The intents behind teen events

It’s event season for Trek and Journey students in northern California and northern Nevada. That means that Northern California, Northern Nevada Events (NCANN Events), a ministry of West Coast Honor Camp, has volunteers, such as myself, organizing and running two Trek Weekends and one Journey Weekend from January through March. Some also volunteer at Summit (the national Journey event), which extends the event season through April. So why do we dedicate so much time and effort to these three weekends for Trek and Journey?

1. They let us share the Gospel 

This is the number one reason why we put on these events. Each of these three events has a speaker present the Gospel message — not necessarily for the participants (although one never knows), but for those in the audience. On average, 10 percent of the kids attending an Awana club don’t attend church. But their family and friends may come to watch them compete during these weekends. That means these events may be the only time some of them hear the Gospel, and it’s an opportunity we don’t want to miss.

2. They encourage fellowship 

These events give teens a chance to meet other Awana teens outside of their home clubs. Students gain an appreciation for the bigger Awana ministry, and they get a chance to expand their network of likeminded Christian peers. Many of our attendees, including leaders, establish friendships at these events with people who live several hours away. They look forward to seeing each other next year when the event rolls around again. Some, including me, see these events as a chance to meet up with friends we made at camp.

The NCANN Events team actually thought this point was so important that we put together two “Fall Fellowships” in November so there were even more opportunities for the teens to come together throughout the year. The Fall Fellowships are much more laid back, focusing mostly on hanging out and playing games like Nine-Square-in-the-Air, Gaga Ball, and Volleyball.

These events also provide an opportunity for the teens to bond with their leaders and teams. Some of our participants make it a huge deal as a team trip. We’ve had some teams come over the day before the event, either check into a hotel or sleep over at the host church, and do some other fun activities in town.

3. They encourage scripture review

In the Bible Quizzing competition, students are quizzed on memory verses, key terms, and other material from the current year’s curriculum. Bible Quizzing consists of an individual written quiz, a team multiple choice quiz (they hold up paddles with their answer), and a team speed quiz (with a buzzer to press if they know the answer). As participants prepare for the quiz competition, they review the material from the beginning of the year, which reinforces the Biblical truths stored in their hearts and minds.

4. They encourage friendly competition

These events provide a chance for teens to compete with teens from other clubs. The AwanaGames competition has teams from different churches across the region vie for first place in a standard set of games played on an Awana Game Square. Every event awards points for sportsmanship to emphasize the principle of friendly competition during the games. And as students participate in both AwanaGames and Bible Quizzing, they are encouraged to maintain positive attitudes toward God, judges, coaches, teammates, and opponents. Teens are expected to participate in a way that brings glory to God and uplifts others through friendly and respectful actions, such as exchanging high fives, giving compliments, respecting a judge’s decision, and staying optimistic when accidents happen or mistakes are made.

5. They encourage service and spiritual growth

Our events encourage students to start looking at ways they can serve the Lord and become more like Him. When students practice for Bible Quizzing, they become better prepared to share God’s message with others and are reminded of the standards God wants them to strive for in their own spiritual walks. At the Fall Fellowships, students practice showing others God’s love through a service activity, such as stuffing boxes for Operation Christmas Child. And at the Journey Weekend Fine Arts Festival, students can practice serving God and ministering to others through their talents in a fine-art category, such as piano or photography. Some submissions, such as paintings, are inspired by a scriptural concept or Bible verse, while others, such as public speaking, share a story of salvation or Christian living. The participants present before a panel of judges with backgrounds in the appropriate fine art, who provide feedback on how they can improve, encouraging the students to stretch themselves and actively seek out how God wants them to use their talents for His glory.

6. They’re fun!

Planning these events is challenging, and when the three-events-in-three-months timeframe hits, our free weekends become scarce until April. But we have so much fun watching these teams play the games they practiced before coming; seeing the students learn God’s truths by studying for Bible Quizzing; hearing the laughter among friends who have not seen each other since Camp or the Fall Fellowship; and sharing the Gospel with those who have never heard it before. And when we see how much fun the teens have and how they grow closer to the Lord each year, we’re reminded about how these events are absolutely worth the late-night preparations, coordination complications, and last-minute scrambles.

For more information about upcoming NCANN events, visit www.westcoasthonorcamp.org/ncann.
To find out about youth events in your region, talk to your regional Awana missionary.
For more information about Awana, visit the Awana Homepage.
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.

5 ways to encourage clubbers to finish their books

Clubbers who complete their books can squirt a candle that
 a leader is holding.

Many Awana clubs are either nearing or entering the last quarter of their club year. This means it is time to more actively encourage clubbers to complete their books. Here are five ideas you can use. Each of these reward ideas works best when implemented or advertised several weeks before the end of club.

With any of the ideas below, please bear in mind that we would prefer to have the clubbers understand the verses and not finish the book rather than finish the book and not understand the verses. Also, leaders should always have the option to not participate in any given activity. Do you have a favorite way to encourage clubbers to finish their books? Share in the comments!

1. Candy Jar Guesses

What you need: 1 jar; enough candy to fill the jar; method of tracking clubbers’ names and guesses.
Prep: Count each piece of candy as you put it in the jar.
How it works: Every time a clubber passes two sections, he gets to guess how many candies are in the jar. On the last club night, give the candy to the child whose guess was the closest (you may want to keep the jar for next year).
Alternative: Have a different jar and candy for each age-bracket (Sparks, T&T, etc.)

