Building Faith’s Top Picks for Youth Ministry Program

How to use this list

For each “top pick” program, we list the name, publisher, publication date, age range, program content, and a brief summary. We have done our best to include useful information such as:

• how the program works
• number of lessons included
• digital media options
• material available in Spanish
• additional support resources
• availability of corresponding study programs for other age groups (children, adults, intergenerational)

We have organized the options alphabetically according to three program types (based on this “5 Types of Sunday School Curriculum” article), noting where some programs match more than one type:

• lectionary based
• based on a story
• thematic

Additionally, we have focused this list primarily on Christian training curriculum that churches can use with youth throughout the year. While some of the options below may work well in various settings and with different age groups, the list does not offer seasonal programs or resources designed specifically for confirmation, families, home environments, or intergenerational training. For intergenerational program resources, you may want to check out our Best Choices for Intergenerational Program. For youth confirmation options, see our Best Choices for Catechesis and Confirmation Program. For seasonal resources, a good starting point is our Articles by subject page.

THE program name provides a link to the program website. THE publisher name links to their “About” page where you can learn more about their theological approach. If you follow the link for each church denominationyou can consult their statement of belief.

As always, when choosing a program for your context, consider theology, biblical interpretation, context, material, and representation of human identities and experiences to determine which program might be best suited for your context.

Top Lectionary-Based Picks (Updated 2025)

1. Connecting Faith and Righteousness: Lectionary Program for Youth

This program follows the Revised Common Lectionary with an emphasis on righteousness each week. Courses explore topics such as poverty, racism, diversity, inclusion, advocacy, protest, civil disobedience, peacemaking, environmental justice, and more. Each lesson provides a “focus time” or practice, scripture reading and discussion, group activities, and a “closing time.” The program offers 52 weekly lessons for all three years of the lectionary cycle, and the complete program, with its scope and sequence, can be viewed, downloaded, and printed for free on the program’s website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: General Council of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church2018 (United Methodist Church)
• Age group(s): young people from middle and high schools
• Content: This program is available free of charge per lectionary year in digital format; it consists of a leader’s guide with all lessons included

2. Feasting on the Word

This program centers around the exploration of biblical stories through the lectionary cycle. The youth program is part of a Church-wide set of training programs so that children, youth and adults can engage with the same lectionary scriptures in an age-appropriate way. In 2024, the program began moving to an undated format, meaning that lessons from each lectionary year can be reused every three years. The full scope and sequence includes 52 lessons for each grade (linked here for Year B/C, Year C/AAnd Year A/B), and the majority of sessions focus on the Gospel readings with selected readings from the Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms interspersed. Lessons include several group games and activities, scripture reading and discussion, and prayer. You can access sample lessons on the program website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: WestminsterJohn Knox2022 – present and future (Presbyterian Church (United States))
• Age group(s): preteens (5th to 6th grades), middle and high school youth (7th to 12th grades)
• Content: The program is available for purchase by age group for each season (fall, winter, spring, summer) or year-round in print or digital format; This involves a leader’s guide with worksheets

Top Story-Based Picks (Updated 2025)

1. Echo the story

This program invites young people to engage with Scripture as a series of stories within a story through wonder, reflection, and creative activities. It uses video recaps to connect stories from the previous week to new lessons, as well as sketchbooks to facilitate students’ drawing, writing and conversations. The program covers the Old and New Testaments and is available in two versions: an edition of 12 lessons (see the scope and sequence here) and an edition of 36 lessons (see the scope and sequence here). You can view sample lessons on the publisher’s website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: Sparkhouse2014 (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
• Age group(s): young people in middle and high school (may be more appropriate for middle school)
• Content: This curriculum is available for purchase by version (12 or 36); This is a leader’s guide, youth sketch journal and DVD, which can be purchased individually or in bundles (digital teaching resources are also available with an annual subscription)

2. Fathom: A Deep Dive into God’s Story

This program is a series of Bible studies that explore stories from the Old and New Testaments. It seeks to empower young people to ask difficult questions and address the complexities involved in interpreting Scripture. Each series consists of 4 lessons on a particular topic, Bible book, or set of Bible books, and the full program covers 18 different series. Lessons include several group games and journaling activities, scripture readings, discussion questions, and prayers. The study is also designed so that young people can participate in facilitating sessions with peers and with adult leaders. You can view sample course excerpts on the program website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: Abingdon2017 – 2018 (United Methodist Church)
• Age group(s): young people from middle and high schools
• Content: This program is available for purchase in batches in print or digital format; This is a leader’s guide and student journal that can be purchased individually in print format or in digital bundles

