Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.

Don't waste your teenage years. God wants you to get in the game and have a full-circle pursuit of God.

Have you ever played a video game that has that flashing “Player 2 Press Start”? It’s always there inviting you to join in on the action. Sure you can just sit and watch someone else play, but it’s way more fun playing it yourself. Well, it’s kind of the same way with life. God wants us to get in on the action. This means we take our pursuit of God seriously and help others do the same thing. And you don’t have to wait until you are an adult to get in the game. You can do it right now.

All you have to do is live out these three truths:

Trust Jesus
Your pursuit of God really takes off when you learn to trust in Jesus as your savior. Why do you need to do this?

The Bible says we have this problem called sin. We all have it. We all do things that hurt ourselves and others. Think about it like this: Sin is when we choose to do things our way, rather than God’s way. Choosing our way is what separates us from God and ultimately leads to death.

This is where Jesus comes in. He is God, sent to earth to live a perfect life and then die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

Galatians 1:4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.

What are we supposed to do with this truth? Our response is faith. When we trust in who Jesus is and what he has done for us, then our relationship with God begins. Trusting in Jesus is one giant start button that gets us in the game.

Live to honor God
The moment we put our faith in Jesus, God, through the Holy Spirit, comes and lives inside you, giving you a new desire to go his way, rather than our own way.

Ezekiel 36:26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

God also gives us the Bible. It’s his very word, given to us to guide our lives. The Bible is like the little booklet that comes with a video game and tells you how to play.

But that’s not all. He also gives us other followers of Christ to help guide, encourage, and correct us. God didn’t make life a single-player game. We were made to be in relationship with one another.

Help others pursue God
Helping others pursue God is one of the most important things you can do. If you want to win in the game of life in a big way, then you should help others pursue God.

Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.

So God wants us to help others pursue Him but what does this actually look like?

  • INVITE. First, invite your friends to church or youth group. It doesn’t have to be a scary thing. You never know how God is working in your friends lives. Maybe they’re just waiting for an invite from you.
  • SMALL GROUP. Next, participate in your small group. Pay attention and weigh in on the conversation. God can you use what you have to say and your experiences to help others in their own pursuit of God.
  • MENTORING. Lastly, you can mentor others. If you really want to make disciples, then mentor others. It’s one of the most practical ways to help some pursue God and I guarantee it will change your life. If you want to learn more about mentoring, ask your youth leaders about it and check out the series “Mentor Training” on PursueGOD.org.

Now is your time. Wherever you’re at in your relationship with God, he is ready to help you take that next step. It’s time to get in the game.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
  2. What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
  3. What is your favorite video game? Why?
  4. What are the three steps to a full-circle pursuit of God. (Share these from memory, don’t read them off your paper.)
  5. Why is living to honor God important as a teenager?
  6. What do you think is the hardest part of honoring God as a teenager? Explain your answer.
  7. List some ways that you can help someone else pursue God right now. Have you tried any of these? Share what happened.
  8. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
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