High School Leader Overview – “We Go All In”
Following Jesus isn't about adding Him to our lives. It's about giving Him our lives. Throughout this series, students will wrestle with what's competing with Jesus for first place in their hearts. As they explore themes of comfort, control, and cost, they'll discover following Jesus always begins with trusting Him.
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus didn't invite people to simply believe in Him from a distance. He invited them to follow Him. Whether calling fishermen to leave their nets (Matthew 4:18-22), asking Peter to trust Him beyond his own understanding (Luke 5:1-11), or watching many disciples walk away after His difficult teaching (John 6:60-69), Jesus consistently revealed that discipleship requires surrender. However, these stories also remind us that what Jesus asks us to leave behind is always outweighed by what we gain in Him.
High school students are making decisions that begin shaping the direction of their lives. As they wrestle with identity, relationships, priorities, and purpose, this series challenges them to consider what they're building their lives around and whether Jesus truly has first place.
🔎Leader Lens🔍
Many high schoolers genuinely want to follow Jesus, but they'll feel the tension of competing ambitions, expectations, and fears. They might even believe they can fully follow Jesus without fully surrendering to Him.
Resist the urge to debate every question or settle every tension. Instead, create space for honest conversations that helps them examine what they're trusting most. Discipleship isn't about having all the answers, but about continually choosing to trust Jesus with every area of life.
Weekly Connections
Week One | Calling Over Comfort
Challenge students to consider where comfort may be keeping them from taking their next step of faith. Following Jesus often requires leaving what's familiar before we even know what's ahead.
Leader Insight: Matthew immediately left the security of his tax booth, while the rich young ruler walked away because he couldn't release what he valued most (Luke 5:27-28; Mark 10:21-22). The invitation was the same, but their responses revealed where their hearts truly were. How can your students’ responses in their daily lives reveal similar truths to them?
Week Two | Calling Over Control
Many students are preparing for adulthood and naturally want to direct their own future. Help them see that surrendering control isn't giving up their future — it's entrusting it to the One who sees the whole picture.
Leader Insight: Peter experienced Jesus' power only after trusting His instruction, and Jesus Himself modeled perfect surrender when He prayed, "Your will, not mine." Real strength isn't found in controlling every outcome but in trusting God's leadership. Giving up control is easier when we build trust! Help students identify where they’re not surrendering control because they don’t trust Jesus with the thing they’re holding on to.
Week Three | Calling Over Cost
Following Jesus may come with social, personal, or cultural challenges. Invite students to consider whether Jesus is still worth following when obedience isn't popular or convenient.
Leader Insight: Peter and John refused to stop proclaiming Jesus despite opposition (Acts 4:18-20), and the man born blind boldly testified about Jesus even as the teachers of the law made their dislike of Jesus clear (John 9). Throughout Scripture, faithfulness often costs people something. It’s real, and it’s something students are experiencing. Help them see how people in the Bible navigated this, and how although their faithfulness cost them something, they gained something much better.
Discussion Tips
Ask questions that invite reflection instead of quick answers.
Encourage honest questions and discussion, and always bring the conversation back to God and His Word.
Connect each discussion to the everyday decisions students are already making about friendships, priorities, future plans, and influence.
Keep pointing students back to Jesus as the One who is worthy of wholehearted surrender — not simply better choices or better behavior.
A Prayer Before You Start
Jesus, help me lead with wisdom, humility, and courage. Give me discernment to know when to challenge, when to listen, and when to simply point students back to You. As we walk through this series together, help them see You're worthy of their trust, their future, and every part of their lives. In Your name, amen.