PREPARE WEEK
STUDENT GUIDE
WELCOME & OPEN PRAYER
[Host] Hey everyone! Welcome to First Priority. We’re so glad you’re here. Today [insert name] is going to show us another way to write our faith story and how we can share it with our family. Let’s pray.
Sample prayer: Jesus, thank You for loving us and giving us a story worth telling. Help us see how You’ve worked in our lives and give us boldness to share that story with our family. In Your name, amen.
THE CONVERSATION
[Speaker] We have been talking about how sharing our faith with family can be super challenging. It’s tough because they know all our flaws and past mistakes and that makes it feel awkward. But we also learned that we’re not alone in that. Even Jesus had family members who didn’t believe in Him at first! Who wants to share how it is going with sharing your faith with family? (Allow students to respond and share your own experience.)
Today we’re building on that and talking about how to share our story in a way that really points people to Jesus, especially our family. Who’s someone in your life you totally look up to? Like, someone in your family that you would consider a hero. Maybe they’ve been through a lot and still show up with love and strength. Maybe they’ve got your back no matter what. That’s awesome. Heroes inspire us.
Now let’s flip that. When we talk about our faith, who’s the hero of that story?
Sometimes, when we share how we came to know Jesus, we end up putting a lot of the focus on what we did: “I started going to church,” “I changed my habits,” “I made better choices.” And that stuff’s part of the journey. But if we zoom out, we realize it’s not really our actions that saved us. It’s what Jesus did.
The truth is, Jesus is the real hero of every story of faith. Without Him, we’re just stuck in our brokenness. But with Him, we get new life, hope, purpose — everything.
Let’s read Romans chapter 5 verse 8, “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That’s huge. He didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up. He came for us when we were still lost.
Then in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 and 9, Paul writes: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” In other words: it’s not about how good we are, it’s about how good God is.
So, when we’re thinking about telling our story, especially with our family, we need to keep this in mind, let Jesus be the center. Talk about how He showed up in our life. What He saved us from. What He’s done in our heart. That’s what makes our story powerful. That’s what invites people in.
And don’t stress about making it perfect. Your story, with Jesus as the hero, might be exactly what someone in your family needs to hear.
FAITH STORY – HERO OF MY STORY
[Speaker] Today we’re going to take some time to write out our own faith story. The kind of story that could help lead someone in our family to Jesus. And here’s the goal: we want to make sure Jesus is the hero of the story, not us. That means we’re focusing more on what He’s done in our lives, not just what we’ve done.
Sharing Jesus with family can feel awkward or even scary sometimes, especially since they already know everything about us. Like, the good and the not-so-great. But that’s exactly why it’s powerful. When they see the real change Jesus made in us, it can make them want to know more.
We’ve got an outline to help us tell our story in a way that keeps the focus on Jesus. Just read each prompt and take your time writing your answers. If you’re not sure what to write, maybe you’re still figuring out your rela!onship with Jesus. Just flip your paper over and write down any questions you have. That’s a great place to start too. (Have student leaders pass out the Hero of My Story cards.)
- I am a follower of Jesus, and I would like to tell you why. I have learned that we all need to be saved, because we are broken by sin – and not just in a physical way but a spiritual way. Here is what I learned about my sin and why it is a problem: (Give students a minute to write and have a few share.)
- I realized I was lost and broken because: (Give students a minute to write and have a few share.)
- God created us all and loves us so much. He knows that we are broken and cannot fix ourselves, so He sent His Son Jesus. This is what Jesus did for me so that I would not be separated from God: (Give students a minute to write and have a few share.)
- When I understood all of this for the first time, I realized I needed Jesus and wanted to follow Him. This is how I began my relationship with Him: (Give students a minute to write and have a few share.)
- My life today looks different than before I started following Jesus. Here are some of the biggest things He has done in my life since: (Give students a minute to write and have a few share.)
Every story is different, but every story points to the same Savior. When Jesus is the hero, our story becomes a powerful way to share hope with our family.
(Have the student host come back up and give the CHALLENGE and PRAY.)
CHALLENGE & PRAY
[Host] Our challenge for this week is to practice saying our faith story using the Hero of My Story outline and pray for boldness to share it with our family. Let’s pray!
Sample prayer: Jesus, thank You for being the hero of our lives. Help us not be ashamed of what You’ve done for us. Give us the right words, the right time, and the courage to share our story with our family. Use it to open hearts and bring others to You. In Your name, amen.
GAME TIME – Optional
[Host & Mentor] (See the Game Time tab for options.)
