1. Welty 10
Overview:
As the retreat’s second (of three) teaching sessions,
this session explores what it means and looks like to
love God wholly, and the necessity of doing so. In
Mark 12.28-34, Jesus clearly identifies the most
important commandment: to love God with all
one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength. 1 Corinthians
13.1-3 and 1 John 4.20-5.2 bridging the gap, if we do
not love God with all our being, everything we do –
even our most well-intentioned ministry efforts – is
for nothing. Furthermore, loving others means
loving god. Considering the weight of this
command, I want to explore what it means to love
God with one’s heart, one’s soul, one’s mind, and
ones strength, as well as equip young ministry
professionals to respond obediently to the greatest
commandment and spur them on to routinely
assess their love for God.
Objectives:
1. Students will understand the importance of the
greatest commandment.
2. Students will be convicted to intentionally
respond to the greatest commandment.
3. Students will identify practical ways to respond
to the greatest commandment.
4. Students will be equipped to assess their love for
God.
5. Students will commit to routinely assessing their
love for God.
Materials
1. Computer
2. Internet Access
3. Method for Accessing PowerPoint Slides
4. Method for Displaying PowerPoint Slides
5. Tables
a. Two tables per every threepeople for The
Newlywed Game – Friends Version
b. One tableper every five people for the
individual reflection time
(drawing/painting)
6. Chairs
a. One per person for The Newlywed Game –
Friends Version
b. One per person for the teachingtime on
Mark 12.28-34 and supportingpassages
c. One per person for the individual
reflection time (drawing/painting)
d. Optional: Extra chairs toset around the
room for the individual reflection time
(journaling,worship,etc.)
7. Paper
a. One piece of paper per person for every
question you will as in The Newlywed
Game – Friends Version, plus one or two
extra per person in case a tie-breaker(s)is
necessary
b. Two or more pieces of paper per person
for the individual reflection time
(drawing/painting)
8. Markers (one per person)
9. Session 2 ScriptureHandout [Addendum #2.a]
(one per person)
10. Notebook paper (twoor more per person)
11. Pens/pencils (one per person)
12. Newspaper
13. Paper plates (one per person – for students to
put paint on)
14. Paint (three to five colors is sufficient; one or
more cups of each color per drawing/painting
table)
15. Paint brushes (threeor more per person)
16. Paper cups (one per person – for students to
clean paint brushes)
17. Colored pencils (twenty per every five people))
18. Trash bag (one)
19. “Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength” Reflection
Question Card [Addendum #2.b] (one per
person)
Saturday Afternoon/Evening
Fifty Minutes

2. Welty 11
Objective Strategies:
1. Students will play a modified version of “The Newlywed Game.” I want to engage them in
the session as well as introduce the theme of love.
2. Students will be taught what it means to love God wholly through examining the four
emphases of Mark 12.30: one’s heart, one’s soul, one’s mind, and one’s strength.
3. Students will be confronted by the importance and necessity of loving God wholly through
analyzing Mark 12.28-34; Deuteronomy 6.4-5; Leviticus 19.18; 1 Corinthians 13.1-3, and 1 John
4.20-5.2.
4. Students will be given opportunities to assess their love for God during a time of individual
reflection and worship.
5. Students will identify people whom can help them return to God when their strength is not
enough.
6. Students will discuss with their small group specific ways to love God with their hearts,
souls, minds, and strengths in their everyday lives.
7. Students will be prompted to decide upon a fixed interval of time, at which they will return
to the reflection questions to assess their love for God.
Prior to the session:
1. Print out Addendum #2.a: Session Two Scripture Handout (one per person).
2. Print and cut out Addendum #2.b “Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength” Reflection Questions Card
(one per person).
3. Create PowerPoint slides or an alternate visual presentation of the main points of loving God
with one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength; as well as the reflection questions [same as questions
on the “Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength” Question Card (see Addendum #2.b].
a. For example:
4. Pull up links for all background songs .
a. While students enter the room:
i. “Te Amo”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNFHCQCHDpA (4:20)
b. During the individual reflection time:
i. “Forever”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeJ14W2lXCw (4:00)
ii. “Your Great Name”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zpLPh6LibE (4:18)
iii. “You Are”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dbWtuhxNug (3:43)
iv. “Give Us Clean Hands”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onGbkeWkA64 (4:22)
5. Pull up PowerPoint slides to be projected at the appropriate times.
a. Main points of heart, soul, mind, and strength [separate slides]
b. Reflection questions
6.
Heart
• Your heart is the core of
your identity.
• What you do cannot
be who you are.
• You need to know
your identity
in Christ!
Soul
• Your
emotions
are your soul.
• You must give God
control of your
emotions.
• We must be
willing to submit
all people and
things in our
lives to
God’s authority.
Mind
• Your will is
your best
intention, and
God deserves
our best.
• Our minds
must be
on
Christ, firs t
and
foremost!
Strength
• Your
strength is
your
physical
capacity.
• We need to have people who
will carry us back to
Jesus when we
are too
weak.

