Youth Bible Study

Week One

Mingle

If you have your own icebreakers, feel free to stick with those! Otherwise, here are some questions you could use.

If you could live in any country, which one would you choose?
If you had a time machine, would you go back in time or to the future?
What's the weirdest food you have ever eaten?

Self Denial 2022 Introduction

The Salvation Army's annual Self Denial Appeal raises funds for Salvation Army mission and ministry in countries that are unable to financially support themselves. It's called Self Denial because it's about sacrificing a portion of what we have, to give to those in need.

The theme for this year's Self Denial Appeal is ‘The Ripple Effect’, reminding us how small actions we make in God's kingdom can become big, life-changing outcomes for his people on earth.

Key Verse

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power of work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think’ (Ephesians 3:20 NLT).

In this piece of Scripture, Paul wanted the people of God to act boldly in the faith they had received from his goodness. Paul encouraged them to live out their faith and to wait eagerly for a global impact of God's work.

Over the next few weeks, think about an amount you might like to contribute to this year's Self Denial Appeal. This could be a personal goal, or you could decide on an amount to aim for as a group. Could you do some fundraising, or is there something you could give up in order to help others in need?

Video

Play the Self Denial video, ‘Week 1, The Ripple Effect with Mark and Julie Campbell’ on selfdenial.info/nzfts

Discuss

Use these questions to encourage discussion. Feel free to add your own and ask follow-up questions as people share.

What stood out to you from the video?
What is the ripple effect?
How can we support missionary officers overseas?

The Word

Ask someone to read these passages aloud to your group. You could have a couple of people read it out if they have different translations.

1 Corinthians 1:18–25 (NLT) and Ephesians 5:8 (NLT)

When a stone is thrown into a calm pool, the weight immediately creates energy and forms ripples on the surface. The heavier the stone, the greater the effect.

Today’s Scripture takes us to the very beginning of God's power. It begins with a person coming to faith and asking for forgiveness, having been deeply moved by the unconditional love of God shown by Jesus giving his life for them on the cross. This was God’s plan to save humankind. Jesus fulfilled God’s purposes completely. He was raised to life and bridged the gap between us and God. Because of this plan, believers have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit as our great navigator and energiser.

We use the ripple effect as a metaphor to describe how the Spirit of God energises us to carry out acts of compassion and generosity that result in amazing outcomes in God's kingdom. It is made strong by the faith that ‘[God] is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us’ (Ephesians 3:20). God's power is a limitless supply that can be renewed daily through prayer and obedience.

Further Discussion

What stood out to you from this passage?
What does the stone and water metaphor tell us?
How does God bring us out of darkness and into life?
What can you do to serve God's kingdom in your own communities?

Pray

Spend some time praying together; here are some possible topics to include, as well as prayer focusses for your discussion in the week ahead.

Pray for those suffering from Covid-19.
Pray for communities that need better medical care and hospital facilities.
Pray that international territories can provide support to those in need of basic necessities.
Pray that our Self Denial gifts will provide the funds to meet these needs.

Navigate to:
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5

Week Two

Mingle

If you have your own icebreakers, feel free to stick with those! Otherwise, here are some questions you could use.

What is your favourite breakfast cereal?
If you could start a charity, what would it be for?
What are you grateful for?

Recap

Remind the young people that you are looking at the Self Denial Appeal again this week, and ask if they can remember what was discussed last week. Is there anything they have done since then to apply what was discussed?

Video

Play the Self Denial video, ‘Week 2, Lieut-Colonel Winsome Mason’ on selfdenial.info/nzfts

Discuss

Use these questions to encourage discussion. Feel free to add your own and ask follow-up questions as people share.

What stood out to you from the video?

Reflecting on this year's Self Denial theme, ‘The Ripple Effect’, how do you see this exemplified in Lieut-Colonel Mason's message?
What countries are mentioned in the video and what stood out to you about the projects that are being developed there?
How is God working in these countries?

The Word

Ask someone to read this passage aloud to your group. You could have a couple of people read it out if they have different translations.

Mark 6:31–44 (NLT)

Last week we thought about the cross, the symbol of Jesus’ sacrifice and the source of where the ripple effect began. This week, acting with compassion, having faith and putting those things into action are the main points to take away, which will help us continue witnessing the power of God. There is so much to learn from Jesus in this reading of the miraculous feeding of 5000 people.

Most people would be annoyed if their rest time was invaded by a huge crowd of people. Instead, all Jesus felt was compassion and love. ‘Sheep without a shepherd’ is talking about us and Jesus. He is the shepherd and we are the sheep. With this in mind, we may think of how people react during the pandemic. Some were lost, with no idea of how to move forward. Some don’t have the support they need to grow in their faith or sustain a relationship with Jesus. Others feel very afraid towards the impact of the virus. Being like Jesus means that we need to feel compassion whenever we encounter people in need.

Late in the afternoon, the disciples came to Jesus with their concern of feeding the people. The disciples’ solution was to send them all away to fend for themselves, but Jesus responded with, ‘You feed them.’ They were overwhelmed by this request, as resources were limited (verses 37 and 38).

