Truth and Love

3 John 1-15
  • Task List Search Streamline Icon: https://streamlinehq.com Overview

John writes to Gaius, celebrating his commitment to both truth and love. He contrasts Gaius’ faithfulness with Diotrephes’ selfish behaviour, encouraging believers to imitate what is good.

Aim
To imitate what is good by faithfully choosing truth and love over self interest, especially in how we show hospitality.
Notes

Begin your preparation by working through the following:

  1. Read the passage aloud.
  2. Identify repeated Themes or Words.
  3. Look for any surprises or confusing words.
  4. Analyse the passage’s flow and breaks.
  5. Pray through the passage: Praise God for specific verses, and reflect on the challenges.

Reflect on these questions as you begin to apply the passage to yourself:

  1. How does verse 11 challenge you personally? Who are the influences you tend to imitate? Are they shaping you in helpful ways?
  2. How do you reflect Gaius, Diotrephes, or Demetrius? Pray through how you’d like to grow in your love and commitment to the truth.
  3. Who can you celebrate in your own life or church? Who has loved you well and modelled God’s truth in action?

Think about your group:

  1. Who seems to influence them most? Who do they talk about, look up to, or imitate?
  2. As you teach, consider how to raise these examples in a helpful way.
  3. Pray for them to live in God’s truth and mirror His love to others.
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Choose from the following Introduction activities

Imitating Dance

Purpose: Verse 11 calls us to imitate what is good. This game is a light-hearted connection to that theme.

Instructions:

  1. Stand your group in one large circle.
  2. Choose one person to be the detective and send them out of the room.
  3. Once they’ve left, choose another person to be the dance leader.
  4. The dance leader begins a simple dance move and must regularly change it. Everyone else must copy them exactly.
  5. Bring the detective back in. They have three guesses to correctly identify who the dance leader is.
Imitating Skills

Purpose: A light-hearted and engaging way to explore imitation, linking to 3 John verse 11 and helping the group begin thinking through who they choose to imitate.

Set Up:

  • Arrange in advance for a few leaders to demonstrate a skill that can be taught to the group.
  • Here are a few examples:
    • Baking
    • Crocheting or Knitting
    • Juggling
    • Origami
    • Playing a short tune on an instrument
    • Sign language basics
    • Spinning a basketball on one finger
    • Speaking in a foreign language
    • Tying Knots

Instructions:

  1. Begin by showcasing the range of skills available.
  2. Allow your group to either:
    • Rotate through several skills in one large group.
    • Divide into smaller groups, each learning one skill.
  3. Afterwards, bring the group back together to discuss their experience of imitating these skills.

Optional Passage Link: Later we’ll read from 3 John how we are called to imitate what is good – the things that reflect truth and love. And who we choose to imitate really matters.

Kindness Charades

John celebrates Gaius and the church’s love towards those outside their Christian community. Use this activity to highlight ways we can show love to others, helping apply the passage near the end of the teaching outline.

Materials Needed:

  • Slips of paper
  • A hat or container
  • Pens

Set Up:

  • Before the session (or with the group), write down acts of kindness on slips of paper. Examples:
    • Carry someone’s shopping
    • Hold the door open
    • Offer your seat
    • Help tidy up
    • Walk a friend’s dog
    • Bake someone a cake
    • Repair something broken
    • Say thank you
    • Smile at someone
    • Show appreciation
    • Offer a shoulder to cry on
    • Visit someone who’s sick
    • Ignore your phone when hanging out with a friend
    • Host at your house
    • Make tea or coffee for someone
    • Write an encouraging letter
    • Donate your clothes
    • Lend your charger
    • Give a gift
    • Share your umbrella

Instructions:

  1. Divide the group into two teams.
  2. One player from the first team has 60 seconds to take slips from the hat and act out as many as they can, silently.
  3. Their team must guess each act of kindness before moving on to the next slip.
  4. After the time is up, switch teams and repeat.
  5. Continue rounds until all slips have been used.
  6. Celebrate the winning team!
Starters

Choose from the following Starter activities 

Frankenstein's Role Model

Purpose: To help set up the intro activity in the first teaching outline, exploring the stereotypes our world holds up as ideal role models.

Materials Needed:

  • Sheets of blank paper
  • Felt pens or pencils

Instructions:

Explain that together, you’re going to create a collection of ideal role models. The kind of people our world often looks up to, follows, and adores.

  1. Sit the group in a large circle. Give each person a blank sheet of paper and pen.
  2. At the very top of the page, ask everyone to write a name for the perfect influencer or role model. Someone the world might idolise. Then fold over the top to hide the name.
  3. Pass the paper to the person on their left. Without looking at what’s hidden, ask them to draw the head of this role model. What kind of hairstyle, expression, and ‘look’ might a popular influencer have?
  4. Fold over the head drawing, pass it on again. This time, ask them to draw the torso. How do they dress? Are they holding anything?
  5. Fold and pass again. Now, ask them to draw the legs and feet, completing the look.

