Storm Shelter - Study Guide - Sample

STORM Shelter

Cal Rychener

Northwoods Community Church

STORM Shelter Nailing Down Life’s Most Important Questions

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By Cal Rychener

Copyright © 2016 by Northwoods Community Church ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Published by Lifetogether Ministries No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means -- electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise -- except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Copyright and use of the curriculum template is retained by Brett Eastman.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotes are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 and 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

ISBN 978-1-940077-93-2 Printed in the United States of America

STORM Shelter

Nailing Down Life’s Most Important Questions Intro

Acknowledgments 04 Welcome 06 Using This Workbook (Read This First) 08 Outline for Each Session 10

Sessions

SESSION ONE: Nailing Down the Resurrection SESSION TWO: Is there a God and Can I Really Know Him? SESSION THREE: Why Should I Trust the Bible?

SESSION FOUR: Don’t All Roads Lead to Heaven?

SESSION FIVE: Why Not Sin If I Can Ask for Forgiveness Later?

SESSION SIX: Don’t All Good People Go to Heaven?

Appendices

Frequently Asked Questions Small Group Agreement Small Group Calendar Spiritual Partners Check-In S.O.A.P. Bible Study Method A.C.T.S. of Prayer Tips for Scripture Memory Memory Verse Cards Prayer and Praise Report

Small Group Leaders

12 26 44 60 76 92

110 114 116 117 118 120 122 123 124

Hosting an Open House 128 Leading for the First Time 130 Leadership Training 132 Small Group Roster 134 Notes 135

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS JOHN CHANEY ESTABLISH PASTOR

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Living in Central Illinois, we have regular encounters with storms. Sometimes life altering storms. Not too long ago Susie and I experienced serious damage to our home and the destruction of our entire neighborhood by tornado. It was devastating. We also often see sand bagging of homes and businesses that are being engulfed by flooding rivers. In fact this series was filmed on the Peoria river front during one of these extended periods of flooding. With all this around me, it is easy for me to comprehend the need for a storm shelter in my life. How about you?

Pastor Cal, along with the Northwoods’ Small Groups Team and the folks from Life Together have put their talents together to create this study guide and the accompanying DVD. The resulting product could change your life and protect you and those you love through the storms of life.

Thank you to Neil Wilson, who took Pastor Cal’s messages and wrote meaningful discussion prompting content for this workbook. Hailey Henry helped bring all the pieces together and Tommy Owen designed this beautiful layout. Thank you to all of you.

Thanks to the City of Peoria for allowing our film crew on the river front during the flooding and their sand bagging efforts. Oops, I just remembered we forgot to ask permission ... oh well. Thank you Dawn Minch for suggesting this series and this unique setting.

Northwoods Small Group staff… you guys rocked it again! You keep moving our church in a direction of deeper community. Your enthusiasm for small groups compel you to do whatever it takes to get these projects done. I am honored to serve with you. Rod Bell, Danielle Flanagan & Deb Beyer, thank you again for joining me in countless hours of writing, editing and proofing.

Pastor Cal, this is powerful content. Thank you for the many hours you put into praying, writing, and filming. Our day on the river front was long, but you just kept smiling through it all. Thank you for your commitment to God’s Word that shines through in each of these episodes.

Thank you Small Group Leaders, you are the ones that make this all work. Thank you for inviting your friends into community and being willing to step out of your comfort zone. And it’s our Small Group Leadership Team that helps us roll out training opportunities for new & veteran leaders. Thank you for all that you do.

I am always grateful for the generous support of the people of Northwoods Community Church. We could not do this without you.

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WELCOME

CAL RYCHENER NORTHWOODS COMMUNITY CHURCH

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Maybe it’s just me, but weather people on TV seem a lot more jumpy these days. In my dictionary, the term hyperbole has a picture of my weatherman next to it. I watch them try to outdo one another in predicting the dire outlook of weather on the horizon. The radar action on the screen with the green and purple blobs creeping across the map in my direction look a lot like some kind of alien invasion! I recently noticed one network has decided we need to know how many millions of people are in the path of every storm. How does it help me to know fifteen million rather than ten million are going to get rained on? And weather has more and more escaped from its designated place in the newscast and now is often the lead story.

