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Leader’s Guide
Underground Reality: Vietnam Leader’s Guide Written by: Rod Whitlock Developed by: HigherLife Development Services Inc. Graphic Design: Principle Creative, Inc Published by: Living Sacrifice Book Company P.O. Box 2273 Bartlesville, OK 74005-2273 www.undergroundreality.com Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission. Copyright 2008 The Voice of the Martyrs, Inc. No duplication or unauthorized use permitted. All rights reserved. First Edition 07 08 09 10 11 —9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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, reports that An article dated February 19, 2008 s have condemned two Christian human rights group 07 training the Vietnamese government’s 20 ich contains manual on religion for officials, wh the abnormally instructions to “resolutely subdue ent” of Protestant rapid and spontaneous developm ces. Christianity in the northern provin
The article goes on to say that “th e deliberate response of the government contin ues to be to ‘resolutely subdue’ what it percei ves to be ‘the abnormally rapid and sponta neous development’ of Protestantism in the northern hig hlands.”
$POUFOUT Introduction from The Voice of the Martyrs ..................................................1 Message from SonicFlood ........................................................................2 Course Component Overview ...................................................................3 Lesson Instructions ....................................................................................7 Session Overview ..................................................................................12 Session 1: God Is Calling You .................................................................14 Session 2: Trust in the Trenches ................................................................23 Session 3: No-Fear/No-Hate Christianity ..................................................33 Session 4: Real Life, Real Pain .................................................................43 Session 5: Hell’s Most Wanted List ...........................................................52 Session 6: What’s Your Breaking Point? ....................................................62 Session 7: Heroes of the Faith .................................................................73 Session 8: Tears of Joy ...........................................................................84 Session 9: What’s Your Battle Cry? ..........................................................95 The Start of Something Great ................................................................105
Dear Youth Leader, More than fifty years ago, the founder of The Voice of the Martyrs, Richard Wurmbrand, asked the youth group at the church he pastored in Romania to do something bold for Christ—smuggle Bibles. Pastor Wurmbrand and his young people would go to the train station where thousands of communist Russian troops were coming and going. Wurmbrand saw these troops not as invading enemies, but as a mission field. He had thousands of copies of the Gospel of John printed in Russian, and he came up with a bold way to get them into Russia. As loaded troop trains heading back to Russia would pull out of the station, Wurmbrand and the youth would toss bundles of books through the open windows. Some of the soldiers would grab the literature and stuff it in their pockets to hide it from their protesting communist officers. Their work done, Wurmbrand and the youth would blend back into the bustling train-station crowd. God has always wanted to use young people to build His kingdom—from David killing the giant, to a Romanian youth group smuggling Bibles, to the young people full of potential in your church right now. God’s desire to grab the hearts of youth for His kingdom is unchanged. An amazing number of Christians we meet in restricted nations—many of whom have suffered greatly for their faith in Christ—are young. For example, in North Korea, a young man nicknamed “Pencil� planted a church in a political prisoner camp—and gave his life there—before his twentieth birthday. His is one story among countless others. For more than forty years, The Voice of the Martyrs has been telling the world about people who live for Christ despite the trouble and suffering they face for their faith. These brothers and sisters illegally print Scriptures in communist China. They share Christ’s love with Muslim neighbors in Indonesia. They hand out tracts to hopeless Hindus in India. Most Christians in the West do not suffer for their faith in the same way that these brothers and sisters are suffering. But we are called to remember their suffering (Hebrews 13:3), and to fellowship with them (Philippians 3:10). These are the reasons The Voice of the Martyrs sent eight teenagers to Vietnam to meet with persecuted Christians—to remember and to fellowship. These teens needed to see and hear and talk to Christians whose priority isn’t the latest fashion or video game. Each teen came back from the trip changed and challenged. We don’t want that transformation to end with the eight teens who went to Vietnam. We filmed their trip, and now we are presenting you with this curriculum to help the teens in your youth group dig into the truths that we can learn from our persecuted brothers and sisters—truths that will sustain them in their own trials. Our hope is that your teens develop a deeper understanding of their faith and the strength to stand for Christ no matter the cost. God probably won’t ask your youth group to throw Bibles through a train window, but He has a specific plan to impact the kingdom through you and every member of your youth group. Our prayer is that Underground Reality: Vietnam will increase your faith and inspire you to do all you can for Him. For those in bonds,
Tom White Executive Director, VOM
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Message from SonicFlood We were blown away when we heard about what The Voice of the Martyrs does for Christians who are persecuted around the world. So when VOM invited us to host the video sessions for Underground Reality: Vietnam, we were totally on board. Every week Rick Heil and Spencer Dalton will introduce the video session and at the end they will talk honestly about how it impacted them. Their world was rocked by the video sessions, and yours will be, too. This experience inspired us to write a new song about going deeper with God titled “Look to Love.� You’ll get a chance to listen to this song during your sessions together, and we pray the lyrics will open your eyes to how God can use you. God is going to touch your heart as you take the journey with these eight teenagers into a communist country where religion is considered a threat to the powers of the state. You will find your own faith set on fire, and you are going to be filled with desire to grow deeper in your faith and support your brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.
