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6-SESSION BIBLE STUDY
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Advancing the Gospel When Facing Chall enge and Per secution
Nik Ripk en
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THE BEATITUDES: How to Build Momentum in Your Christian Life
an excerpt from Momentum by Colin S. Smith There’s a definite order in the Beatitudes, and each one flows from the others that went before. Two metaphors illustrate this process. The first illustrates the stages of growth of a plant. Root, Shoot, and Fruit You’ll find that the first three Beatitudes deal with our need. We’re poor in spirit (see v. 3) because we don’t have what it takes to live as God commands. We mourn (see v. 4) because our sins are many. We become meek rather than selfwilled and defiant (see v. 5) because we don’t have the ability to direct our own lives wisely. These are the roots of a blessed and godly life. 4
Out of these roots come the shoots of the fourth Beatitude, a hunger and thirst for righteousness (see v. 6). God uses the root of recognizing your spiritual need to produce the shoot of a deep longing to grow in righteousness. Then, when the roots of the first three Beatitudes are nourished, a great desire for righteousness springs up in your life. Continuing the metaphor, the roots produce shoots, and the shoots bear fruit. The fruit of this blessed and godly life is, first, mercy or forgiveness (see v. 7), then purity (see v. 8), and finally peace (see v. 9).
MATTHEW 5:1-12 (ESV) Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
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Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Our Lord also gave us an eighth Beatitude: “Blessed are those who are persecuted” (v. 10). This one is different from the rest because the others all reflect character that God’s people are to actively pursue. Persecution is different. We aren’t to pursue it, but we’re to understand that when we seek the blessed, godly life that
Jesus lays out for us in the Beatitudes, persecution will pursue us. Those who are blessed by God will be persecuted in this world. The Rings The order of the Beatitudes shows us how to make progress in the Christian life. We continued on page 12
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Momentum Pursuing God’s Blessings Through the Beatitudes by Colin S. Smith Find out what it really means to be poor in spirit, to be meek, and to mourn, and discover how those qualities will help you live a life in which God’s blessings are abundantly clear and present. (8 sessions) LifeWay.com/MomentumStudy In the box!
The Heart of God’s Story Know His Face. Thrive in His Space. Extend His Grace. by George H. Guthrie Discover the presence of God at the heart of His story and understand why we were created, where we are heading, and how to live out the gospel in the world right now. (6 sessions) LifeWay.com/HeartOfGodsStory
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THE MIRACULOUS SMALL GROUP LEADER DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN.
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6-SESSION BIBLE STUDY
The Insanity of Obedience Advancing the Gospel When Facing Challenge and Persecution by Nik Ripken Help your group learn to walk with God in tough places and follow Jesus joyfully, even in persecution. (6 sessions)
OBEDIENCE
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Advancing the Gospel When Facing Challenge and Persecution
Nik Ripken
Nik Ripken is one of the world’s leading experts on persecution, especially in Muslim contexts. He is a missions veteran of 32 years, having served primarily in North Africa and the Middle East. He is the author of The Insanity of God and The Insanity of Obedience. He and his wife have done extensive research on believers in persecution in approximately 72 countries.
BIBLE STUDY INSIDER INFO • Nik and Ruth Ripken are pen names originally used to protect their identities and the identities of the believers living in persecution. • The warehouse used for the video introductions had recently been used to film two country music videos. • The main scenes from the documentary were filmed in five different countries and three U.S. states. It took more than five years to produce. • Members of the film crew were briefly detained by police for using a drone near the Gateway to India in Mumbai.
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Knowing Jesus Living by His Name by Robby Gallaty Explore the Gospel of John and move toward a more intimate relationship with Jesus through His miracles, what He said about Himself, and what others said about Him. (6 sessions) LifeWay.com/KnowingJesus In the box!