2. Drawing

What you need: big-ticket, gender-neutral prize (e.g. scooter, giant Star-Wars Lego kit); slips of paper for recording names
How it works: Every time a clubber passes two sections, she gets her name in the drawing. On the last club night, draw a name.
Alternatives: Have more than one prize, have a drawing for each age bracket

3. Squirt the Candle

What you need: willing leaders; several stick candles; a lighter; either squirt guns or spray bottles; water; plastic trash bags with head-holes.
Prep: Fill the squirt guns or spray bottles with water. You may designate a runner to refill the squirt items.
How it works: On the last club night, clubbers who finished their books get the chance to try and squirt out the flame on a candle. The catch: leaders hold the candle. Call up the same number of participants as leaders. Give each participant a squirting device and have them stand about five feet from the leaders. Instruct the kids to aim at the candle flames and squirt until the flames go out. Relight the candles and call up the next group of participants. Have leaders hold the candle by the base directly in front of them. Leaders may drape the plastic bags over their upper body, and they may also shield their eyes.

4. Pie the Leader

What you need: willing leaders; either a grassy area or an area covered by a sheet of plastic; empty pie tins; several tubs or cans of whipped cream; plastic trash bags with head holes; towels.
Prep: Fill each pie tin with whipped cream. Have leaders sit or kneel on the grass or plastic sheet, as the whipped cream my drip. Have leaders slip on their plastic bags, covering their upper body and arms.
How it works: On the last club night, clubbers who finished their books get to pie a leader in the face. Call up the same number of participants as you have leaders. Give each participant a whipped-cream-filled tin and have them stand directly in front of the leaders. Instruct kids to gently push the cream onto the leader’s faces—no slamming or throwing, as we don’t want broken noses. Once participants have emptied their tins, call up the next group. At the end, let leaders wipe off excess cream.

5. Party Privileges

What you need: Year-end party with food (e.g. pizza or ice-cream sundae makings, etc.)
Prep: Arrange food buffet style.
How it works: Clubbers who finished their books go first in line. There could also be a book-finishers-only dessert or ice-cream toping.

*With any activity using food, please be conscious of the allergies of the participants and the possibility of staining clothes or carpets.

For more information about Awana, visit the Awana Homepage.
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.

What is love?

With Valentine’s day next Sunday, I got to thinking about how much love is discussed in the Bible. Love is such a big Biblical theme that people even refer to the Bible as God’s Love Letter to us. It covers all kinds of love: brotherly love, tough love, romantic love, and even sacrificial love. It also defines love and shows how love should be used. This week, I want to share with a small sampling of verses that define love, show how God loves us, and tell us how we should love others. Don’t see your favorite verses about love? Share them in the comments!

What is love, and what does it do?

It’s a result of the Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23

It builds us up
“We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.” – 1 Corinthians 8:1b

It brings peace
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.” – Proverbs 10:12

How does God love us?

Christ died for us
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

He will deliver us from our enemies and rejoice with us in our salvation
“The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” –  Zephaniah 3:17

He never stops loving us and always seeks to draw us close
“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.’” – Jeremiah 31:3

How should we love?

Love God first
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” – Mark 12:30

Love as God loves us
“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” – John 15:12-13

Always, without excuse, act with love
“Let all that you do be done with love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:14

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Super games for standard equipment: Pins

Some clubs don’t have a big enough budget to purchase unusual game equipment. Other clubs may not have space to store more than just the standard game equipment kit from Awana. And sometimes, clubs just like using familiar equipment to try something different. In such cases, game directors have to think outside the Awana Game Box and come up with new ways to use basic equipment. Here are a couple games using Awana pins.

Game One: Pin-up

Materials Needed:

• 1 player per team
• 4 circle pins
• Scoring pin and beanbag, or 4 scoring pins
• Game Circle

Play begins with circle pins laying on their sides where their matching colored diagonals intersect the circle. Players start at their team’s color diagonals. At the whistle, players run one lap around the circle. When they reach their colored pins, they sit down and use only their feet and legs to stand the pin up. For Sparks, once a player’s pin stays standing, the player runs in to grab the scoring pin for first or the beanbag for second. In T&T, Trek, and Journey, the first player to knock over his or her scoring pin with his or her hand wins. Players may only use their feet and legs to stand the pin upright.

Game Two: Pin Defender

Materials Needed:

• 1 player per team
• Whole teams
• 4 pins
• 2-4 foam balls
• Game Square

Begin by placing a pin in each team’s small triangle in the center of the Game Square. One player from each team comes to the center and either straddles or stands in front of his or her team’s pin facing the circle. The remaining players stand outside the circle. At the whistle, players on the circle throw the balls and try to knock over an opponent’s pin. Players in the middle defend their teams’ pin. When a pin is knocked over, the player who was defending said pin returns to his or her color line. Last team with their pin standing wins. Players in the center may not leave their small triangle unless their pin is knocked down. If a player accidentally knocks over his or her own pin, he or she is out.

For more information about Awana, visit the Awana Homepage.
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.