Christadelphian
Youth Circle /
Youth Group Leader’s Handbook
Intended for the senior group
“How beautiful
upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth
good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth
salvation” Isa
52:7
Before
each CYC season starts, it’s a good idea to sit down with EVERYONE who will be
involved agree on what your aims are and what your priorities will be. Something to keep in mind while reading this
handbook is instead of asking “WHY?” when you come to something that you are
not used to, ask “Why not”. Try and
break out of your mold and open your mind to new ideas even if they are not
what you are used to.
Aims of a CYC:
1.
To provide a way
of teaching the Gospel (doctrinal) and the Law of Christ (moral) while
emphasizing a personal relationship with God and Jesus (emotional). This should be done in a manner that is
easily understood but not necessarily shallow in topic.
a.
Jer
b.
Matt
c.
Ps 91:14-16 “Because
he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on
high, because he hath known my name. He
shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I
will deliver him, and honor him. With
long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my
salvation.”
d.
John 17:3 “And
this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus
Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
2.
To nurture
spirituality for those who have been raised in the Truth but also ones who have
no experience with God (i.e. what some would refer to as “those from the
outside world”).
a.
Mark
3.
To also provide
social activities in a spiritual atmosphere.
a.
Col 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
4.
To protect young
people from the temptations of the world by providing wholesome but enjoyable
activities as alternatives to things like college/high school parties, clubs,
etc. This also provides a place for
young people to make friends with those who share their faith and moral values.
a.
Prov
5.
To help young
people live a Christian life according to the teachings of the entire Bible, always bringing out some practical
applications or lessons from the study, as opposed to studying a man’s writings. Leaders are encouraged to be study and
utilize man’s books to aid their study of to the Bible.
a.
Eccl 12:12-13 “And
further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end;
and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the
whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty
of man.”
6.
To build strong
relationships amongst young people so that they can help each through hard
times, manifesting the love of Jesus.
a.
Gal 6:2 “Bear ye
one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
b.
1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having
compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous”
Enthusiasm:
You
cannot expect the CYC to have enthusiastic attitudes if the leaders do not. You
must show the other young people
that your heart is in what you are doing and that you’re not doing it because
it’s your job. You cannot fake this kind of attitude. Anyone can see right
through it.
·
Prov
·
Isa 50:4 “The Lord
GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a
word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth
morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as
the learned.”
Prayer:
Pray
about whatever you are trying to accomplish at all stages of the CYC’s
development. This should ultimately be always
for God’s glory. He will provide the
increase if your motives are righteous.
Though, don’t be afraid to ask God for help if it is not selfish.
·
Acts 12:5 “Peter
therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church
unto God for him.”
·
1 Thess 5:17-18 “Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
·
2 Chron 1:10-12 “Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may
go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that
is so great? And God said to Solomon,
Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not
asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast
asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest
judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee;
and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour,
such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall
there any after thee have the like.”
·
Eph
Organization:
It
is absolutely vital to be organized.
Young people don’t like confusion.
This does not mean you must be go by a strict and rigid schedule but it
does mean you have to always have a plan.
If you are too laid back a lot of time can be wasted and people may lose
interest.
·
1 Cor
Responsibility:
The
CYC is technically the responsibility of those who are in charge. BUT…The CYC
is a like a little ecclesia of its own and every member should feel some sense
of personal responsibility for what happens.
Always get active support and approval from the Arranging Brethren so
they can make sure the CYC is an involved and working part of the ecclesia. Bounce ideas off elders. They often have good
advice. Find out what elder brethren and sisters are willing to help or would
like to be involved with the CYC.
·
1 Peter 5:1-3 “The elders which are among you I exhort, who
am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a
partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof,
not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage,
but being ensamples to the flock.”
·
1
·
1 Cor 12:14-26 “Now
the body is not made up of one part but of many…If the whole body were an eye,
where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would
the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body,
every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. …there are many parts, but one
body. The eye cannot say to the hand,
"I don't need you!" … those parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with
special honor. …But God has combined the members of the body and has given
greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division
in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If
one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every
part rejoices with it.”
Contact:
Decide
whether you want to invite more young people from surrounding areas or other
CYCs to be involved with your CYC. If
so, be sure the activity will involve all.
It is also a good idea to invite the “soon-to-join” young people from
the Intermediate CYC for special nights.
This will make the transition easier for them when they move up from
their level.
·
Mal
·
Heb
Operation Lost Sheep:
Try
to maintain contact with those who do not attend anymore and show them that you
still care and would like to see them return.
Don’t ever be pushy or demanding but show them that their presence would
be nice.
·
Luke 15:4-6 “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if
he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and
go after that which is lost, until he find it?
And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his
shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh
home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have
found my sheep which was lost.”
Food/Snack
It
is usually a good idea to provide good drinks and snacks directly after
CYC. This is attractive to anyone. You
sometimes hear the old saying “If you feed them, they will come”. This is true most of the time. Though this might be the attention getter, it
will spawn needed fellowship.
J John
J Ps 23:5 “Thou preparest a table before me”
J Ps 103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is
renewed like the eagle's.
Ecclesial Involvement:
The CYC needs to be an active part of the ecclesia. It needs
to be connect the younger as well as the older.