3. Welty 12
For Example (if
you had twelve
students):
When the session starts: (two minutes)
1. Play Israel Houghton’s “Te Amo” as students enter the room;
end when you are ready to transition to the game.
a. “Te Amo”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNFHCQCHDpA (4:20)
2. Connect with students as they are entering the room, and ask them to choose a partner,
ideally someone they know well. If you have an odd number of students, ask if someone
would keep score for all the pairs. If you have an even number, you can keep score yourself.
Why should I pay attention? (ten minutes)
1. Ask all pairs to choose a Partner A and a Partner B. Direct all Partner A’s to sit at one row of
tables, and Partner B’s at the other row of tables across from each of their Partner A’s (see
diagram above).
2. Give a brief synopsis to all contestants, in case any students are not familiar with the game.
a. The object of The Newlywed Game itself is to discover how well each set of partners knows
each other, as well as – when there are multiple pairs playing – to determine which pair of
partners knows one another the best.
b. The question’s subjects will alternate, one about Partner A and then one about Partner B.
When the question is about Partner A Partner A writes his/or her answer, and Partner B
writes what he or she thinks Partner A’s answer is. Oppositely, when the question is about
Partner B, Partner B writes his/or her answer, and Partner A writes what he or she thinks
Partner B’s answer is.
P
a
r
t
n
e
r
A
P
a
r
t
n
e
r
B
Prior to the session (continued):
6. Set up tables and chairs for The Newlyweds – Friends Version: Set the
tables up in two parallel rows, with some space between the two rows
(see diagram on right). The members of each pair will sit across from
one another at opposite tables, so they cannot see one another’s answers.
Depending on the table, only three may sit comfortably; set up the two
rows of chairs (at both tables) as is comfortable.
7. Set up chairs for teaching time, all facing the front of the room (where
the slides will be projected).
8. Set up drawing/painting stations (tables and chairs) for the individual
reflection time (one table per every five people; one chair per person).
a. Cover all tables you will use for painting with newspaper
b. Set out paper plates (one per person)
c. Set out the cups of paint (one or more cups each color per table)
d. Set out paper to draw/paint on each table (two or more pieces per person)
e. Set out paintbrushes (three or more per person)
f. Fill paper cups with water and set them out (one per person)
g. Set out colored pencils (twenty per every five people)

4. Welty 13
Why should I pay attention(continued)?
2. c. Ask if there are any questions
3. Begin game! Ask questions, and with each, prompt players to write their answers on a piece
of paper. After each question, give a point to each pair in which both partners give the same
answer. Here are some example questions:
a. What does Partner A love to do when he or she is not writing ministry papers?
b. What would Partner B love to do after he or she graduates?
c. What is the class Partner A has loved most during their undergraduate education?
d. What attribute of God does Partner B love most?
4. Ask one tie-breaker question at a time, if necessary, and teams that are tied. Score the same
way as previous questions. Here are some more example questions:
a. What food does Partner A love the most?
b. Where is one place Partner B would love to travel?
c. What does Partner A love most about ministry?
d. What is one book of the Bible Partner B loves?
e. What does Partner A love most about home?
5. Draw upon the general, recurring theme of love to transition to the content portion of the
teaching session, on loving God wholly.
a. You could ask the students, before making the transition, if they noted a recurring theme
throughout all the questions.
b. Have the students sit down in the chairs set up specifically for the teaching time.
What do I need to know? (fifteen minutes)
* Distribute Addendum #1.a: Session Two Scripture Handout (see addendums).
* Read, or ask a student to read Mark 12.28-34 aloud.
Here are some talking points:
1. Answering the teacher of the law, the Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6.4-5.
a. The first word of the Hebrew text of Deuteronomy 6.4 is called the “Shema.” The first and
foundational confession of the Jewish faith, the “Shema” is a confession of monotheism:
“Hear Oh Israel, the LORD is one.” Furthermore, the command to “hear” is not passive, but
active; to hear is to take into account, and do as one is commanded (Wilson; Culpepper 420).
2. Confessing Yahweh as the one god, Deuteronomy 6
then continues, “Love the LORD your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength” (Deut. 6.5).
a. With three strong emphases on one’s heart, soul,
and strength, God through His prophet Moses,
asked Israel to love Him with all of their being; with all they had (Wilson).
b. Also intriguing, when Jesus is asked to identify the most important commandment, He
adds one emphasis: “Love the LORD … with all your mind …” (Deut. 6.5). This added
command to love Yahweh with all one’s mind pertains to one’s moral compass – having no
confusion around what is right in God’s eyes (Culpepper 421).
The Shema

