The Bible is a book for everyone. Whether you read the Word on the pages of a good, hearty physical KJV Bible or prefer to watch a couple of VeggieTales episodes, this book holds messages every age group needs to hear! Though I myself have a very short amount of experience on this Earth, as I am just turning 19 (soon), it's clear that everyone is at a different stage in life. Don't get me wrong, age certainly isn't always what determines the stage of life we are in, but sometimes, not always, age can bring certain stages to us, like high school or college or having kids or marriage. After looking into some of the great lessons The Bible can teach us, I have created a list of some (hopefully) relevant topics that one could use if they are ever stuck on what to talk about during their next Bible study!

For Kids (under 10):

• Sharing: Sharing is a lesson we all learn pretty quickly as a kid. Teaching a kid how to share is like telling a dog to walk instead of run after a squirrel; it's not a desire of theirs. When explaining the reasoning behind why sharing is so important, there are many stories in the Bible that can help make it a bit easier! A simple verse like Hebrews 13:16 can initiate great conversation about sharing, as well as a good story like The Widow's Offering! The Widow's Offering is a great example found in Mark 12:41-44! This is the story that can teach us that no matter how much or little we have, it is always good to share with others!

• Kindness: This is a message that can be found all over The Bible. Whether this is taught through Jesus and His great sacrifices, or through many other examples, there are plenty of stories and verses to cover this message! A short verse that could potentially be easier to understand for kids may be Proverbs 12:25! This can be a great way to build conversation or to use as a foundation to create questions for kids to answer as it discusses, not only what hurtful words can do but, the importance of encouragement and kindness, as well!

• Helpfulness - Just like kindness and sharing, being a good helper is another lesson we are taught at a young age. Though being helpful may seem like an easy lesson to teach, sometimes selfishness can become overbearing. Talking about verses like Matthew 22:39 can help start a conversation about the importance of helping others in need, as well as loving them too! This verse can also help with teaching the idea of helping classmates in school, their siblings at home, or their actual neighbours in their community!

• Frustration: This big word is not something I often hear my students say, but is a great way to explain how they feel when they can't explain what they need. Communication is so important, not only with kids but, for everyone. Using verses to dive into the need of staying calm when we get angry at times if we aren't being understood clearly can be crucial, as it reminds us to not only keep our cool, but that being calm and patient during frustrating times is exactly what God wants us to do! Some verses that can help engage a good conversation about understanding frustration and how to handle it could include Psalm 37:8 and Proverbs 15:1

• Patience - Following frustration, patience is probably one of the tricker lessons to teach. Whether it's waiting for their turn, or just waiting for dinner to be ready, having patience in crucial. Verses like Romans 8:25 and Proverbs 14:29 can piggyback off the discussion of frustration, as well as be used as simple, yet important examples of what patience looks like, why we need it, and what the consequences of impatience can be!

• Sadness (Jesus is there) - Though crying is often a kid's first response when they're feeling sad or left out, discussing verses that reminds them that God is always there for us can provide an alternative way for them to deal with their hurt feelings! When a kid feels left out a school, or maybe didn't get picked first during their game, having verses like 1 Peter 5:7 in their memory can remind them that we can pray to God about anything and know that He always hears us, even when we are upset! This verse can also initiate a deeper discussion regarding prayer and how there is nothing too big or too small that we can't talk to God about!

• Bravery: For kids, the smallest jump outside of their box is praised as bravery. For that reason, these verses can help remind us that we all have to overcome things in our lives! Whether it's going down that big slide they're too scared to touch, or introducing themselves to a new friend for the very first time, verses like 1 Timothy 4:12 and Philippians 4:13 can be a great way to bring the topic of bravery up, and can spiral into many other topics like trying new things or growing independence!

