Friday, August 22, 2008

YFC Camp Training Manual

Schedule

8:00 - 8:30 Arrival / Registration
8:30 - 8:45 Teaching of songs
8:45 - 9:15 Morning Worship
9:15 - 10:00 Talk 1: Understanding the Youth Camp
10:00 - 10:30 Mock Service Team Meeting
10:30 - 10:45 Break
10:45 - 11:30 Talk 2: Spiritual Warfare - The Unseen Battle
11:30 - 12:00 Sharing and Open Forum
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
1:00 - 1:15 Gathering songs
1:15 - 1:30 Afternoon Worship
1:30 - 2:15 Talk 3: Being a Facilitator
2:15 - 2:30 Mock Group Discussion
2:30 - 3:15 Talk 4: Speaking God's Word
3:15 - 3:45 Preparing for giving talks
3:45 - 4:45 Mock Youth Camp
4:45 - 5:00 Evaluation / Feedback
5:00 - 5:20 Open Forum
5:20 - 5:30 Prayer for empowerment

Procedure for Mock Youth Camp:
(refer to talk 4)

1. Choose potential team leader, speakers and sharers.
God 's Love and His Plan: speaker and sharer
Who is Jesus Christ to Me?: speaker and sharer
Repentance, Faith Healing and Forgiveness: speaker only
Receiving God's Gift - The Power of the Holy Spirit: speaker only
Growing in the Spirit - Life and Mission of YFC: speaker only

2. Distribute Youth Camp expanded talk outlines to potential speakers.

3. Simultaneously (from 3:15 - 3:45 p.m.), the:
Team Leader will prepare in introducting and connecting talks;
Speakers will prepare for their respective talks (speaker need not give the whole talk, but just the main points).
Sharers will prepare for their personal testimonies.

4. The team leader, speakers and sharers will deliver their mini-talks / testimonies infront of the audience. Each speaker has 5 minutes; each sharer has 3 minutes. Meanwhile, the audience will be listing their comments / observations (both positive and negative).

5. After all talks and personal testimonies have been delivered, the audience must orally evaluate the team leader, each speaker and sharer, constructively, taking into consideration all their learnings from the talk "Speaking God's Word."

CFC - Youth For Christ
Youth Camp Training Program
Talk 1: Understanding The Youth Camp
Expanded Outline

I. Introduction
One of our main means of evangelization is the Youth Camp. We therefore have to come to a better understanding of this in order to place ourselves in the position where we can be effective instruments of the Lord.

II. Goals of the Youth Camp
A. For the participants:
1. Introduce Jesus into their lives- we simply point to Jesus and His truth.
2. Encourage the participants to invite Jesus into their lives.
3. Invite the participants into the support environment of YFC, as active members.
B. For the team:
1. Personal and spiritual growth in service.
2. Leadership training – the best training is actual service (as team leader, facilitator).

III. Elements of a Youth Camp
A. Fellowship
Fellowship periods (including games, bonfire, sports, jokes sessions, etc.) allow opportunities for building friendships. Fellowship allows the participants to see that they can actually have good, clean fun.
B. Prayers
1. Prayers bring people into God’s presence where they begin to transformed. It is during these times with the Lord that we are able to talk to Jesus and invite Him into our lives.
We teach the participants to pray one step at a time
Short prayers
Common prayer time
Vocal prayer
Spontaneous praising
Singing in the spirit and praying in tongues
Full worship
2. Importance of songs
“He who sings, prays twice”—St. Augustine
“Come, let us sing to the Lord, let us make a joyful sound to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to Him with thanksgiving, Let us extol Him with music and song.” (Ps. 95:1-2)
C. Service
Service allows you to look more on other rather than just concentrated on your own problems. As you help people who are “broken” you are also slowly healed from your brokenness.

IV. Flow of the Talks
Talk 1: God’s Love and His Plan for Me
Allows us to see that God loves us and has a plan in our lives.
Discussion groups allow us to see this plan in our lives; how far we have strayed and what we can do to get back on track.
Talk 2: Who is Jesus Christ to Me
Allows us to realize the role of Jesus in our lives. Accepting Him as Lord and having a personal relationship with Him is essential in God’s plan.
Discussion group allows us to begin to think of the response we should make to God’s plan and that relationship with Jesus.
Talk 3: Repentance, Faith, Healing and Forgiveness
Repentance is basically a response to God’s mercy and love. All of us have sinned, experience hurt, and therefore need to be healed. The letter writing activity that follows, allows us to examine our conscience, and lift up areas of hurt to the Lord. Thus, the process of healing begins.
Talk 4: Receiving God's Gift: The Power of the Holy Spirit
Life in the Holy Spirit begins with accepting Jesus Lordship and then receiving the Holy Spirit through baptism. This session gives the participants the opportunity to decide for themselves if they really want to follow Christ, through the "Commitment to Christ" ceremony, and the pray-over session (Baptism of the Holy Spirit)..

Talk 5: Growing in the Holy Spirit: Life and Mission of YFC
Explains how we can sustain our Christian Life and gives us the opportunity to invite the participant into active membership and service in YFC.

V. Rules and Responsibilities Within the Term
A. Team Leaders
1. Each Youth Camp has two team leaders; one for the brothers and one for the sisters.
a. Just as we expect the brothers to take responsibility for the group, we expect the male team leader to lead the session (i.e. introduce the speakers, lead prayers, etc.). However, in leading the Youth Camp, he must also consider the suggestions of the whole team.
b. The female team leader is there to respond to the needs of the sisters and provide input in planning and conducting the camp.
c. Both male and female team leader work hand-in-hand with the team.
2. They take general responsibility for the camp.
a. Plans and conducts the camp in coordination and partnership with the couple coordinator.
b. Rallies the team together, leads team meetings, inspires, encourages and gives "loving" correction when necessary.
c. Team leaders are not given discussion groups, the team leaders care for the team (guidance, advice, etc.) They are concerned with the spiritual aspect of the camp.
d. They must be prepared to give any of the talks in the event any of the speakers is not able to arrive.
B. The Team Servants
1. Two team servants are usually chosen; one male and one female.
2. They take charge of the practical aspects within the camp.
a. Announcements / House Rules
b. Wake-up call / writing down the schedule and the songs
c. Preparations for the Mass (readers, lector, songs)
3. Team Servants are usually not given a discussion group, so that they can concentrate on their responsibilities.
C. Facilitators (Discussion Group Leaders)
1. Leads discussion groups
2. Facilitates one to one sessions and pray-over sessions
3. Acts as a peer guide to help participants come to Jesus.
4. Should stay in the camp, so that he/she will be able to build relationships with the participants.
D. Other Assignments (Do not necessarily have to stay in the Camp---receive instructions from Team Leader)
1. Registration Team
2. Set-up Team (Seat arrangements, etc.)
3. Music Ministry
4. In charge of games/energizers
5. In charge of sports
6. Emcee for program/bonfire