SonicFlood Rick Heil (vocals) Ben Davis (bass) Spencer Dalton (drums) Preston Dalton (guitars) McKendree Tucker (keyboards)
Flood’s ic n o S t u o k Chec ic video s u m � e v o L o “Look t ent DV D m g e s o e id v on your
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$PVSTF $PNQPOFOU 0WFSWJFX The Leader’s Guide Underground Reality: Vietnam is the youth program you have waited for as a leader. Through Underground Reality: Vietnam you and your students will experience a fast-paced approach to what it truly means to live out your faith. Unscripted video footage allows ordinary teenagers to “tell it like it is� as they smuggle Bibles into a communist country and see firsthand the persecution that Christians in hostile nations endure every day. Underground Reality: Vietnam is truly for those longing to make a difference in their lifetimes. Each session will challenge your students to live out their faith in Christ in heroic proportions. Underground Reality: Vietnam is not just another nice Bible study. It’s not just another discussion of what it means to follow Jesus. Each of your students will be inspired to take their walk with Christ to the next level through life-altering challenges every bit as intense as smuggling a Bible into Vietnam. Underground Reality: Vietnam focuses on the experience of eight teens who traveled to Vietnam with The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM). Through becoming involved with their experiences, your student will be prompted to discuss persecution that happens in other parts of the world and be moved to grow deeper in their own relationship with God in the world in which they live. There really is a cost to serving Jesus, but—as Jesus Himself experienced—there is unsurpassed joy from living to do the will of the heavenly Father no matter what the cost. This course contains nine sessions designed for students primarily in their high school years. Although you could use this for middle school or junior high students, you may find some of the exercises and discussion questions are of a more mature nature. Underground Reality: Vietnam is designed to be very interactive. Your group will solidly connect with God’s Word, pray vulnerable prayers, and actively listen for the voice of the Lord. Message-driven games, challenging discussion questions, and interactive mixers help keep students engaged through the entire meeting. Simply put, you will not find a more courageous, interactive, compassionate or challenging video course for students anywhere.
The Student Field Manual To keep students engaged in between meetings, each student should have a Student Field Manual. To order additional Student Field Manuals, please see the enclosed order form. The Student Field Manual includes a daily devotional, web-based activities, and an intense weekly challenge. This exciting-looking book captures the intensity and enthusiasm of the teenage spirit. It definitely doesn’t look like a school textbook! The Student Field Manual not only reviews the concepts taught in class, it also includes extra information about the VOM team’s experience and persecuted Christians around the world. It is also rich in Scripture and personal application. The Student Field Manual will make a difference between students thinking about the lesson for one night, or thinking about the lesson for a lifetime. Each week during your meeting, you and your students will talk about what they learned through their field manuals.
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The Resource CD — Promotion and Set-up Ideas The Underground Reality: Vietnam Resource CD will supply you with that spark of creativity that will make the lesson come alive during your meetings. Following is a description of what you’ll find on this easy-to-use tool. Building Anticipation Before the Class Before you begin this course, build up a sense of anticipation within the youth group. The Resource CD contains two tools to help you. Resource A-1: Rave Cards. Rave Cards are business-card size invitations that you can print on your computer. You can use them as a way to announce the class and also as a way to invite other people to come. Resource A-2: Email Message. This resource provides a simple message that can be emailed to people in your youth group or church. Room Decorating Ideas School teachers know that room dÊcor is part of the learning experience. Consider one or more of the following room decorating ideas. Resource A-3: Star Template. Paint one wall red with a yellow five-point star in the middle. Resource A-4: Vietnamese Flags. Print out 8½ x 11-inch Vietnamese flags to attach to walls. Resource A-5: Jungle Scene. Paint one or more walls with a jungle scene. Resource A-6: Vietnam Map. Paint an outline of the country of Vietnam on one wall. Resource A-7: World Map. Paint a world map on one wall.
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The Resource CD — Lesson Tools Session 1: God Is Calling You Resource 1-1: Reproducible airline ticket. Resource 1-2: Airport noise (sound track). Resource 1-3: Biblical character names. Resource 1-4: Vietnamese Banana Rice Pudding recipe. Session 2: Trust in the Trenches Resource 2-1: Vietnamese worship music (sound track). Session 3: No-Fear/No-Hate Christianity Resource 3-1: “Look to Love� by SonicFlood lyrics. Resource 3-2: Rain noise (sound track). Session 4: Real Life, Real Pain Resource 4-1: Vietnamese Fried Banana recipe. Session 5: Hell’s Most Wanted List No resources required for this session. Session 6: What’s Your Breaking Point? Resource 6-1: List of hand props. Session 7: Heroes of the Faith Resource 7-1: “My Hero, Dudley Do-Right!� This is a script for a short comical skit for four people. Resource 7-2: Vietnamese worship music (sound track). Session 8: Tears of Joy Resource 8-1: Vietnamese worship music (sound track). Session 9: What’s Your Battle Cry? Resource 9-1: Mixer questions.
