EQUIP WEEK 8
Jesus is Praying for You
HAPPENING THIS MONTH: Spring Share Week!
- Asking every club to have a major focus on inviting their friends to hear the gospel during Invite Week.
- Plan on using the power of the resurrection on this invite week.
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 “Share.”
- Say: What does it mean to share the Gospel? This month our focus will be to have our largest Invite Week.
- 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:
- See Game List (www.firstpriority.club/games)
- Feel free to select a game that fits your needs best!
DIG IN:
Jesus is Praying for You
Read: John 17:20-26
- I love to hear people tell me with a sincere heart, “I want you to know I am praying for you.” There have been several instances in my life where I have felt God’s hand heavily guiding me because of the prayers of loved ones. I don’t understand fully how the prayers of the saints and the sovereignty of God fit together, but I know when God’s people pray, something special happens.
- In John 17, Jesus is praying to His Father about several things, but one request that Christ makes really stands out to me. “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word” (John17:20). This verse is exciting because if you have experienced the salvation Christ alone gives, then that means Jesus is praying for you!
- It’s always wonderful to have people who love you praying for you, but how much more powerful is it to have Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, praying for you? Realize that every morning you step out of bed, you are about to engage in an adventure called “everyday life.” Sometimes life can be exciting, and sometimes it can be frightening. However, you can have the assurance of knowing if you’re a child of God, He has already prayed for you.
Pruitt, Shane. Who’s Your One? 30 Day Devotional for Students. North American Mission Board.
Questions:
- How do you feel knowing the Creator of heaven and earth is praying for you?
- Knowing God has our back, how can we live differently this week?
TOOL TIME:
Supplies:
- Bracelets
- Posters
- Bibles
The Question Mark: Will I Choose to Follow Jesus?
- God has already done everything to show us how much He loves us. Through Jesus Christ, He offers us fulfillment and eternal life. We can talk to God directly– we call it “prayer” – to ask for forgiveness for living our lives without Him. We can choose to live with God by trusting Jesus Christ from now on. How will you decide?
- John 1:12
- Revelation 3:20
Questions:
- Why do many people never put their trust in Christ?
- What do many people choose over Christ?
- How can we help others see the importance of putting their trust in Christ?
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 8
What God Did For All of Us
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 “Sharing.” 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:
- See Game List (www.firstpriority.club/games)
- Feel free to select a game that fits your needs best!
DIG IN:
What God did for all of us
Read: Mark 15:22-34
- While Jesus of Nazareth was hanging on the cross He spoke seven statements. One of the statements was,“‘Eloi, Eloi, lemá ‘ ‘sabachtháni?’ which is translated,“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me” (Mark15:34)?
- This statement is probably the most difficult of the seven He spoke while being crucified. It’s really beyond human comprehension to understand this cry fully. Our finite minds can’t grasp everything that took place while Jesus hung on the cross, but we know fromScripture that “He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
- While Jesus was on the cross, He bore every sin, every evil deed, every rebellious act and thought by every person who had ever lived before, who was living at the time and who would ever live in the future! While Jesus Christ was on the cross, He was in utter agony while He experienced for us the very essence of Hell, which ultimately is separation from God.
- This is what was going on when Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?” God the Father had turned His back on God the Son because of our sin. When you realize that we only serve ONE God, then you understand that God was punishing Himself on our behalf! What an awesome, magnificent and splendid God He is!
Pruitt, Shane. Who’s Your One? 30 Day Devotional for Students. North American Mission Board.
Questions:
- How do you feel knowing that God took your punishment?
- Do you feel you owe God because of what he did for us?
- Knowing that we have been forgiven, will you live your life differently for the cause of Christ?
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
- What was your life like before you encountered Jesus?
- When and where did you first encounter Jesus?
- When did you pray the prayer of salvation and start following Jesus?
- Where do you attend church? Talk about your youth group and how it has impacted your life.
- When were you baptized?
- How has your life been different since you started following Jesus?
- Close with what you want others to know. This is a good place to share your favorite scripture and challenge others to follow HIM.
- 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 8
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“Sharing.” 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:
- See Game List (www.firstpriority.club/games)
- Feel free to select a game that fits your needs best!
DIG IN:
Gospel Presentation:
Now You See It!
- Here’s an illusion you can create to help children understand new life in Christ.
- Make a tube by using two empty store-bought icing containers, a sturdy file folder, and Con-Tact paper with a print that’s the same from all directions, such as polka dots or stripes. Cover the file folder with the Contact paper. Place the icing containers bottom to bottom. Then wrap and glue the decorated file folder around them. The container openings will be the ends of the tube. Glue a fake caterpillar in one end and a fake butterfly in the other end.
- At the butterfly end of the tube, mark a small symbol visible only to you so you can tell which end is which.
- Show the children the end with the caterpillar. Say: Before we place our faith in Jesus, we are just like an ugly old caterpillar. Sin in our lives keeps us from being the beautiful butterflies God wants us to be.
- Divert kids’ attention by asking a child to show the audience the pretty scarf you’re going to drape over the tube.
- As people watch the child, turn the tube around. Cover the tube with the scarf. Have someone read aloud 2 Corinthians 5:17.
- Then pull off the scarf and show everyone the beautiful butterfly in the other end. Say: The caterpillar changing into a butterfly reminds me of how Jesus changes us when we follow him. Jesus is our Savior. When we believe in Jesus, we become alive again like the butterfly. It’s like we’re born a second time to live eternally with God in heaven.
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 8
Two Kinds of People
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 “Sharing” 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:
- See Game List (www.firstpriority.club/games)
- Feel free to select a game that fits your needs best!
DIG IN:
Two Kinds of People
Read: Luke 23:3-43
- This text of Scripture is one of the best known out of all four gospels. There are several points that really jump out of the text and grab your attention when you read it. Jesus is declared innocent by one of the thieves: “We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:41). Also, Jesus makes a promise to the one thief that God’s saving grace is immediate upon repentance and belief: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”(Luke 23:43).
- However, I want to focus on one other truth from this section of Scripture. There were two thieves—one who continued to mock Jesus in unbelief and the other who realized this man was not like them. One thief realized Jesus was Lord and acknowledged him as hisLord. This thief was promised Paradise, and the fear of death was released from him because of that promise.But the other thief who refused to recognize Him asLord and continued to mock Him ultimately died and was separated eternally from this Paradise the other man had received!
- This truth is an exact picture of every man and woman in the world. There are 7.7 billion people in the world today, and yet there are only two kinds of people—those who recognize Jesus as Lord and those who refuse to acknowledge Him as Lord. There is no middle road! When it comes to Christ’s Lordship, there is no gray area! You’re either a follower of Jesus, or you’re not.
Pruitt, Shane. Who’s Your One? 30 Day Devotional for Students. North American Mission Board.
Questions:
- How can we live our lives for others to want to have a relationship with the Lord?
- Why do people mock God and Christians?
- When we are mocked, how can we handle it?
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).