VI. The Team Meeting
A. Purpose
1. Planning
2. Instructions/Evaluation
3. Consolidation of the Team
4. Intercession
B. Suggested Team Meetings
1. Planning (Includes Youth Camp Training)
2. After first talk of camp (impressions, evaluations, instructions)\
3. Before Baptism (reminders, feedback, instructions)
a. May be used as tongues workshop
b. Intercession
4. Before final session
a. Opportunity to commend the team / each other
b. Sharing of experiences from the team

VII. Conclusion
God gives us plenty of opportunities to evangelize. In YFC, our number one means of evangelism is the Youth Camp. It is a gift from God, and like any other gift, we try to understand its proper use, so that He who gave us this gift may be pleased.
CFC - Youth For Christ
Youth Camp Training Program
Talk 2: Spiritual Warfare
Expanded Outline

I. Two Kingdom
A. The Kingdom of Darkness
There is a war that began with Satan's rebellion (Rev. 12:7-10)
1. He was defeated and hurled down to earth.
2. Since he could not defeat the all-powerful God, he devours those whom
God loves: man.
3. He attempts man, making him his captive, a slave of sin and death .
B. Kingdom of Light
1. Although Satan has been defeated, he continues to deceive people, taking as many of God's children with him.
2. As YFC members, we are part of God's army
a. We are a threat to Satan, and he will surely attack us.
b. We should place ourselves in the front-line, being always ready to defend the Lord.

II. Our Weapons and Protection
A. The whole armor of God (Eph. 6:10-18)
1. The belt of truth (Eph. 6:14)
When we prepare to do something difficult, we tighten our belts. Satan is the father of lies and he will tempt us to doubt in God, His word, and ourselves. We need to make sure we live in the truth at all times, tightening our grasp of what is true. Let us place our confidence in God's truths, His love and His power.
2. The breastplate of righteousness - protection against sin (Eph. 6:14)
If Satan cannot succeed by making us lose our faith, he will fill us with evil thoughts. He may even try to make us irritable, or quarrel with parents / friends, just to stop us from serving. He Knows we will not be credible / believable if there is unrighteousness in our lives. Resist those temptations (temptations are not sins unless they are entertained.)
3. Our boots - our readiness to preach the Gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15)
Our eagerness to serve: Like army boots let us be ready to go even where it is difficult to serve the Lord.
4. Shield of faith - protection against the devil's flaming arrows of doubt (Eph. 6:16)
Doubt, like flaming arrows, strike us and seem small at first, but then begin to eat us up and consume us. We should stand firm in faith inspite of doubts, for faith is knowing that God has never failed us.
5. The helmet of salvation (Eph. 6:17)
Pray for God's protection, spiritually and physically.

B. Our weapons in this spiritual battle.
1. The sword of the Spirit - God's Word (Eph. 6:17)
Reading scripture should be our sword that we can use to fight. God's Word applied in our lives often destroy barriers of doubt among those we serve.
2. Prayer (Eph. 6:18) and Fasting (Acts 13:2-3)
Let us fight with the spiritual weapon of prayer by being faithful to our personal prayer time and by worshipping and interceding as a group (esp. in our Youth Camp service team meetings). Fasting is a very powerful form of prayer, for it is love and service expressed in sacrifice.
3. Humility
This is a very powerful weapon because Satan cannot stand against humility. He is too proud. But Jesus defeated Satan in humility by becoming man.
4. Love
Love is our primary reason in fighting this battle: Love for God and His people. By this love, even the hardest of hearts surrender to God.

III. Conclusion

Let us always be ready to fight, with the armor of god firmly in place, weapons in hand, knowing that it is a spiritual warfare that we are in, and that victory is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord.

CFC - Youth For Christ
Youth Camp Training Program
Talk 3: Being a Facilitator
Expanded Outline

I. Introduction
As the participants go through the Youth Camp, they need to be guided in order to fully understand God's message for them. The Lord uses instruments in spreading His love, and we are His instruments.

II. How to lead a Discussion Group
Group discussions take place after the first talk and after the second talk. This allows further understanding of God's message, especially through personal sharing within the group.
The Process
1. Begin with a short prayer.
2. Introduce each other in the group.
3. Make the participants comfortable / Establish rapport first before dwelling into the discussion. Also, stress the confidentiality of sharings within the group.
4. Proceed with the discussion, having the assigned discussion starters as guide.
5. End with a short prayer. (You may also ask one of your groupmates to lead).
B. Some Tips
1. You are not expected to know all the answers to their questions. If you can't answer the question, tell them that you will ask somebody then get back to them.
2. We are not there to convince them, we only want to show the truth.
3. Avoid using Christian jargons.
4. Keep the discussion on the topic.
5. Budget your time.
6. Strive to make the participants comfortable with you. Hang around them as much as possible.
7. Show concern for your participants.
8. Intercede for each of your participants.
9. Listen to all the talks and sharing even if you've heard these many times already. You will always learn something new.
10. Be a good example to your group. Participate in all activities (e.g. singing).

III. How to Conduct a One - to - One Session
A. Goals
1. Clarify questions concerning the sessions.
2. Find out factors that may hinder the participant to receive the Holy Spirit
3. Knowing the participant's prayer concerns (including special gifts of the Holy Spirit that he/she wants to receive).
4. See if the participants will make a personal decision to accept Jesus.
B. The Process
1. Greet the participants and ask how he/she is doing in the camp.
2. Go through with the one-to-one session, keeping in mind the goals (mentioned earlier).
C. Some Tips
1. Before the whole session, pray for each participants in your group. Be open to the Lord's leading (He will give you the wisdom to conduct the one-to-one).
2. Be aware of the time. We aim for quality time, talking into consideration each participant in the group.
3. Keep the session light - just like having a relational conversation with a friend.

