and paper for student pairs to complete the

“Mission Statement” optional activity. PROCEDURES

Mind Over Matter (10 minutes) Ask: What are some challenges you face as students? What does the phrase “mind over matter” mean? Describe some situations where it would be important to put your “mind over matter.” Discuss some steps the students

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would take to put their minds over matter in the situations shared. Then ask them to name some things they need to do or obtain to meet the challenges they shared. Finally, instruct them to identify some challenges before them as the BOUNCE Mission approaches, and what kind of preparation they will need to make for the ex-perience. Call on them to share reasons why it is important for us to face the challenges in our lives. Share with them that it is also important for us to meet the challenges of the Christian life as well. Peter issued the ultimate challenge for the Christian in 1 Pe-ter 1:13-16. Point out that this challenge is not to be ignored by any Christian, and every effort and attitude should be mustered in order to pursue the goal of being holy. Word Association (5 minutes) Distributes sheets of paper to each student. Explain to them you are going to hold up five flash cards, one at a time, with a word or phrase written on each card. On their papers, direct students to write down the first thing that comes to mind when they see the card. Hold up the five cards prepared ear-lier: 1) Prepare your mind 2) Be Sober 3) Hope 4) Holy 5) Obedi-ence. After all five cards have been shown, allow the students to share their responses to numbers 1,2,3, and 5. Make no comments about their responses. When someone asks why you skipped 4, explain that you will return to it shortly. Acting Speaks Louder than Words (15 minutes) Divide the stu-dents into four teams and give each team one of the following as-signments:

Team 1 — Examine 1 Peter 1:13 and prepare a brief skit to illustrate the meaning of the phrase, “Prepare your minds” or “Gird up the loins of your minds.” Team 2 — Examine 1 Peter 1:13 and prepare a brief skit to illustrate the meaning of the phrase, “Be self-controlled” or “Be sober.” Team 3 — Examine 1 Peter 1:13 and prepare a brief skit to illustrate the meaning of the phrase, “Set your hope fully.” Team 4 — Examine 1 Peter 1:14 and prepare a skit to illustrate the meaning of the phrase “As obedient children do not be conformed.”

After each group shares their skits, be prepared to share some fur-ther meaning of the phrases. Word Association Part 2 (15 minutes) Instruct the students to read verses 15 and 16 and identify the ultimate challenge Peter issued to Christians. (Be holy.) Then direct the students to share their answers to flash card #4 from the Word Association activity

NOTES

Be Perfect (Optional Activity) Call on teenagers to identify characteristics of the following: A perfect baseball game; A per-fect football game; A perfect bowling game; A perfect tennis match; A perfect gymnast rou-tine; A perfect SAT score or test score; A perfect medical exami-nation; A perfect speech; a per-fect song; etc. Then ask the stu-dents to identify the characteris-tics of a perfect life and the things that will need to happen if a perfect life is to be lived. En-courage them to consider in what order the things that will need to happen for a perfect life would take place, with the most likely to be listed first. Explain what it means for us as Chris-tians to live a “perfect” life. (Concentrate on the definition of perfect as “complete” and “fulfilling the purpose for which we are created.”)

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earlier. Call on them to identify some reasons why it is important for Christians to pursue this challenge (Because God commands us, improves our relationship with him, etc.). Next, instruct the stu-dents to list some characteristics of holiness on a sheet of paper by using the acrostic, BE HOLY. Finally, lead the students to list some ways to become holy. (Quiet Time, spend more time in prayer, hang round the right people, etc.) Direct them to list only positive statements because holiness is a positive lifestyle. After a few min-utes, call on students to share their lists. Then challenge the stu-dents to determine what characteristics of holiness need to be de-veloped in their lives before the BOUNCE Mission. The Pursuit of Holiness (5 minutes) Challenge your students to set five goals that will help them in their pursuit of holiness before the BOUNCE Mission begins and encourage them to continue in their pursuit into the new school year and beyond. Eliminating Excess Baggage (5 minutes) Before the session, design an elimination sign for each student in your group on a sheet of paper or on an index card. Direct the students to write three things in the elimination signs they need to get rid of, quit doing, or stop thinking in order to help them to better pursue holiness.

