JUST VISITING. And the Word became flesh and made his home among us John 1:14 PRE-CAMP BIBLE STUDIES

2019 JUST VISITING And the Word became flesh and made his home among us John 1:14 PRE-CAMP BIBLE STUDIES 1

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Abigail Pratt serves as the Associate Pastor for Families and Mission at Central Baptist Church. She graduated from Wake Forest University School of Divinity in 2014 and was ordained by Peace Haven Baptist Church. Over the past four summers Abby has enjoyed bringing groups from her church to Impact, helping to coordinate Impact Chesterfield, and serving as camp pastor in 2017. With roots in Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia, Abby is a fan of KU Basketball, CookOut Milkshakes, and tacky Christmas lights. 2

PRE-CAMP BIBLE STUDIES 2019 Theme: Just Visiting We have been taking inspiration for our themes for the last few years from Matthew 25:31-45. This year our focus is, I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me. We hope to challenge students to consider how God visited us through the person of Christ and what call that places on our lives to be God s presence to others. Students will be encouraged to think about how they share God s justice by being present to others and how they can do that every week of their lives, not just the one week they are at Impact. To help you and your students get ready for camp we have created a 4 session Pre-Camp Bible Study. These activities are meant to be done as a group and will get your students to start thinking about God s calling to visit and Jesus example as a visitor who visited many. SESSION 1: BIBLE STUDY Students will read and explore the instructions Jesus gave to his followers before sending them out to go and visit as a way to begin thinking about this year s camp theme: Just Visiting and our calling to follow Christ. SESSION 2: ON A MISSION TO VISIT MISSION TIC-TAC-TOE Students will be challenged to go out into the community and complete mini-mission projects as a way to practice Just Visiting. SESSION 3: BURNING BUSH MAGAZINE MOSAIC ART Reflecting on the story of the Burning Bush, students will engage the creative parts of their minds to make a magazine mosaic. As they create you are provided with conversation starting questions around the story of God visiting Moses in the form of a burning bush. SESSION 4: COMMISSIONING WORSHIP SERVICE Your students and church are invited to gather together to worship using Matthew 25:31-45 as a focal text and concluding with a commissioning to bless your group before you come to Camp. 3

LIST OF MATERIALS All items can be found at Walmart or a craft store (the estimated prices came from Walmart). WARM-UP ACTIVITY (BEGINNING OF EACH SESSION) Pad of Sticky Notes (you will need to write Bible stories/verses on the sticky notes before the first session) Wall/Space to place 30-35 Sticky Notes that can stay up over the 4 Sessions Bibles SESSION 1: BIBLE STUDY Bibles Pens/Pencils Paper Whiteboard/Poster board (optional) and Markers SESSION 2: ON A MISSION TO VISIT MISSION TIC-TAC-TOE Tic-Tac-Toe Card with interview questions on back Optional Materals: Items for Care Packages Games/Crafts to do with Homebound Members/Nursing Home Residents Information about your church to share with neighbors Materials to Make Cards for Homebound Members SESSION 3: BURNING BUSH MAGAZINE MOSAIC ART 1 - Canvas (11 x 14 2 PK $6) 1-8 oz. Container of Mod Podge ($5) 1-2 Foam Sponge Brushes with Wooden Handle (4-pack $5) 1-2 Old Magazines Burning Bush Outline Bible SESSION 4: COMMISSIONING WORSHIP SERVICE Matthew 25 Banner 1-3 - Candle (3-pack $8) Ball of Twine ($3) Cloth Squares ($3/yard and 1 yard = 20 squares) Sharpie Markers Hole Punch 4