IV. How to Pray-over Your Participant
A. Format
1. Ask participant to confess with his own lips that Jesus is Lord.
- Ask him to join you in a prayer or to begin the prayer himself
2. Spontaneous Praising
- Worship and glorify the Lord with the participant
3. Prayer for Protection
- "Lord Jesus, we ask You to cover us with Your Most Precious Blood and Mother Mary's Mantle of Protection.”
4. Binding and casting; In-filling
- In Jesus name, bind and cast any negativity (vice, addiction, sin) that he/she has (e.g. anger, fear, lust, envy, anxiety, pride, doubt, etc.).
- Then pray for in-filling of the positive counterpart (e.g. faith when there's doubt; humility when there's pride).
- "In the Mighty Name of Jesus, we take authority and gather all the evil spirits around us, above us and below us. We bind and cast them at the foot of Your Cross to be gone forever. And we ask the Holy Spirit to fill the void that the evil spirits have left behind. We pray for protection against any backlash from the evil one."
5. Lifting of Concerns
- Pray for the concerns of the participant.
6. Baptism of the Holy Spirit; Prayer for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- "Father, we now ask You, in Jesus name, to pour upon (name of participants) Your Holy Spirit, so that he/she may receive new life. We also ask You in Jesus name, to grant him/her the gift of tongues and any other gift that You want him/her to receive.
- Encourage the participant to pray in tongues with you.
7. Closing Prayers
- Prayer of thanks
- Prayer for a strong Christian life
- Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
B. Tips
1. Baptism of the Holy Spirit does not depend on the amount of time you pray. 5 to 10 minutes is enough.
2. Remember that it is God who sends down His Spirit, not you
3. Be aware of what is happening (keep your eyes open).
4. It is the participant's prayer, you are merely guiding him/her and praying with him/her.
5. In case of disturbances (i.e. demonic oppressions), pray for and claim for God's peace in the name of Jesus. Don't panic.
6. Feel free to ask for help from your couple coordinator or the Team Leader.
7. If you do decide to go for help, ask one of your prayer partners to do it. Do not leave your participant at any time during baptism. You must have prayer warriors during this session.

V. Conclusion

"Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord" (Zec. 4:6)

We may have fears, and not know how to take up the roles and responsibilities of serving as a facilitator. However, it is good to know that we have a God who is always victorious. He has given us His Spirit and as long as we seek Him, He will teach and guide us in everything that we do.











CFC - Youth For Christ
Youth Camp Training Program
Talk 4: Speaking God's Word
Expanded Outline

I. Introduction
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." (1 Tim. 4:12)

God is continuing to work in our midst, and we as His young people should strive to be witness in speech and actions. As we are given the opportunity to speak God's word, we should be able to learn and improve ourselves in such a way that we will be effective mouth pieces of the Lord.

II. Giving a Youth Camp Talk
A. Preparing for a talk
1. Begin with the end in mind.
a. Read the goals stated at the beginning of each expanded talk outline
b. What message is your talk trying to impart?
c. What part does it play in the series of talks to be given?
(e.g. Youth Camp Talks, Covenant Orientation, etc.)
d. Stick to the outline provided. This will help you avoid overlapping into other talks.
e. Make sure that you don't lose the message saying too many things.
2. Internalize the talk---understand it.
a. How does the talk and its points apply to you?
b. People can see if you believe in what you are saying. In this way you can come up with your own example. Your examples will be more effective because they are personal. (e.g. God's love in your life)
3. Prepare your outline.
a. As you go through the outline, begin finding out ways to get across your message. What does my audience need to hear? How can I effectively bring that message across?
b. Imagery is important. Come up with examples, anecdotes, stories thar might help illustrate your point.
c. Inject stories. People prefer hearing stories rather than theoretical teachings.
d. Make your outline personal. Don’t preach---share. People are not looking for teachers, but witnesses. People that they can relate with and where they see the work of the Lord actually taking place.
4. Prayer
Let the Holy Spirit guide you. Ask the Lord what He wants you to say to your audience.
B. Presenting the Outline
1. Prayers
a. Before you deliver your talk, make sure someone prays over you. Aside from the strength your receive from prayer, it puts you in the right perspective of being an instrument of the Lord.
b. Pray as you speak. Listen to the Lord.
2. Speaking to the Audience
a. Communicate to the people, look at them, scan.
b. Rapport – be able to generate good reaction from your audience. This is where jokes are useful.
3. Clarity
a. Your audience should have an idea where you are.
b. Number your points
c. Speak clearly with enough volume and pitch. (e.g. use a microphone / sound system if you need to.)
d. Avoid Christian jargons
- For example, “The Blood of the Lamb has redeemed the people of God from the bondage of sin, through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.”
- If you do have to mention some, makes sure you explain to the participants what they mean.
4. Tailor-fitting Your Talk (Speak in a way that fits your audience).
a. To particular age group: language and examples that your audience can relate to.
b. To the level of commitment of audience.
c. Never use green / negative humor.
5. Posture
a. Be confident
b. Avoid mannerisms (e.g. letting your hands play around)
c. Walk around. Use helpful gestures.

6. Dressing Decently
7. Time
a. Be ready to adjust your talk depending on the time.
b. The ideal time for a talk usually ranges between 30 to 45 mins.
8. Ending With a High Note
Challenge / encourage your audience at the end of your talk.
C. Attitudes
1. Good speakers are made not born.
2. Stagefright is natural, you can even use it to your advantage. Trust in the Lord. God often allows us to experience this so that it will allow us to pray.
3. It is the Lord’s work to save, not yours.
a. Don’t impress. Speak only what the Lord wants you to say, if you have prepared, you’ve done your part. The lord does the rest.
b. Your goal is not to make the participants cry or to convince them, but to tell the truth.
“The word of the Lord is never spoken in vain.”
c. Speak your best, because it is the Lord who is asking you---Be a faithful mouthpiece of the Lord.
4. Love the people you are speaking to. As Christ allowed you to experience this love, He wants the people you are speaking to, to experience it as well. Remember that they need the Lord, and that’s why you are speaking to them.
5. Availability
a. Accept assignments to speak or share.
b. Not accepting would be tantamount to saying that God has not been able to do anything in your life.

