THE LOVE OF GOD

Prepare Week

Student Leader Roles:

• Promo – Promote the Club through social media, announcements, and any other outlets the school allows.
• Welcome – Stand at the door and welcome students to the Club as they arrive. Be sure to connect any new students to the Club and leadership so they feel like they have a place.
• Host – Start the Club with the Welcome, Prayer, Game (if applicable), and Memory Verse.
• Speaker – Lead the Club through Tool Time, and Dig In, using the EPIC Guide, and any supporting materials.
• Follow-up – Follow up with new (or newer) students, and students who accepted Christ for the first time or want to know more. This role requires follow-up every week, not just after INVITE Weeks.

Welcome: Welcome to First Priority! We are so glad that you have chosen to join us today! Our focus this month is “The Love of God.” Today is PREPARE Week where we will be preparing to share our stories and the Gospel of Jesus with others. As we dive in, we want to learn about God’s Personal and Intimate Love!

Let’s start today’s Club with prayer.

Opening Prayer: God, thank you for another great week that we get to be here at First Priority! I am thankful for those who are here today and thankful for your love for each of us! Thank you for the privilege of prayer. I pray that we would be found faithful to pray for our friends to know you. Give us the strength to speak out. In Jesus name, Amen.

Game – Optional (if time allows): Choose a game, video, or icebreaker. Select one that fits your group’s needs best! Click here to see the list of games available.

MEMORY VERSE: 1 John 4:19(NIV) – “We love because He first loved us.”

Student Testimony – Optional (if you have 1-2 students who are prepared): If no student is prepared, do not worry! Keep walking through this each month. Testimonies can be life-changing (both for the speaker and listener), and that is why we are here.

Let’s spend some time preparing to do our part to reach our campus for Christ.

Learning to share your Story: Use the My Faith Story Sheet.

Leader Tip: Have Student Leaders hand out the My Faith Story Sheet.

During PREPARE Week, we’re equipping you to confidently share the Gospel with your peers through a simple tool designed to help you craft your Faith Story. This process focuses on three key moments: your life before Christ, how Jesus became part of your story, and your life with Him now. Start by reflecting on your life before knowing Christ—what challenges, struggles, or sense of emptiness did you face?

Next, share how you encountered Jesus—whether it was through a person, a significant moment, or a personal realization. Finally, describe how your life has changed with Christ at the center—what’s different, and how has He transformed you? Use the handout to guide you as you write. Be authentic and keep the focus on Jesus. Your story has the power to inspire someone to take their first step toward faith. Take a few moments to work through this—it’s amazing how God can use your journey to impact others!

Leader Tip: Give students time to work on and discuss their stories and have Student Leaders help those who may be new to this. Encourage students to practice sharing their stories with a friend in the Club. If time is limited, make sure students finish writing out their stories at home.

Let’s dive into God’s Word, the Bible, and read a verse from Isaiah that shows us how much God really cares about each of us.

Isaiah 43:1(NIV) – “But now, this is what the Lord says—He who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

God’s love is beyond comprehension. It surpasses all human understanding and expectations. It is personal and intimate, reaching into the depths of our hearts and souls. In a world where we often feel insignificant or unnoticed, God’s love assures us that we are seen, known, and cherished. Let us explore the depth of this incredible truth today.

1 John 3:1a – “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”

Take a moment to reflect on the verse from 1 John 3:1a. Allow these words to sink deep into your heart, reminding you of the profound love God has for you. What emotions or thoughts arise as you meditate on the idea of being called a child of God?

Imagine a busy city street filled with bustling crowds and rushing vehicles. In the midst of this chaos, a young woman stands at a crosswalk, feeling lost and overwhelmed. She carries the weight of her burdens, feeling invisible and insignificant in the midst of the vastness around her.

As she waits for the traffic light to change, a stranger approaches her with a warm smile. He looks into her eyes with genuine care and asks if she’s okay. Surprised by the personal attention, she hesitates before opening up about her struggles. The stranger listens attentively, offering words of encouragement and comfort. He assures her that she is not alone and promises to help her find a solution to her problems.

In that moment, the young woman experiences the personal touch of someone who sees her, knows her pain, and offers support. This encounter reminds her that she is not just a face in the crowd but someone valuable and loved. The stranger’s actions reflect God’s personal and intimate love for her, reaching into her brokenness and bringing healing and hope.

Similarly, God’s personal nature shines through in our lives. He sees us in our moments of despair, hears our silent cries, and reaches out to comfort and guide us. Just like the stranger on the busy street, God desires to engage with us individually, intimately understanding our unique circumstances and providing the personal touch we need.

God’s love is not a distant concept or a vague notion. It is real, personal, and ever-present. He longs to meet us where we are, whispering words of love and encouragement, and offering His guidance and strength. May we open our hearts to experience the personal touch of God’s love in our lives, knowing that we are never alone in our journey.

Today, remember that you are a beloved child of God. His love for you is not distant or generic but personal and intimate. Embrace this truth, and let it transform the way you see yourself and interact with others. May you find comfort, joy, and security in the knowledge that you are known and loved by the Creator of the universe.

Leader Tip: Break into small groups or talk as a big group. Give 1-2 minutes per question, depending on your time.

Discussion Questions:

1. How does the assurance of being called by name and being known by God impact your sense of identity and self-worth?
2. How does knowing that God has redeemed you and claims you as His own influence the way you view the challenges and trials you face in life?
3. How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of God’s personal love and presence in your daily walk with Him? What practices or habits can help you stay attuned to His voice and His leading?

Invite Cards: Have Student Leaders pass out Invite Cards to students.

Before we leave Club, we’re going to take a moment to fill out the Invite Cards we provided. Make sure to write down all the details clearly so they’re ready to hand out. Once you’re done, use them to invite your friends and classmates to join us next time!

Give students a moment to fill out Invite Cards and ask any questions.

Take 2-3 minutes to allow students to share different prayer requests and pray for the needs of the students.

Spend a few minutes praying for next week. Pray specifically for students’ lives to be forever changed by the Good News of Jesus Christ!

Let’s close in prayer.

Closing prayer suggestion: Lord Jesus, thank you for this time of fellowship and learning. Help us to live out what we’ve learned today and to be your hands and feet to those around us. We pray for our friends who haven’t met you yet—soften their hearts and use us to point them to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Homework: Keep writing your Faith Story using the Faith Story Sheet. We will continue to come back to this sheet all year to help each of us figure out what God has done in our lives – both when we first came to Jesus and when we have walked through the hard moments of life. We all have lots of stories of God moving in our lives, we just don’t remember them well because we haven’t written them down yet. This is the start of writing down our stories and allowing God to use them. If a story comes to mind, begin writing and talk to the Club Leadership about being one of the first ones to share at next month’s PREPARE week.

Announcement suggestions:

• Share upcoming club events or special activities.
• Remind everyone about upcoming school breaks or schedule changes.

Leader Notes:

• Remember to file the report on this week’s Club numbers!
• Prepare for INVITE Week! Review the leader roles and keep everyone on the same page. Use the as an opportunity to recruit new leaders!

Club Coach Tip: Next month, up to two students will have the option to share their Faith Stories as part of PREPARE Week . Be on the lookout for students who may be interested, and coach them outside of the Club to ensure they feel ready to share.