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The No Limits Discipleship Retreat

A Basic Philosophy Our passion is to catalyze people toward a life-changing experience with Jesus Christ. We crave changed lives. We long to lead others toward complete spiritual transformation, to be used by God to restore his Church to wholeness. This is the passion that is shared by many ministers of our generation and perhaps by you as well. With this as our common passion, we thought we would try and create a retreat that would not just fit, but would facilitate this kind of all-of-life, long-term philosophy of youth ministry. We wanted to build an experience that, rather than being a break from, would actually be a critical component of our great work of making disciples of Christ. The result of our study and discussion and prayer and trial and error is a retreat that attempts to wed a Great Calling with a timeless reality. The Calling is Christ’s “Commission” to make disciples. We are convinced that everything we do in ministry – whether it’s offering hope in a critical time of loss, tutoring a struggling math student, or juggling rubber chickens – everything must be ultimately driven by this great calling to make disciples. The timeless Reality is that throughout the history of God’s interaction with his creation, lasting formation has been affected through experience. People grasp spiritual truth experientially. You can teach all day. You can fill kids’ heads with information. But you will not affect authentic change until you find a way to connect the head with the heart. That connection – from the time of Abraham, through the infantile church of Acts, and throughout Church history – is experience. Truth takes root when the one being

discipled encounters truth through experience. The goal of the No Limits Discipleship Retreat is to create experiences that will help make deeper disciples of everyone at the retreat, students, staff, everyone! Simply Stated, the ultimate goal is life transformation. While this is shaped by our methodology (experiential discipleship), our primary objective remains to create an atmosphere that God can use to continue the life transformation process in all of us. Our hope is that you can begin to see this retreat as one tool in God’s hands that He can use to help mold and shape everyone who is part of your weekend.

The No Limits Discipleship Retreat Overview

I. Methodology A. Just a Piece of the Puzzle B. Repeat After Me: Experiential Discipleship C. Does the Word Experience Freak You Out?

II. Worship

A. Worship Space: Access all Senses! B. Worship Times: Multiple Opportunities C. Worship Encounters: Total-Body Experiences D. Worship Direction

III. Community Life A. Relationships: The Heart of the Retreat

a. Infection Game b. Activities

B. Breaking Down the Walls: Participation C. Free Time: Anything but Free! D. No Limits Extreme: The Challenge Competition

a. Overview b. Leader is Key c. Team Names & Flags d. Challenge Overview

E. Late Night a. Overview b. Late Night options

IV. Suggested Resources V. Final Thoughts

Appendix A: Holy Communion – A Means of Grace Appendix B: Infection Game Appendix C: No Limits Extreme Team Leader Sheet Appendix D: Suggested Schedule Appendix E: Activity Suggested Materials – Master List Appendix F: Message Outlines Appendix G: Worship Music Outlines Appendix H: Communion

The No Limits Discipleship Retreat

I. Methodology A. Just a Piece of the Puzzle A healthy approach to a retreat must include recognition of the fact that God has been at work in the lives of students in many ways for many years and that He will continue to work in their lives long after this weekend is over. Some students will recognize God’s hand on their life from the first moments of the weekend and will choose to receive His gift of grace and relationship. Others, having long known and loved God, will take other significant steps of growth with God. The point is that this retreat is neither the beginning nor the end of the story of God’s loving reach toward his children. But it CAN be a pivotal chapter! Our job becomes that of facilitating encounters with God and nurturing these specific spiritual experiences, so that they will shape and fuel the ongoing process of a student’s coming to and maturing in Christ. B. Repeat After Me: Experiential Discipleship There are all sorts of retreats. There are many incredibly attractive evangelistic retreats. We’ve also participated in life-changing service retreats. And everyone ought to experience at least one Outward Bound-type, physically demanding, discover-yourself retreat. But No Limits is a discipleship-driven retreat. We’ll show you how, in this model, evangelism happens, service happens, and discovery happens. But the driving purpose of No Limits is discipleship. This retreat will take students deep into a life-transforming relationship with their Creator through multi-faceted experiences. In this No Limits Discipleship Retreat, students will: Experience the Presence of Christ through the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Experience the Holy Spirit of God in corporate worship.

Experience relevant communication with God and practical obedience through multi-sensory responses in worship. Experience the proclaimed Word through the chapel/teaching times. Experience spiritual direction through conversations with staff. Experience Christian community during free times, and meal times. Experience leadership development and ministry through student leadership opportunities.

C. Does the Word Experience Freak You Out? Remember: the point is not experience for experience’s sake. The point is experience for the sake of Christian formation. Authentically good experiences must be:

• RIGHT: they must be informed by Biblical truth. If we’re facilitating experiences that lead to students embracing things that don’t line up with the teachings of scripture, then we’re missing the mark. If we’re inviting students to contemplate Christian symbol or to experience ancient ritual without instructing them about the biblical, historical, or theological roots, then these experiences won’t help at all.

• REAL: they must be infused by the Holy Spirit. Retreats are notorious for leveraging experiences that are not real in this sense. We’re not after simple emotionalism. The point is not to create an atmosphere where kids are worked into an excited frenzy or cry or reveal deep fears. We want students to authentically encounter the Holy Spirit of God. If an “experience” is not marked by His Presence it has no power to affect lasting change. But if an experience is truly filled with the Holy Spirit then it will change a life.

• RELEVANT: they must be connected to life through the direction of a trusted guide. Spiritual experiences that are right and real become relevant for students when, through the gentle care of a pastor or counselor, they are enabled to grasp how this experience can impact their daily lives. Pastors and counselors help experiences to become relevant by asking, “So what difference will this make once you go home?” or “How will you respond to what God has shown you through this experience?” Only relevant experiences are transformational.

II. Worship The focal point of a No Limits Discipleship Retreat is the chapel or worship time. This is when you fire all your guns… A. Worship Space: Access all Senses! Create a worship space that is conducive to encountering the Holy. Plain, empty stages with podium and mic stand are not inspiring. God has created us with multiple senses in order that we might encounter Him on multiple levels – not just cognitively. Try to access all of the senses with your use of space. Here are some ideas. Sight:

Make use of ancient Christian symbol (i.e. the cross, the chi rho, the triquetra, the dove, the fish, the lamb, etc.) as a way to communicate theological truth.

Hang large swaths of fabric as banners to draw attention upward. Arrange the seating in the round to visibly communicate the idea of community. Use pillars or large urns to communicate the rich historical element of the Faith. Project multiple still or video images on screens in order to create dynamic,

message-sending backgrounds. Use fog machines to create a visible element of the air (or space) itself as a

symbol of God’s presence. Use lots and lots of candles to create a sense of warmth, intimacy, and awe.

