The Avengers and The Body of Christ

This discussion/lesson guide originally appeared on the

Youthworker Movement

site

Yet another blockbuster movie has been able to get your students to skip the youth fundraiser and spend their $15 on a ticket.  Of course the main reason you were upset about it was because you were stuck at the church doing yet another fundraiser instead of being where everyone else wanted to be this weekend: The Avengers.  I won't spend a lot of time making this into a review.  So, I will review the move in one made-up word: Incredibleawesometacular. Now that my bias is clear, here's a list of questions to get students thinking and talking about the movie: Fun Creative Exercise: Ask students in the group to think about themselves and decide what some of their strengths and weaknesses are.  Then tell them you want them to exaggerate those strengths and weakness and come up with their own super-hero persona.  Name, Logo, whatever they can think of but the most important part is their main 1-3 super powers and their main weakness.  Take a moment to allow them to share with the group.

Openers:

1. What was your favorite part of the movie?
2. What was the funniest line in the movie?
3. Where did you see God or Christianity reflected in the movie?

The Super-hero theme:

1. What is it about super heroes that makes people get excited?
2. What need does that point to inside us as humans?
3. What about villains?  What is it about them being so incredibly evil that makes these movies so good?

This group of super-heroes/villian:

1. Every super hero has a strength and weakness.  What are they for each of the avengers?
2. How do their strengths and weaknesses support each other?  Where do you see that happen in the movie?
3. Think about their personalities.  Do you think their personalities help each of them or hurt them?
4. How do their different personalities compliment each other?  Where do you see that happen in the movie?
5. What do you think motivated Loki to attack earth?

Avengers Scripture:

1. Read Romans 12:3-8
2. How can the difference in strengths and weaknesses in The Avengers help us understand this scripture?
3. If the body of christ were a super-hero group, what do you think Paul would say is the key to it being effective?
4. What is one thing you can do over the next week to be more supportive of/connected to the Body of Christ?