VISITING STORIES IN THE BIBLE OLD TESTAMENT Abraham and the three visitors (Genesis 18) God visits Hagar (Genesis 21:14-19) Isaac marries Rebekah (Genesis 24:22-25) Joseph and his brothers in Egypt (Genesis 42) Moses visits Reuel (Exodus 2:11-22) God visits Moses in a Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1-4:17) Rahab welcomes visitors (Joshua 2:1-24) Hushai warns David (Samuel 17:27-29) Elijah and the Zarephath widow (1 Kings 17:7-16) Job s friends visit him (Job 2) God visits Jonah (Jonah 1 and 3:1-5) NEW TESTAMENT Jesus comes to Earth (Matthew 1:18-23, Luke 2:1-20) The Word became Flesh (John 1:1-18) Jesus visits Peter s mom (Matthew 8:14-17) Jesus visits Simon s mom (Luke 4:38-39) Jesus visits Matthew (Matthew 9:9-12, Mark 2:13-17) Jesus visits Levi (Luke 5:29) Jesus sends the disciples out to visit (Matthew 10:5-10, Mark 6:7-13, Luke 9:1-6) A woman visits Jesus with an alabaster jar (Matthew 26:6-7, Luke 7:36-39) Mary anoints Jesus feet (John 2:1-11) Jesus is visited by five friends (Mark 2:1-5) The Angel of the Lord visits Zechariah (Luke 1:8-20) The Angel of the Lord visits Mary (Luke 1:26-38) Mary visits Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45) Jesus visits his Father s House (Luke 2:41-52) Jesus sends out the 72 (Luke 10:1-12) Jesus visits Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) Jesus teaches on Hospitality (Luke 14:1-15) Jesus visits Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) Jesus visits disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32) Nicodemus visits Jesus with questions (John 3:1-21) Jesus visits the woman at the well (John 4:4-26) The hospitality of the early church (Acts 2:42-47) Cornelius visits Peter (Acts 10:23-48) Paul visits Lydia (Acts 16:11-15) Paul, Silas, and the jailer (Acts 16:23-36) Apollos visits Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:24-28) 5

SESSION 1: BIBLE STUDY Students will read and explore the instructions Jesus gave to his followers before sending them out to go and visit as a way to begin thinking about this year s camp theme: Just Visiting and our calling to follow Christ. BEFORE YOU LEAD Each session students will participate in a Warm Up Activity. You have a sheet with 30-40 visiting stories from the bible. Write the story and bible verse on a sticky note and place the sticky note on a wall in your Youth area. Each student will choose 1 sticky note per session. If you have a large group, ask students to return their sticky notes to the wall after each time. Read through the entire lesson. We have included helpful guides as a way to deepen the conversation. Add to these notes what you would like to share with your students. Think about where you can place sticky notes and other pieces of paper as you explore and study-i like to use whiteboards or large pieces of paper/poster board for the students to write and reflect on. Pray for your group, ask God to help you be present to them and encourage them as they grow in their faith and prepare for camp. MATERIALS Bibles Pens/Pencils Paper Whiteboard/Poster board (optional) and Markers WARM-UP ACTIVITY Each session will begin with the same warm-up activity. In order to get students thinking about what it means to be a just visitor, invite them to choose a sticky note from your wall of sticky notes and individually read the Bible story printed on the sticky note. Once everyone has gathered, invite students to share what they read and how it is an example of visiting. Ask students to return the sticky notes to the wall for others to read in later sessions. EXPLORE Begin by giving your students a count down to when you leave for camp! Share with them that this year s theme is Just Visiting and they will learn more about what that means over the next few weeks. Tell them that to start off the Bible study you will play a game. 6

Game: Jesus Says This game is very similar to Simon Says but instead of using the name Simon use Jesus Choose one person to be Jesus. This person will give instructions to the rest of the group by first saying Jesus Says. This could be Jesus says to hop on one foot or Jesus says to sit down. The group must listen to Jesus instructions closely and only do the actions that follow the statement Jesus says. A group member is out if s/he does an action that Jesus gave without first saying Jesus Says The last group member in wins and gets to be the next Jesus Play a couple rounds and then share with students that in today s bible study you will be exploring what Jesus gave to his followers before he sent them out to visit Study Read Matthew 10:5-10. Tell students that in this story, Jesus is teaching his followers how they should go visit. In the first part, Jesus begins by telling them to go and do what he did. Divide these verses between students or groups of students for them to read: Matthew 4:13-16 Matthew 8:5-13 Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26 Matthew 8:28-34 Matthew 8:1-4 Matthew 4:17 Once they have read them ask each student to share how their scripture verse(s) matches Jesus instructions in Matthew 10:5-8. Write down the matches. Ask students if they can think of other things that Jesus did that match these instructions. Helpful Guide: Go to the lost sheep, the people of Israel (Matthew 4:13-16) Make the announcement: The kingdom of heaven has come near (Matthew 4:17) Heal the sick (Matthew 8:5-13) Raise the dead (Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26) Cleanse those with skin diseases (Matthew 8:1-4) Throw out demons (Matthew 8:28-34) Next, share with students that the second part of Jesus instructions are a bunch of Don t do s : Don t demand payment for giving (You received without having to pay). Don t gather gold or silver or copper coins for your money belts to take on your trips (Workers deserve to be fed) Don t take a backpack for the road Don t take two shirts Don t take sandals Don t take a walking stick. 7

