Game Night…I Quit! 

Announce that you want to play a game. Get out the game board and about halfway through the game, say, “I quit” and walk away.  (The kids will be yelling, “That’s not fair!”)

Come back to the table and ask:

How did you feel when I quit the game?

Why is it important to stick with something to the end?

Jesus said that a person who wants to be His disciple must stick with it. They must count the cost and be sure that they are willing to follow Him. There are some who want to quit when things are hard, but a true follower of Jesus stays with Him no matter what. (Luke 14:33)

Don’t forget to come back to the table and FINISH the game – even if you don’t win. 

Optional:

Quit any job in the middle – quit making dinner, cut half the yard and put the mower away, etc. When the kids notice, ask them why it’s important to stay with something until it’s done.

Unsalted Chips

Items needed: unsalted and salted chips or crackers or popcorn (or any item that will taste better with salt)

Let the kids taste the unsalted chips first, then the salted chips. 

Ask:

Which ones did you like better? Why?

What does salt do? It makes things taste better. A Christian who says he loves God, but doesn’t really follow Him is like salt that has lost its saltiness. It’s not really worth much. Christians who truly follow God will do what He has told them to do in the Bible. They will make the world around them better by loving and helping people.

Olympic Games Night

Watch some of the Olympics together.

Ask your kids:

What does it take for someone to be able to compete in the Olympics?

How many hours a day do you think they practice?

In order to do something really well, a person has to be committed.

Do you think those athletes slept in when they were supposed to be practicing?

Do you think they ate junk food all the time?

Do you think they always WANTED to practice?

Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Paul wrote this to the people in Corinth who probably knew about or even attended the ancient Olympics. He said that Christians should discipline themselves to do what is right to gain a better prize than one that would fade away (like a crown of flowers or a gold medal). Christians should give their very best to God and He will give a reward that will last forever in heaven.

Facts about the Olympics:

The ancient Olympic Games were a part of a religious festival in honor of Zeus, the father of the Greek gods and goddesses. The festival and the games were held in Olympia, Greece every four years from 776 BC through 393 AD.

The first event was the stadion race, a foot race 600 feet long. Koroibos, a cook from the city of Elis was the winner.

In the ancient Olympics, the athletes were all male citizens of the city-states from every corner of the Greek world.

The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in April, 1896. The man responsible for its rebirth was a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin. 

The first modern Winter Olympic games were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France.

Pole vaulting, sprints, shot put, weight lifting, swimming, cycling, target shooting, tennis, marathon and gymnastics were all events at the first modern Olympics.

The modern Olympic flag of five linked rings, each with a primary color used in the flags of the nations competing in the games, was introduced in 1908.

Norway has won the most medals (263) at the Winter Games.

The United States has won more medals (2,189) at the Summer Games than any other country.