Middle School Week 2 (September 10): Start Small
Series Verses:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” (Romans 1:16-17)
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us… ” (Ephesians 3:20)
Discussion Goal: God uses small steps to build our boldness.
Start Talking (Conversation Starter)
Tell the group something that’s really outside your comfort zone. (e.g., playing sports in front of a crowd, trying super-spicy foods, petting an animal you’re afraid of, etc.) If you were going to commit to doing that thing, what would be a small first step you would take?
Optional activity: Bold Acting
We’re going to do some mini challenges with different levels of boldness. Go around the group, and have everyone perform ONE of these actions. They can choose one that doesn’t take much boldness, or one that takes a lot: make the most unimpressed face you can for five seconds; dramatically act out opening a bag of chips to find it’s empty; pretend you’re in a slow-motion action scene in a movie; act like you just spotted your celebrity crush in the room; or pretend you’re a famous singer and belt out a made-up line from your new hit song.
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 Matthew 17:20. Jesus said that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. What are some real-life examples where a small act made a big difference? Share at least one example from your own life.
Why do you think God values even small steps of faith, while the world often celebrates only big and flashy actions? Give some examples of small steps of faith.
Read Matthew 14:28-29. Peter took a bold step of faith for Jesus. Name one thing you wish you were more bold for God in. What’s one small choice you can make this week to grow in that area?
Pray: Jesus, thank You for giving us the chance to grow little by little. Help us to focus on the small steps instead of getting distracted by everyone else’s opinions or ways we might think they’re doing better than we are. In Your name we pray, amen.
Additional Questions
Before David faced Goliath, he faced lions and bears. How do you think those smaller battles prepared him for a big one?
If you could get a text from yourself one year in the future (who you’ll be one year from now), what would you hope that message would say about some small steps you took and how they’ve made a big difference?
What’s something small God has called you to start doing? How could that end up making a big difference?