01 the Greatest Show.Pdf

A 4-WEEK SERIES ON IDENTITY FROM OUR ANNUAL TEACHING STRATEGY

BY APRIL WAHL

TERMS AND CONDITIONS All aspects of Grow Curriculum and Strategy (including all images, language, resources, and related products) are owned by Stuff You Can Use. Stuff You Can Use gives permission to the organization that purchased this resource to download, print, and use its components for its use only. No part of Grow Curriculum and Strategy may be copied, shared, resold, or republished outside of that organization in any way, except in the case of brief quotations or product reviews that credit and link back to Grow Curriculum and Strategy (growcurriculum.org). Reproducing any of this material or incorporating it into a new work that does not follow these guidelines (including a blog post, podcast, video, or other resource) is a violation of U.S. copyright laws. Stuff You Can Use is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. THE GREATEST SHOW 1

ABOUT THIS SERIES

Do you ever felt like you’re putting on a show? Like the person people think you are doesn’t line up with who you really are? Or maybe you’ve been known to put on different personas for different situations—personas that help you fit in with certain crowds, even if that persona doesn’t reflect who you really want to be. Sound familiar? Of course it does. We can all relate because, at times, we all struggle with the same big questions: “Who am I? Who loves me? Why am I here?” In this 4-week series on identity, you’ll help students find answers to those questions as they discover that, in Jesus, they are loved, they are forgiven, they have purpose, and they belong.

THIS SERIES AT A GLANCE WEEK 1 WEEK 3 This week, you’ll use a variety of Scripture, along with This week, you’ll look at the words of King David, the story of P.T. Barnum and his traveling circus, to Paul, and Peter as you help students understand introduce students to some of the things God says that they were created by God on purpose, for a about them—most importantly, that they're loved. purpose. • THE BIG IDEA: You are loved. • THE BIG IDEA: You have purpose. • THE BIBLE: Genesis 1:27-31; Romans 5:6-8, 6:6, • THE BIBLE: Psalm 139:1-16; Ephesians 2:8-10; 15:7; John 1:12. I Peter 2:9. • THE BUILDING BLOCKS: A Poll, Stories, • THE BUILDING BLOCKS: A Poll, Question, Questions, an Activity, time of Reflection, and Story, Discussion, Image, time of Reflection, Discussion (hybrid format only). and Video. WEEK 2 WEEK 4 This week, you’ll hear about the story of Paul and This week, you’ll help students see that their identity read what he wrote in the pages of Scripture about can be found, in part, by engaging in community forgiveness as you help students see that, with with the rest of God's family, the church—a place Jesus, their past sins don't have to define them. where God says, "You belong." • THE BIG IDEA: You are forgiven. • THE BIG IDEA: You belong. • THE BIBLE: Ephesians 2:4-10; Romans 8:1; John • THE BIBLE: Mark 1:16-20; John 1:12-13; 3:16 -17. I Corinthians 12:12-27 • THE BUILDING BLOCKS: A Poll, Video, a few • THE BUILDING BLOCKS: A Video, Question, Questions, a Story, Discussion, Activity, and Story, Discussion, and time of Reflection. time of Reflection.

HOW TO HACK THIS SERIES

Every ministry is different. Whether you’re teaching middle schoolers, high schoolers, teenagers with special needs, or all three, here’s how to hack this series to fit your unique and diverse audience.

HACK #2: Encourage them to keep learning about MIDDLE SCHOOLERS themselves. Sometimes, in our desire to encourage HACK #1: Give them confidence. Middle schoolers teenagers to live lives of integrity, we tell them to be are pretty insecure people. According to research by consistent—to be the same person at church that psychologist Erik Erikson, most middle schoolers they are everywhere. While this is good advice in are wondering if they can “make it” in the world. some ways, it can also fail to take into account the Because of the way their brains are developing, fact that high schoolers experiment with different they're more aware than ever before of their quirks interests, styles, and activities as they search for and shortcomings, and are also beginning to their own identities. That’s not a bad thing! Be compare themselves to their peers for the first time. careful not to discourage your high schoolers from Keep that in mind (especially during Week 3) as you behaviors that are actually normal and healthy for help your middle schoolers gain confidence in the their development and identity formation. Instead, fact that God created them and has good things in let them know that trying new things is a great way store for them. to learn about who they are and who they're not.

HACK #2: Point out their unique gifts. Because middle schoolers are still figuring out who they are TEENAGERS WITH and what they like, it’s not always easy for them SPECIAL NEEDS to identify their strengths, weaknesses, or unique qualities. During your discussions, help fill the gaps HACK #1: Use language that affirms their in your middle schoolers' ability to be self awareness identities instead of confirming their disabilities. by telling them what you see in them. Share what Disability research teaches us to use a "person- talents, passions, interests, and qualities you believe first" approach to our language. That means, when make them unique. speaking to or about a teenager with special needs, we should always name the person first and their medical diagnosis last. For example, that means HIGH SCHOOLERS saying “the girl with Down syndrome” rather than HACK #1: Talk about the future. According to “the Downs girl.” Model this language for your research by psychologist Erik Erikson, most high students because learning to humanize and dignify schoolers are not only wondering who they are, but one another becomes more important than ever they’re also wondering who they can be. As your high during the teenage years as friendships deepen, schoolers look toward the future and wonder how peer pressure persists, and self interests emerge. they’ll contribute to the world around them, use this Teach all students to look at one another first as series as an opportunity to help your high schoolers a person of value with unique abilities, rather than imagine how their God-given identities could inform seeing a young person with disabilities for what their future careers, families, and experiences. they cannot do.

HACK #2: Affirm your students publicly. Any front of your entire group, or it could be a moment activity that publicly affirms your students will that takes place between your students—either be a game changer in dignifying your teens with in conversation or in the form of written notes of special needs. Young people with disabilities are encouragement. rarely noticed for their journey of sacrifice, tenacity, Do you have more ideas for how to hack this series advocacy, and resilience, so if you want to positively to better connect with middle schoolers, high impact these families, provide a moment during schoolers, or students with special needs? Share this series that affirms their character qualities and your ideas in the Made By You section of the Grow calls out how you see God at work in the midst of website! their journey. This could be a public moment in

HOW TO PREP FOR THIS SERIES WHAT TO GET WHAT TO CUSTOMIZE If you want to try every Building Block mentioned in You know your students better than we do, so you’ll this series, here’s what you’ll need to buy, borrow, probably want to customize a few things. Google, or dig for in your storage closet . . . • Sermon or Hybrid Teaching Guides: Add WEEK 1: your own stories, jokes, and any pop culture • Images of P.T. Barnum and his original circus references that make sense for your group. • A large white board, cork board, or poster-sized • Small Group Guides: If you make changes to pad of paper your Sermon or Hybrid Teaching Guides, make • Markers sure your small group questions reflect those changes. WEEK 2: Graphics: We’ve created a number of slides A video of your favorite epic fail(s) • • for you already, but we’ve also provided a blank Paper or card stock • slide in case you need to make your own. Markers • • Emails: For every series, customize your weekly WEEK 3: volunteer emails and your monthly parent email. • Any image of the character Lettie Lutz from the movie The Greatest Showman WHAT TO PRINT • A video clip (like this one) of the song "This Is Me" from the movie The Greatest Showman When you’re done customizing, be sure to print . . . WEEK 4: • Small Group or Hybrid Teaching Guides: One • A video of the movie trailer for The Greatest for every small group leader or teacher, plus a Showman few extras (just in case).

WHAT TO COMMUNICATE To make sure your volunteers and parents are prepared and in the loop . . . • Volunteer Emails: We’ve written one volunteer email for every week of this series. After you’ve customized them, send them at least a few days in advance. • Parent Emails: We’ve written one parent email for this series. After you’ve customized it, send it at least a few days before you begin this series. • Social Media: We’ve also written some helpful social-media-sized posts for your parents and volunteers to go along with this series. You can find them in your Parent and Volunteer Communication Guides for this series. Use them wherever you communicate online.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR APRIL WAHL centurybaptist.org facebook.com/shehasgoneawahl instagram.com/shehasgoneawahl twitter.com/shehasgoneawahl

April is the middle school director at Century April's middle name is June and she was born Baptist Church in Bismarck, North Dakota. Before on Valentine's Day, so she's basically a walking becoming the middle school director, April started calendar. She likes to read, write, and be outside, as a volunteer in high school student ministry, but not when it's -5 degrees. Once, April ate six hot then moved into an assistant role for both middle dogs and five hamburgers in an eating contest to and high school ministry, and eventually moved to prove to her high school classmates she could eat oversee grades 6-8. as much as any guy.

