Romance, Dating, and What Love Actually Is

Genesis 1:26‑31; 2:18‑25; Genesis 3:1‑13; Romans 1:21‑25; John 4:4‑26; Psalm 34:18; Song of Songs 8:6‑7; Ephesians 5:1‑221‑33; 1 Corinthians 12:12‑27; Hebrews 10:23‑25; 1 Corinthians 13:1‑13; John 15:9‑17

A six‑week journey for teens exploring love, attraction, and dating through the lens of God’s kingdom. This study moves past the shallow rules of purity culture and the self‑centered language of modern romance, grounding relationships instead in righteousness — right relationship with God and with one another. Through Scripture, students will see that their bodies and desires are good gifts meant for covenant love, not isolation or consumption. They’ll learn that following Jesus in this area isn’t just about restraint but about formation: becoming people who love well, pursue wholeness, and walk in community. With guidance from Genesis, Song of Songs, and 1 Corinthians 13, this study invites teens to discover what love actually is and how to live it out together.

What's Included

When you pull this study into your workspace, these items come with it.

Lessons6
Teaching sessions adapted for your audience.
Handouts6
One handout per lesson when this deliverable is included.
Discussion Guides6
One discussion guide per lesson when this deliverable is included.
Slides0
Presentation decks for classroom use.

What You'll Study

Created for Connection

Genesis 1:26‑31; 2:18‑25

Identity and Design

Learning Objectives

Participants will recognize that being made in God’s image means being created for relational connection — with God, with others, and within their own embodied selves. They will understand that desire and intimacy were part of God’s “very good” creation and reflect on how covenant love reveals His character and intention for human relationships.

When Love Breaks

Genesis 3:1‑13; Romans 1:21‑25

Distortion and Longing

Learning Objectives

Participants will identify how sin distorts love into self‑seeking and how shame damages relationship with God and others. They will explore the sources of relational brokenness in their own lives and begin to name their longing for restoration.

Healing What’s Broken

John 4:4‑26; Psalm 34:18

Grace and Restoration

Learning Objectives

Participants will encounter Jesus as the healer of relational wounds. They will experience through Scripture and prayer that His grace meets them in places of guilt, regret, or confusion, and will articulate one way they can invite His restoration into their story.

Love That Keeps Its Promise

Song of Songs 8:6‑7; Ephesians 5:1‑2, 21‑33

Covenant and Faithfulness

Learning Objectives

Participants will understand covenant love as faithfulness that mirrors God’s own nature. They will explore how waiting, commitment, and self‑giving love embody worship and trust, and identify practical ways to pursue romantic relationships as expressions of righteousness.

Walking Together

1 Corinthians 12:12‑27; Hebrews 10:23‑25

Community and Accountability

Learning Objectives

Participants will grasp that following Jesus in relationships requires the support of community. They will value friendship, accountability, and encouragement as means of sustaining wholeness, and will practice naming peers or mentors who can walk with them in this area.

Becoming People of Love

1 Corinthians 13:1‑13; John 15:9‑17

Formation and Mission

Learning Objectives

Participants will see love as the fruit of a transformed life rooted in Christ. They will reflect on how God’s love reshapes their character and relationships, and commit to one tangible way of embodying patience, kindness, and covenant faithfulness in daily life.

Actual Lesson Preview

A real rendered lesson for Teens from this study — a preview, not the full content.

Sample Content

Activity / Prompt: Say: “Let’s start with a real question, not a warm-up. Have you ever noticed how much of life revolves around connection — friendships, family, crushes, social media likes — and yet how easy it is to feel alone?” Ask: “What do people your age think makes a relationship ‘real’ or ‘worth it’?” “When do you personally feel most connected to someone — what creates that sense of belonging?” You could also show a short clip or tell a story about someone scrolling through their feed, surrounded by people online but feeling isolated in real life. Then ask, “Why do you think we crave connection so deeply? Where does that come from?” Transition: “Tonight we’re going back to the very beginning — before heartbreak, before confusion — to see what God intended when He said humanity was made ‘in His image.’ What if our longing for connection is actually a clue to who God is?”

This study adapts to your church

When you bring this study into your workspace, it adapts to your theological convictions, your teaching context, and your audience. No other curriculum does this.

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