HELP WEEK
STUDENT GUIDE
WELCOME & OPEN PRAYER
[HOST] Hi everyone! Welcome to First Priority this week, we are so excited you are here! As we end our year, we want to continue talking about conversations important for each of us, especially as we go into summer. Today, [insert name] is going to start us off by talking about conversations that matter – whether that is with friends at camp, sporting events, family reunions, vacations, and more. Before we get started, let’s take a moment to pray, asking God to be with us today. Let’s pray!
SAMPLE PRAYER: God, thank you for bringing everyone here today. Help each of us to have open hearts and minds to understand what you are teaching each of us. Be with [insert name] as they share today and help us to respond to what we hear. In Your Name we pray. Amen.
THE CONVERSATION
[SPEAKER] We have seen throughout this school year, there are multiple ways to start conversations with the people around us and in our lives, whether easy or hard. What conversation starters and tools have been the easiest for you this year? Why? (Give a moment for responses and share yours here)
Over these next four weeks, we are going to take a few moments to review one of the easiest ways to share our faith, the Hand Gospel, as well as add one final tool to take into the summer. Then we can take a look at how these will help us as we enter the summer months filled with people through our activities and events. The goal will be to continue to share our faith without it feeling weird or unnatural.
In John, chapter 3, Jesus has a conversation with a man named Nicodemus that changed everything. Nicodemus was a religious leader who came to Jesus with questions. Jesus told him that knowing about God or trying to be good isn’t enough—we all need to be born again, which means receiving new life through faith in Him.
Jesus explained that just as people in the Old Testament looked to the bronze snake and were saved, everyone who looks to Jesus and trusts Him will have eternal life.
Then Jesus explained why He came:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world—He came to save it. Everyone has a choice: trust Jesus and step into the light, or reject Him and remain in darkness.
This is the same message we all need but we also know, it can be hard to share this message with those around us, especially in new situations with new people. So, why is it so important to share our faith, especially as we go into the summer? Because, like we have discussed before, every person matters. God loves us all! He knows who we are, brokenness and all, and He knows what we need, and He wants to be there. He desires a relationship with each one of us!
What makes you the most afraid or nervous to share your faith? (Give a moment for responses and share yours here) Jesus came to equip and empower us to share the Gospel and have the easy and the hard conversations. In Colossians 4, verse 6, He reminds us… “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” We already know it is a message that is worth sharing, so now it is just a matter of finding the best way for us to do that – so our conversations go from feeling weird to being full of grace, seasoned with salt, and knowing how to answer our peers just like the verse says!
Today, let’s take a moment to review the Hand Gospel from earlier this year. Does anyone remember it and want to share? (allow someone to share it with the room or be ready to share it yourself)
The Hand Gospel works well because as we enter into summer with camps, sports, and family vacations, we always have our hand with us to be able to share. There is another tool that works well in a season like summer, it is the One Verse Gospel Tool. It is one that only takes memorizing one verse to share the Gospel.
CONVERSATION STARTER – ONE VERSE GOSPEL
[SPEAKER] Let’s finish up Club today with one last tool to help us throughout the summer. (have a student pass out the One Verse cards to each student in the club)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 6:23
As you start, instead of jumping straight into the verse, begin the conversation first with a question like this… “Can I show you a verse that helped me understand what Christianity is really about?” OR “Have you ever heard this verse before?” OR “Can I share something that’s made a huge difference in my life?” Remember it will be important to memorize the verse, so you won’t need your card as you go to different activities in the summertime so for this month, spend time memorizing this verse.
Then ask, “What are wages?” Let them answer.
Then say, wages are something you earn. If you work a job, your paycheck is your wages—you deserve it because you worked for it. The Bible says there’s something we’ve all earned.
Next ask, “What do you think sin means?” Allow them to answer.
Then say, Sin is choosing our own way instead of God’s way. It’s more than just breaking rules—it’s living independently from God. You can ask: “Have you ever lied?” OR “Been selfish?” OR “Hurt someone?”
This helps them recognize that everyone has sinned (without making it feel like an accusation).
Then ask, “What kind of death do you think this is talking about?”
Then say, Eventually we all die physically, but the Bible is also talking about spiritual separation from God because of our sin. The consequence we’ve earned is separation from the God who created us. But God didn’t leave us there.
Then ask, “What’s different about a gift?” Let them answer.
Then say, you don’t earn a gift. You don’t pay for it. Someone else pays for it. You simply receive it. God isn’t only offering Heaven someday. He’s offering a restored relationship with Him that begins now and lasts forever.
Then ask, “Why do you think it says in Christ?”
Then say, Jesus lived the life we couldn’t live. He died for our sins. He rose again. Because He paid the penalty we earned, He offers us the gift we could never earn ourselves.
As you end, give the invitation. You might ask: “Does that make sense?” OR “What stands out to you?” OR “Where do you think you are in this verse?” OR “Have you ever received that gift?”
If they’re interested in knowing more: Ask if they’d like to trust Christ today and offer to pray the prayer of salvation with them.
Here is a short way to remember it with just four words…
- Wages → What we’ve earned.
- Sin → Our problem.
- Gift → God’s solution.
- Jesus → The only way to receive eternal life.
The One Verse tool models the kind of conversation Jesus had a lot: asking questions, listening, and building from common ideas (like wages and gifts) toward deeper spiritual truth. It also works well with the Hand Gospel. You can choose to explain Romans 6:23 first, then use the Hand Gospel as a visual summary—or use the Hand Gospel first and reinforce it by showing how Romans 6:23 captures the same gospel message in a single verse.
If you are here today and you have not trusted Jesus yet, you can do that today! And if you already know Jesus, these tools are a great way to easily start a conversation with your peers who do not know Him yet. Which tool do you think would be easiest for you? Why? (share your favorite and allow students to respond) Practice sharing the One Verse Gospel with your neighbor.
(Have the HOST come back up and give the CHALLENGE & PRAY.)
CHALLENGE & PRAY
[HOST] Here is the challenge for the week: memorize Romans 6:23 and look for the opportunity to share the verse with someone around you. Start a conversation that matters. Share your story! Let’s pray!
SAMPLE PRAYER: God, thank you for giving us the message today and reminding us of how a conversation can be the beginning of a new life, born again. Help each of us to use the tools we have learned to talk about you with boldness. Open our eyes to the people in our lives that need to know you and give us the strength to step into the conversation when the moments come. In Jesus’ name, amen.
GAME TIME – Optional
[HOST & MENTOR/COACH] (See game time tab for options.)