Some suggestions are:
·
Invite the elders
out for a night of discussion and telling their stories of coming into the
truth and experiences they’ve had. This
must be done carefully and they must be notified way in advance and reminded
when the time gets closer. A nice
gesture would be for the able members of the CYC to offer them rides there and
back in return.
·
Study nights –
such as male/female, parents night, general study topic
·
Do a joint craft
with the younger CYCs (Junior and Intermediate) This is surely a good work and
it will take the load of some of the parents for a night. The younger ones will start to develop a very
valuable trust in you and will be very happy to have older friends to talk to.
·
The CYC can put
on activities for the entire ecclesia.
Age Groups:
If you have a wide range and enough young people, it is
best to divide everyone into different groups.
For Junior and Intermediate CYC, a lower age limit of 7 years old is a
good one. Children younger than this
often have problems leaving their parents and their understanding of even simple
things like games is limited.
A suggested age break down
is:
1.
Juniors: 7-10s
are young but old enough to play and do crafts together
2.
Intermediate: 11-13s
are usually all in secondary/middle school
3.
Senior: 14- mid
20s will be the high school/college age
This is not the only way to
break it down. You have to judge based on your group. The limit for Senior CYC should be around
14. This reason for this is because you
have to acknowledge that you have High School and College level young people
attending and the material must be applicable to everyone. This is impossible with too wide of an age
bracket.
For Senior CYC the target age bracket should
be from about 14 to mid 20s. This is
because the material should not be too in depth so that the young ones cannot
understand it and not too elementary becoming boring for the older ones. This does not mean that people outside this
age group should not come, but the material should not cater to the extremes, but
rather to the average. The young people
should also be encouraged to bring their neighbors and school friends. This will help them get used to being open
about telling friends about God.
When to meet:
Friday
evening has proved to be the ideal time for most CYCs.
Friday is good a few reasons:
o
Friday night is a
big party night: this is a good excuse not to go
o
It’s the end of
the school week and young people can have a lot to talk about fresh in their
minds - a good start of the weekend.
o
Most of the young
people should have the freedom to stay late and have fellowship. For instance, games, activities, going out to
eat, further discussing the topic of the night, or continuing worship through
singing praises or praying together.
·
Sunday, Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are school nights and most would agree these
aren’t the best nights for CYC. Most
ecclesias already have Bible classes on week nights. Sunday afternoon is usually allotted for
dinners, ecclesial meetings, and other studies. Sunday night at most ecclesias,
there is a lecture/Bible class. These
days are also the least convenient for parents/young people that work
nights. Most young people also have homework/studying
to do for high school or college. These
things are not a priority over God but it our responsibility to make sure that
we are good workers. In this, we witnesses for God.
o
Col 3:22-24 “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the
flesh; not with eye service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart,
fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto
men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance:
for ye serve the Lord Christ.”
·
Saturday night is
the second best choice for time because it follows all of the good reasons for
Friday night with the exception that you are limited on how late you can
stay. Everyone should have a good
night’s rest for Sunday School and Memorial Service.
Where to meet:
The meeting hall, if you have one, may seem to be the
obvious choice, but it is worth thinking if another place might be the best
choice.
There are some definite
advantages to having it at the ecclesial hall:
·
If the children
grow up there, it is a comfortable place for them to be.
·
They won’t feel
threatened by being in an unfamiliar environment.
·
They will
associate CYC with being part of ecclesial activities
·
Non-Christadelphian
parents will be more likely to let their children go to the “church” as opposed
to being in some stranger’s house
·
It won’t cost
anything (as opposed to renting a place)
·
The ecclesia will
be more inclined to be more involved
·
You won’t be
intruding on anyone’s homes and you won’t feel any pressure to leave. You usually are given the freedom of use from
the Arranging Board and you can take advantage of it.
On
the other hand:
·
The meeting hall
may be far away from most of the young people and a central location may be
more suitable. Some advantages of other
places:
o
It may be possible
to play games or hold activities which are not suitable for the ecclesial hall
or not approved for being held at the hall.
·
It may be a more
comfortable setting. (Though this could work for or against the leader for the
night)
·
It is good mix to
the places up if you can: houses/ecclesia/activity
What to call it:
90% of Christadelphian Ecclesias adopt the name CYC which
stands for Christadelphian Youth Circle. This is a good name because it’s pretty much universally
used and it puts in 2 key elements: #1 –
Christadelphian Youth – gives them it a sense of uniqueness and it puts our
name in there which is helpful when discussing the Truth so someone who asks.
#2 – Circle –includes the whole circle of Christadelphian youth and shows that
we are centered around one thing – God’s Word. The Bible.
·
1 Cor 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no
divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind
and in the same judgment.
Some other names in case you
are not comfortable with CYC for whatever reason have been: Young People’s
Class, Youth Group, Youth Class, Friday Club, Pathfinders, Wayfarers,
Explorers, Discoverers, Youth Club, etc.
Leaders:
Use whatever abilities and talents are available in the
ecclesia. There are no “qualifications”
needed, apart from being able to act responsibly and being able to gain the
young people’s respect.
·
DON’T ASK SOMEONE
TO DO SOMETHING IF THEY ARE REALLY NOT UP TO IT.
·
Use people from
other ecclesias and try to involve newly baptized young people in planning,
leading, and offering prayers.
·
Make the most of
doing what THEY want to do, within reason.
·
It will be
helpful to have occasional meetings of all those who are involved and review
the aims of the CYC and see how they are being accomplished. Review things that
worked and didn’t work.
