Every Student Pack comes with a devotional Journal—a booklet designed to get teens into God’s Word on their own. But who has time to use it? Seriously, we are all so busy.
Here are a few tips on using the Journal. Think through which ones would work well with your group. And share your strategies with other youth leaders here too.
Personal Devotions: If your students aren’t already, encourage them to set aside time regularly for prayer and Scripture study on their own. The Journal has verses that relate to each week’s session for students to dig deeper.
Knowing Your Students: New Christians or unchurched teens may have difficulty understanding and/or answering every question. Remind them that the devotional’s main purpose is to get them into the Word, which means spending time with God. If all they do is read the passage, think about it, and pray, the journal has served its purpose. Encourage students who have done more Bible study to read the questions and use them to direct them back to God’s Word. Challenge all students to write down at least one thing from each passage that speaks to their hearts. Remember that the Holy Spirit is building a foundation, layer upon layer, that is a lifelong endeavor and will will make more sense as they mature and grow.
With Friends: Don’t want to go it alone? Suggest a few friends meet during the week before school to read the Scripture passages and pray together.
Midweek: Do you have small-group time during the week? Use the verses and questions as a follow-up study for your gathering.
Text/Email: Use the digital devotional (included with Leader Kit purchase) to quickly and easily copy and paste the Scripture passage and question to your students as a reminder of your session’s study.
Facebook/Website: Do you have a group website or Facebook page? Use the digital devotional to post a question for students to respond to and interact with each other. They might get more from others’ responses than they would on their own!
Remember: Do the devotions on your own during the week as well. Not only does that strengthen your relationship with the Lord but it is also a great example to your students. Share with them what you are learning. They are more likely to value what you emphasize as important, so follow up with it regularly.
Be positive as you remind and ask students about their devotional time. You don’t want to send them on a guilt trip or promote legalism. You’re encouraging them to build a habit, which takes weeks, months, and even a lifetime to develop as the Holy Spirit works in their hearts.
Click here to download a sample journal page from the Worshiping God study!