For Pre-teens (Middle school):

• Gossiping: Ah yes, welcome to middle school; the lab where gossip was created! Pre teens love to gossip, and I emphasis love for a reason. This is the stage in life where cliques or friend groups start, and is definitely where the phrase "don't tell her I told you but she said that..." started. Luke 6:31 may be an obvious choice when it comes to which verses to use when discussing this topic, but this verse goes a lot further than just bullying and being nice. This is a verse that, if memorized, can maybe even stop one lie being spread! When having a Bible study about gossiping, maybe just put that little remind there that the next time they feel like gossiping or spreading a rumour around, to think about this verse, and then make the decision. Empathy is key when talking about gossiping and bullying!

• Popularity: Oh boy, where do we even start? The popular kids at every school are like the celebrities of their town. Everyone wants to be friends with them, everyone wants what they have, everyone wants to be seen with them. We have all had experiences with popularity. A verse like Luke 9:25 can push us all back into reality and remind us about how crucial staying true to ourselves is; something pre-teens need to hear. Other great verses like  Proverbs 13:20 and Romans 12:2 can spark a more in depth conversation about the importance of choosing the right friends, and knowing what type of people to stay away from to avoid trouble. While discussing these verses, it's important to make sure the group is not encouraging rudeness or negative judgement upon those who are not the right friends for us, as it can be easy to add that kind of message into the mix!

• Materialism: Clothes, make up, phones, more clothes, shoes. Most of the things a preteen cares about are items. Talking about this topic is so needed, especially as we live in such a materialistic society. A verse like Colossians 3:2 can teach the lesson about inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven and about the lack of permanence in Earthly things. This can also lead to a great conversation about what the 'things of Heaven' are and why we need to think about and prioritize those above the things of earth!

• Respect: Talking back is so so so so so SO to be expected. Hear me out, there are some great 12 year olds out there that understand the concept of respect, but there are also many that don't quite get it yet. Though many verses about respect for pre teens revolve around respecting their parents, these topics can also be dived deeper into, as these verse can be used as a foundation to discuss respecting ourselves, and authoritative figures! Verses like Colossians 3:20, Ephesians 6:1-3, and Proverbs 1:8-9 may be a good place to start when discussing the importance of respect and why God commands us to do so, as well as the great rewards that come with respecting others!

• Bragging: Bragging. Synonyms may include boasting, showing off, to gloat, or my personal favourite, blowing one's own trumpet. This is seen so often in people of all ages, but it's seen so often because you can brag about anything! An amazing story to use during a study of this topic is the story found in Matthew 6:1-5. This is titled 'Teaching about Giving to the Needy' as well as a verse from 'teaching about Prayer and Fasting'. The great message within these verses can result in a great discussion about having the right intentions behind the good things we do, and ensuring we aren't just performing these good deeds for the sake of impressing others, or in other words having an excuse to brag! These verses can also prompt a great talk about how helping others pleases God and how important the right intentions behind our actions are!

• Insecurities: Trying to convince an insecure pre teen that they are perfectly made by God is tough. When comparison starts, the self esteem issues begin. Having the conversation about insecurities and how we can overcome them can be so detrimental to someone's well being! Verses like Psalm 139:13-14 and 1 Corinthians 6:19 can offer great foundations to build conversation upon and are also very in depth verses to begin with, which can serve as a great advantage when discussing such a complex and significant topic such as insecurities!

• Differences / uniqueness: This topic is one that can be explored in more than one way! When talking about differences and how being different doesn't have to be seen as a bad thing, one can use this topic to remind the group that our uniqueness is a great thing and can remind us that meeting other people who are different from us is also a great thing! Verses like Romans 12:6, Romans 12:2, and Ephesians 2:10 are so great to start this kind of Bible study topic, as they remind us to always stay true to ourselves, for we were all perfectly made under the vision of God!

