Yale University

Youth Ministry Institute

The Gospel of Mark Bible Study for Youth – Lesson 5: Mark 11-14

A youth Bible study on the Gospel of Mark inspired by the Yale Bible Study series.

Practice Duration 30-60 minutes
Lesson developed byJill Olds and Victoria Crooks
Setting the Atmosphere
  • If in person, set the room with chairs or around a table for a small group conversation
  • Consider centering the space with a lit candle (unscented for those with sensitivities), or with a simple symbol, such as a cross
  • Consider having a ball or stuffed animal to throw around the circle, for the person speaking to hold when it is their turn
  • If virtually, schedule in your preferred video platform
Materials Checklist
  • Bibles or copies of the scripture
  • Candle
  • List of names of black/brown lives lost due to brutality and white supremacy in recent years

 

Gather

  • Begin with a check in with members
  • Open with prayer
  • Read the scripture together

Engage

Select the option that best suits your group’s needs:

Exercise Option 1:

  • Use this time to set up a space of trust with your youth.
  • You may host a moment of silence for those who have lost their lives to violence.
  • Light a candle, say a prayer, or whatever is comfortable as a ritual for you and your youth.
  • Allow youth to raise questions and concerns, or not, as they are comfortable

Exercise Option 2:

We intentionally do not have a media clip in this lesson because we do not wish to add trauma to our youth’s psyches by showing someone being intentionally hurt.  Instead, we recommend a reading of the names of the Black/brown victims who have been killed as a result of brutality and white supremacy in this country in recent years.

Reflect

Reflect together on the following questions:

  1. What does it mean that Jesus scared in this story?
  2. What does it mean that Jesus was tortured and killed unjustly? Who does that remind you of in our culture today (ie, racially-driven murders)?
  3. What do you make of the disciples’ reactions to this? How might we have reacted?

 

Send Forth

  • Close the lesson in prayer (either the leader or a group member)
  • Or, consider utilizing a check-out exercise
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