How to Run a Bible Study for Teens

A Barna Group study in 2022 found that 59% of teens worldwide have a Bible in their house. However, nearly half of that 59% admitted that they don't actually read the Bible. Even among those who do read the Bible, only a small percentage of them claimed that they comprehend it.

What the Barna Group study showed is that Biblical illiteracy is clearly an issue among teenagers. So if you’re planning on running a Bible study for this age group you might benefit from some tips and tricks to help make your lessons engaging and teen-friendly.

Challenges of Bible Studies for Teens 

Before we get into deciding topics and planning a Bible study session, we need to know what challenges we’re facing.

Here are three common challenges people often face when planning a teen Bible study session:

1. Lack of Guidance

Many teens don’t read and study the Bible because they don’t have somebody to guide them. When they don’t have anybody to help them learn the Bible, they may be hesitant to start because they feel overwhelmed. 

The 2022 Barna Group Study found that most Bible-engaged teens have parents or church leaders who helped them read and learn the Bible. Guidance from adults is an important part of learning the Bible, as written in Proverbs 22:6: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

2. Short Attention Spans

Today’s teens are spoiled for choice when it comes to entertainment. Social media, streaming television and movies, video games, and everything else vie for their attention. Because many teens are more occupied with various types of media, they may neglect Bible study because they’re bored by it. 

Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be the case. You can brainstorm ideas to make Bible study fun, like incorporating games and relatable stories. Creating an interactive Bible study experience is a great way to prevent attention drift. 

3. Shifting Priorities

Teens can be surprisingly busy. Between school, after-school activities, sports, and other things, they may not have enough spare time to go to church or participate in Bible studies.

With your influence, you may be able to help them shift those priorities back in order. You can encourage teens to return to the church regularly, even if they haven’t visited in a long while. Also, when they do come back, it’s important to welcome them with open arms – this will increase their likelihood of returning in the future.

Potential Teen Bible Study Topics

Teens have many issues to deal with, and most of them are new to navigating life’s hardships. Showing them the Biblical way to face life’s problems can help them overcome their own issues.

Here are examples of Bible study topics you can bring to Bible study for teens.

Dealing With Temptation 

The average teen faces many kinds of temptations in everyday life–from sexual sin to cheating on exams, teenagers must learn to choose Jesus in every situation. 

Studying Bible verses about recognizing and avoiding temptation is a great starting point for covering this topic. A good place to start learning about temptation is by understanding we have the power to overcome it, as written in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Controlling Your Tongue

Bullying isn’t just physical. Sometimes, verbal bullying can be as hurtful. Teaching teens to control their tongues and be responsible for what they say to others is a great way to eliminate the seeds of bullying.

The Bible teaches us to refrain from saying hurtful things and instead encourage others, as written in Ephesians 4:29: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Forgiving Others

Forgiving somebody else for their wrongdoing is tough, whether you’re a teen or an adult. Teaching teens about forgiveness gives them a foundation that will last into adulthood. 

Being a forgiving person means we’re emulating the traits of Christ, as written in Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Evangelism

Like it or not, teens love social media. And they’re really good at it, with many teenagers getting thousands or even millions of views on their content. That being said, teens who evangelize can be powerful conduits of the Gospel! 

Evangelism is commanded by Jesus Himself, as written in Mark 16:15: “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” Many teens can package their evangelism in ways that resonate with people their age, which helps them spread God’s Word to audiences you may not have reached before.

Preparing a Bible Study for Teens

Being well-prepared is essential to having a successful Bible study session. Here’s a step-by-step guide to preparing for your upcoming teen Bible study session:

1. Pick a Topic and Relevant Passage

The foundation of your session is a topic and a relevant passage. Choose your topic and find a Bible passage that fits the bill. Before moving on, read the passage repeatedly to ensure you fully understand the passage’s meaning.

2. Identify the Central Truth

The next step is to identify the passage’s central truth. A central truth is the main lesson that the passage seeks to teach us.

For example, let’s say you’re teaching about controlling your tongue and picking Ephesians 4:29 as your relevant passage. The central truth in the verse is that we should refrain from saying hurtful things and instead say things that build other people up.

3. Define Your Main Conclusion

Your conclusion or takeaway wraps the lesson up nicely and leaves students with something they can apply in everyday life. With Ephesians 4:29, your main conclusion can be that you should choose what to say wisely and only say things that are beneficial to others.

4. Write Down How the Passage Resonates With You

An essential part of Bible study is helping students internalize the passages and apply Biblical lessons in daily life. To help them realize how they can apply those lessons, you should explain how the passage resonates with you and how you would apply it in your life.  

5. Build the Lesson Outline

With your central truth and conclusion in hand, you can then build the lesson outline. Make a list of questions and discussion starters to spark conversation among students.

6. Create Supporting Material

You can also make additional study materials to enhance your lessons. These could be presentations, video clips, slides, and other teaching aids to help students internalize the lessons better. Consider using the many photos, graphic design elements, and other resources offered by Tithe.ly Media to help create them.

Tips for Running a Bible Study for Teens

Sometimes, having a lesson outline and supporting material isn’t enough, and you still feel unprepared. That’s normal, so here are some tips you can follow to ensure your Bible study sessions go smoothly:

Arrive Ahead of Time

Few things make people more nervous than being late. If your session starts at 11 o’clock, consider coming in at least half an hour ahead of time. Arriving before your students helps you do last-minute reviews of your material and gives you extra time to pray to God for guidance.

Start With Shorter Lessons

Low attention span is a common issue with today’s teens, so you may need to adjust your lessons to accommodate them at first. Consider starting with shorter sessions of 30 minutes to get them used to Bible study, then increasing the lesson duration once they’re more comfortable.

Encourage Discussion

One-way lectures can be boring, so encourage discussions among your students. Ask them opinions about certain verses and points made in the Bible through open-ended questions.

Be sure to spread equal attention to everyone in the class, not just the active students, to encourage participation further. Students will feel more appreciated when they are all invited to share their thoughts.

Closing Thoughts

Teens often have short attention spans and prioritize other things over reading the Bible. When you’re running a Bible study for teens, you need to be well-prepared, choose the right topics, and encourage discussion to keep their attention focused.