I want to know about the weather as much as the next guy, but I don’t need to have someone drumming up my worry unnecessarily. For that reason, we’re not calling this series Bad Storms Ahead, or Run (Don’t Walk) to the Basement, or even the perennial favorite, The Sky Is Falling! For the next six weeks we’re going to think about Storm Shelter. Yes, we all know there are storms in life. But not enough of us know how to access the shelter God has provided for us. So think of this as more of a “shelter” study than a “storm” study.

In fact, we usually don’t know what storms are going to hit us in life or when they will arrive. That’s why this study is crucial; because the shelter we’re talking about is effective for any storm. Whatever life throws at you, God has made it possible for you to survive and thrive. Proverbs 18:10 gives us a hint: “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” We trust you will come through this study with a whole new appreciation and understanding of the word shelter.

We’re also going to have a lot of fun together. We’ll listen to each other, talk to each other, and spend time giving special attention to God and the book He wrote. This is your chance to experience life with a growing group of friends.

If you’re a veteran of small groups, here’s your chance to help some other people discover the joy of authentic fellowship. If this small group experience is new to you, you won’t need any special prep. Bringing your Bible, this workbook, and showing up each time will do the trick. You will be glad you chose to participate.

Be assured that I will be praying for you during these weeks we are meeting. I know God longs for you to make Him your storm shelter. And I know He intends Northwoods to be a place where we face each other’s storms, encourage each other in the difficult weather of life, and rejoice in the shelter together!

Thanks again for taking the time to be a part of this series and study. I am honored to have the chance to share it with you.

Blessings,

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Notice in the Table of Contents there are four sections: (1) Intro; (2) Sessions; (3) Appendices; and (4) Small Group Leaders. Familiarize yourself with the Appendices. Some of them will be used in the sessions themselves.

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If you are facilitating/leading or co-leading a small group, the section Small Group Leaders will give you some hard-learned experiences of others that will encourage you and help you avoid many common obstacles to effective small group leadership.

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Use this workbook as a guide. If the group responds to the lesson in an unexpected but honest way, go with that. If you think of a better question than the next one in the lesson, ask it. Take to heart the insights included in the Frequently Asked Questions pages and the Small Group Leaders section.

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Enjoy your small group experience. Have fun.

Pray before each session—for your group members, for your time together, and for wisdom and insights.

Read the Outline for each session on the next pages so that you understand how the sessions will flow.

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USING THIS WORKBOOK TOOLS TO HELP YOU HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE!

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OUTLINE OF EACH SESSION A TYPICAL GROUP SESSION FOR THE STORM SHELTER STUDY WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS:

INTRODUCTION. (2 Minutes Suggested) Each lesson opens with a brief thought that will help you prepare for the session and get you thinking about the particular subject you will explore with your group. Make it a practice to read these before the session.

OPEN UP. (20 Minutes Suggested) The foundation for spiritual growth is an intimate connection with God and God’s family. You build that connection by sharing your experience with a few people who really know you and who earn your trust.

This is helpful preparation for being able to share what Christ has done in your life with anyone you meet—which is what a disciple is ready to do. This section includes some simple questions to get you talking—letting you share as much or as little of your story as you feel comfortable doing. Each session typically offers you two options. You can get to know your whole group by using the icebreaker question(s), or you can check in with one or two group members, your spiritual partner(s), for a deeper connection and encouragement in your spiritual journey.

TAKE IT IN. (10-15 Minutes) Each week we will watch a brief video with Pastor Cal’s teaching for the session. Space is provided to take notes.

TALK IT OVER. (20 Minutes Suggested) In this section, you’ll read the Bible and reflect together on the teaching in order to hear God’s plan unfolded through answered questions—and begin to see how that plan is shaping or can shape your life. Take turns reading the questions and make the decision to participate in the conversation.

WORK IT OUT. (20 Minutes Suggested) During this section the focus will be on personal application, helping one another see how the insights from the teaching and from Scripture can affect life where we live it and lead us further along in the plan for growth and discipleship that God has in store for each of us. There will also be some time for quiet personal reflection in this section.

STUDY NOTES. This section provides additional commentary, background, or insights on the passage you will study in the Take It In and the Talk It Over sec-

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tions. These notes are particularly helpful as you are preparing to facilitate those earlier sections.

MOVE IT FORWARD. God wants you to be a part of His Kingdom—to weave your story into God’s story. That will mean change. It will require you to go His way rather than your own. This will not happen overnight, but it should happen steadily. By making small, simple choices, we can begin to change our direction.

