High School Week 4 (June 10): Deborah – I don’t follow the crowd.
Discussion Goal:
I choose God over culture.
Start Talking (Conversation Starter):
What’s a trend (e.g., style, phrase, habit, etc.) that everyone seems to follow, but you just don’t get?
Think It Through (and Talk It Out)
Leader Tip: Choose questions that resonate with your group’s age, experiences, and current understanding. There’s no pressure to cover all the questions — pick the ones that fit your group the best.
Read Judges 4:4-9. It was very different for a woman to be a leader during this time, like Deborah was. But she didn’t follow what the crowd thought. Where do you see pressure to go along with others the most right now? Why can that pressure be so hard to resist?
Following God often means standing out. How easy or hard is that for you? What’s the difference between standing out for attention and standing out for conviction?
Where do you think Deborah’s confidence came from? When your beliefs or values don’t match the people around you, how does your relationship with God help you stay strong instead of folding under pressure?
Following God can create tension — socially, culturally, even personally. Where might you face pushback for your faith right now, and what would it look like to choose God’s way anyway?
👀🔎 Eye Check: Deborah followed God even though what she was doing was very different from what the crowd expected. What’s something “the crowd” wants that doesn’t line up with what God wants for you? Talk about it as a group, and encourage each other: Don’t follow the crowd.
Pray: God, thank You for calling us to live with purpose, not just to blend in. When it’s easier to go along with the crowd, give us the courage to choose what’s right in Your eyes. Help us trust Your voice more than the opinions around us. Strengthen us to stand firm with confidence, knowing You are with us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Additional Questions
When have you seen someone stand firm in what they believe, even when it cost them something? What stood out to you about that?
What’s one area where you’re tempted to stay quiet instead of living out your faith? What’s behind that hesitation?
If you consistently chose God over culture, how might that shape your influence — with friends, online, or in any places you might be in the future?
What can living like this cost you? What do you gain from it?