Creating great lessons for youth groups can be challenging at times. Youth group meetings are most successful when lessons are planned and the Bible is presented in a way that is relevant to teens. You can print these free Bible lessons for youth for free.
Three Youth Group Bible Lessons and Activities for Middle School and High School
You can use the following Scripturally-based lesson plans with your youth group right now. Please note that the most recent version of Adobe reader is required to view and print the lesson plans. You can download it for free from Adobe’s website.
Battling Giants
The focus of this lesson is on equipping teens with all the armor of God in order to battle the unique situations they face every day. Read the lesson plan all the way through and then print it out to take to class. It is also a good idea to gather the necessary materials beforehand. The activity can be made more interesting if someone in the church has a shield, broadsword, etc.
Respecting Your Parents
Youth can learn why it is important to respect their parents and other authority figures through this activity. As well as letting God know what needs improving, it allows students to confess their shortcomings. For this activity, read through the printable carefully and print a copy to help you gather the necessary supplies and serve as a reference while teaching.
Washing Sin Away
The purpose of this activity is to help students understand how forgiveness works. In order to complete this activity, you’ll need some supplies you probably already have around the house. During the gathering of supplies and teaching of the class, read through the activity and print a copy.
Youth Group Topics
Teenagers live in a whirlwind of emotions and activity. Adolescence can be a frustrating, crazy time, so having spiritual guidance and discernment is vital. Youth group lessons might cover the following topics:
- The view of God on sex and abstinence
- Living a Christian life/making decisions
- Providing peer witness testimony
- How to deal with addictions and peer pressure according to the Bible
- Spreading rumors and gossip are destructive according to the Bible
- Honesty according to God
- The Bible’s view of language and cursing
- How to get along with your parents/family with Christian help
- The best way for a Christian teen to avoid violence/fights at school and respond to them
- Using the Bible to make sense of the world
- When conflict arises, trust in God
- How to draw closer to God when you feel far away from Him
- God’s will can be discerned
- Emotional answers from a Christian perspective:
- Arousal of anger
- I am disappointed
- Feelings of sadness
- The depression
- Feelings of frustration
These topics have many tangents that can be incorporated into lessons. Teenagers may know that according to the Bible, sex outside of marriage is forbidden, but they may also have questions about sexuality and the Bible or may be unsure about how to set boundaries when it comes to physical intimacy.
As teens experience conflicting emotions and make difficult choices, recurrent messages of forgiveness and love from God are necessary in lessons.
Tips for Youth Group Lessons
Lessons for youth groups have important main ideas, but keeping sessions fun and relevant is equally important. Lighthearted activities and humor should be incorporated into the lesson whenever possible (and appropriate). The importance of including practical suggestions and life applications cannot be overstated.
It’s important for teens to understand what the Bible says about specific matters, but they also need to know how to apply what they’re learning. Provide examples and ask the group to come up with additional ways to practice what they learned at the end of the meeting.
Elements of Youth Group Lessons and Meetings
The elements of youth group meetings may vary depending on how leaders and youth pastors feel led by God, but general elements may include:
- Prayer at the beginning
- Youth group icebreakers and fun activities
- The lesson or speaker
- The discussion
- Applicability suggestions for life
- Prayer requests and closing prayers
The youth group may also include sharing personal testimonies of how Christ is working in their lives, youth group games, choosing a name for the group, and showing relevant DVD clips.
It is also important for youth groups to have a plan for security, such as sign-ins, parent or leader assistance, and other safety precautions.
Go Where God Leads You in Youth Group Lessons
There is one thing every youth pastor knows: things almost never go according to plan. If you are holding a lesson about putting on the armor of God and a youth member suddenly admits that he got drunk last weekend and feels he has failed God, it is fine to get a bit sidetracked and deal with an important issue that many other youth members may also be struggling with.
It is safe to assume that the topics the students bring up are important to their spiritual growth. While planning a lesson is important, knowing when to set aside the printable and focus solely on ministering to your youth is even more essential.