This is where the Bible’s instructions to “be doers of the Word, not just hearers” (James 1:22) comes into play. Many people skip over this aspect of the Christian life because it’s scary, relationally awkward, or simply too much work for their busy schedules. But Jesus wanted all of His disciples to know Him personally, carry out His commands, and help others connect with Him. This doesn’t necessarily mean preaching on street corners. It could mean welcoming newcomers, hosting a short-term group in your home, or walking through this study with a friend. In this study, you’ll have an opportunity to go beyond Bible study to biblical living.

Part of Move It Forward will be an opportunity for WEEKLY MEMORY VERSES. Each session includes a Memory Verse that emphasizes an important truth from the session. This is an optional exercise, but we believe that memorizing Scripture can be a vital part of filling our minds with God’s truth. We encourage you to give this important habit a try. The verses for our six sessions and Tips for Scripture Memory are also listed in the Appendix.

REFLECT ON IT. Each week on the Daily Devotions pages we’re including Scriptures to read and reflect on between sessions. This provides you with a chance to slow down, read just a small portion of Scripture each day, and reflect and pray through it. If studying Scripture on your own is a new adventure for you, check out the section on the S.O.A.P. approach in the Appendix for some helpful hints for personal Bible study. You will then have a chance to journal your response to what you’ve read. Use this section to seek God on your own throughout the week. This time at home should begin and end with prayer. Try not to be in a hurry. Take enough time to hear God’s direction.

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1

SESSION 1

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1

NAILING DOWN THE RESURRECTION

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WELCOME TO STORM SHELTER! Look around your group and the safety of your surroundings. We trust you will enjoy the company God put you with on this journey over the next few weeks. By the end we will all realize that God has some answers for us that can withstand whatever life dishes out. There are good reasons to go through this study together. We need each other when it comes to building our shelter. We need to remind each other of the choices we have made when the storms come.

It was an issue on Jesus’ mind when He approached the sister of His dear friend Lazarus. She wasn’t happy that her brother had died, and she wondered out loud if Jesus might have prevented that storm from entering her life. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25). He was offering her the ultimate storm shelter; the answer to the problem of death. That’s what we’re starting with also.

We’re going to spend the next six weeks talking about storm shelters, but this one is the first and biggest one. In a sense, the resurrection answers all the other questions. If you’ve got this one nailed down, the others fit into place. We may not have an answer for every question that comes up, but if we’ve settled the most significant ones we can live with the unsettled matters in the Christian life.

Let’s help one another during these weeks to make sure we’ve got our shelter clearly established and ready for life.

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OPEN UP

20 MINUTES SUGGESTED

OPEN UP WITH PRAYER Thank you God for each person in our group and for the others that may join us along the way. Help us to discover more about your plan for our storm shelter each and every time we gather. Reveal to us more about why what happened at Easter matters so much. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Let’s get to know each other: Introduce yourself and tell the group the most unusual Easter experience you can remember and what made it so memorable. Maybe it was the place, the time in your life, or the people you were with. You’re welcome to pass if you haven’t got one.

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Share some of the differences between Easter as we’ve celebrated it here at Northwoods and other Easters from other times in your life.

WHO’S WITH US ON THIS JOURNEY? As you begin, take time to pass around a copy of the Small Group Roster on page 134 or a sheet of paper. Have everyone write down their contact information. Ask someone to make copies, type it up and email it or take a picture and text it.

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ORGANIZING THE GROUP: Whether your group is new or ongoing, it’s always important to reflect on and review your values together. On page 114 is a Small Group Agreement with the values we’ve found most useful in sustaining healthy, balanced groups. We recommend that you choose one or two values—ones you haven’t previously focused on or have room to grow in—to emphasize during this study. Choose ones that will take your group to the next level of authentic friendship and spiritual health.

If your group is new, you may want to focus on sharing group ownership. Any group will quickly move from being the leader’s group to being our group if everyone understands the goals and shares a small role. See the Group Roles in the Appendix on page 116 for help on how to do this well.

We recommend that you rotate host homes on a regular basis and let the hosts lead the meeting. We’ve come to realize that healthy groups rotate leadership.

This helps to develop every member’s ability to shepherd a few people in a safe environment. Even Jesus gave others the opportunity to serve alongside Him (Mark 6:30–44). When it’s your turn to host and lead, be sure to refer to the FAQs in the Appendix on page 110 for additional information.

