Scripture: Acts 6:1-7

Central Truth

Our cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses don’t matter to God. When we view fellow believers as family, we actively work to dispel any division Satan tries to cause, and we model God in how He welcomed us.

Key Question

In what ways should churches operate much differently than the world?

Keep in Mind

Because the church is made up of people from different backgrounds, it will experience conflict. It would be naive of us to think it won’t happen among our students. Not preparing for it or brushing it aside isn’t healthy. It’s important for us to help our students have a mindset of unity, remembering every person matters. We can also lead them to Scripture to show them how to handle disagreements. Maybe one of the greatest ways we can help them prepare for conflict is to pray for the attitude of Christ—to be filled with humility and to have a servant’s heart. 

APPLICATION

When have you been tempted to care about only certain types of people?

THE WIN

FOR THE STUDENT: It’s easy to get caught up in our own circles of people. If we aren’t careful, we begin to form an idea that some people matter more than others. In reality, this can happen in church as well as in our friend groups. People with certain connections, people with more money, or people with certain reputations can take center stage. But we never see Jesus honor this way of thinking. 

FOR THE LEADER: We often see Jesus spend more time with the outcasts, the sinners, the sick, and the tax collectors. As leaders, it can be easy to gravitate to those students who are just easier to talk to or easier to hang out with. But if we truly want to live like Jesus, then we must care about every person and lay aside prejudices of our culture.