Week 6/Chapter 6 - When You're In Love

This week’s chapter was all about examining the love we have for our Father, God and the Lord Jesus Christ. There were several extremely thought provoking quotes in the chapter but the one that I was really convicted by is from John Piper:

“The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?”

QUESTION 1: Balance in our relationship with God is important so that we don’t ‘humanize’ God to the point that we infer the failures of humans on God. How often do you think of God as more of a concept rather than a real person? Which is more of a struggle for you: intimacy with God or reverence for God?

QUESTION 2: We all have ‘baggage’ that we tote around with us and toss into our various relationships. What kind of baggage do you bring to your relationship with God?

QUESTION 3: Does your relationship with God resemble a ‘love’ relationship? Why or why not?

CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to show you this week any baggage that you pack up and bring into your relationship with Him.

Crazy Love Chapter/Week 5 - Serving Leftovers to a Holy God

This might have been a difficult chapter to read after our chapter last week reviewing the profile of a lukewarm person. Frances Chan says that Chapter 5 was the most difficult for him to write.

Chan believes that too often there are patterns in church and in our lives that we follow simply because it has always been done that way. On the study resource video, he gave the example of building their church sanctuary. Once they outgrew their previous sanctuary, they simply built a larger one. Chan said that only afterward did he realize that he never asked God if that was the biblical thing to do—the thing God desired for them to do. He gives us much to think about when he said in the video that we are fed so much in the church that may not be biblical, but we accept it as if it were. We accept it simply because it has always been done that way.

In Chapter 5, Chan quotes Tim Kizziar who said, “Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” After reading chapter 5, share honestly your answers to the following questions:

Question 1: On pages 83 and 84, Chan says the following: “As I see it, a lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron; there’s no such thing. To put it plainly, churchgoers who are ‘lukewarm’ are not Christians.”
Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

Question 2: We need to be totally honest with ourselves, yet not feel any shame over the answer to this next question. If you sensed a lukewarmness in your life, trying harder is NOT the answer but rather pressing deeper into the Lord Jesus Christ and allowing Him to assure you of your salvation or come into your heart for the first time. After reading chapters 4 and 5, do you have any doubts about your salvation? Where did Chapter 5 leave you?

Challenge: Make a commitment to NOT be the type of Christian who ‘gets to go to heaven without having to commit to anything’.

Week 4 - Profiles of the Lukewarm

This week in Francis Chan’s book, “Crazy Love” we studied Chan’s profile of a lukewarm person. This is certainly not an exhaustive list but we think it certainly is a good start at describing the lukewarm person. In the introduction to the chapter Chan says this,

“It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity.”

Question 1: The quote above puts the spotlight of lukewarmness squarely on the shoulders of the church in America. What do you see in America and in the church today that substantiates or lends supports this statement?

Question 2: I would argue that if you are doing this study of “Crazy Love” your life does not exhibit all or even most of the characteristics of lukewarmness. However, if you are like me, you were able to find yourself in more of these characteristics than you would care to admit. Share honestly which of these characteristics of lukewarmness hit you squarely between the eyes and why.

Question 3: What changes do you plan to make or have you already made based on this week’s chapter on lukewarmness?


Challenge: “Do not assume you are good soil!! Has your relationship with God actually changed the way you live? Do you see evidence of God’s kingdom in your life? Do not assume you are good soil!!

Leah, Spence, and Channy

Spring Break!!

We are headed out of town for spring break this week and so we will not be posting any questions for discussion this week. Please check back on Wednesday April 15th for the next set of questions on Chapter 4.

Hey, some of you haven't checked in for Week 3 yet. We want to hear from you!

Spence, Channy and Leah