Just for Life! / 08 Junior High / P. 1

Just for Life! / 08 Junior high / p. 1

Junior High

Welcome

Welcome to the junior high Bible study curriculum for Just for Life! This Bible study gives us an opportunity to consider some of the parables of Jesus. From these parables, we gain a better understanding of not only the character of God’s justice, but also our call to share God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness. For some campers, the concept of justice will be easily understandable, in line with their personal beliefs and ways of thinking. However, for many campers, this idea of justice is completely countercultural, a radical “new” way of thinking. As junior highers are often immersed in the “world,” we have a unique opportunity to challenge campers to live “in” the world, but not “of” the world. God’s justice is a radically new way of thinking.

From this study, we will learn more about God’s justice. First, we will claim the persistence of God’s justice. Secondly, against the grain of society, God’s justice values equality over fairness. Third, through the death of Jesus on the cross, we experience God’s justice in the “business” of forgiveness. Fourth, God’s justice is unexpected. The scandal of Jesus’ death for our sins is the ultimate example of God’s unanticipated nature. Finally, the justice of God comes by grace alone, and through no work of our own. However, in response to the persistent, equal-minded, forgiving, unexpected, and graceful love of God, we can share his justice and mercy with the world.

Objectives

This Bible study will help junior high campers and their leaders:

discover God’s justice that encompasses persistence, equality, forgiveness, and grace.
experience the power of God’s justice.
consider ways that they can share God’s love, mercy, and grace with others

During each of the Bible studies, campers will experientially consider the parables to gain a better understanding of God’s justice. They will participate in scripture readings, guided conversations, personal sharing, and independent reflection to help them gain a better understanding of God’s nature.

The junior high camper

Junior high campers are a wonderful part of the camp environment! While many junior high camp weeks can be some of the most trying weeks of the summer, they can also be the most exciting. Junior high campers sign up for camp for a variety of reasons. First, you might have junior high campers who are at camp because they love camp. They are the camp pros; they have been coming to camp for years and are ready to dive into the program. Many of your junior high campers may be first-timers at camp to satisfy church or confirmation requirements. Though they might not have a lot of excitement for camp at first, they will soon discover that camp is an okay place! Because of the variety of reasons for coming to camp, you will find that junior high campers will exhibit a whole range of interest in different camp activities. Regardless of why the campers are at camp or how interested they might be in it, the first thing to remember is that every single junior high camper is a blessing and has been called by God to come to camp this week.

Junior high campers often come to camp at conflicting times in their lives. Adolescence is a time of many developmental changes. Physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, these campers are in a time of transition. Many are asking questions of self-identity, including issues of appearance, conformity, acceptance, love, safety, and faith. Externally, many junior high campers will appear to have it all together, seeming overconfident and resistant to change. Undoubtedly, things are not always as they appear. Being this age is exciting, confusing, and frustrating. Camp can be a safe place to explore the tension between one’s internal feelings and external attitudes. It is important to offer these campers an environment of acceptance, understanding, unconditional love, and safety. They respond enthusiastically to leaders who are willing to listen compassionately.

Special hints

When engaging junior high campers in Bible study, it is important to meet them where they are. Show an interest in the campers’ experiences in life and make connections between the biblical texts and these experiences. Work to form trusted relationship in which campers can share thoughts, ideas, insights, and questions. Take time to relate to campers in all aspects of the camp experience: worship, meals, play. By working first to interact and form a relationship of trust and safety with a camper, you will make larger strides not only in the Bible study, but also in the entire camp experience. During the first night especially, take time to learn your campers’ names, stories about their lives, and other tidbits to gain a larger perspective on who they are. The response to this attention will be invaluable throughout the week.

Flexibility is important when working with junior high campers. Know that the campers will have a lot of questions and Bible study can take some surprising twists and turns. Be prepared for this and know that you do not need to have all the answers. Make sure that tangents to the discussion include all members of the group. Be willing to talk to individual campers about specific concerns outside of group time. Allow campers to take advantage of the fact that you are a safe person they can go to with questions and for advice.

Finally, because of the many questions junior high campers may have, consider placing a question box in your cabin. Have a closed box with a slit on top that campers can deposit questions into anonymously at any time. Throughout the week, during downtime or devotional time, pull out questions and discuss them with campers.

Most of all, have fun!

