Mixing it up with ... The Simpsons - Owen Smith

Fact 1 The Simpsons is a massive part of popular culture. In a survey of two thousand 10-14 year olds, 11 out of 17 said that their most watched programme was The Simpsons and with its memorable characters and hilarious storylines it is a rich resource for exploring Christian themes and theological concepts.Fact 2 Young people aged 9-13 are a massively under-resourced age group in churches. Spanning the 'tweenager' and 'tweenie' age zones young people of this age are increasingly fashion-aware, media-savvy and worldly-wise. They don't regard themselves as children but are not yet adults. This new book addresses both the need and the cultural interest.In 12 sessions, this book engages with everyday issues, from gossip to sibling rivalry, and looks at what the Christian message is for these themes. Mixing it up with The Simpsons uses extracts from episodes to help your youth group connect with key Christian beliefs in a contemporary format - from Lisa the Beauty Queen (issues of self-image) to Homer and Barney (the importance of friendship) - with an introduction to the book covering all you need to consider in terms of health and safety, child protection, and how to handle the aspects of The Simpsons that are not always very godly.Mixing it up with The Simpsons is split into two parts each with six sessions: Part One is for those who are newer to church and Part Two is for young people who have been coming to church for a little longer.Each session is divided into six parts and includes photocopiable material:
Beforehand (to help leaders prepare the session)
Opening Activity (introducing the session's theme and getting the young people thinking about the issue)
Focus on Simpsons (exploring the issue with an episode, with questions for discussion)
Bible Focus (a Bible verse or passage dealing with the Christian perspective on the session's theme.)
Prayer Response (prayer activity and response)
Extras and Inserts (optional activities linked to the theme)