BOB studies adapted for Youth Group

In Semester 2, 2012, Luke the youth pastor at Hillcrest Chapel used the BOB studies for his youth group called Intake. He was kind enough to share his material and give feedback. He found it useful to have the statement of belief written up at the beginning of the session to focus the discussion. The 14 member group was divided into smaller groups with 4 simpler questions to discuss. Students were keen to explore the Trinity, the Holy Spirit and forgiveness more. Students were most struck by the idea that Jesus was fully man. (I have decided to type up Luke's material so that you could cut, paste and format the material for your own youth group)

Statement 1 from BOB: Who is this God?
There is one God who is three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

Getting started: (5 mins)What are some things in life that you find hard to explain?Can you think of any movies that deal with the Trinity or Creation?

_____________________________________________________This statement is more of a stop signal to wonder and worship than an invitation to instant understanding.  The Christian confession of faith in God is unique because not three gods are worshipped but one ‘God in Three Persons’, the only true God. The Old and New Testament confess one God. The NT names Jesus and the Holy Spirit together with God the Father without attempting a systematic teaching or explanation. The incarnation of God in Jesus (God in human form) reveals the mystery of the Trinity. God becomes visible in a human face, touchable in a human body. The sovereignty of God in creation implies that nothing obliges Him to create, nor does the created universe limit, determine, enlarge, or bind Him. God is loving and desires an intimate relationship with all that He creates. ‘In Him we live and move and have our being. He is not far from every one of us.’
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Beginning in the bible: (10 mins)
Acts 17:24-29, Psalm 19, Colossians 1:3-8;15-23(Read through the Scriptures slowly and let people comment on anything that stands out to them about the Trinity or Creation)
There are a few places in the Old Testament where God allowed individuals to catch just a glimpse of Himself, and on each occasion, the persons response was immediate! They were instantly in awe of Him and became blindly aware of their own unworthiness!
(Moses in Exodus 34:8, Isaiah 6:5, Ezekiel 1:27-28)

Questions to get to know BOB better: (10 mins)

• In a world where many believe that humanity is an accident, what does this first statement in BOB and all these verses say to us? 

• Creation tells us about the creator. What are some things that the Bible, humanity, and all the created world teach us about God? 

• What does God the Father do? What does the Son do? What does the Holy Spirit do? - Why do you think that it is important that they are all one person?

Relating BOB to life: (15 mins)What does Romans 11:33-12:2 teach us about how we should respond to the Trinity and God as creator. What does one of your non-Christian friends believe about “God” and “Creation”? Does what you believe about the Trinity and Creation impact any area of your studies? 
Where to from here? (5mins) • As you walk around school this week try thinking about the world like the Psalmist?• Pray for an opportunity to talk to a non-Christian friend about Creation or God this week? Memorise the initial statement from BOB—and maybe consider memorising some of the verses you looked at this week? 

Charles Stanley Conclusion
"Friend do you feel like you've come to the end of yourself? Turn with me...to the Bible..."

The word Trinity cannot be found in the Bible, but the truth of it can. While there's only one God, the Godhead consist of three distinct persons--the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All are equally omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, eternal and unchanging, but each one has unique functions.

Scripture shows how each member of the Trinity fulfils His specific role, and it also reveals how those three roles interrelate. Let me express this idea in simple terms: The Father creates a plan, Jesus Christ implements the plan and the Holy Spirit administers the plan.

The way of redemption showcases these roles in a clear manner. The Father designed and organised how humans would be redeemed (Galatians 4:4-5). He set into motion a complex set of events, actions, and prophecies which culminated in the life and death of a Saviour. The Son carried out the plan(John 6:37-38). He followed the Father's instructions to come to earth, even though that meant He would die. The Holy Spirit sees to it that every person feels a call towards God's saving grace (John 14:6, 16:8; Romans 1: 19-20) Furthermore, the Holy Spirit transforms the lives and hearts of those who receive salvation through Jesus Christ.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal in their divine attributes. Yet, each relates to humans in a different way because each has a different role. It's very important to understand this distinction: We do not have three gods; we have one God in three persons functioning uniquely and perfectly (together as a whole, single God).