Junior-highers often feel unimportant or lost in the crowd. Many struggle with not feeling accepted by their peers and find it difficult to imagine being chosen by God for greatness. Yet the Bible is full of stories about people who weren’t significant at first glance but who made a remarkable difference for God.

With Uncommon: The New Testament, part of a series of junior-high group studies developed by youth ministry expert Kara Powell, youth leaders can inspire the young teens in their group with stories of Christ’s earliest followers. Students will learn about Paul, Zacchaeus, Mary and Martha, the centurion, the paralytic’s four friends and many others whose faith helped to change the world. They’ll also get a “big picture” view of how the gospel spread throughout the world and understand that the very same power that equipped the apostles for miracles and ministry is available to them today. Through Scripture study, fun activities, stories and discussion, students will learn about the Early Church and connect that history with their own lives.