·
If possible, at
least one CYC leader ought to be there every week.
·
There should
always be at least 2 adults (over 18) present in case of accidents. Ideally one
of each sex.
·
The more adults
that can be involved from the ecclesia, the more “Aunts and Uncles” you will
create for the young people.
·
Leaders should
ALWAYS be asked to arrange substitutes and/or inform the others if they cannot
keep a commitment or responsibility.
·
All leaders are
encouraged to go to youth leadership conferences and workshops. They should
also try to attend Youth Weekends and keep in contact with other CYC leaders
trading ideas and advice.
·
Your ecclesia may
want to do buy something every season as a gift to the young people. This may encourage the CYC members to be
aware that the ecclesia is acknowledging them and wants to help.
·
CHANGES: If the
program needs to be changed, inform the young people are well as the parents by
e-mail, phone, or in person.
Money:
Many ecclesias Arranging Boards will not have a problem
helping the CYC out financially. We are
very thankful for that but we do not want to make it a burden on them (being
that as it is, most ecclesia’s collections are very sad indeed for the money
that we are making). Every young person
should be asked to share the expense of things.
A good way for this to happen is for there to be a donation each week of
at least 2 dollars. That’s skipping 1
candy bar and a pack of gum for each week. We can all handle that. If we can give more, which is probable, we
should.
·
Acts
·
2 Cor 9:7-8 “Every man according as he purposeth
in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always
having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”
CYC Website:
These
days it’s common that someone in the CYC can create a simple webpage for
free. This is good for other CYCs to
check in with what you are doing. It gives you a presence on the web so people
can search for a CYC in your area.
Most CYC webpages typically include:
·
posted schedule
of events/topics for easy access
·
a NEWS section
for announcements and information
·
directions for
those who are not familiar with the area of the CYC
·
pictures – the
ecclesia likes to see things the young people do
·
notes from
classes or other media than the CYC may want access to
·
a directory (this
is optional, some might not want to be on it)
·
Gathering
information (if they are having one)
·
Links to other
CYCs
·
Tips for class
leader and presiders (some have this)
·
Downloadable
media
Records:
It is a good idea to keep at least some records. There are
some items of paperwork that you should maintain and should keep for at least
12 months in case you need to refer to them again.
1.
Attendance
Register – Keep an up to date register of all the young people who come even if
they only attend spasmodically. It is
also useful to know ages and birthdays.
Contact young people who find out if there are alright if they stop
coming for a few weeks in a row unless you know circumstances otherwise.
2.
Operation Lost
Sheep – make sure know of all young people who have not come for a long time
and be sure to keep in touch often.
3.
Incident Record –
if something specifically goes wrong, record it in the register for the
week. This includes injuries, thing
breaking, etc.
4.
Weekly Notes –
Record things that went well and things that didn’t. Keep track of those who are participating and
those who aren’t. You may want to be
aware of this and make sure nothing is wrong.
GETTING EVERYONE INVOLVED
If the young people feel involved or that they have been given responsibility,
they often are more likely to be around
This is for a few reasons.
·
No one likes to
feel embarrassed by not failing to fulfill their duties
·
Everyone is on
the same level. All are “in charge” of
something.
·
Most young people
like to take on challenges new challenges.
·
Everyone likes to
be needed for things and this will show they are.
CYC and the Ecclesia:
·
Keep the ecclesia
involved. They need to feel that these young people are theirs and the children
must feel that the ecclesia is theirs.
·
Make sure that
you have time to talk about the CYC at the board meetings or business meetings.
·
Invite the
ecclesia to CYC events.
·
Get the young
people to include Bible class as part of their activities
·
If young people
aren’t coming to Sunday night lectures or mid-week bible class, they need to
consider that and think about if the event is oriented to their needs and try
to suggest some appropriate changes.
·
The young people
should be part of other ecclesial activities.
·
If you can, try
and get a notice board for the CYC at your hall. This will help the ecclesia keep up to track
with things going on in CYC.
Safety and Well Being
·
The fellow young
people should be your #1 concern at all times.
They are in your care and should be in your prayers.
·
The best guidance
is that young people should be treated with love, respect, and common
sense. Don’t belittle them.
·
Listen to their
concerns, however trivial they may seem to you.
·
Be interested in
other the young people.
·
It is most
important to remember everyone’s names. This is usually not a problem but for
newcomers or guests, this is very important.
If you repeatedly forget their names, they will conclude that you are
not really genuinely interested in them.
·
Try to remember
things about them all. This is important because if you remember something
specific that they are involved in or a story they told you they will be happy
to know that you listened attentively.
·
Behave as an
adult, not an overgrown child, but try to look at things from their point of
view. Be consistant. Be patient.
Little Guests:
As a general rule , try to avoid babies and little children
coming into CYC even if they’re “just visiting”. They are really a distraction for the leaders
and the other CYC members. It isn’t fair
and it means having to say “no” to a mother who is assuring you that her child
won’t act up.
Problems:
·
Use common sense
in reasoning.
·
DON’T EVER USE
PHYSICAL FORCE! EVER! If you do this, you have lost every shred of respect and
decency to them. Leave anything along these lines to the parents. This is NOT
your place in any way no matter how mad you are.
·
If you need to
talk to a young person alone make SURE the door is open and you are not close
to them. This will make then feel unthreatened and they will listen to you
better.
