This step will help your students identify and practice mature intercessory prayer. Place students in two groups. If you have enough adult leaders, place one in each group to help facilitate during discussion.
Compared to previous generations, you and your friends have very little privacy. You share “secrets,” daily details, photographs, events, and big news—all from the safety of your screens. And yet praying for others can feel invasive and scary. Where does this paradox come from? How can people who are so open about their lives also lack real trust and honesty? In your groups, let’s investigate the difference between two kinds of openness: fake and authentic.
Give each group a piece of butcher paper. One of them will be the FAKE group, the other, AUTHENTIC. Instruct groups to select someone with good handwriting to record their answers. Read the following prompts to your groups, allowing enough time in between questions to share and write.
Question for the FAKE group:
- What are three superficial things that teenagers are quick to share with each other on social media? (Students might write words like fashion choices, jokes, selfies, activities, accomplishments, sarcasm, etc.)
Question for the AUTHENTIC group:
- What are three things that you might share with a trusted friend? (Students might write words like failures, depression, fear, family conflict, doubts, etc.)
When students have time to finish, encourage each group to share the words in their column. Discuss the differences you notice between the two posters.
Afterward, instruct groups to flip over the paper and draw a big circle in the center. Next, have them draw a smaller circle at the center of the larger one.
The Body of Christ is made up of relationship layers. We are connected not only to our closest friends and family but also the larger Church. During Paul’s imprisonment, he expressed gratitude for those who carried him in prayer outside his cell. With your group, write down some of the Christians you know who are laboring far away, whether missionaries, members of the military, or family members in distant places. Place these on the outside of the circle.
If your students do not know specific Christian groups or individuals who need prayer support around the world, feel free to share this watch list from Open Door USA (or use other reputable sources you prefer):
World Watch List 2019
https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/stories/5-ways-pray-world-watch-list/
The inside of this very center circle represents our closest friends and family members. Each one of you has your own list of people who know you best. Our circles don’t always look the same. Have each group write the words “family members/close friends” inside the center circle. Now have them write the word “associates” in the middle circle. This circle represents people we know on a casual basis but who aren’t necessarily a close friend. Have your students call out a few people who would fit in this circle (examples might be church members, Sunday school teacher, pastor, youth group leaders, etc.). Talk about how members of these groups will vary—for instance, someone might put “youth leader” in their middle circle while someone else might list him or her as a close friend.
Encourage students to use their smartphones to take a picture of the circle as a reminder to pray this week for both inner, middle, and outer layers of God’s family. If there are students in your group without smartphones handy, get their contact info and email or text them a copy of the picture early in the week.
Close in prayer.
