source: www.youthwork-practice.com | 2000 Games, Devotions, Themes, Ideas and more for Youth Work
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Why do you come to the brigade or youth group?
Why have you chosen to take part in a camp?

Why do you come to the group at the moment?
What do you expect, what are you looking for? Is it the exciting terrain and outdoor games, the adventurous camps, the interesting stories or the joyful companionship which attracts you? Of course that is all important for a real brigade, but is it enough, is that all it may be for us and for you?

Right at the beginning of the gospel according to John (John l, 35—42) there is a short story which gives us a hint. There is a discussion between two men who ran after Jesus, one is called Andreas. Jesus asks the two of them: „What are you looking for? “. The story goes on: Andreas runs to his brother full of joy and tells him that he has met the Messiah. Only by witnessing Jesus as the Messiah, Andreas and his companion became young men of Jesus. We recognise them as men of Jesus, not because they are named so, but because they pass on the joyful message. That is a massive difference. We know how it went with Simon Peter. There are the best stories of real high and lows, which Simon Peter experienced with Jesus. At one time he was the failure, then the “hero” and then the most eager comrade-in-arms.

Just like the young men, we are still asked today;
„What are you looking for?" And our answer? — If we are looking for Jesus, ask for him, and then he will invite us to be one of his men. What it means to be a man of Jesus was clearly shown in our story. Not just anyone will be invited but us, you and I. We do not need to deflect this invitation, because we fell too weak, too imperfect or even because we might completely fail. Allow yourself to be invited again.

….and why do you come to the group now?

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