This past Wednesday night, we played a great game with our junior high students. I liked it so much, I wanted to share it here with you. Let me introduce you to, Bomb Squad!

When it comes to game time on Wednesday nights, leadership rotates among the leaders. We each take turns planning and leading games. This past Wednesday night, David N., one of our amazing leaders shared Bomb Squad with our students and it went over pretty well. I don't think this is an original game, so you've seen it in a book or on another youth ministry website, let me know.

Here's what you need...

• Plenty of plastic eggs. Take into account the size of your group and figure maybe 5 to 8 eggs per student, depending on how you play the game.
• Inside the eggs place a piece of paper, or as Dave did, a small candy. He used Skittles. 
• You will also need four containers or drop boxes, for the bombs (eggs). Dave used empty paper boxes and their lids. I'll explain more later.
• Stop watch or timing device.
• A whistle of other device for starting and stopping the game.

General Game Play...

The goal is for the students to deposit as many "bombs" into the other teams drop box as possible, within the designated time limit. The team with the most bombs deposited wins. Bombs are defused when a player is tagged on the opposing teams territory and the egg opened and the paper or candy is removed.


Here's how we played Bomb Squad...

Our students were divided into 2 teams of about 10 each. Colored bandanas were given to designate the teams. We divided the room in half with each team claiming one half as their territory.

We placed the large part of the paper box as the drop box. This is where students would drop the live bombs into at the far end of the other teams territory. The lids of the paper box served as the Pick Up area that held the teams live bombs. These were placed off to the side of a teams territory. On "Go" students tried to grab their live bombs from the pick up point, one at a time,  and run them to the the other teams drop box without being tagged.

To defend the drop boxes, players can tag the opposite teams "bombers" whenever they enter the teams territory. Once tagged, the bomb is turned over and diffused. (Open the egg and take out whatever you have placed inside. Since we used Skittles, the students could eat the Skittle.)

We set a time limit for play. This helps to create some urgency for the students. We also assigned points for every bomb that made it to the drop box. (10 points each.)

Depending on how you want to play the game, you can do multiple rounds changing the variables. Play with only guys only tagging guys, or only girls can carry the bombs, or divide the team as bombers and defenders. You can also do a quick reset by adding more paper or candy to the eggs, or simply play till your supply is exhausted. We did not use all of the "live bombs" that had been prepared.

Have fun playing this one!

- jay

​PS - Special thanks to our amazing adult leader, Dave N. for bringing this game to our students!

This past Tuesday night, we wrapped up our latest teaching series with our high school ministry. We used, The Least of These, a four week discussion on poverty, published by my friends over at YouthMinistry360.com!

I love the materials that come out of YM360 for 2 reasons. 1. Excellent bible-based content. I know when I open materials from YM360 they will be biblically solid. 2. Easy to use with plenty of flexibility.

YM360 has consistently put out great materials that are biblically sound. I love that I don't have to worry about content or do a lot of extra study. Each lesson is cemented in a biblical text that is explained and reliable. The explanations and summaries are super helpful in getting to the heart of the text.

YM360 materials are easy to use. These complete lesson plans are super easy to use. Packed with ideas, questions, and content, each comes with tremendous freedom and flexibility to mix and match for the purposes and effectiveness of your group and context.

The Least of These, is an excellent resource for discussing the topic of poverty and the Christian response. In a culture where students are more aware of world wide condition, our socially aware students are looking for what our response should be when we consider issues such as poverty and need. In their 4-part series, YM360, tackles the topic starting with God's thoughts on poverty leading to our response as believers.

Where did poverty come from? And what does God think about those in need? From the Old Testament to the New Testament, the materials careful walk you and your students through verses that clearly present a god-sized view of poverty and how we are to move towards helping the needy.

This is my second time leading students through the materials, and each time I have been reminded of our responsibility to care for those in need. For my students, it has been an eye-opener to the realities of our faith and the idea of serving others.

This time round, I chose to use the materials in the leading up to our 30 Hour Famine. Now our famine has a greater backdrop for our response to poverty and the world-wide situation of need and ministry.

If you are looking for a curriculum that deals with a believers response to poverty or would like to show students God's heart towards the needy, The Least of These, would be a great resource to consider.