·
Remember that
other people may misinterpret your actions.
·
Young people
often feel the need to talk about their problems that affect them, and they may
find it hard to discuss them with their parents or relatives. Make sure everyone knows that they can talk
to you if they have anything they need to discuss.
·
It should go
without say that you should nearly always keep these things between the fellow
young person and yourself.
·
If you talk
carelessly about what they have trusted you with, you will cause great hurt.
This will often drive people away.
·
You should not
have to talk to the young persons parents. You should be able to fix the
problem by first confronting them.
·
If there is a
misbehavior or distraction, use the process of Matthew 18:15-17 and if the
problem persists there might be a time to ask the person to stop coming to CYC.
(Rare if ever!)
·
If you go to their
parents first, there may not be any immediate damage done specifically but they
learn NOT to trust you.
·
If you believe
fellow young person
1 Thes
Prov
26:20-22 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. As
charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling
strife. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's
inmost parts.
First Aid:
As a rule of thumb, prevention is better than cure. But sometimes accidents can happen so we need
to prepared for them.
·
It is a good idea
to have at least one of the leaders to attend a first aid course or have some
training in first aid.
·
You should know
where to nearest hospital is and have the # for it
·
Provide a first
aid box, clearly marked FIRST AID.
ONCE YOU ARE UP AND RUNNING.
·
Pray – Pray that
all your arrangements may further the purpose of bringing children and young
people to God.
o
Prayer as the
start and close of the evening and/or at refreshment time should be said from
the point of view of the young people as a whole and on behalf of everyone.
o
Prayers should be
to the POINT and for the purpose. Think
of what they would say and use
language they can relate too.
§
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”
is beautiful and devout language, but will probably not help younger ones to
feel the prayer was from them too. An
alternative, being just as reverent, is suggested as “Lord, please send your
son Jesus soon to set up the Kingdom so that your love and grace will be known
throughout the world.”
§
There is nothing
“holy” about old English. This is only a
custom from our community’s tendency to use the King James translation. When they prayed, they prayed to the Lord in
the language of their day still being reverent.
§
DON’T EVER use
current colloquialisms in your prayer.
o
Pray together for
the all of the young people including yourself.
This proves helpful to develop tighter bonds.
o
Vary the people
who are giving the prayers.
o
All of the young
people need to be encouraged to pray for themselves. Include a time when you
suggest something they pray for about and have a couple minutes of silence for
everyone to pray about something.
§
Examples
·
“Thank you Lord
for the activity that we just had and for the wonderful time we spent
together.”
·
“Thank you for
the friends we have in this CYC. You
provide us such a great family to be part of.”
·
“We praise you
Father and give you all the glory tonight.
May the things we accomplished tonight rise sweetly to you. Bless us as
we depart.”
·
“Help us to be
more like {insert character from the evening’s study} and follow his example.”
·
“Dear Lord God,
thank you for the examples of men like Paul who were not afraid to stand up for
what they believed. We often find this
hard at school or work but please give us courage and help us to know what to
say.”
·
“Blessed be your
holy name Lord. You are the one true
Almighty Creator who made this earth and we wee your glory in all of creation.”
·
Decide on a
regular format for the evening and stick with it.
·
Ideals on living
o
Respect God all
week (Deu. 13:4)
o
Listen and learn
from God (Deu. 30:19-20)
o
Remember who we
are speaking to when we pray (Mat. 6:6-15)
o
Treat each other
with equal respect (1 Pet.
o
Help and listen
to one another as Jesus did (Jn
o
Never use foul
language (Eph.
o
Think before you
speak (Js.
o
Behave as Jesus
did in all things (Eph. 5:1-2)
o
Treat others as
you would want them to treat you (Eph.4:32)
o
Be well behaved in
all things (Rom.
o
Tell others that
we are followers of Jesus (Mat.
·
Keeping Order
o
Committees: It is a good idea for everyone to have a
specific job or be on a certain committee.
Switch jobs around. Come up with
fresh ideas.
o
Children like to
know where they stand. Be sure to maintain control without being overbearing.
o
There should be a
basic code-of-conduct to maintain a
spiritually focused atmosphere.
§
Dress
§
Language
§
Respect during
prayers, classes, etc.
§
Outside influence
(CD players, headphones…)
o
Keep everyone
busy. This will stop problems before they start.
o
The leaders
should try and arrive early by 5-10 minutes.
o
If you MUST shout
to get their attention, be SURE to drop your voice back down and speak normally
once that is accomplished.
o
If someone is
being a problem, try and understand why they are doing what they are
doing. If he/she needs attention, give
it to them in a positive way. If there
are problems at home, try and show that you are willing to be a friend.
o
Always be fair
but appropriate.
o
Things to avoid
saying:
§
“I’ve told you so
many times already…”
§
“OKAY, WHOEVER
DID THAT…”
§
“You all have to
listen to me”
§
“Anyone who says
a word while I’m speaking…”
§
“He/She/You are
lost”
§
“You’re acting
like a baby”
§
“Okay Brother/Sister [insert name]…” (sarcastically)
§
“Shut up”
§
“God hates that”
o
The Lord
disciplines those who he loves…so should we.
§
The punishment
needs to fit the crime
§
The purpose of
discipline is to teach the offender and perhaps others. It is not a way for you to let off steam or
act in revenge at someone.
