To Save A Life Leaders Guide Sample

To Save A Life Leader’s Guide

Copyright © 2009 by Jim Britts

Published by Outreach, Inc. in partnership with New Song Pictures.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

The To Save A Life youth curriculum is based on the movie To Save A Life © 2009 New Song Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations in this publication are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, TODAY’S NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society®. Used by permission of International Bible Society®. All rights reserved worldwide. “TNIV” and “Today’s New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society®. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society.

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OutreachPublishing.com

Graphic design and layout: Stephanie Larson and Alex Rozga

Editing: Toni Ridgaway and Jennifer Dion

Printed in the United States of America

about

the film

10

To Save A Life is a powerful indie movie about the

real-life challenges of teens and their choices. In fact, this

project is more than just a movie—it’s a feature-length film, a

youth curriculum, and a teen devotional centered around the

biblical concept that we are never more like Jesus than when

we are reaching out to the hurting and lonely.

Powerful things happen when a community gathers

together behind a cause and a compelling story. Brought

to life by a team of gifted Hollywood professionals and

hundreds of volunteers, To Save A Life was written by Jim

Britts, a seasoned youth pastor combining his film degree

with a passion to reach youth. New Song Pictures is a

team of filmmakers from Oceanside, CA, with a vision

for life-saving entertainment. Outreach Films equips

churches with film and visual media tools to reach their

communities for Jesus Christ. They have been involved in

important Christian films such as The Chronicles of Narnia:

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe; The Passion of the

Christ; FIREPROOF; and End of the Spear.

about

the film

About The Film

“The characters were realistic and, although the movie had meaning, it was really entertaining.”

“It’s the story that seriously touched me. I see myself in so many of these people.”

“A powerful movie that will challenge you to love radically.”

“A must see. Loved it. Great story with real struggles and actual problems.”

- Youth Worker

“I know every one of the characters in the film —they just go by different names.”

– Young Life Staffer

“Very potent—important for teens and anyone who loves teens to see.”

– Counselor

“It deals with real-life issues that teenagers are going through. For me as a high school teacher, it makes me realize my purpose and reason for being there, and that people and relationships are the only things that matter.”

– Seattle High School Teacher

To Save A Life Movie SynopsisJake and Roger grew

up as best friends.

But in high school,

Jake becomes a

star athlete who

has it all: a college

scholarship and

the perfect girl, an

ideal life that comes

at the exclusion

of his childhood

friend. Meanwhile,

Roger no longer

fits in anywhere

and becomes tired

of always being

pushed aside. He

makes a tragic

move that spins

Jake’s world out

of control. As

Jake searches for

answers, he begins

a journey that will

change his life

forever.

11About The Film

Why do this

series?

14

At some point, every teen has to decide what their life is going to be about.

The To Save A Life curriculum

will inspire students in your

ministry to be Jesus’ hands and

feet by reaching out to the lost, hurting,

left out, and lonely on their school campuses.

As you know, teenagers face more challenges than ever before.

Their lives are fast-paced, wide-open, high-pressure, and full of

relationship questions and temptations.

In the midst of these challenges, many junior and senior high school

students struggle with intense feelings of loneliness, rejection, and

depression. Thousands of hurting teenagers all over the world have

even considered taking their own lives.

In the movie To Save A Life, students at Pacific High School deal

with issues like teen pregnancy, suicide, divorce, and acceptance

from their peers, even while they appear to “have it all together.”

These same realities affect the teenagers walking the halls of your

neighborhood schools and coming to your youth group. They are

searching, and if you are willing to listen to their stories, they may

listen to what you have to say about Christ. Their only lasting hope

is found within a loving relationship with Jesus Christ, but statistics

show if they don’t find Him by the time they graduate from high

school, they probably never will. As you page through the Gospels,

over and over you see Jesus reaching out to the hurting and the

lonely. The truth is, we’re never more like Jesus than when we care

for those in need.

Why Do This Series?

We pray the Holy

Spirit will use this

curriculum to: ✚ Reveal the needs of

teenagers who are

hurting, and equip

ministry leaders

to offer them real

support

✚ Facilitate open

and transparent

communication

between students

and ministry staff

✚ Cast a vision for

teenagers in your

ministry, showing

them how they

can make a huge

difference by

reaching out to the

hurting and lonely

✚ Provide an incredible

opportunity for

teenagers to invite

others to church

who normally would

never come

✚ Bring teenagers to

Christ

Teen Suicide & DepressionA study conducted in 2007 by the Center for Disease Control found that 14.5% of students in grades 9 to 12 had seriously considered suicide in the previous 12 months.

