You walk into your class on Sunday morning. Only one middle school boy is there . . . and is feeling uncomfortable because no one else is there. He answers your questions, but he won’t establish eye-contact. Another middle schooler wanders in and the two boys quickly begin to flick paper bits at each other. A sophomore girl drags in looking sullen. About 10 minutes after time for class to start you have a group of youth who all look bored, distracted, or asleep. You have been excited about the truths you are going to teach them almost all week, but when you say, “Okay, guys, let’s get into the Word,” they give you an audible groan. How do you help kids get excited about Bible study?

First, understand that teenagers’ bodies have a funny rythmn to them. Teenagers are driven to excitement and are given to staying up all night. However, their growing bodies need lots of sleep so getting up early is difficult for them. If you want them to get interested in the Bible study, you are probably going to have to capture their attention first.

Before you start planning calesthentics for each morning’s Bible study, think about this. Different teenagers learn differently. While there are a lot of ways to look at their learning preferences, there are three basic learning styles . . . and they are true for adults as well as youth.

1. Some students are auditory learners. They learn by hearing. They are interested in what you have to say, especially when you are couching your message in a story. But, they also like to hear what their peers are thinking. For these learners, try kicking off the study with a joke that relates in some way, then ask discussion questions that get them engaged.
2. Some students are visual learners. They learn best by seeing. It’s not that your words are not important to them, but if they can see what you are talking about in a diagram, an illustration, or a video, they are more likely to get it. For these learners, you might want to start the lesson by playing a video clip from a movie they like, then ask them to tear a sheet of construction paper into some kind of picture of the concept you are wanting to address.
3. Some students are kinesthetic learners. They learn best by doing. They love to play games, to move around, to experiment. For these learners, try starting the lesson with tag-team role-plays where two kids start a scene that you describe, but when a player is not sure what to say or do, they tag another player who continues the character and the scene.

Of course, the challenge is that you have all of these types of learners in every class. So, use different methods. Mix things up. Have some segments of the class that will appeal to kinesthetic learners, while other segments deal with auditory and visual learners. Almost all kids like to laugh, like to build friendships, and want to be challenged to make their lives count. Teach with passion, humor, and connection to them, regardless of the methods you are using.