1. Ask students why they think Jesus gave this list of don ts. 2. What would be the advantage of not charging for their services or carrying money when they traveled? 3. Why did Jesus want them to take so few items? Helpful Guide: It sounds like Jesus is telling the disciples to live simply, be humble, and depend on the kindness of others when they go and visit. In Jesus ministry, he always gave expecting nothing in return. In doing so he lived the teaching that God s love is not conditional. It seems like it would have been easy for the disciples to get distracted, anxious, or discouraged with the details of traveling-jesus wanted them to focus on sharing God s love and caring for people, not obsessing over material things. By doing this the disciples were invited to live the teaching that God will provide for our needs. What else do you think?! Reflect and Connect: As a group, update Jesus visiting instructions for followers today. If Jesus came to your pre-camp meeting, what instructions would he have for you as you prepare to be disciples this summer? Write down what you come up with and post it in your Youth area to remind you of Jesus guide for visiting. CLOSING PRAYER As you conclude your time together remind students that going and visiting is an important part of being a follower of Jesus and that the Bible gives us instructions on how to be present and spend time with others. Gather in a circle and ask each person to finish the sentence, I can follow Jesus by. Close the prayer by blessing the wisdom and compassion of your students. Pray that you will all continue to learn how to visit as Jesus would visit. 8

SESSION 2: ON A MISSION TO VISIT MISSION TIC-TAC-TOE Students will be challenged to go out into the community and complete mini-mission projects as a way to practice Just Visiting. BEFORE YOU LEAD This activity will require some preparation. Read through the mini-mission projects listed on the Tic-Tac-Toe squares. It is possible that your group will not be able to do all of the projects based on your location and the limitation of resources. Make a list of what you can do and be prepared to guide students in choosing their projects. Call ahead to set up visits with leaders, homebound members, etc. It is better for everyone if you are not surprise visitors! Make sure you have enough (safe) drivers and a set timeframe for completing the tasks. Pray for your students and their visitors. Pray that you all may share God s love and the joy of Christian community through this fun mission activity. MATERIALS Tic-Tac-Toe Card with interview questions on back Optional Materals: Items for Care Packages Games/Crafts to do with Homebound Members/Nursing Home Residents Information about your church to share with neighbors Materials to Make Cards for Homebound Members WARM-UP ACTIVITY In order to get students thinking about what it means to be a just visitor, invite them to choose a sticky note from your wall of sticky notes and individually read the Bible story printed on the sticky note. Once everyone has gathered, invite students to share what they read and how it is an example of visiting. Ask students to return the sticky notes to the wall for others to read in later sessions. 9

INSTRUCTIONS Choose 3 squares and complete the mini-mission projects in order to get Impact Tic-Tac-Toe. You can either work as one group or divide into smaller groups. Be safe and have fun! Impact Tic-Tac-Toe Make and send small care-packages to either college students or members of your church who are currently away serving in the military. Clean the Youth Department or whole church on a Sunday afternoon/evening. A just visitor leaves a space better than how s/he found it. Visit homebound members and take a game or craft to do with them. Spend time talking in order to learn about them and to share about yourself. Help serve a meal or distribute food at a local soup kitchen or food pantry. Ask if you can do a task/job where you can also visit with clients. Create Your Own Mini-Missions Project Walk around the neighborhood near your church. Say hello and visit with neighbors. Share with them about opportunities to visit your church. Visit a local nursing home, take a game or craft to do with residents. Spend time talking with them in order to learn about their lives and share about yourself. Make cards and send them to homebound members in your church. Set a time to interview your pastor, missions minister, or a missions leader in your church. Ask them the questions listed on the back of this card or come up with a list of your own questions. 10