Touch:

Throughout scripture water is used as a symbol of cleansing. There are dozens of ways to use it in worship. Fill a large concrete urn with water and place it at the entrance to the chapel/worship space. Encourage students to touch the water as they enter to worship as a reminder of their baptism or as a way to pray for a mind and heart that is clean and ready for worship. (We’ve used a large urn with a small water pump in the bottom which causes a disturbance on the water’s surface and creates the sense that the water is “living.”)

Distribute small objects that represent the core of that session’s message (such as nails, candles, etc.) as students enter the worship space.

Use sand to set apart sections of the floor as areas for prayer. Or place large, shallow trays full of very fine sand on tables. Invite students to create their own images or impressions in the sand during the times of response.

Use fog machines or dry ice to create a “tangible” sense to the space itself. Use heat lamps (or another focused heat source) at the entrance to mark a specific

entrance point into the worship space that is felt. Smell:

Light incense or scented candles throughout the chapel space as worship begins or near the altar during a time of prayer as an olfactory reminder of the presence of God.

Draw attention to natural scents (pine trees, ocean breeze) in order to attach special meaning as a way to remind students of what’s true.

Sound: Water provides a number of creative options for sound. Once we built a waterfall

on the stage that provided an awesome backdrop sound between worship songs or during times of prayer.

Use distinct music (chant, mystical-sounding instrumentation, pounding rhythms, etc.) to set whatever mood you’re shooting for as students enter.

Consider building in sound elements to different areas of response (i.e. set out several disc players with ear phones near the altar or near prayer tables that play guided prayer exercises or meditative music; or place some with the sound of hammering near a large cross).

Taste:

Communion is the classic multi-sensory worship experience which attaches powerfully to the sense of taste.

Consider using other options as part of the time of praise or worship response. Draw ideas from the Jewish Sader meal or other Hebrew festival meals. Be creative!

B. Worship Times: Multiple Opportunities The No Limits Discipleship Retreat focuses on four main worship encounters. During these four sessions the five main themes of the No Limits Discipleship Journal are targeted: Covenant, Contemplation, Communication, Community, and Compassion. Since Contemplation and Communication focus on the two specific disciplines of Bible study and prayer, they are combined into the Saturday morning session. C. Worship Encounters: Total-Body Experiences Determine to create a worship time where students and staff can enter to worship God, encounter Him through His Word, and respond experientially.

1. Enter to worship – This doesn’t mean that the services need to feel like traditional church or that it needs to be quiet and serious (though maybe “quiet and serious” will connect perfectly). The key is to create a worship space that is engaging and full of energy and expectation. Music should be playing. The focal point should be interesting and well-illumined. Staff and students should be interacting. All students (seekers and Christ-followers) should feel welcome.1 The opening experience of the service time (whether it be a video clip, someone speaking, a worship set, a drama2, even a game) should feel relevant and purposeful. It should serve as a “ramp” into the time of encountering God’s

1 There has been a lot of discussion in the church about the idea of identifying a “target group” and tailoring the worship service around their needs. And some have created one kind of service for “believers” and another for “seekers.” Here’s our take on the discussion as it relates to retreat ministry in a post-modern context: Create an authentic, no-holds-barred, worship experience that exalts and honors the Living God. Christ-followers will enter in and be challenged to grow; spiritual seekers will be exposed to the real deal and will be drawn in by Christ’s Spirit in worship. In other words, your best evangelism will be done by welcoming spiritual seekers into authentic worship. 2 See the No Limits: The Script Book for examples of theme-based drama that could be used as ramps to worship gatherings.

Word.

2. Word –Typically students receive the word through a speaker’s preaching. And while this is often the best method, it’s not the only option. Once our “speaker” was an actor who wrote and performed (with student actors!) a progressive play. Each session was another episode of the story. This was a remarkably effective way to deliver the gospel. The critical thing is delivering a dynamic, relevant presentation of the Word and then allowing for a time of response.

3. Response – Many worship gatherings begin with a long time of worship that leads up to the preaching of the Word. We challenge you to think deeply about the purpose of your “worship time” and to be intentional about where, in the service, you place it. The No Limits model places a large time of multi-sensory, interactive response after the preaching of the word. Its purpose is to allow students a variety of ways to respond to what they’ve experienced or understood through the preaching. So while the worship band leads in singing, students are free to move around. A few may approach a large cross, touch it, kneel near it, and pray. Others may come to one of the “prayer tables” where they can write a prayer in a prayer journal3 or light a candle.4 Others may pray with a friend or counselor at the altar.

D. Worship Direction Worship direction is simply the message, or the content of the preaching/teaching. Clearly there are hundreds of themes that could be addressed. The No Limits Retreat model (and can be expanded upon through the use of other No Limits resources) is to focus on each of the following Biblical concepts: Covenant, Contemplation, Communication, Community, and Compassion. Covenant refers to the basis of relationship between God and humanity. Deuteronomy 26:16-19 says: The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in his ways, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey him. And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord you God, as he promised. God, in his loving kindness, has initiated and established a relationship with His creation. He has declared his love and invited all people, everywhere into a relationship based on His promise and sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ. The speaker, on this first night, should establish the Biblical idea of Covenant, clearly present the gospel and atoning work of Jesus Christ as the means by which we are

3 We provide several journals which remain on the prayer tables all week. Students and staff are free to write a prayer or read the prayers of others as part of their worship experience. 4 We encourage kids to light a candle is a visible reminder that God is present and has heard their prayer.

able to enter into Covenant with God, and invite people to do so. Because No Limits is a discipleship retreat, the weekend begins with an opportunity to enter into relationship with Christ rather than ending with a talk on salvation. Contemplation is receiving truth through the Word of God. Communication refers to the dynamic of talking to and listening to God. The Saturday morning focus could be expressed in terms of listening to the “true Voice” rather than the “voice of the stranger,5” or the “Voice of Husband” instead of the “hundred other (false) lovers”.6 Critical to the act of Contemplation is understanding and declaring with perfect clarity that it is the Bible, God’s Word which orients us to what is true. The Communication piece could emphasize the correct approach to prayer: being verses doing. Most importantly, however, will be creating multi-sensory methods for students to experience contemplation and communication with God.

Here’s where your worship space becomes a critical component of the message itself. Consider, adding several components whereby students can listen to God. Some ideas include having kids repeat a single phrase of scripture over and over and over again in their minds and listening for God’s word to them through the experience. This same thing can be done by praying a short prayer (such as the “Jesus Prayer” - Lord Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, have mercy on me) repetitively for several minutes. Another great method of enabling students to hear from God is to use a variety of evocative images that will inspire thoughtful reflection.7 Other effective experiences include prayer journals, the lectio divina method of Scripture study, praying with a “director” who can ask probing questions during an extended season of prayer, and praying Scripture with a “touch stone” or meaningful object (like a cross or a nail).

