Word Association (5 mins)

Transcription

1 Theme: Jesus and Other Faiths Title: Jesus: Good News Target Group: Mainly Church Background Age: Aim: Equipment: Print-outs: Jesus is good news for everyone newspapers; marker pens; card for Print-out 1 or Print-out 2, blank card for responses; pens Print-out 1: Bible Talk for a Small Group Print-out 2: Bible Talk for a Large Group Bible Base: Luke 10:30 37; 17:11 19; John 4:7 42 Word Association (5 mins) Sit the group in a circle, or in such a way that it is obvious who the next person is. Explain that they have to say the first word that comes into their head when the previous word has been said. e.g. shoe sock smelly cheese Explain that the aim is to go all the way round the group. You may want to do the activity a few times. Expect lots of laughter, but take note of particular associated words so that you can question why they were chosen e.g. smelly after sock. Try to tease out of the group that we all make judgements and or have assumptions. Our prejudices are based on different things: experiences, facts, things we read in books or have seen on TV, generalisations, and urban myths. Explain that an urban myth is a contemporary story that is told as a true story, but the basis for the story cannot be found. It is often retold as a friend of a friend... One urban myth is that a friend went into a fast food restaurant to buy something to eat in the cinema. Whilst watching the film he bit through his breadcrumb-coated chicken, only to find it was a rat and not a chicken leg. News Attack (10 mins) Distribute a selection of current newspapers, or sections of newspapers. Check the newspapers first, and remove any pages that would distract their attention from the task. Ask them to circle any articles about people from a different faith, culture or race from themselves. You may want to provide thick marker pens for them to circle the headline or article. Discuss the following: What assumptions can be made from the article about the people or faith group represented? Do you think these assumptions are an accurate picture of all members of that group? As followers of Jesus is it helpful for us to consider how he treated those from other people/faith groups?

2 Bible Bit (10 mins) Give a short talk, making the following points: Jesus did not meet Hindus or Buddhists or Muslims, but he did speak to those who were not Jewish (he was Jewish). The group that were hated the most by the Jewish people were the Samaritans who lived alongside them. They were seen to be different culturally and religiously. It is therefore helpful to consider how Jesus responded to the Samaritans. Explain that you are going to only think about three incidents involving the Samaritan people, one is a parable Jesus told, but the other incidents were encounters Jesus had with individuals. If the group is small, make three cards with the Bible references on the front and key words from the story on the back. (See Print-out 1: Bible Talk for a Small Group.) Sit the group in a circle and place the cards in the centre of the circle on a table, with the Bible verses facing the group. As you begin to recount each story turn the appropriate card over so that they can consider the words as you speak. (Alternatively you may want to read the story from the Bible.) If the group is too large to sit in a circle and still see the cards, then use Print-out 2: Bible Talk for a Large Group. Tell or read each story and display the words for each story as you go through them. Ask the students to consider the words read out as you speak or read the story. Response (5 min) Discuss what they have found out about Jesus attitude to the Samaritans. If time allows, write these words on cards and reflect on them. Consider how it helps Christians today who live alongside those of other faith communities. You may find it helpful to use the cards from the stories as the basis for a prayer.

3 Print-out 1: Bible Talk for a Small Group Neighbour Go and do likewise Pity Good role model Costly Mercy Healed Faith Asked for mercy Praised God Foreigner Woman Alone Thirsty Told others Believed something different

4 Print-out 2: Bible Talk for a Large Group Neighbour Pity Mercy Costly Good Role Model Go and Do Likewise

5 Print-out 2: Bible Talk for a Large Group continued Healed Asked for Mercy Foreigner Faith Praised God

6 Print-out 2: Bible Talk for a Large Group continued Woman Alone Believed Something Different Told Others Thirsty