God Owns It All
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Finding Contentment and Confidence in Your Finances by Ron Blue Transform your fear and confusion about finances into confidence and peace as you obey God’s wisdom and embrace the truth that He owns it all. (6 sessions) LifeWay.com/GodOwnsItAll
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6-SESSION BIBLE STUDY
Ephesians Your Identity in Christ by Tony Merida Challenge the status quo of our culture (and even some churches) by encouraging your group to live the essential convictions of Christianity more purely. (6 sessions) LifeWay.com/Ephesians
Di Disc sciipl pleefor forLi Liffee
Ephesians You r I de n t i t y i n Ch r i s t
Tony Merida
Detours Lessons from Joseph: The Unpredictable Path to Your Destiny by Tony Evans Find hope in understanding that the sudden or seemingly endless detours in life are God’s way of moving you from where you are to where He wants you to be.(6 sessions) LifeWay.com/Detours
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Think Differently Nothing Is Different Until You Think Differently by James MacDonald Learn to renew your mind as you identify and overcome the mental, familial, and even self-created strongholds that enslave you. (10 sessions) LifeWay.com/ThinkDifferently
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Lord, Change My Attitude Before It’s Too Late by James MacDonald Reject attitudes God hates and replace them with those He honors. (10 sessions) LifeWay.com/ChangeMyAttitude
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continued from page 5
can view our progress by looking at our second metaphor—gymnastics rings in a gymnasium. We’ll use this metaphor throughout this study to help us understand the process of spiritual growth. When you climb the platform, the first ring is within your reach. If you pull it back and swing on it, your momentum will bring you within reach of the second ring, and swinging on the second will bring you within reach of the third. Purity of heart is the sixth ring, and there’s only one way to get there. You have to climb the platform and swing through the first five. The cumulative momentum builds as you swing from one ring to another. That’s the big idea of this session: There’s an order to the Beatitudes, and each one propels you toward the next. Try to grasp this simple analogy in your mind. The only way to get to the fifth ring of forgiveness, the sixth ring of purity, or
the seventh ring of peace is by means of the rings that come before. You can’t start from the fifth, sixth, or seventh ring. Each has to be reached, and the Beatitudes show you how. Together they’re a road map for progress in your Christian life. If you’re a believer in Christ but you feel stuck in your Christian life, this study is for you. If you’re battling a compulsive sin or addiction and long to have greater strength in your struggle against temptation, this study is for you. If you have the privilege of mentoring, counseling, or discipling other believers, this study is for you. If you have a great desire for holiness but feel that the progress you’ve made is much shorter than the distance you still have to travel, this study is for you. Welcome to the gym. The rings are suspended above you. Climb the platform with me, take a firm hold on the first ring, and get ready to swing.
COLIN S. SMITH was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Before coming to the United States in 1996, he served as the senior pastor of the Enfield Evangelical Free Church in London for 16 years. While in London, he was active in the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches in England and has served the fellowship as its president. Colin is the author of The 10 Greatest Struggles of Your Life, 10 Keys for Unlocking the Christian Life, Unlocking the Bible Story series, and 10 Keys for Unlocking the Bible. He serves as the senior pastor of the Orchard Evangelical Free Church and can be heard daily on the “Unlocking the Bible” radio broadcast.
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Excerpted from Colin S. Smith, Momentum Bible Study. © 2016 LifeWay Press. Used by permission.
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OCTOBER 22-29, 2017 We’re sailing to the Caribbean! Depart from Cape Canaveral, FL (near Orlando). Enjoy beautiful Philipsburg, St Maarten; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Labadee, Haiti. Set sail with speakers Fred and Elizabeth Luter, Johnny Hunt, Angela Thomas-Pharr, singer/songwriter Laura Story, worship leader Travis Cottrell & comedian Jeff Allen!
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Unfolded The Story of God by Eric Geiger
THE STORY OF GOD
Explore the Bible’s overarching story of redemption—a story of a God who loves us, longs to be known by us, and ultimately invites us into His story. (8 sessions) LifeWay.com/Unfolded
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Eric Geiger serves as one of the vice presidents at LifeWay Christian Resources, leading the Resources Division. He has authored or co-authored several books including Creature of the Word and the bestselling church leadership book, Simple Church. He also serves as the senior pastor of ClearView Baptist Church in Franklin, Tennessee.
