Ministry Leader Guide

A KARA POWELL SERIES

MINISTRY LEADER GUIDE

What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

A SERIES ABOUT THE LIFE OF JOSEPH

SERIES SUMMARY

Sometimes knowing what to do is easy. When your car is running out of gas, you get gas. When you hear that Kanye song, you sing along. But other times, knowing what to do isn’t as simple. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we truly just don’t know what to do. When your students don’t know what next step to take, why they’re experiencing what they’re experiencing, or how to change their circumstances for the better, they get overwhelmed, frustrated, and often, just ready to give up altogether. In this series, we’re going to look at the life of a guy in the Bible who often found himself in situations where he just didn’t know what to do: Joseph. And as we look at his life, we’ll help your students see just what they can do when they don’t know what to do.

WEEK 1: Pay attention to how you affect your family. WEEK 4: When you don’t know what to do, remember that your problems can position you for a purpose. WEEK 2: When there’s nothing you can do, God is with you. WEEK 5: When you don’t know what to do, pursue peace WEEK 3: When you don’t know what to do, do the next instead of payback. right thing.

REMEMBER THIS

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.

GENESIS 50:20A NLT

MINISTRY LEADER GUIDE

What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME PRELUDE

SETTING THE TONE FOR THE EXPERIENCE

BACKGROUND PLAYLIST the land of How-To videos. And while there’s seemingly a How-To video for every subject, what do you do with • “Alone, Pt. II” by Alan Walker & Ava Max (from Alone, problems that aren’t so straightforward? Pt. II) • “Ready” by Alessia Cara (from This Summer) We think the story of Joseph holds some great insights for • “Yellow Hearts” by Ant Saunders (from Yellow Hearts) how to handle questions with no simple answers. So we’re • “Another Place” by Bastille & Alessia Cara (from dedicating five weeks to studying Joseph’s life to learn how Another Place) to handle family, find peace in the middle of conflict, and • “Colors—Fluencee Remix) by The Knocks (from Colors— change how we even view problems in the first place. Fluencee Remix) • “Rare” by Selena Gomez (from rare) This set will use an iconographic piece that every student will • “Lost in Yesterday” by Tame Impala (from Lost immediately recognize: a search bar. in Yesterday) • “Real Thing” by Ruel (from Real Thing) • “Younger” Jonas Blue & HRVY (from Younger) HOW TO PREP: • “Sleep” by Johnny Orlando (from Teenage Fever) • Get a large piece of foam core. • “Favorite Part of Me - R3HAB Remix” by Astrid S (from • Print out the set art by visiting FedEx Office or Favorite Part of Me) another print shop that can handle larger print jobs. • “flowerbeds” by Sfven (from flowerbeds) • Adhere the artwork to the foam core using a glue stick. Smooth out any bubbles. Our suggested background playlists for each series are • Taking a straightedge, trace the perimeter of also available on Spotify. Signup for a Spotify account, the search bar and cut out the artwork. Discard and follow xp3students to access the music preview for exterior pieces. each series. • Using a small Philips screwdriver, pierce a hole both in the top left and top right of the foam core art. • Loop one end of fishing line through the hole SERIES PROMOTION and tie a knot. • Secure the foam core to stage rigging, or, place Use the Social Media Guide and the Social Media Images for thumbtacks in the ceiling and then hang the this series to promote what you’ll be teaching toyour students. art at center stage at the best height for visibility.

SET DESIGN ENVIRONMENT Print the file in your Graphics folder to hang in Poster Display the Title Slide image or Loop Video on your screen your environment. (found in your Graphics folder). When we encounter a problem we don’t know how to solve, The Font we used for this series is called Gothic Std Bold what’s our first instinct? No, not panic. We go straight to Condensed #20. Google, right? And Google will usually take us to YouTube,

MINISTRY LEADER GUIDE

What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

SOCIAL

PROVIDING TIME FOR FUN INTERACTION

For this series, we’ve included these unique games: Check out your Game folders for more details about each Turbulent Targets, Flipping Flapjacks, Item Identification, game, as well as a title slide to be displayed on the screen in Throwing Shade, and Ice Scream. your environment during the game.