Community presents an awesome opportunity to preach on the significance of the

Church. Here’s just one tack you could take: Every single community has some kind of entrance requirement, whether it be formal or informal. In order to belong to the community, one must do something (like be admitted to college or go through some kind of initiation process), one must have something (like money for a membership, or a boat, or a certain kind of pet, or whatever) or like something (like chess or a certain TV show, or the Oakland Raiders or ...). The Church is the one exception to that rule. Christ set up a community whose only entrance requirement is that you are loved by God. So people with different experiences, different economic levels, and different likes and dislikes, come together under the banner of God’s love and share life together. Everybody is in need of forgiveness. Everybody is called to extend that forgiveness to others. Those who choose to live life as part of The Church make the radical declaration to accept these implications of Christ’s message of unconditional love. Creative Option: One suggestion we highly recommend is to use the ancient communion liturgy during this service to recognize this reality of everyone being accepted. (See Appendix A.)

5 Based in John 10:1-18 6 Based on Ezekiel 16, or the book of Hosea, or a dozen other Old Testament texts in which Israel is tempted to run away from God toward false idols. 7 Every Picture Tells a Story, a Youth Specialties product, is a great resource for this kind of experience.

Compassion hits on the ultimate purpose of transformation. Robert Mulholland says that spiritual formation is the “process of being conformed by God into the image of Christ for the sake of others.8 John Wesley said there can be no personal holiness without social holiness. The whole point of becoming a disciple of Christ is to serve and love the world. Placing the emphasis on compassion at the end of the retreat sends everyone home with the challenge to allow their experience with Jesus to make an impact on their world. Creative Option: Get everyone involved in some type of service project during your weekend. Use this time during your closing service to celebrate what was accomplished. Follow that celebration up with a challenge for everyone to go home and do the same thing. NOTE: FOR ADDITIONAL HELP IN PREPARING MESSAGES FOR THE NO LIMITS DISCIPLESHIP RETREAT, APPENDICES F & G HAVE COMPLETE MESSAGE OUTLINES AND WORSHIP MUSIC SUGGESTIONS.

8 M. Robert Mulholland Jr., Invitation to a Journey, InterVarsity Press, 1993

III. Community Life Relationships: The Heart of the Retreat Relationships are one of the primary values that help drive this No Limits Discipleship Retreat. They are implied in every one of the five main themes. Because of this reality some of the most important work that will happen all weekend long will happen within the context of those relationships. Whether it’s a conversation over a soda at the snack bar, or a bonding moment on the field of play, the development of relationships between everyone at your retreat is absolutely vital in helping to create an atmosphere where life transformation can take place. With this reality as a backdrop, all of the games and activity times have been structured to help foster opportunities for relationship growth. A. Infection Game (See Appendix B for detailed instructions and forms) This is a discipleship simulation game that is introduced at the beginning of your weekend, and will hopefully last almost all weekend long. Utilize it as a way of reinforcing the relational aspects of discipleship. That is the key to the game. B. Activities Breaking Down the Walls: Participation In order to use the activities of your retreat to effectively build relationships, it is vital that you break down the walls and barriers that everyone brings with them. We have found the most effective way to do that is to employ activities that foster high levels of participation by everyone. Here are some suggestions for helping to increase the general level of participation in the activities:

• Energetic staff members. This is critical. It cannot be stressed enough that the level of energy and excitement, and even participation, will be in direct proportion to the level of energy, excitement, and participation of the team leader. With smaller team sizes, you can basically put one staff person per team. That means the whole team’s success will rise and fall with that leader’s leadership. They must be “on their game” when it’s time to lead the team. They should dive right into everything, right beside the students.

• Variety. It is easy to sometimes fall into the trap of being one dimensional when it comes to activities. Games are often utilized that give unintentional preference to the athlete, or the person with better coordination. In order to avoid that and increase the participation factor, use a variety of activities that anyone could do, or some that cater to the use of brain power, rather than just physical power or ability.

• Mix up the teams. It is suggested that for activities, you don’t allow the students to choose what team they want to be on. When close friends are placed on the same team, often the team members then tend to all think and act the same way. If one of them says they don’t want to do something, the rest of them follow suit. By forcing students to be on a team with others they don’t know very well, you help to remove that “group thinking” factor.

• Reward with Points! If you are utilizing a weekend-long point system to determine the overall winning team from your retreat, consider making up some kind of overall award to be given to the team that really worked together and had the best participation during the weekend. Also, make sure that as you award points for different games and challenges throughout the weekend that you are

reinforcing the idea of participation and teamwork. C. Free Time: Anything but Free! You should also remember, and remind the rest of your staff, that any free time that is built into the schedule is a great time to have conversations and informal interaction with students. D. No Limits Extreme: The Challenge Competition (see Appendix E for a complete list of materials) Overview The basic idea behind this experience is to create opportunities for students and leaders to interact with each other as they engage in team building exercises and competitions of various styles and ability levels. The suggestions we use here are designed to work for retreats with a total student population between about 20-60. That allows for teams that range in size from 4-10, which his just about right for breaking down barriers and building relationships.9 Leader is Key Just another quick reminder that the leader of the team (staff member) is absolutely crucial to this being effective. You won’t ever be able to overstress to your staff members the importance of their being excited and energetic about these challenges. They should be as participatory as possible, without completely taking over the team. They should view their roles more as coaches and facilitators, rather than just another member of the team. Team Names & Flags10

Supplies for Each Team: • 1 twin-size flat sheet • Paint or markers • Scissors • Broom stick

At the very beginning of your activity time give each team a set of supplies and ask them to spend some time together coming up with a name and creating a team design or logo. They should incorporate both of those onto their team flag, which they can use as a rallying point the rest of the weekend. The sheet can be made into a flag by cutting a slit in one end of the sewn over portion (at the top) and inserting the stick. Creative Option – Teams could make a banner instead of a flag and these could be hung at various locations around the retreat grounds, or in one central place where they can all be viewed together. Challenge Overview

9 If your total student population is on the low side, you could decrease the number of total teams. If you have a larger retreat, increase the number of teams. 10 During this opening flag time, teams should also decide where they will meet each time. It is important that they have a rallying point so they can gather at the same place for the rest of the weekend.

You will be using a series of challenges during the course of the weekend to engage the students in interaction and play. All six of the teams will be competing all at the same time on the same challenge. They will be doing six total challenges over the course of the weekend, two each during three different sessions (see schedule). The most important aspect of selecting challenges is coming up with ones that require as much participation as possible, as well as a variety of events that use different sets of skills. Whatever you come up with, make sure you have enough supplies for three sets of challenges. Here are some suggestions of possible challenges, depending on your location and the season of your retreat11:

Flotation Device – This is a great one if you have access to a pool or a body of water. Each team gets three large (inflated) truck tires, one piece of rope (about 25’), one board (approximately 2”x6”x8’), and a broom. One a given signal each team must construct a flotation device to carry their whole team from one point to another in the water, only using the broom as a paddle.

Paint Ball Blitz – Provide a paint ball gun and a light weight object that can be moved along the ground (like a small ball, cup, etc.) for each team. Each member of the team takes turns shooting at a target, moving it along the ground until it crosses the “finish” line.