 For Teenagers (High school):

• Lust/ Honouring and respecting our body: This one can be a tricky yet very important topic to cover. High school is the time where dating and sex and all that jazz is usually introduced, so doing a good deep dive into verses like 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, and, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 can be great, as they really talk about how crucial it is to honour our bodies, as it describes our bodies to be 'temples'. I know when I was approached with this topic in high school, I felt like I was just being condemned and judged for being young and clueless, so coming at this topic from the perspective of needing to honour our bodies for God, instead of throwing verses about how sinful premarital sex is, will most definitely serve a more impactful and powerful outcome!

• Drugs/Alcohol: With this topic, anyone can tell teenagers that getting drunk is a sin. From personal experience, this is not the way to approach it. Use a verse like 1 Peter 5:8 and explain how staying alert is crucial, since being drunk or high or blacked out is a pretty solid example of how we can be caught off guard. Using other verses like the ones suggested in the topic above (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, and, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17) can also allow one to take a different type of approach to this discussion, as it may help leave a stronger impact. This approach can help explain the reason why we should avoid harmful substances rather than simply stating they are bad for us! It can also remind us of how important staying aware of all the things that take our focus off of God are!

• Forgiveness: I felt that putting this topic under teenagers was the best place, as I know forgiveness was a lesson I wish I learned earlier. Break ups happen, friends start changing, people start taking chances and risks, and plenty of mistakes are made. Learning about the importance of forgiveness is not only detrimental to relationship building, but is also a quality that matures us all! A verse like Ephesians 4:32 can really show the importance of forgiving others, as it reminds us that God through Christ forgave us, the One we are here living for and following the example of!

• Influences: This topic can fall down one thousand rabbit holes. We, as teenagers, are being influenced by everything! Friends, celebrities, social media, music, the news, tv shows, books, e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. Verses like 1 Corinthians 15:33 and Proverbs 1:15 can strongly remind us of the importance of surrounding ourselves with the right people, and can also be used to discuss how important the things we allow ourselves to be influenced by are, as well! This generation is constantly consuming in every aspect of life, so knowing that there can be some pretty damaging consequences to choosing the wrong influence is a good conversation to have.

• Idolizing: I know I have certainly struggled with understanding where the line is drawn between loving an actor or a band, and idolizing them. Matching this topic with a verse like Matthew 6:24 can allow for a deeper look into, not only idolizing people but, how we can idolize anything! Though money is used as the example in this verse, there are an infinite amount of words you could replace 'money' with! Making a list of all the things that come to mind during this Bible study could even create that realization of how much we idolize things without even noticing!

• Priorities: When we reach the end of high school, whether it's the last or second last year, we start to learn that grades actually start to matter. Whether university or college is in their picture or not, graduation means passing is the bare minimum. Though these years may cause that shift in academic priorities, it can also be used to understand the importance of prioritizing our relationships with God! Matthew 6:33 is certainly a verse to use when discussing what prioritizing God looks like. This verse can allow so much discussion, as it is such a significant verse in The Bible, but is also a very straightforward one!

• God's plans: When I was in high school, every issue felt like the end of the world. Hearing your friend say she's mad at you for not sitting with her at lunch was the worst possible thing you could've heard. Although high school struggles may not always be as life-or-death as one may think, Deuteronomy 31:8 is a verse we all need to hear at some point in our lives. As this verse can help with the serious times, and the teenage-life crises, it's also a beautiful verse to explore and discuss to help truly understand how great our God is.

For Young Adults (University):

• Devotion: Becoming a young adult is hard! I have little experience but up until now, it's been tougher than I expected! Once you step into the real world, there is temptation thrown at us left, right, and centre! Having a discussion about staying devoted to God, even when life is shoving temptations in our eyes, is so needed. Pairing this topic with a verse like Colossians 3:17 can provide many different paths for how the conversation may go. As this verse is really talking about glorifying God in all we do, it can also be interpreted differently. Connecting this verse to the topic of devotion could allow the discussion about our need to fight temptations and stay devoted to The Lord, as this ultimately allows our actions to glorify Him!

