Free Downloads The Christian Atheist Participant's Guide: Believing In God But Living As If He Doesn't Exist
In this six-session small group Bible study, The Christian Atheist, pastor and author Craig Groeschel leads you and your group on a personal journey toward an authentic, God-honoring life. This honest, hard-hitting, and eye-opening look into the ways people believe in God but live as if he doesn’t exist is a classic in the making. You believe in God, attend church when it’s convenient, and you generally treat people with kindness. But, have you surrendered to God completely, living every day depending upon the Holy Spirit? In this small group bible study, Groeschel encourages you and your group to be more than just “Christian” in name, to be honest before God, and to break free of hypocrisy to live a more authentic, God-honoring life. This Participant Guide is designed for use with The Christian Atheist DVD (sold separately). It’s filled with helpful discussion starters, self-assessment tools, process questions and much more. Sessions include: 1. When you Believe in God but Don’t Really Know Him 2. When you Believe in God but Don’t Think He’s Fair3. When You Believe in God but Aren’t Sure He Loves You 4. When You Believe in God but Trust More in Money 5. When You Believe in God but Pursue Happiness at Any Cost 6. When You Believe in God but Don’t Want to Go Overboard
Paperback: 96 pages
Publisher: Zondervan; Participant's Guide ed. edition (May 7, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310329752
ISBN-13: 978-0310329756
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.2 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #36,806 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #76 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Education > Adult #2569 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Christian Living #8342 in Books > Religion & Spirituality
Many times the guides that go with a series or book aren't necessary or even very helpful. Not the case here. Although it repeats many of the verses and statements used in the DVD it does so in a way to build upon them for further study and discussion. Then it adds LOTS of great quotes and has some SUPER exercises that really help to add to the depth of this excellent 6 part DVD series. I have used it in a small group and in a Sunday morning youth meeting. Craig's lesson on money is eye opening and one of the best I have seen.
I am very impressed with this video series. Craig covers this subject well but from a Biblical perspective he is a little soft. I lead a Bible study and my group loves a good video series that makes you look at the hard side of truth. Craig covers this well and this group realizes we need to readjust our walk to get us out of the American semi Christian way of life. We want our faith to be very easy, our walk to go where we want it to go, and live in what we think is God's grace. It's what we want, and what we think. God is different than we believe Him to be, and this video should wake people up. Thank you Craig for allowing God to use you, and some day I hope to set down with you and discuss the importance of the love God expects from His people.
I lead a weekly adult small group study at our church. The materials in the video were good but the study guide was excellent. I found combining some of the weekly questions for personal study with the study questions themselves made for the best study. Questions were biblically based not just video based which is what I am looking for as a study leader .... point people to God's word.
I enjoyed the book and believe it could be the basis for a good, interactive group discussion. I also felt the participant guide had great promise. However, when I started to watch the DVD, it was preaching in one of those "I need to be preaching in an authority tone with the Bible in my hands or I'm not really preaching" style. Some preachers think the more adamant and forceful they are, the more people will be convinced. That tone of preaching totally turned me off the DVD, and I anticipate my small group will feel so as well. Due to what I've read of the book, I was expecting a softer, more conversational, compassionate (and humble?) tone that could open hearts to tee off discussion about a certain aspect of Christian behavior - not make people defensive.
The Christian Atheist is adequately summarized by its subtitle (Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn't Exist) and biblically supported by Titus 1:16 (They claim to know God, but by their actions deny him). Structurally the book includes twelve chapters all titled "When You Believe in God but . . ." sandwiched between an introduction and an afterword that are both pastoral and personal. Written from an evangelistic and conservative theological worldview, Groeschel seeks to encourage his readers to engage in introspection to learn if their faith is genuine or hypocritical and then to respond by making any necessary changes to become what he terms a "third line Christian" (someone who believes strongly enough to give one's life to "Christ's gospel").Groeschel's willingness to share his own personal journey, including shortcomings that became learning experiences and opportunities for spiritual growth, serves as the book's greatest strength. The book's greatest weakness is its redundancy. The reader moves through twelve verses (ways to fall short of being a third line Christian) of the same song: real Christians believe this but Christian atheists act in a way that seemingly denies such a belief.
I am participating in a growth group at church and was uncertain if this was a good "fit". This book is easy reading, honest and really makes you realize we all share similar feelings of inadequacy. I'm very happy with this purchase and it arrived just as expected!
Our adult Sunday School Class finished the series. After every video message, we clapped. There were 30 in the class and after the message we were in groups and use the discussion questions and comments that were prepared from the Participant's Guide. We also completed the Struggles' Series as well. Both spoke to us and we are becoming stronger Christ Followers, ready to lead.
Groeschel puts raw honesty into words as he makes the reader confront their relational issues with God as he guides you through his past and into the journey of not knowing ABOUT God, but actually KNOWING Him directly. His stories and technique of not just "preaching" at the reader makes it enjoying to read and not a chore.
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