High School Leader Overview – “Been With Jesus”
There’s a difference between doing things for Jesus and actually being with Jesus. Throughout this series, students will explore four practices — prayer, God’s Word, worship, and service — not simply as things Christians are supposed to do, but as ways to spend time with Jesus and allow His presence to shape who they’re becoming.
In Acts 4:13, people noticed something different about Peter and John. They weren’t impressed by their credentials or accomplishments; they recognized that these ordinary men had been with Jesus. That time with Him changed the way they lived. Throughout Scripture, we see Jesus teach His disciples to pray (Luke 11:1-4), reveal Himself through His Word (Luke 24:13-35), meet His followers in moments of worship (Matthew 14:22-33), and model a life of humble service (John 13:1-17). The goal of these practices isn’t performance. It’s presence. Being with Jesus changes us.
High school students are building routines and deciding what deserves their time and attention. Between school, relationships, work, activities, screens, and plans for the future, spending time with Jesus can easily become one more thing on an already full schedule. This series gives students practical ways to develop an active faith while helping them recognize the deeper purpose behind those practices: We spend time with Jesus because knowing Him marks us and changes how we see ourselves, other people, and the lives we’re called to live.
🔎Leader Lens🔍
Many high schoolers have heard that they should pray, read the Bible, worship, and serve. Be careful not to turn this series into another list of spiritual tasks they need to complete.
Instead, help students shift the question from “What am I supposed to do for Jesus?” to “How can I be with Jesus?” A prayer journal, worship playlist, Bible reading plan, or service opportunity can be helpful, but the practice itself isn’t the destination. Jesus is.
Give students permission to start somewhere realistic. Their rhythms may look different based on their personalities, schedules, and seasons of life. Help them experiment with practices that create space for Jesus and pay attention to what He is forming in them over time. Reinforce this question across all four weeks: Being with Jesus changes us. How will you spend time with Him this week?
Discussion Tips
Keep bringing students from spiritual activity to relationship. Ask what each practice helps them discover about Jesus and who they’re becoming as they spend time with Him.
Avoid presenting one “right” quiet-time routine. Give students practical options and help them identify rhythms they can realistically practice in their current season.
Make room for honesty when students say prayer feels awkward, Bible reading feels confusing, worship feels uncomfortable, or serving feels inconvenient.
Help students notice change over time. Growth may look like greater trust, compassion, gratitude, courage, awareness of others, or a clearer sense of how they want to live.
End with a concrete next step each week: Being with Jesus changes us. How will you spend time with Him this week?
A Prayer Before You Start
Jesus, help me lead students toward more than just doing things for You. Teach us what it means to be with You. Give me wisdom to help students discover rhythms of prayer, Your Word, worship, and service that draw them closer to You. As we spend time in Your presence, change the way we think, speak, love, serve, and live. Help us become people whose lives make it clear that we’ve been with You. In Your name I pray, amen.
Weekly Connections
Week One | Prayer
Help students see prayer as more than asking God for things, saying the right words, or checking off a spiritual box. Prayer is an opportunity to spend time with Jesus — honestly bringing Him what’s happening in our lives and learning to listen to Him.
Leader Insight: In Luke 11:1-4, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus gives them a pattern that directs their attention toward God, their needs, forgiveness, and dependence on Him. Give students practical entry points into prayer. The goal isn’t to find the “perfect” way to pray. Help students find a rhythm that helps them intentionally be with Jesus.
Practical Tools: Talk about these with your group as a way for them to practice the week’s focus.
Breath prayers: Short and simple prayers said in one breath. On the inhale, say a name or quality of God. On the exhale, express a need or desire. (e.g., INHALE: “God, you are my anchor.” EXHALE: “Help me have peace and patience through this.”)
Prayer journaling: Write down the focus of what you’re praying for each day. Go back and review your prayers every so often to see how God has moved in you or around you.
