Theme: Alcohol Title: Life to the Full Target Group: Limited Church Background Age: 14+ Aim: Equipment: Print Outs: Bible Base: to look at some of the issues surrounding alcohol to challenge perceptions about the use of alcohol to encourage young people to investigate what the Bible has to say about the use of alcohol Pen and paper; video clip showing a TV drinks advert; TV and video player; whiteboard and pens Print Out 1 (What the Bible says.... ); Print Out 2 (Bible Verses) Various Pub Quiz (5 mins) Give students pen and paper. Ask them to give the name of the alcoholic drink for each of the following slogans? 1. Australians wouldn t give a 4x for anything else. (Castlemaine) 2. Probably the best lager in the world. (Carlsberg) 3. Refreshes the parts other beers can t reach. (Heineken) 4. You wouldn t want a warm beer, would you? (Foster s) 5. Pure Genius (Guinness) 6. No nonsense (John Smith s) 7. Reassuringly expensive (Stella) 8. King of Beers (Budweiser) The Whole Truth (15 min) Ask the students to brainstorm the effects of alcohol. Do not use the phrase negative effects when introducing this activity; not all the effects are negative, there are positive ones. As they come up with suggestions, write them up. Are there more negative effects listed than positive effects? Draw attention to this. Now watch the pre-taped clip from a TV advert for a well-known brand of alcohol. Ask the students what effects the advert suggests that alcohol has. Is there a difference between the effects that they identified, and those that were shown on the advert? Discuss why this might be the case. Put the students into groups and ask them to come up with their own alcoholic advertisement that might be more truthful! Give them time to perform these to the other groups. The Effects of Alcohol (5 mins) Read the following facts to the students (alternatively you could make them part of a PowerPoint presentation):
Half of the pedestrians who are between 16 and 60 and killed in road accidents, have more alcohol in their bloodstream than the legal drink drive limit. 40% of household fires are linked with people who have been drinking. Alcohol is a factor in at least 7% of drownings. People who have sex after drinking are much less likely to use condoms. About 1000 children aged under 15 are admitted to hospital each year with acute alcohol poisoning. Around half of all adults admitted to hospital with head injuries are drunk. Alcohol harms developing babies. Alcohol increases the likelihood of illness weight increase higher blood pressure a heart attack a stroke liver damage mouth and throat cancer depression (Information from www.wrecked.co.uk and www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk) Alternatively, you could read some of the stories from the wrecked.co.uk website. They are found in the O.T.T. section. Spend some time discussing these stories. Bible Bit (15 mins) Split the students into pairs. Share out the Bible readings; the references are given below and the texts are printed out at the end of the outline. Have a copy of the sheet What the Bible Says... and ask them to fill in the table by writing their references and brief summaries in the relevant columns. After everyone has completed the task, call the group back together. Ask them if they were surprised by anything written in the Bible. Genesis 9:21 Genesis 27:28 Psalms 104:13 15 Proverbs 20:1 Proverbs 23:28 35 Ecclesiastes 10:19 Isaiah 5:11 12 John 2:1 11 Romans 14:1 3 1 Corinthians 6:19 20 Ephesians 5:15 20 1 Timothy 3:8 1 Timothy 5:28 As a group try and write a sentence summarising the Bible s view of alcohol. Try to allow the students to come up with this and settle on one they are all comfortable with if possible! Response (5 mins) Challenge the students to support Thirst for life, a national campaign to reduce binge drinking. The idea is to give up alcohol for 40 days from March 1 st. Ask the students to work out how much money someone might save in this period. What could they do with the money they save and the time they save? For example, if they saved 100 they could go on a hot air balloon ride. For more information about Thirst for life, go to www.sharejesusinternational.com and click on the Thirst for Life link.
Print Out 1(What the Bible Says... ) Read the Bible reference you have been given. Do you think it suggests that alcohol is a good thing, or a bad thing? Choose the column in which it belongs. Write the reference in the column and add a few words to summarise why it belongs in the column you have chosen. (The first couple have been done for you) Alcohol A gift from God? Genesis 27:28 implies that wine is like heaven s dew Alcohol A sin of the flesh? (Galatians 5:21) Genesis 9:21 Moses looses inhibitions and becomes unaware of his actions
Print Out 2 (Bible Verses) Genesis 9:21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Genesis 27:28 May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness an abundance of grain and new wine. Psalms 104:13 15 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. 14 He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate bringing forth food from the earth: 15 wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart. Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. Proverbs 23:28 35 28 Like a bandit she lies in wait, and multiplies the unfaithful among men. 29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. 31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! 32 In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things. 34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. 35 They hit me, you will say, but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink? Ecclesiastes 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything. Isaiah 5:11 12 Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. 12 They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD, no respect for the work of his hands. John 2:1 11 1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, They have no more wine. 4 Dear woman, why do you involve me? Jesus replied, My time has not yet come. 5 His mother said to the servants, Do whatever he tells you. 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by
the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, Fill the jars with water ; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet. They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now. 11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. Romans 14:1 3 1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2 One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 1 Corinthians 6:19 20 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body. Ephesians 5:15 20 15 Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 3:8 Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 1 Timothy 5:28 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.