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Powerful Video Segments
“A reality check. Awesome. Exciting and inspiring. Excellent real dialogue.� “It’s like a weekly TV show that students look forward to.�
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The videos are neither scripted nor rehearsed. Rather they tell the story of real students on a real journey facing real dangers. Don’t be surprised to learn of entire families sitting down watching the video segments and then praying together for the underground church. Your teens will also be thrilled to discover that all nine sessions are hosted by SonicFlood, one of the hottest Christian rock bands today. The SonicFlood band members Rick Heil (vocals) and Spencer Dalton (drums) introduce the video sessions weekly and at the end talk honestly about how it impacted them. SonicFlood also produced a music video for their song “Look to Love� specifically for this course. Your teens will love the fact that they can see a music video that was created just for them. This has also been included on your video segment DVD.
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The Voice of the Martyrs took a group of eight ordinary teenagers from the United States and Australia on a mission of a lifetime. These teenagers traveled to Vietnam to meet the underground church and smuggle Bibles into the country for Christians to read. In this unscripted documentary, the cameras om travel with the teens throughout Vietnam. You don’t just 1 •C •9 see the teenagers talking about their trip from a TV studio. op 05 yr i 0 74 gh You travel with them, walking through the streets of Ho Chi K t 20 ,O 08 e l l i The Minh City (formerly called Saigon), playing in a pool beneath a lesv Voic Bart e of the Martyrs • P.O. Box 443 waterfall, talking with Vietnamese Christians. The video takes you into the basement of an underground Vietnamese Bible college where one hundred students have to hide if the secret police knock at their door. The cameras were also rolling as the teens smuggled Bibles to the central highlands region, where the government forbids foreigners to visit.
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These are just a few comments from students and youth leaders to describe the professionally produced video that accompanies Underground Reality: Vietnam.
Website Resources www.undergroundreality.com Bookmark this website now because you’ll visit it again and again! Your students will love it and will soon be telling their friends about this site and the gripping stories of real people facing real persecution. It’s from here that your students will be able to watch the video segments over and over—and they will! They’ll read blogs from the original eight VOM team members and then have the opportunity to record their own responses, thoughts, and prayers. All this and more is found on this incredible website. www.persecution.com
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Another fantastic resource also sponsored by The Voice of the Martyrs is www.persecution.com. This is not directly linked to the nine-week study you are presenting, but it is a site that is dedicated to publicizing the needs of the persecuted church. It is updated frequently and contains the most important news of what is happening around the world. You can use this any time you want to remind your students that underground churches are being persecuted today.
-FTTPO *OTUSVDUJPOT As the leader for the class, you are going to find that this course makes it easy to present a powerful, memorable lesson every week. Here is a look at what you will find in each session. Meeting Preparation Focus: Here you’ll discover the focus for that lesson, the key Scripture text, and the name of the video session. You’ll want to watch the video ahead of time so you can be prepared for how your students may respond. The videos get more intense with each week. Assemble It: This is a complete list of the materials needed for that session. Building Energy Before the Lesson Jump Start It: An opening mixer or icebreaker to help start off with a bang. From the beginning of each session, your students will be completely engaged. No more students sitting on the outside! Chew on It: This is the appetizer to whet the appetite of your students. It gives you an opportunity to introduce the focus of the lesson through a challenging statement and series of thought-provoking questions. Play It: Each episode has one or two interactive games that relate to the lesson focus. This is a great time to rally the students, get the blood flowing, and build a strong sense of team. Go for it! Reinforcing the Previous Lesson Remember It: Take a moment to review the lesson from the week before. Allow students to share what they discovered through the Student Field Manual, discuss their experiences from the past week’s challenge, and open up regarding what God is saying to them. Watching the Video Watch It: These powerful video sessions last ten to fifteen minutes and let students see for themselves what faith in action is all about. They will be one of the highlights of your meeting every week. Through these videos, your students will see how the key Scripture text applies to their everyday lives. Teaching the Lesson Chat About It: This is when you bring home the biblical message through the key Scripture. This segment follows the video session and gives you as the leader a chance to teach the students, ask faith-building questions, and challenge them.
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Think on It: This is a time for personal reflection and application. At this point each week, a main question is asked to bring everything to a single focus. This helps students genuinely encounter God. Activate It: At the end of the meeting, you will put action to the message. This is where you pray with students, challenge them to a deeper walk in Christ, and point them to the Student Field Manual. Meeting Length This course can be adapted to fit a variety of time frames. The chart below shows how it can work for 45 minutes, 60 minutes, or 90 minutes. Section
45–Minute Time Frame
60–Minute Time Frame
90–Minute Time Frame
Jump Start It
5 mins.
5 mins.
5 mins.
Chew on It
5 mins.
5 mins.
15 mins.
Play It
5 mins.
5 mins.
5 mins.
Remember It
5 mins.
5 mins.
5 mins.
Watch It
10–15 mins.
10–15 mins.
10–15 mins.
Chat About It
5 mins.
15 mins.
25 mins.
Think on It
5 mins.
5 mins.
10 mins.
Play It #2
Skip
Skip
5 mins.
Activate It
5 mins.
5 mins.
5 mins.
Be flexible. You may want to focus more time on one section during one meeting and another section the next week. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, wisdom, and a willing spirit to follow where He leads in that session.