Millionaire – Set up computers and install the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire video game on each one. See how much money each team can accumulate during a certain time limit. This is a great way to bring out the intellectual students on your teams.

Team Building – You could use any number of team building exercises as challenges. If it forces them to have to work together in order to accomplish a task it will work great.

Sling Shot – Set up a target for each team with balloons attached to it. Give them a time limit and the stipulation that everyone must shoot the sling shot at least once, and then let them see how many balloons they can break during the time limit. Make refilling the target with blown up balloons a part of the contest.

E. Late Night Overview In keeping with the overall direction of the retreat, the purpose of the Late Night Options is to create opportunities for people to interact and continue to build relationships that will lead to life transformation. It is for that reason the Late Night Options are a collection of experiences that allow students to choose an option that may be appealing to them and through that experience grow in their relationship with God and with others. The basic structure of this portion of the retreat is the combination of different components. The idea is to use these components together and allow the students

11 For more challenge ideas, meet together with some students and put together a list of their favorite challenges from shows like Fear Factor and Survivor. See how many of those challenges you can recreate.

opportunities to move in and out of the different areas.12 You will need to make sure that all of the areas are fully staffed. The Late Night Options:

Coffee House – Set up a coffee house atmosphere with some tables, sitting areas, a stage, etc. Students or bands sign up to entertain on different nights, or just play music. Distribute various table games and card games around the room. Offer coffee, mochas, hot chocolate, sodas, etc. This atmosphere is really conducive for conversations, so encourage the staff to engage them, (since their tendency will be to want to hang out together).

Creative Options: Use an open mike setting for one of the nights, or use a karaoke machine for one of the nights.

Gym – Take advantage of the athletic facilities at your retreat setting and offer an open gym time.

Creative Options: Depending on your facilities you could set up various tournaments, such as 3-on-3 basketball or 4-on-4 volleyball, ping pong, etc.

Adventure Games – Select an adventure game that could be played on your campus (capture the flag, counselor hunt, etc.13) and run that game during that time. One of the things we have discovered is that not everyone gets into the adventure games, so you may not want to use this both nights.

Video Gaming Area – Set up several televisions or projectors with multiple game systems (Xbox, PS2, Game Cube, etc.) and create a gaming area where students and staff can interact with video games.

Creative Option: Set up brackets and run a video game tournament. Inflatables – Contact one of the companies that rents inflatable games and set up a

large area where students and staff can play together. (Note – due to the high cost of rental fees, you may think about doing this for just one of the nights.)

12 Another option would be to set up one option on one night and a different option on the second night. 13 There are lots of adventure game resources available on the internet or in various books.

IV. SUGGESTED RESOURCES As this retreat is based on the concepts laid out in the No Limits Discipleship Series from Barefoot Ministries, we highly recommend you invest in the following products for use in planning and throughout the camp: • No Limits Discipleship Journal – This fantastic, metal bound journal is great for use in a

camp setting. It’s more than just a journal. It details all the ideas behind No Limits Discipleship in a language that your students will easily understand. As suggested above, it would be important for at least your staff to have copies of this fantastic resource. But it would impact your students even more if you purchased copies for everyone at the camp. The great part is that it provides 45 days of additional devotional materials for them to work through after they go home from camp. And when bought in bulk you can receive significant discounts! Item Number: 083-415-0025 Price: $16.99 *also available in quantity discounts

• Exodus: The Sacred Journey – This is the first of the No Limits Discipleship Series small-group studies. It takes the concepts of No Limits Discipleship and puts them into a small-group format. You may want to consider using this as a giveaway to student to take home with them. As this camp is based on keeping local churches together in their own groups, this is the perfect resource to provide them with so they can take the experience home with them a together dig deeper into what it means to be a disciple of Christ. Item Number: 083-415-0050 Price: $12.99 *also available in quantity discounts

• No Limits Medallions – A handsome pewter medallion of the No Limits Discipleship logo, suspended on a black wax rope. The medallion is another piece that can serve as a reminder to your students of the life of discipleship God is calling them to live. We suggest that you purchase one for every person at the camp and use it when playing the Infection Game. Item Number: YD-1775 Price: 1-24, $8.99 each 25+, $2.99 each

• No Limits: The Script Book – This collection of fantastic short sketches can be used to drive home the point of each evening’s messages. These aren’t your ordinary “youth group” skits that wrap everything up with a nice bow at the end. This hard-hitting collection raises lots of questions, often leaving the audience hanging, hoping for more. They are the perfect setup for your speaker to drive home the point of the day. Item Number: MP-849 Price: $17.99 *also available in quantity discounts

• Guitar Praise! – No discipleship series is complete if worship through music is left out. Guitar Praise pulls together today’s most popular praise songs and formats them for easy use with a guitar or small bands. Item Number: MB-901 Price: $16.99 *also available in quantity discounts

All of the above listed resources are available through www.barefootministries.com,

www.nolimitsdiscipleship.com, or by calling toll-free, 866-355-9933.

V. Final Thoughts We have intended this retreat to be a framework, or structure that you can use and adapt to fit your own ministry. Our hope and prayer is that as you seek the Lord and His guidance, He will help you construct one of the greatest opportunities for spiritual growth and life transformation you have ever had. God bless you as you partner with Him!

Appendix A Holy Communion - A Means of Grace

For more than 2000 years the Church has viewed Holy Communion as a means of grace in the lives of believers. The grace available through the sacraments is crucial in the life transformation process of every believer. An invitation to the Table is extended and everyone who accepts is offered grace and belonging. The actual service of communion is based on the ancient liturgy from the Book of Common Prayer. An ordained minister is used as the celebrant in the service, but with only a few other modifications, the same pattern is followed:

• Confession of Sin – The service begins with the confession of sin, both personal and corporate.

• The Peace – A time of celebration and the passing of peace follows. This time is used to allow all of the members of the Body to fellowship together and share the peace of Christ with one another.

• The Holy Communion – This section of the service is used to remind the believers of the Lord’s sacrifice on the cross, and His instructions to all believers to celebrate this meal together until his return. The elements are sanctified and the Lord’s Prayer is prayed corporately.

• Breaking of the Break – The bread is broken and the invitation is given to come and receive the elements.

The use of this basic structure shouldn’t be viewed as a strict liturgy. It is simply the foundational framework that gives unity to the service. There are certainly other ideas that could be incorporated into this service:

• Songs of praise and thanksgiving • Scripture readings from the Daily Lectionary • Testimonies • A reflection on a passage of Scripture or a brief homily related to one of the

aspects of the communion itself. • Multi-sensory elements such as candles, incense, the nailing of sins to a cross, etc.

could also be incorporated into this time. Whatever form the style or structure takes, the central focus simply needs to remain on the sacraments as a means of grace. Also see “Communion” document for the actual liturgy.