§
ONE leader should
deal with one problem.
§
Don’t be afraid
of being unpopular for doing the right thing.
You will ultimately be respected.
§
Be prepared to
see their point of view but don’t argue.
§
If you find that
you are wrong, apologize. This is the
best example you can be.
§
When you are
finished with addressing the problem,
§
Never use
physical punishment. This is just improper.
§
Although we never
want to stop a young person from coming to CYC, sometimes it is warranted. You
need to think of the majority of the groups best interest.
·
You are doing
God’s work. He has entrusted these young
people into your care and you are dishonoring Him if you do his work in a
careless, sloppy, or haphazard way.
·
Bible time first…
This requires some sort of meditation to focus thoughts
o
An advantage is
that the talk will set the tone for the evening
·
Activity first…
o
Advantage is that
late-comers will not miss any of the talk.
This also will avoid distractions interrupting the teacher.
·
Theme based
evenings
o
Print out and
photocopy a program for everyone.
o
At the end of
each theme, get together and decide what was a success and what wasn’t so you
can perhaps restructure.
o
This is good
because it may encourage the young people to come if they want to continue the
subject.
o
But if someone
missed one session, they may feel no point in coming to the next. They may like they are lost.
·
Refreshments
o
It is important
to have a break between activities for fellowship.
o
The older ones in
particular need time to talk to each other.
o
Refreshment time
may is a good opportunity for the younger ones to talk to the older ones that
they don’t know so well.
o
This
responsibility should be shared among the whole group so that everyone shares
the financial burden.
·
Getting to know
the group
o
You can only
provide what is best for your group if you know them well enough and understand
them.
o
Be aware of
everyone. Pay special attention to the
quiet ones.
o
Talk to them
about their interests if you know what they are.
o
Get on the same
level as them. Don’t talk down to the
younger.
o
Learn to treat
opinions with respect even if you don’t agree.
o
If you can, make
time each evening to talk in particular to one or two individuals and try hard
to remember what they said next time you see them.
·
Get to know their
families
o
WITHOUT being
intrusive. Don’t be rude.
o
Always try to be
sensitive to their needs and problems.
o
As leaders, talk
to each other about the other young people. This is NOT gossip. It is your
responsibility to acknowledge issues that people are having and do your best to
HELP them.
§
This should NOT
be gossiping but should reflect genuine interest in how you can offer your help
and support.
·
Test yourself
about everyone
o
Who is their best
friend?
o
What are their
interests?
o
Are they having
any problems?
o
When was the last
time you spoke to them individually?
o
When is their
birthday?
o
Where do they go
to live/school? What are they studying?
o
Have they learned
anything interesting in recent classes?
·
Dealing with
problems – ask if you can help.
o
Someone who is
being hurt or bullied will usually be too scared or embarrassed to tell
anyone. Be aware of this. Notice
details.
o
If a normally
cheerful young person become withdrawn, easily defensive or aggressive, or
doesn’t want to do things they normally would love to do.
o
Make sure that
EVERYONE DOESN’T wade in and blow things our of proportion. This will also avoid a young person from
feeling cornered or attacked.
o
Most problems are
not yours to sort out but you can always give a listening ear and support.
o
If they want to
talk, assure them that they are still loved by you, their parents, and by
God. Encourage them to pray about it.
o
The young person
needs to know that you value them and they can talk to you if they want to.
o
Remember that
teenagers have their own problems of becoming independent, peer pressure, and
parental pressure. Make allowances for these without letting them take
advantage.
o
Try to encourage
young people to deal with problems directly.
As a leader, you must try and get the other young person to stop the
problem themselves. Praise them for
having the courage to talk about it and assure them that it will stop.
o
Ask what Jesus
would expect you to do if he knew that someone was in trouble.
·
Being prepared
o
There are come
subjects that you NEED to be prepared to deal with and talk about at anytime.
o
You may suddenly
be asked for scriptural advice about an issue or problem another young person
is having. Know the facts.
o
Be aware of
circumstance. It is important to teach
what the Bible says, BUT you must be sympathetic to a child learning about
God’s principles on marriage, say, when one or both of their parents not in the
truth or divorced.
o
Be careful not to
be a hypocrite. Include yourself a lot.
Major Issues:
Drugs
·
Most young people
will be officered drugs at some time and they most certainly will know where to
get some.
·
Bible Teaching
o
We should not
abuse our bodies
§
1 Cor. 3:16-17;
o
One of the fruits
of the spirit is self-control
§
Gal. 5:22-23
o
Drunkenness is
condemned
§
Gal.
Lk.
o
Mixing with the
right company
§
Eph. 5:18-20, 1 Cor.
Mat. 5:29-30, Phil. 3:7-8
o
Setting a good
example
§
1 Cor. 8:9-13,
·
What else can you
do?
o
Set a good
example with regard to tobacco and alcohol.
o
Let them know
about how God feels without lecturing.
o
Show them how
they can say ‘no’ and stay away.
o
Tell them about
your own experiences.
·
If you think
there’s a problem
o
Symptoms
§
Has sudden mood
swings
§
Aggressive or
irritable or drowsy
§
Loses interest in
hobbies or friends or food
§
Steals money
o
It is important
not to panic.
o
Bear in mind that
the greater threat to the young people is probably from the friends that they
are hanging out with, rather then the drugs themselves.