5. Welty 14
What do I need to know (continued)?
4. Jesus does not stop with just loving God with all one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength; He
couples the confession of monotheism and loving God with all one’s being with Leviticus
19.18, another one of the 613 Jewish laws which commands, “Do not seek revenge or bear a
grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the
LORD.” The most important commandment, thus, is to love God with all of oneself, and the
second, to love others as one would love oneself.
5. After Jesus names the most important commandment, the teacher of the law reiterates Jesus’
declaration, and comments that doing those two things (loving God with all of oneself and
loving one’s neighbor as oneself) is more important than “all burnt offerings and sacrifices”
(Mk. 12.33; Culpepper 422). Arguably, this conclusion is weighty when seen in the context of
the still-existing sacrificial system.
6. Jesus “saw” the teacher of the law had come to an understanding of “true religion” what
actually involved (Culpepper 422). It was (and still is) so much more than abiding by certain
commandments and offering fragrant sacrifices; believing in God and following Jesus,
ultimately, is about loving God and your neighbor. Coming to this understanding, the
teacher of the law was not “far from the kingdom of God” (Mk. 12.34). In other words, the
teacher of the law had drawn near to Jesus, and was thus closer to God’s kingdom
(Culpepper 422).
7. Now, how does all this relate to our ministries? And why are we studying this passage – I’m
almost certain at least half, if not all of you, could have told me without a hint the greatest
commandment? Let’s briefly visit another often studied passage.
* Read, or ask a student to read 1 Corinthians 13.1-3 aloud.
8. Very simply, if we are not loving God with all we have, with all
we are; everything we do – even our most well-intentioned
ministries – is for nothing. I know 1 Corinthians 13 does not
explicitly say, “If I give all I possess to the poor and give over
my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not … love [God],
I gain nothing” (1. Cor. 13.3; revised). Yet let’s add in
1 John 4.20-5.2 to bring this full-circle.
* Read, or ask a student to read 1 John 4.20-5.2 aloud.
9. Loving God and loving others goes hand-in-hand. Loving
others, for example those we serve through our ministries,
means loving God (cf. Burge 191-92).
a. So let us go back to where we started. What does it mean to
love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength?
10. Heart
a. First, ask the students to reflect silently upon the question, “What is your identity?”
i. Ask for a few students to share their answers, if willing.
b. Your heart is the core of your identity. What you do is
not who you are; it cannot be. If everything is stripped away, you are (still) God’s child
(Speaker K). You need to know your identity in Christ, and He must be sufficient.
i. This is when you display the slide showing the heart’s main points.

