Description
Did you know loneliness is America’s most significant health problem, according to Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy in 2022? Explore biblical wisdom and practical steps to cultivate meaningful friendships with this “Friendship” Bible study by Katy Shevel.
Testimonials
“Young people yearn for real conversations, strong bible study and relevant faith practices. Fresh Outlook Bible Studies does just that, essential for our faith formation in the church.”
— Michelle Thomas-Bush, associate pastor for youth and their families at Myers Park Presbyterian Church
“Every once in a while, something comes along that I can use immediately and completely. Fresh Outlook …falls into this category; they are superbly written, highly engaging, easy to use, and deep.
Yes, these units would make spring planning a breeze for your youth and young adult faith formation time. They are excellent. But don’t silo them just to your traditional Sunday School hour! These would be a wonderful choice to use in midweek enrichment classes … Imagine the power of a weekend-long family retreat using one of these units. … I’d also love to see church councils spend time with these lessons. Working together through some of the issues that matter most to our youth and young adults, learning new resources for these types of conversations, and acquiring knowledge to help make ministry decisions would all be invaluable. Get these. You won’t regret it.”
— Elizabeth Christie, Practical Resources for Churches resource center
“When you are in ministry with college students, you can spend hours looking for a good curriculum you can use for Bible study. Is the topic interesting? How much time will you have to spend editing it to work in your own context — and do you have that time? Do you have the materials you will need? Can you hand it to a student leader?
Look no further because the Fresh Outlook Bible Studies curriculum is here! Published by the Presbyterian Outlook, they are resources that can be trusted to combine an awareness of the spiritual lives of young adults with theological and biblical integrity. I highly recommend these easy-to-use resources.”
— Gini Norris-Lane, executive director of UKirk Campus Ministries in the Presbyterian Mission Agency
Format
The “Friendship” Bible study includes four sessions:
Session 1: Loneliness — Finding intimacy in a disconnected world.
Session 2: Love — Exploring loyalty and God’s chesed.
Session 3: Forgiveness — Learning from Jesus’ example.
Session 4: Community — Creating a beloved, Christ-centered space.
Each Fresh Outlook Bible Study includes four sessions. Each session offers the facilitators:
- Tips for preparation
- A supply list
- Suggestions for opening and closing prayers
- An introduction to the topic at hand and how Christians have understood it
- Opportunities to “try on” aspects of the topic
- Key takeaways
- Suggestions for inviting participants as co-leaders
You can save money by purchasing more than one Fresh Outlook lesson. Scroll down to “Bundle and save” to learn more.
What do I get when I purchase?
When you purchase this “Friendship” Bible study, you will receive an email today including the material as a digital download.
Bundle and save
The Fresh Outlook series also includes the young adult bible study lessons: “God in the Mirror,” “Sex and the Bible,” “The Devil You Say,” “Breathe” “What’s Your Superpower?,” “Badass Women of the Bible” and “Revelation: Professing Christ Today.”
If you purchase three lessons, you get a discount of $15 off your total order. Use the discount code “Fresh3” at checkout.
If you purchase six lessons, you get a discount of $30 off your total order. Use the discount code “Fresh6” at checkout.
See all Fresh Outlook lessons.
I want to learn more before I commit…
Learn about the thought process behind Fresh Outlook by watching our Facebook Live conversation with the spring 2024 Fresh Outlook authors: Maggie Alsup, Catherine Knott and Sarah Leer. This conversation demonstrates our goals for the curriculum, the topics we hope to address, and how some of the ideas can be applied. It is a great conversation to listen to if you want to know more about Fresh Outlook. It is also a helpful resource to share with any parents or other stakeholders.
Sample
Want a sample? You can view one here.
More Fresh Outlook
Did you know that Fresh Outlook Bible Studies is a limited series from the Outlook? Other lessons include: “God in the Mirror,” “Sex and the Bible,” “The Devil You Say,” “Breathe” “What’s Your Superpower?” “Badass Women of the Bible” and “Revelation: Professing Christ Today.”
See “Bundle and save” to learn about how you can save money by purchasing more than one lesson at a time.
See all Fresh Outlook lessons.
About the author
Katy Shevel is the associate pastor for congregational life at Wayne Presbyterian Church, a vibrant congregation in Wayne, Pennsylvania. She also teaches as an adjunct for the Theology Department at Eastern University. In her spare time, Katy enjoys being a dog mom, writing, and stumbling upon a delightful conversation.