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TAKE IT IN

APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES

WATCH DVD SESSION 1 Watch the DVD teaching for this session now. We have provided a Notes space below. There you can record any key thoughts, questions, and things you want to remember or follow up on. After watching the video, have someone read the discussion questions in the Talk It Over section and direct the discussion among the group. As you go through each of the subsequent sections, ask someone else to read the questions and direct the discussion.

NOTES:

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TALK IT OVER

20 MINUTES SUGGESTED

This part of each session is about more than figuring out the main points of the teaching. Some of us may come away with very different applications from Pastor Cal’s observations. Sharing them may help all of us because our underlying objective is to grow together during these weeks. So, let’s talk it over…

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Though we don’t usually start our conversations this personally, the importance of this discussion touches like nothing else on how we live now and how we will spend eternity. Did you note the prayer Pastor Cal talked about in his closing? He described a bridge we must cross at some point. The way we cross is by praying, “Jesus, I am surrendering my life to follow you! I believe you died for me and rose again. Come into me and change me by your life-giving power.” He asked those of us who were trusting Jesus for the first time to make that decision public.

People were declaring, “I am placing my trust totally in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the one who bridged the gap between me and God.”

Did any of you cross that bridge this weekend? Can you tell us a little about the experience? Did anyone pray that prayer just now as Pastor Cal was speaking? It would be great to know so we can pray for you and encourage you. If you haven’t yet decided, that’s okay. We want this to be a safe place to investigate further.

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Related to the entire message, what did you take away as the main point Pastor Cal was making in his remarks on the resurrection of Jesus?

(See your personal notes from the DVD)

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When Pastor Cal mentioned the most well-known religious leaders of history and compared them with Jesus, how is Jesus set apart from all others (John 2:19)?

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Acts 1:8a, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;” Pastor Cal referred multiple times to the power Jesus promised we would have. What did he say the resurrection provides power for? (See Study Notes) How have you seen that evidenced in your life and others?

We’re just starting out in our journey, but jumping in to talk about your experience with Christ will definitely shape how this study affects your life. (Give enough time for folks to gather their thoughts. Having one or two share would be excellent!)

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WORK IT OUT

20 MINUTES SUGGESTED

These sessions will probably stretch each of us in several ways. We trust you will experience a sense of safety because of God’s love and involvement in your life, but we also want to invite you to take new risks of personal disclosure with others in your group.

This is an invitation, not pressure. Never feel forced to share what you’re not ready to share. We can say from experience that even a little risk can benefit us greatly.

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Read Philippians 1:6 out loud. Discuss how God’s commitment and promise affect you personally: “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

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Discuss how you can experience even more resurrection power in your life. (see study notes)

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Write in the blank space below one step that you can start practicing this week to tap into Jesus’ resurrection power in a deeper way.

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Would anyone like to share what step you’ve decided to take? (Consider sharing your experiences next week.)

COME BEFORE GOD: Before we pray together, let’s pause for some reflective silence. Get quiet for just one minute, close your eyes and clear your mind. In your mind ask God, “What are you showing me during this session that relates to your Son’s resurrection?”

If you want to share what you received with the group, feel free but there’s no obligation.

PRAY TOGETHER: God, thank You for Jesus’ death and the power of His resurrection. Thank You for the ultimate shelter we have in Jesus, our Savior. We receive your power through the Holy Spirit. Help us in the weeks to come as we learn more about all the ways you want to help us in the storms of life.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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NOTE: Some of the group members may have personal prayer requests they want to share. Allow everyone to answer this question: “How can we pray for you this week?” Ask someone in the group to pass their study guide around to write prayer requests on their Prayer and Praise Report on page 124. Ask that person to make copies, type it up and email it or take a picture and text it to the group.

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STUDY NOTES The Bible talks about Jesus’ resurrection life infusing you with: - Power to endure when life is tough.

- Power to become more like Jesus.

- Power to keep on serving Him. - Power to pray in His name.

- Power to defeat sin and temptation.

- Power to live a new life.

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MOVE IT FORWARD This week, take what you learned and spend some time putting it into practice. Choose one or more of the following activities to further your spiritual growth and even connect to others in your group. Don’t feel you have to complete all of these. Decide what you can commit to and go for it. Consider sharing your experiences as you “Move It Forward” the next time you meet with the group.