Before jumping into ministry eight years ago, April If she could hang out with any celebrity, April would was a teacher for three years. If you ask her if she definitely want to hang out with Molly Shannon, ever misses being in the classroom, she'll probably walk around NYC, and grab coffee while April tell you that she is now teaching in the best tells her she was so obsessed with Molly's SNL classroom ever—and sometimes her students are character Mary Catherine Gallagher as a teenager the best teachers. that her greatest dream was to audition for SNL and be Molly's character's younger sister. Middle schoolers and the people who love middle schoolers are usually April's favorite people in the If you'd like to chat with April about ministry, her world, but not before her husband Jordan, son favorite hot dishes, or why she hates having her Archer, or two dogs. nose touched, reach out!

This series was edited by Elle Campbell, Brian Aaby, Lynne Howard, Addison Roberts, and Nik Walborn. This series' Hacks for Teenagers with Special Needs were written by Regina Robinson. ALSO! The graphics for this series were designed by Josh Gosney.

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You are loved. Genesis 1:27-31; Romans 5:6-8, 6:6, 15:7 John 1:12

WHAT?

WE’RE STARTING A NEW SERIES POLL | What do you think about the circus? • INSTRUCTIONS: You can conduct this poll in a very informal and unscientific way with just the raising of some hands, but if you'd like to make this poll more involved, you certainly can. Create a live digital poll with a service like polleverywhere.com or keep things analog and use a large white board to tally your results. • What's your vote? Does the circus 1) thrill you, 2) chill you, or 3) freak you out? Why? Let's hear your reasons. • On a scale of 1-5, how much do clowns freak you out? STORY | Share the story of P.T. Barnum and his circus. • INSTRUCTIONS: As you share this story, you may want to show some images of P.T. Barnum and his original circus. • A couple of hundred years ago, a man named P.T. Barnum had a dream for a traveling oddity museum that turned into what we now know as The Circus. Barnum traveled around looking for a cast of characters who were, in the world’s eyes, unattractive, strange and odd, in order to attract a crowd. Weird huh? But it worked. • Barnum's cast of characters were people who were seen as outcasts and untouchables to most people—“freaks” in the eyes of others. Individually, these were people who you never get picked for any team, however, people lined up in droves to see this ensemble of freaks.

QUESTION | Have you ever been picked last for a team? How did that make you feel? • Look for a show of hands. Let a few students respond to the second. • Yeah, that can be a pretty terrible feeling. But now let's think about the opposite scenario. QUESTION | Have you ever been picked first for a team? How did that feel? • Look for a show of hands. Let a few students respond to the second. • Yeah, that can be the best feeling ever. Maybe you were picked first because the captain saw something in you. Maybe the team believed your leadership, your gifts, or your skills would be the thing that led them to victory. Whether it's getting chosen for the basketball team, the debate team, a group project, or even a seat at the "cool table," it feels great to be chosen and wanted, doesn't it?

WE’RE TALKING ABOUT IDENTITY • This is all normal, of course. It makes sense that we'd feel a little bit of a sting when we feel like we haven't been chosen or seen. And it makes sense that we'd feel a little bit of pride and satisfaction when we feel like we have. But if we're not careful, we can give these feelings of disappointment or elation a little too much weight. • Sometimes, we let these moments do more than disappoint or excite us. Sometimes, we let them define us. If we're not careful, we can allow our identities to become wrapped up in how other people see us and treat us.

SO WHAT?

STORY | Talk about a time you allowed someone's opinion of you define you. • INSTRUCTIONS: Tell a story (or have another adult or student tell a story) about a time when, as a middle schooler or high schooler, you let something that was said about you—either positive or negative—begin to shape your opinion of yourself. Share what happened and what the effects were. • Can you relate? Have you ever cared so much about what someone else said or thought about you that their opinions of you began to shape your opinions of yourself? • Maybe you've heard people say that you're too slow, or too quiet, or too loud. Maybe you've been told you're funny, or not funny at all, or nice, or bossy. Maybe you've heard that you have so much potential. Or maybe you've been told you won't amount to much at all. • I don't know what kinds of opinions have been shared about you, but I know that the opinions of others are powerful—especially at your age. • That's why I'm pretty sure I’m not the only person who has a story like the one I just shared. When you get to your small group, you can share some of your own stories. • But before we share how the opinions of other people have shaped our identities, I want us to spend time thinking about one specific Person's opinion of us—our Creator.

WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU ACTIVITY | God Says, I Am, I Will • INSTRUCTIONS: Set up a large white board, cork board, or pad of poster-sized paper. Create three columns and label them, "God Says," "I Am," and "I Will." As you teach, fill in each column according to this guide and your students' feedback. • In the next few minutes, I want to show you a ton of things that God has to say about you in Scripture. Then, when you get to your small groups, you're going to spend time talking about each of the things God says about who you are, and how God's opinion of you can and should shape your identity.

SCRIPTURE | Genesis 1:27-31 • Let's start at the very beginning. I already said that God is our Creator, but let's take a look at a passage in the Bible where our creation is first talked about. • INSTRUCTIONS: Write "Genesis 1:27-31" in the "God Says" column of your board. Then read it. QUESTION | What does God say you are? • This is the first time humans show up in Scripture. In these verses, what does God say about you? God says you are . . . • Give a few students a chance to respond. Listen for (or suggest), "made in God's image," and "very good." Write each answer in the "You Are" column of your board. • This is such an important place to start. When God created you, He said you were "very good" because you were His handiwork, made in His image.

SCRIPTURE | Romans 5:6-8 • But, unfortunately, that's not all we are. Yes, we were made in God's image and God called His creation "very good," it's probably not a surprise that humanity isn't always "good." We've all been known to do, say, think, and believe some pretty "not good" things sometimes. So here are a few more things God says about us. • INSTRUCTIONS: Write "Romans 5:6-8" in the "God Says" column of your board. Then read it. QUESTION | What does God say you are? • In these verses, what does God say about you? God says you are . . . • Give a few students a chance to respond. Listen for (or suggest), "powerless," "ungodly," "sinners," and "loved." • Some of these words are pretty ugly, aren't they? I don't like to think about myself in some of these terms, but if I'm honest, I know they're true. • See, when sin came into the world, it separated us from God. We were outcasts and enemies of God because of sin. But God knew this in advance. He knew you and I would choose sin and that sin would separate us from Him, but He was about redemption, reconciliation and bringing us back into relationship. • Yes, God says we're sinners. But He also says we're loved. He said He loved us even when we didn’t say it back. When we are outcasts, God says we are loved. When we are at our worst, God shows

us His best. Even when we and everyone else says we’re broken, dispensable, ugly, worthless, or unlovable, God says, “You are loved.”

SCRIPTURE | Romans 6:6, 15:7; John 1:12 • There is so much more God says about us in Scripture, and so much we can do to respond to the things God says about us, but I'll save that for your small group time. • INSTRUCTIONS: Write "Romans 6:6, Romans 15:7, and John 1:2" in the "God Says" column of your board. Then write a big question mark in the "I Will" column.

NOW WHAT?

GOD SAYS YOU'RE LOVED • Has anyone seen the movie The Greatest Showman? It may not be a historically accurate movie, but I love this version of P.T. Barnum's story. In the movie, Barnum is like a coach, building a dream team of odd-ball players. He saw something in the Bearded Lady, in Tom Thumb, and in the Wheeler twins. These were people the world has cast aside, but in whom Barnum saw value. • Before being chosen by Barnum, many of these characters adopted the world's opinions of themselves. They didn't believe they mattered. But when Barnum told them they were valuable, guess what? They began to see themselves the way Barnum saw them: like they were loved.

