A FAITH OF MY OWNNURTURING A FAITH THAT LASTS

SERIES OVERVIEW FOR LEADERS

SERIES OVERVIEW As teenagers are exploring who they are, the concept of faith adds a level of complexity to their search. It’s

important for them to understand that they can have a faith of their own—not their parents’ faith, not their

friends’ faith, not even their pastor’s faith. Faith gets personal.

In four lessons, this series will give teenagers the opportunity to nurture a faith that lasts. They’ll learn how

faith is personal, where to get knowledge, how to listen, and what power faith unlocks.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Lesson 1: Begin the Journey (John 8:31-37)

Lesson 2: In the Know (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

Lesson 3: Listen Up! (Hebrews 1:1-4)

Lesson 4: The Power of Faith (Mark 10:46-52)

SERIES OBJECTIVES 1. WHAT: Jesus offers personal faith to everyone who engages in a relationship with him.

2. WHY: Jesus allows faith to grow into an unshakable belief that God and his plan are good.

3. HOW: By exploring Scriptures focusing on faith—when faith is present and when it’s not—teenagers

can nurture a faith that lasts.

A Word About Translations: It is important to choose a readable Bible translation to use in your groups. You

don’t want to add unnecessary confusion. You also don’t want to spend all your time mastering pronunciation

and trying to define unfamiliar words.

Although there are many great translations on the market (and your own church may have a chosen favorite),

we’ve decided to rely on the easy-to-read, teenage-friendly translation called the New Living Translation

(NLT). Editors for the NLT have done a great job making God’s Word accurate and understandable.

Regardless of the translation you choose, it may be helpful for your own preparation to read the assigned

passage(s) in a few different translations to get a broader depth to the text(s).

A Word About Media Clips: Some of our lessons include clips from movies, TV shows, and other media,

including online sources. Please know that these are put here as suggested options—they aren’t vital for

the success of the lesson. If you choose to use them, we strongly encourage you to review each clip before

use. We’ve done our best to suggest clips that will generate meaningful conversations, but we understand

that using any type of media can be controversial. We trust that you understand the dynamics of your

congregation better than anyone else and will discern if our media selection will work with your group.

If teenagers ask why you use certain media from people who aren’t Christ-followers, it may be helpful to

explain that even if not explicitly Christian, media can be used to share God’s truth. Because all humans are

made in the image of God, all people (even non-Christians) can be vehicles of truth to the world. Encourage

students to learn discernment in their media habits, reminding them that your use of one song or video clip

is not a promotion of a specific lifestyle or of all films, songs, or TV shows.

An important note on video clips: In general, federal copyright laws do not allow you to use videos or DVDs

(even ones you own) for any purpose other than home viewing. However, your church can obtain a license

from Christian Video Licensing International for a small fee. Just visit cvli.com or call 1-888-771-2854 for

more information.

SECTION DESCRIPTIONS

Each of our lessons has two sections. These sections include the:

1. LEADER PREPARATION 2. LESSON GUIDE

Let’s explore these in detail.

1. LEADER PREPARATION

The first section—LEADER PREPARATION—is designed to give you, the leader, tools to help prepare for

each lesson. To create a meaningful, impacting experience for your teenagers, we encourage you to spend as

much time as you can in preparation. No one better understands the value of a youth worker’s time than the

team at Simply Youth Ministry. Since day one we have been creating resources that save you time so you can

spend more time with teenagers. We’ve designed each lesson to be easy-to-use, but you’ll still benefit from

spending some prep time with this curriculum. In fact, your preparation is vital to your group’s success.

For you to be effective with this curriculum, we believe it’s important to do four things:

1. Pray! Ask God to give you his wisdom for facilitating this material.

2. Read the LEADER PREPARATION section for each lesson (10 minutes).

3. Choose which teaching points and questions you want to use from the LESSON GUIDE

(10-20 minutes).

4. Determine a specific way that you will end the lesson (10-20 minutes). We don’t tell you how to wrap

up each lesson—that’s up to you and/or your youth ministry team.

Here are brief descriptions of each component in the LEADER PREPARATION section.