How to Engage Students in Discussion Have you ever finished leading a group discussion and wondered why you were the only one doing the discussing? Leading a group discussion is no small task and can challenge even the most seasoned youth leader, but don’t throw the towel in yet! You can do it! It is possible to get your students to participate in the discussion—and enjoy it. To aid you, this course is filled from start to finish with thought-provoking questions that will naturally promote rich discussions. At the same time, don’t make the mistake of thinking that if you simply ask questions, the students will answer them. If you just ask questions and wait for answers, it will be a long, quiet meeting. But if you go beyond just asking good questions and also provide a positive atmosphere for discussion, then your students will begin to talk.
These field-tested techniques will equip you for success in leading a discussion group that is lively, energized, and truly life-changing.
1.
Have everyone sit in a circle rather than in rows. Sitting in rows may be the ultimate group discussion killer. Sitting in a circle allows everyone to enjoy eye contact rather than the back of someone’s head.
2.
During discussions, consider breaking into groups of four to eight students. This will give each student more opportunities to contribute to the discussion.
3.
Encourage honest answers from everyone. There is no such thing as a wrong answer.
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4.
Be positive in your response to students’ answers. This will encourage them to continue talking.
5.
Maintain eye contact with those answering and listen to what each student is saying.
6.
Occasionally ask another student what they thought about the last statement. This will cause every student to listen and be ready to answer.
7.
Keep an eye open for those students who have something to share but are afraid to start. Look at them and say something like, “Hey, John, what are you thinking?�
8.
After the meeting, pull aside a few students and tell them you appreciated them sharing their thoughts.
9.
Before you read a question, you can call out a student to answer it. For example, you might say something like, “Bethany, here’s a question for you‌â€?
10.
Wait several seconds after asking a question. Students need time to think about the question and their response.
11.
If you don’t get a response to a question, repeat the question using different words.
12.
Have an answer for the question in mind before asking it. If no one responds after waiting, you might say, “One answer might be‌,â€? and give your response. Then ask, “What might another response be?â€?
13.
If someone gives a short answer, ask him what he means by that.
14.
Choose a question and tell the group you are going to ask everyone this question to start things off.
15.
At the end of the discussion thank everyone for their great feedback. This will make the next time that much easier.
16.
Pray for your students ahead of time.
Outreach Events and Activities After you have finished the nine sessions, you can extend the impact of the study by using one of the following special events or activities. Underground Church Night This activity works especially well when it is done around midnight as part of an “all-nighter.� Encourage the students to take the activity seriously. Divide your students into three groups: 1) the police, 2) the underground church, and 3) the free church. Each person in the free church needs to carry a Bible. Find a wooded area or an open field with rocks, trees, and any other natural objects to hide behind. You will bring the three different groups of students to this location one group at a time so that they don’t know where the other groups are. The underground church is the first to be brought to the playing field. They find a place to hide from the police and begin to act out a worship service. The police and the free church are then led to different locations on the site as far from the underground church as possible. Here are the goals of each group. Both the police and the free church are trying to find the underground church first. Before the police look for the underground church, they will try to catch those from the free church. The ones from the free church that the police tag have to go to a secret location where a police officer will take away their Bibles and ask what they were doing in the field. If the police get too close to the underground church, the underground church will need to quietly disband and find another place to meet. Once the underground church is caught, however, they cannot run away.
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If the police find the underground church, they lead everyone away and ask them, “What were you doing? Do you know about other Christians?� The police attempt to get the Christians to deny their faith. The police can ask questions or use Scripture to confuse the Christians. (Why does God allow suffering? If God really loves you, why did you get caught?) If the members of the free church reach the underground church without being caught, they will give them their Bibles and pray together for other Christians who are persecuted. Give a time limit of thirty minutes to an hour, depending on how big an area you have in which to do the activity.
Ask the following questions after the activity.
Q–
What was it like being the police? The underground church? The free church?
Q–
How did doing this activity give you a better understanding of what underground Christians face?
Q–
Did going through this exercise give you more or less desire to help the underground church? Explain.
Q–
Do you think we will ever face anything like this in America? Why or why not?
Consider having the groups do the activity again. This time the police become the underground church, the underground church becomes the free church, and the free church becomes the police. Close the night by reading accounts of the underground church. You can find current articles at www.persecution. com. Pray for the needs of the church around the world. Consider adopting a country that your group can pray for regularly and find ways to bless the Christians in that country.
