PREPARE WEEK
PREPARING STUDENTS TO LEAD
WELCOME
Foundation Scripture
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…” ~1 Corinthians 15:3-4
SAY: “Welcome to First Priority! So far we have learned about who Jesus is, why we need salvation, and how we become saved. This week, we want to look at the answer to the question we left you with last week – what does all of that mean for me? Before we get started, let’s pray.”
OPENING PRAYER
DIG IN
SAY: “The best way we can answer the question: “What does salvation mean for me?” is by looking at what the Bible says, so let’s read Ephesians 2:8-9. (Small group discussion)
According to those verses, let’s talk about these questions:
- What is our part in salvation?
- Can we earn our salvation?
- How is our salvation a gift?
- If salvation is a gift, how should that change the way we talk about Jesus with others?
“If you know Jesus as your Savior, take a few minutes to reflect on all that Jesus has saved you from. Picture a grocery receipt with sin in your life that has kept you from Jesus, listed out like a grocery list. This receipt was completely paid for by Jesus Christ. This is Salvation! Everything in you life that keeps you from God is paid for by Jesus’s sacrifice. How awesome is this?!”
TOOL TIME
SAY: “During Prepare Week, we want to begin preparing each of you to share your story and the Gospel with others. As we transition into a time where we begin to look at our stories, let’s think about how Jesus saves us is a major part of our story!
Today, as we develop and write down our stories, I encourage everyone to think about what part of your life Jesus has saved you from. (pause for them to think) Before we continue, would anyone like to share what Jesus has saved you from? (sin, yes – but also hopelessness, anger, fear, etc)
Picture The FOUR icons we have been talking about. Icon number 2 – the division sign, represents our separation from God. Reflect on these questions…What is (or was) separating you from God? How has Christ saved you?
These are all great things to think about and include in our stories when we are sharing the Gospel because it helps us connect to others.
Now, let’s talk about another tool we can use to share our story. If you have been with us for a few months, you may recall the “My Faith Story” sheet. When we use this sheet, we take a list of words and choose a key word of what our life was like before Christ. The sheet we are going to use today is going to challenge us to write out the words that describe our life before Christ and after Christ.
(Review the new sheet and give them a chance to write/practice their stories)
Here is a link to a guide on understanding The FOUR.
PREPARE WEEK HANDOUT
CHOOSE SACRIFICE
BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY
Our story should always point other people to Jesus and what He has done. Today, we want to list both sides of the story beside each other. This will help us remember to include both sides of the story, when we share our faith story.
- On the “ME” side, write down things that God has changed in your life since you began a relationship with God. (Examples: He has helped me love more. He has given me joy. He has taken away my shame.)
- On the “JESUS” side, write down things that Jesus did to rescue you from sin and restore your broken relationship with God. (Examples: Lived a perfect life. Loved me. Died on the cross. Rose from the dead.)
- Circle the list on the “JESUS” side. This is a reminder to always include what Jesus has done to restore our relationship with God in your story.
- Write a short paragraph about how having a relationship with Jesus has changed your life AND what Jesus did for you, so that you could have a relationship with God.
SAY: “We would love for a Student Leader to share their salvation experience next week for INVITE Week. If you are interested, come talk to a Student Leader or a Club Coach.
Before we go, next week is INVITE Week. A student leader will be passing out invite cards, I encourage each of you to take at least one card and invite a friend to club next week!
“Here are our announcements…”
CLOSING PRAYER
Have a Student Leader ready to pass out invite cards at the end of the meeting or at the door as they leave.
Have any students who want to share their salvation story write it down first and let your Club Coach look over it before they share it next week.