LESSON OVERVIEW This provides a “big-picture” perspective for the lesson. It’s a quick summary that will prepare you for what

you’ll be discussing and sharing with your teenagers.

LESSON OBJECTIVES There are three objectives for each lesson.

• The first objective answers the “what” question: What content will my teenagers learn?

• The second objective answers the “why” question: Why is this content important to teenagers?

• The third objective answers the “how” question: How might teenagers live out the truths they’re

learning after they leave today’s conversation?

PRIMARY SCRIPTURE This will be the main verse or section of Scripture used in each lesson.

SECONDARY SCRIPTURES This is a list of other selected Scriptures referenced in the lesson. All lessons will have at least one

Secondary Scripture, usually found in the Extra Discussion section.

TEACHING PREP We offer some ideas and insights for each lesson that may help you gain a deeper understanding of the

passage. Pick and choose what you will share with your group. Or don’t share any of it and simply digest it

for your own benefit.

THE BEFORE & AFTER [OPTIONAL] Use these ideas to get your teenagers thinking about the lesson before your meeting and families talking

after the group experience.

TEXTS OR TWEETSThese messages can be sent before the group time to get students thinking about something that

will be discussed during your time together.

PARENT EMAILThis is a short email the youth pastor or leader can send to parents after the lesson. It provides an

overview of the lesson along with a few questions parents can ask at home to get students talking

about what they learned that particular week. You’re encouraged to personalize and modify this

email to fit the needs of your ministry.

2. LESSON GUIDE

This is the content part for your lesson. Please feel free to (1) personalize the illustrations, (2) rephrase

the teaching points, and (3) pick and choose what content you believe you will be able to use during your

particular time.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND: We provide more material than you can probably use during

your group time. You will need to be the editor of the content. Don’t try to use all of it. [NOTE: If you’re a

volunteer leader, we recommend you adhere to the teaching strategy/desires of the lead youth worker.

He/she may or may not give you the freedom to make changes within the lesson.

Please seek unity and support his/her leadership.]

Review the LESSON GUIDE before each of your meetings to get a clearer idea of the activities, teaching

points, discussion questions, and overall purpose of the lesson. In each LESSON GUIDE you’ll find the

following:

GETTING THINGS STARTED [OPTIONAL] This includes a quick illustration, an activity, or a few opening questions to warm up, prepare, and focus your

group time. You understand the dynamics of your teenagers better than we do, so please adapt this section,

modify it, change it, delete it, or use as is. Some of the ideas require a little extra preparation prior to your

gathering; lists of supplies or necessary preparation will be found at the top of this section.

You’ll also notice that the GETTING THINGS STARTED section sometimes isn’t included in a lesson. We’ve

only included it when we believe it’s beneficial.

TEACHING POINTS This part of the lesson provides you with an intentional interactive component. We don’t believe groups

should be lecture-driven. The best groups are the ones where the teenagers are talking and the leader is

facilitating conversation and discovery. When teenagers talk more than adults, that’s a good thing!

Please understand, this material is NOT intended to be lecture. We’ve included questions designed to

generate conversation. You’ll quickly notice that we aren’t fans of closed-ended questions—ones that can

be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Instead, we believe in the power of questions that cause students

to think, discuss, and debate. We encourage you to insert your own insights during this discussion time, but

primarily as a facilitator who is challenging teenagers to learn/think. It’s sort of like a dance—let students

lead the discussion a bit by wrestling with the teaching point, then insert your own insights to help convey

the main teaching point. There may be times when it’s best NOT to give your own insights. Your group

doesn’t have to be like a sitcom where all the problems are solved in 30 minutes.

Most of the questions don’t have right or wrong answers but will serve as a platform to help teenagers learn

better and consider how to make a beeline to Jesus.

EXTRA DISCUSSION [OPTIONAL] This is an opportunity to continue the conversation by asking more open-ended questions about selected

Scripture or themes for this lesson. Or if you have a more spiritually mature group, you could send your

teenagers home to think about and/or journal and/or message board their answers to these questions.

[NOTE: Most groups won’t have time for all of these questions because we’ve already provided multiple

questions during the teaching points.]