REFLECTION | Do you believe you're loved? • As we wrap things up today, here's the question I want you to think about and reflect on: do you believe you're loved? • When you choose to believe what God says about you—that you're loved beyond measure, designed in His image, created for good and not for evil—it changes the things you believe about yourself. But that change won't happen until you choose to believe it and then do something about it. • I know the opinions of others are powerful. They can shape how you see yourself and how you move through the world. So this week, here's what I want you to know, to believe, and to remember: you are so loved. I love you. The people in this room love you. And, most important, you are loved beyond your wildest dreams by the God who created you. You are loved. Now go live like it.

THIS SERIES

THIS WEEK

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You are loved. Genesis 1:27-31; Romans 5:6-8, 6:6, 15:7 John 1:12

• In what way does your life feel a little bit like a circus right now? • Have you ever let someone's negative opinion of you cause you to think less of yourself? What happened? • Has someone's positive opinion of you ever caused you to think better of yourself? What happened? • When you hear the words, "You are loved," how do you react? • Read Romans 6:6, Romans 15:7, and John 1:12. In each of these passages, what does God say you are? • Finish the sentence: "Because God says I am ____, I will ____." Create an "I will" statement for each of the "God says I am" words or phrases from the Scripture you read today. Discuss each one. • Which of these "I will" statements is the most difficult for you? How can we help?

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You are loved. Genesis 1:27-31; Romans 5:6-8, 6:6, 15:7 John 1:12

WHAT?

DISCUSSION | Have you ever been picked last for a team? How did that make you feel? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. • Yeah, that can be a pretty terrible feeling. But now let's think about the opposite scenario. DISCUSSION | Have you ever been picked first for a team? How did that feel? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. • Yeah, that can be the best feeling ever. Maybe you were picked first because the captain saw something in you. Maybe the team believed your leadership, your gifts, or your skills would be the thing that led them to victory. Whether it's getting chosen for the basketball team, the debate team, a group project, or even a seat at the "cool table," it feels great to be chosen and wanted, doesn't it?

SO WHAT?

STORY | Talk about a time you allowed someone's opinion of you define you. • INSTRUCTIONS: Tell a story (or have another adult or student tell a story) about a time when, as a middle schooler or high schooler, you let something that was said about you—either positive or negative—begin to shape your opinion of yourself. Share what happened and what the effects were. • Can you relate? Have you ever cared so much about what someone else said or thought about you that their opinions of you began to shape your opinions of yourself? • Maybe you've heard people say that you're too slow, or too quiet, or too loud. Maybe you've been told you're funny, or not funny at all, or nice, or bossy. Maybe you've heard that you have so much potential. Or maybe you've been told you won't amount to much at all. • I don't know what kinds of opinions have been shared about you, but I know that the opinions of others are powerful—especially at your age. • That's why I'm pretty sure I’m not the only person who has a story like the one I just shared. DISCUSSION | Have you ever let someone's negative opinion of you cause you to think less of yourself? What happened? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss.

DISCUSSION | Has someone's positive opinion of you ever caused you to think better of yourself? What happened? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. • For good or bad, the opinions of other people can shape our identities. So today I want us to spend time thinking about one specific Person's opinion of us—our Creator. WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU ACTIVITY | God Says, I Am, I Will • INSTRUCTIONS: Set up a large white board, cork board, or pad of poster-sized paper. Create three columns and label them, "God Says," "I Am," and "I Will." As you teach, fill in each column according to this guide and your students' feedback. • In the next few minutes, I want to show you a ton of things that God has to say about you in Scripture. Then, together, we're going to spend time talking about each of the things God says about who you are, and how God's opinion of you can and should shape your identity.

God because of sin. But God knew this in advance. He knew you and I would choose sin and that sin would separate us from Him, but He was about redemption, reconciliation and bringing us back into relationship. • Yes, God says we're sinners. But He also says we're loved. He said He loved us even when we didn’t say it back. When we are outcasts, God says we are loved. When we are at our worst, God shows us His best. Even when we and everyone else says we’re broken, dispensable, ugly, worthless, or unlovable, God says, “You are loved.”

SCRIPTURE | Romans 6:6 • Because of Jesus, what else does God say we are? • INSTRUCTIONS: Write "Romans 6:6" in the "God Says" column of your board. Then read it. QUESTION | What does God say you are? • Give a few students a chance to respond. Listen for (or suggest), "no longer slaves to sin." Write each answer in the "You Are" column of your board.

SCRIPTURE | Romans 15:7 • Because of Jesus, what else does God say we are? • INSTRUCTIONS: Write "Romans 15:7" in the "God Says" column of your board. Then read it. QUESTION | What does God say you are? • Give a few students a chance to respond. Listen for (or suggest), "accepted." Write each answer in the "You Are" column of your board.

SCRIPTURE | John 1:12 • Because of Jesus, what else does God say we are? • INSTRUCTIONS: Write "John 1:12" in the "God Says" column of your board. Then read it. QUESTION | What does God say you are? • Give a few students a chance to respond. Listen for (or suggest), "child of God." Write each answer in the "You Are" column of your board.

NOW WHAT?

ACTIVITY | God Says, I Am, I Will • When the characters in Barnum's circus began to believe they were loved, it changed everything for them. In the same way, when we believe the things God says about us, it has the potential to change everything for us. But that kind of life change doesn't happen by accident. Often, it requires some kind of movement on our part. • Let's take a look at the things we've been writing on this board. We've already discovered a number of things that God says about us. But now let's talk about what we can do about it. For each of these "God says I am ___ " statements, let's create a "So I will ___ " statement. • INSTRUCTIONS: Spend a few minutes brainstorming action steps in the "I Will" column of your board. Create at least one "I Will" statement for each "I Am" statement.

DISCUSSION | Which of these "I will" statements is the most difficult for you? How can we help? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. REFLECTION | Do you believe you're loved? • As we wrap things up today, here's the question I want you to think about and reflect on: do you believe you're loved? • When you choose to believe what God says about you—that you're loved beyond measure, designed in His image, created for good and not for evil—it changes the things you believe about yourself. But that change won't happen until you choose to believe it and then do something about it. • I know the opinions of others are powerful. They can shape how you see yourself and how you move through the world. So this week, here's what I want you to know, to believe, and to remember: you are so loved. I love you. The people in this room love you. And, most important, you are loved beyond your wildest dreams by the God who created you. You are loved. Now go live like it.

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You are forgiven. Ephesians 2:4-10; Romans 8:1 John 3:16-17

WHAT?

WE’RE BACK FOR WEEK 2 OF THIS SERIES POLL | Which of the following would you be most likely to fail at? • INSTRUCTIONS: You can conduct this poll in a very informal and unscientific way with just the raising of some hands, but if you'd like to make this poll more involved, you certainly can. Create a live digital poll with a service like polleverywhere.com or keep things analog and use a large white board to tally your results. • Last week, we talked a lot about the circus. I could ask you about what circus act you'd be awesome at, but I thought it would be more fun to ask what you think you'd be totally terrible at. So what's your vote? If you had to join the circus, would you be most likely to fail at 1) taming lions, 2) swinging on the trapeze, 3) getting shot out of a cannon, 4) singing and dancing, The-Greatest- Showman-style, or 5) being a clown. • Why would you be so terrible at it? Let's hear some of your reasons! Let a few students respond. VIDEO | Epic Fails • Performers are under a ton of pressure. I'm sure they do their best to avoid messing up and making fools of themselves, especially now that social media can make anyone's most embarrassing moment go completely viral. Like these . . . • INSTRUCTIONS: Choose a video of one of your favorite epic fails or a compilation of several that your students will enjoy. You might try a video of Mariah Carey's New Year's Eve Performance or these track hurdle fails, for example.

QUESTION | What's one embarrassing moment you're thankful no one caught on camera? Do you think it would've gone viral? • Give a few students a chance to respond. • Maybe the reason we enjoy watching these videos on YouTube so much is that these videos aren't usually starring us. No one wants to be known for our mistakes. We just want them to be forgotten.

WE’RE TALKING ABOUT IDENTITY • Sometimes when we mess up, it feels like the world is ending—or we wish it would. When we make a big mistake, we might start to call ourselves names like, “failure,” “screw up,” or “loser.” When we're guilty or ashamed about what we've done or failed to do, the way we talk to ourselves, and about ourselves, is sometimes even worse than the way our biggest enemies would even talk about us. • When we screw up, it's easy to beat ourselves up. It's easy to let our biggest failures define us. It's easy to confuse something we did with who we are.

