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A 4-WEEK SERIES ON IDENTITY FROM OUR ANNUAL TEACHING STRATEGY BY APRIL WAHL TERMS AND CONDITIONS All aspects of Grow Curriculum and Strategy (including all images, language, resources, and related products) are owned by Stuff You Can Use. Stuff You Can Use gives permission to the organization that purchased this resource to download, print, and use its components for its use only. No part of Grow Curriculum and Strategy may be copied, shared, resold, or republished outside of that organization in any way, except in the case of brief quotations or product reviews that credit and link back to Grow Curriculum and Strategy (growcurriculum.org). Reproducing any of this material or incorporating it into a new work that does not follow these guidelines (including a blog post, podcast, video, or other resource) is a violation of U.S. copyright laws. Stuff You Can Use is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. THE GREATEST SHOW 1 ABOUT THIS SERIES Do you ever felt like you’re putting on a show? Like the person people think you are doesn’t line up with who you really are? Or maybe you’ve been known to put on different personas for different situations—personas that help you fit in with certain crowds, even if that persona doesn’t reflect who you really want to be. Sound familiar? Of course it does. We can all relate because, at times, we all struggle with the same big questions: “Who am I? Who loves me? Why am I here?” In this 4-week series on identity, you’ll help students find answers to those questions as they discover that, in Jesus, they are loved, they are forgiven, they have purpose, and they belong. THIS SERIES AT A GLANCE WEEK 1 WEEK 3 This week, you’ll use a variety of Scripture, along with This week, you’ll look at the words of King David, the story of P.T. Barnum and his traveling circus, to Paul, and Peter as you help students understand introduce students to some of the things God says that they were created by God on purpose, for a about them—most importantly, that they're loved. purpose. • THE BIG IDEA: You are loved. • THE BIG IDEA: You have purpose. • THE BIBLE: Genesis 1:27-31; Romans 5:6-8, 6:6, • THE BIBLE: Psalm 139:1-16; Ephesians 2:8-10; 15:7; John 1:12. I Peter 2:9. • THE BUILDING BLOCKS: A Poll, Stories, • THE BUILDING BLOCKS: A Poll, Question, Questions, an Activity, time of Reflection, and Story, Discussion, Image, time of Reflection, Discussion (hybrid format only). and Video. WEEK 2 WEEK 4 This week, you’ll hear about the story of Paul and This week, you’ll help students see that their identity read what he wrote in the pages of Scripture about can be found, in part, by engaging in community forgiveness as you help students see that, with with the rest of God's family, the church—a place Jesus, their past sins don't have to define them. where God says, "You belong." • THE BIG IDEA: You are forgiven. • THE BIG IDEA: You belong. • THE BIBLE: Ephesians 2:4-10; Romans 8:1; John • THE BIBLE: Mark 1:16-20; John 1:12-13; 3:16 -17. I Corinthians 12:12-27 • THE BUILDING BLOCKS: A Poll, Video, a few • THE BUILDING BLOCKS: A Video, Question, Questions, a Story, Discussion, Activity, and Story, Discussion, and time of Reflection. time of Reflection. Grow Youth Ministry Curriculum and Annual Strategy. ©2018 Stuff You Can Use. All rights reserved. www.stuffyoucanuse.org THE GREATEST SHOW 2 HOW TO HACK THIS SERIES Every ministry is different. Whether you’re teaching middle schoolers, high schoolers, teenagers with special needs, or all three, here’s how to hack this series to fit your unique and diverse audience. HACK #2: Encourage them to keep learning about MIDDLE SCHOOLERS themselves. Sometimes, in our desire to encourage HACK #1: Give them confidence. Middle schoolers teenagers to live lives of integrity, we tell them to be are pretty insecure people. According to research by consistent—to be the same person at church that psychologist Erik Erikson, most middle schoolers they are everywhere. While this is good advice in are wondering if they can “make it” in the world. some ways, it can also fail to take into account the Because of the way their brains are developing, fact that high schoolers experiment with different they're more aware than ever before of their quirks interests, styles, and activities as they search for and shortcomings, and are also beginning to their own identities. That’s not a bad thing! Be compare themselves to their peers for the first time. careful not to discourage your high schoolers from Keep that in mind (especially during Week 3) as you behaviors that are actually normal and healthy for help your middle schoolers gain confidence in the their development and identity formation. Instead, fact that God created them and has good things in let them know that trying new things is a great way store for them. to learn about who they are and who they're not. HACK #2: Point out their unique gifts. Because middle schoolers are still figuring out who they are TEENAGERS WITH and what they like, it’s not always easy for them SPECIAL NEEDS to identify their strengths, weaknesses, or unique qualities. During your discussions, help fill the gaps HACK #1: Use language that affirms their in your middle schoolers' ability to be self awareness identities instead of confirming their disabilities. by telling them what you see in them. Share what Disability research teaches us to use a "person- talents, passions, interests, and qualities you believe first" approach to our language. That means, when make them unique. speaking to or about a teenager with special needs, we should always name the person first and their medical diagnosis last. For example, that means HIGH SCHOOLERS saying “the girl with Down syndrome” rather than HACK #1: Talk about the future. According to “the Downs girl.” Model this language for your research by psychologist Erik Erikson, most high students because learning to humanize and dignify schoolers are not only wondering who they are, but one another becomes more important than ever they’re also wondering who they can be. As your high during the teenage years as friendships deepen, schoolers look toward the future and wonder how peer pressure persists, and self interests emerge. they’ll contribute to the world around them, use this Teach all students to look at one another first as series as an opportunity to help your high schoolers a person of value with unique abilities, rather than imagine how their God-given identities could inform seeing a young person with disabilities for what their future careers, families, and experiences. they cannot do. Grow Youth Ministry Curriculum and Annual Strategy. ©2018 Stuff You Can Use. All rights reserved. www.stuffyoucanuse.org THE GREATEST SHOW 3 HACK #2: Affirm your students publicly. Any front of your entire group, or it could be a moment activity that publicly affirms your students will that takes place between your students—either be a game changer in dignifying your teens with in conversation or in the form of written notes of special needs. Young people with disabilities are encouragement. rarely noticed for their journey of sacrifice, tenacity, Do you have more ideas for how to hack this series advocacy, and resilience, so if you want to positively to better connect with middle schoolers, high impact these families, provide a moment during schoolers, or students with special needs? Share this series that affirms their character qualities and your ideas in the Made By You section of the Grow calls out how you see God at work in the midst of website! their journey. This could be a public moment in HOW TO PREP FOR THIS SERIES WHAT TO GET WHAT TO CUSTOMIZE If you want to try every Building Block mentioned in You know your students better than we do, so you’ll this series, here’s what you’ll need to buy, borrow, probably want to customize a few things. Google, or dig for in your storage closet . • Sermon or Hybrid Teaching Guides: Add WEEK 1: your own stories, jokes, and any pop culture • Images of P.T. Barnum and his original circus references that make sense for your group. • A large white board, cork board, or poster-sized • Small Group Guides: If you make changes to pad of paper your Sermon or Hybrid Teaching Guides, make • Markers sure your small group questions reflect those changes. WEEK 2: Graphics: We’ve created a number of slides A video of your favorite epic fail(s) • • for you already, but we’ve also provided a blank Paper or card stock • slide in case you need to make your own. Markers • • Emails: For every series, customize your weekly WEEK 3: volunteer emails and your monthly parent email. • Any image of the character Lettie Lutz from the movie The Greatest Showman WHAT TO PRINT • A video clip (like this one) of the song "This Is Me" from the movie The Greatest Showman When you’re done customizing, be sure to print . WEEK 4: • Small Group or Hybrid Teaching Guides: One • A video of the movie trailer for The Greatest for every small group leader or teacher, plus a Showman few extras (just in case).

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