2018 Beach Retreat Leader Manual

STUDENT INTERVIEWS (Guidelines For Leaders)
One of the most important parts of Beach Retreat is the
personal, one-on-one time you will have with each student
in your condo. These times have been a catalyst for reallife
change in our student’s lives. Use these times as an
opportunity to hear your student’s story, and ultimately share
Christ or encouragement that student may need.
Simple Reminders
• You will receive a sign-up chart for your students to
choose a time to meet with you. An example of this
chart is on page 83. Have your students pick a time
and place to meet with you this week on Sunday
night. Make sure to meet in a public, obvious location.
• Prepare now for these important times. Pray daily
between now and when we leave. Pray your students
will be open and receptive to you as you visit. Pray
also for a clean and pure heart. Come to Beach
Retreat “confessed up” and ready for the Lord to use
you this week.
When You Meet
• Make sure to remind your students before heading to
free time if they are meeting with you that day.
• Be early, smile and greet them warmly. Start off your
conversation informal and fun.
Get to Know Them
• What is their family like? Where do they go to
school? What activities are they involved with? What
do they love to do in their free time? Have they been
to Beach Retreat before? What are they looking
forward to this week?
• The goal is to find what they are passionate about.
Share some things you enjoy and try and find some
common ground with your student. Use this to make
them feel comfortable talking to you.
Transition Questions
1. Do you and your family have a church that you
attend? Do you go regularly? How would you
describe your relationship with God?
2. Ask them to share their story with you.
3. After hearing their story, ask if you can share your
story with them.
4. Your story is simply your life before Christ, how
Christ changed your life and what your life looks
like now that you are a believer. This is not a time
to share your dirty laundry with your students.
However, your student needs to know that all have
sinned and fallen short, even you.
5. After sharing your story, ask your student if they
have ever asked Christ to change their life.
6. If they say yes, and they have not already shared
this with you, ask them to share with you when
they gave their life to Christ. This will give you a
better sense if they clearly understand the Gospel
and what it means to follow Christ. If they do know
Christ, ask them if there is anything you can help
them with in their relationship with Christ or if they
have any questions about God.
7. If they say no, share how God takes our broken,
sinful lives and gives us His forgiveness and eternal
life. If you need help explaining the Gospel, use the
Bridge Illustration below.
8. Remember, the best way to share the Gospel is with
your story. No one can argue with your story and
how God changed your life.
The Bridge Illustration
• If you are on the beach, stop and sit down on the
beach. Using your finger, draw out the “Bridge
Illustration” in the sand. If you are at the Tent, have a
piece of paper or your notebook to draw it out so they
can see. Draw two separate land areas with a gulf in
between. Using the images of God, ourselves, and our
attempts to get to God, simply walk them through what
it takes to have a relationship with God. They should
see that Jesus alone is the “Bridge” that they must cross
to get to God. The Bridge Illustration is found on page
58 in this book. As you share this illustration, make it
personal to your own salvation story.
• Once you walk through the Bridge Illustration with
them, ask them this question, “Does this make sense
to you? And, “Has this ever happened in your life? “If
so, can you tell me more about that?” “If not, is there
any reason that you know of that is keeping you from
having a real relationship with God though Jesus
Christ right now?” If they say no, share with them that
they can ask Jesus to come into their life right now. All
they need to do is pray in faith a simple prayer.
• Have them personally pray and ask Christ to come
into their life.
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