09/05/2026
Trinity’s G.R.E.A.T. Education and Empowerment Becoming Ministry assembled for Christian Becoming! A special thank you to our Adult Advisors for role-playing with our Teens—it had a tremendous impact during the session. We also appreciate everyone who joined us for this powerful time of fellowship, food, and faith development. Pastor is also grateful to all the teens and adult advisors who participated in his birthday celebration. During the session, Pastor Crenshaw did part two on the topic “Friendship Filters: How to Pick the Right Friends.”
5Bs: Believing, Belonging, Becoming, Behaving, and Blessing
4Ts: Be on Time, Be Ready to Be Taught, Be Ready to Be Transformed, and Be Ready to Tell Others
3Cs: Commitment (Rom. 12:1), Consistency (1 Cor. 15:58), and Contribution (1 Pet. 4:10)
Black History Moment
Haile Thomas began her path in health activism in 2012, at age 12, by founding The HAPPY Org (Healthy Active Positive Purposeful Youth), a nonprofit dedicated to providing free and affordable plant-based culinary and nutrition education to underserved communities. Inspired by her family’s adoption of a whole-food diet to reverse her father’s type 2 diabetes, Thomas set out to make holistic health accessible to youth through hands-on classes and workshops. Her work earned national recognition from figures such as Michelle Obama and led to appearances at the White House and the United Nations, establishing her as one of the nation's youngest certified integrative nutrition health coaches. Today, she co-founded Matcha Thomas in Beacon, New York, speaks globally on youth empowerment and wellness, and continues her advocacy through her book, Living Lively.
Presentation Central Idea
Our Friends Should Never Help Us Go Away From God—Our Friends Should Always Help Us Go Toward God
Presentation Goals
• Help students recognize the lasting relational and emotional weight of their daily speech.
• Teach practical restraint by addressing how quickly careless words and digital messages escalate harm.
• Equip teenagers to intentionally use their communication to build up others rather than tear them down.
Icebreaker Discussions
• Pick the one that best describes you regarding how often you think about the words you use daily (Never, Sometimes, Usually, or Always).
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you think people’s words actually affect you—even when you pretend they don’t?
Case Study
Scenario: Mario rarely speaks up in youth group or at school. At home, whenever he makes a mistake or brings home an average test score, his father belittles him, repeatedly saying, "You're lazy, and you'll never amount to anything". Over time, Mario starts believing these words are facts, withdrawing from his friends and giving up on trying in school because he feels failure is already guaranteed. He told one of his friends that he didn’t see the point in living in a world where people are allowed to belittle people for minor mistakes and average test scores.
Discussion Questions & Responses
1. Why do repeated, harsh words from an authority figure have such a deep hold on how a person sees their own identity? Authority figures carry significant relational weight, making their verbal evaluations feel like objective truths rather than hurtful opinions. Over time, negative speech shapes a person's inner dialogue and damages self-worth.
2. How does Proverbs 12:18 describe the real-world impact of the father's words? The father's speech acts like repeated sword thrusts, inflicting internal wounds that rob Mario of confidence and purpose. Without wise, life-giving words to bring healing, verbal strikes leave deep emotional scars.
3. How can youth group members use Ephesians 4:29 to counteract destructive words? While you cannot control what happens in someone's home, you can intentionally speak words that build up according to the need of the moment. Consistent, specific affirmation and patience provide grace to help others see their true value.
Biblical Foundation
• The Power of the Tongue: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Prov. 18:21, NASB). Words hold the power to bring relational life and healing, or relational death through destruction.
• Small Sparks Cause Big Fires: “So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire…” (James 3:5–6, NASB). A single careless remark or passive-aggressive text can ignite massive unintended damage.
• Edifying Speech: “Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29, NASB). Speech must minister grace and build others up.
Insights from Youth Mentors
• Humor is never an excuse for cruelty: Sarcasm and "roasting" often disguise insecurity, and hiding behind "I'm just joking" leaves scars.
• Screens remove empathy filters: Typing behind a screen makes it easy to forget there is an image-bearer of God on the receiving end.
• Silence in the face of slander is agreement: Choosing not to speak up when someone is being torn down quietly validates the harm.
Action Step: Run Your Words Through T.A.L.K.
T — True: Is what I am about to say completely accurate, or is it an exaggeration or unverified rumor?
A — Appropriate: Is this the right time, setting, and tone to deliver this message?
L — Life-giving: Will these words build someone up, or will they drain and diminish them?
K — Kind: Does this reflect Christ’s grace and respect toward the person hearing or reading it?
Billboard Takeaway
Pick Godly Friends!
Keep up the great work, G.R.E.A.T. Education and Empowerment Ministry!
G.R.E.A.T. Education and Empowerment Becoming Ministry Leadership Team
Temporary Leader: Pastor Trevor M. Crenshaw
Assistant Leader: John Williams
Secretary/Young Adult Advisor: Kelsey Lewis
Adult Advisors: Tia Crenshaw, Kelvin Barnett, and Tori Barnett
