Why Easter Matters Bible Study Guide


Book Description

Have you ever been at odds with God? Have you resisted, defied, or tried to bargain your way out of what you thought God wanted? You aren’t alone. Scripture documents similar stories. In this Easter Study Andy Stanley looks at some of the people whose lives intersected with Jesus in the weeks leading to his crucifixion. Each of them had an agenda that put them at odds with God and Jesus. As you’ll see, there’s a little bit of them in all of us. The Why Easter Matters Study Guide includes session overviews, video teaching notes, discussion questions, personal reflection material, and a leader’s guide. Sessions include: The High Cost of Following Christ The Risk of Surrendering to God The God Who Can Be Trusted The Foundation of Our Faith Designed for use with the Who Needs Christmas / Why Easter Matters Video Study (9780310121121), sold separately. Streaming video also available.




The Case for Easter


Book Description

Of the many world religions, only one claims that its founder returned from the grave. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the very cornerstone of Christianity. But a dead man coming back to life? In our sophisticated age, when myth has given way to science, who can take such a claim seriously? Some argue that Jesus never died on the cross. Conflicting accounts make the empty tomb seem suspect.sHow credible is the evidence for the resurrection? Focusing his award-winning skills as a legal journalist on history's most compelling enigma, Lee Strobel retraces the startling findings that led him from atheism to belief. Drawing on expert testimony first shared in his blockbuster book The Case for Christ, Strobel examines: The Medical Evidence -- Was Jesus' death a sham and his resurrection a hoax? The Evidence of the Missing Body -- Was Jesus' body really absent from his tomb? The Evidence of Appearances -- Was Jesus seen alive after his death on the cross? Written in a hard-hitting journalistic style, The Case for Easter probes the core issues of the resurrection. Jesus Christ, risen from the dead: superstitious myth or life-changing reality? The evidence is in. The verdict is up to you. Book jacket.




The Women of Easter


Book Description

ECPA BESTSELLER • This giftable Bible study for the Lenten season explores the stories of three women who played a vital role in the life and ministry of Jesus, as well as in the events of that first Holy Week that first Easter. With unforgettable insights and powerful life application for today's women, Liz Curtis Higgs delves into the biblical text to help us view Easter through the eyes of three women named Mary, each of whom has a life-changing encounter with Jesus: Mary of Bethany, who prepares the way for the Lord’s burial when she anoints His feet and fills the air with her perfume; Mary of Nazareth, who remains by His side from His first breath to His last, her loyalty unwavering; and Mary Magdalene, delivered of seven demons, who bravely supports her Teacher through His darkest hours, then proclaims the glorious news of His resurrection What a trio. What a Savior! Your mind and emotions will be engaged and your faith strengthened as each scene unfolds, preparing your heart for a richer, deeper Easter experience. Higgs, a seasoned Bible teacher and award-winning novelist, combines her storytelling skills with a thorough verse-by-verse study of Scripture as together you explore the remarkable lives of The Women of Easter. "The perfect companion for Easter and beyond!" —Jennie Allen, visionary of IF:Gathering “Liz Curtis Higgs is one of the most amazing teachers of God’s Word that I have ever experienced. Her in-depth knowledge of the Scriptures, gifting as a communicator, and personal relationship with the Lord make her unmatched in the ability to take biblical truth and make it applicable to anybody.” —Priscilla Shirer, New York Times best-selling author of Fervent




Who Needs Christmas Bible Study Guide


Book Description

Rediscover the improbable story of Christmas. Four thousand years ago, God promised he would do something through the bloodline of Abraham. Two thousand years later, Jesus was born. And two thousand years after that, we’re still talking about it. Why? The story of Jesus’ birth was not what anyone expected: a baby . . . born in the armpit of the Mediterranean . . . to save us from sins that no one thought we needed saving from. This Christmas season, join Andy Stanley as he unpacks why the improbability of the Christmas story is what makes it so believable. No one could have or would have made it up. The Who Needs Christmas Study Guide includes session overviews, video teaching notes, discussion questions, personal reflection material, and a leader’s guide. Sessions include: The Story Behind the Story The Author of Life The Message of Christmas Ready or Not . . . He Is Coming Designed for use with the Who Needs Christmas / Why Easter Matters Video Study (9780310121121), sold separately. Streaming video also available.




Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets Bible Study Guide


Book Description

Uncover the five key questions that can change everything about your decision-making process and rewrite the story of your life...one decision at a time. Our decisions don't just affect our present circumstances; they radiate into our future. Most of the time, it's impossible to know what will come of the decisions we make. But this doesn't have to paralyze you. You can train yourself to ask well-placed, appropriately timed, thought-provoking questions that will result in stronger decisions and fewer disappointments down the road. In this six-session video study (DVD/digital download sold separately), author and pastor Andy Stanley gives you five key questions to ask when you have a decision to make and you're not sure what to do (or even if you think you do know what to do!). These five simple questions will empower you to: Pause when feeling tension over a decision Take the long view Look for the wise option Focus on the relational impact of decisions Every decision we make impacts our stories and the stories of those closest to us. It's time to start deciding with our heads instead of with our guts. Sessions Include: More Than a Decision The Integrity Question The Legacy Question The Conscience Question The Maturity Question The Relationship Question Designed for use with the Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets Video Study available on DVD or streaming video, sold separately.




Easter - Bible Study Book


Book Description

The Easter season is full of joy, celebration, and life. It's so easy to get swept up in the busyness of plays and pastels that we sometimes forget to stand in awe of Jesus this time of year. Easter: Behold Your King is a thoughtful look at the Easter season, focusing on the events and deeper theological meaning of the Passion Week. Diving into topics like: Old Testament prophecy that connects to Jesus as the Messiah, the significance of the events of Palm Sunday through the silence of Holy Saturday, and Jesus' appearances after His resurrection, this study will not only help the reader understand how beautifully deep Christ's sacrifice for us was, but also how to live in light of these life-giving truths. This resource will also include Easter activities to help kids, students, and adults celebrate the season together. Features: Leader helps for group discussion Beautiful 4 color interior to enhance the study experience 4 weeks of personal study to be completed between the 5 group sessions Specific Easter activities for kids, students, and adults Benefits: Understand the order and theological significance of the events and big moments during the Passion Week, including the Old Testament prophecies that connect to it, seeing it as more than just a familiar story. Allow a deeper understanding of Easter to fuel your worship of and love for Christ. Understand the important implications that Jesus' work during Passion Week brings to bear on your everyday life. Learn about the hope the Easter season brings us and be equipped to share that hope with others.




Who Needs Christmas/Why Easter Matters Study Guides with DVD


Book Description

In this video Bible study, bestselling author Andy Stanley explores the details behind the remarkable story of Jesus' birth and explains why Christmas is so important for us today. He also looks at the lives of several key people in the Gospels who found their way into the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.




Tempered Resilience


Book Description

What type of leadership is needed in a moment that demands adaptive change? Exploring the qualities of adaptive leadership within churches and nonprofit organizations, Tod Bolsinger deftly examines both the external challenges we face and the internal resistance that holds us back, showing how leaders can become both stronger and more flexible.




The End of the Christian Life


Book Description

We're all going to die. Yet in our medically advanced, technological age, many of us see death as a distant reality--something that happens only at the end of a long life or to other people. In The End of the Christian Life, Todd Billings urges Christians to resist that view. Instead, he calls us to embrace our mortality in our daily life and faith. This is the journey of genuine discipleship, Billings says: following the crucified and resurrected Lord in a world of distraction and false hopes. Drawing on his experience as a professor and father living with incurable cancer, Billings offers a personal yet deeply theological account of the gospel's expansive hope for small, mortal creatures. Artfully weaving rich theology with powerful narrative, Billings writes for church leaders and laypeople alike. Whether we are young or old, reeling from loss or clinging to our own prosperity, this book challenges us to walk a strange but wondrous path: in the midst of joy and lament, to receive mortal limits as a gift, an opportunity to give ourselves over to the Lord of life.




Because of Bethlehem Bible Study Guide


Book Description

In the Because of Bethlehem video Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), bestselling author and pastor Max Lucado guides you through the Advent season to its source at an unassuming stable in Bethlehem... No one expected the Messiah to come the way he did. Yet the way he came was every bit as important as the coming itself. The manger is the message. Because of Bethlehem, God knows what it's like to be human. Because of Bethlehem, when we talk to him about tough times, he understands. He's been there. He's been here. Because of Bethlehem, we no longer have marks on our record...just grace. In the midst of your hectic Christmas season, this 4-session Bible study with Max will: Revive your wonder that the One who made everything chose to make himself nothing for us. Rekindle your connection to the Christ of Christmas who offers lasting hope. Help you lay down your endless Christmas to-do list and receive what Jesus has already done. Heal your heartache by embracing the God who is always near you, always for you, and always in you. For some, Christmas is a time of excitement, celebration, and family, while for others it is a time of loneliness, grief, and loss. No matter what this season holds for you, the promise of Christmas will bring you a lifetime of hope. The Because of Bethlehem Study Guide includes video notes and discussion questions, Bible exploration, an individual application activity, and an Advent practice to complete between meetings. Sessions include: God Has a Face Worship Works Wonders God Guides the Wise Every Heart a Manger Designed for use with Because of Bethlehem/He Chose the Nails Video Study (9780310687849), sold separately. The DVD is a two-disc set for Christmas and Easter.