III. Sharing your personal testimony
A. Personal Testimonies given after a talk is used to show that what is said in the talk can actually happen. These are stories of “bad to good” or “good to better” situations in our lives.
B. The ABC’s of Sharing: A – Audible
B – Brief
C – Christ –centered
C. Prepare your personal testimony / sharing.
1. Choose one aspect in your life that the Lord is working in, one that is related to talk being given. (e.g. resentment)
2. Divide your sharing into 3 parts:
a. Before: share what you were experiencing in that area of your life before the Lord began to work. (e.g. I was resentful of my parents…)
b. During: show what the turning point was. What did the Lord do?
(e.g. I found out the Lord forgave me so I should forgive…)
c. After: How has that area in your life improved so far. (e.g. Slowly my relationship with my parents is healing. We can now talk to each other more…)
3. The ideal time for sharing your personal testimony is 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Make your sharing personal, concrete. This makes it real.
5. Stick only to what is true. Don’t exaggerate your sharing.
D. Attitudes
1. Be confident. It is good to note that nobody will disagree with your sharing because it’s subjective.
2. Whatever your sharing is, somebody out there needs to hear your story. Somebody will be able to relate with your experience.
3. As the Lord continues to work in new areas of your life, so will your sharing evolve as well. Update your sharing.

III. Conclusion

Many of us will feel unworthy and unprepared to speak the word of god. But it is the Lord Himself who touches our lips and empowers us to speak His Word.






CFC - Youth For Christ
Youth Camp Training Program
Participant’s Handout

I. Spiritual Preparation for the Youth Camp
A. Prayer and Fasting
B. Scripture Reading
VERSES TO REFLECT ON:
Rev. 12:7-10
Eph. 6:10-18
Acts 13:2-3
Zec. 4:6
1 tim. 4:12
C. Confession and Holy Communion

II. How to Lead a Discussion Group
A. The Process
1. Begin with a short prayer.
2. Introduce each other in the group.
3. Make the participants comfortable / Establish rapport first before dwelling into the discussion. Also, stress the confidentiality of sharing within the group.
4. Proceed with the discussion, having the assigned discussion starters as guide.
5. End with a short prayer. (You may also ask one of your groupmates to lead).
B. Some Tips
1. You are not expected to know all the answers to their questions. If you can’t answer the question, tell them that you will ask somebody then get back to them.
2. We are not there to convince them, we only want to show them the truth.
3. Avoid using Christian jargons.
4. Keep the discussion on the topic.
5. Budget your time.
6. Strive to make the participant comfortable with you. Hang around them as much as possible.
7. Show concern for your participant.
8. Intercede for each of your participants.
9. Listen to all the talks and sharing even if you’ve heard there many times already. You will always learn something new.
10. Be a good example to your group. Participate in all activities (e.g. singing).

III. How to Conduct a One-to-One Session
A. Goals
1. Clarify questions concerning the sessions.
2. Find out factors that may hinder the participant to receive the Holy Spirit
3. Knowing the participant's prayer concerns (including special gifts of the Holy Spirit that he/she wants to receive).
4. See if the participants will make a personal decision to accept Jesus.
B. The Process
1. Greet the participants and ask how he/she is doing in the camp. (Aspects of his/her life)
2. Go through with the one-to-one session, keeping in mind the goals
(mentioned earlier).
C. Some Tips
1. Before the whole session, pray for each participants in your group. Be open to the Lord's leading (He will give you the wisdom to conduct the one-to-one).
2. Be aware of the time. We aim for quality time, talking into consideration each participant in the group.
3. Keep the session light - just like having a relational conversation with a friend.

VI. How to Pray-over Your Participant
A. Format
1. Ask participant to confess with his own lips that Jesus is Lord.
- Ask him to join you in a prayer or to begin the prayer himself
2. Spontaneous Praising
- Worship and glorify the Lord with the participant
3. Prayer for Protection
- "Lord Jesus, we ask You to cover us with Your Most Precious Blood and Mother Mary's Mantle of Protection.”
4. Binding and casting; In-filling
- In Jesus name, bind and cast any negativity (vice, addiction, sin) that he/she has (e.g. anger, fear, lust, envy, anxiety, pride, doubt, etc.).
- Then pray for in-filling of the positive counterpart (e.g. faith when there's doubt; humility when there's pride).
- "In the Mighty Name of Jesus, we take authority and gather all the evil spirits around us, above us and below us. We bind and cast them at the foot of Your Cross to be gone forever. And we ask the Holy Spirit to fill the void that the evil spirits have left behind. We pray for protection against any backlash from the evil one."
5. Lifting of Concerns
- Pray for the concerns of the participant.
6. Baptism of the Holy Spirit; Prayer for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- "Father, we now ask You, in Jesus name, to pour upon (name of participants) Your Holy Spirit, so that he/she may receive new life. We also ask You in Jesus name, to grant him/her the gift of tongues and any other gift that You want him/her to receive.
- Encourage the participant to pray in tongues with you.
7. Closing Prayers
- Prayer of thanks
- Prayer for a strong Christian life
- Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
B. Tips
1. Baptism of the Holy Spirit does not depend on the amount of time you pray. 5 to 10 minutes is enough.
2. Remember that it is God who sends down His Spirit, not you
3. Be aware of what is happening (keep your eyes open).
4. It is the participant's prayer, you are merely guiding him/her and praying with him/her.
5. In case of disturbances (i.e. demonic oppressions), pray for and claim for God's peace in the name of Jesus. Don't panic.
6. Feel free to ask for help from your couple coordinator or the Team Leader.
7. If you do decide to go for help, ask one of your prayer partners to do it. Do not leave your participant at any time during baptism.
8. You must have prayer warriors during this session.