CLOSING PRAYER As you conclude your time together remind students that the Bible is full of stories and instructions (Matthew 10, 25 and lots more!) to go and visit our brothers and sisters in Christ. Gather in a circle and ask each person to share one thing they learned from this activity. Close by praying for those whom you visited, give thanks for your community of faith, ask God to continue to guide your students to visit and serve others. PASTOR/LEADER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS What is your role within the missions work of our church? Why is it important for our church to do missions? What advice do you have for young Christians who want to help others? What are 3 hopes you have for the mission ministries of our church and community? 11

SESSION 3: BURNING BUSH MAGAZINE MOSAIC ART Reflecting on the story of the Burning Bush, students will engage the creative parts of their minds to make a magazine mosaic. As they create you are provided with conversation starting questions around the story of God visiting Moses in the form of a burning bush. BEFORE YOU LEAD Read Exodus 3:2-12. Magazine Mosaics are a lot of fun but can be a bit time-consuming. It might be best to assign roles to students and encourage them to work on different areas of the canvas. Read the conversation questions before you begin and come up with more questions in order to keep the conversation going! Pray for your students to have fun and be creative with this project. Pray for the creativity of Impact staff as they too are entering final preparations for camp this summer. MATERIALS 1-11 x 14 Canvas 1-8 oz. Container of Mod Podge 1-2 Old Magazines 1-2 Foam Sponge Brushes (with Wooden Handle) Burning Bush Outline Bible WARM-UP ACTIVITY In order to get students thinking about what it means to be a just visitor, invite them to choose a sticky note from your wall of sticky notes and individually read the Bible story printed on the sticky note. Once everyone has gathered, invite students to share what they read and how it is an example of visiting. CREATE Begin by reading Exodus 3:2-12. Share with the group that you are going to create a magazine mosaic of the burning bush. Using the provided outline draw the burning bush on your canvas using a pencil. Try and fill the entire space. 12

Choose pages from the magazines based on color (you will want reds, yellows, and oranges for the burning bush and another color(s) for the background. Tear the pages into small square pieces (0.5 x0.5 ) and divide into piles by color. Glue the pieces within the outline on the canvas. You should cover the entire canvas-don t leave any whitespace! When you are done cover the entire piece of art with Mod Podge and let dry. As you create, ask students: What is something that has surprised you or caught your attention recently? Can you think of a time at church or when you were reading scripture, praying, serving, or singing and God visited you in a way that caught your attention? Are there things you feel like God is calling you to do but you are not sure if you can do? What would you tell a friend who is struggling with doing what s/he feels like God is asking him/her to do? CLOSING PRAYER As you conclude your time together remind students of God s words to Moses in verse 12: God said, I ll be with you. Gather in a circle and ask each person to finish the sentence, Because God is with me, I can. Close the prayer by blessing the courage and hopes of your students. 13

Burning Bush Outline 14

SESSION 4: COMMISSIONING WORSHIP SERVICE Your students and church are invited to gather together to worship using Matthew 25:31-45 as a focal text and concluding with a commissioning to bless your group before you come to Camp. BEFORE YOU LEAD Worship at Impact is an important time for students. For some, this is the largest group of young Christians that they will worship with for the whole year. For others, they get to dress casually and sing different songs than they do when they worship in their home church. It is our hope that Impact worship welcomes all students and challenges them to experience God in new and renewed ways. We have created a worship service for you to share with your group or with your entire church (that is up to you). We have tried to include enough resources to fill the service but invite you to make additions or changes to best fit your group and church. Be sure to ask students and leaders to read prayers or scripture verses and participate as able. Take time to read through the proclaiming notes and prepare what you want to say during the sermon/homily. Pray for the group who will gather to worship together. Pray that God will be present in your worship. MATERIALS Matthew 25 Banner 1-3 Candles (3-pack $8) Ball of Twine ($3) Cloth Squares ($3/yard and 1 yard = 20 squares) Sharpie Markers Hole Punch WARM-UP ACTIVITY In order to get students thinking about what it means to be a just visitor, invite them to choose a sticky note from your wall of sticky notes and individually read the Bible story printed on the sticky note. Once everyone has gathered, invite students to share what they read and how it is an example of visiting. Ask students to return the sticky notes to the wall for others to read in later sessions. 15