3. Shine: living in the light of God

This program engages middle school youth in a three-year exploration of the stories of the Old and New Testaments. It prioritizes commitments to love, justice, and peace in its theological approach to training, and its lessons include group activities and games, scripture reading, discussion questions, ways to connect scripture to contemporary life and issues, and prayer. THE scope and sequence for a year includes approximately 39 weekly lessons from September to May. You can view sample lessons on the program website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: co-published by Brothers And MennoMedia2020 – present and future (Church of the Brothers, Mennonite Church in the United StatesAnd Mennonite Church of Canada)
• Age group(s): young people in middle school (6th to 8th grades); children’s versions of the program are also available
• Content: This program is available for purchase quarterly in print or digital format; this involves a teacher’s guide and a youth devotional titled “Quest” per student; supporting materials such as educational posters are also available

Best Theme Picks (Updated 2025)

1. Animate

This program aims to facilitate formative learning, conversation, critical and creative thinking, and practices on central dimensions of Christian faith and life. It’s designed for adults of all ages, but we think it could also be beneficial for high school kids. The program addresses three main themes: Faith, BibleAnd Practices (see links for each staff and sequence). Each topic contains 7 lessons featuring videos with church leaders and scholars as well as journals to spark group discussion. You can view sample documents on the publisher’s website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: Sparkhouse2012 – 2014 (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
• Age group(s): adults; we think this may also be suitable for high school youth (grades 9-12)
• Content: This program is available for purchase by subject in print or digital format; this involves a facilitator guide, participant journal and DVD; courses can also be purchased individually

2. Current

This program provides opportunities for in-depth exploration of the fundamental dimensions of the Christian life. The program is tailored to four age groups – preschoolers, primary school children, youth and adults – as well as intergenerational groups so the entire community can participate in a common training program. It consists of 3 different series: “Seeking justice together” “Seek God together,” And “Seek peace together” (see links for each p ort and sequence). Each series contains 13 lessons, and youth lessons include group activities, scripture reading with reader’s theater scenarios, discussion questions, and prayer. You can view sample lessons on the program website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: co-published by Brothers Press And MennoMedia2021 – 2023 (Church of the Brothers, Mennonite Church in the United StatesAnd Mennonite Church of Canada)
• Age group(s): young people from middle and high schools
• Content: This program is available for purchase as a unit or series in digital format or as part of a “whole church bundle”; this involves a leader’s guide which includes handouts and worksheets; supporting documents are also available

3. Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living

This program is designed to help young people discover key Christian practices for a life of faith. The youth program is part of a church-wide training series so that children, youth and adults can all simultaneously explore the same Christian practices in an age-appropriate way. Practices include “All Welcome,” “Pray,” “Do Justice,” “Worship God,” and many more. The full scope and sequence consists of 27 units that span three years, and each unit involves 4 to 6 lessons on a specific practice, resulting in approximately 38 lessons per year. Lessons include scriptures that illuminate the practices, multiple activity options, and discussion questions about the practices and prayer. You can download a sample lesson from the program website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: Growing Faith Resources2020 – 2024 (Presbyterian Church (United States))
• Age group(s): young people from middle and high schools (11 – 18 years old)
• Content: The program is available for purchase per unit in print or digital format, and it consists of a leader’s guide; Accompanying infographic posters are also available

4. Generation Why

This program engages youth in conversations, scripture study, and activities at the intersections of Christian faith, youth experiences, and social and ecological issues. It consists of 15 different thematic series each containing 5 to 6 lessons. Topics include ethics, friendship, care of creation, understanding diverse faiths, violence in scripture, conflict resolution, and more. Lessons include group activities, discussions, readings, and reflections on the scriptures, as well as suggested practices for youth to do during the week. You can view a sample lesson on the program website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: co-published by Brothers And MennoMedia2014 (Church of the Brothers, Mennonite Church in the United StatesAnd Mennonite Church of Canada)
• Age group(s): young people from middle and high schools
• Content: This program is available for purchase in thematic series in print or digital format; this involves a leader’s guide which includes handouts