SO WHAT?

STORY | Talk about a time you struggled to forgive yourself for a mistake you made. • INSTRUCTIONS: Tell a story (or have another adult or student tell a story) about a time when, as a middle schooler or high schooler, you (or someone you know) made a mistake and then let the shame from that mistake define you—at least for a while. • Can you relate? Have you ever felt so stuck in your mess-ups that you let it define you? Have you ever felt so guilty about a mistake you made that you let it consume you?

DISCUSSION | How do you usually react when you've made a big mistake? • When you make a mistake, do you get over it pretty quickly? Or do you beat yourself up about it? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss with the person next to them. WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU SCRIPTURE | Ephesians 2:4-8 • While it can be easy to get stuck on our own shortcomings sometimes, Scripture is clear that you are not defined by your mess-ups, mistakes, or sins. When we sin, we can, and should, feel guilt and shame over what we did. But through Jesus, our sins don't have to define us. Through Jesus, our mistakes might be something we did in the past, but they don't have to define who we are now. • Last week, we looked at a number of things that God says about us in the pages of The Bible. He says we're loved, chosen, accepted, and made in His images, for starters. But today I want to show you something else that God says you are. And this is important. What God says about you matters because, like we said last week, believing what God says about you can redefine who you are.

• I want to read you something from the book of Ephesians, which is a book of the Bible written by a man named Paul. Paul's story is pretty intense. You see, before Paul met Jesus, chose to follow Him, and had his entire life turned upside down by God, Paul did some incredibly shameful things. Before Paul met Jesus, Paul was actually working to have followers of Jesus killed. • We've all made some pretty big mistakes, but murdering people because of their faith in God is about as serious of a sin as you can commit. If anyone had reason to feel defined by, or stuck in, their sins, it was Paul. And yet, here's what he wrote . . . • INSTRUCTIONS: Read Ephesians 2:4-8. • Paul's message to us is this: there is no sin God can't forgive, and no sinner God can't save. • When we mess up, God isn’t thinking, “Oh man, I can’t wait to show the whole world how badly they messed up!” No way! God is for us. God stands by us. God looks at us—at you—and says, "You are . . . "

QUESTION | What does God say you are? • Give your students a chance to respond. Listen for and affirm the response, "forgiven." • Through Jesus, God has offered forgiveness to every single one of us. Not because of what we have done, but because of what He has done for us.

SCRIPTURE | Ephesians 2:8-10 • These next few verses emphasize this for us. • INSTRUCTIONS: Read Ephesians 2:8-10. • You are a work of art. That's exactly what God has called you. You are His handiwork. I know it may not always feel like you are worthy of that title, especially when you've really messed up. But remember, our perfect Creator created you in His image. He looked at you, His creation, and said, "That's very, very good." • And even though we will mess up, just like Scripture tells us we will and just like we know from our own experience, we also have access to God's forgiveness. • We may have messed up that beautiful image of God in us, but God says even the dead, rotting, most horrible parts of our hearts can be brought back to life in Jesus. • Thanks to God's incredible grace, we don't have to be defined by our biggest failures. SCRIPTURE | Romans 8:1 • The book of Romans is another book written by Paul. Listen to what Paul says here. • INSTRUCTIONS: Read Romans 8:1. • If you belong to Jesus, Paul writes, there is no condemnation for you. The punishment, judgment, and separation from God that we deserve because of our sins gets taken away through Jesus. That's amazing. That's such a gift. • When we've failed in the biggest ways, embarrassed ourselves, hurt the people we love, and found ourselves consumed with shame and guilt, God looks at us and says, "Hey. You are loved." But then He goes even one step further. • When we are at our worst—when we're broken, sinful, ugly, and unlovable, God says, “Your sins don't have to define you. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, you can have a new identity. Through Jesus, you are forgiven.”

NOW WHAT?

GOD SAYS YOU'RE FORGIVEN ACTIVITY | Who I Was, Who I Am • INSTRUCTIONS: Before your teaching time, be sure your small groups have sheets of paper and markers for every student in their groups. • Like we've read today, Jesus came to give us a new life—one that's not defined by our sin, but that's defined by God's forgiveness. • Without Jesus, we are defined by our sin and mistakes. But with Jesus, we are given a new identity. • When you get to your small groups, I want you to think about what this identity change has looked like, or could look like, for you. You're going to get a simple sheet of paper and a marker. On one side of the paper, I want you to write who you were when you let your sin and mistakes define you. On the other side, I want you to write who you are now that you let Jesus define you. Maybe you used to let anger define you, but with Jesus you're learning patience. Maybe you used to be insecure, afraid, or empty, but now Jesus has helped you become confident, brave, or fulfilled. • If you're still not sure what you think about Jesus or this forgiveness stuff just yet, that's okay. Here's what I want you to do. On one side of the paper, write the sin, mistake, or failure you're letting define you right now. On the other side, write who you hope to become instead of someone who is defined by that mistake. If you're struggling with a tendency to gossip or tease or bully, write that down; on the other side, you might write about kindness, gentleness, or compassion. Whatever big mistake or shortcoming stood out to you as we talked today, write it down. That could be the very thing God wants to work on in your life, if you'll let Him. • INSTRUCTIONS: Provide a personal example by creating your own "Who I Was, Who I Am" paper, based on the story you told earlier in your teaching time.

REFLECTION | Do you believe you're forgiven? • As we wrap things up today, here's the question I want you to think about and reflect on: if you know Jesus, do you believe you're forgiven? And if you don't know Jesus, do you believe you can be forgiven? • When you choose to believe what God says about you—that your sins don't have to define you and that you are made new through Jesus—it changes the things you believe about yourself. But that change won't happen until you choose to believe it and then do something about it. • I know the feelings of guilt and shame are powerful. They can be helpful as long as they are pushing us to turn away from our sins and mistakes and turn to Jesus instead. But they can be damaging when we refuse to act on them and, instead, let guilt and shame control us and keep us stuck in a life of sin and defeat. • So this week, here's what I want you to know, to believe, and to remember: if you know Jesus, you are forgiven. And if you don't yet know Him, forgiveness is available to you right now. A new way of living is available to you. With Jesus, you are forgiven. So go live like it.

THIS SERIES

THIS WEEK

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You are forgiven. Ephesians 2:4-10; Romans 8:1 John 3:16-17

• What's one reason you vividly remember getting in trouble as a child? • What are the pros and cons of forgiving ourselves quickly after we mess up? • What are the pros and cons of dwelling on our mistakes after we mess up? • Give an example of someone being defined by their mistakes. • When you hear the words, "You are forgiven," how do you react? • How do you get God's' forgiveness? • Read John 3:16-17. What do these verses tell us about who God is? • ACTIVITY: Who I Was, Who I Am. Give a sheet of paper and a marker to every student. On one side, ask them to write a sin that used to define them (or still does). On the other, ask them to write who they are now that they know Jesus (or who they'd like to be). Discuss your responses together. • What's one step you can take this week to live like you're forgiven? How can we help?

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You are forgiven. Ephesians 2:4-10; Romans 8:1 John 3:16-17

WHAT?

DISCUSSION | What's one embarrassing moment you're thankful no one caught on camera? Do you think it would've gone viral? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. • Maybe the reason we enjoy watching these videos on YouTube so much is that these videos aren't usually starring us. No one wants to be known for our mistakes. We just want them to be forgotten.

SO WHAT?

DISCUSSION | What's one reason you vividly remember getting in trouble as a child? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. STORY | Talk about a time you struggled to forgive yourself for a mistake you made. • INSTRUCTIONS: Tell a story (or have another adult or student tell a story) about a time when, as a middle schooler or high schooler, you (or someone you know) made a mistake and then let the shame from that mistake define you—at least for a while. • Can you relate? Have you ever felt so stuck in your mess-ups that you let it define you? Have you ever felt so guilty about a mistake you made that you let it consume you?

DISCUSSION | How do you usually react when you've made a big mistake? • When you make a mistake, do you get over it pretty quickly? Or do you beat yourself up about it? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | What are the pros and cons of forgiving ourselves quickly after we mess up? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | What are the pros and cons of dwelling on our mistakes after we mess up? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | Give an example of someone being defined by their mistakes. • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss.

WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU SCRIPTURE | Ephesians 2:4-8 • While it can be easy to get stuck on our own shortcomings sometimes, Scripture is clear that you are not defined by your mess-ups, mistakes, or sins. When we sin, we can, and should, feel guilt and shame over what we did. But through Jesus, our sins don't have to define us. Through Jesus, our mistakes might be something we did in the past, but they don't have to define who we are now. • Last week, we looked at a number of things that God says about us in the pages of The Bible. QUESTION | If you were here last week, what did we say God says about us? • Give a few students a chance to respond. • He says we're loved, chosen, accepted, and made in His images, for starters. But today I want to show you something else that God says you are. And this is important. What God says about you matters because, like we said last week, believing what God says about you can redefine who you are. • I want to read you something from the book of Ephesians, which is a book of the Bible written by a man named Paul. Paul's story is pretty intense. You see, before Paul met Jesus, chose to follow Him, and had his entire life turned upside down by God, Paul did some incredibly shameful things. Before Paul met Jesus, Paul was actually working to have followers of Jesus killed. • We've all made some pretty big mistakes, but murdering people because of their faith in God is about as serious of a sin as you can commit. If anyone had reason to feel defined by, or stuck in, their sins, it was Paul. And yet, here's what he wrote . . . • INSTRUCTIONS: Read Ephesians 2:4-8. • Paul's message to us is this: there is no sin God can't forgive, and no sinner God can't save. • When we mess up, God isn’t thinking, “Oh man, I can’t wait to show the whole world how badly they messed up!” No way! God is for us. God stands by us. God looks at us—at you—and says, "You are . . . "

DISCUSSION | When you hear the words, "You are forgiven," how do you react? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. SCRIPTURE | Ephesians 2:8-10 • These next few verses emphasize this for us. • INSTRUCTIONS: Read Ephesians 2:8-10. • You are a work of art. That's exactly what God has called you. You are His handiwork. I know it may not always feel like you are worthy of that title, especially when you've really messed up. But remember, our perfect Creator created you in His image. He looked at you, His creation, and said, "That's very, very good."

• And even though we will mess up, just like Scripture tells us we will and just like we know from our own experience, we also have access to God's forgiveness. • We may have messed up that beautiful image of God in us, but God says even the dead, rotting, most horrible parts of our hearts can be brought back to life in Jesus. • Thanks to God's incredible grace, we don't have to be defined by our biggest failures. SCRIPTURE | Romans 8:1 • The book of Romans is another book written by Paul. Listen to what Paul says here. • INSTRUCTIONS: Read Romans 8:1. • If you belong to Jesus, Paul writes, there is no condemnation for you. The punishment, judgment, and separation from God that we deserve because of our sins gets taken away through Jesus. That's amazing. That's such a gift. • When we've failed in the biggest ways, embarrassed ourselves, hurt the people we love, and found ourselves consumed with shame and guilt, God looks at us and says, "Hey. You are loved." But then He goes even one step further. • When we are at our worst—when we're broken, sinful, ugly, and unlovable, God says, “Your sins don't have to define you. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, you can have a new identity. Through Jesus, you are forgiven.”

DISCUSSION | How do you get God's' forgiveness? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss.

NOW WHAT?

GOD SAYS YOU'RE FORGIVEN ACTIVITY | Who I Was, Who I Am • INSTRUCTIONS: Give a sheet of paper and a marker to every student. • Like we've read today, Jesus came to give us a new life—one that's not defined by our sin, but that's defined by God's forgiveness. • Without Jesus, we are defined by our sin and mistakes. But with Jesus, we are given a new identity. • When you get to your small groups, I want you to think about what this identity change has looked like, or could look like, for you. You're going to get a simple sheet of paper and a marker. On one side of the paper, I want you to write who you were when you let your sin and mistakes define you. On the other side, I want you to write who you are now that you let Jesus define you. Maybe you used to let anger define you, but with Jesus you're learning patience. Maybe you used to be insecure, afraid, or empty, but now Jesus has helped you become confident, brave, or fulfilled. • If you're still not sure what you think about Jesus or this forgiveness stuff just yet, that's okay. Here's what I want you to do. On one side of the paper, write the sin, mistake, or failure you're letting define you right now. On the other side, write who you hope to become instead of someone who is defined by that mistake. If you're struggling with a tendency to gossip or tease or bully, write that down; on the other side, you might write about kindness, gentleness, or compassion.

Whatever big mistake or shortcoming stood out to you as we talked today, write it down. That could be the very thing God wants to work on in your life, if you'll let Him. • INSTRUCTIONS: Provide a personal example by creating your own "Who I Was, Who I Am" paper, based on the story you told earlier in your teaching time.

DISCUSSION | What did you write? • What's a sin that used to define you, or that defines you today? How has Jesus transformed your identity, or how do you hope to see your identity transformed? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss the activity. DISCUSSION | Read John 3:16-17. What do these verses tell us about who God is? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | What's one step you can take this week to live like you're forgiven? How can we help? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss the activity. REFLECTION | Do you believe you're forgiven? • As we wrap things up today, here's the question I want you to think about and reflect on: if you know Jesus, do you believe you're forgiven? And if you don't know Jesus, do you believe you can be forgiven? • When you choose to believe what God says about you—that your sins don't have to define you and that you are made new through Jesus—it changes the things you believe about yourself. But that change won't happen until you choose to believe it and then do something about it. • I know the feelings of guilt and shame are powerful. They can be helpful as long as they are pushing us to turn away from our sins and mistakes and turn to Jesus instead. But they can be damaging when we refuse to act on them and, instead, let guilt and shame control us and keep us stuck in a life of sin and defeat. • So this week, here's what I want you to know, to believe, and to remember: if you know Jesus, you are forgiven. And if you don't yet know Him, forgiveness is available to you right now. A new way of living is available to you. With Jesus, you are forgiven. So go live like it.

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You have purpose. Psalm 139:1-16; Ephesians 2:8-10 I Peter 2:9

WHAT?

WE’RE BACK FOR WEEK 3 OF THIS SERIES POLL | What's the most embarrassing thing that could possibly happen to you? • INSTRUCTIONS: You can conduct this poll in a very informal and unscientific way with just the raising of some hands, but if you'd like to make this poll more involved, you certainly can. Create a live digital poll with a service like polleverywhere.com or keep things analog and use a large white board to tally your results. • Last week, we talked about some epic fails. Today I thought we could start by talking about some embarrassing moments. First, I need five suggestions for the most embarrassing thing that could possibly happen to you. Then we'll vote on which one we think is the most embarrassing. Let a few students respond, then vote.

QUESTION | Does anyone have an embarrassing story they want to share? • Have you ever done something so embarrassing you wished you could just disappear? Have you ever had a moment so embarrassing, it seemed like time stood still? A time where the words that were coming out of your mouth felt like they were being said in slow motion? A moment where every person in the vicinity was laughing at you? • Is anyone here brave enough to share a thirty-second story about a moment like this? • Let a few students share with the group.

WE’RE TALKING ABOUT IDENTITY • Thankfully, there are some embarrassing stories that we can eventually begin to laugh about together. Most of the time, it takes a while to recover from a truly embarrassing moment. Sometimes, if we're honest, a moment is so embarrassing that never actually get the courage to share it, let alone laugh about it. • But it's not always something we've done that we're embarrassed about, is it? Sometimes we get embarrassed by who we are. Whether it's our bodies, our abilities, or our personalities, sometimes we find ourselves feeling insignificant, small, insecure, and like we're simply not enough.

SO WHAT?

STORY | Talk about a time you passed up an opportunity because you were insecure. • INSTRUCTIONS: Tell a story (or have another adult or student tell a story) about a time when, as a middle schooler or high schooler, you passed on an opportunity to try something, go somewhere, or talk to someone because you felt insecure or were afraid you might disappoint yourself or others. Share how that incident, and your feelings of insecurity, shaped your understanding of your identity.

