How to make a Teen Bible Lesson Plan of Your Own
Here are some hints and tips for making a Bible lesson plan like the ones on this website:
Preparation:
To begin you will need reference material. A good concordance and study Bible at the minimum.
Contemporary Comparative Side-by-Side Bible:
NIV/NKJV/NLT/The Message, Bonded leather, burgundy
By Zondervan
A superb Bible study tool just got even better; this Burgundy Bonded Leather edition of the Contemporary Comparative Side-by-Side Bible sets the complete texts of four popular Bible translations, each acclaimed for its distinctive translational features, side by side for fast, easy comparison.
The Contemporary Comparative Side-by-Side Bible lets you benefit from the rich nuances offered by different versions of Scripture. It presents four of today’s most popular versions side-by-side for you to compare and contrast.
Software
Most computers come with a publishing software of some kind. I use Microsoft Publisher, and Adobe In-Design to produce my Bible Study handouts. PageMaker is good to (but more expensive).
Of course you can just use simple notes with your Bible references and discussion questions. Hand out Bibles to the kids so they can look up the verses.
Here is a Publisher “How to” YouTube® Video:
Handout Sheets
You don’t need to produce a handout sheet like I do, but here’s why I do:
- Kids won’t be scrambling to look up the Bible verse -it’s printed right there and they are all using the same translation. Some of your students will not know the firsts thing about a Bible or how to look something up.
- A “hand-out” sheet gives them something to hang on to, look at later, and show their parents.
- You will have your questions laid out. If the discussion gets off track or stalls out you have the next question ready to get you going again.
- A printed handout with fill-in blanks connects with several learning styles. The class discussion will resonate with someone else’s learning style.
Here is a graphic from TEACH website showing the different learning styles:
Picking Your Topic:
Many times your kids will suggest topics of interest to them by asking questions. Many of my Bible lesson plans began this way. Kids will ask deep theological questions and really want to know the Biblical answer. What Happens When You Die? / A New Heaven and Earth / What’s God Up To? were lessons to answer their direct questions.
Topics can also address the particular needs of your group (Families: Getting Along.) or normal teen interests (To Date or Not to Date ). Current events may present opportunities. The disaster in Haiti can pique their in God’s Sovereignty.
The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity
By Lee Strobel / Zondervan
Why does God permit evil? Why do some prayers go unanswered? Has God allowed the church to engage in brutality and hypocrisy? Tough questions demand convincing answers. Join journalist Strobel as he once again journeys across the country challenging philosophers, theologians, and ordinary believers to defend their faith. The evidence he uncovers may surprise you!
In The Case for Faith, a six-session, video-based study, former atheist Lee Strobel discusses hard questions while addressing the most common objections to the Christian faith. This Case for Faith DVD can be used for personal reflection or for group discussion with the accompanying participant’s guide.
Don’t shy away from the tough questions when Make A Bible Lesson Plan
These kids are ready to learn more detailed answers to questions like, “Where do you go when you die?”. Plus they want answers to hard questions like, “Can you go to heaven if you commit suicide?”. Kids will ask you these loaded questions. If you give them the same old rote answers they will turn you off and mistrust whatever you’re teaching. If, on the other hand, you prepare a detailed, Biblically supported answer, whether it’s a tough answer or not, they will grow to trust you and appreciate your lessons. The point is to tell the kids the truth.
Bring your teens face-to-face with challenging questions:
They will eventually be confronted by common objections in their lives as Christians. It’s good to discuss things like: “Why does God permit evil?” “Why do some prayers go unanswered?” and “Does God send good people to hell?” You may have settled some of these though issues for yourself but they haven’t. It’s far better to discuss the questions in a controlled environment when answers can be presented. Lee Strobel’s book shown above is a great resource for answering many of these tough questions.
Knowing Scripture by R. C. Sproul
The Bible is the written Word of God, and it is treasured in many of our homes. But it is also an ancient book about people and cultures very different from us. Thus, while we know we should read it, many of us don’t because we have a hard time understanding the Bible.
With his usual common sense and enthusiasm, Sproul explores why every Christian should study the Bible and why so many get discouraged. He then offers clear explanations of 11 basic steps of interpretation and gives simple how-to’s for using them. Excellent for beginning Bible readers and experienced students of Scripture. Includes suggestions for further study.
Define the Bible lesson plan goal:
Write a sentence or two that states the Bible lesson you want the kids to remember. This statement, an expressed belief, will help determine the questions and Bible verses you select to guide the discussion in the direction you want to go. Youth ministry veterans, Doug Fields and Duffy Robbins, teach you how to do this in the book shown below.
Speaking to Teenagers: How to Think About, Create, and Deliver Effective Messages
By Doug Fields & Duffy Robbins / Zondervan/Youth Specialties
* Discover how to leap over the “generation gap” from two veteran youth ministry leaders! Whether you need a 5-minute devotional or a full sermon, Fields and Robbins will show you how to craft a message with momentum by using inductive communication techniques, effective body language, voice dynamics, and eye contact.
Selecting your Bible verses:
Many times a word-search can bring up many Bible verses about the topic you’ve chosen. Sometimes you have a favorite verse you already know. A topic and verse may also have been presented to you by the Holy Spirit during your daily quite time or recent Bible reflection. When using the “word-search” method be sure to read the surrounding verses so you don’t pull it out of context.
If, during your study, you find that the Bible is actually showing a different path than what you’ve always believed, you must be brave and flexible enough to follow what the Bible teaches.