Note: The copy that I have is an older version of the the teaching materials. In the first weeks lesson, there are some statistics that are share to help paint the picture of poverty and need world-wide. I had to look up some more recent statistics an make a for changes to the lesson plans, but the changes were minor. Aside from week one, the materials are timeless.

You can pick up a copy of the materials on the YouthMinistry360.com. (Which, by the way, is currently on sale at 70% off. Regular price, $49.99. Sale price, $19.99. But there are only 3 days left to order!)

​- jay

*This was an unsolicited review of a resource that I have used with my student ministry.  I have received no benefit other than the materials themselves. In no way was I compensated for my endorsement, favorable review, or usage by the publishers or any of their distribution partners.

Some of my favorite times spent with students are the unexpected, unplanned, unforgettable moments that come with the simplest of things. They're moments that happen when we pause and we do what we love doing the most, spending time with our students.

​Tip: Pause for the Unexpected, Unplanned, and Unforgettable.

A couple of years ago, while at Sunday school, I took a few minutes to sit and simply talk with two students who, I don't always get a chance to talk with. Often in the rush of Sunday mornings; worship, teaching, greeting, sound booth management, (and all the other things we sometimes find ourselves doing every Sunday morning) I don't get time to talk with everyone.

Too often we fall into the trap of ministry. It's easy to focus on the students who respond well with your personality, or are outgoing, or share your interests.  But we all have the students who sit off to the side, keep to themselves, and watch all that's going on around them. If we are not careful, we can miss those students.

But these are the students who provide the unexpected, unplanned, and unforgettable moments. These are the students who remind us of why we got into the youth ministry in the first place. These are the students that at the end of the day, as we reflect on all that we did, we find a reason to smile.

On this occasion, it was the unexpected and unplanned conversation that led to an unforgettable moment. It was a sweet time of ministry, and all it took was slowing down and taking time to sit and talk. 

Next time you find yourself in the middle of your youth function, hit pause. Take a few seconds to scan the room and look for those students who we sometime miss.. Then step aside and go talk with these students. It might just make your day.

​- jay

Recently at our winter retreat, we played a game that I have been dying to play, Egg Roulette.

Jimmy Fallon, on the Tonight Show, plays  this game with his guests. I have been wanting to do this with our students, but I waited till just the right time...our Winter Retreat. Here is the video from our game.

This was such a fun game.

There is some prep time needed. You need to get your eggs and hard boil the eggs you need. You will also want to have a drop cloth if you're doing this in a room with a carpet, and have some towels on hand for during the game.

Other than the prep time, this is an easy and fun upfront game, ideal for your retreat or an evening worship gathering that has some a fun element programmed into it.

Have fun with this one and be sure to video as much of it as you can.

​- jay

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (‭Psalm‬ ‭119‬:‭9-11‬ NIV)

Do you desire purity in your life? Amidst the temptations, distractions, and constant bombardment of cultural pressures, do you long for a heart that is pure?

Are you desperate to know God more and more with each passing day? To know his word, to discern will and purpose for your life? To live to bring him glory and honor?

Then you must be in the Word.

It's time to make your Bible something more than a Sunday morning accessory. If you think it looks goods to have with you as you walk through the doors of the church, imagine how good it will look as you live it before the Lord every day of your life. If you truly want to pursue the life of a disciple, you MUST be a learner of the Word.

Bible memorization and studying God's Word are two crucial habits that a disciple should practice. It's really the only way to know God, and to know how to live for Him. Our problem is, we sometimes think we can coast through life living on what the preacher says, or what we hear on the Christian radio, or how our favorite Christian song makes us feel, or even what we think we know the Bible says. But is coasting really living in obedience? Is coasting really what Jesus commands of his followers? No.

In fact more than or desire to be pure is God's desire for us to be pure. David doesn't ask the question in Psalm 119:9, because he's clueless. He asks the question because he already knows the answer. You see God had already given the answer. The Bible (or the Word) isn't just a list of do's and don'ts, it's God's way of giving us the answers for all of our questions.

Imagine, sitting down for an exam, but instead of wondering what might be on the exam, you come ready because you already knew all the answers. That what the Word of God is, the answers.

​What's holding you back from digging into God's Word today? Begin living according to the Word, and discover a whole new way to know God.

- jay