DISCUSSION | Have you ever passed up an opportunity because you were afraid or insecure? What happened? • Turn to the people next to you and share what happened. • Give your students a few moments to share with the people next to them. IMAGE | Lettie Lutz from The Greatest Showman • Too often, we let our identity get wrapped up in what other people think about us. • We've been talking a lot about the circus so far this month, so I want to introduce you to a character from the movie The Greatest Showman who, I think, can relate to this conversation we're having today. If you've seen the movie, I'm sure you know her. • INSTRUCTIONS: Show an image of Lettie Lutz on screen. • This is Lettie Lutz, one of the performers, also known as "The Bearded Lady." In the movie, P.T. Barnum discovers her and her incredible singing voice because she's absentmindedly singing while she's at work. Lettie is incredibly talented, but because of her appearance, she is living in fear, insecurity, and insignificance, completely ignoring her incredible gift.

WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU SCRIPTURE | Psalm 139:1-16 • For the last couple of weeks, we've been saying that it is so important for us to hear and understand what God says about us. Unfortunately, we all know how to let the opinions of others define us, but we don't always know how to let God's opinions of us define and shape our identities. • But if we're going to let someone tell us who we are, don't you think that Someone should be God, our Creator? I sure do, so let's take a look at what our Creator thinks about you and me. • You may know a thing or two about a guy named King David from the Bible. He's the author of the passage we're about to read. It's from the book of Psalms, which is a collection of songs and poems written to, for, and about God. • INSTRUCTIONS: Read Psalm 139:1-16. If time allows, we recommend reading the passage slowly, up to three times in a row, encouraging your students to listen and reflect while you read. • I don't know about you, but reading this passage makes it kind of difficult for me to feel insecure or afraid. God, the Creator of the universe, knows me! He designed me. He knit me together. He's always with me. He knows every single thing about me and He loves me just as I am. Why should I be worried about my awkwardness, my shortcomings, or my insecurities when the God of the universe has designed me so carefully and lovingly? • And I'm not just talking about me, of course. All of this is true for you as well. You are His creation. God didn't make a single mistake when He created you.

SCRIPTURE | Ephesians 2:8-10 • Do you remember this verse we read last week? Let's take another look. • INSTRUCTIONS: Read Ephesians 2:8-9. • One thing I love about this passage is that Paul, the author, makes it clear that there is no amount of work or quality of performance that could make God love us anymore than He already does. The opposite is true too. Our failure to perform or achieve doesn't make us any less loved in God’s eyes! Isn’t that a relief? Our insecurities often leave us feeling so afraid of losing the love or attention of others, but God reminds us here that nothing could make us lose His love or attention. • But then Paul goes on to say this . . . • INSTRUCTIONS: Read Ephesians 2:10. • We are God's masterpiece. His handiwork. Created for a purpose. And it's that purpose that I want us to really think about today. Because it's true: as God's creation, you have purpose.

NOW WHAT?

including ourselves. Sure, maybe that feels safe. But when we live that way, like Lettie Lutz, we miss out on a bigger purpose for our lives. • Lettie had an incredible gift to share with the world: her voice and her story. But until Barnum came along, she was too afraid and insecure to lean into her purpose. It took someone telling her she was loved unconditionally, with a gift to give to the world, to help her discover her purpose. But watch what happens when she does . . . • INSTRUCTIONS: Play a video of the song "This Is Me." You might play this lyric video or one of the many live performances from the cast. • I just love that chorus: "When the sharpest words wanna cut me down, I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out. I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I'm meant to be. This is me." • The good news for Lettie Lutz is that she does find her purpose. By the end of the movie, she no longer is ashamed or afraid, but lives with security in her identity as someone who is loved and has a purpose. And her purpose is to share her voice with the world.

REFLECTION | Do you believe you have purpose? • As we wrap things up today, here's the question I want you to think about and reflect on: do you believe you have a purpose? And if so, do you know what it is? • Just like we've seen from the character of Lettie Lutz, the words of King David, and the words of the apostle Paul, you do have a purpose. • Lettie's purpose was to find her voice and then use it. I think your purpose and mine is pretty similar. It starts by discovering who God created you to be, with all the gifts, talents, interests, and quirks that He has given you. And then I think it's about taking those gifts and using them to be a part of something bigger than yourself. • Kind of like how Lettie found her purpose bringing hope and joy to others through Barnum's circus, God's purpose for you and me is to use our voices to share hope and joy with the world around us. • The good news of Jesus is something we talk about here within these walls, but part of our purpose is to take the message of Jesus into the world around us. This is the great work we were created for—to find our gifts given to us by God and then use them to share His story! • So this week, here's what I want you to know, to believe, and to remember: you were created on purpose, for a purpose, by a God who loves you desperately. You have gifts. You have a voice. You have purpose. So go live like it.

THIS SERIES

THIS WEEK

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You have purpose. Psalm 139:1-16; Ephesians 2:8-10 I Peter 2:9

• Does anyone have an embarrassing story they want to share? • What's something someone your age might be insecure about? • When you feel insecure, whose opinions are you usually worried about? • Have you ever passed up an opportunity because you were afraid or insecure? What happened? • Now that you know everyone struggles with insecurity, what's one piece of encouragement you want to share with each other? • How would you describe your purpose? • Why do you think knowing you are loved helps you live with more purpose? • Read I Peter 2:9. What does this verse reveal about our purpose? • What's one step you can take this week to live like you have purpose? How can we help?

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You have purpose. Psalm 139:1-16; Ephesians 2:8-10 I Peter 2:9

WHAT?

DISCUSSION | What's something someone your age might be insecure about? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | When you feel insecure, whose opinions are you usually worried about? • Who are you usually trying to impress? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss.

SO WHAT?

DISCUSSION | Have you ever passed up an opportunity because you were afraid or insecure? What happened? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | Now that you know everyone struggles with insecurity, what's one piece of encouragement you want to share with each other? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. IMAGE | Lettie Lutz from The Greatest Showman • Too often, we let our identity get wrapped up in what other people think about us. • We've been talking a lot about the circus so far this month, so I want to introduce you to a character from the movie The Greatest Showman who, I think, can relate to this conversation we're having today. If you've seen the movie, I'm sure you know her. • INSTRUCTIONS: Show an image of Lettie Lutz on screen. • This is Lettie Lutz, one of the performers, also known as "The Bearded Lady." In the movie, P.T.

Barnum discovers her and her incredible singing voice because she's absentmindedly singing while she's at work. Lettie is incredibly talented, but because of her appearance, she is living in fear, insecurity, and insignificance, completely ignoring her incredible gift.

REFLECTION | What are your biggest insecurities? • You may not be The Bearded Lady, but I'm going to guess you've struggled before with insecurity. • Whether it’s an insecurity about your body, your family, your abilities, your personality, or your social standing, I'm sure we could all identify at least one thing that made us feel insecure. • Without naming anything out loud, take a second and name at least one insecurity you're currently holding onto. Got it? Now keep that in mind as we continue to talk. WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU SCRIPTURE | Psalm 139:1-16 • For the last couple of weeks, we've been saying that it is so important for us to hear and understand what God says about us. Unfortunately, we all know how to let the opinions of others define us, but we don't always know how to let God's opinions of us define and shape our identities. • But if we're going to let someone tell us who we are, don't you think that Someone should be God, our Creator? I sure do, so let's take a look at what our Creator thinks about you and me. • You may know a thing or two about a guy named King David from the Bible. He's the author of the passage we're about to read. It's from the book of Psalms, which is a collection of songs and poems written to, for, and about God. • INSTRUCTIONS: Read Psalm 139:1-16. If time allows, we recommend reading the passage slowly, up to three times in a row, encouraging your students to listen and reflect while you read. • I don't know about you, but reading this passage makes it kind of difficult for me to feel insecure or afraid. God, the Creator of the universe, knows me! He designed me. He knit me together. He's always with me. He knows every single thing about me and He loves me just as I am. Why should I be worried about my awkwardness, my shortcomings, or my insecurities when the God of the universe has designed me so carefully and lovingly? • And I'm not just talking about me, of course. All of this is true for you as well. You are His creation. God didn't make a single mistake when He created you.

DISCUSSION | How would you describe your purpose? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | Why do you think knowing you are loved helps you live with more purpose? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss.

NOW WHAT?