Caution:
“Interpretation that aims at, or thrives on, uniqueness can usually be attributed to pride (an attempt to “outclever” the rest of the world), a false understanding of spirituality (wherein the Bible is full of deeply buried truths waiting to be mined by the spiritually sensitive person with special insight), or vested interest (the need to support a theological bias, especially in dealing with texts that seem to go against that bias).”
-How To Read The Bible For All It’s Worth
Adding the Bible verses to your Sunday school lesson plan worksheet makes sure that each teen has a copy of the passage in front of them to be read. Don’t assume they’ll always tote their Bible to class. This also alleviates the pressure of looking up the verse while the whole class watches.
When adding Bible verses to your Sunday school lesson plan worksheet do not use abbreviations for the books of the Bible. They usually don’t know what these abbreviations mean. Having the Bible verses on the page presents the whole name.
Ephesians – Teen Bible Study Book: Your Identity In Christ
This six-session study will help students better understand both the importance of finding identity in Christ, and the relationship between our spiritual adoption and our daily lifestyle.
Although Ephesians is one of the New Testament’s shortest books — only 6 chapters and 155 verses — it is perhaps the most applicable to today’s culture. This epistle provides Paul’s most direct address about the life that emerges from a disciple of Jesus.
Paul conveys his pastoral heart for the Ephesian believers by focusing upon who they are in Christ as it relates to their struggles, their new life, community, pursuits of unity and holiness, and life’s many challenges.
Perhaps the most contemporary book in the New Testament, Ephesians offers practical answers to basic questions about the Christian life and our identity in Christ.
Do an Internet topic search
Some purists might freak-out at this suggestion but the Internet puts information at your fingertips. Most major ministries have great websites. Of course you do have to use your best discernment and watch who you’re listening too but often you’ll find a lesson or blog with your verses and subject already laid out. All you need to do is make it kid friendly.
Good Question Sunday School Lessons
by Josh Hunt
“The purpose of Good Question is to create these moments in the classroom each week. My goal is to help you create 
moments for your students. Moments that come and go but leave footprints. Footprints that forever mark the learner. Moments about which students will later say, “I remember one time we were talking in Sunday School and. . .” The learner is forever touched by that moment. Moments like that last forever–moments where the Spirit of God is forever present. It is in these moments that disciples are made.” Read the rest of his article.
Prepare an interesting, application-oriented, discussion oriented lesson in less than an hour using Good Questions. Use this link:
Use this coupon code for a 10% discount: 7748
Forming your Bible lesson discussion questions:
Make a Bible lesson plan colorful and easy to understand.
The hardest and most important part of any teen Bible study are coming up with good questions that keep the conversation moving in the direction you want it to go. I will have a teen read a selected Bible passage, then ask a question that is answered by the Bible verse just read. Many times I leave a blank space on the worksheet so the kids can write in the answer.
I allow the kids to offer many answers and comments for several minutes on each question. When it’s time to move on the next question must be able to bring everyone back to the original direction of the lesson and move you a little farther towards the conclusion.
You don’t always need to provide the answer.
Don’t be afraid to let them struggle with an issue and never shot them down if they suggest an improper answer. Trust the Holy Spirit to do His work in their hearts as they read the appropriate Scripture verses.
Your final question or statement should be a summation of the entire Bible lesson, a restating of the goal of your bible lesson. It should be a memorable phrase (could even be like a slogan). It should also challenge the young believer to amend their faith, enlarge their understanding, or firm up a belief they’ve always been taught but never understood why.
Avoid Christian-ease While you Make A Bible Lesson Plan :
A seasoned Christian frequently uses words and terms not commonly found outside of church circles. Those new to church surroundings may not understand terms like “indwelling,” “fellowship,” “washed in His blood,” or “sanctification.” Review your lesson plan and weed out or replace terms that would be unfamiliar to your audience. If you must use these terms, or encounter them in verses, explain what they mean.
Uncommon Object Lessons and Discussion Starters
Turn every group meeting into a dynamic, relevant confab your teens can’t wait to attend! Here are 90 field-tested tools for sparking dialog that will fire your students’ passion for God and His Word, and help them actively live out their faith.
Search the topical index for your theme, key verse, and related Scripture references, and find the perfect illustration or discussion starter for your message. Includes CD-ROM with easy-to-print files of every lesson.
Add a Story, Illustration, or Activity:
Beginning your lesson with a game, activity, movie clip, or story can make your lesson unforgettable. Coming up with this illustration can cramp your brain. Jim Burns offers some great suggestions in the books shown above. Jesus often used parables and stories to convey His points when He taught. A good story or object lesson gets kids involved and excited to participate in the discussion. It can make the link between the Bible and an issue relevant to them today.
Ready-to-Go Scripture Skits that teach serious stuff
By Michael Theisen / Saint Mary’s Press
This book engages young people in an active form of learning that is hard to beat. It achieves MLP (maximum learning potential) through FLP (full laugh potential). And the skits are so off-the-wall that you will have no problem involving just about everybody in your group one way or another (actually most of the participants will have no choice in the matter!). Each of the ten sessions in this book uses an intentional three-act process to help the young people systematically explore the Scriptures and apply them to their lives today. The sessions are perfect for religious education classes, youth groups, campus ministry events, retreats, lock-ins, and intergenerational and family programs. Best of all, the Ready-to-Go Scripture skits are just that: ready-to-go. Few props are used, no lines need to be memorized, and no characters have to be developed.
