Parent Conversation Guides
At Cornerstone Livermore Students, we believe parents are the most influential voice in a student's faith journey. We want to equip you with simple, practical tools to have meaningful conversations at home and walk alongside your student as they grow in their relationship with Jesus.
Leader Resources
We Ball
Middle School | 7-Week Summer Series
WEBALL
Grit. Mission. Holy Spirit Power.
A 7-Week Summer Series | Middle School | Cornerstone Fellowship
PARENT GUIDE
This summer your middle schooler is diving into We Ball -- a 7-week series built around one big idea: When we are filled with the Holy Spirit and living on mission, we don't stop when life gets hard. Each week tackles a real summer struggle through the very real, very human life of the Apostle Paul.
ANCHOR LINE
"We Ball doesn't mean ignore struggle. It means we keep going because the Spirit empowers us."
SERIES OVERVIEW
WhoMiddle School students (Grades 6-8)
When7 weeks, weekly gathering + small groups
Anchor ScriptureActs, 2 Corinthians, 2 Timothy -- Paul's real humanity + Spirit grit
Big IdeaThe Holy Spirit empowers us to keep going -- not by pretending life is easy, but by staying on mission through the hard stuff
WEEK BY WEEK
WEEK 1 LEFT OUT? WE BALL. Acts 16:16-40
Summer Struggle: Feeling Excluded
What they're learning:Paul and Silas are thrown in prison -- not for doing something wrong, but for helping someone. At midnight, beaten and in chains, they sing. They don't pretend prison is fine. They choose worship in it. That's not fake positivity -- that's grit.
Big Idea:Loneliness doesn't cancel calling. We Ball means: "I won't stop living on mission."
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •Have you felt left out this summer? What did that feel like?
- •What's the difference between fake positivity and real grit?
- •Paul and Silas sang at midnight. What's your "midnight praise" when things are hard?
Try at home: When loneliness hits, instead of scrolling, write one sentence of honest prayer.
WEEK 2 BORED? WE BALL. Acts 18:1-4
Summer Struggle: Spiritual Drift
What they're learning:Paul spent a whole season making tents -- ordinary work, no hype. He preached on weekends and showed up consistently. Most of Paul's life wasn't dramatic. It was faithful. Boredom whispers "this doesn't matter" -- but drift doesn't feel like drift when it's happening.
Big Idea:Summer isn't a break from mission. It's a different rhythm of mission.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •What does your typical summer day actually look like?
- •What's the difference between rest and drift?
- •What's one ordinary part of your day where God could show up?
Try at home: Pick one daily thing (morning scroll, before bed) and attach a 60-second prayer to it.
WEEK 3 COMPARISON? WE BALL. 2 Corinthians 10:12
Summer Struggle: Social Media Comparison
What they're learning:Paul wasn't comparing himself to others -- people were comparing him to others and finding him lacking. His response? "When they measure themselves by themselves, they are not wise." Comparison shifts your focus off your own calling and onto someone else's highlight reel.
Big Idea:God never told you to be someone else. He gave you your own calling, gifts, and assignment.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •Which platform or situation makes comparison hardest for you?
- •What do you think your actual "lane" is -- even a rough answer?
- •What's the difference between inspiration and comparison?
Try at home: When comparison rises, name it: "That's comparison. My lane is ___." Then put the phone down for 10 minutes.
WEEK 4 DRAMA? WE BALL. Acts 15:36-41
Summer Struggle: Friendship Conflict
What they're learning:Paul and Barnabas -- ministry partners and friends -- had such a sharp disagreement they parted ways. Even Spirit-filled people with the same mission can disagree, hard. What's remarkable: the mission continued. Two teams instead of one.
Big Idea:Disagreement doesn't cancel calling. You can choose mission over mess.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •Is conflict automatically failure? Why or why not?
- •What's the difference between drama (feeding conflict) and conflict that needs to be addressed?
- •What does "staying on mission" look like when there's drama in your friend group?
Try at home: Do one kind thing for someone you're currently in tension with. Don't announce it.
WEEK 5 ANXIETY? WE BALL. 2 Corinthians 1:8-9
Summer Struggle: Mental Pressure
What they're learning:Paul writes: "We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself." He doesn't say he prayed harder and it went away. He says this happened so they might not rely on themselves but on God. Not denial -- dependence.
Big Idea:Feeling anxious doesn't mean you lack faith. It means you're human -- and it might be the moment you learn what it actually feels like to depend on God.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •What pressures you most right now -- school, family, sports, social stuff?
- •What's the difference between depending on God and just giving up?
- •What pressure have you been carrying alone this week?