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that suicide is the third leading cause of death among children ages 10-12 and adolescents ages 15-19.

Studies show that four out of five teen suicide attempts have been preceded by clear warning signs.

Experts estimate that depression strikes about one out of eight teenagers. (www.teensuicide.us)

15Why Do This Series?

16

Hey, my name is Jim Britts.In addition to being the author of the new film To Save A Life, I’ve

also been a full-time youth pastor for the past 10 years out in

California. That’s just to say—I am one of you. I care deeply for

the students in my ministry. I’m passionate about reaching the

thousands of students in our area who don’t know Christ, and I’m

leery of all programs, conferences, and events that promise to

revolutionize our youth ministry. So, I’m not going to tell you any of

that, but I do want to share what’s happened in our youth ministry.

A while back, I attended an event at a local high school called

Challenge Day, where a secular group took 100 students through

reconciliation training. It was awesome! I’m an experienced youth

pastor, but I had never seen anything like this. In the course of

a couple hours, students were changed, sharing their deepest

fears, embracing former enemies, and committing to reach out

to the hurting and lonely on their

campus. Best of all, the principles that

transformed these teens are all found

in Scripture!

For more information on

Challenge Day, go to …

Fromthe

author

Why Do This Series?

17

At one point in our training, we did a 30-minute exercise in which

we listened to a set of statements, and if one of them applied to us,

we were to walk across a line 10 feet away. Statements included,

“My parents are divorced,” “I have felt judged because of the color of

my skin,” and “I don’t like the shape of my body.”

The final statement was, “Please walk across the line if you or a close

friend has ever attempted suicide.” I was shocked—more than 75%

of the students walked across the room! A few months later, we

adapted that same exercise for our youth ministry, and I asked that

same question to a large group of high school church kids. More than

75% of my students silently walked across the room. Again, I was

blown away.

We created this curriculum based on the premise that: We are never more like Jesus than when we are reaching out to the hurting and lonely.

We deliberately connected it with the themes from the film To Save

A Life, and it was easily the most powerful series I have ever been

part of as a youth pastor.

During the seven-week series, I saw:

✚ More unchurched students join our ministry than during any

other series

✚ More students enter into relationships with Christ

and get baptized than during any other series

✚ Students share more honestly and intimately

with each other and with our adult leaders than

ever before

✚ Excitement in our ministry like I had never

experienced before

✚ Our ministry come together around a cause

like I had never seen before

Why Do This Series?

18 Why Do This Series?

Our passion was to find a way to communicate to hurting kids, in

the most relevant way possible, the greatest message ever told. God

clearly told us we could accomplish this through producing this film

and creating this curriculum. When we started, we hoped local kids

would get a copy of the film because they or their friends were in it;

we didn’t even dream that God had much bigger plans.

So, this curriculum was created by an ordinary youth ministry,

one that has been blown away by God’s extraordinary results when

we simply obeyed Him and reached out to suffering people. Please

pray that the Holy Spirit will use this curriculum to reach a hurting

generation that desperately needs the truth to set them free.

ContentsForeword � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �5

About the Film � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �9

Why Do This Series? � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �13

Using This Curriculum � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �19

What’s All This Stuff?

Preparing for the Series

Important Things to Do Throughout the Series

Volunteer Job Descriptions

Week 1: Lowering the Waterline � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �39

Week 2: You’re Not Alone� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 53

Week 3: Say Something…Do Something � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �65

Week 4: What’s Your Logline? � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �75

Week 5: How To Save A Life � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �85

Week 6: Agape Feast � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 97

Week 7: Stepping Into the Bigger Story � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 101

Handling the Tough Stuff � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 111

Speak Up: Join the To Save A Life Community � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 119

Acknowledgments � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �122

Lowering the WaterlineWeek 1

40

Help students realize that

if they are going to love the

hurting and lonely, then

they first need to know how

much God loves them�

Key Scripture:

Get Ready (15 minutes before start time)

Gather your adult staff to pray�

Despite the temptation to immediately hang out with students,

prayer is vitally important and gives you the opportunity to inform

the team of any last details�

Week 1:

1� To Save A Life Resource DVD2� Loud music

3� To Save A Life Resource CD • Week 1 PowerPoint slides • Attendance sheets • Challenge Cards • Mail Cards

4� Your message notes5� One or two volunteers for the “If You Really Knew Me, You Would Know…” exercise�

lowering the

waterline

WEEK 1: Lowering the Waterline

41

Get Started (5 minutes)

Rockin’ the Gauntlet Set the tone for the evening by having all your adult leaders line up

just inside the door to the youth room� When it’s time to start, have

every student run through the line of excited leaders giving high-fives�

Play energizing music in the background. As they “Rock the Gauntlet,”

every student receives words of encouragement before you even start!

