For teenagers, the pressure to make the “right” decision can feel suffocating. Whether it’s about friendships, academics, family dynamics, or future goals, students are being asked to navigate a complex world with an incomplete map. Often, the choices they’re given feel like a lose-lose scenario — rigged from the start.
The Split series speaks into those very moments, helping students wrestle with decisions both big and small through the lens of the gospel. When the outcomes all look cloudy or difficult, what if the goal isn’t a perfect choice but spiritual transformation through the process?
The Split series reframes decision-making through the lens of God’s work through Christ toward us. If students can learn to approach decisions the way God seems to in the gospel narrative, they’ll live with far more joy and far fewer regrets.
The Point: God values redemption over results
Scripture: Romans 8:26-29
As we get older, it’s natural to place more weight on “making the right choices” in life. But in everything, God seems to place a higher value on our redemption than the results of what happens. That gospel lens should affect the way we approach decision-making.
The Point: Expose in your heart what God’s known from the start
Scripture: Genesis 16:1-6
Sometimes the decisions you face are less about what you choose and more about exposing what matters most to you, so pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is poking at as you go about making decisions.
The Point: The foundation of you isn’t found in what you have or do
Scripture: Genesis 22:1-14
Oftentimes, the thing that makes decisions so difficult is we’ve equated what we have with who we are. But our identity isn’t rooted in what God has given us or what we’ve done.
The Point: Grapple with the gospel
Scripture: John 8:1-11
Jesus’ encounter with the woman caught in adultery demonstrates how gospel-centered decision-making isn’t always about choosing the “less bad” option, but about filtering every choice through grace and truth.
Video Messages
Teaching Guides (Message Manuscripts)
Small Group Questions
Series Graphics
Is this just another series about making better choices?
No. This series is less about behavior and more about gospel-centered formation. It challenges students not in the “what” of their decision-making, but the “how”.
How does this connect to real-life teen experiences?
Each message deals with moments teens face daily — pressure from peers, unclear futures, or internal doubt — and shows them how the gospel directly speaks into those spaces.
What if my students already know the “right” choices to make?
Split isn’t just about knowing the right answer. It’s about becoming the kind of person who makes wise, faithful decisions over time and, just as importantly, can contently live with the results of those decisions.
Can this work as a retreat series?
Yes, though written for weekly use, the content can be adapted into a retreat or camp format with intentional planning.
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