Discussion:

  • Use this activity to lead into the teaching outline. Ask:
    1. What stands out about the characters we’ve created?
    2. Why do you think these features or styles are seen as ideal in today’s culture?
    3. What do these drawings tell us about the kinds of people the world encourages us to imitate?
Mirroring John's Admiration

Purpose: Inspired by how John celebrates the love and truth on display in the church, take time to share aloud what encourages you about individuals in your youth group.

Set Up:

  • Spend time prayerfully reflecting on how individuals in your group demonstrate love for one another and value God’s truth.
  • Choose a few examples of specific people, stories, or moments you’d be happy to share aloud during the session.

Instructions:

  1. Before beginning the study, share your reflections with your group, celebrating what you’ve seen and appreciated.
  2. Frame these as attributes, actions, or stories worth admiring and imitating.
  3. Explain how these moments have encouraged you, why they are reasons to give thanks, and how you’ve been praying for them.
  • Conversation Chat 2 Streamline Icon: https://streamlinehq.com Teaching Outlines
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Choose one of the following Teaching Outlines

3 John presents us with two clear contrasts: one person representing the “good” we’re called to imitate, and one who represents “evil” (v11). Think about how to use your space to make these contrasts visual, e.g. two areas of the room, two large sheets of paper, or two character zones. As you work through the session, place your group’s answers in these areas.

Welcome

  • Introduce the format: Explain that you’re spending one session in 3 John, a letter to a man named Gaius that encourages us to imitate what is good – truth and love.

Intro Activity

Role Models

Materials Needed:

  • Two large bin bags (to be worn), felt tips, and sticky notes.
  • Or: Two plain white shirts and fabric pens.

Instructions:

  1. Decide whether it is appropriate to ask for two volunteers to wear the shirts or bin bags now, or wait until the group has written their answers.
  2. Invite the group to reflect on what makes someone a positive or negative influence on others.
  3. Assign one outfit  as “positive” and the other as “negative”.
  4. Using the following prompts, ask the group to write colour coded answers on sticky notes (for bin bags) or use fabric pens (for shirts), and stick or write them onto the relevant outfit.
    1. What character traits do people often imitate?
    2. Who seems to have the most influence on people?
    3. Who do you personally listen to the most? And why?
  5. Recap what’s been written.
  6. Conclude by reading 3 John verse 11 and discussing how this relates to their answers.

Read 3 John 1-14

1. John mentions three people in this short letter. Can you spot them?

  1. Who does he suggest should be imitated?
  2. Who does he warn shouldn’t be imitated?
    • Gaius is a good example, but Diotrephes is a bad example.
  3. How would you describe their general vibe? What makes them either good or bad role models?

 Comparing Characters

Gaius and Diotrephes both care about truth, but only one of them shows love as well. Gaius values truth and loves people well. Diotrephes seems to care about truth, but doesn’t treat people with love.

Set Up:

  • Divide into pairs or small groups.
  • One person will speak or act like Keith (representing Gaius)
  • One person will speak or act like Janet (representing Diotrephes)

Instructions:

  1. Present the group with the following scenarios to discuss or act out how Keith and Janet might behave:
    1. They are teaching the Ten Commandments to 8 year olds in Sunday School.
    2. They hear that a Christian friend of yours got drunk at a party
    3. You bring a new friend to church or youth group for the first time.
  2. After each one, ask the follow up questions:
    1. What was different in how Keith and Janet responded?
    2. Who would you rather be taught by? Corrected by? Welcomed by?
    3. Why does it matter that we reflect both truth and love, like Gaius?

2. Scan back through 3 John and shout out every verse that mentions “truth” or “love”.

  1. What do these verses tell us about the church?
  2. Can you share an example of when a Christian has shown you both truth and love?

Take this opportunity to share a real life example from your own church, to encourage your group and to help them understand the value of Christian community.

3. Visualise a church community where everyone is imitating Gaius.

  1. How would it feel to be part of a community that sticks to the truth and actively loves?
  2. What might conversations sound like?
  3. Where might you see love in action?

Imitating well

Set Up:

  • Return to pairs or small groups.

Instructions:

  1. Look back at your role model outfits from the first activity and recap who your group said they’re influenced by.
  2. Task pairs with choosing a few of those ‘influencers’ and discussing:
    1. How do they demonstrate truth and love?
    2. How do they affect the way you feel, think, or behave?
    3. Are they worth following and imitating?

4. Gaius loved his church well, and we’re called to imitate his good example. Thinking specifically about hospitality and our care for others within our Christian community:

  1. What part can you play in loving our church in truth?
  2. Decide on one action to take individually this week.
  3. Decide on one action to take together as a group this month.

5. What specific things can we pray for each other as we are challenged in our “faithfulness to the truth” (v3) and in “walking in the truth” (v4)?

Welcome

  • Introduce the format: Explain that you’re spending one session in 3 John, a letter to a man named Gaius that encourages us to imitate what is good – truth and love.

