Just another number - a youth group discussion starter

Are we important? Are we special? In an impersonal world this youth group discussion starter helps young people to consider their value and significance to God. It’s the first of three discussion starters on value, identity and image.

THE AMAZING SQUARE

Explain to your group that you are going to perform an amazingly complex mathematical problem without the use of a calculator, or a computer, or a safety net! This first activity helps to introduce the initial theme of numbers. It’s optional, although it will impress your group! Also a great party piece if you ever need it!

download The Amazing Square (pdf)

 
LIVING BY NUMBERS

Numbers are important. Ask the group if they can think of ways we use numbers every day? What about the rest of their family? How are numbers used to identify us? Write the responses on a whiteboard.

You can probably think of many examples of number use, but here are a few to help you get started - dates, time, speed, distance, computers, scientific equations etc. Numbers are also used to personally identify us – birthday, mobile phone number, passwords, driving licence, credit card, bank account, tax, health insurance, electoral (voting) number, personal measurements etc.

Numbers identify us, categorise us and in some ways define who we are. We hear people complain that they are ‘just another number’ in some big computer and no one really cares about them as a REAL person. It’s tempting, too, to think that if there is a God who is looking after millions and millions of people on earth we cannot really be very important. We’re just another number in God’s cosmic filing cabinet.