WelcomeUse the Week 1 PowerPoint slides, available on your To Save A Life

Resource CD� You can print the slides and use them as handouts for

your leaders, or you can project them on screens in your youth room�

Open this week’s session by welcoming everyone, and then:

1� Give a short overview of the night, including what you’re going to

do as a group and the topics you will be covering�

2� Explain the rules, which are:

✚ Be real

✚ Take risks

✚ Confidentiality is crucial

✚ Show lots of love� Explain and demonstrate the sign-language

sign for love (shown below)� Tell students they should use the

sign for love when:

• Someone has been open and vulnerable

• Someone needs encouragement

• Someone is new


42

Breaking the Ice (25 minutes)

You Took My SeatHave students sit in a giant circle with the seats very close to each

other� If you have fewer than 10 students, leave one seat open; if you

have 20 students, leave two seats open� Use a similar 1-to-10 ratio for

larger groups�

✚ Have one or more students stand in the middle of the circle�

The number of students should match the number of open

chairs (e�g� two students for two open chairs)�

✚ The goal for the students in the center of the circle is to grab

an open seat�

✚ When you say “Go”, all of the students should begin moving

from seat to seat, going around the circle to their right� While

the students are moving, those in the middle of the circle will

try to grab a seat�

✚ If someone takes the seat to a student’s right, and they can’t

move into that seat, they go to the middle of the circle�

As the students shift quickly from seat to seat, they will move like a

wave around the room� Students frequently end up sitting on each

other’s laps, so there should be lots of laughter!

Pause and ReflectAfter “You Took My Seat,” ask the students, “How did it feel to lose

your seat and have to stand in the middle of the circle? Did you feel

angry, alone, embarrassed, or rejected?”

Then add, “This session helps us identify with the hurting and

lonely, and to experience God’s love for them�”


43

Dance and ShareBefore starting this activity, explain to your

students that people often don’t get to know

each other that well� This next exercise is to

help them learn some new things about the

other people in the group�

✚ Begin playing loud music� When the

music starts, the students all need

to find a partner and dance crazy

with them�

✚ When the music stops, the students

must ask their partner an icebreaker-

style question� Each time you start the

music, tell them the question they will

need to ask during the next break in

the music� Some examples are below�

• One dream I have for my life is…

• One thing that I am proud of is…

• My best childhood memory is… (and why is this their

best memory?)

• One thing that I am afraid of is …

• One thing I rarely share about myself is…

✚ Students must find a different partner each time the music stops�

Pause and ReflectAsk the students, “Were the first three questions on the list a little

easier to share than the last two? Did you hesitate a little before

sharing that deeply? If so, why?”

Then add, “True friends take the risk of being deeply known by one

another, and then realize they can be both known and loved�”

Use different styles of loud music to make this activity even more fun, and have your leaders (and you) participate.


44

Movie Time (4 minutes)

Watch the Week 1 movie clip on your To Save A Life Resource DVD�

Jake and Chris in the Car (4 min)

In this scene, Chris (the youth pastor) picks up Jake after Jake

becomes drunk at a party� As Chris drives Jake home, they begin to

talk about Roger’s suicide, and they realize they’re both living with

regrets over not being able to save him�

Large Group TimeStart the discussion by asking, “What do we know about icebergs?”

(Someone will inevitably share that the largest part of an iceberg is

under the water�) Continue the discussion by sharing that, “I think

we do that a lot in our own lives� We only allow people to see a small

part of who we really are� In just a moment, we’re going to have a

couple people share some stories about their lives, so you can see an

example of who we really are�”

Story Time (5-10 minutes)

If You Really Knew Me, You Would Know… Have two students (or adult leaders) share very honest and powerful

stories� Talk with some of your student (or adult) leaders as you

prepare for this session, and choose poignant and transparent

stories that will inspire the rest of the students�

“There was a kid at the party tonight, and

they didn’t let him in because he wasn’t cool

enough. How messed up is that—that he

wasn’t cool enough?” – Jake in To Save A Life


45

See the To Save A Life Resource DVD for

an example of an “If You Knew Me, You

Would Know…” story�

Before having your volunteer(s) share

their stories, tell the whole group, “It’s

not easy to get up and share honestly in

front of lots of people� I want us to make

two commitments to each other:”

1� What is shared in this room, stays in

this room� No gossiping about this at school tomorrow�

2� We commit not to think less of someone after they share�

Then ask, “How do you think these two commitments will help as

we share with each other over the next seven weeks?”

