“Old Habits Anonymous”

A group of teens shows up to a fictional circle meeting called “Old Habits Anonymous,” expecting it to be half awkward, half hilarious, and mostly not serious. One by one, they introduce themselves and confess the habits they swear they “can’t break”: procrastination that turns every assignment into a midnight crisis, gossip that’s disguised as “just processing,” anger that flares up in seconds, negative thinking that assumes the worst, and constant phone scrolling that leaves them feeling empty. The group treats the meeting like a comedy show at first, tossing out wild “solutions” like military boot camp for procrastinators, silent monasteries for gossipers, mime school for angry people, kazoos to interrupt negative thoughts, and locking phones in a titanium box, possibly guarded by a shark. The jokes build and build as the advice gets more ridiculous, but underneath the laughter is something real: they’re tired of feeling stuck.

Then the tone shifts when one teen admits the truth everyone has been avoiding: habits aren’t just random bad choices, they’re symptoms of what’s happening inside. Procrastination can be fear, gossip can be insecurity, anger can be pain, negativity can be wounds, and scrolling can be a way to escape loneliness. With a steady youth leader guiding the moment, the group realizes lasting change doesn’t come from trying harder or punishing themselves into progress. Transformation starts when God changes the heart, and when people stop hiding and start walking together in honesty, prayer, and support. By the end, the meeting becomes less about “fixing” themselves and more about choosing one faithful step forward, trusting God’s power to make them new, and learning that grace doesn’t excuse habits, it breaks their grip.

Theme

God transforms hearts, and changed hearts create changed habits.

Characters

(7-10 actors)
• Narrator – sets scenes and adds comedic commentary
• Tessa – youth leader/facilitator (warm, wise, playful)
• Jax – procrastination habit (always “starting tomorrow”)
• Lila – gossip habit (calls it “sharing”)
• Marcus – anger habit (short fuse, big reactions)
• Rin – negative thinking habit (expects the worst)
• Noah – constant phone scrolling habit (thumb always moving)
• Sami – dramatic “solution person” (ridiculous ideas)
• Bree – sincere teen who steers the group toward truth

When

Modern times - a youth night support-group-style meeting.

Props & Costumes

• Chairs in a circle
• A sign: “OLD HABITS ANONYMOUS”
• A small box labeled “PHONE JAIL” (optional)
• A clipboard or notebook for Tessa
• A “talking object” (stress ball or foam microphone)

Why

2 Corinthians 5:17 — “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
God doesn’t just manage habits; He renews hearts and makes people new.

How

Simple circle setup. Confession-style sharing with comedic reactions, then a shift to a heartfelt close.

Time

10 minutes