IMPACT MISSION CAMPS COMMISSIONING SERVICE ORDER OF WORSHIP GATHERING Light Candle Read Call to Worship Sing Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here CENTERING Scripture Reading: Matthew 25: 31-45 Sing Two Songs: Every Where I Go / Be Thou My Vision Prayers of the People Read Matthew 10:5-10 (additional/optional text: Exodus 3:2-12) PROCLAIMING Sermon/Homily RESPONDING Create Prayer Banner Prayer Sing Christ Be All Around Me SENDING Commissioning CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader: All: We come, for God gathers us here, with that community called faith: where the hungry are served first, where the thirsty drink life s water. We come, for God welcomes us here into that home called grace: where the naked are clothed in robes of hope; where the stranger is embraced as the long-lost prodigal. We come, for God reunites us here, sisters and brothers in that family called love: where the imprisoned model justice, where the sick are cradled in God s peace. 16

PRAYERS FOR OTHERS Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader: We pray today for people in our community and throughout the world who will go to bed with empty stomachs, Following your example, let us feed the hungry. We pray today for our brothers and sisters who feel out of place because they are a long way from home, In your name, may we welcome the stranger. We pray today for vulnerable individuals who are longing to be embraced, By your grace, help us to clothe the naked. We pray today for those who are currently in hospitals, long-term care, prisons, or confined to their homes With your justice, inspire us to visit the sick and in-prisoned. As your followers, we have heard your calling to go and serve. When we see those who are hungry, out of place, vulnerable, or lonely may we see you remembering your words, when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me. Amen. PROCLAIMING NOTES Within this part of the worship service, we encourage leaders to offer words of inspiration and encouragement as you further explore God s calling to be just visitors. In the Theme Focus/ Before You Go individual devotion you are invited to reflect on just visiting. Use this as your guide for speaking to students. The Incarnation (God being present on earth in Jesus) gives us a model for how we should live and minister as well. When Jesus told us in the Matthew 25 parable I was sick, and in prison, and you visited me, he was showing again just how important our presence is. You are preparing to go on a mission trip where you will be present in a community and will be serving as part of Christ s presence in that community. To a large extent, you are Just Visiting for a week. But during that week, you re bringing a kind of justice that we don t often talk about. There is one kind of justice where people get what they deserve, but there is another type which is the type God commands us to do that is concerned with people having what they need. When you serve at Impact Mission camp, you will offer people something that they need: a safer, dryer, and/or warmer house. In doing this you are taking a just action. This will just be one way you and your students have the opportunity to practice just visiting. Prepare students to go to Camp as Christ s presence, and assure them that Christ goes with you. 17

RESPONDING: PRAYER BANNER Invite students to reflect on our calling to be just visitors using Jesus instructions both in Matthew 10 and Matthew 25 by giving each student a piece of cloth and a marker. Share with them that you will create a banner out of all the pieces of cloth and hang it in your Youth area as a reminder of God s calling to be a just visitor. Ask them to write or draw a prayer using scripture or their own words. (After the worship service, punch two holes in the top corners of each piece of cloth and string the pieces on the twine.) Play one or two quiet songs to give students space to reflect and create. At the end of the time, offer a short prayer for your students and this banner. Examples: COMMISSIONING Leader: Jesus sent out the twelve instructing them to seek out the lost sheep, God s people, the people of Israel. We now send you out to serve as part of Impact Mission Camps. All: As we go, let our actions and words proclaim the good news that The kingdom of heaven has come near. Leader: Jesus instructed his followers to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. While you may not experience these things, you will most likely encounter people who are sick, dying, or fighting inner demons. All: As we go, to the best of our abilities may we love them, visit with them, and care for them by repairing houses and restoring safety and wellbeing of our homeowners. Leader: Be humble, patient, and kind. Work hard, even when you are tired. Share, even when you don t think there is enough. Encourage one another. Let the strength of God motivate and strengthen you. All: As we go, pray that we will Serve the least of these, follow Jesus instructions and example, and Be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18

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