Jesus expects us to do more than show compassion. This is where our faith must be put into action. God took the little they had and miraculously multiplied it to feed the crowd. Faith and action were needed, because Jesus chose to work through the disciples. They had the joy of handing out the abundant supply of loaves and fishes to the hungry people. The steps that keep the ripple effect moving start with an awareness of what people need, then compassion, then putting that support into action.

When we acknowledge the needs of people and ask Jesus to help them, especially in areas of poverty and limited resources, he will say, ‘You do something about it’. Giving to the Self Denial Appeal can meet so many needs, and is also an example of God working through us.

Further Discussion

What stood out to you from this passage?
In what ways did Jesus meet the needs of the crowd?
What are the steps that keep the ripple effect moving?
How can we best meet the needs of people in our own lives?

Pray

Spend some time praying together; here are some possible topics to include as well as prayer focusses for your discussion in the week ahead.

Pray for those in the South Asia Territory who run training and community programmes.
Pray for leadership teams in the Sri Lanka Territory.
Pray for schools and education programmes throughout India.
Pray for the anti-human trafficking programmes in the Middle East Region and the care of people involved.

Week Three

Mingle

If you have your own icebreakers, feel free to stick with those! Otherwise, here are some questions you could use.

If you had to go without your phone, the internet or junk food for a week, which would you choose?
Would you rather have an elephant trunk or a giraffe neck?
Would you rather always have to say everything on your mind or never speak again?

Recap

Remind the young people that you are still looking at the Self Denial Appeal and ask if they can remember what was discussed last week. Is there anything they have done since then to apply what was discussed?

Video

Play the Self Denial video, ‘Week 3, Majors Brenda and Nigel Luscombe’ on selfdenial.info/nzfts

Discuss

Use these questions to encourage discussion. Feel free to add your own and ask follow-up questions as people share.

What stood out to you from this video?
Reflecting on this year's Self Denial theme, ‘The Ripple Effect’, how do you see this exemplified here?
What does the Luscombes’ story tell us about God’s blessing in our own lives?

The Word

Ask someone to read this passage aloud to your group. You could have a couple of people read it out if they have different translations.

2 Corinthians 5:11–19 (NIV)

The ripple effect of God’s kingdom is communicated so well in this Scripture. Paul loves the idea of reconciliation and making amends (see Romans 5:10 and Colossians 1:22). It is a beautiful picture of our loving God reaching out to a world covered by sin. Through the incredible sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, we are all invited to experience a relationship with God that is full of forgiveness and love (verse 19). Those who live faithfully in Christ become a new creation, a better version of themselves (verse 17). They live in God’s goodness. They are no longer selfish. All believers are called to share this good news, passing on the message of forgiveness and reconciliation.

This can sound like a lot of responsibility and work. In verse 14 it says, ‘For Christ’s love compels us...’. All genuine Christian deeds come from a heart of love. The greatest and most wonderful acts of service are not motivated by love, the giver ‘gains nothing’ (1 Corinthians 13:3, NIV).

The Lord takes and uses our gifts of service and money, but he looks deeply into our hearts. As in the case of the widow in the temple (Luke 21:1–4), Jesus’ interest is in the level of sacrifice, rather than the amount given. As we bring our gifts to church this year, think about your motivation behind the offering: Is it because you feel obligated to give? Is it the pressure from those around you? Or can you genuinely say, ‘Christ’s love compels me?’

Further Discussion

What stood out to you from this passage?
How do we encourage one another to serve in God’s kingdom?
What does God’s love tell us about how we should love others?
What fun things can we do to help and raise funds for people in need?

Pray

Spend some time praying together; here are some possible topics to include, as well as prayer focusses for your discussion in the week ahead.

Pray for ministry in the Fiji region, especially outreach programmes such as the Family Care Centre.
Pray for countries that struggle financially and are unable to support their communities.
Pray for missionary leadership in all territories.
Pray that our Self Denial fundraising will multiply and be used to extend God’s kingdom.

Week Four

Mingle

If you have your own icebreakers, feel free to stick with those! Otherwise, here are some questions you could use.

What household chore do you actually enjoy?
If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
What are you grateful for today?

Recap

Video

Play the Self Denial video, 'Week 4, Lieut-Colonel Olive Lucas' on selfdenial.info/nzfts.

Discuss

Use these questions to encourage discussion. Feel free to add your own and ask follow-up questions as people share.

What stood out to you from the video?
Reflecting on this year's Self Denial theme, ‘The Ripple Effect’, how do you see this examplified here?
What countries are mentioned in the video and what stood out to you about the projects that are being developed there?
How can we see God’s love and faithfulness through Lieut-Colonel Lucas’ story?

The Word

Ask someone to read this passage aloud to your group. You could have a couple of people read it out if they have different translations.

Matthew 13:3–9 and 18–23 (NLT)

Two parts of this story told by Jesus are relevant to our reflection on the ripple effect theme and how God’s kingdom has carried that effect throughout the ages.

The first part is the idea of sowing seeds. Some Palestinian farmers ploughed their fields first and sowed the seeds afterwards. Others thought it was better to sow the seeds and then plough them in. This required the farmer to spread the seeds over as much ground as possible, otherwise it would not produce a good crop.