Appendix B – Infection Game

The Infection Project – A Discipleship Simulation Game –

Created and designed by Ron Jackson and Mickey Cox

How to play

The Infection Project is a discipleship simulation game designed to teach the five basic foundations necessary to a relational discipleship ministry in a creative, impacting way. It shows how Jesus Christ ministered and passed on His teachings while on earth. However, this is not an evangelism simulation game. This is about the process of discipleship – that which helps us grow spiritually. It can be used almost anywhere, at any time, by anyone. However, we feel it is an excellent teaching tool for use in the context of the No Limits Discipleship Retreat. Simply stated, the game begins with a leader “infecting” someone, or a very small group of students, who in turn go and “infect” others. It is a physical demonstration of the power of multiplication of ministry efforts. The materials that are provided here help a youth leader “infect” one student or a small group of students at the beginning of the retreat. After reading and explaining the five basic foundations in Discipleship to the student(s) as it appears in the handout instruction sheet, the student becomes “infected.” The infected student will then receive a medallion from the “infector” only after covenanting to pass the information on to others. The medallion indicates that they have been infected and have agreed to infect others. Those students then return to a pre-determined location to show their medallions and receive supplies to “infect” others until the entire group is infected by the end of the event. NOTE: In order for the associated instructions sheet to display and print properly, you will need to download a Hebraic font and install it onto your computer. We used the “SPEzra” font available for a free from the American Academy of religion. The “SPEzra” font can be downloaded from this website: http://www.aarweb.org/fonts/default.asp ALSO: No Limits Discipleship medallions are available at steep discount prices when bought in bulk at www.Barefootministries.com.

A word to the leader

You do not have to be a math major to figure out how many people are in your group and how long it will take to “infect” the entire group. However, if the game is to be successful, you will have to put some time and effort into planning. Follow the below detailed advice will help “control the infection” so that the game will last for a while and can have the punch it needs to be able to teach your students about the discipleship process.

For this simulation game to be successful, the following things must be noted:

1. Do not advertise the game or talk about it publicly until it is over at your event. The less people know about the game the better. Even resist telling other group leaders or sponsors.

2. The beginning of the game is vital to its success. As with all simulation games, “drama” must be added to it to create a sense of adventure. Feel free to add your own touches to the game. Add phrases and gestures that are not written down and then see how far those phrases and gestures go before they are changed or forgotten, kind of like the old “telephone” game.

3. Choose your first group of infectors wisely. Look for students who will “play along” and pass the game along with the same enthusiasm that you passed it on to them.

4. Make sure before you begin the game that you have just enough supplies for everyone to be infected before your event is over. Any additional medallions and game sheets you may have must be placed off limits. (See the Teachable Moments section below.)

5. Your new infectees have to have a place to receive supplies (medallions and instructions sheets) they will need to infect others. Do every thing you can to put that location in an out of the way place. Print on the instruction sheet the times that “infection office” will be open. You may even consider having this location be the only location where people can be infected. This will ensure that infections are done properly.

6. Ask your infectors NOT to infect anyone who asks to be infected. 7. If you choose not to require infections to be done in one location, ask your

infectors NOT to infect anyone “out in the open.” Pick a corner of a room or a spot out of the way at your event. They should not infect people in large groups, but should always infect them in “one-on-one” situations.

8. Set a limit to how many people a person can infect. If your camp is small, make your initial infection group very small and only allow players to infect one person. If your camp is large, adjust your initial group size and the number of people they can infect accordingly.

9. Try to make the game last all week if possible. One of the keys to the game working is for people who want to be infected to have to wait to be asked.

10. Finally, have fun. The game will “teach itself.” Don’t spend a lot of time instructing. Play the game!!

Teachable Moments The great thing about the Infection Project is that whatever happens during the game can be used as a teachable moment. For the game to be most effective, though, you’ll need a “wrap up” session at the end, possibly . The point of the game is NOT to make sure that everyone gets a medallion or that everything goes according to the game plan. The point is to TEACH about the Discipleship process. Work with what happens in the game and use that to teach your group! Talk to students about “How they were infected.” Ask for testimonies, stories and other information that they experienced to help you teach about discipleship.

Some points you might want to bring out are:

• If everyone gets infected - teach about how easily discipleship can spread.

• If some do NOT get infected, they should have been. Use this to teach the fact that there are more than enough people in the Church right now to disciple the entire world. So, why aren’t we doing it? (This example does not work if you do not have enough Infection supplies to infect the entire group. You must have plenty for everyone.)

• If, for some reason, you don’t have enough supplies for everyone, use this

illustration to talk about resources. Some have the supplies while others need the supplies. If so, then part of the responsibility of the church is to get the supplies from where they are to where they are needed.

• If the infection spreads rapidly - teach about the roll that enthusiasm plays in the

spreading of the infection.

• If the students don’t pass the game on properly (the infection spreads too slow or medallions are given to others without any commitment) - teach about the importance of staying true to the teaching of Christ concerning discipleship or that you are giving away cheap grace.

Again use whatever happens during the game to teach about Jesus’ Discipleship process. After your camp, we would love for you to take a few moments to let us know how it worked. We are looking for INFECTION PROJECT stories. You can contact us through the www.Barefootministries.com, or through www.NOLIMITSDISCIPLESHIP.com.

The salvation of our spirit is a The salvation of our spirit is a The salvation of our spirit is a The salvation of our spirit is a miracle in a moment.miracle in a moment.miracle in a moment.miracle in a moment.

The journey of a disciple is the task The journey of a disciple is the task The journey of a disciple is the task The journey of a disciple is the task of a lifetime!of a lifetime!of a lifetime!of a lifetime!

Mickey E Cox

You have now completed one-half of the Infection Project. Someone has taken time to explain this discipleship simulation game to you as to how in a real life situation the discipling model from Jesus Christ works. Discipleship is not a class where you sit in a room with a lot of people – it is the journey of a personal relationship in which an older Christian passes on to a younger Christian what it means to grow in Jesus Christ for an extended period of time. Your next step in the Infection Project is to pass on what you have learned from your meeting so that the simulation game will be completed. Do NOT lose this sheet. It not only contains the instructions you need in order to “pass it on,” but also serves as proof that you have been “Infected!”

(In this space, place your instructions for playing the game in your setting.)

My Name

Infection Project Handout Side 1

Infection Project Handout Side 2

This is the INFECTION PROJECT – a Discipleship Simulation Game (Any similarities to real life are INTENTIONAL!)

INFECTION SCRIPT

Infector (leader): Are you ready to play? Infectee: YES!

Infector: To be infected, you must understand and be able to say back to me the following: (Infector reads/explains the following outloud preferably to an individual, but can be to a small group of 2-3 people.)

Infection is a journey that starts with the Covenant God made with us through His Son Jesus Christ.

