It’s hard to lead a discussion when you are the only one talking. What do you do when youth just won’t talk?

How you deal with this depends a lot on what is happening in your class. Ask yourself: Why is the group quiet?

• Maybe they are just a rare group of introverted kids. They aren’t talking because they are quiet by nature. It is frustrating for you and for your students when you try to make introverts behave like extroverts. Watch the kids in other situations. Are they quiet when they are in the hallway? Are the quiet when you see them at Starbuck’s or school functions? If so, then you just need to learn to teach in other ways besides discussion. Try using more pen and paper activities. Engage them in drawing illustrations. When you ask them to pray, suggest that they pray silently or use one spoken word to sum up their prayers.
• Maybe they are bored. Sometimes kids figure if they just stay quiet, you will hurry up and get finished. If they seem like they are bored, trying kicking the lesson off with things that will capture their attention. Get them playing a game or doing some kind of simulation. Invite them into a little good-natured competition. Get them telling you stories about their lives that you can use as a springboard into the lesson. Above all, be quick to laugh. Nothing beats boredom quicker than laughter.
• Maybe they don’t trust each other well enough to stick their necks out and answer one of your questions. No one likes to be embarrassed by giving something that turns out to be a stupid answer. Combine the sense of most teenagers that everyone is looking at them with their developing minds, and offering opinions or deductions can be very scary. If this seems to be the case with your group, spend more time with group building and affirmation tools. Get them to work together to overcome an obstacle. Or ask them to share what they most admire about each person in the group. As they start to feel safer in the room, it will be easier for them to open up and talk.

On the other hand, maybe your students are willing to answer, but you don’t really give them enough time. I think a lot of discussion in Youth Bible Study goes like this:

Teacher: Why did Jesus have to die?
Student (thinking): I think the answer is that he was going to save us from our sins. Isn’t that what the Bible says. I’m pretty sure that’s the answer.
Teacher: Anyone?
Student (still thinking): No one else is answering. Maybe that means the answer is harder than that. I bet I’ve got it wrong.
Teacher: It was to save us from our sins, wasn’t it?
Student nods.

Students may have to think a question through, then buck up the courage to voice their answer. Sometimes you just need to wait.

Teacher: Why did Jesus have to die?
Student (thinking): I think the answer is that he was going to save us from our sins. Isn’t that what the Bible says. I’m pretty sure that’s the answer.
Teacher: What do you think?
Student (still thinking): No one else is answering. Maybe that means the answer is harder than that. I bet I’ve got it wrong. I’m pretty sure that is the answer, but what if I’m wrong?
Teacher: Why did he have to die?
Student (thinking): Well, let’s give it a whirl. No one else it saying anything. (finally speaking) I think it was to save us from our sins.
Teacher: Yes, exactly. Do you see how important that is?
Student (thinking): Wow, I’m pretty cool. Did you hear that? I got it ‘exactly.’”

If students think you are going to break down and give them the answer, they will probably not venture a thought. But, if you give them time to think about the answer, formulate it into words, and then gather the courage to speak up, you may get some real discussion started.