6. Welty 15
What do I need to know (continued)?
11. Soul
a. Your soul is your emotions. Everyone’s emotions differ externally. You need to figure out
how to release and give God control of your emotions; they must be under God’s authority
(Speaker K).
i. This is when you display the slide showing the soul’s main points.
ii. Yet our emotions are not the only things we must submit to God’s authority. It is
common and natural for us to hold on to things dearly; however, we must never hold
on so tight that what and who we have – both possessions and people – come before
God. If something is as important or more important to you than God, it is an idol.
12. Mind: Your will is your best intention. Rightly, God deserves our best (Speaker K). Yet we
must remember that first and foremost, our minds must be on Christ.
a. This is when you display the slide showing the mind’s main points.
i. Ask a few students to share, if willing, what their intentions are in/with/for their
ministries.
ii. Then, ask the question “What is your intention? For God to be glorified, or for God to
be glorified through you?” (cf. Speaker K).
13. Strength: Your strength is your physical energy, or physical capacity (Speaker K). Yet as we
talked about in the last session, we will face trials. Admittedly, these trials are sometimes so
tasking and even debilitating, that we feel as we have no strength left, even to go to Jesus. It is
essential for us to have people who we can ask to carry us back to Jesus – to fight for us in
prayer when we are under attack (Speaker K), when we feel so weary we cannot bring
ourselves to Jesus.
a. This is when you display the slide showing the strength’s main points.
b. Verbally transition to a short time of application-related small group discussion.
How does this work in real life? (twenty minutes, flex time)
Small Group Application Discussion (five minutes)
1. Invite students to gather with their small groups (the same groups as in session one), just
moving their chairs together.
2. Prompt students to, in their groups, reflect practically on the call of Mark 12.30 – “Love the
LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all
your strength.” Invite them to brainstorm ways they can love God with their hearts, their
souls, their minds, and their strength in their everyday lives.
Individual Reflection Time (fifteen minutes, flex time)
1. Invite the students into a time of reflection; indicate specific questions will be on the screen.
Explain they can take this time to journal, sit and listen to the music,
and/or paint or draw as they reflect on loving God with all their heart,
soul, mind, and strength. Make notebook paper and pens/pencils
available to those who need them. Indicate the locations of specific
stations, as well as extra chairs around the room.

7. Welty 16
Where can this lead? (two minutes)
1. Call back students’ attention, and distribute and briefly discuss Addendum #1.b: “Heart Soul,
Mind, Strength” Question Card (see addendums). Ask them to prayerfully consider how often
they would like to reflect on their love for God –
loving Him with all their
hearts, souls, minds, and
strengths.
a. Prompt them to put the
card somewhere they will
see it often, or even make
it a calendar event or set a
reminder on their phones.
To end the session: (one minute)
1. Ask a student to close the teaching session in prayer, or pray yourself.
How does this work in real life (continued)?
2. Play worship music quietly in the background, as there is time:
a. Kari Jobe’s "Forever”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeJ14W2lXCw (4:00)
b. Natalie Grant’s “Your Great Name”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zpLPh6LibE (4:18)
c. Tenth Avenue North’s “You Are”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dbWtuhxNug (3:43)
d. Chris Tomlin’s “Give Us Clean Hands”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onGbkeWkA64 (4:22)

8. Welty 17
Addendums
Addendum #2.a: Session Two Scripture Handout (NIV)
Mark 12.28-34:
“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given
them a good answer, he asked him, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’
29 ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, 'is this: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord
is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind and with all your strength.” 31 The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There
is no commandment greater than these.’
32 ‘Well said, teacher,’ the man replied. ‘You are right in saying that God is one and there is no
other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your
strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and
sacrifices.’
34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the
kingdom of God.’ And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.”
Deuteronomy 6.4-5:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
Leviticus 19.18:
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your
neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.’”
1 Corinthians 13.1-3:
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong
or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all
knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If
I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not
have love, I gain nothing.”
1 John 4.20-5.2:
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love
their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and
sister.
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the
father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving
God and carrying out his commands.”

9. Welty 18
Addendum #2.b: “Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength” Reflection Questions Card
“Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength” Reflection Questions Card
To assess my love for God, I will ask myself these questions every _____________ (time
period):
1. In what or who do you base your identity? – Heart
a. If these things, people, or other identifiers were taken from you, who would you
be?
2. What idols need to come down? – Soul
3. What is your intention in your ministry? – Mind
4. Do you need to call upon those who you know can and will carry you back to Jesus? -
Strength
“Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength” Reflection Questions Card
To assess my love for God, I will ask myself these questions every _____________ (time
period):
1. In what or who do you base your identity? – Heart
a. If these things, people, or other identifiers were taken from you, who would you
be?
2. What idols need to come down? – Soul
3. What is your intention in your ministry? – Mind
4. Do you need to call upon those who you know can and will carry you back to Jesus? -
Strength
“Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength” Reflection Questions Card
To assess my love for God, I will ask myself these questions every _____________ (time
period):
1. In what or who do you base your identity? – Heart
a. If these things, people, or other identifiers were taken from you, who would you
be?
2. What idols need to come down? – Soul
3. What is your intention in your ministry? – Mind
4. Do you need to call upon those who you know can and will carry you back to Jesus? -
Strength