Samson 1

Get set

You’ll need a good team; activity areas for group work; a large open space to gather the children; song ideas; badges; someone to register the children; first-aid expertise; a ratio of at least one adult for every six to eight children (depending on age); lots of prayer!

Go!

1. Start the club with muscle-building exercises. Use a workout style and music. Instructions to:
   stretch up high/low/wide.
   Run on the spot/ knees bend/ hop in a circle- clockwise/ anti-clockwise
   Show your muscles!
   Jump on the spot/ run to the wall/ run to the centre
   Stand completely still
   Make this and further workout ideas a daily opener, if this is a Holiday Club. Make the changes faster and faster!
2. Once exhausted, sit the group down and ask them to name famous sports stars, strong men and superheroes. What is their secret? Our club is about discovering the special secret of how to be really strong. It isn’t muscles; it isn’t being fit; nor is it being cleverer or richer than others but….
3. There was a strongman in the Bible and his story contains the answer to the question: where does real strength lie?
4. Tell the first story from Judges 13. To do this, organise a series of sound effects and actions that the children will contribute, whenever certain words appear in the story you tell. e.g.

old lady = oh dear, oh dear, oh dear (in a high-pitched voice)
old man = oh dear, oh dear, oh dear (in a low voice)
angel = whoosh sound and a flapping of arms
goat = blare, blare
drink = gulp, gulp, gulp
food = munch, munch, munch
baby = waah, waah

Tell the story using these words as often as possible and try to take the children by surprise too!

5. Sampson was a gift from God and so was his strength. But he was only strong as long as he put God first. Often, like us, he forgot this and got into trouble.
6. Develop the story along with activities over the session or on subsequent days. Further ideas would be exercises that demonstrate self-control or children in pairs mirroring each other (i.e. self-control and copying others is also not the way to be really strong).

Further sessions/days could focus on
(i) Sampson’s exploits with lions, foxes and city gates!
(ii) Samson and Delilah – his capture and his final ‘bringing the house down’

7. Christians believe that, as we trust God, Jesus helps us to be really strong. Maybe this motto linked to the word ‘strong’ can help.
   Alway STrust And Rely 0NGod = STRONG!