EPIC FAIL LESSON 4 Writer: Sean Sweet Project Supervisor: Nick Diliberto Video: Santos Productions Graphic Design: Creative Juice Graphic Design Editor: Tom Helm 2012 Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 1
Epic Fail Lesson 4: More than Conquerors Bible: Romans 8:37 Note: Before you teach this lesson, prepare by reading Romans 8. As you do, underline all the reasons Paul uses to show how we are more than conquerors. It s amazing how many you can find in this one chapter! I hope Romans 8 will encourage you so that the truths you are sharing in this lesson come across with authority and with the backdrop of knowing in your own heart what this piece of scripture has to say. SUPPLIES Small Group: One envelope per small group that contains a list of items that each group must conquer (list included in small group section). Items needed for each small group to complete the tasks: one box of tissue; 10 plastic cups and 3 paper plates; 1 playing card and sliced piece of watermelon; 1 roll of toilet paper; 1 Oreo cookie for each player. OPENING WORSHIP We recommend the following opening worship songs. Jump Around (PlanetShakers) We Shine (Stellar Kart) Brighter Day (Gungor) LARGE GROUP OPENING (10 MINUTES) [Slide 1 Epic Fail cover] And now it s time for our epic fail of the week, submitted by Jimmy Dean of Fairfield, California [Slide 2 This week s Epic Fail] (Comment on the amazingly ridiculously high hand dryers. ) [Slide 3 Epic Fail cover] We ve been on a journey learning about failure and discovery and how we can face and overcome the failures of our lives. The last few weeks have helped us to get a handle 2012 Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 2
on what failure is, and this week we are going to start looking at who we are! I want to start off by asking you about a very funny looking word. [Slide 4 - Conquer] That, to me, is a very funny looking word conquer. What does it mean exactly to CONQUER something? (take responses) To conquer something means to successfully overcome something. For instance, you conquer a level on a video game when you successfully complete the level. We are going to have a little fun in our small group time today, and see what your groups can conquer by working together. When I say, GO, your GROUP LEADERS ONLY will come and get an envelope from the stage. They will take your group to your small group area, and your challenge is to see how many items on the list you can conquer in exactly 10 minutes. When you hear this sound (make a loud sound on the computer or by whistling or with a noise maker) you must stop and return to the small group area. On your mark, get set, GO! [Slide 5 Epic Fail Cover] 2012 Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 3
SMALL GROUP OPENING (10 MINUTES) Compete in small groups to conquer the items on the list. Groups must work together to complete one task at a time. The list of items to complete: 1. Empty a box of tissue one tissue at a time. 2. Stack four layers of plastic cups, with paper plates in between each layer, to make an inverted pyramid. The first layer has one cup with plate on top, second layer has two cups with paper plate on top, third layer has three cups with paper plate on top, and the fourth layer has four cups. The task is not complete until the inverted pyramid is standing without anyone or anything touching it. 3. From 10 feet away, throw one playing card into a watermelon (has to stick) that s cut open. Multiple players can throw at a time. 4. Two players unwind a roll of toilet paper by executing a series of 360-degree spins. 5. Give each player an Oreo cookie. Using only the face, move cookies from the forehead to the mouth. Source: Minute to Win It Games - http://www.nbc.com/minute-to-win-it/how-to/ LARGE GROUP (15 MINUTES) Teacher (after making a loud sound that calls everybody back to the large group): So, how d you do? How many items on your list did you conquer? (Award a prize to the winning group perhaps) Let s watch a new set of characters in the video. Their names are Seth and Abi, and they are going to show us how we are ALL MORE THAN CONQUERORS! VIDEO (5 MINUTES) [Slide 6 Where are you?] Note: During the video, Seth and Abi ask the students a question to discuss. At this point, pause the video and allow students a few minutes of discussion with a partner nearby. After a few minutes, continue playing the video. 2012 Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 4
Note: In the video, Seth misquotes Corinthians 13:8. He says, God never fails but the correct verse is, "LOVE never fails". [Slide 7 Epic Fail Cover] TEACH Teacher: Friends, I am looking at a team right now. It s YOU GUYS! We are a team! And ours is a WINNING TEAM! Not because of what I do or what any of you do. We are MORE THAN CONQUERORS because we are on God s team. Some days, if you are like me, you may feel a little less than a conqueror. You may feel like a complete failure on some days. Some things in life are so challenging, and you may fail a test or lose a friend or keep messing up in some way. You may FEEL, and I emphasize FEEL, like a complete failure. But even though you may FEEL that way, you are something completely different. According to Paul, what are we? (MORE THAN CONQUERORS) And we are more than conquerors because of who? (GOD) Team (name of your ministry), I want each and every one of you to hear me when I tell you this no matter how you feel, always remember that WE are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through HIM WHO LOVED US! SMALL GROUP (15 MINUTES) Lead a discussion using the kids questions from last week in addition to these questions: 1. Does anybody have any questions about today s service? (Leaders: don t try to answer these. Guide the preteens as they discuss the questions. If they look to you for an answer, say something like What do you guys think? ) 2. How many of you understand that FEELING like a failure and being a failure are two different things? Who can explain the difference? 3. According to Romans 8:37, what are we? (MORE THAN CONQUERORS) 4. Even if we FEEL like a complete failure, what are we? (MORE THAN CONQUERORS) Hand out ring pops to these MORE THAN CONQUERORS in your group and SAY: Alright, I want you to open your Bibles to Romans 8 (or hand out copies of Romans 8) and I want you to enjoy your ring pops as you read through this chapter! As you do, look for reasons why we are more than conquerors. (Romans 8 is chock-full of reasons. You 2012 Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 5
might even give different kids different parts of Romans 8 to explore, or different groups might take different parts of Romans 8). As you find the reasons, say them out loud and I ll write them down. (Pick a volunteer to be your spokesperson. This person will stand up and share these things with the large group at the end. Have the spokesperson come to the stage right after small group time.) LARGE GROUP CLOSING (15 MINUTES) (Have the groups share their findings about why we are more than conquerors) I m so glad to be on God s team with all of you. I want to close our service by telling you about another winning team. The Hannah Yellow Jackets is a High School track team. They were the champions of their region the year that Ben Comen was on their team. But Ben Comen, like Paul, like Mark Derosa, is more than a conqueror! Let me introduce you to a winning track star from the Hannah Yellow Jackets champion team his name is Ben Comen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgehxp24e0e CLOSING WORSHIP (10 MINUTES) We suggest the following closing worship songs: Forever Reign (Hillsong) Rescue (Eddie James) Our God is Greater (Tomlin) Friend of God (Gungor/Houghton) Teacher: As you leave tonight, I want each of you to take a RING POP with you! And on a day when you are feeling like a failure, I want you to take out your RING POP and suck on it as you read ROMANS 8! Remember you are MORE THAN A CONQUEROR because you are on the championship team! 2012 Copyright PreteenMinistry.net 6