… Pray for each other this week.

You can use the Prayer and Praise Report gathered earlier in this meeting to support your group in prayer. The article in the Appendix on A.C.T.S. as a format for prayer may be helpful for you. It is found on page 120.

… Reflect On It. Commit to daily connection with God. See suggestions on how to do that each day in the “Reflect On It” section.

… Change your mind.

Memorizing Scripture helps to redirect our mind to God’s plan. Take time to give this important practice a try.

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25 niv). … Take personal notes at the weekend service.

Be ready to share your thoughts the next time you gather with your group.

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Day 1.

Scripture: John 2:19

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

Observation: Jesus was answering a challenge about His authority to teach, confront, and work miracles. They misunderstood His words, but we know He was referring to the cross and His resurrection. What does it mean to you that Jesus was continuously aware and open about His own death? Why was His death necessary?

Day 2.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:17-19 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

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Prayer:

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Scripture: Philippians 1:6 6 Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Observation: How would you describe God’s good work in you this week?

Observation: What three things are true about us if Jesus was not raised from the dead?

Application: Describe the current effects in your life of confidence in Christ?

Application: Why are these crucial in your life?

Prayer:

Prayer: Application: What is one new area/situation in your life where you are intentionally asking Jesus to bring His power to bear?

Day 3.

ON IT

REFLECT

Throughout the Storm Shelter study we will be surveying all God has to say to us regarding the shelter He provides in every storm. Each day, read the selected verses and give prayerful consideration to what you learn about God, His Spirit, and His place in your life. Listen to God and record your personal applications, thoughts, insights, or prayers in the Reflect section below the verses you read.

On the sixth day record a summary of what you have learned over the entire week through this study. (Refer to S.O.A.P. in Appendix)

Day 4.

Scripture: Romans 6:4

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

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Observation: Have you been buried with Him through baptism? Have you been raised to new life?

Application: In what ways is your life new?

Give God praise.

Day 5.

Scripture: Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

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Observation: In this verse, God gives us an assignment. What does He provide to help us carry it out? Are you living with that power?

Day 6.

Summary: In general, how would you describe the condition of your storm shelter in facing the storms that might be headed your way or are around you right now?

Use the following space to summarize any thoughts God has put in your heart and mind about the things we have looked at during your Reflect On It time this week

Application: How can you expand your desire to see God’s power at work in you? How can that affect wider circles?

Prayer: Prayer:

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STORM Shelter

Nailing Down Life’s Most Important Questions If you wait until the hurricane hits, then it’s too late to board up your home. There are some things you need to get nailed down before all hell breaks loose. We all know there are storms in life. But not enough of us know how to access the shelter God has provided for us.

Think of this as more of a “shelter” study than a “storm” study. We will take a look at six core beliefs of the Christian faith and what difference they can make in your life when the storms strike.

CALVIN RYCHENER Originally from Archibold, Ohio, Cal Rychener earned a Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministries from Fort Wayne Bible College in 1981 and a Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 1985. He has served as Senior Pastor of Northwoods Community Church in Peoria, Illinois, since its beginning in 1990.

In addition to his love for the local church, Cal has two other great passions. First and foremost is his wife Susan and their children Kathryn & Andy Rogers, Jonathan & Michaela, Victoria & Kody Pinson, and Nathan—plus three grandchildren Avery, Madelyn and Arianna.

Running a distant second is his love for the Green Bay Packers, for whom he has been a guest chaplain. Cal is also the author of two books, Living at a Higher Level of Faith and God Can.

OTHER RESOURCES: www.nwoods.org/stormshelter

We usually don’t know what storms are going to hit us in life or when they will arrive. That’s why this study is crucial; because the shelter we’re talking about is effective for any storm.

Whatever life throws at you, God has made it possible for you to survive and thrive. Proverbs 18:10 gives us a hint: “The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” We trust you will come through this study with a whole new appreciation and understanding of the word shelter.

Session 1 Nailing Down the Resurrection Session 2 Is there a God and Can I Really Know Him? Session 3 Why Should I Trust the Bible?

Session 4 Don’t All Roads Lead to Heaven?

Session 5 Why Not Sin If I Can Ask for Forgiveness Later?

Session 6 Don’t All Good People Go to Heaven?