Lessons in Leadership from Captain America: Character Comes First
This session is based on the 2011 Marvel film Captain America: The First Avenger. You and your young people should watch the film before the session. The film is certified as a 12A, so be wise making sure that anyone watching is 12 or above (or watches with adult supervision).
Icebreaker
To start the session, chat about the film. Discuss what people thought about it. Had they seen it before? What did they like about the film? What didn’t they like? Who is their favourite Marvel character? Why do they think you are doing a session based around Captain America?
The goal is to get your young people to think back to the film (if they watched it at another time) and to start stimulating conversation, getting the young people to share. If there are particular young people who are more shy, make sure you ask for their opinion. Get everyone involved.
A good way to end this is to explain how there are lots of lessons about faith and leadership we can learn from the film, and so that’s what you are going to be doing in this session.
Explain
The aim of the session is to highlight how important your character is as a follower of Jesus and as a leader.
This is highlighted in the film. Before he received the super serum, Steve Rogers was weak and couldn’t do much, yet he had great character and that was recognised by others. Because of his good character of heart, he was chosen to go onto bigger and better things.
It’s the same with God. He doesn’t choose those who are the best at everything or are outwardly impressive. He looks at our hearts and then equips us to do his work and be amazing leaders – much like Steve Rogers when he was given the super serum. In 1 Samuel 16, Samuel anoints David as king, even though he is the smallest and youngest of his brothers because ‘The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ (1 Samuel 16:7)
Discuss
What do you think are some of Captain America’s best characteristics, especially from before he become a superhero? It is also worth getting the group to explain why each one is a good characteristic and if it is something they want to develop for themselves.
Some of the things you could highlight are:
His bravery. Whether in the face of bullies or a grenade, he shows great bravery to stand up to people and to try to protect those around him.
He is determined. Despite his obvious physical weaknesses, and multiple rejections for the army, he is determined to do what he thinks is right.
He’s acts righteously. He states how he doesn’t want to go to war so that he can kill bad guys, but because he doesn’t like bullies and wants to stand up for the little guys.
He’s willing to make sacrifices for the sake of those around him.
Write these characteristics down somewhere and be ready to share them on your screen later in the session.
This is a great moment to watch the ‘grenade scene’ together! You can find this clip on YouTube.
Teach
Explain how the 'Grenade Scene’ highlights firstly his bravery, but also the way in which he leads in a similar way to Jesus. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice (death) to allow us to be saved and forgiven for our sins. In the film, Captain America is willing to literally sacrifice himself to save others.
As followers of Jesus we are called to be a people who sacrifice for the sake of others. Although we may not be asked to die on a cross, or jump on a grenade, Jesus does ask other things of us. It may be that we have to sacrifice some of our lifestyle choices: choosing to give up what other people around us are doing because we know it isn’t the way Jesus has chosen us to live. We may have to sacrifice being ‘cool’ so that we can be someone who loves and spends time with those who may be considered ‘outsiders’ at school. We may have to sacrifice some of our money, so that we can give it to those in need.
Part of being a follower of Jesus is making these sacrifices because we know it is what Jesus is asking us to do . They are things Jesus has done (we see them in the Bible), and likely would do if he was a young person among us now.
This may sound like it is scary, or that it is going to be really negative for our lives. But that doesn’t need to be true. At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus promises his disciples (which is us if we choose to follow Jesus) that he will be with us, ‘to the very end of the age’ (Matthew 28:20). It’s still true for us today. Jesus isn’t just asking us to make brave sacrifices in our lives by ourselves, but through his Holy Spirit, he is with us today, helping us to be his disciples and to live like him.
Now I don’t know about you, but I really want to live like this. I want to be like Captain America, and I definitely want to be like Jesus! To do that, I need to look at some of the characteristics that we have spoken about today and think if I actually have them. I need to look at the way Jesus sacrificed for us and try to start making sacrifices for the sake of others, and for Jesus. And this is something you can do too!
Reflection
Now spend some time in reflection.
Find the list of characteristics you wrote down earlier and share them on your screen. Then, ask the group to write down one or two of those characteristics they want to grow in, and something they think Jesus might be asking them to sacrifice.
Make it clear that they won’t have to share this with anyone if they don’t want to. It can be something that is completely between them and Jesus.
Put some music on and ask the group to spend some time reflecting on these things, praying and asking the Holy Spirit to speak to them.
Spend anywhere between one and ten minutes on this – you’ll know your youth group well enough to gauge how much time they’ll be able to engage with the exercise depending on their age and if they have done reflection like this before.
Prayer
Gather everyone back together. Encourage the group for spending that time reflecting and praying, as it’s not an easy thing to do.
To finish, pray with them all. Again, you know your young people the best and what they will participate in and what they won’t, but be bold and lead them to step into this time if it’s new for them (and you).
Ask everyone to stand up. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak to them personally. Wait for silence and allow for longer then you normally would as you quietly pray over the group.
Say: ‘In the silence, ask the Holy Spirit to show you one thing you are taking away from our discussion or your reflection.’
Wait again.
Say: ‘What do you need help with to put that one thing into practice?’ (perhaps give some examples like courage, or resilience). Encourage them to talk to God in the silence.
Finally, read Matthew 28:18–20 over the group – read it a couple of times and finish by praying over the group as they head into the rest of their week.
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