The ACTS method: Stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. Praying to God in this order helps remind us who He is and positions our hearts to hear from Him. (e.g., God, You are mighty and full of grace. I confess I’ve been worrying that You can’t or won’t bring me through this situation. Thank You that You hear every word of mine and You’re already working. Please help me trust You and follow You closely while I wait. Amen.”) Looking for a more visual guide to use yourself or share with your group? Check out this one Pastor Holly featured on “Highlights”!
Week Two | The Word
Students can easily approach reading the Bible like homework — something they know they should do because it’s expected of them. Help them shift from simply reading words on a page out of duty to recognizing Scripture as an opportunity to spend time with Jesus and know Him better.
Leader Insight: In Luke 24:13-35, two disciples walk with Jesus without initially recognizing Him. As Jesus explains the Scriptures, their understanding changes — and eventually, they recognize who has been with them all along. Help students move beyond reading simply to finish a chapter or maintain a streak. Encourage them to slow down, ask questions, notice what God is showing them, and respond.
Practical Tools: Talk about these with your group as a way for them to practice the week’s focus.
Devotionals: A devotional that’s aligned with a topic of interest or a need is a great way to spend time in the Word. Show youth how they can use resources like the YouVersion Bible app to find devotionals on any topics they need.
Memorizing Scripture: Having short bites of the Word memorized helps us remind ourselves of God’s promises when we need them most. (e.g., “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3) Consider challenging your group to memorize our series verse: “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13) Need encouragement or a reminder of why this matters? Check out this message.
Read through a book of the Bible: It might sound intimidating, but study guides, commentaries, and doing this with others can help. Encourage your group to try it, and consider doing a Bible Club this week where your group reads through a book together. (You can also watch this clip of Pastors Steven and Holly talking about the importance and approach of reading the Bible.)
Week Three | Worship
Worship can easily become about a song, a moment, or what students are doing on the outside. Help them understand worship as a response to who Jesus is. Encourage students to consider what has their attention and how recognizing who Jesus is can change their response to Him.
Leader Insight: In Matthew 14:22-33, the disciples encounter Jesus in the middle of a storm, and their response after recognizing who He is is worship. This week, help students focus less on performing worship and more on the One they’re responding to. Encourage them to build habits of praise and gratitude while also paying attention to what they regularly consume.
Practical Tools: Talk about these with your group as a way for them to practice the week’s focus.
Create a worship playlist: If your youth don’t already have one, now’s a great time! You could even create a shared playlist together that the whole group can listen to throughout the week.
Start and end the day with praise: When you wake up, immediately take a minute or two to praise God. It can be for His faithfulness, the rest He gave you, the home you’re waking up in, your health, or anything. Do the same thing just before going to sleep; tell God how much you love Him, and thank Him for what He did for you that day.
Gratitude journal: Keep a notebook or notes app handy, and have a minimum amount of things you’re going to thank God for every day. (e.g., Set a goal to thank God for eight things every day this week, and write them down. Remember the GR8FUL exercise from Pastor Steven’s “Do The True You”?)
Week Four | Service
Serving can feel like another task — something students do because an adult asked, because someone needs help, or because it’s what Christians are supposed to do. Help students see serving differently: When they follow Jesus’ example and love people through practical action, that’s time spent in His presence, and it also shapes how they see and love others.
Leader Insight: In John 13:1-17, Jesus takes the position of a servant and washes His disciples’ feet. He doesn’t merely tell them what service looks like; He shows them. Help students recognize that service doesn’t have to begin with a major project, and challenge them to serve with attention and humility, allowing time with Jesus to change how they see the people He has placed around them.
Practical Tools: Talk about these with your group as a way for them to practice the week’s focus.
Volunteer with an outreach partner: Elevation always has opportunities to serve! Connect your group with some outreach events, and encourage them to go serve. Bonus points if you sign up to serve as a group!
Leave a kind note: Tell your group to think about someone (e.g., a teacher) they appreciate. Encourage them to leave that person a kind note, thanking them for what they do.
Sit with someone: Have your group think about what they see at school. Is there a student who often sits alone at lunch, or someone else who could use some companionship? Encourage them to spend time with that person this week.