GOD SAYS YOU HAVE PURPOSE VIDEO | "This Is Me" Lyric Video • We've talked already today about how our insecurities can cause us to live small lives in the shadows, out of the spotlight, away from the eyes of others where we can't disappoint anyone— including ourselves. Sure, maybe that feels safe. But when we live that way, like Lettie Lutz, we miss out on a bigger purpose for our lives. • Lettie had an incredible gift to share with the world: her voice and her story. But until Barnum came along, she was too afraid and insecure to lean into her purpose. It took someone telling her she was loved unconditionally, with a gift to give to the world, to help her discover her purpose. But watch what happens when she does . . . • INSTRUCTIONS: Play a video of the song "This Is Me." You might play this lyric video or one of the many live performances from the cast. • I just love that chorus: "When the sharpest words wanna cut me down, I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out. I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I'm meant to be. This is me." • The good news for Lettie Lutz is that she does find her purpose. By the end of the movie, she no longer is ashamed or afraid, but lives with security in her identity as someone who is loved and has a purpose. And her purpose is to share her voice with the world.

DISCUSSION | Read I Peter 2:9. What does this verse reveal about our purpose? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss.

DISCUSSION | What's one step you can take this week to live like you have purpose? How can we help? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. • Kind of like how Lettie found her purpose bringing hope and joy to others through Barnum's circus, God's purpose for you and me is to use our voices to share hope and joy with the world around us. • The good news of Jesus is something we talk about here within these walls, but part of our purpose is to take the message of Jesus into the world around us. This is the great work we were created for—to find our gifts given to us by God and then use them to share His story! • So this week, here's what I want you to know, to believe, and to remember: you were created on purpose, for a purpose, by a God who loves you desperately. You have gifts. You have a voice. You have purpose. So go live like it.

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You belong. Mark 1:16-20; John 1:12-13 I Corinthians 12:12-27

WHAT?

WE’RE WRAPPING UP THIS SERIES VIDEO | The Trailer for The Greatest Showman • INSTRUCTIONS: Begin by playing the theatrical trailer for the movie. Then give a brief summary of the movie. If you have someone on your team who can do a decent imitation of the guy who voices movie trailers, you might have them read the official movie synopsis . . . • "Orphaned, penniless but ambitious and with a mind crammed with imagination and fresh ideas, the American Phineas Taylor Barnum will always be remembered as the man with the gift to effortlessly blur the line between reality and fiction. Thirsty for innovation and hungry for success, the son of a tailor will manage to open a wax museum but will soon shift focus to the unique and peculiar, introducing extraordinary, never-seen-before live acts on the circus stage. Some will call Barnum's wide collection of oddities, a freak show; but to those in the circus, this is where they belong." (IMDB)

WE’RE TALKING ABOUT IDENTITY • For the last few weeks, we've been using this theme of the circus to explore the topic of identity and what God has to say about it—about who we are and who we're meant to be. • First, as we looked at what God has to say, we learned that you are loved. Next, we did a little more digging and learned that, more than just being loved, through Jesus you are forgiven. And then last week, we took that a step further and discovered that, according to your Creator, you have a purpose.

• So far, all of these conversations we've been having about your identity have been mostly about you and God. That's important, but—well—it's not the whole picture. You don't develop an identity in a vacuum-sealed container with just you, your Bible, and no outside interaction. Other people play a pretty big role in the formation of your identity. That's how God designed it to work.

QUESTION | Who would you recruit to join our circus? • To illustrate this idea, here's a question. Let's imagine we were planning to put on the greatest circus in the history of circuses, but we needed to recruit just a few more people to help make it happen. Who would you recruit? • Give a few students a chance to respond. You can look for specific celebrities who have a talent to contribute, or you can look for suggestions for types of people to recruit, like an acrobat, or clown, or fire dancer. • Okay, those are great responses. And yes, I agree. These are all people who have talents that could definitely be used for our circus, so it makes sense to recruit them. If we were planning our own circus, that's exactly the approach we should have. It's not like we would think, "You know who we need? A banker! A librarian! My uncle Jeff!" No. If you're trying to build the world's best team, you're going to recruit the world's best people for the job. • Now, I don't know about you (maybe you're a lot more secure in your identity than I am), but whenever there's a conversation about who's the best, or who's getting picked, or who's invited . . . I get a little nervous. Can anyone relate to that? • We talked last week about how we all are designed uniquely and with a purpose, and that's great, but when you get right down to it, I'll be honest: I don't want to be left out! I want to be in the club. I want to get picked. I want to be invited. And as it turns out, God has a few things to say about that.

SO WHAT?

STORY | Talk about a time you really wanted to belong. • INSTRUCTIONS: Tell a story (or have another adult or student tell a story) about a time when, as a middle schooler or high schooler, you were really desperate to belong. Maybe you did something a little crazy or out-of-character in order to fit in, be accepted, or pass some sort of initiation. The purpose of your story should be to illustrate that we all want to belong somewhere, and will sometimes go to great lengths in order to be accepted.

DISCUSSION | Have you ever done something drastic in order to be accepted by others? What happened? • Turn to the people next to you and share what happened. • Give your students a few moments to share with the people next to them.

WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU SCRIPTURE | Mark 1:16-20 • We all want to be accepted. We all want to be liked. We all want to belong to a community of people. That's not a flaw—that's how God designed us. Even Jesus, when He walked here on earth, understood the importance of having a community of people around you. In the book of Mark, we read a little bit about how Jesus started building that community. • INSTRUCTIONS: Read Mark 1:16-20. • Kind of like that circus exercise we just did, Jesus is building His team. He's recruiting his cast of characters. Now, we know that Jesus' job was much more significant than putting on a show or organizing a circus. Jesus mission was the most important thing that has ever taken place in the history of humanity. So when Jesus was assembling his team, it makes sense that He would recruit the most intelligent, most talented, most accomplished people for the job, right? Uh, no. • These guys Jesus recruited were fishermen. That means they were probably about your age, uneducated, not wealthy, and not anything special. They weren't the best of the best. They were the rejected, the forgotten, and the outcasts. And yet these are the men Jesus invited to be a part of his inner circle? What? • Jesus, you see, was a Rabbi, a religious teacher. In those days, young men everywhere aspired to be a Rabbi. But in order to ever become a Rabbi, you first had to be chosen as a young boy by an already established Rabbi who was willing to teach you. These young men who became Jesus' disciples had missed that window of opportunity. They knew they were destined for an average life of catching fish . . . that is, until Jesus showed up and invited them to join Him. • I think this is why I like this movie The Greatest Showman so much. I can see so many parallels to Jesus and the way He loves us, cares for us, and gives us a shot. Just like P.T. Barnum chose the misfits over the all-stars, Jesus chose average everyday people to be a part of His mission. • Jesus didn't care if these fishermen had any special talents. He just wanted to know if they were willing to follow Him. He didn't make them pass a test or prove their worth. He simply offered them a place to belong . . . and they took it. • This offer wasn't exclusive to Jesus' disciples though. Following Jesus and joining His family wasn't a one-time exclusive deal. Today (just like it happened two thousand years ago when Jesus walked here on earth) when we choose to follow Jesus, we join a community where everyone is unique, but everyone is bonded by the same thing: our love for the God we follow and a commitment to being a part of His work.

SCRIPTURE | John 1:12-13 • But this community is more than just a social club. This community we're talking about (the Church) is a family. • INSTRUCTIONS: Read John 1:12-13. • This, God tells us, is where you belong. You are His child. You belong with God your Father and His family. And you are brought into that family, along with the rest of us, by Jesus and for Jesus. In this family, no matter what you look like, where you come from, or what you’ve done, God says, "Hey . . . you belong."

• This stands in direct opposition to what the rest of the world offers us. Outside of God, we often have to earn our right to be included and invited. We have to meet a standard, fit a mold, or earn our invitation. But not with Jesus. He has built a family of misfits, made worthy by His unconditional love. • As our Creator, God understands that we find much of our identity in the people we spend time with. That's why, when God tells us what who we are, He doesn't talk about us in isolation. Yes, you're loved. Yes, you're forgiven. Yes, you have purpose. But you also belong—you belong to a family and a Body that is far bigger than you could ever imagine.

NOW WHAT?