Covenant ρµοϖτ tishmor - which means God is watching over us in Covenant

Contemplation ηρωτ Torah – is the study of God’s Word

Communication λαϖ sh’al – is prayer that includes talking with and listening to God

Community δωµ mo’ed – is living a life of holiness as we tell the story of God

Compassion !ψµϕρ rachamim – is having the same heart that Jesus had for others

The Infection game will spread when you Covenant with me and God to infect others.

(Infectee now repeats back the information just explained/read to them)

Infector: It is vital that you understand that the success of this Infection Project simulation game rests now upon your shoulders. I have taken time and effort to “infect” you. You must now take

time and effort to “infect” others. Do you understand and will you infect others? Infectee: Yes, I understand and I will “infect” others!! (Infector now presents medallion to Infectee)

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

I Timothy 4:12

Appendix C No Limits Extreme Team Leader Sheet

I’m a Team Leader….WHAT DO I DO???

1. Pray to God that he takes you quickly.

2. It is your number one job to sell your team on this concept. If you’re not sold, than they won’t be.

3. The overarching goal of this event is for every student to be recognized and valued for whatever ability (or non-ability) that they have. Do everything in your power to make that happen.

4. The first time you meet with your team on Friday you will be explaining more of the details of the game. This is where you want to get your team on board. Have everyone in the group reintroduce themselves, and tell them how the rest of No Limits Extreme is going to play out.

5. As a team leader, you will have to wear two hats. You are your team’s number one supporter and teammate (although you can’t actually participate in the challenges themselves). The second thing you need to do is to help the challenge master keep track of score, and to help him/her in any way you can. YOU AND THE CHALLENGE MASTER ARE ON THE SAME TEAM!!! ☺

6. Have fun, (and if not, at least pretend you are). They will have the same attitude that you have.

No Limits Extreme: Challenge Criteria

In order to effectively achieve the kind of dynamic that we want with No Limits Extreme, the ‘Challenges’ must fit certain criteria.

1. A high level of involvement – Participation more than elevation, but don’t rule anything

out. The more hands on the merrier. 2. Team Cooperation. This kind of goes with the first one, but the more they have to rely on

one another to accomplish the task – the better. 3. We need to be able to actually create the challenge. As much fun as it would be to do an

alligator pit . . . . All the materials needed must be able to be transported to the retreat setting, or be purchased near there. You will also have to work within the given budget.

4. Time. It can’t be too long or too short. Sometimes you can’t get around this; some teams will just do better or worse than others. Aim for each challenge to be 25-30 total minutes (that’s including explanation time). See Appendix D for schedule breakdown.

5. The challenge needs to be accomplishable. If the teams are never able to succeed at their challenges, they just get frustrated.

6. Safety. Just be aware of it. 7. KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid. The ‘Challenge Master’ doesn’t require a doctoral degree

to understand the challenge. It must be simple enough that it can be communicated and understood by a bunch of high school students within a matter of minutes. The more rules and details there are, the more difficult this part will be.

* This is a lot of information, and it’s probably not exhaustive. However, the more of the above criteria that can be incorporated into each challenge, the more successful it will be.

Team Leader - Cheat Sheet

No Limits Extreme

1. Have fun...or at least pretend to. If you are sold, they will be too.

2. Encourage students whenever you can for their ability (or non-ability)

3. Help your students out, but don’t be the star player.

4. Where 2 hats. You are there to help out and encourage your team, but also be ready to help the ‘CM’ whenever needed.


No Limits Extreme





Team Leader Cheat Sheet Page 1


No Limits Extreme






No Limits Extreme





First Day Mtg.

The first meeting with your team will be the most important one. This is where you want to get your team on board. The goal of the first meeting is to: - Get to know everyone. Try to learn the following:

- Each Member’s Name - Each Member’s Church - Each Member’s Favorite—ice cream, candy bar, cartoon

- Explain/Sell them on the concept of the No Limits Extreme (tell them about the clues and challenges) - Designate the rendezvous point (they need to meet @ 2:00 when the horn blows. No one can leave until the whole team is there) - Pick a key bearer (explain role) -Team Cheer

First Day Mtg.




First Day Mtg.




First Day Mtg.




Team Leader Cheat Sheet Page 2

Appendix D

Schedule

Friday 2-5 PM Arrival & Unpack – Be sure and divide students into their respective teams

during this time and orient them to the retreat facilities. Also – Be sure and kick off The Infection Game sometime during this arrival

time. 5:00 PM Dinner 6:00 PM Team Flags 7:00 PM Session # 1 – Covenant 9:00 PM No Limits Extreme – Challenges #1 & 2 10:30 PM Late Night Options 11:30 PM Room Devotions – Utilize one of the No Limits devotional books (Exodus or

Acts) s or the No Limits Journal during this time. 12:00 AM Lights Out! Saturday 8:00 AM Rise & Shine! 9:00 AM Breakfast 10:00 AM Session #2 – Contemplation & Communication 12:30 PM Lunch 1:30 PM No Limits Extreme – Challenges #3 & 4 3:00 PM “Free” Time 5:30 PM Dinner 6:30 PM Session #3 – Community (with Holy Communion) 8:30 PM No Limits Extreme – Challenges #5 & 6 10:00 PM Late Night Options 11:30 PM Room Devotions 12:00 AM Lights Out! Sunday 8:00 AM Rise & Shine! 9:00 AM Breakfast 10:00 AM Session #4 – Compassion 11:30 AM Pack Up 12:30 PM Lunch 1:30 PM Head Home!

Appendix E Activity Suggested Materials – Master List

Materials in this list are taken from each activity listed in the No Limits Retreat (not including Late Night Options.) If you are not planning on doing every activity, then it is suggested that you first decide on the activities you will do, and check this list to see what you will need. Team Names & Flags Supplies for Each Team: 1 twin flat sheet Paint or makers Scissors Broom stick Possible Challenges: Flotation Device Supplies for Each Team: Three large inflated truck tires One piece of rope (about 25’) One board (approx. 2”x6”x8’) Broom Paint Ball Blitz Supplies for Each Team: Paint ball gun Light weight object that can be moved along the ground (small ball, cup, etc.) Millionaire Supplies for Each Team: 1 Computer w/Who Wants to be a Millionaire installed Sling Shot Supplies for Each Team: Target w/balloons attached to it Sling shot Pebbles (enough for each person on the team to shoot at least once)

Appendix F: Message Outlines Message Outlines for: Session 1—Covenant Session 2—Contemplation & Communication Session 3—Community Session 4—Compassion

Covenant Scripture: Deuteronomy 26:16-19; Main Idea: God calls us to commit to a life long journey with Him. God commits to us, and we commit to a relationship with Him. Outline:

I. Introduction a. A covenant was a binding agreement between two people. b. God used this to express His relationship to Israel. He made a covenant with his

people, “They will be my people, and I will be their God.” c. Elements of the Covenant. The covenant was usually written down, and given to

witnesses who would know the agreement and be able to tell if either party did not fulfill their side. Often, when the covenant was made, it was accompanied by animal sacrifices. Each party would bring an animal and slaughter it. The thinking was that they were symbolically saying, “If I break this covenant, may what happened to this animal happen to me.” Making a covenant was serious business.