NOTES

Freeze Frame (Optional Activ-ity) Tell the students they are going to play a game called “Freeze Frame.” Say that you are going to read 1 Peter 1:13-16 slowly and that at various places in the Scripture, you are going to stop. Instruct them that after you read a phrase, you are going to count to three and they are to pose in a manner that best represents what that phrase means to them. After each freeze frame, call on volun-teers to share the reason for their poses. Based on your previ-ous study of the phrase, take a few minutes after students share their reasons, to further explain the phrases. As you read, pause after the following phrases in the Holman Christian Standard Bible: “with your minds ready for action;” “be se-rious;” “set your hope com-pletely on the grace;” “obedient children;” “do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance;” “one who called you;” and “you are to be holy in all your conduct.” (Choose a dif-ferent translation with different phrases as you see fit.)

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NOTES

Mission Statement (Optional Activity) Instruct your students to find a partner. Lead the pairs to develop a simple BOUNCE Mission statement that encom-passes the truths identified in 1 Peter 1:13-16 and challenges them to prepare appropriately for the BOUNCE experience. Af-ter a few minutes, when the pairs have had a chance to de-velop and polish their mission statements, call on students to share their statements with the rest of the group. Consider choosing one of the statements and challenging the students to memorize the words and recite the mission statement several times a day until the BOUNCE Mission in order to help better prepare their minds and spirit for the experience.

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Acting Speaks Louder than Words (Team Assignments)

Team 1 Examine 1 Peter 1:13 and prepare a brief skit to illustrate the meaning of the phrase, “Prepare your minds” or “Gird up the loins of your minds.”

Team 2 Examine 1 Peter 1:13 and prepare a brief skit to illustrate the meaning of the phrase, “Be self-controlled” or “Be sober.”

Team 3 Examine 1 Peter 1:13 and prepare a brief skit to illustrate the meaning of the phrase, “Set your hope fully.”

Team 4 Examine 1 Peter 1:14 and prepare a skit to illustrate the mean-ing of the phrase “As obedient children do not be conformed.”

Handout #3

Word Association—Part 2

List some characteristics of holiness by completing the acrostic below.

B-

E-

H-

O-

L-

Y-

Handout #4

Eliminating Excess Baggage

Write three things in the “elimination sign” below that you need to get rid of, quit doing, or stop thinking in order for you to better pursue holiness.

Handout #5

Session 3 – The Prayer Life of On-Mission Living

(Praying for BOUNCE)

PURPOSE Life Question: Why is prayer an essential ingredient in the life of an on-mission Christian?

Bible Truth: The right kind of prayer life has a powerful impact on the lives of on-mission Christians and their circles of influence.

Teaching Aim: To lead students to develop a powerful prayer life.

PASSAGE

Matthew 6:1, 5-15 PREPARATION

Introduction The subject of prayer may baffle even the most mature Christians. Students who are developing mentally may be puzzled by, and frustrated with, prayer. Concrete-thinking teenagers see prayer from a very short and limited perspective. They expect immediate answers and are confused when such answers don’t come. Even in the later teen years when students think more abstractly, they still struggle with understanding what prayer involves.

Some students approach prayer in a deliberate, almost ritualistic manner. Once they experience answered prayer, they may use the same formula, hoping for identical answers. These youth would be surprised to discover how similar they are to the Pharisees whom Jesus criticized. Other youth use prayer when it’s convenient. They pray for wants, in times of emergency, or when things go wrong. These youth misunderstand the power of prayer. They’ve not de-veloped a relationship with God through prayer.

Some students have strong prayer lives. Such students may be ma-ture enough as Christians to share some of their prayer experi-ences during this session. Many students do not understand how their relationships with others affect their prayer lives. They may even resent those who hurt or offend them, and find it difficult to forgive. They do not realize how their unforgiving attitude stifles their relationship with God.

Just like a seventy-two-inch plasma television must be plugged into a power source in order for us to enjoy the beautiful picture, so

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must effective on-mission Christians plug into a power source big-ger than themselves to engage in their beautiful role as agents of transformation for the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ disciples noticed a significant difference in the power of their leader that was bound to his connection with his Father through prayer. So they asked him to teach them how to pray. In response Jesus instructed his disciples in the art of effective prayer. He addressed the motive, manner, and content of prayer. As we examine the instructions he gave to his first disciples, we can learn how to energize our prayer lives as an essential element of effective, on-mission living. Materials 1. Create team instructions on large sheets of paper for the

“Communication Connection” activity. 2. Create a poster with the premise statement to be used in the

“Up for Debate” activity. 3. Make copies of Handout #6 and cut apart the phrases for use

in the activity “A Call to Order.” 4. Make copies of Handout #7 to be used in the “Measuring Up”

activity. PROCEDURES

Communication Connection (10 minutes) As the students arrive, direct them to a seat in one of two circles you have arranged be-fore the session. Place in the middle of each circle a large sheet of paper with the following instructions:

Team 1: Illustrate as many ways as you can think of to com-municate a message to someone without the use of a visual aide (for example a radio, cell phone, etc.) Team 2: Illustrate as many ways as you can think of to com-municate a message to someone using a visual aide (for ex-ample a letter, sign language, etc.)

