High School Sunday School class suggestions
- Thread starter jjraby
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CovenantalBaptist
Puritan Board Freshman
What a blessing. May you rejoice in it. The short answer is: all of them! Even a book like Leviticus that people have poorly informed aversions to has important lessons for young (and old) people - Nancy Gatz' commentary for children is helpful on this if you're looking for a challenge, or the wonderful Dutch commentary series called "Promise and Deliverance" S.G. DeGraf.
However, depending on their maturity and understanding of the Gospel, here are some that might be helpful to consider in consultation with your elders:
1. Gospel of Mark - short and accessible, I always recommend Mark to people that I'm evangelizing or beginning to disciple. I think it's the best one to start with. It's short enough that you could cover it in a school year as well.
2. If the majority of them are professing Christians and are looking to delve more into the word, then, Romans is a good choice. Not only is it a great summary of the Gospel it is an outline of all of the great doctrines of Scripture. It can also feed at multiple levels (basic Gospel like Romans 6:23 but also the blessings of the Covenant and the importance of the doctrine of Sovereignty - chapter 9)
3. Some great and helpful OT books if they're unfamiliar with the glory of the OT - Genesis (great for practically equipping them for high school biology/history class if they are in the public system, also basic apologetics (pre-interpreted universe - see Genesis 1, and laying out the Gospel - Creation, Fall, Promise of Redemption (Genesis, 1-3 and particularly Gen. 3:15), Covenant 15:6 etc. - I love Genesis and if I hadn't preached through it recently I'd be doing it with our youth). It's a great opportunity to introduce them to the true hero of the Gospel (God) through the failures of the patriarchs. Another good book to consider in the OT would be Ecclesiastes to point to the vanity and emptiness of the world, the joy of youth with the light of the Gospel - teach them to love a verse like 11:9 "Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment." ).
Delight in your opportunity to share these treasures of Christ with these young men and women, J.R. and may the Lord encourage you as you seek Him and point others to His amazing glory
However, depending on their maturity and understanding of the Gospel, here are some that might be helpful to consider in consultation with your elders:
1. Gospel of Mark - short and accessible, I always recommend Mark to people that I'm evangelizing or beginning to disciple. I think it's the best one to start with. It's short enough that you could cover it in a school year as well.
2. If the majority of them are professing Christians and are looking to delve more into the word, then, Romans is a good choice. Not only is it a great summary of the Gospel it is an outline of all of the great doctrines of Scripture. It can also feed at multiple levels (basic Gospel like Romans 6:23 but also the blessings of the Covenant and the importance of the doctrine of Sovereignty - chapter 9)
3. Some great and helpful OT books if they're unfamiliar with the glory of the OT - Genesis (great for practically equipping them for high school biology/history class if they are in the public system, also basic apologetics (pre-interpreted universe - see Genesis 1, and laying out the Gospel - Creation, Fall, Promise of Redemption (Genesis, 1-3 and particularly Gen. 3:15), Covenant 15:6 etc. - I love Genesis and if I hadn't preached through it recently I'd be doing it with our youth). It's a great opportunity to introduce them to the true hero of the Gospel (God) through the failures of the patriarchs. Another good book to consider in the OT would be Ecclesiastes to point to the vanity and emptiness of the world, the joy of youth with the light of the Gospel - teach them to love a verse like 11:9 "Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment." ).
Delight in your opportunity to share these treasures of Christ with these young men and women, J.R. and may the Lord encourage you as you seek Him and point others to His amazing glory
N. Eshelman
Puritan Board Senior
James!
Tripel
Puritan Board Senior
It largely depends on what kind of teaching the high schoolers usually get. Some churches have doctrinally-heavy teaching for high schoolers, and for others it is mostly practical teaching aimed to "meet them where they are". If I were you, I'd aim to do something that these high schoolers are not usually getting.
If they've had lots of doctrine thrown at them, try doing a very practical series. You could pick one of the Gospels and highlight Jesus' teachings on the Christian life, or go with Proverbs to pick and choose those passages that speak to wisdom, discipline, manhood, womanhood, etc.
If they're lacking doctrine, give 'em Romans.
If they've had lots of doctrine thrown at them, try doing a very practical series. You could pick one of the Gospels and highlight Jesus' teachings on the Christian life, or go with Proverbs to pick and choose those passages that speak to wisdom, discipline, manhood, womanhood, etc.
If they're lacking doctrine, give 'em Romans.
SolaScriptura
Puritanboard Brimstone
Habakkuk. Definitely Habakkuk.
Jack K
Puritan Board Doctor
Galatians. It's foundational in terms of the doctrines of grace, and shows how these truths are lived out. Listen to the White Horse Inn's recent series on Galatians (Jan & Feb. of 2010) and you'll be convinced it's what today's high schoolers need.
Genesis. It's foundational for everything. As they get ready to head off to college and confront everything there, they need this grounding.
Any of the gospels. Kids tend to stop getting Bible stories, from the narrative sections of Scripture, once they hit middle school. This is to their detriment. It means it's high time they take another look at the person of Jesus and see him with fresh, more mature eyes. They must come to fall in love with this man, and the storybook version of him they likely got five years ago won't do. So show them Jesus anew!
Genesis. It's foundational for everything. As they get ready to head off to college and confront everything there, they need this grounding.
Any of the gospels. Kids tend to stop getting Bible stories, from the narrative sections of Scripture, once they hit middle school. This is to their detriment. It means it's high time they take another look at the person of Jesus and see him with fresh, more mature eyes. They must come to fall in love with this man, and the storybook version of him they likely got five years ago won't do. So show them Jesus anew!
Montanablue
Puritan Board Doctor
No, no, you MUST go with Haggai.
I like the idea of giving them what they're not getting. I got a lot of practical stuff in high school, and I would have loved a change.
littlepeople
Puritan Board Freshman
Leviticus:
1. It's my personal favorite
2. The blood, gore, sex, food, sex, bodily discharches...and sex will keep their addled minds focused
4. It provides a needed context for understanding the superiority of the New Covenant
3. They are so desensitized to human violence, that animal butchery might actually have a better chance at causing the light-bulb glow. Leviticus 17 is one of the clearest and strongest gospel presentations in the Bible.
1. It's my personal favorite
2. The blood, gore, sex, food, sex, bodily discharches...and sex will keep their addled minds focused
4. It provides a needed context for understanding the superiority of the New Covenant
3. They are so desensitized to human violence, that animal butchery might actually have a better chance at causing the light-bulb glow. Leviticus 17 is one of the clearest and strongest gospel presentations in the Bible.
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