LIVING IT OUT We have provided some “first step” ideas and/or questions that will challenge your teenagers to put what was

discussed into immediate action (or in the days following). The retention of a lesson and the deepening of

faith can be dramatically increased when participants move into action immediately following your gathering.

SUMMARY We have intentionally designed this curriculum to be so flexible that the summary or the close of each lesson

is dependent on the facilitator/leader. We believe that good curriculum provides a foundation for healthy

dialogue, but that the summary or take-home challenge relies on the insight and wisdom of the facilitator

who (1) knows the content, (2) has heard all the dialogue, (3) knows the hearts/issues/struggles of the

teenagers involved, and (4) understands the big picture of the youth ministry and what the leadership team

wants accomplished with the teaching/discussion time.

THIS IS BIG! We’ve given you a lot of material and questions to ask, but the most important part in all of

this is narrowing down the questions you’ll ask to those that best fit your group. This is where the caring,

spiritually sensitive, personally growing leader really makes a difference in teenagers’ lives. After doing this

a couple of times, it becomes easier, and when this curriculum has been used in real, live ministry settings,

this proved to be the leaders’ favorite part: feeling empowered to figure out a way to close out the session

with wisdom, sensitivity, and challenge.

FOR KEEPS [MEMORY VERSE] This is a selected Scripture that students can be challenged to memorize following the lesson. We encourage

you to return to these verses throughout the series to facilitate long-term memorization. We also encourage

you to join students in committing the verses to memory. They’ll follow your lead. Again, because this

curriculum is adaptable and editable you may choose to have them memorize a different Scripture—

that’s great.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004,

2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

A FAITH OF MY OWNNURTURING A FAITH THAT LASTS

LESSON 1: BEGIN THE JOURNEY

This includes:

1. LEADER PREPARATION 2. LESSON GUIDE

1. LEADER PREPARATION

LESSON OVERVIEW Nurturing a faith that lasts is a big topic, so we’ll begin with how people “get” faith in the first place.

Where does it come from? How can each of us have the faith Jesus talks about countless times in the New

Testament? The starting point is a personal relationship with Jesus.

LESSON OBJECTIVES 1. WHAT: To have a faith of their own, students need the opportunity to begin a personal relationship

with Jesus.

2. WHY: Teenagers will see that faith is all that’s required to be a disciple of Jesus; our good works

won’t get us anywhere.

3. HOW: Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, students can have a faith of their own and eternal life

with him.

PRIMARY SCRIPTURE John 8:31-37

SECONDARY SCRIPTURES John 3:16 and Hebrews 11:1

TEACHING PREP Use this short overview to prepare for your lesson. While you may not want to convey this information word-for-word with your group, you’ll want to absorb it as you prepare to lead.

Read John 8:31-37 and John 3:16.

Faith can be tough. Faith requires trust, and let’s face it: trust is hard to come by today. Parents, teachers,

friends, siblings, and even national leaders frequently let us down. That won’t ever happen with Jesus,

though. When he calls us to enter and grow a relationship with him, we can trust he’ll always be faithful to

us. That, in turn, helps us nurture a faith of our own.

In John 8, the people Jesus was addressing were having an identity crisis of sorts. They were seeking a false

redemption from their past, based on their forefathers. After all, they had a strong bloodline from Abraham,

so they counted on that for redemption.

The people insisted they’d never been slaves to anyone, forgetting the Israelites’ enslavement in Egypt, as

well as their enslavement to sin throughout the Old Testament. According to the old covenant, following God

was based on the faith of the family and personal sacrifice for sins.

Jesus came to change all that. Through his life, death, and resurrection, he invites us into a growing

relationship with him. Because of what Jesus sacrificed for us, we can be saved from our sins and live a life

of freedom. Jesus wants to have a relationship with each of us, and this is where the faith journey begins.

As we choose to follow Jesus and begin our faith journey, he promises us we “will know the truth, and

the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). We’re no longer enslaved by sin because Jesus paid the price for

everything we’ve done wrong. Now we’re free to learn more about Jesus, follow his example, and embrace a

faith of our own.

