Writer: Sean Sweet Project Supervisor: Nick Diliberto Video: Santos Productions Graphic Design: Creative Juice Graphic Design Editor: Tom Helm

Transcription

1 EPIC FAIL LESSON 1 Writer: Sean Sweet Project Supervisor: Nick Diliberto Video: Santos Productions Graphic Design: Creative Juice Graphic Design Editor: Tom Helm 2012 Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 1

2 EPIC Fail Lesson 1: Holy vs. Holey Bible: Matthew 36:25; Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 4:6 7 LESSON SUPPLIES 1 Styrofoam cup for each person (in small group areas) 1 pen for each person (in small group areas) 1 tea light candle for each person (keep all of these in the main teaching area) Some way of lighting the candles lighter, match, etc. 1 pen and Styrofoam cup full of water for demonstration (in the main teaching area). Place plastic sheeting on the teaching area (to catch the spilling water). OPENING WORSHIP (10 MINUTES) We suggest beginning the service with worship. The following are a few suggested songs: Jump Around (Planet Shakers) Brighter Day (Gungor) Trading My Sorrows (Darrell Evans) OPENING GAME (5-10 MINUTES) On the screen, show the nickname of a president OR the stage name of a wrestler. If they think the name displayed a wrestler, they go to one side of the room; if they think the name is a president, they go to the other side. All those who are incorrect are out. Repeat play until you get down to one and give a silly prize. Below are the names and the answers: The Blue Blazer (wrestler) Superfly (wrestler) Uncle Jumbo (president Grover Cleveland) The Little Magician (president) The Red Rooster (wrestler) Napoleon of the Stump (president) The Repo Man (wrestler) The Trooper (wrestler) Note: If you wish to add some of your own wrestler and presidential names to the list, we ve provided some places to go online to do so. Use to pick out your favorite presidential nicknames for the game. Use to pick out your favorite wrestler names Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 2

3 TEACH OPENING (10 MINUTES) [Slide 1 Epic Fail cover] Say: Today we begin a series called, EPIC Fail. Over the next six weeks, we ll be talking about how to deal with failure. Each week we ll take a look at the epic fail of the week. And now it s time for the epic fail for this week, submitted by Joni Crandell from Austin, TX. [Slide 2 - ATV wheels off picture] (Comment on picture. For instance: That truly is an epic fail. I would not want to be in that situation). [Slide 3 Epic Fail cover] Failure is all around us. I ve failed in my life. Anybody else? Let me tell you about a time I experienced failure (tell about a time in your life that you experienced failure). You and I are a bit like this Styrofoam cup (hold up cup), and we sometimes think it s our job to be perfect to hold water (take a sip). So, when our plans fail (poke cup near top with a pen and let a little water spill out), we can feel like a failure. There are all sorts of ways we can feel like a failure (poke a hole in the cup a little lower with each type of failure). We can mess up on tests and school assignments (poke). We can mess up when playing sports (poke). We feel like a failure in our friendships when somebody that was our friend is now our enemy (poke). Maybe you want to be popular, but you find out you stink at that (poke). Maybe you want to be funny, but you find out you re not (poke). Maybe you want to play an instrument, but it s horrifying (poke). There are so many ways that we can mess up and feel like a failure. What about when we sin? When we lie to our parents (poke) or steal something (poke) or cheat (poke)? When we do something that we really didn t want to do? We can feel like a total failure. That s what we are going to talk about for the next few weeks. We re going to talk about dealing with failures in our lives. But first, I want you to break into your small groups to say hello. [Break up into small groups.] 2012 Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 3

4 SMALL GROUP (10 MINUTES) Welcome your group. Show them your sample cup (which small group leaders should make prior to this). On it, you ll have holes pokes and written next to each hole something in your life that you ve messed up. See the example below: I lied to my friend. My soccer team lost Lost my job. It will be difficult for some kids to talk about their failures, or to even feel safe admitting that they ve had any. You sharing first and honestly can help them know that your small group is a SAFE PLACE to talk about REAL THINGS. After you ve shared, hand out a Styrofoam cup and a pen to each preteen, but instruct them to NOT DO ANYTHING until you give them the okay to start. Explain that the idea is to punch a hole for one failure that they are willing to share with the group and then write that failure down next to the hole before punching the next hole. Have preteens share their failures and then gather their cups for later. [Preteens gather back together for large group.] TEACH (15 MINUTES) VIDEO (11 MINUTES) TEACH (Like in the video and small group, make your own failure cup and be ready to show it to the group). Say: You and I are not perfect. No one is. I know some of you (motion to audience) feel like people expect you to be perfect, and you might be right maybe they do. You might think that if you re not a perfect son or daughter or brother or sister or student or friend or athlete, if you re not perfect at something, then there s something wrong with you. But check it out God knows that you are not like this (hold up perfect Styrofoam cup with no holes), God is the only one that is holy, which means perfect Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 4

5 [Slide 4: Holy] God is okay with you being like this (hold up your failure cup filled with holes). Because you and I, we are not holy (PAUSE) we are holey. [Slide 5: HOLEY] And in Romans 3:23, the Bible tells us that everybody is holey! (Read Romans 3:23) So, why is our brokenness and our failure okay with God? Why is God okay with building His Church on Peter, who makes mistakes? Check out what it says in 2 Corinthians. (Read 2 Corinthians 4:6-7) [Slide 6: 2 Corinthians 4:6 7] (Reread 2 Corinthians 4:6 only). It s like this: God s holy light (light candle), can shine through my holey-ness into the world. (put Styrofoam cup overtop of candle). Why is the church around the world a success? Is it because of Peter? No, that guy was obviously holey, not holy. The church is successful because of Jesus, who is HOLY. For you and me, this is great news. See this hole right here in my life this represents the times I ve sinned. But God still loves me even though I ve messed up over and over. That shows the world something. Does it show the world how great I am? NO. It shows the world how great GOD is! (Share some of the failures on your cup and how God shined through them. Talk about how your failures showed the greatness of God). [Dismiss preteens to small group.] [Slide 7 Epic Fail Cover] 2012 Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 5

6 SMALL GROUP (10 MINUTES) Following the example given during the teaching time, discuss how God can shine through the holes in their cups. Afterward, have the preteens bring their cups to the large group time. [Preteens come back together to the large group area.] TEACH CLOSING (10 MINUTES) Note: During small group time, light all the tea light candles in the main teaching area in preparation for closing session. [Slide 8 GOD is holy, our actions make us HOLEY.] Say: God does not need you to be perfect, or pretend that you are. In fact, what really bothers Jesus is when people pretend to be perfect. He s ok with you being imperfect, because when you do something great, people know that it s really God that deserves the applause. How many of you are ready to stop worrying about how great YOU are and instead focus on how great God is (wait for responses)? How many of you realize that instead of being holy, God loves you holey (wait for responses)? As we listen to this song, pay attention to the words. If you would like your life to be about showing how great GOD is instead of showing how great you are, then bring your cup to a leader that is standing up front, and they ll put it over a candle here in the front. Notice how your life will shine, holes and all. Who s ready to let God s light shine through their mistakes? [Slide 9 Epic Fail cover] (Play For the Moments when I am Faint by Reliant K and put the words on the screen while kids respond.) WORSHIP (10 MINUTES) Here s a list of some suggested worship songs: Rescue (Eddie James) Be the Strength (Leslie Phillips) We Shine (Stellar Kart) 2012 Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 6