Call for each group to interpret its work. Challenge each student to describe how these methods can be contrasted to the ways we can communicate with God. (for example: without visuals we commu-nicate with God with our thoughts, desires, silent and verbal prayers). Point out that it is an individual response to God that helps us develop a prayer life. Directed Prayer Concert (10 minutes) To prepare the students for this study on prayer, lead them in a time of directed prayer. In-struct the students to bow their heads and to pray silently while

NOTES

Power Aide (Optional Activity) Direct the students to a large sheet of paper or a marker board and instruct them to list power sources in the appropri-ate spaces. It may be possible to divide the students into two teams and challenge the two teams to see which one can come up with the most power sources. Or it may be better to see if the students can list a power source for each letter in the alphabet. After a few min-utes, examine the lists and call on students to share their power sources. Point out that to experi-ence the full power of an on-mission Christian, it is important to plug into the power source of the Holy Spirit through prayer.

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you suggest general topics. After stating each topic, pause for thirty seconds to let the students pray silently. Use topics that will directly apply to your upcoming BOUNCE Mission or any mission projects that may be ongoing in your community. Here are a few suggestions: the city of your BOUNCE mission; the group leader for your church, the Mission Coordinator, relationships with someone they will be working with, the Construction Coordinator, fundrais-ing, etc. Up for Debate (15 minutes) To introduce the students to the pas-sage of Scripture, hold a debate. Display a poster on which you have written: Resolved: Prayer does not significantly help today’s students. Form two teams with a previously assigned worker lead-ing each team. Instruct one team to defend the statement, and the other to oppose the statement. Direct the students to Matthew 6:1, 5-8. Encourage the students to look for interesting points from Jesus’ discussion with his disciples that can be used in their debate. A Call to Order (10 minutes) Direct the students to work together to place the following phrases that you have written on strips of paper (be sure to scramble the phrases), in the order that they ap-pear in Matthew 9-13: Our Father who art in heaven; Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done; On earth as it is in heaven; Give us this day our daily bread; Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; Do not lead us into temptation; Deliver us from evil; For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, amen. You may want to divide the group into two teams with two sets of phrases and let the teams race to see who can put the phrases in order first. After the phrases have been put in the proper order, take a few minutes to explain the significance of each phrase in the model that Jesus shared for prayer. Questions That Need Answers (5 minutes) To help the students apply the Scripture to their lives, direct their attention to the phrase you have written on a large sheet of paper or a marker board: How Would You Pray? Challenge them to consider the dif-ferent options available in prayer. Ask: What are some specific times during the day when most youth could pray? What do you think most youth pray about? How often do most youth pray? Jot their answers down on the large sheet of paper or marker board. Take a few minutes to discuss the positive and negative answers to the questions. Then ask: When and how often should we pray for the BOUNCE Mission this year? What aspects of the BOUNCE Mis-sion should we pray about? Spend some time in prayer for BOUNCE before you close the session.

NOTES

Win, Lose, or Draw® (Optional Activity) Divide the students into two teams and play several brief rounds of Win, Lose, or Draw (Pictionary). The game is played when a student from one team chooses a word or phrase from a basket and then has two minutes to illustrate the word or phrase on a large sheet of paper or marker board while the rest of the team tries to guess the phrase based on the hints in the drawing. The actual words or phrases aren’t important, though in this instance they may relate to characteristics of prayer (Praise, Pray without Ceasing, Pray in Secret; Pray In-tentionally, Pray Specifically, Pray With Others, Pray With Thanksgiving, Pray for Others, etc.)

After each round, discuss the key aspects of the illustrations that enabled the team to guess the word or phrase being pre-sented. After the game, point out that there are some key ele-ments in a prayer life that en-able us to communicate effec-tively with God. Call on volun-teers to identify some of these elements (spend time listening to God, praying without ceasing, thanksgiving, praise, etc).