First Night

During the first night, it is important to allow time for campers to get to know one another, and for the counselor to gain an understanding of every camper. Because young people need to have a sense of safety and belonging before fully participating, it is important that some of these bonds begin during the first night.

Who? Me?

Materials: Paper, pencils.

Have campers sit in a circle. Allow campers to go around the circle and introduce themselves to the group, sharing their name, where they are from, their favorite candy bar, and why they came to camp. After campers have shared, invite campers to write one strange or interesting fact about themselves on a sheet of paper, and put it in the middle, without telling anyone their fact. After all facts are collected, read them, allowing campers to guess who is the owner of the fact. Allow campers to share some background information about their fact. Review names before going onto the next activity.

Justice activity

Materials: Paper, pencils, dictionary definitions.

Have campers sit in a circle. Explain that you are going to play a version of the game Dictionary or Balderdash. Campers will work to guess the correct definition to a word out of a collection of definitions. For this game, you will give campers a word to define individually. After all campers have written out their definitions, collect these “fake” definitions. Mix the camper’s definitions with the “real” dictionary definition and read them all aloud. Campers individually can choose a definition out of the collection that they deem to be the “real” dictionary definition. If they choose the right definition, award them two points. If someone chooses a fake definition as the “real” dictionary definition, award one point to the writer of the fake definition. Include these words in the activity (get the dictionary definition of these words prior to this activity): justice, unexpected, grace, forgiveness, persistence, equality, and parable.

After you have played the game, explain to campers that the week’s theme is “Just for Life!” Throughout the week we will learn more about God’s justice.

What do you think of when I say “God’s justice?”
What are some characteristics of God’s justice?

Sometimes, when we think of justice, we thinkof a courthouse filled with judges and lawyers. God’s justice is a little different. This week we will discover that God’s justice comes in unexpected ways. Instead of being an overpowering retributive force, God’s justice is persistent and characterized by grace, forgiveness, and equality.

Read Mark 4:30, 33-34.

Have you heard of parables? What are they?
What are some examples of some common parables Jesus told?

Throughout the week, various parables will be considered to understand God’s justice. Jesus used parables not simply as stories, but to offer a wider revelation and understanding of God’s dominion. Throughout the parables, we will see that God is concerned with the last, the lost, the least, the little, and the lifeless.

Closing prayer

Materials: Paper, pencils.

Have each camper write his or her name on a piece of paper and put it into a hat. Explain the that throughout the week the campers will have prayer partners. They will draw someone’s name and this person will be his or her secret prayer partner throughout the week. Campers are invited to not only pray for the camper, but leave uplifting notes and encourage the camper throughout the week.

If desired, create “blessing bags” for campers. Allow campers to decorate a lunch bag and hang it on their beds. It serves as an avenue to leave “blessings” for each other, passing notes and affirmations throughout the camp week.

After drawing names, close in the “popcorn prayer” inviting campers to call out prayer petitions. When everyone who wishes to has shared a petition, close with the Lord’s Prayer.

Daily Watch

Make sure each camper has a journal for the Daily Watch. Each daily devotional will consist of an activity, scripture reading, brief discussion, as well as a reflection question for campers to journal about and consider on their own. The reflection question is tied closely to the focus question for the day. These devotions can be used at the beginning of the day to introduce the daily theme or at the close of the day to review the theme.

Day 1: Grant Me Justice!

Materials: Journals.

During this activity, campers will consider God’s persistence. This summer, the Olympics will be held in Beijing. It is likely that the Olympics will be on the forefront of some of your campers’ minds. See if your campers can name some Olympic athletes and their results at the Olympics. Take some time to debate over what is the “best sport” to watch on the Olympics, and who they think will “take the gold” in that sport.

In your opinion, who is the best Olympic athlete?
What is the best sport to watch?
If you could go to the Olympics for any sport, which one would you choose? Why? (Allow campers to share and debate their sports.)
If you want to be an Olympic athlete, what would you have to do? (Practice and make the team.)
Have you ever met an Olympic athlete? Who was it and what did you learn from her or him?

Explain that between Olympics, Olympic teams meet monthly for week and weekend practices all around the country, in addition to going to several competitions. In addition, the athletes log hours daily in between these meetings. During the last few months leading up to the Olympics, teams meet and practice their sport day in and day out. To be an Olympic athlete not only takes skill, but it certainly takes persistence. Read Jesus’ words in John 10:27-28.