• Commitment: What are we committing to at 18 years old? Well, understanding how to stay committed to serving God through our trials and hardships is something we all need to learn, and let's face it, the earlier we learn it, the better. Luke 9:23 touches upon this topic subtly, but very powerfully when talking about the need for us to give up our own ways and commit to serving Christ! As we continue to grow and mature into our own persons, understanding the importance of, as well as knowing the ways to commit to God is a great Bible study to have, especially at such an influential time and age!

• Trust: This is a time when trust is also played around with. Betrayal from friends is here, being cheated on is here, being lied to and deceived is here, but discussing the topic of trust is so crucial as it allows us to know that the one who will never break our trust is God. Taking a different approach to this topic could involve using a verse like Psalm 16:11 as it talks about the importance of trusting God, and not our own understanding, as well as the great results that come from putting our trust in Him! This can be taken into the discussion of trust as it can remind us that God is perfect and certainly does not possess the type of trust us humans do. Where our human trust can be temporary, damaging, and hurtful, God will never break that trust with us, which is a crucial fact to know!

• Joy: Everyone always tells my friends and I that this time in our lives is the 'prime' time when it comes to development. We are experiencing things for the first time and are constantly learning new things. So when discussing a topic like joy, I found that learning the difference between happiness and joy was a very impactful lesson. Through verses like Psalm 16:11, we can be reminded that God provides joy, which can be very different from the shallow, cheap thrills and  earthly things used to find happiness! I had a Bible study and discussion about how joy cuts much deeper than happiness and I have remembered it for years now, so I highly suggest using this as a topic to discuss! I knew there had to be a word for the way God made me feel, and joy was the exact word I was looking for!

• Mental health: Whether one is in university/college or not, mental health is something that hits many of us like a brick. According to CAMH, Young people aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group. This is a topic I will always be interested in having a conversation or Bible study about. From my own personal experience, as well as my friend's mental health problems, this is a conversation that is more needed than ever. When discussing this topic in a Bible study, there are many verses that may bring comfort to listeners! Verses like Psalm 18:19, Isaiah 40:31, and Isaiah 43:2 may not be addressing mental health problems directly, but can certainly be used to remind anyone who is struggling that The Lord is always there for us all, and can provide support and rest for anyone in need of it!

• Anxiousness: Hopping onto the previous suggestion of mental health, anxiety is an enemy to us all sometimes. Whether it's a form of anxiety like social or generalized anxiety disorder, or just feeling that occasional brief hit of anxiousness, we all need to be reassured that God can handle anything we give to Him! A verse like Deuteronomy 31:8 can remind us that when uncertainty lies ahead, we can rest assured knowing God will go before us, and will never leave us nor forsake us! This can also spark a great conversation for the group to share any stories or experiences of ways God has helped them through their anxious times, which may bring relief to others in knowing God will be there for them too!

• Stress: If you have students in your Bible study group, this topic is probably something you've already covered. If you have not, I can almost guarantee you this is a conversation people need to have. The Bible is filled with verses that tell us to give all our worries to up to God, and to not stress about anything, but 1 Peter 5:7 may just be that perfect verse to pair up with the topic of stress. It can encourage further discussion about other situations or emotions and can also serve as a well needed reminder that God cares about us and can handle anything that is stressing us out! Student or not, this topic is an absolute Bible Study necessity!  

For Adults (the deeper stuff):

Though I am certainly not qualified to say what adults need, as I am yet to get there in life, I felt that taking topics that have been discussed often during my church services may just provide some ideas or inspiration!

• Wisdom: Call me crazy, but I once read that wisdom is mentioned in The Bible over 200 times. Christian Bible Reference Site found it 234 times in the King James Version! I think it goes without saying that having wisdom is looked at as a true gift, one that can bear much fruit in our lives. Many verses like Proverbs 3:13-18, Proverbs 2:6, James 1:5 tell us how needed wisdom is. Though it is fair to say that the older we get, the more we know given we've experienced more overtime, wisdom is something that God can provide too. The Word is packed with wisdom, so having a Bible study on such a greatly needed quality can serve as a greatly needed reminder!

