Running Your Club

The greatest secrets to running a good Bible Club is leaders who are dedicated to the club and the Lord and a club that is having fun, drawing others.

 

 

BIBLES

 

If you are going to be a club which centers on the word of God, you should probably HAVE some Bibles.  The problem is, which version should your club use?  There are pluses and minuses for each differing version.  Click on Mardel.com/Bible-Translation-Guide.aspx to read the differences yourself:

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​The bottom line is, you want a version you and your club members can read and understand.  Typically, that is a Bible which is more "thought for thought."   But, it all depends on what your club members can handle; are they largely "unchurched" or are they familiar with the words used in the Bible?  We have great success with the Life Application teen study Bibles.  If you need to purchase Bibles, buying in bulk is your best bet.  ​BiblesAtCost.com is an online company used by our club; we found them to be the cheapest online source for bulk purchasing.

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CLUB MEETINGS

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Each meeting of your Bible club is an opportunity; a chance for spiritual growth and a chance to reach your peers for the sake of the Kingdom of God.   Careful planning should go into crafting a lesson that is full of substance and points others to the character and nature of God.  Your lesson can be supported with fun activities, object lessons, games, videos, and the like.   Or,  your lesson can merely be reading Scripture and discussing it.  Below is the model used by the club I advise.  Keep in mind, our school provides approximately 40 minutes for clubs to meet; the club uses that time to convey a message to over 300 students on a weekly basis.  The model below is not intended to be copied, but it is at least a basis for your planning. ​

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​Upbeat contemporary Christian music being played as students enter to set the mood

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Opening Video - typically something funny or inspirational

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Welcome and Announcements

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Verse of the Week

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Opening Prayer

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Activity/video/object lesson

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Lesson (done by a student, gueast speaker, or area youth pastor)

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Prayer and Reflection

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Filler activity/game/video if needed

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​Remember, the key to the continuance of your club is that it MUST be student run.  All of the above activities are done by students for students.  The advisor merely oversee the meetings to ensure students behave. 

 

Below is a lesson template and an instruction sheet to use.  It is very general and can be adapted for your personal use.  The key components are the introduction/motivator and the closing.

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CLICK FOR LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

CLICK FOR TEMPLATE INSTRUCTIONS

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TIPS FOR CLUB MEETINGS

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​Appoint a facilitator for each group discussion - it is the facilitator's job to:

    

• Keep the meeting focused.

• Make sure no one dominates conversation; establish ground rules (e.g. everyone gets a chance to speak)​.

• Eliminate distractions in the room (e.g. open doors, side conversations, etc.).  

• Do not be afraid of difficult questions, but also do not be afraid to say you do not have the answer.

• Be ready for silence; not everyone is comfortable sharing their thoughts or opinions.​

• Keep your focus on the nature and character of God; the club I advise has always shied away from providing a list of "do's and don'ts."​

• Do not turn students away from your club meetings (unless they are being disruptive).

• Be bold - do not be ashamed of your faith, of the Bible, of God, or of Jesus Christ.

 

 

Never lose sight of the purpose of your Bible club.  Your purpose is to advance God's kingdom by growing as a Christ follower and lovingly pointing others to Christ.  Therefore, everything you do should both honor Him and honor others.  Everything your club does should be an act of worship, in spirit and truth (John 4:24).   The students who lead the club must cling to this.  There will eventually be other students who are drawn to what is occurring in the Bible club that are difficult to love.  You may be the only Jesus they get to see.  You are tasked to reflect God's love to others by the way you live, by what you say, and by your interactions with others. 

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A few other tips for making your club effective…

Make your meetings consistent (same day, time, place every week)

Stay focused on your mission – try to do at least 2 outreaches each season (Fall, Winter, Spring)

Christians can have fun, show that being a Christian is a better choice than alternatives.

Have fun at your meetings. Along with the Word, have skits, game, prices, etc.

Students are captives to the world and desperate for love, truth, and hope.  Show it to them.

 

 

 

 

 

Evangelism  - Recently, a youth group launched a “Blue Button Revival.” Students walk around campus wearing a big blue button. When others ask about it, they respond with: “It reminds me that God loves me...and He loves you, too.” One girl led three people to Christ, at school, the first day!

 

 

 

To visit the next page, "Student Leaders", click here.