WORSHIP

INVITING PEOPLE TO RESPOND TO GOD

Whether your worship time is led by a kid on an acoustic • “Worthy of Your Name” by Passion ft. Sean Curran (from guitar, a full band, or sing-along YouTube videos, here are Follow You Anywhere) few songs that will connect well with your high schoolers and • “No Other Name” by Hillsong Worship (from No complement the theme of this series. Don’t forget to check Other Name) • “Our God” by Chris Tomlin (from And If Our God Is out the Worship Leader Guide for things to try, think about, For Us) and use during worship. • “I Am Who You Say I Am” by Hillsong Worship (from Who You Say I Am [Live]) • “I Am Loved” by Mack Brock (from I Am Loved)

MINISTRY LEADER GUIDE

What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

STORY

COMMUNICATING GOD’S TRUTH IN ENGAGING WAYS

WEEK 1 WEEK 4

Bottom Line: Pay attention to how you affect your family. Bottom Line: When you don’t know what to do, remember Teaching Video: To purchase, click here. that your problems can position you for a purpose. Teaching Audio: The MP3 can be found in the Teaching Interactive: The Interactive for this week is designed to lead folder for this week. students through Joseph’s life using a timeline drawn on a white board or index cards on a bulletin board. Teaching Video: To purchase, click here. WEEK 2 Teaching Audio: The MP3 can be found in the Teaching folder for this week. Bottom Line: When there’s nothing you can do, God is with you. Teaching Video: To purchase, click here. WEEK 5 Teaching Audio: The MP3 can be found in the Teaching folder for this week. Bottom Line: When you don’t know what to do, pursue peace instead of payback. Teaching Video: To purchase, click here. WEEK 3 Teaching Audio: The MP3 can be found in the Teaching folder for this week. Bottom Line: When you don’t know what to do, do the next right thing. Teaching Video: To purchase, click here. XP (EXPERIENCE PIECE) Teaching Audio: The MP3 can be found in the Teaching folder for this week. The XP for this series happens in week 3 and is a card which is designed to help your students identify an area of their lives where they need help finding and taking the next right step.

MINISTRY LEADER GUIDE

What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

GROUPS

CREATING A SAFE PLACE TO CONNECT

Each week, email your Small Group Leaders with the SGL WEEK 3 Guide and information from the SGL Email document. Don’t forget to print copies of the SGL Guide for all of your Small Goal Of Small Group: To help students understand that Group Leaders. doing the right thing is doing the right thing today and not controlling the outcoming for tomorrow.

WEEK 1 WEEK 4 Goal Of Small Group: To have students begin to see the role they play in their family dynamic, and to encourage students Goal Of Small Group: To help students to understand that to behave in a way that elevates others in their family while pain exists, God can use it, and their faith can grow over themselves. through it. There is more to their story than the painful situations.

WEEK 2 WEEK 5 Goal Of Small Group: To have students understand that when circumstances are out of our control, we can be sure Goal Of Small Group: To help students understand that God is with us. The idea is for students to know that even if payback may feel good in the moment, but pursuing peace things in their lives don’t feel fixed or better, they can have is always better long term. confidence in God being present.

HOME

PROMPTING ACTION BEYOND THE EXPERIENCE

Use the Social Media Guide for this series to stay in touch TIP: To find the Daily Devotionals for this series in the with students during the week. YouVersion Bible App, just search for the series title in the Reading Plans section of the app. Send parents their Parent Cue after you complete Week 1 of the series. Looking to engage parents and Small Group Leaders throughout the week? Be sure to check out the Parent Print the Daily Devotionals for this series and pass them out Cue App and Lead Small App to engage with parents and after each session OR encourage your students to subscribe Small Group Leaders throughout the week. And for help to the Daily Devotionals through the YouVersion Bible App. connecting with parents and Small Group Leaders through These daily devos will help your students engage with God’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, check out GoWeekly.com. Word throughout the week.

