Preteens are naturally wired to wonder about the world around them. They’re moving past the stage of life where they more easily believe and accept whatever trusted adults tell them. Instead, they want to dig deeper, ask why, and understand complicated things. That means they have a lot of tough questions when it comes to faith! Questions like:
- If God loves the world, why does He let bad stuff happen?
- What’s the point of going to church?
- Who is the Holy Spirit, and what does the Holy Spirit do?
- Why doesn’t God fix our country?
- What’s the evidence that the Bible is true?
- Do people become angels when they die?
- What does the Bible say about suicide?
- Does God ever have fun?
These questions, and so many more, came from real preteens when we asked them what questions they had about faith. So, Group created BE BOLD Preteen Curriculum to help kids dive into the Bible and see what it has to say about their questions.
The problem is, not every question a preteen asks has a clearcut answer in Scripture. Sometimes faith means believing in things we can’t understand—in things God hasn’t fully revealed to us. Some of preteens’ questions are the same questions top theologians devote their lives to studying … and still can’t agree on.
So, while we lead preteens in exploring what the Bible says about their tough questions, we also want to help them build a strong, unshakeable faith foundation. We want to give them truths to hold onto even when their questions are unanswerable.
Sometimes faith means believing in things we can’t understand—in things God hasn’t fully revealed to us.
BE BOLD teaches nine Bold Bible Truths over and over again. Each lesson is grounded in a truth that preteens hear repeatedly, exploring a tough question but bringing them back to that foundation of what they do know to be unquestionably true.
9 Truths for Preteens
Through the course of BE BOLD, preteens repeatedly learn these nine truths:
God helps us get along (John 15:12)
In a world that is increasingly divided over politics, religion, race, and other differences, we want preteens to know that God’s desire for us is unity. Jesus told us to love each other as He loved us—and He sent the Holy Spirit to empower us to do it! It also means that as our search of Scripture leads us to draw reasonable conclusions that are different from other people’s conclusions, our approach is to be loving and respectful—not start a fight.
God is in charge (Psalm 46:10)
This is a particularly poignant truth for preteens to embrace as they face questions with no clear answer. There comes a point where we just have to be still and accept that God is the one in charge. We can’t control things, and we don’t always understand why He does what He does. But when we trust Him, we can also have faith that He’ll handle things better than we could anyway!
God/Jesus loves you (John 3:16)
Knowing that God loves us makes the fact that He’s in charge a lot more reassuring! If you know God is in charge but are unsure of His love, you may not want Him to be in charge. It’d be like having a President you don’t respect! On the other hand, when you believe that God loves you, it’s a lot easier to trust Him with your life. And it inspires you to demonstrate your love for Him in how you worship, live, and treat others.
The Bible is true (2 Timothy 3:16)
There are a lot of sources preteens can go to in an effort to find the answers to their questions. They can search YouTube. They can watch influencers on social media. They can ask their friends for their opinions. But how reliable are these sources? Even things they learn in school may not match what the Bible says. We want preteens to know that anything they hear, learn, or question, they can hold up against the unwavering truth of God’s Word.
God is your friend (Romans 5:11)
Feelings of loneliness and isolation have always been a part of adolescence, but the rise of social media and technology has exacerbated the problem. Now, preteens are lonelier than ever, and the pressure to keep up with the latest trends or risk being uncool and unliked has mounted. As they battle with peer pressure and rejection, we want preteens to be able to stand firm in the truth that they always have a friend in God.
God is at work today (Romans 8:28)
It’s easy to look at the Bible and think it’s a bunch of cool stories of what God did long ago … but that kind of stuff doesn’t happen today. After all, when was the last time you saw a sea part or heard a donkey talk? We want preteens to be actively on the lookout for God Sightings—ways God is at work in the world today. Because His work didn’t end when the Bible was complete! He is still working things together for the good of those who love Him.
God is always with you (Hebrews 13:5)
Life can be hard. Especially when you’re going through puberty! Bad things will happen to you, and you’ll say and do things you wish you could undo. There will be things you don’t like about yourself, and days you feel completely self-conscious. What a comfort to know that through all of that, God will never leave you! This truth will help preteens get through the toughest of times and trust God’s faithfulness through the worst of their mistakes.
God helps you make good choices (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Preteens find themselves with an increased level of freedom. Sure, their parents or guardians still make their major decisions, but they may find themselves with more choice on what hobbies to enjoy or who to be friends with. And they’re thinking more about their futures and the monumental decisions that lie ahead of them. That increase in personal responsibility can be exciting but also intimidating. That’s why it’s critical to give preteens the foundation on the truth that they can trust in God and follow the paths He reveals to them.
God is all-powerful (1 Chronicles 29:11)
Looking around at our world, it can be a scary place. And preteens are starting to be more aware of the scary and tragic things that are going on. Anxiety in young people is on the rise, and the world around us doesn’t help! But being anchored in the truth that God is all-powerful helps preteens find confidence that no matter what happens, God’s power is bigger than anything else.
It’s critical to give preteens a safe place to explore their questions at church. It’s wonderful to explore and discover and wonder with them. But it’s also important to ground them in the most important truths that will give them an anchor point of faith when life becomes uncertain. Check out BE BOLD Preteen Curriculum to do just that!
The Action Bible Anytime Devotions
The Action Bible Anytime Devotions
