YTH COLLECTIVE

In week one of MVMT’s At The Movies series, Seth uses The Lion King prequel and Genesis 3 to unpack the theme “Deal With the Devil.” Drawing parallels between Scar’s betrayal of Mufasa and the serpent’s deception of Adam and Eve, he challenges students to recognize that in life they have two choices: make a deal with the devil by embracing sin, or deal with the devil by resisting it. Seth highlights how the enemy’s tactics haven’t changed—he offers false deals built on lies, questions God’s truth, downplays consequences, and tempts us to chase self-glorification. But deception always leads to destruction, bringing hidden costs like shame, separation from God, and ultimately death. The good news, Seth reminds, is that the battle isn’t ours to win—Jesus already secured victory. Our role is to resist by knowing God’s Word, staying connected in community, and walking confidently in our identity as children of the King. Closing with the iconic scene where Mufasa reminds Simba who he is, Seth urges students to “remember who you are” when faced with lies, temptation, and hardship, and to live boldly as God’s chosen sons and daughters.

In the Back to the Battlefield episode of the Youth Collective podcast, Seth challenges students to approach the new school year with intentionality, spiritual focus, and wisdom from Proverbs. Viewing school as both a mission field and a battlefield, he offers three practical principles: watch your friends—surround yourself with wise, godly influences both in person and online; guard your words—recognize the power of speech to bring life or harm in conversations, texts, and posts; and trust God, not just yourself—seek His guidance daily, even with a simple prayer, “God, lead me today. I trust You.” Seth encourages listeners to pursue spiritual maturity over fleeting spiritual highs, walk with purpose, and boldly represent Jesus in the challenges and opportunities of the school year.

Steven Suits encourages students to carry biblical wisdom with them as they head back to school. Drawing from Proverbs 22 and 23, he outlines five key principles—valuing reputation, choosing friends wisely, staying focused, listening to wise voices, and guarding the heart. Through personal stories and relatable examples, Steven challenges students to prioritize character over popularity and to lean on God’s guidance in everyday decisions.

Seth addresses the students shortly after their return from Yth Camp. He discusses how to handle the spiritual and emotional challenges that follow a significant spiritual experience, a transition he calls moving "from the beach to the battlefield". To combat the "camp high and camp withdrawal," Phipps uses the story of King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 19 as a model for the students to follow. He outlines a three-step approach: first, to expect the battle and spiritual resistance, noting that the enemy often attacks when things are going well. Second, he encourages them to bring the battle directly to God through honest prayer, just as Hezekiah laid a threatening letter before the Lord. Finally, Phipps tells the students to stand firmly on the truth of who God is, rather than on fleeting emotions, which he compares to a roller coaster. He concludes by offering a practical "battle plan," advising students to journal, worship daily, stay in the Word, connect with a group, and remember that the fight is won by faith, not feelings.

This message centers on the nature of true wisdom, emphasizing that it is a gift from God and not merely an accumulation of knowledge. Steven Suits contrasts worldly wisdom, which often focuses on self, popularity, and outward appearances, with godly wisdom, which involves seeing things from God's perspective and having a changed heart. Key themes include the importance of aligning one's actions with their heart's motivations , the power of words , and the ultimate sovereignty of God's plan. Suits encourages listeners to memorize scripture, specifically Proverbs 2:6, as a way to internalize God's wisdom and have it ready to apply in the right moments.

Hal breaks down Proverbs chapters 17 and 18, focusing on the themes of words, wisdom, and relationships. Using passages like Proverbs 17:17 and 18:24, he facilitates conversations about the meaning of true friendship, describing a true friend as one who loves at all times, is forgiving, and remains consistent. The speaker also emphasizes the power of words to either bring life or cause death, sharing personal anecdotes to illustrate how difficult it can be to control one's speech when angered. Finally, the group discusses the difficulty and importance of forgiveness, exploring the difference between covering an offense to promote love and simply ignoring it.

Jared continues the series on the book of Proverbs by exploring Proverbs 18. He emphasizes the power of words, noting that the tongue holds the power of life and death. Jared encourages the audience to listen in order to understand, rather than just to respond, and to be mindful of how their words can build up or tear down others. He also highlights the importance of surrounding oneself with friends who speak life and encourage a closer relationship with Jesus, urging listeners to consider the impact their words and friendships have on themselves and others.

In his lesson for the middle school group, "Choosing Wisdom, God's Way vs. My Way," speaker Steven Suits explores practical wisdom from Proverbs chapters 15 and 16. While no specific series title is mentioned, the message focuses on five key principles for making godly choices. Suits teaches that your words have the power to calm or to stir up anger, that God sees the heart and weighs our true motives, and that God's ultimate plan is always greater than our own, even when life doesn't go as expected. He also explains that humility leads to honor and that choosing righteousness is more valuable than gaining worldly wealth or success. The lesson encourages students to live as representatives of God on earth by applying these truths to their daily lives.

Students who recently returned from a mission trip to Los Angeles share their experiences and takeaways. Following an introduction, several students describe the impact of seeing God at work in a different culture, the power of simple acts like offering a water bottle to create opportunities for gospel conversations with the homeless, the inspiring obedience of believers who moved out of their comfort zones, and the importance of viewing all people as equally deserving of hearing the gospel. The speaker then encourages all the students that they are also capable of serving God right where they are, highlighting upcoming opportunities to serve at VBS and on a local mission trip to Greenville.

Ellie uses the biblical figure of Benaiah from 1 Chronicles 11:22-24 to explore the theme of bravery. Ellie highlights Benaiah's seemingly impossible feats, such as killing a lion in a pit on a snowy day and defeating a seven-and-a-half-foot-tall Egyptian warrior. The message focuses on three characteristics of Benaiah: he attacked adversity head-on , he did not let circumstances get in the way of his mission , and his courage led to honor. Ellie concludes that Benaiah's bravery was not his own but was rooted in his identity as a follower of God, arguing that believers can walk in true bravery only when they know and trust God's character.