Legacy Youth Ministry Resources

Illustration texts

Billy Graham's Zeal

You may think of Billy Graham as being so natural in the pulpit, that he merely reviews his messages a few hours during the day and delivers them at night, allowing his professional staff to handle everything else. But most are unaware of the grueling intensity that often accompanies his crusades. I?ll site two instances from his autobiography: ?The wear and tear were beginning to show on me, however. By the six-week mark (of a crusade), I had lost fifteen pounds. Sleep was elusive, as always, and my eyes looked dark and hollow.? (p. 226) After the London crusade ? ?I was exhausted; in three months I had lost thirty pounds. ?The pace we endured was grueling, and yet with that pace came the joy of being exactly where we were supposed to be, doing what we were supposed to be doing, and seeing God bless our endeavor all the way.? (p. 232) Billy Graham?s dean of men at Florida Bible Institute described young Billy as ?a spindly farm boy with lots of nail-biting energy, a mediocre academic record, and a zeal to serve the Lord that exceeded his knowledge and skills.? ? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

Impact People Up Close

"I can impress people from a distance, but only impact them from up close." (Heard from Howard Hendricks)

Care For People

"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." (Heard from Howard Hendricks)

Don't Overlook the Troublemakers

In Dallas, Texas, there were two teenage boys. Both of them were what we could call ?trouble makers.? Both of them also had a Sunday School teacher. The Sunday School teacher of one of the boys visited him again and again, and finally led him to faith in Christ. That boy?s name was Jim Ponder, and he served for many years as the director of evangelism for Southern Baptists in the state of Florida. The other boy?s teacher didn?t care about him, and said, ?I don?t want him in my class.? Then he promptly forgot about him. That boy was Lee Harvey Oswald, who shot John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Two boys, two Sunday School teachers; one teacher doing his job faithfully; the other wasn?t. ? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

Teachers Who Have Arrived

"There's a special place for teachers who have arrived. It's called the cemetery."

Two Troublemakers in Sunday School

In Dallas, Texas there were two teenage boys. Both were troublemakers. Both of them also had a Sunday School teacher. The teacher of one of the boys visited him again and again, and finally led him to faith in Christ. That troublemaker later served for many years as the director of evangelism in the state of Florida. The other boy?s teacher didn?t reach out to him, saying that he didn?t want the kid in his class. That boy was Lee Harvey Oswald, who shot John Fizgerald Kennedy. Two boys under two Sunday School teachers. One teacher cared, one didn?t. It does make a difference. ? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

Walt Impacts His Class

A fellow named Walt volunteered to teach a Sunday School class, but the church offered him none. Now Walt had never made it past the 6th grade, and they were probably apprehensive at trusting him with a class. But they told him that if he could recruit a class, he could teach it. So Walt took on the challenge, and went down the road inviting kids to Sunday School. Along the way, he found a nine-year-old from a broken home named Howie. When invited to Sunday School, Howie reasoned that anything to do with school, he didn?t want. So Walt took another tactic. ?Let?s play marbles,? he suggested. Walt played marbles, and Howie came to his class. Now this man was more than a teacher. He was an equipper. Eleven of the 14 kids in his class went into vocational Christian work. Nine were from broken homes. Howie became one of the foremost Christian educators of our generation, Howard Hendricks. ? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

How To Put On A Jacket

This is a great object lesson: Ask someone to stand behind you, back to back. Take off your jacket, and ask him, without looking at you, to instruct you, step by step, on how to put on your jacket. By following the instructions literally, you can thoroughly foul up the process, and your audience will love it. The moral? If even something simple, like putting on a jacket is more easily taught by example than by words, how much more the principles of life that you want to pass on to people.? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

I'd Rather Watch A Winner

?I?d rather watch a winner than hear one any day I?d rather have one walk with me than merely show the way The eye?s a better pupil and more willing than the ear Fine counsel is confusing, but example?s always clear And the best of all the coaches are the ones who live their creeds For to see the good in action is what everybody needs I can soon learn how to do it if you?ll let me see it done I can watch your hands in action but your tongue too fast may run And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true But I?d rather get my lessons by observing what you do For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give But there?s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live I?d rather watch a winner than hear one any day!?

What We Remember

It is said that we remember 10% of what we hear, 50% of what we hear and see, and 90% of what we hear, see, and do.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |

>   >>