The first in a series of small group studies for teens and young adults that traces God’s story of redemption through the whole Bible, Exodus for Teenagers is a twelve-lesson resource written by Kristen Hatton to teach students how to study God’s Word and connect it to their lives.
As students come together to read and discuss they will discover that, just like the ancient Israelites, we all need a Redeemer. As the Israelites grumble, complain, disobey, worship false gods, and try to be their own Savior, teens and young adults will see that they too do those same things. But they will also see how God gives grace to the guilty and over and over again comes to the rescue, pointing to the deliverance of God’s people that is later fulfilled in Christ and the gospel.
With each easy-to-use, self-contained lesson that requires no outside work and can be completed in just one hour, teens and young adults will find and meet Jesus in unexpected places and see the pattern of redemption present even in the Old Testament. As they learn that the entire Bible is one unfolding story about Jesus, and that the same God who spoke to Moses also sent his Son.
Author
Kristen Hatton is a native Texan now putting roots down in Edmond, OK with her church-planter/pastor husband and their three teenagers. With a public relations background from Southern Methodist University, Kristen has a wide array of professional experiences, none of which she counts as important as the job of being a “present” mom. Through leading a small group Bible study of teenagers, she has discovered her passion for teaching and writing about God’s grace. She is the author of Face Time: Your Identity in a Selfie World and Get Your Story Straight: A Teen's Guide to Learning and Living the Gospel.
"With our students teetering dangerously on the edge of biblical illiteracy—and many already deep into that chasm—Kristen Hatton has provided us with a resource that takes Scripture seriously, leading students into a deep understanding/application of the biblical text, which honors both the unchanging nature of scriptural truth and its relevance in a changing youth culture landscape."
Walt Mueller, President, Center for Parent/Youth Understanding
"As a father and pastor, I am always grateful for resources that effectively communicate God's truth to students. This is especially true when said resources demonstrate how all Scripture—in both New Testament and Old—is central to God's unfolding plan of redemption through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Kristen's The Gospel-Centered Life in Exodus for Students is such a resource. Whether you are a pastor, a youth worker, a parent, or a teen, I encourage you to discover Jesus through the pages of Exodus. For the God who brought Israel out of physical slavery then, is also the God who brings us out of spiritual slavery today."
Scott Sauls, pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church; author of Jesus Outside the Lines, Befriend, and From Weakness to Strength
"Any youth worker or parent should pick up this helpful resource Kristen has produced. The Gospel-Centered Life in Exodus can be used in one-to-one ministry, small groups, or large group settings. It's very user-friendly and, most importantly, points students to Jesus Christ. At Reformed Youth Ministries, our passion is passing the faith on to the next generation, and this resource will greatly assist us to that end!"
John Perritt, Director of Resources at Reformed Youth Ministries; author of Your Days are Numbered, What Would Judas Do?,and Time Out! The Gift or the God of Youth Sports
"Christian teenagers can sometimes wander and whine just like the Israelites of old. But the great I AM of Exodus is still their God who picks them up where they are and guides them through the wilderness of life to their heavenly home. Kristen Hatton's resource on Exodus will serve parents, pastors, and youth workers well, as they seek to bring God's Word to bear on the lives of teenagers in their families and churches."
Jonny Gibson, Assistant Professor of Old Testament, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA
"All the important questions for life face us in our teen years. What better way to engage with God, truth, sorrow, and reality than in the story of Exodus? Hatton has written a reflective guide through the foundational story of deliverance. She asks students to grapple with the text by providing twenty-first-century illustrations and discussion-provoking exercises. My favorite: what would be in your jar of remembrance? Perhaps this book!"
J. A. Myhre, Associate Area Director for Serge in East and Central Africa; pediatrician; author of The Rwendigo Tales series
"Kristen has taken an ancient text and made it accessible for today. It is clearly written, theologically rich, and gives us the gospel of grace that every teenager needs. The study uses a variety of methods to communicate how the book of Exodus points to the great redemptive story of love found in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the answer to the longings we all have. This is a great resource for anyone who works with high school or college students!