GOD SAYS YOU BELONG • There will be moments in your life when you will feel like an outcast. There will be times when you feel like you’re different, or weird, or a reject. We all feel that way from time to time—I promise. But when those moments come (and they will), here is what I hope you hang onto: whether you've said yes to Jesus yet or not, you already belong here. • God's family is not perfect. It's made up of imperfect people who are just doing the best they can. • The church is a model of God's amazing love for us. It's the community that reminds us whenever we've forgotten, "You are loved. You are forgiven. You have purpose. And you belong." • Yeah, the church does feel a little bit like a circus sometimes. But the church—this family—is where you can discover that you belong. And as you discover that you belong, I believe you'll have a better chance at discovering who you are. • I like to imagine this line from The Greatest Showman is something Jesus might have said to His disciples once: "Every one of us is special, and nobody is like anyone else. That's the point of my show. Because no one ever made a difference by being like everyone else." • We are all designed uniquely by our Creator. But together, we get to be a part of the greatest show ever: showing the world who God is by loving people well and pointing them back to Him.

REFLECTION | Do you believe you belong? • As we wrap things up today, here's the question I want you to think about and reflect on: do you believe you belong here? And not just here, in this physical space, but to the greater family of God? • As we close out this series on identity, there are a few things I hope you know, believe, and remember. First of all, you are so loved. Second: in Jesus, you're forgiven. Third, you have a purpose. And fourth, you belong. That's who you are. Now go live like it.

THIS SERIES

THIS WEEK

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You belong. Mark 1:16-20; John 1:12-13 I Corinthians 12:12-27

• Have you ever done something drastic to be accepted by others? What happened? • When new people visit our church, how well do we make them feel like they belong? • What kind of person do you think would feel most welcome coming here for the first time? • What kind of person might be easily overlooked or ignored at our church? • Read I Corinthians 12:12-27. What does this passage teach us about God's family? • What are some of your unique gifts? How are you using them to serve God and others? • How well do you think our church encourages you to find and use your unique gifts? What could we do better? • Why do you think diversity in the church is so important to God? • In what ways could our church be more diverse? • What's one step you can take this week to live like you belong to God's family?

THE BIG IDEA THE BIBLE You belong. Mark 1:16-20; John 1:12-13 I Corinthians 12:12-27

WHAT?

SO WHAT?

DISCUSSION | Why do you think Jesus chose the specific people He chose to be His disciples? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. • Jesus, you see, was a Rabbi, a religious teacher. In those days, young men everywhere aspired to be a Rabbi. But in order to ever become a Rabbi, you first had to be chosen as a young boy by an already established Rabbi who was willing to teach you. These young men who became Jesus' disciples had missed that window of opportunity. They knew they were destined for an average life of catching fish . . . that is, until Jesus showed up and invited them to join Him. • I think this is why I like this movie The Greatest Showman so much. I can see so many parallels to Jesus and the way He loves us, cares for us, and gives us a shot. Just like P.T. Barnum chose the misfits over the all-stars, Jesus chose average everyday people to be a part of His mission. • Jesus didn't care if these fishermen had any special talents. He just wanted to know if they were willing to follow Him. He didn't make them pass a test or prove their worth. He simply offered them a place to belong . . . and they took it. • This offer wasn't exclusive to Jesus' disciples though. Following Jesus and joining His family wasn't a one-time exclusive deal. Today (just like it happened two thousand years ago when Jesus walked here on earth) when we choose to follow Jesus, we join a community where everyone is unique, but everyone is bonded by the same thing: our love for the God we follow and a commitment to being a part of His work.

His family. And you are brought into that family, along with the rest of us, by Jesus and for Jesus. In this family, no matter what you look like, where you come from, or what you’ve done, God says, "Hey . . . you belong." • This stands in direct opposition to what the rest of the world offers us. Outside of God, we often have to earn our right to be included and invited. We have to meet a standard, fit a mold, or earn our invitation. But not with Jesus. He has built a family of misfits, made worthy by His unconditional love. • As our Creator, God understands that we find much of our identity in the people we spend time with. That's why, when God tells us what who we are, He doesn't talk about us in isolation. Yes, you're loved. Yes, you're forgiven. Yes, you have purpose. But you also belong—you belong to a family and a Body that is far bigger than you could ever imagine.

DISCUSSION | When new people visit our church, how well do we make them feel like they belong? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | What kind of person do you think would feel most welcome coming here for the first time? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | What kind of person might be easily overlooked or ignored at our church? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss.

NOW WHAT?

DISCUSSION | What are some of your unique gifts? How are you using them to glorify God and serve others? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | How well do you think our church encourages you to find and use your unique gifts? What could we do better? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | Read I Corinthians 12:12-27. What does this passage teach us about God's family? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | Why do you think diversity in the church is so important to God? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. DISCUSSION | In what ways could our church be more diverse? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. • We are all designed uniquely by our Creator. But together, we get to be a part of the greatest show ever: showing the world who God is by loving people well and pointing them back to Him.

DISCUSSION | What's one step you can take this week to live like you belong to God's family? How can we help? • Give your students a few minutes to share and discuss. • As we close out this series on identity, there are a few things I hope you know, believe, and remember. First of all, you are so loved. Second: in Jesus, you're forgiven. Third, you have a purpose. And fourth, you belong. That's who you are. Now go live like it.

INSTRUCTIONS WRITE AN EMAIL Hey parents! We’re starting a new series on identity this If you haven’t already, head to the Teaching section week called The Greatest Show. Check your email for all of your Grow downloads to get your Parent Email for the details! this series. That email should include . . . Week 1 of The Greatest Show is in the books! Here’s the recap: you are loved. Upcoming news and announcements. • This week in our series The Greatest Show, we talked A look at what you’re teaching. • about how, through Jesus, you are forgiven. A helpful video, article, or resource. • In Week 3 of The Greatest Show, here was our big idea: A survey or feedback question. • you have a purpose. It’s our final week of The Greatest Show! It’s been a great BROADCAST ON conversation with your teenagers. Here's where we left SOCIAL MEDIA things: you belong. Once you have your monthly email written, you can repurpose the content in that email on your social media platforms. For parents, we recommend START CONVERSATIONS creating a Facebook page to broadcast information Since communicating with parents isn’t only about and a Facebook group to start conversations. broadcasting information to them, don’t forget to In addition to what we’ve provided in your Parent start a conversation or two during this series too. Email for this series, there are a few more things Whether it’s in a private Facebook group, a GroupMe you might want to broadcast on social media while thread, or an in-person meeting, ask parents for you’re teaching this series (along with some of the their feedback, thoughts, and ideas about how this graphics or videos we’ve provided). Just copy from series is impacting their kids. the next column, paste into your favorite social media scheduling tool (like Buffer), and go!

INSTRUCTIONS

WRITE AN EMAIL Hey team! We’re starting a new series on identity this If you haven’t already, head to the Teaching section week called The Greatest Show. Check your email for all the details! of your Grow downloads to get your Volunteer Emails for this series. They'll include . . . Week 1 of The Greatest Show is coming up this week! Here’s where we're headed: you are loved. • Upcoming news and announcements. This week in The Greatest Show, we're talking about • A look at what you’re teaching. how, through Jesus, you are forgiven. A helpful video, article, or resource. • In Week 3 of The Greatest Show, here's the big idea: you • A practical tip or quote. have a purpose. A survey or feedback question. • It’s our final week of The Greatest Show! It’s been a great conversation so far. Here's where we're leaving things BROADCAST ON this week: you belong. SOCIAL MEDIA Once you have your monthly email written, you can repurpose the content in that email on your social START CONVERSATIONS media platforms. For volunteers, we recommend Since communicating with volunteers isn’t only communicating through an app like GroupMe or a about broadcasting information to them, don’t private volunteer Facebook group. forget to start a conversation or two during this series too. Whether it’s in your private Facebook In addition to what we’ve provided in your Volunteer group, a GroupMe thread, or an in-person meeting, Emails for this series, there are a few more things ask your volunteers for their feedback, thoughts, you might want to broadcast on social media while and ideas about how this series is impacting the you’re teaching this series (along with some of the students they're leading. graphics or videos we’ve provided). Just copy from the next column, paste into your favorite social media scheduling tool (like Buffer), and go!