Try at home: When anxiety spikes: hand on chest, breathe, say "God is working even when I can't feel it." Then write one true thing.
WEEK 6 HATERS? WE BALL. 2 Timothy 4:7
Summer Struggle: Criticism & Negative Voices
What they're learning:Paul writes from prison, near the end of his life, most friends gone: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Critics didn't define him -- calling did. Not every opinion deserves access to your identity.
Big Idea:The Spirit's voice is louder than the critics' -- but you have to choose whose voice gets access.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •What's the most common critical voice in your life right now -- a person, social media, your own head?
- •What's the difference between criticism that helps you grow and criticism that tears down?
- •What does God say about you that counters the loudest negative voice?
Try at home: When a critical voice loops this week, say: "That doesn't get access to my identity." Then name one true thing.
WEEK 7 TIRED? WE BALL. Acts 20:24
Summer Struggle: Burnout
What they're learning:Paul near the end of his third journey -- beaten, shipwrecked, exhausted. But he also rested. He traveled with friends. He stayed in community. We Ball doesn't mean hustle nonstop. It means don't quit the race. There's a difference between resting inside the mission and walking away from it.
Big Idea:Tired isn't failure. Tired is human. And the Spirit is enough for human.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •What's draining you most this summer -- emotionally, spiritually, physically?
- •What actually refills you? Not what should -- what actually does?
- •Who is running the race with you? Who slows down when you're tired?
Try at home: Do something this week that fills someone else up when you're tired -- then notice what it does to you.
HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR STUDENT AT HOME
Ask, don't debrief
Resist "what did you learn tonight?" -- it puts them on the spot. Instead, share first: "I heard you talked about loneliness this week. I remember feeling that way when I was your age..." Your vulnerability gives them permission to open up.
Let the silence breathe
If they shrug or say "I don't know," that's okay. Some students process slowly. Revisit the topic a few days later casually -- in the car, over a meal. Don't force it; just keep the door open.
Normalize the struggle
This series is honest about how hard summer can be -- comparison, anxiety, loneliness, burnout. When you talk about these topics, tell your own story. Paul's humanity is the entry point each week. Your humanity is the entry point at home.
Reinforce the anchor line
The phrase "We Ball" is their shorthand for Holy Spirit grit. When you see your student push through something hard, name it: "That's a We Ball moment." It connects church and home.
Pray with them, not just for them
Each week has a take-home spiritual practice. If your student is doing it, ask to hear about it. Even better -- try it yourself and tell them. Shared practice builds shared faith.
When to reach out
If your student shares something that concerns you -- persistent sadness, isolation, anxiety that doesn't lift -- please reach out to Chelsie directly. Our leaders are trained to support students well and we want to partner with you.
At the end of 7 weeks, ask your student:
Left out?->We kept going.
Bored?->We stayed steady.
Comparison?->We found our lane.
Drama?->We chose mission.
Anxiety?->We depended.
Haters?->We filtered.
Tired?->We finished.
We Ball doesn't mean we ignored the struggle. It means we kept going because the Spirit empowers us.
Inspired
High School | 8-Week Summer Series
Inspired
THE BIBLE AS SACRED, LIVING STORY
An 8-Week High School Series | Cornerstone Fellowship
PARENT GUIDE
This summer your high schooler is exploring the Bible through Inspired -- an 8-week series built around one big idea: the Bible is not a rulebook to follow or a weapon to wield. It is a sacred, living story we are invited into. Each week tackles an honest question about Scripture that students are already asking.
SERIES ANCHOR
"Confusion isn't the opposite of faith. Sometimes it's where faith actually starts. The goal of reading Scripture isn't mastery -- it's formation."
SERIES OVERVIEW
WhoHigh School students (Grades 9-12)
When8 weeks, June 7 - August 2
Anchor ScripturePsalm 119:105 -- "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path"
Big IdeaConfusion is not betrayal, doubt is not failure, and the goal of reading Scripture is not mastery but formation
SERIES ARC
Weeks 1-2
Reframe
What kind of book is the Bible? What does it mean to read it honestly?
Weeks 3-4
Encounter
Meeting God through the stories of flawed, faithful people.
Weeks 5-6
Honesty
God speaks through real human emotion -- and always points us to Jesus.
Weeks 7-8
Healing & Invitation
Reclaiming Scripture from harm and stepping into the story.
WEEK BY WEEK
WEEK 1 | Jun 7 Why the Bible Feels Hard Psalm 119:18 | Luke 24:27
What they're exploringMany students have been told the Bible has all the answers -- but it often feels more confusing than clarifying. This week reframes that tension: confusion isn't the opposite of faith, and questions aren't betrayal. Jesus walked with confused disciples on the road to Emmaus and didn't shame them -- he explained and walked with them.
