Teenagers with a firm faith foundation, who know what they believe and why, aren't easily swayed by others who might challenge their faith. Lessons use active-learning techniques to hold teenagers' interest and keep them involved, and each lesson gives a biblical perspective to faith issues, such as Creation and Jesus' return. With concise and easy-to-use handouts, teachers will be able to help teenagers learn these vital concepts with ease.

The number-one cry of children's ministry leaders is the desire to teach kids the basics - the foundational truths of the Christian faith. These lessons are solid, Bible-packed experiences that draw children closer to Jesus and prepare them for a lifetime of spiritual maturity. Teachers will be fully equipped to tackle tough questions and encourage children along the way.

Your teenagers may think they've already heard all the Bible has to offer...but they're in for a fun surprise! Believe-It-or-Not Bible Studies highlights 13 wild--but true--Bible stories that pack powerful points. Now your teenagers can experience important Bible lessons while proving once and for all that the Bible is anything but boring. With attention-grabbing, true Bible stories; outrageous, memorable activities and intense scriptural truths, your teens will learn the Bible like they never have before...and love every minute of it! Guaranteed to provoke discussion in any group, these easy-to-prepare studies fit well into any schedule with enough material for 30-, 45- and 60-minute lessons. Teach your youth to expect the unexpected from the most important book they'll ever read and you'll fuel their interest for a lifetime!

Students who've experienced the Bible's great truths, not just read about them, can walk through their lives with a firm foundation under their feet. They know what they believe and why, and they feel a lot more comfortable in situations that are challenging to their faith. This collection of lessons covering the most important truths in the Bible gives you an easy-to-use resource that will plunge your teenagers into the beautiful basics: the reality of God in the world, the truth about who Jesus really is, and why all of us need a "Good Shepherd" to find us and reclaim us...13 powerhouse lessons in all. And because they're created by the editors of Group/Simply Youth Ministry, every lesson uses the R.E.A.L. learning approach--Relational, Experiential, Applicable, and Learner-based. This approach is not only easy to lead, but also guarantees that your students will engage with these great truths. They'll learn how to live out their relationship with Jesus in their everyday lives as they wrestle with issues that really matter... - Why bad things happen to good people, and how Jesus brings beauty out of ugly; - What it means to "grow into" Jesus--living and loving others the way he does; and - Learning how to depend upon the Holy Spirit in life. No matter what the life issue, the Bible offers foundational truths that can help your students live more confidently with a deeper ongoing connection to Jesus. And our concise instructions and easy-to-use reproducible handouts make your job easy. Use these lessons as "spice" in between a teaching series, or build a series around them. Also, they're easily adapted for a confirmation setting, a "new believers" class, a "grow-deep" discipleship group, or even Sunday school.

The number #1 cry of children's ministry leaders everywhere is the desire to teach kids the basics--the foundational truths of the Christian faith. With the 13 Most Important Bible Lessons series, you'll give kids a faith foundation that will last a lifetime and prepare them for a lifetime of spiritual maturity. This series offers kids' Bible lessons that prepare upper-elementary school kids to weather the storms of life with a strong spiritual base. This children's ministry resource not only gives children a solid understanding of their faith, it also equips their teachers to tackle the tough questions that inevitably arise. Teach your children practical Bible lessons that will establish a solid footing to help them deal with the challenges of growing up while also growing in their faith and their Christian beliefs. Each Most Important Bible Lesson is designed for kids age 8 through 12, and includes: Lesson at glance Opener Scripture foundations Relational applications Closing prayer 13 Most Important Bible Lessons for Kids About Living for Jesus is a practical and engaging resource that draws children closer to Jesus and helps them learn how to live for him. It is kid-sized theology that really cements the fundamentals of faith into upper-elementary kids' hearts and heads Each lesson uses Scripture, conversation, and hands on activities to teach kids vital truths that include: Living in the hope and joy of Jesus Showing the glory and truth of Jesus to others Living in the world but belonging to Jesus Uniting in faith with other followers of Jesus Trusting in Jesus for eternity 13 Most Important Bible Series offers three volumes: 13 Most Important Bible Lessons for Kids about God (9780764470660) 13 Most Important Bible Lessons for Kids About Living for Jesus (9781470704278) 13 Most Important Bible Lessons for Kids About Loving Each Other (9781470715236)

Bestselling author Jim George adapts his popular The Bare-Bones Bible Handbook (over 100,000 copies sold) for teens. This fast and friendly overview of every book of the Bible will inspire teens to explore the wisdom and truth of scripture as they discover: What is the major theme of each book of the Bible? What are the most important lessons for everyday life in each book? Who are the key characters, and what do they teach us? What are the key events in each book? This fascinating survey also includes sidebars geared to a teen's interests and life, giving them a solid foundation of knowledge about the most important book ever written. And Jim George's ability to make complex topics understandable will have readers referring to this resource again and again as their faith and wisdom grow throughout the years. A must for every youth group and leader.

“Contemplative Youth Ministry is refreshing rain for dry youth workers and barren youth ministries. More than the same old youth ministry tips and tricks, it gives principles and practices to soak in God’s grace, love, and power. I wish I had read it 15 years ago.” - Kara Powell, Ph.D., executive director, Center for Youth Ministry and Family Ministry, Fuller Theological Seminary “Mark invites readers to be encountered by the presence of Jesus who is always near. This book is transparent about the challenges that churches and families face as they desire to be effective in youth ministry. The book is filled with the honest stories of different kinds of youth ministries representing the breadth of Christianity in the United States. I heartily endorse Contemplative Youth Ministry as a rich encounter with the souls of youth and adults whose lives have been transformed by our very present God.” - Bill Kees, director of youth ministries, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) “Mark Yaconelli not only reminds us of some of the long-forgotten pathways of faith, he shares with us how it actually looks when men and women who love God practice it with young people. I especially appreciate Mark’s optimism in his perspective of today’s kids, for his insights are grounded in God’s view of them.” - Chap Clark, Ph.D., associate professor of youth, family, and culture, Fuller Theological Seminary “Mark Yaconelli was experimenting with contemplative youth ministry practices before contemplative youth ministry practices became cool. This book has about it the unique air of authenticity. He shares with us in these pages his own journey as a youth worker who actually believes that God’s still small voice speaks louder than the roaring windstorm of our busy youth ministry calendars. It’s a book about creating for our students places of silence and opening up spaces for God to speak.” - Duffy Robbins, professor of youth ministry, Eastern University; author of Enjoy the Silence and This Way to Youth Ministry “Mark Yaconelli has emerged as one of youth ministry’s most provocative ‘voices in the wilderness,’ calling us back to our theological taproots: The contemplative practices that bind our lives to the life of Christ. If Mark’s research has taught us anything, it’s that these practices do not cause youth ministry to take fl ight into a spiritual never-never land; rather they anchor young people—and their churches—in the fertile soil of Christian tradition, in the nitty-gritty of daily life, and in the explosive transformation that awaits us when we wait upon God.” - Kenda Creasy Dean, parent, pastor, and professor of youth, Princeton Theological Seminary; author of Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church