III. Sharing your personal testimony
A. Stories of “bad to good” or “good to better” situations in our lives.
B. Prepare your personal testimony / sharing.
1. Choose one aspect in your life that the Lord is working in, one that is related to talk being given. (e.g. resentment)
2. Divide your sharing into 3 parts:
a. Before
b. During
c. After:
3. The ideal time for sharing your personal testimony is 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Make your sharing personal, concrete. This makes it real.
5. Stick only to what is true. Don’t exaggerate your sharing.
C. Attitudes
1. Be confident. It is good to note that nobody will disagree with your sharing because it’s subjective.
2. Whatever your sharing is, somebody out there needs to hear your story. Somebody will be able to relate with your experience.
3. As the Lord continues to work in new areas of your life, so will your sharing evolve as well. Update your sharing.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Covenant Orientation Outlines

CFC Youth for Christ
Covenant Orientation

































Table of Contents


I. The Covenant Orientation ............................................ 4
(goals, resource persons,
materials, how this is given)

Schedule ..................................................................... 6

Note to the Team Head .............................................. 7

II. Expanded Outlines

Talk 1: Loving, Honoring, and Serving God ................. 8

Talk 2: Loving, Honoring, and Serving the Family ....... 13

Talk 3: Loving, Honoring, and Serving
Brothers and Sisters ...................................... 16

Talk 4: Loving, Honoring, and Serving the Country ..... 20

III. Participants Hand-outs .............................................. 23


IV. The Covenant of a Youth for Christ member .............. 28





THE CFC YOUTH FOR CHRIST
COVENANT ORIENTATION

The Covenant Orientation is the first set of teachings given to the young adult upon joining CFC Youth for Christ. After initially responding to God’s invitation during his Youth Camp, he has learned how to put into action his commitment to God. The Covenant Talks help guide him in this response.

The Covenant Talks are as follows:

- Loving, Honoring and Serving God
- Loving, Honoring and Serving Family
- Loving, Honoring and Serving Brothers and Sisters in YFC and in School
- Loving, Honoring and Serving Country

Goals :

1. To learn and live out the covenant of a YFC member.
2. To renew commitment with Christ.
3. To develop a sense of identity and responsibility.
4. To inspire the young adult as he matures in his Christian life.

Resource Persons :

1. Youth Team heads for recollection
2. Worship leader
3. Music ministry
4. Service team (seat arrangements, registration, food committee, etc.)
5. Speakers for each talk



Resource Materials:

1. Expanded outlines - to be given by the team head/couple coordinator to the assigned speakers.
2. Sound system/tapes to record talks
3. Snacks
4. Registration Sheets
5. Participant’s Handouts

How are these given?

The Covenant of YFC should be given to every member within 3 months after a Youth Camp. The Covenant talks may be given as a whole day activity or as two half-day activities. The Chapter Couple Coordinator in coordination/consultation should do planning with the youth leaders in his chapter. It may be scheduled on the chapter level or as a joint effort of a cluster/sector depending on the venue, availability of speakers. Young adult leaders who have already undergone this training track must deliver the talks.

Like any YFC activity, the teachings should be given in a light atmosphere. The talks should be made interesting and its importance stressed (e.g. anecdotes, jokes, stories, personal life experiences), making it real to the young adult.

After each talk, copies of the teaching outline are distributed, and the assembly is divided into discussion groups (or even into their own households if possible) to further discuss the teaching. The household or discussion groups allow members to bring up and share more personal aspects of the teachings. This system also trains Household Heads in true Christian leadership.

The suggested format for the teachings is as follows :

SCHEDULE


8:00 - 8:30 Arrival/Registration/Teaching of songs
8:30 - 9:00 Worship
9:00 - 9:45 Talk 1: Loving, Honoring and Serving God
9:45 - 10:15 Group Discussions
10:15 - 10:45 Break
10:45 - 11:30 Talk 2: Loving, Honoring and Serving Family
11:30 - 12:00 Group Discussions
12:00 - 1:30 Lunch Break
1:30 - 2:00 Gathering songs/Energizer
2:00 - 2:45 Talk 3: Loving, Honoring and Serving Brothers and Sisters in YFC
2:45 - 3:15 Group Discussions
3:15 - 3:30 Break
3:30 - 4:15 Talk 4: Loving, Honoring and Serving Country
4:15 - 4:45 Group Discussions
4:45 - 5:00 Prayer for God’s Grace/Closing Song


To break the monotony of having discussion groups all the time, each group may instead be asked to come up with a skit, dance/song number to interpret what was heard from the talk or to express decisions that they may have made because of the teaching. Other activities that achieve this same goal may also be used.



Note to the Team Head:

1. Before the first talk, give a short orientation about the activity.
a. State the importance of having a covenant.
What is a covenant?
- A solemn agreement between two parties/persons.
- It establishes a significant family-like relationship between the parties.
- It is not just an ordinary promise - especially since our covenant is a covenant with God.
- It involves commitment and sacrifice to remain faithful to the covenant.

* A common covenant - way of life/culture brings unity within YFC. It gives us an identity as YFC members. (We should be aware that YFC members all over the world are receiving these same teachings, accepting this same covenant.)

b. Run down the schedule for the day. (Refer to schedule)
c. Introduce first speaker.

2. Make sure to connect the talks, stressing the importance of each.

3. Take this opportunity to help those new members grow in worship - many of them still haven’t raised their hands, clapped, danced as an expression of love for God or have spoken out words of prophecies in faith. Encourage them to do so.

4. May God bless you and the whole service team for accepting this service for the Lord. You will be helping more young adults deepen their commitment to the Lord.




































CFC Youth for Christ

Covenant Orientation
Talk 1: Loving, Honoring and Serving God
Expanded Outline

I. I believe that I am special to God.

A. God loves me.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

We can personalize this sentence as if the Lord is speaking to us: “For God so loved me that He gave me His only Son, so that if I believe in Him, I will not perish but I will have eternal life.”

God loves us inspire of our sinful nature. He accepts us for who we are.

B. God forgives my sins.
“...for this is My blood of the Covenant, which is poured out to many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matt. 26:28)

God is full of mercy. He wants to forgive our sins so we can always be close to Him.