Book of Hope Outreach Give your students an opportunity to exercise their freedom to talk about God freely in their countries. They can do this by giving a copy of the Book of Hope to their friends. The Book of Hope contains selected portions of the New Testament written in a story-like fashion and accented with modern graphics. It has been formatted for several different age groups, including one especially for teens. For more information, go to www.bookofhope.com. UĂŠĂŠ "Ă€`iÀÊVÂœÂŤÂˆiĂƒĂŠÂœvĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ/iiÂ˜ĂŠ ÂœÂœÂŽĂŠÂœvĂŠ ÂœÂŤiĂŠĂƒÂœĂŠĂŒÂ…>ĂŒĂŠĂžÂœĂ•ĂŠÂ…>Ă›iĂŠwĂ›iĂŠvÂœĂ€ĂŠi>VÂ…ĂŠÂŤiĂ€ĂƒÂœÂ˜ĂŠĂœÂ…ÂœĂŠÂˆĂƒĂŠ>VĂŒÂˆĂ›iĂŠÂˆÂ˜ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•ĂŒÂ…ĂŠ group. Books now cost $1 each, so you may want to ask students to donate money toward the purchase. UĂŠĂŠ >Ă›iĂŠĂžÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠĂƒĂŒĂ•`iÂ˜ĂŒĂƒĂŠÂŤĂ€>ÞÊvÂœĂ€ĂŠwĂ›iĂŠÂœvĂŠĂŒÂ…iÂˆĂ€ĂŠvĂ€Âˆi˜`ĂƒĂŠvĂ€ÂœÂ“ĂŠĂƒV…œœÂ?ĂŠĂœÂ…ÂœĂŠ`ÂœÂ˜Â˝ĂŒĂŠVÕÀÀiÂ˜ĂŒÂ?ÞÊ>ĂŒĂŒi˜`ĂŠ>ĂŠVÂ…Ă•Ă€V…° UĂŠĂŠ >Ă›iĂŠ>ĂŠÂ˜Âˆ}Â…ĂŒĂŠĂŒÂœĂŠĂŒĂ€>ÂˆÂ˜ĂŠĂƒĂŒĂ•`iÂ˜ĂŒĂƒĂŠÂœÂ˜ĂŠÂ…ÂœĂœĂŠĂŒÂœĂŠ}ÂˆĂ›iĂŠÂœĂ•ĂŒĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ ÂœÂœÂŽĂƒĂŠÂœvĂŠ ÂœÂŤiĂŠ>˜`ĂŠÂˆÂ˜Ă›ÂˆĂŒiĂŠĂŒÂ…iÂˆĂ€ĂŠvĂ€Âˆi˜`ĂƒĂŠĂŒÂœĂŠ>ĂŠĂƒÂŤiVˆ>Â?ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•ĂŒÂ…ĂŠ night. UĂŠĂŠ Â…ÂœÂœĂƒiĂŠ>ĂŠĂœiiÂŽĂŠĂœÂ…iÂ˜ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠĂƒĂŒĂ•`iÂ˜ĂŒĂƒĂŠĂœÂˆÂ?Â?ĂŠÂ…>˜`ĂŠÂœĂ•ĂŒĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ ÂœÂœÂŽĂƒĂŠÂœvĂŠ ÂœÂŤiĂŠ>˜`ĂŠÂ…>Ă›iĂŠĂžÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠĂƒĂŒĂ•`iÂ˜ĂŒĂƒĂŠÂˆÂ˜Ă›ÂˆĂŒiĂŠĂŒÂ…iÂˆĂ€ĂŠvĂ€Âˆi˜`ĂƒĂŠ to attend youth service that night. UĂŠĂŠ /Â…>ĂŒĂŠÂ˜Âˆ}Â…ĂŒĂŠÂŤĂ€iĂƒiÂ˜ĂŒĂŠ>ʓiĂƒĂƒ>}iĂŠ}i>Ă€i`ĂŠĂŒÂœĂœ>Ă€`ĂŠĂŒÂ…ÂœĂƒiĂŠĂœÂ…ÂœĂŠ`ÂœÂ˜Â˝ĂŒĂŠVÕÀÀiÂ˜ĂŒÂ?Þʅ>Ă›iĂŠ>ĂŠĂ€iÂ?>ĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ĂƒÂ…ÂˆÂŤĂŠĂœÂˆĂŒÂ…ĂŠ iĂƒĂ•ĂƒÂ°ĂŠ >Ă›iĂŠ follow-up planned for those who visit your youth service and any who choose to follow Christ. UĂŠĂŠ ÂœÂ˜ĂƒÂˆ`iÀÊ`œˆ˜}ĂŠĂŒÂ…ÂˆĂƒĂŠÂœÂ˜ViĂŠÂœĂ€ĂŠĂŒĂœÂˆViĂŠ>ĂŠĂži>ÀÊ>ĂƒĂŠÂŤ>Ă€ĂŒĂŠÂœvĂŠĂžÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•ĂŒÂ…ĂŠÂ“ÂˆÂ˜ÂˆĂƒĂŒĂ€ĂžÂ° UĂŠĂŠ ÂœÂ˜ĂƒÂˆ`iÀÊ}ÂˆĂ›ÂˆÂ˜}ĂŠ ÂœÂœÂŽĂƒĂŠÂœvĂŠ ÂœÂŤiĂŠĂŒÂœĂŠĂ›ÂˆĂƒÂˆĂŒÂœĂ€ĂƒĂŠĂœÂ…ÂœĂŠ>ĂŒĂŒi˜`ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•ĂŒÂ…ĂŠÂ“ÂˆÂ˜ÂˆĂƒĂŒĂ€ĂžĂŠĂŒÂ…Ă€ÂœĂ•}Â…ÂœĂ•ĂŒĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠĂži>À°
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Underground Church Blitz Take four or five weeks during the year for an Underground Church Blitz. This allows enough time for you to reinforce the message and mission of the underground church without kids tuning you out because it sounds repetitive. During the blitz: UĂŠ
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Collect Funds for the Underground Church Here are some ways students can “findâ€? funds to give toward the underground church. Students can: UĂŠ
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6OEFSHSPVOE 3FBMJUZ 7JFUOBN Session Overview
Purpose: Challenge students to live out the gospel with the utmost commitment to Christ and His message.
