How to Lead Your First Teen Bible Study: 5 Simple Steps for a Great First Meeting
- Jul 13
- 3 min read
How to Lead Your First Teen Bible Study
Starting a teen Bible study is exciting, but it's normal to feel nervous.
Questions like…
What if no one talks?
What if the girls don't know each other?
What if I forget something?
What if only a few girls come?
...run through almost every new mentor's mind.
Here's the good news.
Your goal isn't to impress the girls. Your goal is to create a place where they feel welcomed, accepted, and excited to come back.
After leading teen girls for more than 16 years through Chicks Ministry, I've learned that simple often works best.
Here are five things I recommend for your first meeting.
1. Keep Snacks Simple
Food helps everyone relax. It doesn't need to be fancy.
Ideas include:
Popcorn
Fruit
Chips and salsa
Cookies
Lemonade
Sparkling water
For the first meeting, I recommend providing the snacks yourself. Later, you can decide whether to continue providing them or ask volunteers to help.
2. Start with an Icebreaker
If the girls don't know one another, don't worry. Most groups begin this way.
Choose one simple activity that helps girls discover things they have in common.
Games like This or That, Would You Rather, or Find Someone Who... help everyone relax without putting anyone on the spot.
A few minutes of laughter can completely change the atmosphere.
3. Introduce the Bible Study
Give each girl her Bible study and spend a few minutes looking through it together.
Then ask questions like:
Is this your first Bible study?
Have you done another study before?
What are you hoping to learn?
How do you think spending time with God each day could help your life?
If your group is quiet, let everyone write their answers first.
Then have them share with a partner before opening the discussion to the whole group.
4. Make Sure Everyone Has a Bible
Although phones make it easy to look up verses, I encourage every girl to have a physical Bible.
Learning how to find passages is an important skill that builds confidence in reading God's Word.
If someone doesn't own a Bible, ask a local church or women's Bible study if they'd be willing to donate one.
Many are happy to support teen girls in this way.
5. Teach Girls How to Use Their Bible
Never assume everyone knows where to find Bible passages.
Take a few minutes to explain:
The table of contents
Books of the Bible
Chapters
Verses
Old Testament- tells the story of God’s relationship with His people the nation of Israel, before Jesus came. It points forward to the promised Savior.
New Testament-begins with the life of Jesus, then tells the story of the early church and teaches us how to live as followers of Christ today.
Keep it simple. This small investment helps girls feel much more comfortable throughout the study.
Don't Worry if Only a Few Girls Come
One thing I've learned over the years is not to measure success by the size of the group.
Some of the most meaningful Bible studies I've ever led started with just two or three girls.
Smaller groups often feel safer, which allows girls to open up and have deeper conversations.
Encourage each girl to invite a friend, and trust God to grow the group in His timing.
Remember Your Goal
The first meeting isn't about finishing the lesson. It's about helping girls feel safe enough to come back next week.
If they leave feeling welcomed, valued, and excited to return, you've accomplished something incredibly important. God will take care of the rest.
Ready to Start a Teen Bible Study?
If you're looking for a simple, discussion-based study for teen girls, Just a Girl Who Loves Jesus was created to help girls grow in their relationship with Christ through relatable lessons, thoughtful discussion questions, and practical application.
Whether you're mentoring two girls or twenty, you don't have to figure it out alone.
The Chicks Mentor Circle provides encouragement, practical mentoring tips, and free resources to help women confidently disciple the next generation.
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