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Designed to Lead The Church and Leadership Development by Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck Discover the three essentials required for leaders to be formed through the ministry of a local church: a strong conviction to develop leaders, a healthy culture for leadership development, and helpful constructs to systematically and intentionally build leaders. DesignedToLead.com
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NO MAN IS CALLED TO LIVE AN ORDINARY LIFE FOR GOD God is not looking for men who are successful, impressive, or even good. God is looking for ordinary men who are willing to go ALL IN. Embrace God’s calling, take action, and get equipped to live an extraordinary life for God.
LEADING MEN PRE-CONFERENCE TRAINING
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WOMEN’S STUDIES 6-SESSION DVD BIBLE STUDY KIT
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Entrusted A Study of 2 Timothy by Beth Moore You have been entrusted with a great and mighty gift: the gospel of Jesus Christ. In this new Bible study, Beth encourages women to guard what God has entrusted to them, further His kingdom by sharing Christ with others, and mentor younger generations just as Paul discipled Timothy. Learn to increase your effectiveness as a Christian and continue in ministry despite hardships. (6 sessions) LifeWay.com/Entrusted
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Entrusted Scripture Memory Cards
Beth Moore is a Bible teacher and author of best-selling Bible studies and books for women. She is the founder of Living Proof Ministries and speaker at Living Proof Live events across the nation. Beth’s mission is to guide women everywhere into a richer, more fulfilling relationship with Jesus.
BIBLE STUDY INSIDER INFO • Before taping each evening, the worship team from Beth’s church, Bayou City Fellowship, led the group in worship. • Angie Smith, Melissa Moore, and Amanda (Moore) Jones are all featured on the video with Beth for the intros to the study. • Beth asked on her blog “What would you want to ask me/talk about if we were sitting down to coffee together?” Many of these questions and Beth’s responses are woven into the study, both on video and in print. • Beth Moore committed the entire book of 2 Timothy to memory, and for the first time we have created Scripture Memory Cards to help participants do the same.
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BETH MOORE worship by TRAVIS COTTRELL
ABBOTSFORD, B.C., CAN | January 27-28, 2017 FAIRFAX, VA | March 3-4, 2017 CEDAR RAPIDS, IA | March 17-18, 2017 WICHITA FALLS, TX | March 31-April 1, 2017 ORLANDO, FL | April 28-29, 2017 BATON ROUGE, LA | June 23-24, 2017 EVANSVILLE, IN | July 21-22, 2017 LOVELAND (FT. COLLINS), CO | August 11-12, 2017 SPRINGFIELD, MA | August 25-26, 2017 TOLEDO, OH | September 16, 2017 SACRAMENTO, CA | October 6-7, 2017
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THORN IN THE FLESH Excerpt from All Things New by Kelly Minter Several ideas and opinions have been offered over the years as to the nature of Paul’s thorn mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12, but the reality is we simply don’t know. Some believe it was a physical ailment; others believe it was persecution and continuing opposition; still a few think it was psychological travail. You can make arguments for any of these; however, a physical condition and persecution of some sort are the two with the most traction. In one way I’d love to know what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was. Reading his letters with that knowledge in mind would give us more personalized insight into some of his writings. At the same time, I’m glad we don’t know. That makes this passage more broadly applicable to any of us who have a thorn. We don’t need to have Paul’s thorn to experience the grace and power of Jesus; we only need to have a thorn. Lacking the thorn’s specific identity, we focus on Jesus during our suffering rather than comparing our thorn to the nature of Paul’s. If our thorn matched Paul’s, consider how that one form of suffering would be exalted above every other
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form. Can you imagine? Just think of all the people who would be incessantly talking about their PTSD—Paul’s Thorn & Suffering Disease. I think the Lord saved us big by not revealing this one. The Who Behind the Thorn The difficulty of this verse is that it’s not crystal clear who the giver is—God or Satan. However, we do know that “The word given was usually employed to denote that God’s favor had been bestowed.”1 We also know that God chose to not remove it and that He had a good purpose for the thorn. My personal belief—and the view of scholars I’ve studied—is that God was the giver of the thorn. I know this can be difficult to accept—it’s hard for me to accept— especially since we know the thorn was evil. But regardless of whether you view God or Satan as the giver, tension exists. Either God gave the thorn, which has its obvious difficulties, or Satan gave it while God stood by and allowed it. Either way we’re left to contend with God about a difficult matter.