In this series, we’ll address the faith journey in general, as well as the roles of knowledge, listening, and

obedience.

THE BEFORE & AFTER [OPTIONAL]

TEXTS OR TWEETSSend one or both of these messages to your students prior to your meeting. As with the rest of the curriculum, edit these questions to fit the needs of your ministry.

• Is your faith your own or someone else’s? Come see why “sharing” isn’t always a good idea.

• As messed-up people in a messed-up world, how is a strong faith even possible? Let’s dive into a

great discussion this week.

PARENT EMAILSend this email to parents following the lesson to encourage them to continue the conversation at home. Feel free to edit and customize the email to fit your ministry needs.

Dear parents,

We’ve started a new series, “A Faith of My Own.” In these four lessons, students will have many

opportunities to begin or nurture a lasting relationship with Jesus. Faith is very personal—something each of

us can grow.

In this first lesson, we looked at John 8:31-37, where Jesus addresses false redemption. The people were

counting on the faith of their ancestors, rather than making their faith their own. Jesus invites each of us

into a relationship with him to begin the faith journey. Students had the opportunity to accept Jesus, if they

hadn’t previously done so.

Sometime this week, find time to talk with your teenager. It can be at the dinner table, on a walk, or in the

car. Feel free to use these questions to begin your discussion:• How has Jesus been like a friend to you? When has he seemed closest? furthest away?

• What interests you the most about a relationship with Jesus?

• Why do you think people even need to be saved from their sins?

Thanks for all your prayers for our students and our ministry. Have an amazing week!

A FAITH OF MY OWNNURTURING A FAITH THAT LASTS

LESSON 1: BEGIN THE JOURNEY

2. LESSON GUIDE

GETTING THINGS STARTED [OPTIONAL] You’ll need a full-size candy bar for each person, an extra candy bar for the group, and a plastic knife. Keep the stash of candy bars hidden before your gathering, but you can keep the extra candy bar in plain sight.

Welcome your students and invite them into your meeting area. Open in prayer, and then lead students in this opening activity.

Hold up the candy bar intended for the group.

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: I just love chocolate, but I’m not sure I can eat this whole candy bar myself. Does anyone want part of it?

Don’t wait for specific answers. Unwrap the candy bar and cut it into equal pieces—one for everyone in the group, including yourself. Give everyone a small piece.

ASK:• So, how satisfying was your piece of candy? • How hungry were you when you arrived today? How hungry are you now?• What’s it like to share a candy bar with the entire group? When is sharing not always such a great

idea?

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Many of you were understandably bummed that our entire group had to share just one candy bar. It isn’t very satisfying when you get a small taste of something but not your own full portion. Today we’re starting a new series called “A Faith of My Own.” I love that we don’t have to share the faith Jesus offers us with anyone else. Because faith is personal, it can be ours—only ours. I have a candy bar for each of you to enjoy as we talk more about faith.

Pass out the candy bars to each student who wants one.

TEACHING POINTS Use the Teaching Points to help students capture the essence of each lesson with more discussion and less lecture-style teaching. Remember: All throughout these lessons, it’s up to you to choose (1) how many questions you use and (2) the wording of the main points—keep ours, or change the wording to make it clearer for your audience.

Read John 8:31-37 and John 3:16 together as a group. Because these passages are so brief, consider having students read the verses several times, from different translations of the Bible.

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Let’s spend some time talking about this passage. It’s filled with many powerful statements from Jesus.

1. IT’S ALL ABOUT YOUR FAITH, NOT YOUR PARENTS’ FAITH

ASK:• What are some things you have because of your parents?• What traits or characteristics do you enjoy sharing with other family members, and why?• What have you learned about Jesus from your parents?• Describe a time when you had to unwillingly share something. What are some of the benefits of

having your own stuff?• Why do you think Jesus wants a personal relationship with everyone individually?

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: The people in John 8 were still banking on the faith of their ancestors, just as the Old Testament people did. It’s awesome when our parents help teach us about Jesus and help us grow in our own faith. But that’s not always the case, and it’s definitely not required. Jesus wants a personal relationship with each of us, and that’s the first step in a faith journey.