II. A Covenant is a Beginning Point

a. It would be a mistake to think of a covenant as something that you “complete” when you sign it. It is the starting point for a relationship.

b. The covenant is then the formal declaration that “we will be in relationship together.”

c. Example: Marriage is a covenant. The wedding day is the formalization of the relationship, but it is only the beginning.

III. A Covenant is a Partnership

a. Covenant means “to bind,” and “to come together” b. God makes a binding, lifelong covenant with you. c. Both parties have a responsibility to fulfill.

i. Our responsibility—To obey, and walk in relationship with Him, and depend on Him for our every need (including forgiveness and salvation.)

ii. God’s responsibility—Everything else. Creative Teaching Option: Many of the covenants in the Bible are modeled after an Ancient Near East Treaty Called the “Suzerain Treaty.” This is where is in part where the idea of the animal sacrifice comes from. In this treaty, they would cut two or more animals in half, and lay the halves down with space between them. The two parties making the agreement would each walk through the two halves, essentially saying, “may what happened to this animal happen to me if I break this covenant.” Now take a look at Genesis 15:9-18. It follows the same pattern of the Suzerain Treaty. The only difference is that God sends through a firepot and a torch between the animal halves, while the other party, Abram, only looks on. In effect, God has fulfilled BOTH sides of the agreement, he has stepped in for Abram, and said “I will fulfill your part of the bargain as well.”

IV. A Covenant has Consequences

a. The ancient covenant agreements always listed at the end the “blessings” (if you kept the covenant, what you would enjoy), and the “curses,” (what would happen if you broke the covenant).

b. There are no curses connected with God’s covenant with you. The curses have already come down upon Jesus Christ on the cross. He bore the curse for your sin, and for every covenant with God that you have broken or will ever break.

c. There are consequences to your actions if you do not stay in relationship with Him:

i. You will not know the joy that life with God can bring. ii. You will not know the power he has to change your life and make you

holy. iii. You will not know the security of knowing Him and walking with Him. iv. You will not enjoy the fellowship with other believers. v. If you do not obey Him, then you will face the consequences of going

through life on your own, and any consequences that your disobedience will bring you.

vi. This may sound serious, but it is also very positive. God calls us to participate in an intimate relationship with Him. God has done all the work to establish this relationship with us through Christ. Now He offers it to us to accept.

V. Conclusion The covenant is a commitment to begin the journey. What will it take to complete the journey to its end?

a. A Map—God’s word b. Communication with our Guide—continual ongoing communication with our Lord. c. Support And Encouragement from our Community—Fellow travelers on the journey

who urge us to keep going, and walk with us. Have the students take out their No Limits Discipleship Journals. Instruct them to turn to page 11. Let them know that if they are willing, they can respond to the covenant on that page. It would be best to do it with a friend, who will become their “discipleship partner” when they return home after camp. Give them time at the end of the message to select a partner, and sign their Discipleship Covenant. Have their partner sign it too.

Contemplation & Communication Scripture: 2 Kings 22:1- 23:7; Luke 18:1-14 Main Ideas: Contemplation – It is easy to leave God’s Word out of our lives. It takes a commitment to read His Word and live it. Communication – Jesus teaches us the proper attitude of prayer: ongoing (we should always pray), persevering (we should not give up), and sincere (we should not fake it or put on a show). Restoration continues through our communication with God. Outline: I. Contemplation: Introduction—The Need for Restoration.

A. The temple, the center of the worship of God, is in shambles. B. The people have forgotten the Creator God, and have turned to worshiping all kinds of false gods. There are Asherah Poles, Chariots of the Sun god, and even prostitutes working out of the temple grounds! C. The faith of the people of God resembles the torn down temple—their faith is in ruins. D. Josiah gives orders to restore the temple.

II. The Word is Lost and Found-- Josiah is notified that the scroll of the Word of God has been found.

A. The priests find the Old Testament books of the covenant in the rubble. B. THE KEY QUESTION IS: WHEN WAS IT LOST?

1. When did the people forget to read their Bible? 2. When did it get put on the shelf and buried under dust? 3. Why did not anyone say, “What happened to the Word of God? Why aren’t we reading it anymore?” 4. They forgot about it, and after a while, they have lost track of their faith, and they are soon following other gods.

III. Josiah Repents, Hears the Word, and Obeys. A. He is personally affected. When he hears what is written in the scroll, he tears his clothes as a sign of his grief that they have not been hearing Gods word and keeping the covenant. B. He gathers the people and has the whole thing read to them. C. He reminds them of what is written in God’s Word, and what they should be doing to walk in obedience with Him. D. He restores the worship of God, and renews the covenant with Him.

IV. A Time of Restoration: Rediscover the Word, and let it affect your life.

A. Josiah initiates a time of restoration. B. When was the last time you read God’s word and did what it said? C. What would it take for you to allow God to restore His word to your life?

D. What are you hearing in His Word now that you need to obey? V. Communication: VI. Illustration: Have you ever seen the Batman movies or the old television show? One of the best things about Batman was that you could always get fast access to him. All the police chief had to do was pick up the “red phone,” and he had a hotline, direct connection to the caped crusader himself. Or they would use the “batsignal.” If they were ever in trouble, they would beam a spotlight into the sky, and Batman would come to the rescue. Sometimes we see prayer that way. God has given us a “hotline” to His presence through prayer, but we don’t always understand why God doesn’t come running to our rescue the way we think He should. It two stories, Jesus teaches us about prayer and how to communicate with God. VII. Communication With God: Understand His Heart

A. What is the point of the first story? 1. Contrast God with the “Unjust” or Evil Judge. In the story, the role that would represent God (the one in position to grant the woman’s request) is an “evil” judge who cares nothing for the woman! We know that God is not like that. He loves us very deeply. 2. The woman gets her request answered by the evil Judge who cares nothing for her. If that is true just because she is persistent, HOW MUCH MORE will God, who loves us dearly, answer our prayers! 3. Keep praying! Don’t give up! You may not see that God is working, or know how He will answer, but He hears and will do something.

B. What is the point of the second story? 1. Contrast the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. The Pharisees were the religious leaders of the day. The tax collectors were liars and cheaters, and often cheated people out of money by charging more for their taxes than they actually had to pay. The Pharisee is supposed to be “good” and the tax collector is “bad.” 2. The twist—the one who is justified before God is the tax colletor! 3. The attitude of the Pharisee is proud and self righteous. He is all about the show. 4. The attitude of the tax collector is humble, and sincere. This is the attitude God wants us to have when we pray.

a) Communication With God: Understand Our Part C. Our prayers should be continual. We should be praying always about everything (1 Thessalonians 5:17). D. We should not give up praying, even if we don’t see an answer right away. The woman did not give up, and her prayer was answered. How much more will God answer our prayers because He loves us? E. Our attitude should be sincerity and humility.