MINISTRY LEADER GUIDE

What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME TO-DO

PREPARING FOR EACH WEEK

SET DESIGN WEEK 2

¨ Get a large piece of foam core. FOR THE GAME ¨ Print out the set art ¨ Get 4 frying pans (or plates) ¨ Get glue sticks ¨ Get/purchase 4 tarps (like this) ¨ Get scissors or a straightedge razor (use with caution!) ¨ Get trash bags ¨ Get a drill ¨ Get/purchase pancake mix and ingredients ¨ Get screws ¨ Get/purchase painter’s tape ¨ Get fishing line ¨ Make 4 pancakes

FOR SMALL GROUP WEEK 1 ¨ Email Week 2’s Small Group Leader Guide and SGL Email content to each of your leaders FOR THE GAME ¨ Print Small Group Leader Guides for each of your SGLs ¨ Get 3 buckets ¨ Get blue paper (30 letter-sized sheets) FOR STUDENTS ¨ Get red paper (30 letter-sized sheets) ¨ Using the Social Media Guide, schedule your social ¨ Get yellow paper (30 letter-sized sheets) media posts for Week 2 using a service like Buffer ¨ Get/purchase 2 oscillating fans (like this) ¨ Print enough Week 2 Daily Devotionals for each of your students FOR SMALL GROUP ¨ Email Week 1’s Small Group Leader Guide and SGL Email content to each of your leaders WEEK 3 ¨ Print Small Group Leader Guides for each of your SGLs FOR THE GAME FOR STUDENTS ¨ Get 2 cardboard boxes or shoeboxes with lid ¨ Using the Social Media Guide, schedule your social ¨ Get a marker media posts for Week 1 using a service like Buffer ¨ Get 2 blindfolds ¨ Print enough Week 1 Daily Devotionals for each of ¨ Get a table your students ¨ Get/Gather random items: ¨ Bean bag ¨ Candle ¨ Roll of duct tape ¨ Book FOR PARENTS ¨ Ball of rubber bands ¨ Charging cable ¨ Email parents the Parent Cue email for the series ¨ Pad of Post-It’s ¨ Stuffed animal ¨ Pair of socks ¨ T-Shirt

MINISTRY LEADER GUIDE

What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME TO-DO (CONTINUED)

PREPARING FOR EACH WEEK

WEEK 3 (CONTINUED) FOR STUDENTS ¨ Using the Social Media Guide, schedule your social FOR SMALL GROUP media posts for Week 4 using a service like Buffer ¨ Email Week 3’s Small Group Leader Guide and SGL ¨ Print enough Week 4 Daily Devotionals for each of Email content to each of your leaders your students ¨ Print Small Group Leader Guides for each of your SGLs

FOR THE XP WEEK 5 ¨ Print out “The Next Right Step” handout (optionally you

can print it on cardstock) and cut out enough cards for FOR THE GAME each student ¨ Buy ice cream ¨ Get enough pens/pencils for each student ¨ Buy sundae toppings: ¨ Cherries ¨ Sprinkles FOR STUDENTS ¨ Banana ¨ Cans of ¨ Using the Social Media Guide, schedule your social ¨ Chocolate sauce whipped cream media posts for Week 3 using a service like Buffer ¨ Mini marshmellows ¨ Chocolate chips ¨ Print enough Week 3 Daily Devotionals for each of ¨ Get bowls your students ¨ Get spoons ¨ Get ice cream scoopers ¨ Get a table WEEK 4 ¨ Get a tarp

FOR THE GAME FOR SMALL GROUP ¨ Buy or gather 4 pool noodles ¨ Email Week 1’s Small Group Leader Guide and SGL Email content to each of your leaders FOR THE INTERACTIVE ¨ Print Small Group Leader Guides for each of your SGLs ¨ Get a white board (or bulletin board) ¨ Get a marker FOR STUDENTS ¨ Optional: Index cards and push pins ¨ Using the Social Media Guide, schedule your social media posts for Week 5 using a service like Buffer FOR SMALL GROUP ¨ Print enough Week 5 Daily Devotionals for each of ¨ Email Week 1’s Small Group Leader Guide and SGL your students Email content to each of your leaders ¨ Print Small Group Leader Guides for each of your SGLs