If you, then y'all:
Middle School Adventure Week 2026
Over the course of 4 days, the MSAW explored four important questions posed by Philippians 2:1-4:
- If we are made in the image of God, what is His identity?
- What does God's identity say about ours individually?
- What does it mean to have a communal identity?
- What do we do with all of this tomorrow?
Journey deeper into our invitation to unity!
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Click here for a FREE PDF of the devotional
Click here to order a physical copy or eBook
DAY ONE
Who is God?
If we are made in the image of God, what is His identity?
- Paul introduced himself, showing a video of his stint as Mo$e$ (below)
- Introduced the theme of “If you, then Y'all” and Philippians 2:1-4
- In order to know who YOU are, you need to know the One in whose image you are made
- Crowdsourced ideas about who God is
- Discussed how we come to know who God is
- Discussed how we may think we didn't hear God when we actually did (Wilhelm Scream video below)
- Practiced listening for God by asking, "Do you love me?"
KEY VERSE:
Philippians 2:1-4
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Small Group Questions:
- How did it feel being honest about your thoughts on God?
- How do you feel about the ways we can learn more about God's identity?
- What are the barriers to knowing God and how can you break them?
- Work together to find and write down verses about God's character.
"Let my people go" - Mo$e$
Have you ever heard the "Wilhelm Scream"?
DAY TWO
Who am I?
What does God's identity say about ours individually?
- We talked about who God is… what does it mean to be made in His image?
- Talked about the uniqueness of how God made us, such as: MBTI, Ennegram, APEST, Clifton Strengths.
- Discussed why we are fearfully, wonderfully, uniquely made, rather than all the same
KEY VERSE:
Psalm 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Small Group Questions:
- What did you learn about yourself? How did it feel?
- What did you learn about others? How did it feel?
- What does all of the unique ways we've been created say about God, and impact how we understand and seek Him?
- How can you learn more about who God made you to be?
- How can you affirm/celebrate/invest in who God made you to be?
DAY THREE
Who are we?
What does it mean to have a communal identity?
- We discussed how we live in a society that values individualism, but Scripture is communal; why are we called to unity vs. isolation?
- We played a game creating creatures to explore what happens when the full body functions together
- We reflected back on the different personalities and explored the benefits of their uniqueness in collaboration.
KEY VERSE:
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[a] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[a] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
Small Group Questions:
- We live in a culture that emphasizes independence; why does God's Kingdom emphasize dependence on Him and the Body?
- Which part of the Spiritual Body best represents you and why? (e.g. and ear because God's made you a good listener, a stomach because you're good at processing what people throw at you, etc.)
- Was it hard giving every person a purpose in your creature? Why is it hard for us to see purpose in others?
- How can we get better at seeing the value and purpose in others, particularly those who are different or opposed to us?
- How can we get better at including others in meaningful ways, particularly those who are different or opposed to us?
DAY FOUR
What now?
What do we do with all of this tomorrow?
- We played a game with balloons to explore our default of "sides mentality", and discussed how that impacts our ability to be in unity.
- Using Philippians 2:1-4, we discussed why seeking God in unity, not just individually, and being “y'all” is important?
- We processed what God trying to accomplish through THEM, and how THEY can impact the Kingdom as "y'all".
KEY VERSE:
Philippians 2:1-11
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Small Group Questions:
- Have you ever seen “sides mentality” become an issue in sports? In life?
- Why does God emphasize unity throughout scripture?
- Why can it be hard to live in unity with your peers? How can unity become more present?
- What might God be trying to accomplish though Y'ALL?
- What can y'all do after this week to step toward that?
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