C. I am a son/daughter of God.
“You yourselves are no longer a slave but a son or a daughter; and yours is the inheritance by God’s grace.”(Galatians 4:7)

We were once “slaves” of sin, but Jesus freed us. We became sons and daughters of God the Father and brothers of Jesus. We are also prince and princesses because we will soon inherit the kingdom of God.

II. Our Response.

Since we know that God loves us and that we are special to Him, He has forgiven our sins and we are His children, then the Lord is also special to us. He is so special that it makes us want to love Him more than anything else.

“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

We are called to love the Lord...

... With all our heart

1. For the writers of scripture, the heart meant the “center” or “core” of oneself.
a. Loving God with all our heart means loving the Lord with our whole being. “With all our heart” means to accept totally and live out the ideals and principles of our Lord Jesus Christ even if it means to deny us.
b. Loving God means that we should always include God in our decisions, be they big or small.
c. Loving God means being pure in body as well as in spirit. We do this by not disgracing our bodies through the abuse of drugs, drunkenness and immorality.

2. Loving God also entails sacrifice because sometimes, it is hard to give up something for the Lord (A bad habit, fasting, being generous with our time, talent and treasure, etc...)

The phrase “Putting your heart into it.” means to work hard for something to achieve high standards. (e.g. a high grade, a. good thesis or project). It means sacrifice and perseverance.


... with all our soul

1. God, who is also a pure Spirit, created our souls. There is a longing for our souls to be united with God, to be one with Him. (Ps. 84: 1-2)
- Prayer is a means of communicating with God and being “one” with Him.
- We must be consistent with our prayer time. Participating actively in joyful and reverent worship brings us in the presence of the Lord together with our brothers and sisters.
- Decide to pray for at least 15 mins. a day
- Make prayer a habit - allocate a certain place and time for prayer
- Make your prayer dynamic - sing songs, read scripture, talk with God

2. Practicing the sacraments expresses our souls’ longing for God. Hearing Mass nourishes our souls. Receiving Holy Communion is receiving Jesus Himself. Going to confession, our souls are washed and polished by Jesus and reunites us with the Father.

3. We should be eager to bring other souls to the Lord by serving actively in YFC activities, Youth Camps or church activities.

... With all our mind

1. The mind includes our thoughts, intentions, and learning.

- Sometimes, we think about people who we love. We should practice also thinking about Jesus and the things He has done for us.


2. We should learn about Him and study His teachings to gain wisdom. We can achieve this by reading and reflecting on Scripture and/or other Christian books.

3. We must learn how to witness to other people how the Lord is working in our lives.


III. There will be times when our love for God will be tested.

A. We will experience sufferings, trials and doubts.
- In all things, we should realize that loving God is not based on feelings but on solid commitment.
- We should believe and be faithful to Him no matter what happens in our lives.

B. When we sin, we feel guilty to come back to the Lord.
- This dampens our love for God.
- Solution: Go to confession and ask for God’s mercy.
- He will not only be happy to see you come back to Him, but He will even embrace you.

C. We will experience dryness in prayer as if God is nowhere to be found.
- The Lord will test our faithfulness. The more we pray to Him in times like these, all the more He will be pleased with us and will reward us.

IV. Conclusion

God is our Creator and our Father. He cares for us. He wants to see us happy and live fruitful lives. He loves us and He considers us special. Let’s acknowledge this and respond to Him by telling Him how special He is in our lives. Let us love Him will all our heart, soul and mind.


Memory Verse:
“You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

Discussion Starters:
1. How have I shown my love for God
a) with all my heart?
b) with all my soul?
c) with all my mind?

2. What more can I do to express my love for God?
(Choose one concrete example in your life where you can grow in your love for God.)



CFC Youth for Christ
Covenant Orientation
Talk 2: Loving, Honoring and Serving Family
Expanded Outline

I. Introduction

There are two things that we should realize about the family:

A. The family is God’s plan (Gen.1:27-28; Gen.2:18-24; Gen.7:1)
- God created the family for a purpose - to be a means by which His kingdom is established on earth.

B. The family is under attack/ is being destroyed.
- People say it is outmoded.
- Some say it is a barrier to progress (e.g. issue on abortion— having too many children hinders economic growth)
- “The greatest oppressors of women today are the church, the state and the family.” — Cyndi Lauper (rock star)

We need to see the spiritual side to this, and take our part in this battle by bringing our families back to the plan of God.
II. Our Role in the Family

A. Relating with Our Parents
1. Honor and Respect (Ex 20:12) - only commandment with a promise attached to it.

a. Show them their importance to us (e.g. stand up to greet them, pleasing our parents.)
b. Attitude of gratitude: Express our appreciation.
c. Speak well of them / Avoid speaking negatively about our parents.

2. Obedience (Eph 6:1)
a. Accept direction / listen to advice: Our parents are God’s stewards on earth.
b. Accept correction (Prov.13:1)
c. Serve our parents (joyfully doing our household chores/doing well in our studies.)

3. We respect our parents primarily because they are our parents. (Sir.3:1-15)
a. They chose to participate in God’s work of creation, this in itself should be enough reason for us to them.
b. We respect and honor our parents inspire of their faults, mistakes, and problems.

B. Relating with Our Brothers and Sisters in Our Families

1. Seeing our families (even our brothers and sisters) as God’s gift to us
a. Expressing to them their importance to us and appreciating them.
b. Respecting and listening to what they have to say— even if they are younger.

2. Finding opportunities to share
a. Our time (spend quality time together—enjoying, helping one another out— homework, school projects of brothers/ sisters.)
b. Resources- sharing our talents

C. Being Instruments of Healing

1. Loving - (Mt.22) loving your neighbor is the direct
Consequence/ effect of loving God.
a. Our closest neighbors are our families.
b. Type of love - 1 Cor. 13:4-7

2. Witnessing
a. Be forgiving, patient and loving towards your brothers and sisters.
b. Initiate healing - find ways to reconcile differences within the family.
3. Praying and interceding for family members

4. Serving God with our family whenever possible (especially for children of CFC members.)

III. Conclusion

There is an attack on the family. As YFC members, we need to take a stand to protect and build the family — become witnesses and a hope to other families and take our part in “renewing the face of the earth.”

