The story of Christmas is a familiar one to teens. Knowing the story of Jesus' birth is life-changing--so how do we make the Christmas message "stick" in their hearts and minds? Here are some ideas:
1. Make It Real. When sharing the Christmas message, talk about how Jesus' birth and life impacts students' lives in the here and now. The core message of Christmas and Jesus' birth is summed up in the word Immanuel, which means God is with us. How many teens have sung songs and heard that word repeated but missed the meaning? God is with us means that we have access to a relationship with Jesus now. God is present here on earth. Because of Jesus, we can have a real relationship with the creator of the universe!
2. Be Experiential. Teens disengage when we "preach" to them. They don't want to sit for 45 minutes and listen to you communicate information. They learn best when you use a hands-on, experiential approach to learning. Try out the following examples and discover more. Use true-life illustrations for interactive studies, explore story telling strategies, employ role-play activities in small groups sessions that drive home truths from the Christmas story. Always think of ways to add fun, hands-on activities to help drive home the point. Teens will be more engaged, making the message "stick."
3. Reach Out. Teens can get caught up in the consumerism of Christmas, which creates an "all about me" attitude. Adolescents learn best by doing, and jump at the chance to make a difference. So give them the opportunity to reach out to those in your community.
Some ideas:
Give up a gift they receive this Christmas and instead give it to a child in need. Volunteer at a local food shelter. Volunteer to wrap gifts at the mall during the busy shopping season.
Volunteer in a neighborhood sanitation exercise. Mobilize a charity visit to a remand home in the community.
Allow teens to be a part of the planning process, and ask them for ideas of how to serve the community. The more they are involved in the planning, the more of an impact the experience will have on them.
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