Session 1 – God Is Calling You
Session 2 – Trust in the Trenches
Jesus calls individuals to follow Him with complete abandonment and total sacrifice. This means we must choose to leave our comfortable lifestyle and follow Him even when we don’t know what lies ahead. In the midst of this, Jesus not only calls us but also strengthens us to follow His call. How will we respond to this call?
As we attempt to fulfill the mission God has called us to, we will encounter roadblocks. Sometimes these roadblocks are physical and other times they are emotional. It’s during these setbacks that God often challenges us to trust Him and not rely on our own strength.
Text: Matthew 4:18-22
Session 3 – No-Fear/No-Hate Christianity The call to be salt and light demands that we be willing to risk it all, even in the midst of persecution. It goes against our nature to be light and to love those who try to harm us. Yet as we take on Christ’s nature it is possible to express genuine love even for those who would attempt to harm us. Text: Matthew 5:10-16
6OEFSHSPVOE 3FBMJUZ 7JFUOBN
Text: Proverbs 3:5-6
Session 4 – Real Life, Real Pain God often uses trials in our life to deepen our relationship with Him and strengthen us. The real question is how we will respond to these trials and what kind of witness we leave behind for others to see. Text: Matthew 10:16-23
Session 5 – Hell’s Most Wanted List God created you with a specific purpose unique to you. Because of this you have made hell’s most wanted list. Text: Luke 9:23-26
Session 6 – What’s Your Breaking Point? Life is hard. It is filled with pain and suffering. Is it possible to be faithful in the midst of pain and suffering? A life of joy, patience, and faithfulness helps us remain strong in the midst of opposition. Text: Romans 12:9-21
Session 7 – Heroes of the Faith
Session 8 – Tears of Joy
What does being a hero of the faith require? How does an individual become a hero of the faith? To become a hero one must be willing to endure to the end. True heroes know their reward is in heaven.
Are you an answer to someone’s prayer? As we obey Christ’s commands, we will help fulfill the Great Commission. God’s love working through us enables us to love others and bring them joy. Text: John 15:9-17
Text: Hebrews 11:32-38
Session 9 – What’s Your Battle Cry? As Christians, we each have a battle cry— something worth giving our life for. God calls us to live an unashamed life for Him and His cause. Living this bold life for Him requires that we put on the full armor of God. Text: Ephesians 6:10-18
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GOD IS CALLING YOU
Jesus calls us to follow Him with complete abandonment and total sacrifice. This means we must choose to leave our self-centered lifestyles and follow Him even when we don’t know what lies ahead. Yet, when we have to answer God’s call, He will give us all that we need to walk in the way of that calling. So the question is: How will we respond to God’s call on our lives? Key Text: Matthew 4:18-22 Video Session 1: God Is Calling You
"44&.#-& *5 Underground Reality: Vietnam DVD. Underground Reality: Vietnam Resource CD. Resource 1-1 Reproducible airline ticket. Resource 1-2 Airport noise (sound track). Resource 1-3 Biblical character names. Resource 1-4 Vietnamese Banana Rice Pudding recipe. Student Field Manuals (one per student). Airline tickets (one per student). See Resource 1-1. CD player with airport noise sound track. See Resource 1-2. Half sheets of paper with one biblical character name per sheet (one per student). See Resource 1-3. Straight pins, safety pins, or tape for attaching the character names to participants’ shirts (one per student). Vietnamese Banana Rice Pudding (2–3 individual bowls). See Resource 1-4 for recipe. Optional. Pillows (one per student). If possible, secure airline pillows from your local airport. Otherwise, have everyone bring a pillow from home. Some students with cell phones. Small bags of peanuts or other “airplane” snack (one per student). Optional. Small suitcase (preferably one that locks). 8½ x 11 sheet of paper and pen (one per student). CD with worship music or “Look to Love” by SonicFlood. DVD player
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+6.1 45"35 *5 GUESS�THE�NAME WITH AN ORIENTAL TWIST
Materials needed: airline tickets, CD player with Resource 1-2 playing as students enter room, biblical character names and a way to attach them to students’ shirts, and bowls of Vietnamese Banana Rice Pudding (optional prize for game winners). LEADER NOTE: You may want to use other character names such as cartoon characters, Batman, Sponge Bob, or famous people like Hannah Montana or Brad Pitt. Consider arranging your seats in rows similar to what you’d fine in a commercial airliner. If possible, situate your television down the center aisle as you might find in an airplane. As students enter, have airport noise from the CD playing in background. An adult leader should greet each person at the door and hand them an airline ticket.