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Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. – 2 Corinthians 12:7-8 (HCSB®)
We’re not the first people to struggle with the question, if God is good how could He give an evil thorn or permit pain He could have stopped? We also see this play out in John 11. Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus was deathly ill. They sent for Jesus while their brother was still alive, pleading for Jesus to come and heal him. But Jesus didn’t come in time (11:6). Two Responses The other day I took one of those walks with the Lord where I prayed and praised, but also contended. I confessed to the Lord that one of the greatest challenges to my faith is seeing the lost dying without the gospel. Also, it’s very difficult for me to watch tragedies fall on believers and unbelievers alike that God has the power to stop. If He knew the trajectory of this decaying world and our wicked hearts, why start this whole thing in the first place? I was hashing these questions out with the Lord on my walk—not expecting an answer but more interested in receiving a deeper assurance of His great love for the world.
A few hours later, I was thumbing through John 11, preparing for a message I was giving to a group of women. I’ve read this passage bunches of times, but I had never noticed the significance of the two distinct responses to the exact same event. Both groups witnessed Jesus weeping with Mary near Lazarus’s tomb. One group’s eyes were opened to Jesus’ profound love for Lazarus—See how He loved him! But the other group was filled with a sea of doubt—If He has the power to heal, why didn’t He? The first group was focused on what Jesus had done; the second on what He could have done but didn’t. Regardless of the type of thorns we’ve been given or hardships we’re enduring, I’m a big believer in pleading with the Lord. I encourage you to beg the Lord for healing, deliverance, and relief. Scripture backs up our persistent appeal to God for help in times of trouble. However, there are times when the Lord tells us to move forward with our thorns. If He chooses to keep the difficulty in place, we must choose to live in the promises of continued on page 24
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8-SESSION BIBLE STUDY
All Things New A Study on 2 Corinthians by Kelly Minter Discover how Paul’s encouragement to the believers of Corinth challenges the church today. (8 sessions) LifeWay.com/AllThingsNew In the box!
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Redeemed Grace to Live Every Day Better Than Before by Angela Thomas-Pharr Gain an understanding of difficult biblical concepts like sanctification, explore the practical side of redemption, and learn to lean on Jesus for real help and hope. (7 sessions) LifeWay.com/Redeemed
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In Him, we find a heart that overflows.
When we focus on Him—the fruitfulness of walking with Him, the wealth of wisdom He offers, the bounteous grace that covers us from head to toe—we remind ourselves Jesus is more than enough.
March 24-25, 2017 | Phoenix, AZ April 21-22, 2017 | Memphis, TN September 29-30, 2017 | Minneapolis, MN November 3-4, 2017 | Greenville, SC
Featuring k Featuring Lisa Harper, Kelly Minter, Lysa TerKeurst, Angela Thomas-Pharr, Christy Nockels, Natalie Grant, Jefferson Bethke, Jackie Hill Perry, Eric Mason, Lisa-Jo Baker & More
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6-SESSION BIBLE STUDY
Finding I AM How Jesus Fully Satisfies the Cry of Your Heart by Lysa TerKeurst Explore the I AM statements of Jesus found in the Gospel of John as you join Lysa TerKeurst on the streets of Israel. Learn to trade feelings of emptiness and depletion for the fullness of knowing who Jesus is in this interactive, indepth Bible study. (6 sessions) LifeWay.com/FindingIAM
99.99 $ 14.99 $
Lysa TerKeurst is an author, speaker, and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries. In the midst of her busy schedule, Lysa is an everyday woman who simply seeks to glorify God through her life and family. She and her husband, Art, reside near Charlotte, North Carolina, with their five priority blessings named Jackson, Mark, Hope, Ashley, and Brooke.