• Love: I take back what I said about the word 'wisdom' and its common use in the Bible, love is found 310 times in the KJV. Many verses talk about love and what it is and why we need it and how to give it, but there are other verses, like John 15:12 that is discussed very often, but may not be truly lived by and understood. Having an absolute and full understanding of love is like understanding the full depth of outer space; there is so much to know and learn as humans that our life on Earth isn't long enough to know it all. As God is truly what love is, we simply cannot learn everything there is to know about The Lord in our earthly lifetime, for He is eternal! Having a Bible study about love can either be a pretty surface levelled discussion, or the deepest talk you've ever had. Exploring a verse that requires everyone to really dig deep and think about how we can love others the way that Jesus loves us is going to be a pretty fun ride.

• Health/sickness: Though aging also comes with weird grunts and sighs whenever one stands up off the couch due to back pain, age can also bring some pretty scary health issues! For a Bible study like this, using a story from the Bible, and not just a single verse, like when Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man in Luke 5:17-26 may leave more room for discussion, as well as a stronger impact on the group. If a story isn't the vibe, a verse like Psalm 147:3 might just be what is needed, as it talks about the healing powers The Lord we serve possesses. This does not just talk about physical pain, but emotional and psychological pain too!

• Fear: Isn't it crazy that our fears change as we grow older? Like when I was six years old, my biggest fear was big animals and heights, now it's losing a loved one and disappointing God, then once I age more and have more to lose, my fears will most definitely shift again! Fear is something we all experience, but is also something we can control. Matthew 11:28 is a verse that can bring great relief and reassurance to anyone experiencing a fearful trial or situation. This can also be used as a reminder for the future, as it tells us when we grow weary, Our Saviour will bless us with rest, which may just be that little extra push of motivation someone needs!

• Loneliness: Feeling lonely can be really scary. Whether we are actually alone or just feel abandoned or left out, loneliness is a very hard thing to overcome. Though a Bible study on the potential consequences of putting our trust and dependency on other people can also follow this message, a verse like Matthew 28:20 can be a great way to comfort anyone who needs this discussion! As it reminds us that God is always with us, it also tells us He is with us 'to the end of the age", which may just bring a little glimpse of hope and comfort to someone feeling lonely in your study group!

• Worry: The older we get, the more we have to worry about. My parents always tell me they cannot sleep until they know I made it home okay, to which always makes me think back to an incredible sermon I listened to from Joyce Meyer. She was talking about how she worries about her own kids going out and being safe and making the right choices when they're out, but she then talks about how worrying can't change anything, but a prayer to God can. So, instead of worrying about her kids, she prays for them and gives her worries up to God! I know many of us wish we could do that too. A verse like Joshua 1:9 may just be the verse to dig deeper into when discussing worry! This powerful verse can spark so much conversation about knowing that The Lord is with us all no matter where we go, and will always give us the strength we need to continue to keep going!

• Faith: A topic that sounds pretty obvious, right? But faith is much more intricate than we think. The dictionary definition of faith is to have "complete trust or confidence in someone or something". So, it may be fair to say that we believe in God and His Word, but is it fair to say we all have complete trust and confidence in Him? A very deep discussion about faith may be initiated by using verses like Proverbs 30:5, Hebrews 11:1, and 2 Corinthians 5:17, as they all talk about the different aspects of faith and what having complete faith looks like. This topic may even encourage someone to speak about any of their doubts or struggles when trying to strengthening their relationship with The Lord, which can then lead to an even more personal, yet life-changing conversion that can bring your Bible study group closer and even more faithful to God!

Believe me when I say, I know how boring Bible studies can be, so I hope that these possible suggestions can change up those repetitive topics and verses, and maybe even inspire you to host one yourself!📖💛