What does this say about how God treats us? (God knows us, will not let us perish, and will not let anyone snatch us out of God’s hand.)
How does it feel, knowing that God will always persist in coming after you?
Can you think of any times in your life that you felt God’s persistence? (Allow time for campers to share.)

There are many ways that God works to persist in our lives. It might be through revelation through scripture, other people, or one of many ways. One thing we can be sure of is that God will never give up on us. Allow campers to go and answer the daily question in their journals. After ample time for reflection, join together to say the Lord’s Prayer.

Journal question for “Grant Me Justice!”: Who in my life “went out on a limb” for me? Who just wouldn’t give up on me?

Day 2: It’s Not Fair!

Materials: Paper, old magazines, glue, markers.

Ask campers to share with you what they know about world hunger. Use the following questions to shape this conversation:

Do you know how many people go to bed without enough to eat or drink?
How many people in this world don’t have a roof over their head?
Where do the “majority” of those who live in poverty live?
Do people in our country live in poverty?

Certainly, many people within our country live in poverty. It’s likely that someone they know worries about where they will get their food each day. Share with campers the following statistics about poverty in the United States (statistics from

34.9 million people, including 13.1 million children, live at risk of poverty.
In the U.S., approximately 3.5 percent of households regularly experience hunger. 567,000 children live in these homes.
About 100 billion pounds of food is wasted in America each year. This could feed 700 million people.
On average, American households waste 14 percent of their food.

Allow campers to create a collage expressing the problem of hunger and world poverty in our society. Give campers 5-10 minutes to create their collage.

Read Proverbs 22:9. Explain that though it may be “uncomfortable” for those of us who always have plenty to eat and drink, God calls us to the life of sharing. In fact, today’s theme teaches us that God’s justice is more concerned with equality than fairness. We know that there is enough for the world’s need, but not necessarily the world’s greed. Allow campers to go and answer the daily question in their journals. After ample time for reflection, join together to say the Lord’s Prayer.

Journal question for “It’s Not Fair!”: How can I participate in spreading God’s message of equality? If I live a life of excess, am I ready to share more and use less?

Day 3: Good for Business!

Materials: Flash paper (can be purchased at a magic supply or costume store), pencils, match or candle, journals. For safety reasons, practice this ahead of time and conduct this Bible study in a location away from flames. Before lighting, check your local fire codes and your camp’s fire policies regarding the use of open flames.

Hand out a small piece of flash paper to the campers. Discuss with campers that, by nature, we are sinful beings in need of restoration. Explain that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Invite campers to write a sin on the flash paper. Say a spoken prayer, asking for the forgiveness of sins. Collect the slips from the campers and, one by one, light a small corner of the flash paper and throw it up in the air. The slip of paper will literally be “gone in a flash.” Because we have a loving and just God, our sins are forgiven.

In the New Testament, Paul writes to the people in the city of Corinth in 2 Corinthians. During his time, the people were arguing and could not get along. Specifically, he is writing to give them advice on how to get along and live within God’s dominion.

Read 2 Corinthians 2:5-10.

What is Paul saying about forgiveness? (We should forgive others.)
What does Paul say about punishment in verses 6-7? (The punishment for their sin is great enough, and it is not our responsibility to hold grudges against them. Rather, we should forgive our brother and sister so they are not overwhelmed by sorrow.)
How is what Paul is saying different then what you and I might normally do? (We hold grudges against those who have wronged us.)
What do you think about what Paul is telling us to do?

God offers us forgiveness for our sins. In the same way, God calls us to reach out and forgive others. Paul writes that those whom we forgive are forgiven by God. When we join in God’s business of forgiveness, we further deepen our faith journey. Allow campers to go and answer the daily question in their journals. After ample time for reflection, join together to say the Lord’s Prayer.

Journal question for “Good for Business!”:Who do I need to reach out to and forgive? How can I join in God’s business of forgiveness?

Day 4: For the Birds!

Materials: Blindfolds, journals.

For this devotion, pair up your campers. For each pair, one camper will wear the blindfold while the other camper will “lead” the blindfolded camper on a walk around camp. The sighted camper can only lead by voice, as the blindfolded camper cannot touch the sighted camper. Tell campers that if the sighted camper is in danger, they may physically move them out of the way of risk. After a three-minute walk, invite campers to switch roles.