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NOTES

Measuring Up (Optional Activ-ity) Challenge the students to evaluate their own prayer life in ten areas on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being excellent. (See “Measuring Up” handout.) Challenge the students to total the number of points for their ten items to determine a score from 1-100. Instruct them to identify ways to improve their prayer lives and encourage them to take specific steps to deepen their relationship with God through a richer prayer life.

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A Call to Order

Place the following phrases in the order they appear in Matthew 6:9-13.

Our Father who art in heaven

Hallowed be Thy name

Thy kingdom come

Thy will be done

On earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors

Do no lead us into temptation

Deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, amen.

Handout #6

Measuring Up

Evaluate your prayer life using the scale below.

Handout #7

Area of Prayer Rating Score

Public Prayers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Private Prayers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Personal Prayers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Prayer for Others 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Frequency of Prayers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Prayers of Praise 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Prayers of Thanksgiving 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Posture of Prayer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Confession 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

BOUNCE Mission Prayers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Total

Areas of Improvement

Steps for Improvement

Session 4 – Preparing Parents for On-Mission Living

(Fellowship/Informational Meeting)

PURPOSE To provide an opportunity for parents and students to get together before the BOUNCE Mission and share information and encouragement.

PREPARATION 1. As students and parents gather for the fellowship, play upbeat

Christian music or videos and encourage them to get a snack and visit with one another.

2. After a few minutes of socializing, divide the participants up into several teams in preparation for a relay race (depending on how many are participating.) You could have four teams: fathers, sons, mothers, and daughters or parents against the students. Design a series of obstacles relating to tasks the BOUNCE Missionaries will complete while on mission. For example, the first station could be hammering a nail into a piece of wood, with the next person in line removing the nail; the second station could be to sweep a pile of confetti across the room, with the next person in line sweeping it back; the next station could be to paint a piece of cardboard with a water-based paint; the next station could be to build a pyramid with 20 popsicle sticks; the next station could be to bail water out of a tub with a small cup; etc.

3. Following the relay take a few minutes to either show a video of a local person sharing the story of the community where the BOUNCE Mission will take place or describe the environment and identify the needs of the community. Go over a tentative schedule for the entire trip and discuss a list of items the participants will need to bring on the mission project. This may also be a good time to identify some guidelines and expectations for the trip.

4. Take a few minutes to review the three pre-mission studies the participants have completed in spiritual preparation for the BOUNCE Mission and offer a brief spiritual challenge to the participants and their families.

5. Lead the attendees to break into family groups. Challenge the BOUNCE participants to share the answers to the following questions with their families as you read them.

What would be a BOUNCE Mission Statement for this year’s project?

What is your biggest concern about the BOUNCE Mission you are about to participate in?

What is your best hope for the BOUNCE Mission?

NOTES

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How have you been preparing yourself spiritually for the experience?

What is one thing you would like to see God do with you while you are on the BOUNCE Mission?

How can your family best pray for you while you are on mission?

What kind of vision would you like to bring home from the BOUNCE Mission this year?

6. Provide family devotions for the parents to use while their students are on the BOUNCE Mission. Also provide a copy of the “Pick-up Lines” handout they can use with their students upon their return home.

7. Conclude the fellowship with a time of prayer and commitment for the BOUNCE Mission participants. Consider some sort of commissioning process the group can share in together.

8. Before everyone is dismissed, be sure to provide an opportunity for everyone to complete the medical/permission forms. Provide notaries if necessary.

NOTES

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PICK UP LINES

Use the questions below to guide conversations with your student following their BOUNCE Mission experience. These are not designed to be used as an “interrogation guide” but as a tool to prompt dialog about your student’s BOUNCE experience. The BOUNCE Team is praying that your conversations will be both fun and meaningful.

1. How did you hear from God during your BOUNCE Mission? 2. What did you see as the most important victories experienced while on your BOUNCE Mission? 3. Who was one person God used you to impact on the BOUNCE Mission? 4. What was the hardest thing you had to do while on your BOUNCE Mission? 5. What was the most fun you had on your BOUNCE Mission? 6. Did anything happen during your BOUNCE Mission that you would consider a significant spiritual marker in your life? 7. How can we best pray for you and the community you served now that your BOUNCE Mission has been completed? 8. What are some things we might do as a family to minister to our community or neighborhood? 9. What are some things you might do to minister here at home? 10. What are some things you could do to minister at your school this year?