2. IT’S ALL ABOUT YOUR FAITH, NOT YOUR WORKS

ASK:• List some things that “good” Christians tend to do. Why do you think these are—or aren’t—

required to have a relationship with Jesus?• What are some sinful motivations that sometimes might underlie good behavior?• Respond to this statement: It’s easier to do “good” things than “bad” things.• Why doesn’t Jesus say, “The right things you do will set you free”?

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: In verse 31, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.” He didn’t say this happens if you do all the right things. To have a faith of your own, Jesus says to begin your faith in him and be faithful to his teachings. It’s OK to mess up; everyone messes up. It’s what you do after you mess up that’s important. Make it right with Jesus and continue nurturing a faith that lasts.

3. YOUR FAITH HAPPENS BECAUSE OF JESUS

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: This is the best part. It’s only because of Jesus that we can have a faith of our own. In the Old Testament, people had to sacrifice animals to pay the penalty of sin. Jesus came to radically change that. He died for all the sins of every person—for each of us in this room and everyone who’s ever

lived. That’s a lot of sin! Jesus took that on himself, died a horrible death on the cross, and then rose again, all because he loves you and wants to have a personal relationship with you.

ASK:• Describe a time someone made a sacrifice for you. How did you feel? How did you respond?• What does Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross mean to you personally? How can it impact the

relationship you begin—or already have—with him?• What does it mean to you to be set free from sin? What does that look like on an everyday basis?

EXTRA DISCUSSION [OPTIONAL] Ask students to form groups of two or three to discuss these questions.

ASK:• Read Hebrews 11:1. Describe a time you were hoping for something. What sustained you as you

waited?• How is it possible to have faith in Jesus when we can’t see him?• How does your faith in Jesus affect what you hope for—and how you wait?

Bring everyone back together, and ask for volunteers to share answers to the previous questions, as time permits.

LIVING IT OUT

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: I’d like to give each of you the opportunity to begin your faith journey with Jesus. This is an exciting step. If you’re ready to follow Jesus as your personal Savior, it’s easy to begin. In a minute, I’ll lead us all in a prayer. Each of you can repeat the prayer after me. Some people will be beginning their faith journey, while others will be reaffirming theirs.

Ask students to each find a quiet spot in your meeting area for a few minutes of prayer and reflection. Read the following prayer, and pause after each phrase for your students to repeat.

Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I’ve done wrong things.Thank you for dying for my sins,and rising again, so I can have life.I choose to follow you as my Savior,and I want to live for you.I believe I’m now set free from my sins,and I want a growing relationship with you.Amen.

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: I encourage each of you who began your faith journey to tell at least one person about your decision. I’m excited for you as you begin and continue your journey.

ASK:• Think of friends or family members in your life who need Jesus. How can you share your faith with

them?• When you’re sharing Jesus with other people, how can you use words? How can you use actions?

SUMMARY Provide a quick summary or take-home challenge based on (1) this lesson’s content, (2) the dialogue that took place today, (3) your understanding of the issues and struggles your teenagers are facing, and (4) the big picture of your youth ministry and what your leadership team wants accomplished with the teaching and discussion time.

FOR KEEPS [MEMORY VERSE] Encourage and/or challenge your teenagers to memorize the Scripture below.

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1).

A FAITH OF MY OWNNurturing a Faith That Lasts

Lesson 1: Begin the Journey

JOHN 8:31-37 (NLT)31Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”

34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message.”

A FAITH OF MY OWNNurturing a Faith That Lasts

Lesson 1: Begin the Journey

JOHN 8:31-37 (NLT)31Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”

34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message.”

BEGIN THE JOURNEY

1. It’s all about your faith, not your parents’ faith

2. It’s all about your faith, not your works

3. Your faith happens because of Jesus

FOR KEEPS [MEMORY VERSE]“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT).

BEGIN THE JOURNEY

1. It’s all about your faith, not your parents’ faith

2. It’s all about your faith, not your works

3. Your faith happens because of Jesus

FOR KEEPS [MEMORY VERSE]“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT).