How to be a Bad Friend :: Wrong Way

• Use the lead app to check in students and make sure any students not listed fill out a connect card digitally.

• Do not move on until check-in has happened and any students not listed have filled out a connect card.

• Remind them of the challenge to read act 1 and 2 of their life book by the beginning of March.

Now spend a moment Playing the IceBreakerChooser Game.

There is an old school paper decision maker in your buckets. Each student needs to Spell out their name aloud and fold back and fourth for each letter. (For example C-H-A-D would be four folds) Once they spell their name they will see 4 numbers. Have the person to their right pick the number. Then the student opens that number flap and answers the question. Once they are don pass it to the right.

Do this once for everyone in the room, including leaders.

Now bring it back in and pray for the time you have together.

• Ask the students “When was a time you got in trouble with your friends?”

  • Take a few moments to discuss the things that were shared.

• Ask the students why they think it is so easy to give into FOMO or Peer Pressure?

• Have a student read Proverbs 13:20

  • Ask the students “How would you explain this, your own words, to someone struggling with having bad friends?”

• Ask them “What does it feel like to be in a bad situation? ”

  • Have a conversation about ways they can prevent that from happening.

• Each student needs to make a list of their closest friends, for their eyes only.

  • They just need initials that remind them of their friends.

    • Next to their friends initials they need to write whether that friend is taking them the right way or the wrong way

    • If they are taking them the right way they need to consider how they can spend more time with those friends.

    • If they are taking them the wrong way they need to consider how they will not only resist that but how they might be able to take that friend the right way.

    • Both of these ideas need some unpacking in age appropriate ways. We are not called to belittle or chastise those around us so whatever we do needs to be based out of love and not judgement.

This is really where you as leaders can step into unpacking this idea. Each group is different and you guys know your groups best so it is up to you to tackle that :)

• Ask the students” Of the three ways we can lead people the right way which is the easiest for you?

  • Set Good Examples.

  • Let em know they have nothing to prove.

  • Surround them with the right people and places.

• Follow up with which is the hardest for them

  • As leaders help them realize they can learn from one another (Those that struggle in one way can be helped by someone who doesn’t, those other areas they find easy they can help people who do struggle)

Finish by praying as a group specifically for wisdom, strength, and courage to pursue being the kind of friends that lead people the right way.

We will know we have hit our target if:

-They have spent time honestly sharing with one another about struggles in their lives when it comes to bad friends or being bad friends.

-They have learned to value the importance of both heading the right way and leading the right way.

-The students are pumped about The Foundry and Radiant.

-We followed up with the students about the life book challenge.