Women in the Bible – Lesson 1: Sarah and Hagar

A youth Bible study on Women in the Bible based on the Yale Bible Study.

Practice Duration 60 minutes
Lesson developed byJill Olds and Victoria Crook
Setting the Atmosphere
  • If in person, set the room with chairs or around a table for a small group conversation
  • If virtually, schedule in your preferred video platform
Materials Checklist
  • Pens/Pencils
  • Paper
  • Bibles or copies of the focal scripture
  • Load the clip “Shooting the Arrow” from the movie, “The Hunger Games” on a devise to share with the group.

Gather

  • Begin with a check in with members
  • Open with prayer

Engage

Exercise 1: Noting Our Strengths

  • Pair youth into small groups (2-4) and give them pens/pencils and paper.
  • Each youth should write their name on top of the paper and then pass it to the right, so that each youth ends up with a paper that is not their own.
  • Set a time limit but have each youth write down strengths of the person whose name is on the paper, and then pass to the right once time is up.
  • Repeat this until the paper gets back to the person whose name is on the paper.
  • Have them flip the paper over so they can write what they believe are their own strengths on the back without seeing what the other students said.
  • Once they have done this, have them turn the page over and see the list of strengths others think they have and how they compare to strengths they listed themselves.
  • Ask the youth what they thought of this activity, and if they want to share.
  • Debrief why they chose the strengths for themselves or for others and why it’s important to recognize those strengths.

Exercise 2: Hunger Games

Watch together this clip “Shooting the Apple” from the movie, “The Hunger Games”.

Reflect

Read the focal scripture and reflect together on the following questions:

  1. Where do you see the typical male hierarchy here?
  2. Even though women were primarily known for their fertility or infertility, where do you see strong women in the story? What agency do they have as mothers?
  3. How does God reveal love in the story (even in the midst of horrible decisions made by certain people)? To whom does God speak in the story?

Send Forth

Close the lesson in prayer (either the leader or a group member).