Friendships: Bonds that Last

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Loneliness is a common emotion to experience. No matter what age, all people get lonely even occasionally. It doesn’t matter how outgoing, popular or wealthy they are.

The younger generation may feel like these feelings bombard them on a day-to-day basis. They would like to have a special friend or two or more friends, so they can feel less lonely. 

Wanting to belong and be surrounded by people is both natural and healthy. From the very beginning of time, God said in Genesis 2:18 that it is not good for man to be alone. So we know he did not intend for us to be overwhelmed with feelings of loneliness and feeling like we don’t belong. 

friendship youth camp theme

Focus Scriptures

  • Matthew 22:36-40 – The importance of love. We are commanded to love God first, and then our neighbors as we would ourselves. 
  • Proverbs 13:20 – Choosing friends wisely. We will become like the friends we choose. 
  • Proverbs 17:17 – Determining who your friends are. 
  • 1 Corinthians 15:33 – The effects of bad company.  
  • Hebrews 10:24 – We should encourage others to love and do good deeds. 

Friendship Youth Camp Theme Outline

As believers, we know that God calls us to love one another and to form deep, meaningful relationships with our fellow believers. But let’s be real – not all friendships are created equal! That’s why it’s important to choose our friends wisely.

First things first: we need to understand just how important love is. Jesus himself said that we should love God with all our hearts and love our neighbors as ourselves.

Love is the foundation of all healthy relationships, and it’s only by loving one another that we can truly experience the fullness of life that God has in store for us.

That being said, we’ve got to be intentional about who we spend our time with. Proverbs tells us that “he who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

Basically, the friends we choose will have a big impact on our lives and our spiritual growth. So if we want to stay on track with God’s plan for us, we’ve got to surround ourselves with people who encourage us in our faith and hold us accountable.

It’s no secret that bad company can lead us down some pretty dark paths. Paul warns us in 1 Corinthians that “bad company corrupts good character.” So we’ve got to be careful about who we let into our inner circle.

We should be on the lookout for friends who share our values and who are committed to following Christ. And when we find those people, we’ve got to be willing to invest in those friendships, to be vulnerable and open with one another, and to offer each other support and encouragement no matter what.

Last but not least, let’s remember that friendship is a two-way street. We should be encouraging our friends to love and do good deeds, just like Hebrews tells us.

As we form deep, meaningful relationships with our fellow believers, we should be spurring each other on toward love and good deeds, sharing our struggles and triumphs, and praying for one another.

So there you have it – let’s approach friendship with intentionality and care, seeking out wise, godly friends who will encourage us in our faith.

And let’s never forget the importance of love – both for God and for our neighbors. Together, we can build each other up in our shared journey of faith!

Group Questions

How Do I Make Friends?

The wisest man ever, Solomon, offers advice on friendship in Proverbs 18:24.  He notes that we must be friendly to others if we want to make friends.  Interested in knowing more? This article dives deeper into how to make friends at youth camp.

What Makes a Good Friendship?

A genuine biblical friendship is marked by trustworthiness, lovingness, openness, respectfulness, and truth. A biblical friendship can help you transform your life and can keep your faith flame lit. 

What Should I Look for in Friendships?

When we look at biblical friendships like Ruth and Naomi or Jonathan and David, we see what our friendships should look like. Proverbs 27:17 says “iron sharpens iron” so should your friendships help to improve you in your faith, as you both keep each other grounded. 

Friendship Themed Games 

Icebreaker Games 

ICEBREAKER GAMES for Youth Ministry - EASY Youth Group Games!

There are multiple games shown in this video. These types of games are ideal for helping youth make new friends. These are a great way to kick off a youth camp.

Need some quick icebreaker questions? Try these 101 Questions for Youth!

The Speed Friending Game

Speed Friending is similar to speed dating, but the end goal is different. What is perfect about setting up a speed friending session during your youth camp is that it allows the teenagers to get to know each other quickly without hesitating or being overly self-conscience. Full details on how to play here.

Trust Games 

Trust leans or falls are a very popular way to build trust once the ice has been broken. This game is quite popular and is characterized by blindfolding the active player (Or asking them to close their eyes) and placing them with their back towards the player who will catch them when they fall back. 

Outdoor Team Building Games 

FUN OUTDOOR TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES | Youth Group Outdoor Party Games

Here you will find 5 outdoor games that are great for team building. The games are demonstrated in the video well. 

Friendship Themed Crafts

100 DIY GIFTS FOR BEST FRIEND YOU WILL LOVE

There are so many options for crafts that work with the theme “Friendships: Bonds that Last”.  Choose any of the craft ideas in this video, which all go well with this theme. 

Books on Christian Friendship

In Summary

The Bible supports friendships for our youth. We want them to feel loved and for them to have a sense of belonging. But we want to ensure that they are forming the types of friendships that the Bible supports and provides counsel on. We want them to create lasting friendships with like-minded individuals, so they can help each other grow in Christ. 

This camp theme is ideal for helping youth to make friends and to have lasting friendships with friends in Christ. Need more ideas? Try these other youth camp themes.

Last update on 2024-08-21 at 06:57 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API