Homeless It's Your Move Road Work and Trek Groups Gather in the center of the gym, welcome, introduction of guests, make announcements. For Sponsors: Which way are we moving? 1.Know everyone continues to grow and change  2.Feel confident knowing patience goes a long way 3.Act to become the person they want to be  Which Way Are We Moving Road Work & Trek Needed: Lots o cardboard, string, and tape Ask everyone to sit and listen. Read: "Jesus replied, 'I will ask you one question' " (Mark 11:29).  When Jesus wanted to capture someone's attention, he asked a great question. His questions were so good; we've never stopped wrestling with them. A good question can spark a lifelong quest. The question I have chosen tonight is not nearly as great as one from Jesus, but I hope it will help build your faith. Ask: Have your ever wondered what it would be like to be homeless? Tonight we are going to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. Activity set up: Have everyone take off their shoes and stuff their socks in them. Leave the shoes next to them on the floor. Break into JOURNEY GROUPS. Which Way Are We Moving  Road Work, and Trek  After everyone has made it to the meeting areas instruct them as follows: 1. Your first order of business is to make a shelter. They must make one big shelter. There must be enough room for everyone to be inside. Use only cardboard and tape. 2. After a structure has been built, have them all get in and try to remain silent for one minute. Have them think about the homeless people they have seen. 3. Watch the time. At 6:30, make sure you have begun the lesson. Moving In Road Work & Trek What if God Was One of Us?  Remain near or in the shelters, just as long as everyone can see. Discussion Questions: ·What are some of the reasons people are homeless? ·If you really were homeless, would you believe in God? ·How is pretending to be Homeless teaching us anything? ·When people reject God, God could simply change their hearts. Why doesn't He? ·What do you think caused God to send his son to live among us?  Moving Up Road Work & Trek Read: Hears something to think about. EVERYONE ASSUMES ONE OF FOUR POSITIONS ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. I. THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE A GOD. This is the view of the agnostic. II. THERE IS NO GOD. The atheist assumes this position. III. THERE ARE MANY GODS. This is the opinion of the polytheist. IV. THERE IS ONE GOD. A. The Bible is uncompromising. "There is one God."   Discussion Questions: ·Does it matter whether a nation believes in God or not? ·How does their belief affect the laws of that country? ·How does our belief affect what we do personally? ·Do you believe that we can know a person's belief by looking at their check stubs? ·What do financial records say about one's belief in God? ·What do you "adore"? What would you call "divine"? ·What comes first in your life? Is it possible that you might have let something slip into God's place in your priorities? Moving On  Road Work & Trek Read: The Bible affirms the existence of God. It also tells us what He wants us to do. His chief desire is that we love Him even more than we love the good things that God gives and does for us. We must acknowledge Him as Lord, the only true God. To love the Lord with all your heart and soul and mind is to have "no other gods before" God. If you were homeless, it would be real easy to miss the mark. The following example makes me wonder.  "I've gone to church for 30 years now, and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all." This is someone who goes to church! Discussion Questions: ·How many homeless people have you seen in church? ·If you were homeless would you go to church?   ·Is your personal well being more important than your spiritual connections? ·Do you need shelter more than you need the Church?   Read: "I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals for me. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals.  But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today." When you're DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the unworthy! Moving out Road Work &Trek Finish up with a few of the following. Before reading a question, have one of the youth volunteer to try and answer. Have him or her choose either Easy = E or Thought = T.  E What is the difference between having hope and having unrealistic expectations? E Does God have influence in the lives of those who don't believe in him? Why or why not? E If Jesus walked among us today, how would he help the homeless? E Do you think there were homeless people when Jesus walked the Earth? Explain. E How do you balance humility and success? N What is the main purpose of being a Christian? N Can you sin without knowing it? Why or why not? N If a homeless person died without knowing God, would they go to hell? Haven't they suffered enough? N Why live for Jesus as a teenager when you could accept his salvation later on and still go to heaven? N What does it mean to be open-minded? Are there limits? Explain. N What causes your relationship with God to go stale? Come Back together in the HFLC Prayer and Concerns  Road Work & Trek  Don't let anyone get his or her shoes yet. Gather in the closing circle. Pray for strength and faith. Have everyone join in singing "Sanctuary" Join hands, right over left, and say the UMYF benediction. Get the Shoes and have trash cans ready.