Intro Discussion

1. We live in a world of many voices. Teachers, parents, world leaders, and online influencers all claim to be worth listening to.

  1. Who do we personally listen to the most?
  2. Who seems to have the most influence over your friends or those around you?
  3. Have you ever noticed someone’s behaviour change (for better or worse) because of who they started listening to or following?

2. Read 3 John 11. How is this a helpful warning as we begin to reflect on who influences us and how we imitate them?

Read 3 John 1-14

3. John names three people in this short letter.

  1. Who does he suggest should be imitated, and who shouldn’t?
    • Gaius is a good example, but Diotrephes is a bad example.
  2. How would you describe their general vibe? What makes them either good or bad role models?

4. Imagine two contrasting people within our church or community. Keith is always very kind to you, invites you round for dinner and asks how he can pray for you, believes wholeheartedly in Jesus and faithfully seeks to reflect Him. Janet, also a Christian, is passionate about truth and confident she could easily win a debate, but her primary concern seems to be herself more than love for others.

  1. How is Keith good for our church community?
  2. How is Janet potentially damaging for our church community?

5. In our passage, find all the places John writes about Truth and Love.

  1. Where do you see “truth” mentioned? Where do you see “love”?
  2. What is John specifically celebrating in how they love others?
  3. Why is it important to have both truth and love?

6. Can you share any examples of Christians who have demonstrated both truth and love to you?

  1. How has someone lovingly taught or corrected you?
  2. How has someone shown you hospitality and care?
  3. How did that feel? What impact did they have on you?

7. Look back at verse 11. How could we easily slip into imitating Diotrephes?

  1. Is it always obvious when we do this? Can it happen subtly?

8. Thinking more widely, how does all this challenge who you choose to be influenced by?

  1. We live in the world, and most of the people we interact with won’t mirror Jesus. How can we remain faithful to God, keep our friends, but not imitate them.
  2. We also ‘live’ online. Are we following anyone who negatively changes how we behave? Why do we follow them?

9. Thinking specifically about hospitality and our care for others within our Christian community.

  1. What can we implement to encourage one another to imitate Gaius?
  2. Similar to Gaius, is there anything we would like to do, collectively, to encourage our Christian leaders?
  3. Individually, each choose a way to put this into practice this week.

10. What specific things can we pray for each other as we are challenged in our “faithfulness to the truth” (v3) and in “walking in the truth” (v4)?

 

  • Arrow Double Right Streamline Icon: https://streamlinehq.com Going Further
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Choose from any of the following Going Further activities

Purpose: To help each young person reflect personally on how they might grow in truth and love, inspired by the example of Gaius.

Materials Needed:

  • Blank sheets of paper
  • Pens or felt tips

Instructions:

  1. Give everyone a sheet of paper and ask them to draw a large footprint on it.
  2. Above the foot, write “Walking in Truth and Love”
  3. Invite the group to reflect individually on 3 John. Inside the footprint, ask them to write or illustrate:
    • One way they want to grow in truth
    • One way they want to grow in love
  4. Invite a few people to share what they’ve written.
  5. Conclude by reading 3 John verse 4, and then pray that we would be people who walk in the truth and love like Gaius.

Purpose: To continue the discussion of who mirrors the truth and love displayed in Gaius, to celebrate it, and to encourage them.

Materials Needed:

  • Postcards or greeting cards
  • Pens

Instructions:

  1. Reflect together on your earlier discussions about individuals who demonstrate truth and love, like Gaius.
  2. Make a list of people who live this out. Celebrating their example and thanking God for them.
  3. Write short notes of appreciation. If you have a long list, individuals can choose one person to write to. Otherwise, break into smaller groups to write and sign the cards together.
  4. Encourage the group to be specific and encouraging in what they write, mentioning the traits they admire and how that person has made an impact.

Purpose: To be reminded that perfect truth and love comes from God, and to use this as reason to worship and a reminder to pray.

Instructions:

  1. Read Psalm 86:11-13 aloud together.
  2. Discuss what these verses show us about truth and love:
    • Where does truth come from? (v11)
    • What example of God’s love is highlighted? (v13)
    • How is God’s love and truth a reason to praise? (v12)
  3. Choose a section to memorise together, or repeat the verses aloud as a group.
  4. Summarise the connection to 3 John: Our motivation to love is that God first loved us (1 John 4:19), and we walk in the truth by sticking close to the source.
  5. Pray together:
    • Begin with open prayers of praise, thanking God for His love and perfect truth.
    • Pray for one another to walk closely with God, to stick to the truth, and to be motivated to love in response.
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Create a custom session for your youth group using our collection of ‘Intros & Starters,’ ’Teaching Outlines,’ and ‘Going Further’ activities.

Each option is graded as Simple , Intermediate , or Advanced , allowing you to tailor the session to your group’s needs. All downloadable files are available at the bottom of this page.