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EQUIP WEEK 6

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

HAPPENING THIS MONTH: Valentine’s Day!

START UP:

Welcome:

  • Say: Welcome to First Priority! (Be sure to welcome guests) We are so glad that you have chosen to join us today! Our focus this month is going to be centered around “Love.”
  • Say: How would we define “Love” today?
  • Say: Today is Equip Week. Today, we want to equip and encourage you on how to better share your faith with your friends.

Opening Prayer:

  • Say: God, thank you for another great week that we get to be here at our First Priority club! I am thankful for those that are here today and thankful for your love for each of us! Prepare our hearts now to hear your Word. In Jesus name, Amen

Game:

DIG IN:

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus
Read: Matthew 14:22-33
  • There is one important truth I have learned through my relationship with Christ and my service in the ministry. When my eyes are on Christ, I can do things that are unexplainable. However, when my eyes are on the circumstances around me, I will begin to sink and fall every time!
  • In Matthew 14:22–33, Peter had a very interesting encounter with Jesus. The disciples were out in the middle of the sea when a big storm came in. Jesus walked across the water towards the disciples. Peter recognized Jesus and asked if he could come out of the boat towards Him. Then Peter began to walk on water! I don’t know about you, but that would not be a normal everyday experience for me! He was doing the miraculous because he was keeping his eyes onJesus! However, when he began to notice the storms around him, Peter took his eyes off of Christ, placed them upon the turbulent waters around him and began to sink.
  • Many times, when the waters start raging around us, we will immediately take our eyes off of Christ and will begin to sink. I want you to see what Peter does and learn from it. He cried out to Jesus for help, and Christ pulled him up again. Then they both walked on water back to the boat.

Pruitt, Shane. Who’s Your One? 30 Day Devotional forStudents. North American Mission Board.

Questions:

  • What are things that take focus?
    • Taking a test
    • Driving
    • Counting money
      • What are some things that you focus on in your day?
      • What can help us keep our focus on Jesus?

TOOL TIME:

Supplies:

  • Bracelets
  • Posters
  • Bibles

Division sign: I live apart from God:

  • Unfortunately, we do not experience God’s love because we ignore Him. We search everywhere for meaning and fulfillment – but not with God. We don’t trust Him and do not think that He wants the best for us. Going our own way and the selfish actions that result from it are what the bible calls sin. Sin damages and destroys our relationship with others. Sin keeps us from living a fulfilling life that God intends for us.
  • Romans 3:23
  • Isaiah 59:2

Questions:

  • God’s love is unconditional, what does that mean?
  • How comforting is it to know that God loves us even when we make mistakes?
  • Demonstrating God’s love can be tough, what is a different way this week, you and your club can express God’s love to your campus?

Prayer Time:

  • Take 2 – 3 minutes to allow students to give different prayer requests and pray for the needs of the students.
  • Ask students to pray for their friends that don’t know Christ.

Announcements:

  • Say: This is the place for the club to make any announcements for the upcoming week and or month.This is a great spot to add student leaders to your team and give responsibilities to them. It is also the place to check on the upcoming school schedule for days off or breaks (your Faculty Sponsor is a great resource for this)

PREPARE WEEK 6

Your Words Reveal Your Heart

START UP:

Welcome:

  • Say: Welcome to First Priority! (Be sure to welcome guests) We are so glad that you have chosen to join us today! Our focus this month is “Love.” Today is prepare week! Today, we want to see what God has to say about prayer. Specifically, the privilege of praying for others.

Opening Prayer:

  • Say: God, thank you for another great week that we get to be here at our First Priority club! I am thankful for those that are here today and thankful for your love for each of us! Thank you for the privilege of prayer. I pray that we would be found faithful to pray for our friends to know you. Give us the strength to speak out. In Jesus name, Amen

Game:

DIG IN:

Your Words Reveal Your Heart
Read: Matthew 15:10-20

  • I remember as a young boy playing outside a lot and getting really dirty. My mom would come to the door and yell, “Dinner is ready!” I would immediately run in and sit at the table while my hands were caked with mud from playing in the dirt. I was ready to eat!However, she would always say, “Shane, go wash your hands.” My mom didn’t want me touching the food that was going into my mouth with my dirty hands. It’s ironic because the Pharisees of Jesus’ day had a law about washing hands, but for spiritual reasons. InMatthew 15:10–20, Jesus uses this law as a teaching principle about the inner person. As important as it is to wash your hands before putting food into your mouth, it is actually more important to realize that what comes out of your mouth can be unhealthy spiritually. Jesus said, “What goes into your mouth is soon eliminated, but what comes out of your mouth can last a lifetime because it reveals your true heart”(v.17–18).
  • What proceeds out of your mouth? What good is it to do all of this religious activity if your heart is full of evil? You must realize that you are judged according to the condition of your heart—not just by what you do. How can you know what the condition of your heart is? You will find your answers in what you say. Are unclean words streaming from your mouth? How about negativity, gossip or words of anger?

Pruitt, Shane. Who’s Your One? 30 Day Devotional forStudents. North American Mission Board.

Questions:

  • It is harder to say kind words than mean words why?
  • What would it look like if everyone in the club this week only used encouraging words?
  • Let’s try to see how many people we can encourage this week.

TOOL TIME:

Let’s spend some time preparing to do our part to reach our campus for Christ.

