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Distinct: a 4-Week Teaching Series for Youth Ministry TOPIC: Identity SCRIPTURE: the New Testament DECORATING THEME: Unique things AGE GROUP: Students DISCIPLESHIP ACTIVITY: Get The Distinct Challenge, the discipleship activity that goes along with this teaching series, here ! If someone asked who you are, what would you say? Maybe you'd say your name. Or maybe you'd say, "I'm a musician. A basketball player. A friend. A daughter or son. I'm a human!" Those things might be true, but have you ever felt like you're still figuring out who you are, what you're good at, or why you're here? In this 4-week series, the stories of Jesus and John the Baptist, and the words of Paul, will help us see why discovering who Jesus is helps us discover who we're meant to be. Not only is Jesus is distinct from anyone who has ever lived, but God made us distinct too, with distinct gifts we can use to serve God and others , and unique distinctions that are worth celebrating. BIG IDEAS & BIBLE STORIES Jesus is distinct. (John Testifies about Jesus: John 1:1-18; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 13:8) God made you distinct. (The Testimony of John the Baptist: John 1:19-23; Isaiah 43:1-7; Psalm 139:13-14) We can all serve in distinct ways. (Spiritual Gifts: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; I Peter 4:10; Proverbs 11:25) We can celebrate our distinctions. (One Body with Many Parts: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Revelation 7:9-10; Psalm 139:13-14) WEEKLY CURRICULUM SUMMARIES: This week, we'll see how John and Paul make it clear that Jesus is unlike anyone else who has ever lived - he's God. Figuring out who you are can feel a little confusing-like trying to finish a puzzle without the picture on the box. This week, we'll explore how John and Paul help us start with the most important piece: knowing who Jesus is, because understanding his identity helps us understand our own. Jesus changes everything because Jesus is distinct. This week, we'll see what John the Baptist's life and ministry reveal about the unique ways God creates and calls each of us. It's easy to compare ourselves to others-classmates, teammates, friends, even our peers at church. But what if we didn't need to? This week, we'll see how John the Baptist's story shows that God creates each person with care, calling us to live out the roles we were made for-on purpose and for a purpose. There's no comparison- God made you distinct. This week, we'll discover why Paul and Peter both wanted to see a diversity of gifts being used to serve in the Church. Ever feel like you're not good enough to help, or like your talents don't really count? This week, we'll see Paul and Peter talk about the Church like a body-every part different, but every part needed-because God gives each of us gifts to use in unique ways. Whether you're great at encouraging, leading, creating, fixing, we can all serve in distinct ways. This week, we'll discover what Paul's teachings and John's visions reveal about diversity within the Body of Christ. Sometimes it feels like you have to hide parts of who we are to fit in. This week, we'll learn the Church isn't meant to look or sound just one way-God designed it to be full of people with different cultures, stories, and strengths, all reflecting God's creativity. Instead of blending in, we can show up fully as ourselves because we can celebrate our distinctions. MEMORY VERSE: "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."- Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

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