Inspiring Back-to-School Bible Studies for 2024: Family & Student Guide
Discover engaging back-to-school Bible studies for students and families in 2024. Strengthen faith, build community, and start the school year right!
As the school bells start ringing again, it's time to refocus on what truly matters - faith, family, and personal growth. Did you know that 64% of regular churchgoers say their faith is "very important" in their daily lives? Let's dive into some inspiring back-to-school Bible studies that'll help students and families alike navigate the exciting (and sometimes challenging) new academic year ahead.
Why Back-to-School Bible Studies Matter
Alright, let me tell you why back to school Bible studies are such a big deal.
With a new school year can also come new challenges. No matter what grade you are in, life will throw you challenges and it is important to stay grounded in your faith when (not if) those arise. With that being said, I have put together a few tips and ideas for Back-to-school bible studies that will not only serve your student, but the whole family.
As adults, we feel stress and we have had years to learn how to cope with it (and even then, we do not always handle stress well) but as a teenager or a young child, they do not yet know how to handle that emotion yet. It is important to teach them how to handle it with the Bible and God in mind. I know that when I become stressed, I get snappy with those around me, but honestly, when I read the Bible it helps me to remember that I am not in control and that the Lord will help me in situations where I feel overwhelmed. This is true for kids as well, we can help our students to learn different coping mechanisms and scriptures to read when they are feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
In addition, it helps to have a supportive Christian community to surround yourself with. I know that for my kids, I love that they have such a great group of Christian kids and parents that they can talk to if they are not yet ready to talk to their dad and I. If you do not know where to find a group like this, I recommend looking into your local church for events that they throw for you and your kids to connect with those in your community. It is so important to surround yourself and your kids with people who are Christians and that will help to guide them in a Christ-like way when they are feeling stressed.
The final reason why I love back-to-school Bible studies is that it connects our family in a strong way before they go and spend most of their time in school during the year. It is important to start the school year off right and talk through the lens of how you should handle certain pressures as a Christian. Especially nowadays when schools are going further and further away from Christian Values and pushing certain agendas, kids must know where they stand and what they believe in when the world pushes back on them.
And hey, even if you're not the most religious person, give it a shot. You might be surprised at how relevant and helpful it can be. After all, who couldn't use a little more wisdom and support in their life, right?
Top Bible Study Themes for Students
Alright, let's dive into these awesome Bible study themes for students.
Man, this one hits home. I know that as a mom of two young kids, this can even be a struggle for me now in my life. As a teenager it is even harder! I always wanted people to "like" me it didn't matter if I liked them or not, I just wanted to be liked and I wanted to be nice. I am unsure where that desire came from but if there was someone who just didn't like me for whatever reason, it made me feel bad about myself. This is where this Bible Study Plan: Finding Your Identity in Christ can really come in handy and it is something I wish I had when I was growing up.
I started to realize that trying to shape myself to fit what others wanted was exhausting. When I began to see myself through God's eyes, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders. Don't get me wrong, I still had my insecure moments, but I had something solid to fall back on.
Peer pressure is a struggle for everyone no matter the age, and it is especially difficult in school. I wanted to create a free resource for kids to use while studying the Bible about how to combat worldly pressures and how to study what the Bible says and how to use it in your daily life. That is what I am hoping that this Bible Study can help with. It is a quick 4 week Bible study that students can do whenever they have time and this can also be for adults as well!
Oh boy, this one was a struggle for me. I am the type of person that will sign up for things and then forget about them... not great I know... but because of this I would overbook myself and then struggle to make it to things on time. I know that, for me at least, this is a work in progress, but there are also ways to help manage this in a Godly way.
If you are feeling overwhelmed as a family because there is just too much on your plate, I recommend doing this free bible study on time management. This bible study activity will take you through how time should be looked at as a gift (we are not guaranteed any of it) and also how to use it wisely. I know for me I regularly have to sit down and remind myself that I some of the things I am doing on a daily basis are not only taking time away from my family, but are also not furthering my faith, or the kingdom of God. (Selling Sunset on Netflix... I am talking about you!) So it is wise to sit down at the beginning of a new school year and really map out what you want your time to be spent on and how to best achieve that!
Lastly, REST! I know, I know, it sounds counterintuitive in this culture to actually take a break... but it is necessary! We learned recently in one of the sermons at our church that rest on the 7th day may not have been needed for God, but is meant for us to see that if God mentions that on the 7th day of creating all creation, that he took a rest... it should mean something to us and we should follow suit since we are made in his image. Now, the day of rest doesn't have to be Sunday, it can be any day of the week, but you do have to choose one dedicated day. If you have a crazy schedule where you never know which day you are going to get off, just make sure you evaluate each week and choose a day ahead of time where you are going to rest and stop working. Our bodies are not meant to work work work, we will actually get sick. You need adequate rest, sleep, food, and water to live. So make sure you take care of your body and get some REST!
This study came at the perfect time for me - right when I was stressing about "what am I going to do for the rest of my life and how do I know what I am good at?" I feel like we have all struggled with this at some point or another in our lives. It is normal, especially at a young age to have no idea what you want to do. For me, college was the only option. In fact it was really the only thing I even knew for sure I had to do was go to college. But at 18, or 17 in my case, choosing a career for life is a crazy impossible ask for such a young person with absolutely no experience. Had I known then what I know now, I probably wouldn't have went to college and I would have invested the money that I was given and just gained experience in the work force. That being said, lets relate this back to our God given talents.
If you look at all of the spiritual gifts, there are many, but you most likely align with a few that stand out to you. If not, that's okay! I recommend watching the videos that I have linked in the Bible study worksheet to learn more about spiritual gifts. These gifts can help to guide you on what you should be doing and why you might be more interested in one thing over another.
After going over all of these gifts, I realized why I am creative and why I want to use these talents to make a living so badly, not just to fulfill my wishes and dreams, but to use them in a way to draw others to God.
So if you're thinking about diving into these themes, do it! It might feel awkward or cheesy at first, but stick with it. You might just find that it changes your whole perspective on school, faith, and who you are. And trust me, that's a good thing!
I am also putting on a challenge over on my Instagram that is geared more towards the adults of the house that are looking to spend some alone time in the Word of God in the morning and this challenge will start September 1st-September 30th but you can do this at any time that you find this post! I am going to be posting every day of the workweek where I wake up early and read the Bible. I would love for you to wake up with me and spend that time with God! follow me at @the_saltandlightpodcast to join in!
Embarking on a new school year can be both thrilling and daunting, but with these back-to-school Bible studies, students and families can face the challenges head-on. Remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). By integrating faith into your academic journey, you're not just preparing for tests and assignments - you're preparing for life. So grab your Bibles, gather your loved ones, and let's make this school year the most spiritually enriching one yet! Are you ready to transform your back-to-school experience with the power of God's word?