Family Time (15-20 minutes)

How to Form Effective Small Groups (“Families”)Give each leader a number, and then number-off students (guys

and girls separately) so that each group has both guys and girls�

The ideal group size is between four and six people, with one adult

leader for every four students�

The groups should all stay in the same room, and members of each

group should sit so closely that their knees touch�

After the “families” are seated all around the room, have your

adult leaders make sure there are no lone girls or guys who are

surrounded by a group of the opposite gender. Make last-second

group changes if you need to� Also, intentionally avoid having your

“Family” Groups include dating couples, best friends, or siblings�

Take a few moments to have students fill out an attendance

sheet (available on your To Save A Life Resource CD) and learn

people’s names�

Have your small group leaders read Five Keys to Leading Great Family Groups. This handout is on your Resource CD.


46

You’ve now formed the To Save A Life

groups for the next seven weeks�

After groups have formed, give these

instructions:

Each person has two minutes to

finish the sentence, “If you really knew

me, then you would know…”

Have someone in the front of the

youth room keep time and give

five-second warnings when time is

up� At the end of two minutes, the

group thanks the person for sharing

(group hugs are popular)� The person

sharing is the only one who can

talk—if they are silent, either let

the time be silent or others can ask

questions to help them�

Have the leader go first and

really lead by example by

taking a risk and sharing

from their heart. Some

groups will probably have

one more person than the

others. If so, during their

last two-minute time, the

families that are done can

share prayer requests.


47

Large Group Teaching (8-10 minutes)

See the To Save A Life Resource CD for the Week 1 message: Lowering

the Waterline� The text for this first session is given below� Feel free to

customize the message to meet the needs of your youth group and fit

your personal style�

During this part of the session, have students turn their chairs

toward the front but stay in their families�

Week 1 MessageHow many of you have heard of Alexander the Great? He really

wasn’t that great� He was a Greek ruler who lived from 356 to 323

B.C., and whose goal was to take over the world. (Much like my own

goal!) He truly believed that the Greek way of life was far superior to

the way the rest of the world lived� As the Greeks would invade other

countries and take over, Alexander really believed he was doing the

conquered nation a favor�

The Greeks were huge into beauty� They were known for building

incredibly beautiful buildings and had museums full of art� They

were especially focused on the human body and believed it was the

ultimate image of beauty� They started the Olympics and would have

gymnasiums where the rich could come and show off their bodies

(kinda like 24-Hour Fitness)� This process of changing nations into

the Greek way of living was called “Hellenization�” They wanted to

Hellenize the world�

Well, they almost succeeded, but like all good things, the Greeks’

time of power ended� You know who took over? The Romans� The

Romans were not that creative, so they really just copied the Greeks’

plan, but they took it to another level� Not only did they glorify the

human body, but they also would strongly look down on those who

had any type of deformity or imperfection or blemish� If a part of you

was not “acceptable” by their standards, you would be pushed to the

margins and seen as a lower-class citizen�


48

The Romans took it to even a higher degree than that� If someone

had a baby that was born with a deformity (for example, the parents

wanted a boy and were given a girl), people could go to a specific

mountain outside of the city and leave their newborn there to

die. Here is where it gets even crazier: People would go out to this

mountain and take these babies and raise the boys to be slaves

and the girls to be prostitutes� When the child was old enough,

he/she would be brought to the brothel so they could make money;

the common reason was that it was easier to raise a slave or prostitute

then to purchase one� Can you imagine growing up, knowing your

parents left you to die because you were “deformed,” and the only

thing you could offer of worth was slavery or prostitution?

There was this city called Ephesus that was especially known for

these practices. This guy named the Apostle Paul visited Ephesus, and

we learn that he led a wide variety of people to become Christians�

He led rich people as well as slaves and prostitutes� Churches back

then met in houses, so this eclectic group of people would have come

together simply because they had one thing in common: Jesus�

So Paul writes these house churches in Ephesus a letter, and many

of the people listening were these slaves and prostitutes� They would

not have been able to read three lines into this letter without falling

out of their chairs with tears of joy� Listen to Ephesians 1:3-6:

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy

and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted

as his sons and daughters through Jesus Christ, in accordance with

his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he

has freely given us in the One he loves.”

