"PLAIN Talk for Teens"

A Release Time (off campus) Public School Bible Study Curriculum for TEENS!

To obtain a copy of Plain Talk for Teens, please mail a check or money order for $15.00 to "Public School Outreach" P.O. Box #152 Hatfield, Indiana 47617-0152

Make checks payable to Public School Outreach.

If you ask teens today what their biggest gripe is, most of them will say, "I can’t get anyone to give me a straight answer to things that I really want to know!"

Teens today want straight answers, not candy coated responses like you would give to a 5-year-old. Believe me, they know the difference, and they won’t sit still for anything less than honest, straightforward answers!

This curriculum was developed to answer tuff questions teens have from a Biblical perspective. "Plain Talk for Teens" was created from questions a group of teens had during a High School Release Time (off campus) Bible study program. These are real questions from real teens with real issues!

It has already been proven that teens will look for the answers to their questions somewhere. Whether through their friends, or television shows and magazines, they will look…..somewhere. Giving them Biblical answers to those questions will prevent them from obtaining answers from the "world".

It is our duty as Christians to reach these teens and keep them from the pollution of the world.

I believe that we have underestimated the intelligence of our youth and therefore have not taken their questions serious in the past.

In "Plain Talk for Teens" you will find lessons that address those questions and issues that face our teens today. Provided here are Biblical answers and solutions straight from God’s Word. Of the many questions teens have, these are some of the most asked questions. This curriculum will hopefully provide insight to the instructor as to what teens want to know, and how to approach some tuff subjects with Biblical responses.

I pray that this curriculum will be a helpful resource in reaching teens in your own Release Time Program.

In Christ,

Adam Bartlett

Director: Alpha & Omega Outreach Ministries / Assistant & Public Relations for Public School Outreach

General Format

Each lesson is based on a question and answer type format.

There are a few ways in which you can approach each lesson.

1. Start by asking your students the "Question".

Find out where they are at concerning this.

Let them know up front that they have the freedom to be open and honest.

Discuss why they feel the way they do about the subject.

Go over bible scripture offered with each lesson, have your students look up scriptures and take turns reading them out loud. This will help them to see that it is not just a ‘teachers opinion’ that they are getting, but the Word of God!

Offer a time of prayer for repentance of sin, as well as a time to present the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ.

RELATE IT TO REAL LIFE: Be sure to relate each lesson to your students personally. You can do this by telling a personal story of your own, or a story in a newspaper or magazine. When your students hear that someone really did have to deal with this and used God’s principals to get through it, they will realize that what God says really does work after all!

Many times a good Christian movie can point out the principals you are talking about.

2. You can create a "Fill in the Blank" page for your students to fill out.

• Remember: Teens are continually being told they "can’t" do this or that…..that they "can’t" have this or that. So much (they feel) is being taken away from them. They want to know what they can do and what they can have. If we tell them that the secular "Teen Magazines" are not good for them to read because of the immoral advice in the ‘talk back’ sections, the explicit sexual advertisements and stories and the promotion of immoral ‘role models’, then we need to replace it with something. Get a few good Christian "Teen Magazines" from your local Christian bookstore and allow your students to sample them. The same can be done with music. If we tell them that some secular rock, rap, and country music has immoral and explicit sexual and violent content, then we need to introduce them to the alternative. Ask them what types of music they enjoy listening to (rock, rap, country, classical etc.); bring in some samples of these from Christian artists.

• Take your teens on a field trip to the local Christian bookstore. Allow them to browse around. Many teens never go to the Christian bookstores, they think that they are boring. It doesn’t sound like the best "hang out" to them. Once they see the vast array of music, books, tee shirts and gift items they will know what these type stores have to offer, that it does appeal to them after all.

• Purchase some good Christian Documentary type videos. When you discuss, for example, "Why did Jesus have to die?", you can show portions of a video that shows some key places in the Bible like the place where Jesus was born, walked, lived and died (and rose again). Doing this will put a picture in the minds of your students to go along with the story. Some think that the places the Bible mentions are not real towns and cities. A video documentary will help.

• Periodically have "Rap Sessions" with your teens. Sometimes getting off the ‘planned lesson’ and just talking as friends around the table will make them feel more at ease. There will be times when they are going through something in their life and want to talk about it. Doing this can lead you into any one of the lesson topics in this curriculum. Be ready with the curriculum in hand to go over some scripture that will help them understand and get through their problem. If they bring up something that the curriculum does not cover and you are unsure as to how to handle it, ask your Pastor or another elder in the church to help you. In any event, pray about the situation with your student.

• Activities are great and fun for everyone however, be sure that ‘activities and play’ are not your MAIN focus! We can get so busy with play that we forget to "Feed the Sheep"! Plan fun outings once in a while to sort of break up the monotony, keep things from getting boring. (Make sure to keep it from becoming your main focus)

Table of Contents

There are only two choices as to whether or not there is a God; one being that we are here by chance (which entails both the Big Bang theory and all forms of Evolution) and the other is obviously that there was a Creator. The Bible makes it clear that there is a Creator:

Romans 1

19: Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them.

20: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Q – Does evolution really give a valid answer for all of creation?

Psalm 14

1: The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, and there are none that doeth good.

Job 38 (chapters 38-41 are great)

1: Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

2: Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

3: Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

4: Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if you have understanding.

5: Who hath laid the measures thereof, if you know? Or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6: How are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner stone thereof;

7: When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8: Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

9: When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it,

10: And break up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

11: And said, Here shall you come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

12: Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

Q – Do these scriptures convince you that there is a God? If not why?

Q – What would it take for you to convince you that there is a God?

At this point you may want to discuss the importance of what faith is and how it applies to believing in God.

You may also use the following for a "logical" approach:

What is the Answer?

In today's world everyone wants the answers, everyone needs to know the answer. The world has turned to Science for the answers to life's questions. I have a question for all, even Scientists;

I know that there are a lot of scientific minded people out there that would say, "Well your brain does of course". OH, really? What makes your brain function?

Some might say, "Electric impulses and waves that are sent through the brain, which stimulate certain voluntary and involuntary muscles to act in a prescribed way"

Well say what you will, the bottom line is that there is a life force in each and every person on the earth and NO one has found an answer for what makes it operate.

Consider this: Your heart beats constantly and consistently every day for as many years as you live. You do not actively make this happen and have absolutely no control over it.

God has created each and every one of us and has put us here for one reason, "For the Lord takes pleasure in His people" and "for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are created."

We are here to worship and serve the One and only God.

Creation itself and the miracles of our existence prove that God is real and that He has truly invested in His creation.

All God asks of us is that we Believe in Him, Accept the gift He gave in Jesus Christ, and Confess our sins to Him.

We will then realize the reason for our existence and why we live and then God can direct our lives. If you haven't given your heart to Jesus, Do it today for we are not promised tomorrow.

It is really simple, Ask Jesus to come into your heart and take control and believe that HE died for your sins and His blood that was shed covers those sins. Ask Jesus to control your life from this point forward and get into His Word.

How Far is Too Far?

If You Have Already Gone Too Far, Why Stop?