On this episode of Group Answers, Chris and Brian talk with Karen Daniel about student groups.

Karen Daniel is a publishing team leader in Lifeway Students.

Suggested resource: Within Reach by Ben Trueblood

Questions:

* What is unique about student groups?

* What kind of questions are you asking as you develop a Bible study for teens?

* Why do you think some churches struggle to have consistent student groups?

* What are a couple of studies that have worked really well with students, and what made them different?

Quotes:

* Any student minister has four to six years to reach a group of students.

* Students are very eager to learn, and they are at a point in their lives where they are asking themselves, “What does God want me to do?”

* We want to meet students where they are, and we want to resource student ministers so they’ve got everything that they need to develop their strategy.

* The conversation around identity is going to be different for girls than it is for guys.

* From Within Reach: Of the students who say no adults from their church invested in their lives while they were in high school, 88% dropped out of church after high school. Of those who say one or two adults invested in them, 72% dropped out after high school. Of those who say three or more adults invested in them, 58% dropped out after high school.

This Episode’s Sponsor: You’ve probably heard about the movie OVERCOMER. But you may not know there are a few books and Bible studies inspired by the film. One is called Defined by Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick, which is a book and Bible study based on insights from the Book of Ephesians. You can find these books and Bible studies at Lifeway.com/Overcomer.

 

The Group Answers Podcast is a weekly show designed to resource, train, and encourage small group leaders. Each episode considers current trends and resources as well as timeless truths and methods of discipleship. It is hosted by Brian Daniel, a Bible study and discipleship expert in Lifeway’s Groups Ministry, and Chris Surratt, the small group and discipleship specialist at Lifeway and author of Leading Small Groups.