God was saying to this group:

✚ “I chose you before the creation of the world� I know you think

that nobody ever wanted you, but that could not be further

from the truth� I chose you before you were even left on that

mountain�”


49

✚ To be holy and blameless in His sight� In some translations, it

says without blemish� “You have been told your whole life that

you are deformed, but I’m telling you that you are absolutely

perfect according to me, and I made you�” Later in Ephesians 2,

Paul refers to the people as God’s masterpiece—they were His

“work of art�”

✚ In love, He predestined us to be adopted as His sons and

daughters in Jesus Christ� These people, who had been left by

their parents, now learned that they did have a Father who had

adopted them gladly�

Do you get this? Those people would have been dancing around the

room in gladness after only the first couple verses of this letter!

(My guess is your normal reaction in reading Scripture is not

so dramatic�)

Why is this important today? HELLENIZATION IS ALIVE AND

KICKING IN OUR WORLD! Go to the supermarket and just look at the

covers of the magazines telling you how you fall short and showing

you ways to hide your blemishes� Just look at the commercials

showing us what beauty really looks like and what we need to

compare ourselves to� Just walk on your campus, and you know the

game: people constantly checking each other out and playing the

game of comparisons� We’ve got tanning salons, implant surgeries

and more diet plans than you can imagine�

How many people here have ever felt self-conscious about the way

they look? Can I give you some great news? Jesus came to this earth

2,000 years ago to let us know that He loves you exactly the way you

are� You are perfect and blameless in His sight� You are His work of

art; you are not some accident—you are His masterpiece� You can’t

begin to look out into a world of hurting and broken people and

truly love them for who they are until you realize in your heart and

soul that God loves you exactly how you are� So check this out: you

glorify God when you act exactly as you are� The Church (His people)


50

is supposed to be the best picture of God to our world� When you

come here, it should be one long reminder that we and God love you

for exactly who you are, and not just with your physical blemishes

but your internal ones, too� You’re a member of the family of Jesus

Christ, and you’re accepted�

Experience It (10 minutes)

AppreciationInstruct students to find a partner within their family group and

move their chairs so they are directly facing each other� When the

group leader says, “Go,” one person has 30 seconds to explain to

their partner several of the great qualities about themselves—while

remembering that God created them with those qualities! When the

leader says, “Time,” the other partner will respond by going crazy

and celebrating that person for 15 seconds (shouting and standing

on chairs is allowed)� Then the partners switch roles and the second

person shares�

Have the group leaders ask students what it was like sharing good

things about themselves and having the other person celebrate them�

Now, share the following with the whole group: “What if instead of

sharing great things about you, you shared the stuff you are most

ashamed of? How would God respond to those who have entered into

a relationship with Him?”

Stand on a chair and shout:

This is my child, whom I have loved before the creation of the world. Out of

everyone in the world I chose him. I chose her. They are holy and blameless

in my sight. They have no blemishes. I adopted them and want nothing more

than to be with them. I’ve got incredible plans for their life. I’m crazy in love

with them and I’m not afraid to say it.

Give everyone in the group an opportunity to accept Christ into

their lives, right then!


51

Challenge Card (2 minutes)

Place Week 1 Challenge Cards at the front of the room. (See your

To Save A Life Resource CD for Challenge Cards. Print and cut them

before each session�)

This week’s challenge: Say “hi” to ten people tomorrow that you

normally would just walk right by�

Announce that a Challenge Card is left in the front of the room—

students can take the cards as a step of faith and then apply this

week’s lesson by following the challenge� They don’t have to take the

card, but if they do, then they must commit to doing what’s on the

card� Don’t share the Challenge Card out loud—have students take

them as a step of faith�

Mail Time (2-5 minutes)

As students are excused, give them To Save A Life Mail Cards as a

tool to encourage them to write notes to others they met that night�

(See your To Save A Life Resource CD for Mail Cards. Print and cut

them before each session�)

Students should fill out Mail Cards and give them back to adult

leaders before leaving. Pass out the Mail Cards at the beginning of

next week’s session�


To Save A Life Leaders Guide Sample

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Transcript of To Save A Life Leaders Guide Sample