1. To be sincere means to not put on a show to impress others or make others think we are something that we are not.

VIII. To be humble means that we have a right view of ourselves in relationship to God. IX. Conclusion

a. Have the group take out their No Limits Discipleship Journal and have them turn to page 61. Have them write down the scriptures, and then fill in the blanks:

i. Examine: Ask, “What is happening in these passages?”

ii. Explore: Ask, “What does these passages mean for us as disciples?” iii. Live: Ask, “Now that I understand these passage, what am I going to do

about it?”

Community Scripture: Acts 2:42-47 Main Idea: God has designed us to be a community people. The Christian life is meant to be lived in close relationship with other believers, for support, encouragement, and to care for each other’s needs. Outline:

I. Introduction—In his book, The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork, John Maxwell tells the story of the first human beings to climb to the summit of Mt. Everest. The most interesting part of the story is telling how Sir Edmund Hillary and Tensing Norgay were just two of a group who attempted to make the summit that day. And along with this small group, there were over two hundred people involved to set up the camps and the supplies weeks ahead of time to support that group so that these two could make it to the top. If you want to do something great, you can’t do it alone.

II. How Did the Church Become Like That? a. Where did the power come from to become an active vibrant community? It came

from the Holy Spirit. b. See the previous two chapters—God sends the Holy Spirit among them to make

them a holy community. c. They are not just the “religious.” They are truly people who are changed.

III. What Kind of Group Had They Become? a. They were devoted to studying the teachings of those who followed Jesus (v. 42). b. They were devoted to being together and praying together (v. 42). c. God was free to do whatever He wanted in their midst (v. 43). d. They enjoyed being together! They shared common interests (v. 44). e. They did whatever it took to take care of each other (v. 45). f. They made “church” a priority (v. 46). g. God made them a witness to those around them (v. 47).

IV. Conclusion. a. Have the students take out their No Limits Discipleship Journal and turn to page

69. Review the main points to the message, and give them time to fill in the rest of the page.

b. Have them get with a small group or with their covenant partner to share needs related to what they will face when they return home. Then close by praying for each other.

Compassion Scripture: 1 John 3:16-18 Main Idea: The love of God must be expressed in action. God calls us to care for those around us and to love and serve with heart and mind of Jesus. Outline:

I. Introduction—Service has become a popular activity. There are many schools that now require a certain number of hours of community service. So if the world is willing to serve, what makes Christian service Christian? Let’s look at how Jesus modeled a heart of compassion for us that calls us to a kind of service that is different than anything the world has seen.

II. Jesus is the model of love and service. a. Jesus laid down his life. b. We are called to lay down our lives for each other. c. What does it mean to lay down your life? It means that you would be willing to

do whatever it takes to help someone in need, no matter what it cost you. III. Our compassion and service must be lived out in our actions in the real world.

a. We can talk all we want about service, and study it, but until we do it, we have not shown the love of God.

b. This service includes our material possessions, and our whole lives. IV. What does Christian service look like?

a. It is unselfish. When we serve like Christ we come to the place where we realize this life is not about us, or making ourselves happy. It is about Christ loving the world through us.

b. It is sacrificial. You may have to give up something in order to serve others. What is getting in your way? Popularity? Material possessions? Fear?

c. It is active. Our service is done through action. We can only talk about it for so long. We have to do something.

V. Conclusion

a. Have the students respond by taking out their No Limits Discipleship Journal and turn to page 73. Have them fill in the name of a person in their family, school, or community, or a ministry in their church. Have them fill in ways that they can reach out and serve them with compassion in Jesus’ name.

b. Have them begin by getting with a partner and sharing what they will do, and then praying for that person or ministry.

Appendix G: Worship Music Outlines

No Limits Worship Music Suggestions

Covenant Let Everything That Has Breath – key of E (taken from Guitar Praise) He is Exalted – key of E (taken from Guitar Praise) I Could Sing of Your Love Forever – key of E (taken from Guitar Praise) The Adulterous Woman (taken from No Limits: The Script Book) See How Mercy – key of E (taken from Guitar Praise) You Are My King – key of E (taken from Guitar Praise) You Alone – key of E/F# (taken from Guitar Praise) Contemplation We Want to See Jesus Lifted High – key of G (taken from Guitar Praise) Forever – key of G (taken from Guitar Praise) *worship prayer The Drive Thru (taken from No Limits: The Script Book) Open the Eyes of My Heart – key of E (taken from Guitar Praise) Refiner’s Fire – key of E (taken from Guitar Praise) I Exalt Thee – key of E (taken from Guitar Praise) Communication Ancient of Days – key of C (taken from Guitar Praise) I Will Call Upon the Lord – key of C (taken from All the Best Songs of Praise & Worship); end by singing verse 1 slowly & reverently (I will call upon the Lord…etc.) Hungry (Falling on My Knees) – key of C (taken from Guitar Praise) *worship prayer Who am I (taken from No Limits: The Script Book) Holy & Anointed One – key of G (taken from Guitar Praise) Breathe – key of G (taken from Guitar Praise) Community Come, Now Is the Time to Worship – key of D (taken from Guitar Praise) Lord of the Ring (taken from No Limits: The Script Book) Shout to the North – key of E (taken from Guitar Praise) Better is One Day – key of E (taken from Guitar Praise) The Heart of Worship – key of E (taken from Guitar Praise) He is Exalted – key of E; sing slowly, start with “He is the Lord…” (taken from Guitar Praise) Compassion Every Move I Make – key of G (taken from Guitar Praise) The Happy Song – key of G (taken from Guitar Praise) *testimony time to tell what God has done Jesus, Lover of my Soul – key of G (taken from Guitar Praise)

I Give You My Heart – key of G (taken from Guitar Praise) Breathe – key of G (taken from Guitar Praise) These song and drama books are available on our website. Simply go to www.barefootministries.com and search by title.

Appendix H - Communion

Early Morning Communion Confession of Sin (Please stand) Celebrant: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor. Silence follows Celebrant and People: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Celebrant: Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The Peace Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be always with you. People: And also with you. (You may be seated.)

The Holy Communion Celebrant: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Celebrant: Lift up your hearts. People: We lift them to the Lord. Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People: It is right to give him thanks and praise. Celebrant: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Because in the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing “Holy, Holy, Holy” to proclaim the glory of your Name. Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself; and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all. He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world. On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to God, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me." After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me." Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith: Celebrant and People: Christ has died.

Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Celebrant: We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom. All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ. By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. AMEN. And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say: (Please stand) Celebrant and People: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one,

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen. Breaking of the Bread Celebrant: Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; People: Therefore let us keep the feast! Alleluia! Celebrant: The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving. (you may be seated)

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