SAY/Edge Session Plans
Revised: Apr. 2013
Fake Out – A Night on Popularity
Tonight, the youth will come to a deeper understanding that
popularity should not be our goal, but rather life in Christ, which
leads to true happiness. This night will call the group to challenge
their assumptions about popularity and seek acceptance and
belonging in Christ instead.
Preparation for tonight:
 Be sure to read the Overview and Talking Points Below. In
addition, read through the following scriptures: 1 Samuel 16:7;
Matthew 6:31-34; John 15: 9-17; and 1 Peter 3:3-4
 Also read the Catechism #1717 & 1723
 Pray for the HS teen who will be giving tonight’s Talk/Witnesses.
Materials SAY provides
 Poster board and markers for small group activity.
Materials YOU provide:
 Your fun and enthusiastic self!
Administrative:
 Please remember to take attendance once you get into your group
breakouts!
GATHER
1. Introduction & Announcements
2. Opening Prayer
PROCLAIM
3. Scripture Proclamation: Matthew 6:31-34
4. Catechesis Talk/Witness: This talk will be given by one of
our teens from our HS Ministry.
BREAK
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5. Discussion Questions.
Choose from the discussion questions below to discuss.
6. Small group process/Activity
(You’ll need to split your group up into at least 3 different
teams for this activity). Each small group will receive a sheet
of poster board and some markers. On the group’s newsprint
they are to create two circles, a smaller one inside of a larger
one. Inside the smaller circle write the words, “Being
Popular.” In the large circle, the middle school youth should
first brainstorm and then write the reasons why they believe
so many middle school youth want to be popular. Pick one
person in the group to be the recording secretary and
another individual to be the group’s spokesperson, and then
share within the small group.
SEND
6. Summary Challenge/Closing Prayer
Before the middle school youth are sent home they will be
challenged to remember:
1. Recognize the trap that popularity can be and seek love and
acceptance from God rather than from others.
2. Remember that in Scripture we are called to focus our lives
not on being popular, but rather by being Christ-like and
imitating Jesus in all that we say and do.
3. Pray for ourselves and our friends, that we would seek Jesus
first.
4. Follow through on the commitments that they made in the
small group discussion.
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Discussion Questions:
1. What do you believe are the reasons so many middle
school youth want to be popular?
2. Why does popularity tend to be so shallow and shortlived?
3. What has been your experience with youth trying to be
popular at school?
4. Name some of the effects of seeking popularity above
all else.
5. Who are some people you know that do not seek to be
popular? What makes them different? Do others mock
them for those differences?
6. Do you agree or disagree with this statement:
Popularity is less important than true friendship.
7. How are you practically going to live out this SAY
session in your life? What concrete and real steps are
you going to take to make it happen?
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Overview
This night will deal with the desire to be popular. The middle school
youth will bring very different experiences into this night and it is
important to address them all. Some are popular, some desperately
desire to be popular and are willing to go to any length to get there, some
are not popular and don’t care to be so (or at least say they don’t care).
The goal of this Edge Night is to help all middle school youth embrace
who God has created them to be and recognize that popularity does not
make us happy; life in Christ does.
Talking Points
What is the Big Deal?
Tonight we are talking about popularity. Does it seem weird that this
would be a topic at Church? It isn’t. Let’s be honest, popularity – who is
in and who is out – consumes a lot of our attention. If we are popular, we
are concerned with staying that way. If we are not popular, we want to be
known and liked (even if we don’t admit it). Popularity, being known and
admired by others, is not necessarily a bad thing, but it quickly becomes
a problem when we change who we are and hurt others in order to be
popular. Think about your school, how much drama is caused by
popularity? Who are considered the popular people? What makes them
popular? What do you think about them?
What Popularity Does
Whether we like it or not, popularity affects all of us. For some, we spend
our time resenting (and even mocking) those who are more popular. For
some, we work tirelessly to fit in, even changing our personality or
behavior to help us “fit in.” For some, we worry about our status and
work to belong to the “in crowd.” All of this takes our eyes off of the
truth of who we are and who we are created to be. God created us; God
loves us just as we are; God calls to love others (and ourselves) the way
that He loves us. When popularity becomes the goal, we stop living for
God and start living for what others think about us.
What the Bible says about Popularity
Did you hear that passage from Matthew? God is calling us to not worry
about the things of this world, like being popular, but to set your heart
on God before all else. God knows that we as humans want to belong and
be liked by others, but He is asking us to love Him first and seek His love
first. Here’s a question for you: was Jesus popular? Many people loved
Him and followed Him (Mark 1:33) but at the same time many others
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disliked Him (Mark 3:6). Regardless of what people thought, He remained
true to His mission. In 2 Peter 3:18, we are encouraged to grow in the
grace and knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ. In Colossians 1:10, we
are invited to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, that pleases God in
all respects as we bear fruit in every good work and growth in our
knowledge of God. Each of these passages calls us to place our worth in
God and love others as our brothers and sisters.
What’s a Catholic to Do?
Great! So what does that mean for us? It means that we have to
recognize the lie that being popular is the most important thing. The
reality is that being popular is fleeting and shallow and it usually comes
at the whim of those who can be cruel. In Scripture we learn that instead
of spending so much time worrying about being popular, we are called to
focus our energy on being Christ-like and imitating Jesus. It is important
to stick with your Catholic faith and center your lives on Jesus, then you
will not have to worry about being popular because you know you are
loved by God. When we are tempted to treat someone different because
they are popular or act differently in order to be popular, we need to take
time to remember that our worth comes from God. We need to treat
others (regardless of their social standing) as God would treat them.
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