5. God, Gospel, and Gender: A Queer Bible Study for Teens

This resource is a book designed to guide young people through scriptures that offer fruitful, empowering, and LGBTQIA+ affirming information about gender and faith. Its purpose is to emphasize the message of Scripture about God’s love for young people as God’s creation. It contains 8 chapters that cover passages from both the Old and New Testaments, and the content of each chapter provides enough material to be used in 8 or 16 Bible study sessions, depending on the time spent in each meeting. Chapters include prayers, icebreakers, scripture passages, background information, discussion questions, topics for further study, activities to engage scripture, and concluding reflections and prayers.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: Church Publication2024 (The Episcopal Church)
• Age group(s): pre-teens as well as middle and high school youth (5th to 12th grade)
• Content: This book is available for purchase in print or electronic format (note: there is no separate leader’s guide; the book is designed for youth and adult leaders)

6. Journey to adulthood

This program offers a multi-year training program for youth in grades 6-12. It consists of three modules tailored to different age groups: Rite 13, a two-year program for ages 11 to 13; J2A, a two-year program for 13 to 15 year olds; and 4Ward, a two-year program for 15-18 year olds. The curriculum for each module is organized into units on various dimensions of Christian faith and life, and the unit lessons are designed to focus on the themes of “self,” “society,” and “spirituality.” Full scope and sequence lists units that include “Made in the Image of God,” “I Will, with God’s Help,” “Caring for Creation,” “Searching the Scriptures” and more. You can request access to sample lessons via a free trial through the publisher’s website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: Church Publication2021, revised edition (The Episcopal Church)
• Age group(s): young people from middle and high schools (6th to 12th grades)
• Content: This course is available in digital format by subscription; it involves a leader guide; additional resources for leaders are also available

7. Lesson plans suitable for youth and young adults

This program provides youth with opportunities to engage in justice through scripture, group learning and discussion, activities, and prayer. It consists of two series of courses of 8 sessions, including one on “Racial justice” and another on “Climate justice.” The program offers age-specific classes for youth and young adults. You can see the full scope and sequence of each series and also access all lessons for free in the topic links.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: Faith Formation Department of the Episcopal Church2021 (The Episcopal Church)
• Age group(s): young people from middle and high schools; matching courses available for young adults
• Content: This program is available free of charge by age group in digital format; this involves lesson plans for leaders; additional resources and recommended readings for racial justice are also available

8. Teen Compass Faith and Well-Being

This program helps young people explore wellness in their own lives. It incorporates sample stories, scriptures, group discussions, journaling, and prayers to allow young people to reflect on what wellness means in relation to the Christian faith and create goals for practicing wellness. The program is designed for a minimum of 26 sessions, and the scope and sequence contains 8 units on different components of wellness with 3 lessons in each unit. You can view sample lessons on the program website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: Living compass2016 (not affiliated with any specific religious denomination)
• Age group(s): young people from middle and high schools; similar resources for adults are also offered
• Content: This program is available free of charge in digital format; this involves a leader’s guide and a workbook for adolescents; notebooks can also be purchased in printed format

9. Teen Zines by StoryMakers NYC

This collection of resources aims to help young people think about faith in relation to their lives. The program uses a zine format (“short for magazine”, as the publisher’s website says) with illustrations, scriptures, conversation or journaling prompts, and theological teachings for young people to engage, and it offers complementary teaching guides for leaders. Four zine volumes are currently available: “faith”, which focuses on the Apostles’ Creed; “Identify», which explores the prayer of the Our Father; “All the sensations“, which calls upon the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist; and “Relationships”, which delves into the Ten Commandments. The zine “The Faith” is also available in Spanish: “Faith.” Each zine volume includes 10 chapters to cover 10 lessons; Details of the chapter topics are included in the links to the zine volumes. Because the zines address key topics and themes in catechism or confirmation classes, this program can also be useful for youth confirmation. Sample pages can be viewed on the publisher’s website.

Additional Information

• Publisher and date: StoryMakers NYC (not affiliated with any specific church denomination; read their statement of belief here)
• Age group(s): young people from middle and high schools (13 – 18 years old)
• Content: The program is available for purchase in printed format; it consists of a zine for each young person and an educational guide intended for leaders; additional resources such as postcards and sticker sheets can be purchased separately

Editor’s Note: This article was last published on July 31, 2023. It was revised, updated, and republished on July 28, 2025.

The image shown is of Chang Duong on Unsplash