§
Don’t jump to
conclusions.
§
Take time to
assess the situation.
§
Talk to the
parents LAST.
§
Listen to the
person. Work with, not against.
§
If you have a
reason to believe that the young person is in a position of continuing danger,
THEN his parents should know.
§
If the person is
coming to CYC and dragging other young people away or is spreading his hobbie through the CYC, the person needs not be there.
Sexual
Matters
·
Bible Teaching
o
Sexual
intercourse is to be enjoyed only within marriage, when two people become
one-flesh for life.
§
Gen. 2:24, Deu. 22:13-29, Pro.
o
Homosexual acts
are condemned
§
Lev.
·
God’s way is not
only the right way, but it is also straightforward common sense.
o
There’s nothing
“bad” about sex. It is not an evil behavior.
God made this as part of our nature.
God intended for children to be brought up and this is the means of
doing so. The logical conclusion is that there is nothing wrong with the act of
sex.
o
The World
acknowledges that abstinence is the safest way to avoid STDs, pregnancy and
other mental issues.
·
The popular
question “How far is too far?” in dating.
o
We tend to absorb
the standards of the World through television, movies, and magazines. Even
setting aside the teaching of the Bible, there are good sensible reasons for
God’s teaching
o
Guidelines
§
Make your
position clear from the START
§
Be aware of what
you are wearing.
§
Go out with
someone who has similar principles as you but STILL be careful.
§
Pray together
about it.
§
Avoid dangerous
situations like being alone with someone you like very much in a bedroom with
the door shut and no one home.
§
Kissing is fine,
but you must beware of not being able to stop at that. Once other body parts are involved, the
emphasis is taken off the personality and is put on sex drive. This is dangerous.
§
Be aware of the
effects of drugs and alcohol.
o
Discussion
§
Don’t be shocked
if someone reveals something you would rather not know.
§
Medical terms are
usually good provided that everyone there understand them.
§
Try and find out
what young people are taught.
§
Help them take
responsibility for their actions.
§
Talk about
situations and how to get out of them.
Study
“Come, my children, listen to
me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
(Ps. 34:11)
In general, they are there because they enjoy the
friendship and security from the CYC.
For you, as a leader, the priorities are not the same. It is important to provide friendship,
warmth, fun activities – all these things are good. But the over-riding aim, going back to our #1
goal, is to bring the other young people and yourself closer to God and our
Lord Jesus Christ. But we also must
remember that old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make
him drink”. Likewise, we can lead a person to God but we cannot make that
person believe. God is in control of
that. We must simply teach as clear and
as compelling as we can.
Helping the Bible Come Alive
Young people today are sophisticated. Things are designed it keep their
interest. You’ll notice this more and
more in schools presentations. They make
use of videos, computers, overheads, and things that are graphic. We cannot hope to compete with such a
changing scene and shouldn’t want to.
What we must do is make our CYC studies lively, relevant, and
appropriate. If our Youth Circle is
thought of as boring, there’s a danger that God, Jesus, and his plan for the
earth will be thought of as the same.
The Bible can only come alive if you make it.
Our studies do NOT have to be a straight talk every
week. In fact, this is a bad idea. We should use this study time to study
together using concordances, other books, computers, videos, etc. You could use the time to write and prepare a
play. CYC can take the form of
workshops, guided discussion groups, role playing, debates, interviews, or
whatever will best present the idea you are trying to get across.
The other ingredient in this equation comes from the
leaders. If we are not putting the time and effort into a well-prepared and
powerful messege, we are the ones at fault. We mustn’t turn our fellow young people away
from the Book of Life because we haven’t taken the trouble to up-date our
teaching methods and our ability to preach the Gospel to all ages. Like Paul, in our teaching, we must become
all things to call men.
1 Cor
9:16-24 “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to
preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I
have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed
to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may
offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.
Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to
win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To
those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not
under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I
became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am
under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I
became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by
all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel,
that I may share in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race all the runners
run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”
·
Aims of talks and
Bible studies
o
To interest young
people in scripture
o
To instruct them
in Godly principles
o
To encourage them
to search for the Truth and to realize how fruitful such a search can prove to
be
o
To ensure they
realize our Bible-centered approach to life and begin to build their own lives
on the same foundation
·
Appropriate
topics
o
The backgrounds
of the young people in the group should affect your choice of subjects and the
way they are dealt with
o
Teenagers really
need to have times when they can discuss
Giving Talks
·
Pray
o
For guidance to
say what God wants you to say
o
For help in
delivering it and that the message would be clear
o
For God’s
blessing on the young people listening
·
Prepare
o
No matter how
good you are at speaking in front of people or telling stories, you much know:
§
#1 Exactly what
you are going to say
§
#2 Exactly how
you are doing to say it
o
You CANNOT leave
preparation to last minute.
o
Make sure all
things are set up and working properly.
·
Seating
o
Decide the best
arrangement or seating depending on the study
o
Make sure you can
be seen by all
o
Speak loud enough
so you can be heard by all
o
Never lose
control of the class
o
Stay alive and
perky
o
Be sensitive but
confident and sure of yourself
o
Be simple but
prepared
o
Be ready and
short
·
The Messege
o
Decide what
lesson you want to bring out and try and attack it from all sides i.e. Bring the same lesson out in many ways
o
Usually one clear
lesson is best.
