Andy Robertson makes weekly videos that teach which games create spiritual and christian conversations and experiences. Aimed at non-gamers and only a few minutes long, they are a one-stop-shop for youth workers (or parents) wanting to use video games for health, happiness and spiritual engagement.
The common good is at the heart of the strategic priorities in our diocese and engaging in social action projects should be a main expression of worship within our communities. We want to inspire you and you youth groups to engage in social action in your local context, that getting involved in social injustice is as much a part of our worship as what we do during church services.
Check out this video to encourage you to engage more and be inspired by the national initiative #iwill or check out their website here.
Here are some ideas you can engage with:
Slum Survivor – Slum Survivor is a simulation experience designed to help young people connect with the lives of some of the world’s poorest.
Different Shoes – Like a slum survivor, it is spending 24 hours challenging ourselves to walk in the shoes of people in different circumstances to us.
Local charities – Find a local charity or organisation who is doing something in your local context, from food banks, homeless charities, supporting housing, environmental organisations or many of the others, and ask them the simple question, what can we do for you.
Here is a list of some to get you started, and if you are currently doing something like this please let us know so we can share your work:
Discipleship is at the heart of everything we want to do in the Diocese of Winchester, and these following resources are here to help you establish small groups of teenagers to go on a discipleship journey. This can also be called mentoring but is founded on the journey of a disciple journeying with 3 or 4 young people all together, in a group.
Check out our guidelines for starting a discipleship group.
Remember Me Bible App – The Remember Me Bible Memory App (for both Apple and Android) is an awesome tool to assist in bible verse memory work. This free app allows you to choose Bible scriptures you want to memorize. You can play several different games that make Bible memorization easy and fun!
The Bible Project – is a non-profit animation studio that produces short, fully animated videos covering every book in the bible and more. This makes the biblical story accessible to everyone.
The Bible in One Year – Start your day with the bible in one year, a free bible reading app with commentary by Nicky and Pippa Gumble. Nicky is the Vicar of HTB in London and pioneer of Alpha.
Holy Bible – Free bible app for you smart phone or devices. This has plenty of reading plans covering all different subjects.
Engage App – Engage Daily Bible Reading App is a new way to engage with God through scripture. New audio Bible readings, along with discussion questions you can follow on-screen, are released every day. A young Kiwi reads the scripture to you, and at the end of each reading they ask you a few thoughtful questions and they finish with a prayer.
She Reads Truth, Bible and Devotional app – Here’s a great one for the girls! This one is a daily reading and devotional. There’s a couple of free reading plans as well as others that you pay a couple of dollars for. The cool thing about these plans is that anyone doing that plan can comment, so if you didn’t understand something from the reading you can ask someone to clarify for you. It’s a cool way to connect with other Christian girls over the World. And there’s an added bonus of lock screen images with some gorgeous art you can download for your phone or tablet – available on android or apple.
God and the Big Bang – God & the Big Bang is a team of world class scientists who facilitate apologetics events, looking at how faith and science can live side by side.
Ethos – Course by Youth for Christ- Ethos exists to help address the needs specific to this generation of young adults; to help inspire, stir, challenge and ignite discussion amongst so called generation Y.
Academy Live – Mission Academy Live is a series of 10 innovative video based sessions, each one empowering young people as missional disciples within a small group context.
Basics –The BASIC short film series, through Francis Chan’s teaching, challenges us to reclaim the simple, full, and beautiful journey of the church that is described in Scripture. In these films, Chan asks the questions many are wondering about: What is church? Who is it for? Is it broken? Can it be better? The BASIC Collection features seven reflection guides, bonus features, and all seven films, including: Fear God, Follow Jesus, Holy Spirit, Fellowship, Teaching, Prayer, and Communion or for a preview they are available on YouTube.
Nooma – This is an older series but the first of its kind and the format has inspired most other series since.
Youth Alpha – This is a great foundation course for new Christians, young people who aren’t Christians or young people who are Christians but want to look at their foundations.
Hanging out with Jesus – Hanging out with Jesusprovides an ideal framework in which to help young people in the church grow a sense of belonging and identity at a critical stage of their lives. Aimed primarily at the 9-14 age group, each session begins by discussing the young people’s own experience. The six sessions then provide an overview of what being a Christian is all about, beginning with listening and then moving on to explore prayer, repentance, being a witness, and the extraordinary implications of Jesus’ cross and resurrection.
Seriously Awkward Resources – This is 6 youth group sessions that give the latest insight on some of the most challenging issues young people face today. It covers identity, mental health, relationships, social media, vulnerability and empowerment. These are free sessions if you sign up to their mailing.
Test of Faith – is a series of introductory resources on science and Christianity for young people, with contributions from the leading scientists and theologians.
Loads more series here
The Lily Jo ProjectThis is not specifically a youth project but are great online resource offering support around mental health, anxiety & depression, eating disorders and self-hard.
Remind A cognitive behavioural approach to supporting young people with high anxiety.
Time to Change Resources to support and help change perception and action on Mental Health.
Young Minds Resource to help champion the wellbeing and mental health of young people.
Priory Group Priory’s Group Associate Medical Director and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr Hayley van Zwanenberg explains the common causes of depression, the signs that your teenager may be suffering and what can you do to help them.
Bake off – baking competition between your teens.
Pancake day party (basically we just get people in the church to cook loads of pancakes and the youth come and eat them)
Weekend Away – if you want to plan a weekend away for your church let me know and maybe there is another youth group that wants to join you.
Water Fight – water balloons, water pistols, water runs with tarps etc.
Indoor snowball fight (with fake snowballs)
BBQ
Scavenger Hunt famous historic sites / things around the town or village
Where Wally? – hiding pictures of Wally around your community
Chip Shop survey – if you have loads of chip shops where you are, you could come up with a test the best chip guide and with a budget each team can go round each chip shop, buy one bag per group, rate the chips using the guide and then come back together to argue which is the best one and why etc.
Visit to another church youth group on a Sunday
Meal with another church’s youth group (youth involved in the cooking too)
Ice Skating (winter one) – Winchester / Southampton winter ice rings
Donutting
Lazer Quest of bowling – Generally there is a time in the week when they have offers on