When it comes to planning youth Bible study topics, pastors and leaders might feel limited by group members’ age and life stage. But if you’re teaching preteens or teenagers, there’s no need to stick only to subjects such as peer pressure and dating.
Sure, those are important lessons that interest most teens. But kids are also eager and willing to grow their faith in many other areas. And they’re hungry for the nourishment provided in God’s Word and for Jesus, the bread of life.
Almost all subjects that lead to great adult Bible studies work well as youth Bible study topics too. Just be sure to make the teaching time age-appropriate. Also consider including themed activities and games to reinforce the lessons.
10 Youth Bible Study Topics
1. Miracles
No matter their age, people remain fascinated by the miracles of healing, provision and restoration that Jesus performed on earth. Introduce a lesson or series about Jesus’ miracles by playing a fun guessing game such as Emoji Bible Stories. In that game, kids try to guess each miracle based only on emoji clues.
2. Parables
Jesus was a master storyteller, and his wide variety of parables are filled with insight and instructions for Christian living. You can spend a whole summer or semester studying the New Testament parables with teenagers. Begin or end each lesson with a fun game, such as this Lost Sheep Puzzle.
3. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount
In his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7), Jesus covers loads of topics of interest and relevance to young people. These include obedience, witnessing, relationships, enemies, giving, prayer, wealth, worrying, judging and salvation. Jesus’ sermon opens with the Beatitudes, which make great youth Bible study topics on their own!
4. Obedience
Character studies of people in the Bible who obey (and disobey) God’s Word also work especially well for youth Bible study topics. Choose people from both the Old and New Testaments, including some whom teens may not have heard about previously. These studies are bound to lead to lively discussions about the challenges and blessings of following Jesus.
5. Evangelism
You don’t need to be an adult or a longtime Christian to share your faith in Jesus with others. In fact, teenagers tend to be some of the boldest witnesses around. Plus, they usually have wide-reaching networks of friends and acquaintances. During a youth Bible study on evangelism, address any fears or hesitations that kids have about sharing their beliefs with others.