Mike Ford, RUF Campus Minister, University of Arkansas
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This is a wonderful idea, yet almost always it unfortunately fails due to three major issues. One, teenagers are not a constant, they come from a variety of backgrounds and two teenagers have a plethora of different presuppositions which are not universal. Lastly many devotionals have a specific doctrinal basis, which is not technically a problem but a person giving the devotional should know what the doctoral position is. These three failings manifest themselves either by providing a product which is devoid of any helpful exegesis or bland application which a teenager would not desire to implement. Thankfully this is not the case with all devotionals aimed at teenagers. There is one such book which stands out above the rest. This devotional takes students through the book of Exodus examining how God lead Israel out of Egypt, out of darkness and night into God’s freedom gladness and light. It is written to teeneagers with some knowdge of scripture but is truly beneficial to those who desire to know the book of Exodus well. There are twelve lessons, divided up into two sections, text, article, and exercise. This helps the students know the Word, understand the Word, and apply the Word. One of the negatives to only having twelve lessons on a book containing forty chapters, is having students read very large passages of scripture at one time. Yet the commentary that Hatton provides is a gold mine to the students and truly helps them apply what they have learned. Lastly this devotional is written from a Reformed perspective, which is not a problem for myself and my ministry, but maybe a issue for others. Even with some flaws this work is well designed for teenagers looking to see God’s sovereignty in the book of Exodus.
I was very excited to receive and read through this book. My Teenage boys recently did a study on Exodus with their Youth Group/Sunday School group at church. I was very glad to have be able to continue it at home with them. My boys and I really enjoyed the format and layout of the book. We have been adding the Lessons into our Homeschool Day. Each day takes about 15-20 minutes to complete the lesson for the day. The Lessons are very well written and very comprehensible. I really appreciate the fact that the book is very easy to understand as many times Teens "tune out" Bible Study info because it is not easy for them to understand. My boys and I continue to go through the study and we look forward to completing it! GREAT Study and something for the whole family to go through together or for Youth Groups to use!
As a youth pastor, one question continues to swirl around in my mind: How do we reach youth? Churches can answer this in a few different ways, but are all methods equal and effective? From my observation, I believe not. The missing link to engaging with youth is not entertainment, although sports and technology can be leveraged toward forming a relationship. The method for reaching youth is to open up the Scriptures with them as we open our lives to them, helping them see Jesus. This gives rise to the need for Bible study resources for teens that guide them through Scripture in a group setting. This need is met in The Gospel-Centered Life in Exodus for Students by Kristen Hatton. In 12 lessons, Kristen Hatton takes notes expanded from her husband’s previously preached sermon series in Exodus to chronologically lead the student through the book of Exodus. The big idea introduced at the beginning of each study informers the student of Scripture how the particular passage of Scripture points forward to the person and work of Jesus Christ. Each study also contains an opening icebreaker and question followed by Bible conversation, an article, a discussion and exercise, and finally a wrap-up and closing prayer. Because this Bible study is meant to serve both youth leader and youth alike, a few pages in the back of the book are devoted to leader’s notes. The Gospel-Centered Life in Exodus for Students lives up to its title. In each lesson, the author faithfully and clearly shows how this Old Testament book points forward to the gospel while also applying the passages into the life of students. This Bible study will inform students how the gospel is displayed in Exodus and will transform them in how to live out the gospel-centered life from the book of Exodus. Yet, this resource is not limited to students. Because of the leader’s guide, The Gospel-Centered Life in Exodus for Students is also for any youth leader or student small group leader. Most leader’s guides in studies like this give extended notes for leaders. This guide, however, offers only a brief paragraph of each section (Bible conversation, article, exercise) for each lesson. If the leader’s notes are placed in the same book as is the case here, this is the way to do it. How do we reach youth? We reach youth by sharing with them the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture. This Bible study resource is the premier guide in doing just that. If you are a student who wants to study Scripture and see how all of it points to Jesus, then get your Bible and pen ready for an informative and transformative time! If you are a youth leader, parent, or any other adult who desires to reach youth with the gospel and grow them in Scripture, then pick up a copy of The Gospel-Centered Life in Exodus for Students for yourself and a student. That time spent together in the Word with this study will prove fruitful!