Memory Verse:
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Josh.24:15)

Discussion Starters:

1. What area in my relationship with my parents can I grow in?
2. What area in my relationship with my brothers and sisters can I grow in?
3. If there is one thing I could do to be an instrument of healing to my family, what would that be?










































CFC Youth for Christ
Covenant Orientation
Talk 3: Loving, Honoring and Serving Our Brothers and Sisters

Expanded Outline

I. Introduction: Loving Youth for Christ as a Family

A. Blood relations are often the strongest types of relationships.
1. Families have strong ties because of the same “blood” they share.
2. Comrades in arms/soldiers feel a close bond among themselves after they have sacrificed and “shed blood” together.

B. The blood that unites us is greater than any of these— the Blood of Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16)
1. He has made us God’s children- we are brothers and sisters
2. Because we are a family, we should relate to one another in ways a family should.
II. Characteristics of Family-type Relationships

A. Commitment
1. Consistency in our relationships- being committed whether we feel like it or not (e.g. attending YFC meetings faithfully and punctually)
2. Being ready and willing to be inconvenienced on behalf of a brother/ sister.(e.g. brother giving his seat for a sister, making sure everyone has their share of food before eating.)
3. Being a brother/sister no matter what happens
(choosing to be loving inspire of misunderstandings)
B. Unity (Ps. 133:1)
1. Avoid being exclusive.
a. Being a brother to all -in families, you don’t choose your parents, or your brothers & sisters, they simply are.
b. Being a brother/sister even to those you aren’t close to.
c. Go beyond your chapter, sector, and area
2. Decide to grow in your relationship with the brother/ sister.
a. Go out of your way to get to know all brothers and sisters.
3. Pray for unity always within YFC, the Catholic Church, and all Christian churches. (Jn. 17:20-23)
C. Loyalty
1. Protect the brothers/sisters
a. Protecting the character of brothers/sisters
(Refuse to believe/listen to gossip about brothers and sisters)
b. Loyalty means correcting a brother or sister
c. Protecting the brother/sister physically (e.g. making sure a sister gets home safely, having concern/ looking out for one another)
2. Protect YFC as a body/ community
* Keep yourself from doing things that will destroy the name of YFC

D. Love should always be part of our relationship as brothers and sisters. “If we love God, we must love our neighbor “ (Matt. 22:39)

1. We love by showing honor and respect—giving importance (Rom 12:10) (e.g. greeting one another, listening to one another’s ideas and opinions)
2. It is God’s command that we love one another. (Jn 13:34-35)
3. 1 Cor.13:4-7 expresses the kind of love we should have.

E. Service
Like any family, love and loyalty is expressed through service.
1. Have a “What can I give?” attitude as opposed to “What can I get?” (The attitude of servanthood is more important than the actual service)
2. Be open/willing and ready to serve in any way (e.g. speakers, music ministry, household heads, facilitators, clean up committee etc...)

III. Obstacles that Hinder Us from Growing in our Relationship with our Brothers/Sisters

A. Fear of Rejection
- We should draw our confidence from knowing that the King of Kings has accepted and loved us as we are. Rejection from others won’t affect us as much because of this fact.
- We should then grow in confidence in relating to our brothers/sisters.
- Let us be the ones reaching out.
B. Pride
- Take on the attitude mentioned in Phil. 2:3
- Love others and reach out to others because God loved you even if you did not deserve it.
C. Cliquishness
1. Let us avoid sticking just with those we are comfortable with because it causes division.
- (1Th. 4:9-10) Instead let us learn to grow in loving all the brothers/sisters more and more each day.
2. Entering an exclusive “boyfriend/girlfriend” relationship often hinders other relationships.
- If we do have to enter into such relationships, we are to make sure that we are guided accordingly (e.g. by our elders, our parents.)





IV. Our love for God and the YFC Family should extend and be expressed in our schools.

We do this by being:

A. Witnesses
1. Being responsible students
- Being the best we can be for the Lord.
2. Being good examples to our classmates (by not cheating, respecting school authorities and property)

B. Evangelistic
1. Inviting our classmates to youth camps
- Sharing our faith/service in YFC to our classmates
2. Helping establish/sustain YFC in your school

C. Loving our neighbors—classmates, teachers, janitors, etc...

V. Conclusion

If we love God, then it follows that we should love one another (1 Jn 4:20). As God’s family, each of us is called to love, honor and serve one another, building up God’s community as a witness to all.

Memory Verse:

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live in unity.” (Ps. 133:1)
Discussion Starters:
1. Which obstacles hinder me at present from growing in my relationships with brothers/sisters?
2. What can I do to grow in these relationships?
















CFC Youth for Christ
Covenant Orientation
Talk 4: Loving, Honoring and Serving Country
Expanded Outline


I. Introduction

As Christians, we don’t believe in coincidences. We know that God has a purpose for everything. God has placed us where we are, for a purpose.

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

God calls us to be a light to the nations. We should be able to do that wherever it is that He has placed us - our own countries.


II. To Love, Honor and Serve Our Country

A. Showing our country honors and respect.
1. Avoid treating our country like one big trashcan/toilet.
- Let us not litter - as if we can “flush” down our dirt in our surroundings.
- We don’t vandalize.

2. Taking pride in our heritage.
- Take pride in national symbols (flag, national anthem).
- Learn about your heritage (If your parents migrated, learn about the country they migrated from. Keep positive aspects of that culture).

3. Take a positive attitude about our country.
- We avoid jokes or negative comments about our country, culture, and government.
B. Serving our country - being model citizens. ( Rom 13:1-8)
1. We obey the laws of the land.
- Traffic laws, pedestrian crossings.
- This includes the laws and regulations of our schools. (We do not look for loopholes to cheat our school - we come to class at the time the school says we should).
- We should help in furthering the vision and mission of our government and schools especially if our school is Catholic/Christian. (However, this also means that we have to speak up when our country/ government begins to adopt unchristian policies that are against life, family and God like abortion, divorce, etc.)

2. Being aware and actively taking part in the affairs of our country.
- If we are of voting age - we should exercise this right at every opportunity.
- Condemn corruption in government and society without condemning the government and society itself.