Big IdeaQuestions aren't betrayal -- they're the beginning of honest faith.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •If you had to describe your relationship with the Bible in one word right now, what would it be?
- •Have you ever felt pressure to have the Bible figured out? What did that feel like?
- •What would change for you if confusion was allowed to be part of the journey?
Try this week: Read Psalm 119:18 each morning -- "Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your word." Notice what feels alive or confusing when you read it.
WEEK 2 | Jun 14 The Bible as Story Genesis 12:1-3 | Hebrews 1:1-2
What they're exploringGod chose to speak through story -- not a manual -- because story is how we actually change. Genesis answers "Who are we?" not "How old is the universe?" Students learn to read Scripture through a narrative arc: Creation, Fall, Redemption, New Creation. They're not just reading someone else's story -- they're being invited into it.
Big IdeaGod chose to speak through story because story is how we actually change.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •What's a family story or personal memory that still shapes how you see yourself?
- •Have you ever felt like you had to choose between science and the Bible? What was that like?
- •Where do you see yourself right now in the story of Scripture -- Creation, Exile, Wandering, Redemption?
Try this week: Find one story in the Gospels you've never read carefully. Read it slowly. Don't look for a lesson -- just notice who Jesus is being in the story.
WEEK 3 | Jun 28 Slaying Giants 1 Samuel 17 | Psalm 20:7
What they're exploringDavid and Goliath isn't a story about being brave enough -- it's a story about who the actual hero is. David's confidence wasn't in himself; it was entirely in God. "Some trust in chariots, some in horses -- but we trust in the name of the Lord." The giant doesn't go down because you worked harder. It goes down because God fights for you.
Big IdeaWe are not the hero of this story. God is -- and that is actually good news.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •What's one area of life where you feel constant pressure to be strong or have it together?
- •Have you ever tried to handle something alone and burned out? What happened?
- •What makes it hard to trust God when you're used to grinding through things yourself?
Try this week: When you feel overwhelmed, read Psalm 20:7 out loud. Notice what changes -- even slightly -- when you say it.
WEEK 4 | Jul 5 Walking on Water Matthew 14:22-33 | Psalm 73
What they're exploringStudents assume faith means feeling confident in God all the time -- so when doubt shows up, they conclude something is wrong with them. Peter's faith included fear, doubt, and failure. He stepped out AND sank. Jesus reached anyway. "You of little faith -- why did you doubt?" isn't shame. It's a question from someone who already has you by the hand.
Big IdeaFaith is not certainty. It's trust in motion -- even when you're sinking.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •Describe your faith life in a weather metaphor right now -- what's the weather like in there?
- •Have you ever hidden doubt in a church or Christian setting? Why do we do that?
- •How would it change things if doubt was allowed to be part of faith -- not a sign you've failed?
Try this week: Find one moment where you're afraid or uncertain. Instead of pretending, try saying out loud: "I don't know what you're doing, God, but I'm still here."
WEEK 5 | Jul 12 The Humanity of Scripture Psalm 137 | 2 Timothy 3:16
What they're exploringWhy are there violent, angry, and messy stories in the Bible? God doesn't sanitize Scripture -- he speaks through real people in real pain, including the darkest kind. The lament Psalms prove that honesty with God isn't just allowed -- it's modeled. If Psalm 137 made it into the Bible, your honest, angry, confused prayer can too.
Big IdeaGod doesn't sanitize the Bible. He speaks through real people in real pain -- including the darkest kind.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •What's an emotion you've felt recently that you didn't feel safe showing at church or around Christians?
- •Why do you think we're taught to keep our prayers positive and polished?
- •What would it look like to bring your real emotional life into your faith life -- without cleaning it up first?
Try this week: Read Psalm 22 -- the Psalm Jesus quoted on the cross. Notice how honest it gets, then notice how it ends. Let that arc be permission for your own prayers.
WEEK 6 | Jul 19 Reading with Jesus at the Center Luke 10:25-37 | John 5:39-40
What they're exploringStudents have seen verses used to exclude, shame, or condemn people they love. This week's anchor: Jesus is the clearest picture of who God is. You can know the Bible well and still miss the point entirely. The Good Samaritan flips the question -- not "who is my neighbor?" but "what does it look like to be one?" If your reading makes you feel superior to others, that's a sign to slow down.
Big IdeaIf your reading of Scripture makes God look unlike Jesus, revisit your interpretation.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •Have you ever seen someone use a Bible verse in a way that hurt someone? What happened?