As a youth pastor, one question continues to swirl around in my mind: How do we reach youth? Churches can answer this in a few different ways, but are all methods equal and effective? From my observation, I believe not. The missing link to engaging with youth is not entertainment, although sports and technology can be leveraged toward forming a relationship. The method for reaching youth is to open up the Scriptures with them as we open our lives to them, helping them see Jesus. This gives rise to the need for Bible study resources for teens that guide them through Scripture in a group setting. This need is met in The Gospel-Centered Life in Exodus for Students by Kristen Hatton. In 12 lessons, Kristen Hatton chronologically leads the student through the book of Exodus. The big idea introduced at the beginning of each study informers the student of Scripture how the particular passage of Scripture points forward to the person and work of Jesus Christ. Each study also contains an opening icebreaker and question followed by Bible conversation, an article, a discussion and exercise, and finally a wrap-up and closing prayer. Because this Bible study is meant to serve both youth leader and youth alike, a few pages in the back of the book are devoted to leader’s notes. The Gospel-Centered Life in Exodus for Students lives up to its title. In each lesson, the author faithfully and clearly shows how this Old Testament book points forward to the gospel while also applying the passages into the life of students. This Bible study will inform students how the gospel is displayed in Exodus and will transform them in how to live out the gospel-centered life from the book of Exodus. Yet, this resource is not limited to students. Because of the leader’s guide, The Gospel-Centered Life in Exodus for Students is also for any youth leader or student small group leader. Most leader’s guides in studies like this give extended notes for leaders. This guide, however, offers only a brief paragraph of each section (Bible conversation, article, exercise) for each lesson. If the leader’s notes are placed in the same book as is the case here, this is the way to do it. To return, then, to the question: How do we reach youth? We reach youth by sharing with them the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture. This Bible study resource is the premier guide in doing just that. If you are a student who wants to study Scripture and see how all of it points to Jesus, then get your Bible and pen ready for an informative and transformative time! If you are a youth leader, parent, or any other adult who desires to reach youth with the gospel and grow them in Scripture, then pick up a copy of The Gospel-Centered Life in Exodus for Students for yourself and a student. That time spent together in the Word with this study will prove fruitful! I received this book from New Growth Press in exchange for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and are my honest review of the book.
As one who has been in youth ministry professionally for more than 30 years, it is refreshing to find a Bible study that takes a major Old Testament book and provides clear insights into the relevance of Jesus as well as gospel truth clearly in the text. This is a very usable study that students need to explore. I cannot commend this highly enough!
It's so incredibly hard to find Bible studies for teenagers that have theological depth AND are easy to read, study, and to jump into. Thankfully, Kristen Hatton's study on Exodus for Students is just that. Winding together stories that could have been pulled from my own students' lives with the Biblical account of Exodus, this study allows students of any spiritual depth to be led to the foot of the Cross and find love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace waiting for them. With the study's breakdown and Leader Notes in the back of the book, this can be easily handed to a volunteer or even peer led group for students to study through. I'm looking forward to using this in my ministry and encourage others to do the same!
When it comes to student Bible study resources, it can be a challenge to find resources that both effectively engage the Bible and connect truth to the lives of students. After her own frustration with limited resources which accomplished these ends, Kristen Hatton set out to create solid and relevant resources for students to engage with God's Word. Her latest release The Gospel-Centered Life: Exodus for Students is a great resource for helping students to dive into this foundational Old Testament book. Exodus for Students is an effective resource because it begins by clearly connecting the content of the lesson to the real life experiences of the students. It then goes on to dive into the text. Students are not simply given summaries of the Bible story, but they are challenged to dive into the text for themselves. Hatton provides a very helpful commentary in her book that brings out the below the surface truths of the passage such as how the understandings of the Hebrew words help to make the text come to life. She the concludes the lesson with an exercise that helps connect the truth from an applicational place back into the students' lives. Hatton has created a biblical, helpful, and practical tool to help small group leaders, parents, and youth pastors to teach the book of Exodus to students. I would highly recommend this resource as a tool that will benefit all who use it and help students to grow in their faith through God's Word.