BIBLE STUDY INSIDER INFO • Lysa wanted to bring Israel to the women through the study since many believers can’t go to the Holy Land themselves. • This is Lysa’s first partnership with LifeWay and her first Bible study not based on a book. • Lysa will also be doing an event with LifeWay Women starting in the fall of 2017 called The Word Alive, where she hopes to bring some of what she learned and experienced in the Holy Land to women in an event form.
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The Word of God is alive, active, and holds the potential to change everything. Come, join us, and open your eyes to Scripture like never before at THE WORD ALIVE WITH LYSA TERKEURST, a two-day virtual sojourn in a setting where the Bible comes to life.
Worship with
ELLIE HOLCOMB SEPTEMBER 22-23, 2017 | RAYTOWN, MO OCTOBER 6-7, 2017 | HOUSTON, TX OCTOBER 27-28, 2017 | ORLANDO, FL Starting at $59 lifeway.com/WordAlive | 800.254.2022
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continued from page 19
BUT HE SAID TO ME, “ MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, FOR POWER IS PERFECTED IN WEAKNESS.”
Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (HCSB) verses 9-10. It’s a willful decision we must make. I’ve spent way too much time sidelined by certain pain, trying to dissect it and figure it out, instead of experiencing Christ’s sufficient grace and perfect power in the midst of it. The thorn had not changed but Paul’s perspective had. Instead of solely seeing the evil of the thorn and focusing on the pain of it, he realized it was an avenue through which Christ’s power could rest upon him. The great pain was accompanied by an even greater joy. I pray you’re encouraged today by this difficult passage. If we weren’t given verses 9-10, we might find ourselves despairing over verses 7-8. Imagine if Paul chose to live in the atmosphere of the first two verses, never moving into the hope of Christ’s promises and blessings to him. His boasting about his weaknesses would have been lamenting as a martyr. His gladness would have been madness. His delighting in hardships because there he found Christ’s strength would have been bitterness over a helpless identity. If we will choose to seek the Lord’s response to our difficulties, whether a
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persistent thorn or the other hardships mentioned, we will experience the miracle of being glad in sadness, boasting about weakness, and delighting in suffering. Not because we’re detaching, compartmentalizing, or blocking out reality, but because we’re experiencing the very real presence of Jesus, whose strength is perfected in our weakness. A dear friend of my family’s recently went through one of the most devastating losses a person can endure. He tweeted this: “God, you permit what you could have prevented. Thank you. My heart trusts in your unfailing love.” This is the miracle I’m talking about. A heart of thanks and trust in the Lord who may give or allow the thorn, but never does so without also giving the grace and power of Jesus in extra measure. For when we’re weak, we’re strong. KELLY MINTER is an author, speaker, songwriter, and singer. Whether it’s through a song, study, or spoken word, Kelly’s desire is to authentically express Christ to the women of this generation.
1. Ralph P. Martin, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 40, 2 Corinthians (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1986), 412
LET US BE WOMEN WHO LIVE OUT THE WORD OF GOD worship with
ANTHONY EVANS
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Sunday School Matters 12 Matters that Matter to Your Church by Allan Taylor Train workers in the skills required to grow a viable Sunday School ministry and bring vibrancy to your church. Featuring 50- to 60-minute video training sessions from outstanding national leaders, Sunday School Matters covers topics ranging from leadership, vision, and teaching, to evangelism, care, and the structuring of this vital component of a healthy church. (12 sessions) LifeWay.com/SundaySchoolMatters
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LEADER • TEACH
creating commissioned community
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Most Bible study groups become inwardly focused over time, so they must be intentional about focusing outward. In this third book of the 3 Roles series, the authors look at practices, principles, and perspectives that are foundational for a group to establish, reestablish, or maintain a focus on outreach and evangelism.
