Years ago we did a foot washing ceremony during a short-term mission trip.  It was one of the most powerful moments of the trip, and it was a power image of biblical servanthood.   It quickly became a staple of our annual summer mission trip.  We’ve done this ceremony yearly [...]]]>

Years ago we did a foot washing ceremony during a short-term mission trip.  It was one of the most powerful moments of the trip, and it was a power image of biblical servanthood.   It quickly became a staple of our annual summer mission trip.  We’ve done this ceremony yearly for nearly 15 years, and in that time we have come up with a mostly seamless process for pulling off this ceremony.  This process works best with a group smaller than 20.  When I have had larger groups I split into groups smaller than 20, and I place a leader in each group to begin the ceremony.

You will need:

1. Music. I have used a worship mix from an ipod and speakers, and I have used a live musician.
2. A Bible
3. A chair for each participant.
4. A plastic (waterproof) shoebox sized box for each participant
5. A bottle of water for each participant.
6. A small travel sized tube of shampoo or soap for each participant.
7. A small washcloth for each participant.
8. A bit of darkness and candles help the mood.

The set up:

I set all the chairs in a circle facing inward leaving a bit of space between each chair.  Under each chair I put a shoebox sized plastic box.  Inside each box I put a water bottle, shampoo or soap, and a small washcloth.

Introduction:

Before walking the teens to the place where the ceremony will be, I instruct them that this ceremony is to be done reverently and in silence.  Once all are seated I grab my Bible and stand in the middle of the circle.  I instruct the teens to take off their socks and shoes.

“Tonight we are going to have our foot washing ceremony.  This ceremony goes back to the time of Christ, and Christians throughout the centuries have continued to do this.  It would be very easy to giggle and make light of this time, but do you best to take it seriously.  Also I know some of you are uncomfortable with people touching your feet, or maybe if you are like me you are ticklish.  To you all I can say is suck-it-up.  You will be blessed by doing so.  I will wash the feet of a person in this circle.  When I am finished I will give that person a hug, and they will wash someone else’s feet. This will continue until the last person washes my feet.”

Next I grab my Bible and begin reading aloud John 13:1-17

Scripture:

 1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

   Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.

The foot washing:

Once I have finished reading the scripture I have a leader hit play on the ipod.  I put my Bible in my chair and walk to one of the youth.

1. I kneel in front of the youth
2. I pour water from their water bottle into their plastic box
3. I take their first foot, and I place it in the water.
4. I use the soap to wash their foot.  I set an example to the group by washing their foot very well.
5. I rinse the soap off of their foot
6. I use the washcloth to dry their foot.
7. I do the same process for the second foot.

Once I am finished I stand up and hug the student.  Then I sit in their chair and they go to the next teen.

When every person has had his or her feet washed the last person will wash my feet.  After my feet are clean and I hug them I grab my Bible again.  I stand in the middle of the group, and read John 13:12-17

 John 13:12-17 

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.

 “You may now leave this area.  Please go in silence.”

http://thejoeyphillips.blogspot.com/

]]> http://www.youthministryideas.net/2011/09/23/15-years-of-youth-ministry-feet-washing/feed/ 0 http://www.youthministryideas.net/2010/07/13/local-youth-ministry-missions/ http://www.youthministryideas.net/2010/07/13/local-youth-ministry-missions/#comments Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:11:01 +0000 Steve http://www.youthministryideas.net/?p=1007 Let me just start by saying that I see this as a HUGE thing for our youth today! I see this as something that can be done across the country! I may be dreaming big here, however, I wanted to give you a wonder youth ministry idea about doing a local missions trip.

Last week [...]]]> Let me just start by saying that I see this as a HUGE thing for our youth today! I see this as something that can be done across the country! I may be dreaming big here, however, I wanted to give you a wonder youth ministry idea about doing a local missions trip.

Last week I participated in a local missions project in our community called REACH. We named it REACH – you could name it whatever you like.

What is REACH?

REACH is a week long local missionary experience available for participation among the local churches in the county area. The whole idea behind REACH takes on a “missions in your own back yard” approach to mission trips for youth ministries. While participating in REACH, students will be divided into crews that will work together on “hands on” projects ranging from cleaning up yards to roofing houses. At the end of each day, students will come together for a time of corporate worship, reflection, and inspiration.

With that being said I have attached a packet that you can download to see how we organized it (at the bottom). I highly recommend that you pray about this for next summer as an opportunity that you can have with your youth ministry! Start by downloading the packet and going to the website we created for it: www.REACH2010.org and just pray within your youth ministry alliance in your community.

The things I enjoyed about it:

• Physical labor – im not a physical labor kind of a guy – but it was good for me and my students to learn how to “work” and see something accomplished together through a team effort.
• Spiritually encouraging - at night we had worship through a live worship band and a guest speaker all week. It seemed as though those times were more intense and enjoyable as we had worked all day helping those in need and then coming together and worshiping God.
• Results – We got to see our project getting completed each day. We got to see and share with the residents! It was great!
• Encouragement bags – At our place where we were staying each crew had bags with each crew members name and you could write encouraging notes to each other and drop little candy gifts inside them.
• Youth Ministries Coming Together – It was SO awesome to see the youth ministries coming together to get this done and I think it will actually strengthen all of our youth ministries because of it.

Here’s a video of the event we just got done last week:

Here’s a picture of my crew: (we painted this house all week long)

Below is information that you can download:

Reach 2010 Packet

Medical Release Form adult form old format

Adult Volunteer Information

Community Information

Reach 2010 Brochure

If you have any other questions you can talk or contact those that administrated the event at www.Reach2010.org

Currently I’m stationed in the Great Falls, Montana area and above is a picture of a moose that I saw on my father-in-law’s farm. The picture was curteosy of my brother-in-law. Just be glad I didn’t try to put my picture of him on here. The one that you see is [...]]]>

Currently I’m stationed in the Great Falls, Montana area and above is a picture of a moose that I saw on my father-in-law’s farm. The picture was curteosy of my brother-in-law. Just be glad I didn’t try to put my picture of him on here. The one that you see is just a baby moose too and as you can see they get real big (8-9 feet tall I here).

Anyways, this picture made me think I bet there is some youth group out there looking for youth ministry ideas and I wanted to say that if you are ever interested in coming out to Montana to do a back packing trip or service project of some sort – I could hook you up! Maybe you want to design some type of leadership thing with some core kids.

It only takes about 1 and half to 2 hours to get into some good mountain country from my location.

Anyways, if you are interested, please feel free to contact me Steve Blanchard by email: youthministryideas@gmail.com and we could at least begin the discussion probably at this point for next summer.