Welcome aboard, we hope you have an enjoyable flight. I want to welcome everyone to the start of our nine-week journey that will take us halfway around the world. Before you take your seats, I want to mix things up a bit. Our leaders are going to attach a piece of paper to your back. On that paper is a name of someone famous. LEADER NOTE: Have leaders pin or tape a paper with a character’s name on the back of each person’s shirt. Make sure students do not know which character is attached to their back. During this process, continue to explain the directions. You are not allowed to look at this name! Your job is to guess the name by asking questions from others in the room. You may only ask questions that can be answered yes or no. You may ask one question from each individual in the room until you have asked everyone one question. After that point, you may ask a second question of people you’ve already talked to. For example, if your character is Paul the apostle, you may ask, “Is my person mentioned in the Bible?� The other person should say yes. LEADER NOTE: The first three people to guess the names on their backs will be our winners. If you are giving the Vietnamese dessert as a prize, you can also say, “The winners will get bowls of incredibly amazing Vietnamese Banana Rice Pudding!� You may choose to not give a prize or give a different prize.
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$)&8 0/ *5 GOD iS CALLiNG Materials needed: pillows.
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Thank you for flying Vietnam Air today. We are heading to Vietnam where Christians are being persecuted for being Christian. Some are imprisoned. Some are tortured or even killed. The Bible tells us that the world will persecute Christians. Jesus told his followers:
LEADER NOTE: Have students sit down with their pillow.
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: “No servant is greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me” (John 15:18-21). While you may face trials and struggles, it is good to know you are not alone. Christians are being persecuted around the world because our enemy (Satan) prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings (1 Peter 5:8-9). During this study, you will meet some teenagers who spent time with the underground church in Vietnam. They witnessed firsthand the sufferings and persecution that the Vietnamese Christians face. Over these next nine sessions we will share in their experiences and talk about how their journey can challenge us in our own faith in God and His call on our lives. It is Jesus who calls us to do His will. He welcomes us to travel with Him in order to reach people who don’t yet know Him. We must be ready to listen to His voice and obey what He tells us to do, even if we don’t have all the answers. How will we respond as His followers? Let’s play a little game to illustrate this before watching the video.
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1-": *5 txt ur bff
(text your best friend forever) Materials needed: students with cell phones.
Let’s talk about why some responded and some did not.
Q – What are the reasons some did not respond? (Didn’t have their phones with them; too busy; didn’t know who was texting them; etc.)
Q – What are the reasons some did respond? (Knew the person texting them; were available; etc.)
Q – When God calls us to follow Him, what are the
reasons some people follow and some people do not?
LEADER NOTE: This game will involve students sending text messages on their phones. Divide your students into two teams. Do your best to make sure that the teams have equal numbers of cell phones with students who are allowed to send text messages. Each team member must contribute one phone number, whether they have a cell phone or not. On “go,� each team sends to as many people as possible the text message: “Text back yes if you get this.� The team that receives the most responses back in two minutes wins. Remind students to turn off their cell phones once the game is finished. Then ask the questions on the left side of this page.
Q – Has God ever called you to follow Him and you refused? Why did you refuse?
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Materials needed: DVD player, Video Session 1: God Is Calling You, airplane snacks (one per person, optional). Remember, we’re in the middle of our plane trip to Vietnam, flying into Ho Chi Minh City. What would a plane trip be without an inflight movie? Our movie today will tell how eight teenagers from all over the world ended up traveling to Vietnam to smuggle Bibles. As we watch the video I want you to think about which teenager you most identify with and why. I will ask you about this afterwards. So make yourself comfortable and enjoy our in-flight movie and snack.
LEADER NOTE: Open in prayer. Pass out airplane snacks and play the video.
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$)"5 "#065 *5 Q – Which teen from the video did you most identify with and why? Q – What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “smuggling Bibles”? Q – What, if anything, do you know about the persecuted or underground church? Let’s look at this passage of Scripture. As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him (Matthew 4:18-22).
Notice the key verse for today. It’s verse 20:
“At once they left their nets and followed him.” When Jesus called His first disciples, they immediately left their families and jobs to follow. Think about this for a moment. They left everything to follow Him. Why would they do that? Jesus does the same today with us. He calls us from our selfcentered, me-first lifestyle—the life we know—to a life of complete abandonment and total sacrifice for the sake of the gospel.
Q – How would you respond if you were asked to go on a trip to Vietnam and smuggle Bibles to the underground church?
Q – What or who would you have to leave behind? Q – What would be your greatest fear? Q – What would you look forward to the most? Q – Why do you think the disciples willingly left all that was familiar to them to follow Jesus? What did He offer them that was so compelling?
Every young Jewish boy wanted to be a disciple of a rabbi. Young boys grew up with this desire from the time they were about four or five years of age. The people saw Jesus as a rabbi at this point and because He called them, they followed. For them, this was a great honor. We too have the same purpose—calling others to follow Christ.
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“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age� (Matthew 28:19-20). “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth� (Acts 1:8). As Christians reach out to others, there are times when they face persecution from the very people they are attempting to reach. And yet God still asks us to go into the entire world to reach the people He so dearly loves. He calls us to join Him in this whether or not it’s convenient. Listen to this challenge from Paul in Ephesians 6: And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should (Ephesians 6:18-20). Paul asked us to pray for other Christians even while he himself was a prisoner because of his faith in Christ. This required great dedication! When it would be easy to complain or quit, he challenged us to a fearless lifestyle.