It is the second method of sowing that Jesus encouraged in this story. He wants his people to spread the message of God as far and wide as possible and trust God to turn this into a wonderful harvest of faithful disciples.

Ever since it was founded, The Salvation Army has followed the vision to expand God’s mission throughout the world so that his love is known and demonstrated in many different cultures. The Army now serves in 131 countries of the world. It has faithfully spread the Gospel widely, trusting that God will make sure this results in a harvest of people who lovingly serve in his kingdom.

The second part of this story is about the harvest and transformation of the seeds in the deep soil. The average Palestinian harvest produced around 10 times the amount of the seed sown. Harvests producing 30 to 100 times more of the seed were considered abundant. Because of faith, the Army is still spreading God’s word near and far.

Story Time

In the country of Georgia, a young man who was a member of a criminal gang in Tblisi was shown an act of kindness by a Salvationist. Soon after, this man was arrested and imprisoned for a few years. When he was released, he found the young woman who had helped him and, through her encouragement, gave his heart to the Lord and was enrolled as a soldier. They married and entered the Eastern European Training College. He often expressed his embarrassment of the tattoos on his arms, as they were associated with the gang and his past. Soon after, he returned with new tattoos of The Salvation Army red shield, completely covering any trace of his old life. He now serves with his wife as a corps officer in Georgia. He also has the additional mission opportunity of running a series of youth camps throughout Georgia. He has a wonderful rapport with young people and is a great example of the ripple effect continuing!

Further Discussion

What stood out to you from this passage?
Why is it best to sow seeds before ploughing the soil?
How does that story encourage us to demonstrate God’s goodness to everyone?
Do you have any similar stories of the ripple effect or an experience that you would like to share?

Pray

Spend some time praying together; here are some possible topics to include, as well as prayer focusses for your discussion in the week ahead.

Pray for youth and children’s summer camps in Georgia and Moldova.
Pray for the officers who have started The Salvation Army in Bulgaria.
Pray for children’s ministries in Russia.
Pray for the work among homeless people and refugees in Rome.

Week Five

Mingle

If you have your own icebreakers, feel free to stick with those! Otherwise, here are some questions you could use.

If you could be on a TV show, which one would you choose and why?
What is your hidden talent?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Recap

Remind the young people that you are looking at the Self Denial Appeal again this week and ask if they can remember what was discussed last week. Is there anything they have done since then to apply what was discussed?

Video

Play the Self Denial video, ‘Week 5, Captains Bryant and Pauleen Richards’ on selfdenial.info/nzfts

Discuss

Use these questions to encourage discussion. Feel free to add your own and ask follow-up questions as people share.

What stood out to you from the video?
Reflecting on this year's Self Denial theme, ‘The Ripple Effect’, how do you see this examplified here?
What countries are mentioned in this video and what stood out to you about the projects that are being developed there?
What does the Richards’ story of missionary work tell us about God’s work through his people?

The Word

Ask someone to read this passage aloud to your group. You could have a couple of people read it out if they have different translations.

Acts 2:32–41 (NIV)

The arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost brought the Church into existence and gave it the strength to begin serving in places that were struggling. This reading is the end of Peter’s famous sermon on that day. The crowd came running together when they heard a violent wind and were even more amazed when they were told of ‘the wonders of God’ (Acts 2:6–11). In complete shock they asked, ‘What does this mean?’ Peter was pleased to tell them in his sermon.

Jesus was sent by God. He had been crucified and raised from the dead. Just as wonderful as that miracle, Jesus also promised the Holy Spirit, who would pour out blessings on all who believed. This message spoke very deeply to the crowd and they asked what they must do to have this. They were told to ask for forgiveness from their sins, join God’s kingdom and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise was for them, their children and … ‘all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call’ (verse 39). This was for all of us.

That day, the Church grew! Since then, God is still calling people with the same offering. We preach the same message today. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit. However, we live in a different society that is damaged and lost. Maybe we need to ask whether our loyalty to this message is still strong or whether we care more about the other things that society has to offer. In Acts 1:14 we read that the believers ‘joined together constantly in prayer’, and that ‘when the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place’ (Acts 2:1). These two things–prayer and unity in Christ–are important today if we are to continue spreading God’s ripple effect.

We can thank God for the crowds of people being led to faith in missionary territories, and we can pray that we will be united through the Holy Spirit as Self Denial Sunday draws nearer.

Further Discussion

What stood out to you from this passage?
Why is the Holy Spirit so important? Have you ever encountered him?
What are some challenges of being a Christian in society, at school or maybe even at home?
How can we best encourage each other to be loyal to God’s message and continue to trust in him?

Pray

Spend some time praying together, here are some possible topics to include, as well as prayer focusses for your discussion in the week ahead.

Pray for health and education services in the Zambia Territory.
Pray for medical services in the Zimbabwe and Botswana Territory.
Pray for community programmes in the Kenya East Territory.
Pray for gender equality and leadership development of female officers in the Kenya West Territory.