Prior to group time, write the words, “GO TEAM!” on a whiteboard. Supply markers so students (as they join your group time today), can write down the teams that they are a part of. As students gather around the whiteboard, remind them that teams are far more than sports, although sports teams are great team experiences. Some examples of other teams may be: school sponsored clubs, church groups (youth group included), student government, National Honor Society or other academic clubs, band, choir, etc. Invite students to be creative and see how many different teams they can come up with and write down on the board.
Ask:
- What makes you an important part of the teams you represent? (Answers will vary. Depending on the teams represented, athletic, musical, or academic skills will be high on the list. In addition, skills such as leadership, enthusiasm, loyalty, honesty, reliability, communication, etc. are an important part of every team.)
- Why is it important to have all of these skills represented on a team? (Answers will vary. Help students to see that if everyone was skilled as a quarterback and no one was skilled as a receiver or a linebacker, the team would be in trouble. If the team lacks any of the skills mentioned in the last question, it weakens their position.)
Just as working together on a sports team requires a variety of skills, working together with our various spiritual gifts makes us stronger as the Body of Christ. Let’s take a further look at this concept.