·
Making Notes
o
Try not to write
out everything word for word
o
Write our your
introduction and conclusion word for word but still don’t read when delivering
the messege
o
Think about your
audience
§
How old are they?
§
What do they know
about?
·
Give them a
chance to talk about things that they really have interest in, not just
something you expect them to be in to.
§
What will they be
interested in?
·
Don’t necessarily
expect them to be interested in what you do at work or some high-level
political topic or anything that might be beyond their experience in life thus
far.
§
How many will be
there?
§
What might their
problems be?
o
The Start
§
Relax!
§
Be interested in
the young people and show them that you WANT them to know what you know.
§
You must GRAB
their attention at the start-Spark interest
§
This is often a
good time to introduce, perhaps not in a cut and dry manner, your final lesson
or main point. This is often brought out in the form of a question.
o
Using the Bible
§
The main thing
that the young people should see from coming to CYC is that everything we learn
and live comes from God’s holy scriptures, the Bible.
§
All should be
required to bring their Bible and the leader MUST use it as the basis of their
teachings.
§
§
The more they can
look up and discover for themselves the better.
Reading very long passages can still be non-productive so give them some
things to look out for or questions to answer before the reading starts.
o
What to say
§
Any talk or
discussion should take the form of a journey in which you begin where the young
people are and take them somewhere better.
§
State your aim
·
Begin by
explaining what you are going to be thinking about and let the young people
know what the point is.
·
Relate your aim
to something in the lives of all of the young people there.
§
Explain it
·
Use scriptural
points as well as your own thoughts to expand on the topic.
·
Make your point
more than once in different ways
o
Repetition will
bring the point home
o
Different members
of the same group may respond differently to various ideas
§
Illustrate it
·
Use examples from
your own experience, from scripture, or little parables of your own
·
Humans always
remember “pictures” over words
o
These can be
physical visual aids or the best visual aid: the imagination
§
Apply it
·
Draw together all
of the points you have made
·
Aim everyone to
have some specific thing to do
o
Content
§
It is good to
refer to things like, the daily readings, last weeks talk, Sunday School, a
Gathering talk (if most were there), or something that everyone would recently
have heard.
§
Be prepared to
cut out unnecessary detail and explain confusing things as you go along.
§
Get the young
people to use their imagination. This helps keep attention as well as
illustrate your point.
§
Get them to work
out the lessons for themselves if possible. “What do you think he should have
done?”
§
Bring out your
lesson but make sure it is realistic.
o
Questions
§
Why do we ask
questions?
·
It makes young
people listen because they might have to give an answer themselves.
·
It makes them
feel involved.
·
It shows you what
they remember and if they understand what you are saying or not.
·
It encourages
them to ask their own questions.
§
Don’t ask questions
that are too hard or that no one can get but don’t ask questions that are too
easy.
§
Keep in mind that
most people are often unwilling to tell you what they think about a particular
topic.
§
Don’t base what
you are going to say on the answers to the questions. Don’t rely on them
answering the questions in order for your class to run.
§
Use rhetorical
questions.
§
Try to assess how
long a time you need to leave for them to think about the answer.
§
Don’t always ask
the one with their hand up. Try and involve people that look like they are
thinking but may be reluctant to say anything unless you call them.
§
Questions that
are not too difficult and lead on from one another encourage them to sort out
the lessons.
§
Avoid saying ‘NO’
to an answer. You can usually say something like ‘not quite’ or ‘that wasn’t
quite what I was thinking of’ or ‘almost there’.
§
If you ask for
suggestions, have a list of your own ideas ready in case you don’t have a
responsive group that day.
§
It’s a good idea
to repeat a good answer to a question especially if it has come from a quietly
spoken person.
o
Language
§
Talk to the young
people like the people that they are…your friends.
·
This doesn’t mean
using slang expressions. It does mean
that you are friendly and approachable.
·
Don’t talk down
to them or over simplify things that will make them feel like little kids.
·
On the other
hand, don’t use abnormal words
§
Try not to use
different words for the same thing. This
can get very confusing.
§
Be aware of words
in different Bible translations
§
Without making
artificial poses (which will be immediately read), think about your body
language.
§
Sit in a way that
demonstrates that you are interested in them too. Try and get in touch with the
audience.
·
Visual Aids
o
A picture, map,
or chart that can explain what might be impossible to say in words.
o
Seeing, as well
as hearing, helps to reinforce the message.
o
A summary of what
you are saying can show where you are going and aid memory points previously
made.
o
Something to look
at, besides you, aids concentration.
o
Young people may
find it easier to discuss something on a screen without everyone watching them.
o
Odd words or
phrases written on a white board or flip chart can be very useful memory aids
for the children.
o
It should be
simple so they are not trying to figure it out and not listening to what you
are saying.
o
It should be
large enough for them all to see at once.
o
Poor quality,
irrelevance or bad choice can be worse then having no visual aids at all.
o
Make sure it
doesn’t take too long to do.
o
Make sure words
are in a color that everyone can see.
·
Discussion
o
Get the group
used to questions and answers first.
o
Make sure the
topic is something that everyone could have something to say – things related
to everyday things.
o
Encourage them to
think honestly
o
Once they are used
to voicing opinions, you need to make sure they are really thinking and that
they are not just saying what you want them to say.
o
Tell them a
little of your own experience if it will help them open up or realize that you
are human and are PART of the discussion.
o
Listen
§
Once you get them
talking…listen.
