Growing in Christ’s Church

Click to order!

What is the church?
Why are there problems in the church?

Do high school students need the church? Do any of us? Christianity is about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; but it is not a private relationship. As soon as individual believers are joined to Christ, they are “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).

Draw your students into God’s vision of the church through his Word and the Holy Spirit, along with your modeling of faith, life, and leadership. Every member of Christ’s body—even your teens—helps to make up the people of God, the church, the dwelling for his glory in the world now. Download a free lesson!

See what’s in a Leader Kit and Student Pack.

Already leading this study? Click here for extra resources and ideas!

You may also fill out our online evaluation form here after leading the study.

Sessions in this Study

Download Sessions at a Glance PDF

Unit 1: The Church (2 weeks)

Session 1

Q. What is the church?
A. The church is people: chosen, redeemed, and sealed for the praise and glory of God.

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1–14

Session 2

Q. How does God describe his church?
A. Through word pictures, God describes many facets of the church and her union to Christ.

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9–10; Ephesians 2:19–22; Exodus 19:5 (Deuteronomy 7:6); Matthew 5:13–16; 1 Corinthians 12:12–18, 27; 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 15:1–5; Romans 8:14–17; 1 Timothy 3:15; Philippians 2:5–8; Revelation 19:6–9

Unit 2: The People of God (3 weeks)

Session 3

Q. Why are there hypocrites in the church?
A. Sin is a reality in the church, but God is at work sanctifying his people.

Scripture: Selections from 1 Corinthians: 1:1–16; 5; 6:1–8; 10:1–13; 11:17–22, 27–34; 15:12–22

Session 4

Q. How should we respond to sin in the church?
A. Jesus gave the church a process to deal with sin.

Scripture: Matthew 18:12–17; Deuteronomy 19:15–16; Galatians 6:1–2; Matthew 7:3–5

Session 5

Q. What should we do when we’re tempted to leave the church?
A. Listen to God’s Word. Jesus doesn’t give up on the church, and neither should we.

Scripture: Revelation 2–3

Unit 3: The Body of Christ (2 weeks)

Session 6

Q. I’m not the pastor, so am I important in the church?
A. Yes, God placed me and each believer as an important and necessary member in Christ’s body, the church.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; John 14:15–21

Session 7

Q. “One-anothering”—what’s that?
A. It’s caring for “one another” in the church like Christ has shown care for me.

Scripture: Various “one another” passages

Unit 4: The Fellowship of the Spirit (2 weeks)

Session 8

Q. How can U put the U back in Unity?
A. As believers, we continue to grow closer to Christ and to each other as we walk by the Spirit and display the fruit of the Spirit.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1–6; Acts 15:1–35; Galatians 5:16–26

Session 9

Q. Do I have a spiritual gift? Am I gifted?
A. The Holy Spirit gives a gift to every believer and empowers him or her to use it to serve and build up the church.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:7–16; Romans 12:3–8; 1 Peter 4:9–11

Unit 5: Disciples in the Making (4 weeks)

Session 10

Q. What are Christ’s three C’s?
A. In the Great Commission, Christ makes a CLAIM, gives a COMMAND, and COMFORTS his disciples.

Scripture: Matthew 28:18–20; Matthew 4:18–22

Session 11

Q. What is God’s welfare plan for the body of Christ?
A. God has given us the best gift, the indescribable gift of his Son, Jesus. In gratitude, we are to give generously and cheerfully to meet the needs of other Christians.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:1–15; 2 Corinthians 9; Romans 15:25–28

Session 12

Q. We’re in a war? Who is our enemy and how do we fight him?
A. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are to fight against the temptations of our enemy, Satan, by putting on the whole armor of God, praying, and persevering.

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10–20 and selected passages

Session 13

Q. How do our stories fit into God’s bigger story and plan?
A. Stories such as Paul’s from the Bible, and mine, fit into God’s bigger story to save a people for himself—the church—through Christ our Redeemer.

Scripture: Acts 9:1–31 (7:58–59; 8:1)

|
One Response to Growing in Christ’s Church
  1. Scott Pierce
    October 17, 2013 | 9:32 am

    Session 2 of “Growing In Christ’s Church” was an enriching study. I loved the collection of Scriptural word pictures, and we ended up taking two weeks to complete the study–there was just so much to it! Big thanks to the contributors to that lesson in particular. (comment via Facebook)

Leave a Reply