- •What patterns do you notice in how Jesus treats people who were "outsiders"?
- •If love is the filter, what's one passage or belief you'd want to look at again with fresh eyes?
Try this week: Read Luke 7:36-50 -- Jesus at the dinner party. Watch who Jesus defends and who he gently challenges. Ask: whose side am I on in that story?
WEEK 7 | Jul 26 When Scripture Has Been Used to Hurt Micah 6:8 | Matthew 23:23
What they're exploringSome students have been directly hurt by Scripture being weaponized. Others have watched it happen to someone they love. This week is pastoral first, theological second. The anchor: the Bible doesn't belong to people who use it as a weapon. Abusers don't get to define what the Bible is. What God actually asks for is justice, mercy, and faithfulness -- not performance or control.
Big IdeaThe Bible doesn't belong to people who use it as a weapon. It belongs to Jesus -- and Jesus uses it to heal.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •Have you ever experienced -- or watched someone experience -- a Bible verse being used in a way that caused harm?
- •What's the difference between reading Scripture to understand and reading it to win an argument?
- •What would it mean to someone you love if they saw the Bible reclaimed as a source of healing?
Try this week: Read John 8:1-11 -- the woman caught in adultery. Notice who has the Scripture and who has the stone. Notice where Jesus stands.
WEEK 8 | Aug 2 Invited Into the Story Psalm 119:105 | Matthew 7:24-27
What they're exploringA lamp illuminates the next step, not the whole road -- that's how Scripture works. The wise and foolish builders differ not in who heard the words, but in who built on them. Formation is about practice, not just knowledge. Sustainable engagement with Scripture looks different for different people -- what matters is honest engagement, not performance.
Big IdeaThe goal of reading Scripture isn't mastery. It's formation. We're not just studying the story -- we're being shaped by it.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
- •What's one word that describes how you feel about your relationship with Scripture now compared to 8 weeks ago?
- •What kind of Scripture reader do you want to become? What does that look like practically?
- •What's one question from this series you're still holding -- and are you okay holding it?
Try this week: Write down one practice, one question, and one community that will help your faith stay alive and honest. Put it somewhere you'll see it.
HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR STUDENT AT HOME
Protect the questions
This series gives students explicit permission to not have it all figured out. If your student brings home a hard question about the Bible, resist the urge to immediately resolve it. Say: "That's a real question. I've wondered that too." Curiosity is the entry point -- protect it.
Share your own story with Scripture
Your high schooler is learning that faith includes honesty about confusion and doubt. The most powerful thing you can offer is your real history with the Bible -- not just the highlight reel. When did it confuse you? When did it come alive? That's the conversation they're ready to have.
Don't shortcut the hard weeks
Weeks 5 and 7 in particular may surface real things -- anger at how Scripture has been used, grief, doubt that goes deeper than theology. If your student brings something heavy home, slow down and listen before responding. Presence matters more than answers here.
Reinforce the big reframe
The phrase "invited into the story" is their touchstone for the series. When you read the Bible together, try asking: "What kind of person is God being here? Where do I see myself in this story?" Those questions shift reading from information to formation.
Let the lamp illuminate one step
Psalm 119:105 says the word is a lamp to our feet -- not a floodlight on the whole road. Help your student build a sustainable practice with Scripture, not a perfect one. Daily reading that's honest beats occasional reading that's performative.
When to reach out
Week 7 may surface religious hurt -- from a previous church, from how a verse was used, from something closer to home. If your student opens up about something significant, please reach out to Chelsie. We want to walk alongside you both.
Eight weeks. Eight honest questions.
Week 1Why the Bible Feels Hard->Questions are the beginning of honest faith.
Week 2The Bible as Story->We're not just reading -- we're being invited in.
Week 3Slaying Giants->God fights for you. Your job is to show up trusting.
Week 4Walking on Water->Peter's sinking was still more faith than staying in the boat.
Week 5The Humanity of Scripture->Your honest, angry, confused prayer can too.
Week 6Reading with Jesus->Love is the filter. Jesus is the lens.
Week 7When Scripture Hurts->God was not okay with that. God is close to you now.
Week 8Invited Into the Story->You were invited long before you knew it. Stay in it.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." -- Psalm 119:105. A lamp shows the next step. That's enough.
Recommended Resources
Tools for faith conversations at home
- Parent Cue Blog -- tips on talking faith at home
- Fuller Youth Institute -- research-based tools for families
- Focus on the Family -- practical resources for parenting teens
When parents engage with what their students are learning, the impact goes deeper and lasts longer. You don't need to be a Bible scholar -- you just need to show up and be willing to grow together.