§
Watch for those
who are not joining in.
§
Make sure
everyone is included by asking individuals specifically what they think.
§
Once you have
managed to get good discussion going, keep it under control and don’t get too
off topic.
§
Chip in with
little comments to prod the discussion.
o
Be prepared for
the discussion to take a more serious turn.
Don’t be afraid to discuss moral or walk topics but don’t force the
issue if they are not willing to open up.
o
At the end, sum
up briefly.
Younger Ones Giving Talks
This goes over very well if they come from a
Christadelphian home. They will get good
parental encouragement and help in preparation.
As long as you provide sufficient resources and have carefully prepared
the titles, they will benefit from their own research.
o
Give them plenty
of notice
o
Provide help in
preparation
o
Always ensure
that a leader is there the night that has been working with the young one to
add or correct (gently) if necessary.
o
Encourage rather
than criticize or discourage.
o
Make sure the
audience is appreciative.
o
This can be in
the form of a night of short talks to make the burden and pressure less on the
young ones preparing.
Activities
·
Activities are a
great opportunity to teach by example.
·
You demonstrate
in practice the meaning of the lessons we learn from the Bible.
·
Games are an
excellent way of showing how we can work together while not swearing, being
honest, and sharing.
·
Activities are
especially good for young people who don’t have Christadelphian parents or
Christadelphian friends at home.
·
Pray
§
Pray that through
the activities of your CYC you will be able to show how God would like us to
deal people.
·
Prepare
§
Try it out before
hand
§
Get everything
together and ready before anyone gets there and set it up if you can.
·
Theme Evenings
§
A themed evening
can work very well
§
Egyptian, Roman,
Nomads, Characters
§
A Story
·
Everyone can
become a character in a story
·
Requires study of
the person to present well
·
Music
§
Get everyone to
bring a favorite song to play and explain why they like it – Listen to the
words.
§
Singing is NOT
everyone’s idea of a good time so be sensitive to those who are not musical.
·
Drama
§
Done well and
maturely, a drama activity will be remembered for a lifetime.
§
Drama is not just
acting. It can be:
·
Conceiving a
storyline
·
Constructing
props
·
Working with
lighting, costumes, and sound
§
Drama can bring
people and situations to life for them
§
Make sure you
have a good plan
§
Be flexible in
everything
§
Keep everyone
involved
§
Rehearse
§
Drama comes when
there is tension between people who want different things or between
ideas. The ultimate drama is the
conflict between right and wrong.
Youth Weekends
Youth weekends are important to help build relationships and friendships with other
young people in the Truth as laid out by scripture.
·
If possible,
decide on it a year in advance so you can at least tell what was going on the
previous year and you can contact other ecclesias and check on their plans.
·
Arrange part of
the weekend when all ages can study, worship, and relax together – perhaps a
Saturday evening group activity.
·
Speakers
o
Eccl
o
1 Cor 14:9 “So
likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how
shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.”
o
Ensure that you
ask someone who will present the Bible truths, clearly and in a balanced way.
o
There can be
benefits from asking two speakers to share the duties of the teaching during
the weekend.
§
Young people may
find, depending on their individual needs, that they learn more from one than
the other.
§
The speakers can
help each other during the weekend and the time while the other speaker is on
his feet can allow the first to recharge his batteries a little.
§
If one speaker is
ill or otherwise unable to speak at the last minute, it is possible that the
other will be able to cover the whole weekend himself.
§
On the other
hand, sometimes the intensity that comes from a single speaker who had formed a
close relationship with the young people can be special.
o
When it comes to
the weekend, treat speakers with respect and consideration but not with
awe. They need to feel in touch.
·
Relaxation
o
Everyone has a
limit to their concentration and mental stamina
o
Free time is
needed but should be planned carefully.
o
It isn’t really
adequate to simple tell them that the Saturday afternoon is free and they can
do what they want until
o
Arrange one or
more organized activities and make it clear that they are PART of the weekend.
o
Arrange a good
choice of activites
§
Something sporty,
relaxing, and alternatives for weather
·
TIMETABLE FOR THE
YEAR BEFORE
o
As far ahead as
possible: approved by the A.B.
§
Date
§
Speakers
o
Eight months in
advance
§
For a group of
people who will be involved in planning
§
Agree on a
maximum number of visitors
o
Six months in
advance
§
Get in touch with
speakers
§
Decide on class
format/workshops/discussion groups
o
Four months in
advance
§
Get registration
forms printed, together with a reply letter, and send them out to ecclesias.
§
Make a website
and announce it over e-mail
§
Online
registration is not a good idea because anyone can just click and be done with
it. If they have to e-mail the
registration, they will have to think more about it and they will probably have
to be surer of themselves. This will avoid many cancellations.
o
Two months in
advance
§
Prepare a
detailed program for the weekend and present it to the A.B. to get approval.
o
One month in
advance
§
Print the
programs and send them out to the young people who have registered or put it
online.
§
Arrange the
responsibilities for things like playing the piano/organ, presiders,
tape recording, etc.
§
Arrange
accommodations for sleeping
“That their hearts might be comforted, being knit
together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding,
to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;”
Prepared by James DiLiberto. james@seekthelord.com
Many ideas taken from “Youth Leader’s Handbook” – Christadelphian Sunday School
Union and other publications about youth leadership.