C. Loving our country. Mt. 22:39 “Love your neighbor.”
Genuine love and Christian charity are essential.

1. Charity: the love for all that God loves.
a. It is not heartless. It is not just alms giving - it is genuine concern for each person and all of God’s creation.

b. Each person bears the image of God and is loved by God. If we love God, then we must love those whom He loves. (1 Jn 4:20)

c. All creation belongs to God.
We protect the environment.

2. Our love for all those that God loves, namely our country should give us a greater desire to evangelize. (Mt. 28:18-20)

III. Conclusion

Mt. 22: 15 - 22.

God has placed us where we are, according to His purposes, so that we can use the circumstances that surround us to be witnesses for Him.
As we do this, we also become witnesses and lights to the nations, by giving to our countries the love, honor and respect it deserves, as responsible citizens, and giving to God our whole lives as true children of God.
Memory Verse:

“You are the light of the world ... let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:14,16)

Discussion Starters:

1. What things do I do that show dishonor for the country that God has placed me in? How can I correct these?

2. What concrete decision can I make that will help me love, honor and serve my country better?

Loving, Honoring & Serving God
Participant’s Handout

I. I believe that I am special to God
A. God loves me (Jn. 3:16)
B. God forgives my sins (Mt. 26:28)
C. I am a son/daughter of God (Gal. 4:7)

II. God is so special to us that He enables us to love Him more than anything else (Mt. 22:37)
A. Loving God with all our heart
1. Heart means “core”. We love the Lord with the core of our being
- includes our ideals and principles, and decision
2. Loving God entails sacrifice
B. ...with all our soul
1. Our souls long for God (Ps. 84: 1-2)
2. Practicing the sacraments express our soul longing for God
3. Eagerness to serve
C. ...with all our mind
1. Includes our thoughts, intentions and learning
2. We should grow in our knowledge of Scripture/ books about the Lord
3. We must learn how to witness to others about the Lord’s work in our lives.

III. We will go through times of testing
A. Sufferings, trials and doubts
B. Sin will make us feel guilty
C. We will experience dryness in prayer

Discussion Starters:
1. How have I shown my love for God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind?
2. What more can I do to express my love for God?

Memory Verse:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Mt. 22:37)


Loving, Honoring & Serving the Family
Participant’s Handout

I. Two things to remember about the family:

A. It is God’s plan (Gen. 1: 21-28; Gen. 2: 18-24; Gen. 7:1)
B. The family is under attack

II. Our role in the family

A. To our parents:
1. Honor and respect (Ex. 20:12)
2. Obedience (Eph. 6:1)
3. Respect primarily because they are our parents
(Sirach 3:1-15)

B. To our brothers and sisters in the family:
1. Seeing our families as God’s gift to us
2. Finding opportunities to share

C. Being instruments of healing:
1. Loving
2. Witnessing
3. Praying and interceding for family members
4. Serving God with our family

Discussion Starters:
1. What area in my relationship with my parents can I grow in?
2. What area in my relationship with my brothers and sisters can I grow in?
3. If there is one thing that I can do to be an instrument of healing to my family, what would that be?

Memory Verse:
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
(Joshua 24:15)

Loving, Honoring and Serving Our Brothers and Sisters
Participant’s Handout

I. Loving YFC as a family
A. Blood relations are often the strongest type of relationships.
B. The blood that unites us is the blood of Jesus Himself.

II. Characteristics of family type relationships
A. Commitment
B. Unity
C. Loyalty
D. Love (Mt. 22:39)
E. Service

III. Obstacles that hinder us from growing in our relationships with brothers/sisters
A. Fear of rejection
B. Pride
C. Cliquishness

IV. Our love for God and YFC should extend and be expressed in our schools
A. Being witness
B. Being evangelistic
C. Loving our neighbor — our classmates

Discussion Starters:
1. Which obstacles hinder me at present from growing in my relationship with brothers/sisters?
2. What can I do to grow in these relationships?

Memory Verse:

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live in unity.”
(Ps. 133:1)

Loving, Honoring and Serving Country
Participant’s Handout

I. Introduction - God’s Purpose (Jer. 1:5)

II. Loving, Honoring and Serving Our Country

A. Showing our country honors and respect.
1. Avoid treating our country like one big trashcan/toilet.
2. Take pride in our heritage.
3. Take a positive attitude about our country.

B. Serving our country - being model citizens. ( Rom 13:1-8)
1. Obeying the laws of the land.
2. Being aware and actively taking part in the affairs of our country.

C. Loving our country. Mt. 22:39
1. Charity: the love for all that God loves.
2. The desire to evangelize. (Mt. 28:18-20)

Memory Verse:

“You are the light of the world ... let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:14,16)


Discussion Starters:
1. What things do I do that show dishonor for the country that God has placed me in? How can I correct these?

2. What concrete decision can I make that will help me love, honor and serve my country better?



The Covenant of a Youth for Christ Member

1. I believe that I am special because I am a son / daughter of God.

* I will spend time in prayer where I can grow in loving, honoring and serving Him.
* I will learn and grow in living out these ideals and principles of my Lord Jesus.
* I believe that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I will not dishonor the Lord through drunkenness, drugs or immorality.
* I will participate actively in the life of my Church.

2. I believe that my family is God’s gift to me.

* I will love, honor and respect my parents in spite of whatever state or circumstances they are in,
* I believe that my blood brothers and sisters are God’s gift to me. I will strive to grow in unity and understanding towards them.
* I will be a source of healing to whatever brokeness, or hurt, my family experiences.

3. I believe that it is my privilege to be studying in my school.

* I will show love and loyalty to the Lord and to my school by being a good student.
* I will take responsibility in my studies.
* I will respect school authorities.
* I will serve my classmates and build good relationships in school.

4. I believe that I belong to the bigger family of Youth for Christ.

* I will relate in love and loyalty to the brothers and sisters from other schools, cities, provinces, states and countries.
* I will serve the Lord in YFC in whatever way I can, whenever / wherever the Lord chooses to call me.
* I will follow the directions of my elders and leaders in YFC.

5. I believe that God has a special purpose in allowing me to be born / live in this country

* It is my privilege to love, honor and serve my country.
* It is my duty to obey and respect the laws and authorities that God has placed over me.
* It is my responsibility to preserve and protect the environment.