Learning to share your story:

Sharing your story outline

  1. What was your life like before you encountered Jesus?
  2. When and where did you first encounter Jesus?
  3. When did you pray the prayer of salvation and start following Jesus?
  4. Where do you attend church? Talk about your youth group and how it has impacted your life.
  5. When were you baptized?
  6. How has your life been different since you started following Jesus?
  7. Close with what you want others to know. This is a good place to share your favorite scripture and challenge others to follow HIM.
  8. Share the Gospel message using the four.

For two more ways to learn to share your story and God’s story, go to: https://firstpriority.club/website_cacb1588/storytraining

Prepare for Invite Week:

Who will be responsible for these areas:

  • Pizza/Donut Order
  • Welcome/Opening Prayer
  • Game
  • Guest Speaker
  • Guest Speaker guidelines

Prayer Time – PREPARE:

  • Take 2-3 minutes to allow students to share different prayer requests and pray for the needs of the students.
  • Spend a few minutes praying for next week. Pray specifically for students’ lives to be forever changed by the Good News of Jesus Christ!
Prayer Cards:
  • Use the Prayer Cards that were provided for the club.
Invite Cards:
  • Use the Invite Cards that were provided for the club.
  • Make sure to fill them out.

Announcements:

  • This is the place for the club to make any announcements for the upcoming week and or month. This is a great spot to add student leaders to your team and give responsibilities to them. It is also the place to check on the upcoming school schedule for days off or breaks (your Faculty Sponsor is a great resource for this).

INVITE WEEK 6

Gospel Presentation

The Four: God Loves / Sin Separates / Jesus Died / Relationship with God is life’s answer

START UP:

Welcome:

  • Say: Welcome to First Priority! (Be sure to welcome guests). We are so glad that you have chosen to join us today! Our focus this month has been centered around“Love.” Today is Invite Week!

Opening Prayer:

  • Say: God, thank you for another great week that we get to be here at our First Priority club! We pray for our speaker today (use their name) as they share their story. We pray that our hearts would be open to hearing how much you love each one of us. In Jesus name, Amen.

Game:

DIG IN:

Gospel Presentation:

  • Sharing the Gospel with someone is like taking them on a journey through the story of the Bible. This journey can be explained in a six-letter acrostic that spells out the word GOSPEL.
    • GOD created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)
    • OUR sin separates us from God. (Genesis 3)
    • SINS cannot be removed by good deeds. (Genesis 4 – Malachi)
    • PAYING the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)
    • EVERYONE who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. (John)
    • LIFE with Jesus starts now and lasts forever. (Acts – Revelation)

TOOL TIME:

  • Response card
  • Clear invitation and opportunity to respond to the gospel message
  • Invite students to come back next week to Connect week.
  • EAT PIZZA / DOUGHNUTS

Announcements:

  • This is the place for the club to make any announcements for the upcoming week and or month. This is a great spot to add student leaders to your team and give responsibilities to them. It is also the place to check on the upcoming school schedule for days off or breaks (your Faculty Sponsor is a great resource for this).

CONNECT WEEK 6

Who do you say Jesus is?

START UP:

Welcome:

  • Say: Welcome to First Priority! (Be sure to welcome guests) We are so glad that you have chosen to join us today! Our focus this month has been “Preparing.” Today is connect week and we are so excited to share with you the many ways to connect with God through the local church.

Opening Prayer:

  • Say: God, thank you for another great week that we get to be here at our First Priority! I am so thankful for those that committed their lives to follow Jesus last week. I am also thankful for the local church. Thank you, God, that you have placed people in groups that love you and that will help each other walk faithfully. In Jesus name, Amen.

Game:

DIG IN:

Who do you say Jesus is? 
Read: Matthew 16:13-20

  • Many times, while talking to people about their relationship with Jesus Christ, I will receive some very odd answers. For example, one young lady said, “All of my family members are Christians, so I am one too.”One man replied, “My wife does all the religion for our household.” A teenager I spoke with said, “I know what the Bible says about Jesus, but I like to do my own thing.” These answers may sound nice, but they’re not worth the breath it took to say them. It doesn’t matter what others say and think about Christ. Who do you think He is? You can’t live your spiritual life vicariously through someone else.
  • Jesus asked His disciples the very question that every single person must answer in his or her lifetime. He said to them, “But who do you say that I am” (Matthew16:15)? Peter responded in a marvelous way! “SimonPeter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”
  • Every person must answer this question from Jesus,“Who do you say that I am?” At some point, every person must realize they cannot get into heaven because of what their family, friends or even pastor believes. They have to answer the question for themselves. They have to confess Him as God.

Pruitt, Shane. Who’s Your One? 30 Day Devotional for Students. North American Mission Board.

Questions:

  • Who do you say that Jesus is?
  • Give time for people to answer and discuss.

TOOL TIME:

Prayer Time – CONNECT:

  • Take 2-3 minutes to allow students to give different prayer requests and pray for the needs of the students. Spend a few minutes praying for local churches.

Connection:

Christ:

  • Anyone want to share their connection to Christ story? (How they came to a relationship with Christ.)

Club:

  • Who can we connect to club this next week?

Church:

  • Ask students what churches they go to?
  • Why do they go to their church?
  • What do they love about their church?
    – Mentor share about their church!

Announcements:

  • This is the place for the club to make any announcements for the upcoming week and or month.
  • This is a great spot to add student leaders to your team and give responsibilities to them.
  • It is also the place to check on the upcoming school schedule for days off or breaks (your Faculty Sponsor is a great resource for this).