ROLES for guiding groups
LEADER
Creating Commissioned Community by David Francis, Allan Taylor, and Ken Braddy
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6-SESSION BIBLE STUDY
Identity My Life of Faith by Matt Brown
SMALL GROUPS
IDENTITY MY LIFE OF FAITH
People define themselves by their role in a family, the work they do, their family history, or their interests and passions. For followers of Jesus, identity is wrapped up in who Jesus is—and His lordship over our lives. As believers, we never lose our uniqueness in our various roles, but those roles are transformed by our life of faith—our true, defining identity. How we serve our families, carry out our work, and live out our faith is a strong, consistent witness of our relationship to Jesus Christ. (6 sessions)
MATT BROWN
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THRIVE
LIVING IN REAL JOY
TONY MERIDA
Thrive Living in Real Joy by Tony Merida God created us not merely to exist or be dutiful workers but to thrive in a life of joy. We may wonder how such a life is possible in light of the difficulties and drudgery of day-to-day living. This timely study of Philippians exhorts believers to understand the joy that is possible as we experience life in Christ through prayer, evangelism, giving, and so much more. An understanding of true joy makes it possible for believers to live in love and humility even as Jesus did, enabling us to become more and more like Christ. (6 sessions)
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1-2 Peter
1–2 PETER
Jeff Iorg (general editor)
1–2 Peter
Christians living in America today can feel like aliens who have awakened in a hostile environment toxic to our faith. The problems seem overwhelming, and it’s easy to think we are facing a dire situation Christians have never before encountered. But our world is not that different from the world of the very first Christians, including Peter. God has given clear instructions for living in challenging circumstances. We can embrace the opportunity to learn how to thrive in our modern world by learning from Peter and applying his spiritual wisdom to our lives. (6 sessions)
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JOSHUA
Joshua Tony Evans (general editor)
Joshua
The Book of Joshua illustrates the fact that the Lord gives rest to His people. After the Hebrew people had suffered for four hundred years as slaves in Egypt, God gave them victories in the promised land. But each victory required a step of faith. God’s provision for the people bore witness to later generations of His divinely willed leadership for Israel, and His gracious gift of the promised land demonstrated that the people’s faithful obedience to the covenant could result in abundant blessing. (6 sessions)
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God Among Us
A Gospel-Centered Exploration of Jesus’ Ministry
GOD AMONG US
by D.A. Horton
A Gospel-Centered Exploration of JESUS’ MINISTRY
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GOD THE SUSTAINER
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As a man, Jesus—the Son of God—lived among His creation, among the works of His hands. Imagine the God of the universe walking around and talking with the people He made. What would He say? Whom would He seek? Each passage in this study teaches about discipleship through Jesus’ encounters. From His conversations with Nicodemus, the Samaritan Woman, and Zacchaeus, to the humility of John the Baptist and the rejection of Jesus at Nazareth, you will see how Jesus came to seek the lost and save us from sin, death, and hell. (6 sessions)
6-SESSION BIBLE STUDY
Daniel and Ezra
GOD THE SUSTAINER
God the Sustainer by Daniel L. Akin and Walter R. Strickland II
A Gospel-Centered Exploration in DANIEL and EZRA
A.D.
B.C.
Akin & Strickland
Danny Akin & Walter R. Strickland II
God is faithful to His Word. He blessed His people with a land, but He also exiled them from it on account of their sin, just as He had said. Yet, God continued to sustain the Israelites, showing Himself to be the one true God even in a foreign land. The Lord preserved His servants—from kings, fire, and lions—and demonstrated his glory and power. When the time of their exile was completed, He brought them home to worship Him with a renewed faith. (6 sessions)
LifeWay.com/TheGospelProject 30
6
$ .99
THERE IS A DISCIPLE-MAKER INSIDE EVERY ONE OF US. If you are a Christian, you are called to be a disciple. And you have the Power within you to become a disciple who leads others in that pursuit. Disciples Path: The Journey can help. This new resource will offer a one-year intentional process for developing disciples who make even more disciples. See a free preview at disciplespath.com/thejourney
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Discover the three essentials required for leaders to be formed through the ministry of a local church.
Designed to Lead
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