Q – What about you? Would you be able to push past your own fears, your own pain, your own wants in order to fulfill God’s will in your life?
Q – Why don’t we get excited about following God’s call? Maybe it’s because we don’t think God’s plan for our lives is as noble, as honorable, as fun, or as significant as what we can come up with on our own.
LEADER NOTE: Encourage a few students to answer these questions, but keep in mind that they are included in the Student Field Manual, too.
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1-": *5 TELEPHONE TALK LEADER NOTE: Before you begin, secretly select a student to sabotage the game. Tell this student to sit halfway around the circle and have him deliberately change the message the second time you play.
Before there was text messaging on cell phones, people mainly communicated by the telephone. In honor of the past, we’re going to play an old-fashioned game of telephone. LEADER NOTE: Have the group sit in a circle. Choose someone to whisper a sentence to the person on his right. That person then shares with the person on his right until everyone has heard and shared the message. See how close the final message is to the beginning message. Do it a second time and point out how much the message changed. Satan doesn’t want you to hear the call God has for you. He stops at nothing to prevent it from reaching you. Many times he will bring in other messages in order to drown out what God is asking you to do. He may try to change a single word or the entire message to stop you from fulfilling God’s will for your life.
So today let’s have a few of you share your response to the following questions.
Q – If God were calling you, how sure are you that you would hear what He is asking you?
Q – What are some things that get in the way of you fulfilling God’s call for your life?
LEADER NOTE: Encourage a few students to honestly share what things stop them from completely following God and His plan. You may want to share a time in your life when you failed to act upon God’s call, why this happened, and what it cost you.
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5)*/, 0/ *5 Materials needed: CD player and worship music (or “Look to Love� by SonicFlood), paper and pen (one per student), suitcase with lock. LEADER NOTE: Have worship music playing softly in the background, and pass out paper and a pen for everyone. If you use “Look to Love,� have students listen closely to the lyrics because they talk about deep commitment to Christ. Have the students take a few moments to reflect on why they might be afraid or resistant to totally following God’s calling. With their eyes closed, lead them to ask themselves this question:
Q – Am I living a completely abandoned, totally sacrificed life for Jesus Christ? Jesus calls us to Himself. This call requires that we come completely surrendered to Him and His purposes. Perhaps you’re not ready to take up this call. Although I appreciate your honesty regarding this, I also want to challenge you to live out your Christianity the way God intended for you to live it out. I promise that the call, the plan, the purpose God has for you is far more satisfying than anything you could come up with for yourself. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full� (John 10:10). God’s heart is that we live the Christian life to the full. Another way of saying this is that we live out this life abundantly or to the extreme. So take a moment and ask yourself this question again:
Q – Am I living a completely abandoned, totally sacrificed life for Jesus Christ?
LEADER NOTE: Have the students write out where they are in their life with Jesus at this moment and what kind of life they desire to live for Him in the days ahead. When they are finished, have the students fold their papers in half so that the writing doesn’t show and write their names on the blank side of the paper. Place their papers in the suitcase and lock it. Explain that you will give their responses back to them during the final week.
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"$5*7"5& *5 Materials needed: Student Field Manual (one per student). While we are learning about Vietnam, each one of you will have a Student Field Manual. It will give you a chance to think more about what we are discussing during the week. As you answer the questions, imagine you and Jesus sitting down together, having your favorite latte or soft drink. Do your best to be honest with your responses. Many of the Bible passages we went through today are found in your Student Field Manual. Some of these passages make up your daily devotions for the next week. Take time to read them, asking the Holy Spirit to help you understand how they apply to your life. It may be during these times of prayer and reflection that God gives you a specific word of direction or encouragement. Each week your Student Field Manual will briefly highlight the experiences of one of the students who went on the Vietnam mission, including excerpts from their personal journals. You will also be directed to a website where you can see and hear more about their experiences. This website is really awesome. It’s www.undergroundreality.com. At the close of each week, you will find an I Dare You challenge. This challenge aims to apply the main point of each week’s session in a very practical and active way. The goal of this entire course is to take you deeper than ever before in your faith and to inspire you to surrender every aspect of your life to Christ. For this reason, the I Dare You challenge will not be easy and will probably push you way out of your comfort zone. LEADER NOTE: Pass out the Student Field Manuals. This week your Student Field Manual will dare you to put aside anything that could hinder you from following Christ and fulfilling God’s purposes for your life with total devotion. You’ll be asked to make a list of possible hindrances. They may include everything from an inappropriate relationship or an ungodly habit to something that may even be good but drawing you away from complete devotion to Christ. Then you’ll be challenged, without hesitation, to quit, give up, or get rid of something that allows ungodly images or influences to affect your thinking or behavior. You’ll also have the opportunity to put in proper perspective anything that may be taking priority over your devotion and service to God. Ask God for help and rely on His strength in making these changes.
Remember to bring your Student Field Manual with you next week because we will talk about it together. LEADER NOTE: Close with a time of prayer.
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